Resources Faith Formation

Adult Faith Formation

Below you will find information regarding some of the many excellent programs and resources available to assist adults in growing in their knowledge and practice of the faith.  Please do not hesitate to contact our team for more information.

10:10 Challenge

It’s a book from Evangelical Catholic content creators André Lesperance and Andrea Jackson that guides you through ten weeks of strengthening ten core practices that make up the ever-ancient, ever-new way of discipleship.

ACTS Retreats

An ACTS Retreat is a parish-based event which offers parishioners an opportunity to experience the love of Jesus Christ. This in turn fosters a desire for intentional discipleship. ACTS Retreats are given by parishioners for parishioners, and serve to build Christian community at a parish.

The ACTS Retreat begins Thursday evening and ends with Sunday Mass in the parish. While utilizing prayer, service, and teaching, the ACTS Retreat meets people where they are in their spiritual journey and invites them to experience God in a manner that is both personal and communal. ACTS stands for “Adoration, Community, Theology, and Service.”

Alpha

Alpha is a series of sessions exploring the basics of the Christian faith, typically over the course of eleven weeks. Each session is designed to create informal and honest conversation around questions people have about Christian faith.  The format is very adaptable, but the three core elements are a meal, a talk or video presentation, and small group discussion.

Mary Queen of Apostles Salem is using it in the Archdiocese of Boston, among others.  Saint Benedict Parish in Halifax, Nova Scotia has had among the most success with Alpha of any Catholic parish in the world.  Catholics who endorse the use of Alpha include Cardinal Seán and Archbishop Fisichella, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization.

Ascension Press

Ascension Press provides resources and study programs to facilitate small group discipleship, evangelization, and faith formation. Program offerings include Bible studies, Church history, prayer, marriage enrichment, baptismal preparation, divorce support, and more for children, youth, and adults.  Many resources are also available in Spanish.

Augustine Institute

The Augustine Institute offers graduate degrees and certificates in addition to providing a variety of resources for faith formation, evangelization, and discipleship for children, youth, and adults through their books, video programs, and studies.

Called & Gifted

Called & Gifted is a workshop which typically takes place in a parish over the course of one evening and the following full day.  The workshop is actually only the first step in a three-step discernment process.  The second step is a gifts discernment interview and the third step is a small group discernment process, a period of testing and evaluating one’s charisms and learning how best to use them in one’s life.  This process has been designed to help Christians discern the presence of charisms, particular gifts of strengths given by God, in their lives.

ChristLife

ChristLife is a three-part evangelization process that begins with a seven-week kerygmatic series titled “Discovering Christ,” followed by two more similar series entitled “Following Christ,” which addresses Catholic discipleship, and “Sharing Christ,” which addresses sharing Christ with others.  There is a day-long retreat in week five.

The series is hosted at your parish and includes dinner, welcoming, prayer, a 30-minute video presentation, and small group discussion. The materials are available in English and Spanish.

Cursillo

Cursillo is three-day weekend retreat experience; a short course in Christianity.  It helps its participants encounter Christ in a profound way so that they will be equipped to answer Christ’s call to “go out and make disciples of all nations” (Mt 28:19).  There are talks by priests and lay people, small group discussions, prayer, reconciliation, and Mass. It is followed up by optional monthly group reunions called Ultreya as well as small faith sharing groups.  The weekends serve men and women separately.  Cursillo is offered in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Portuguese in the Archdiocese of Boston.  For more information, contact the Cursillo community that works best for you:

• Boston Cursillo
• St. Basil’s, Methuen, MA
• Holy Cross Retreat House, North Easton, MA
• Worcester Cursillo

Evangelical Catholic Reach More

Evangelical Catholic Reach More is a way of building a culture of community and discipleship formation in your parish through small groups.  An on-line system supports the local coordinator in leading the establishment of the small groups and the training and ongoing support of the small group leaders.  By design it is a flexible platform for small group discipleship.

Discipleship Quads

A Discipleship Quad is a group of four people who journey together as disciples through weekly gatherings of fellowship, ongoing conversion, and learning. This 12-month path of accompaniment fosters growth through prayer, accountability, and authentic relationships. Here’s what makes Discipleship Quads different than anything else you’ll find: The size of the Quad is four, allowing for a greater intimacy among members. Choosing who to invite into a Quad is discerned through prayer. There is a rotation of leadership during the Quad’s time together. Fellowship is a meaningful part of the experience. This model has had over three decades of success. It is all free of charge, there’s no cost to you or your parish!

Light of the World

Light of the World (LOTW) is a parish-based weekend retreat experience designed to provide an encounter with Jesus Christ through the kerygma and a renewal of the Sacraments of Initiation over the course of the weekend, with small group follow-up.  It involves parishioners coming to the parish days and evenings over the course of the weekend but does not involve an overnight stay.  The program is also available in Spanish.  St. Mary’s Uxbridge in the Diocese of Worcester is reporting tremendous success.  St. Thomas the Apostle in Crystal Lake IL has been running Light of the World longer than any other parish.

St. Paul Street Evangelization

St. Paul Street Evangelization offers in-person and virtual training to proclaim the Gospel in the public square using the method: Listen, Befriend, Proclaim, Invite.

Word on Fire

Word on Fire offers a variety of podcasts, videos, blogs, study programs, and other resources on particular topics.

Men’s and Women’s Groups and Programs

• Catholic Men’s Leadership Alliance
• Crossing the Goal
• Exodus 90
• Men of St. Joseph
• That Man Is You!
• The King’s Men

Women’s Groups and Programs

• Blessed Is She
• Endow
• Inspire the Faith
• Momnipotent
• Walking with Purpose
• Women in God’s Spirit
• Women in the New Evangelization
• Women of Grace

Faith Formation Models:

• Information on various models of faith formation models and other resources for children and family faith formation

Family Faith Formation

As the domestic church, the family home is “a community of grace and prayer, a school of human virtues and of Christian charity” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1666). Parents, therefore, are the “first preachers of the faith to their children” (Lumen Gentium, 11). In fact, their role in educating their children in the faith is “so decisive that scarcely anything can compensate for their failure in it” (Familiaris Consortio, 36).

In 2017 a report on American Catholic Religious Parenting was published at the University of Notre Dame from which a key takeaway was that “Parents should be informed of their role and empowered, not intimidated.” We encourage you to find opportunities to remind parents of their indispensable and God given role to form their children in the faith.

Goals

Family or intergenerational faith formation supports parents in their role as “first preachers of the faith”, facilitates lifelong faith formation for all generations, encourages missionary discipleship in addition to catechesis, and engages the talents of the whole parish community.

General principles and format

Family or intergenerational faith formation programs often consist of monthly or bi-weekly gatherings of all families at the Church and some include weekly sessions in each individual family home. A combination of textbooks, videos, speakers, arts/crafts, home grown curricula with take home lessons is used to create dynamic content for learning. Successful programs incorporate check-in calls from catechists or other volunteers to families between the sessions to accompany them in the family faith journey, training and support for catechists between sessions, and prayer teams dedicated to praying for a fruitful program. If a parish community is introducing an intergenerational faith formation program for the first time it is prudent to host multiple informational sessions for parishioners and training sessions for catechists.

Parishes typically host families in the intergenerational faith formation program once a month, or bi-weekly, (often after Mass) for seven months. Each session typically covers a specific topic related to the chosen theme for the year (e.g. session topic: Baptism, theme for the year: Sacraments). Depending on the needