Children's Faith Formation

PK through Grade 5 Faith Formation

WORK

• Preparing and sharing meals together
• Working on household projects together
• Yard work and other outdoor maintenance projects

• Unbound: Write to Glory, the child we sponsor in Kenya
• Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program: Volunteer as a family
• Missionary Childhood Association: Offers a monthly calendar of daily activities and faith conversations

• Board and card games, arts and crafts, and read-alouds
• Time together in nature
• Family celebrations

• FORMED Movie Nights through the Parish subscription
• Stay tuned for more!

• Meaningful dinner conversations about faith and values
• Family meetings, as well as 1:1 time
• Sharing the "thorns, buds, and roses" of the day

• Mustard Seed Ministry with facilitation by the St. Mary Faith Formation Team
• 52 Sundays, Family of Faith, and Our Catholic Identity with support from parish mentors

• Praise and worship time
• Family blessings
• Spiritual readings...Bible stories, lives of the saints, etc.

• Catechesis of the Good Shepherd in the Home with support from parish mentors
• Sacred Partnership Parent Workshop with facilitator Sheila Murphy
• Family Mass with Deacon John Murphy

• Unbound (see sidebar for Glory's picture and letter)
  • Our church family has sponsored Glory through Unbound since April of 2014 when Glory was just 6 years old!
  • Sponsorship is $30 a month and helps to provide Glory and her family with clothing, dental care, education, health care, housing support, job skills, and nutritional support. Our sponsorship continues as long as Glory is in school.
  • Reaching out to Glory by sending our letters and drawings is very important! Mail from sponsors is a highlight in the lives of sponsored children.
  • If your family would like to make a donation or correspond with Glory, please CONTACT Amy Ford.
• Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program
  • Volunteer activities as a family could include making boxes of dry goods or bags of produce for guests, helping to make bags for the School Pantry program, occasional outdoor activities, and families with older children may be able to cook.
  • Families up to five could comfortably fit in some of the work areas.
  • Children need to be old enough to keep a mask on.
  • If your family would like to volunteer, please CONTACT Heather Arvidson (Volunteer and Client Services Manager) at 207-725-2716 ext. 305. "I'd be happy to work directly with any families interested in getting involved!"
• Missionary Childhood Association
  • See the month's calendar of daily activities and faith conversations: Missionary Childhood Association
  • Founded in France in 1843 by Bishop Charles de Forbin Jansen
    • "Its purpose is to encourage all children to be aware of the needs of children living in mission diocese through the world and support them both spiritually and sacrificially. Today it is in 110 countries and helps make Jesus known to children all over the world. Under its banner ‘children helping children’, monies raised through schools are directed towards self-help programs involving the building of schools, the provision of health and nutrition programs and medications, school fees, and teaching and learning resources.” (http://www.propfaith.net/onefamilyinmission/mca.aspx)
• FORMED Movie Nights
  • FORMED is a free Faith Formation resource for all ages from the Augustine Institute. It provides easy access to Catholic programming, movies, audios and books. To register...
    • Go to: https://signup.formed.org 
    • Enter "All Saints Parish" or "04011" and click on our parish name.
    • Enter your name and email.
    • Check that email account for a link to begin using FORMED.
• Mustard Seed Ministry (see sidebar to view a 4-minute video of introduction)
  • Receive weekly communication from mentors on the St. Mary Faith Formation Team as they offer guidance to families using any of the recommended resources. This may include suggested projects or prompts with follow-up opportunities.
• 52 Sundays
  • 52 Sundays is a free Faith Formation resource for all ages from the Archdiocese of Detroit. It is a lectionary-based approach to catechesis that helps to bridge the Gospel to the children’s daily life. 52 Sundays highlights prayer, breaking open the Word, reflection and action.
• Family of Faith
  • Family of Faith is a Faith Formation resource for all ages from the Sophia Institute. It offers catechesis for the whole family. Parents are supported in leading the activities and conversations with their children for all to learn and grow together. There are four volumes with each volume covering a pillar of the Catechism of the Catholic Church over the course of four years.
• Our Catholic Identity
  • Our Catholic Identity is a Faith Formation resource for Grades 1-5 from RCL Benziger. It is a catechism workbook that presents the Catechism of the Catholic Church at grade level. The OCI workbook has four parts as structured according to the Catechism: We Believe, We Celebrate, We Live, We Pray. Content and activities provide instruction on these Catholic truths, to include Catholic traditions, faith vocabulary and extended learning through "With Family and Friends" activities.
• Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) in the Home
  • CGS in the Home is a Faith Formation resource for all ages from the national CGS office. It is ideal for families that can't access an on-site atrium by providing a host of supportive material such as free videos of songs used in the atrium, free newsletters that can serve as how-to guides, and books for both parents and children.
  • CGS is an authentic following of the Montessori philosophy of learning, which believes children learn through discovery. This method supports children in recognizing and nurturing their religious life more fully and naturally, by expanding their knowledge and understanding of the faith through experiential encounters with it. Wondering questions and creative work activities support children as they process stories from the Bible and elements and actions from the Mass.
• Sacred Partnership Parent Workshop (see sidebar to view a 1-minute video of introduction)
  • Sacred Partnership is a monthly parent workshop on Prayer. Grow your relationship with God to become more alive and responsive to the joys and sorrows of life. Each month experience a different type of prayer and be supported in your personal prayer. Participate in a daily prayer practice with check in for Q&A on the monthly topic. Attend at St. Charles (limited space) or online. FIRST and THIRD SUNDAYS beginning OCT 4 with Registration, followed by OCT 18 with the first Presentation at 9am.
  • Please CONTACT Amy Ford to register.
• Family Mass
  • Family Mass is a monthly liturgy (dates below) with a child-friendly homily by Deacon John Murphy. Attend the 11am Mass at St. Charles or participate online via livestream.
  • Dates: OCT 25, NOV 22, DEC 27, JAN 24, FEB 28, MAR 28, APR 25, MAY 23
  • The family's participation in Mass on a regular basis
    helps children grow in their Catholic faith. 

INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO SACRAMENT PREPARATION
YR-1, YR-2 and RCIA Adapted for Children
available to any parish family

• YR-1 Resources
  • The same as the Households of Faith Resources. Look into 52 Sundays, Our Catholic Identity, and/or Catechesis of the Good Shepherd in the Home (see above).
  • YR-1 Sacrament Preparation Parent Handbook (see sidebar)

• YR-2 Resources
  • Blessed
    • Blessed is a Faith Formation resource from Dynamic Catholic. It is an engaging sacrament preparation program for YR-2 Sacrament Preparation children receiving First Reconciliation and First Eucharist. Each lesson is consistent with the Catechism of the Catholic Church and incorporates animation and beautifully illustrated workbooks. YR-2 sacrament children also prepare to receive Confirmation.
  • Our Catholic Identity (see above) 
  • YR-2 Sacrament Preparation Parent Handbook (see sidebar)

• RCIA Adapted for Children Resources
  • Journey of Faith is a Faith Formation resource from Liguori Publications. The curriculum follows the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) model of catechesis for children 7 years of age or older who have not been baptized and have never received any religious education. The process prepares the child and family for the reception of the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and First Eucharist. The formation is specific to the stages of Inquiry, Catechumenate, Lent, and Mystagogy.​​​​​​

INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO CATECHESIS OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD
available at St. Patrick Church

• Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) for the 3yo-6yo
  • CGS is an authentic following of the Montessori philosophy of learning, which is believed to be most beneficial for developing the religious potential of the 3yo-6yo child.
  • With the Montessori philosophy of learning, children learn through discovery as they work with beautiful material intentionally developed for them. This method supports children in recognizing and nurturing their religious life more fully and naturally, by expanding their knowledge and understanding of the faith through experiential encounters with it. Children hear and see stories from the Bible and the liturgy of the Church (action and elements), and then process these through wondering questions and creative work activities.
  • The curriculum focuses on fostering the child’s relationship with Jesus and therefore includes presentations in the areas of Practical Life, Nomenclature and Movement, Geography, Prophecies, the Infancy Narratives, The Good Shepherd, the Kingdom Parables, the Paschal Narratives, Baptism, and Gestures of Eucharist.
  • Please CONTACT Kim Tolley for more information.

SAFE ENVIRONMENT CURRICULUM

• Circle of Grace
  • ​​​​​​​Circle of Grace is the diocesan-chosen safe environment curriculum. An information packet is available for anyone, especially those new to the program.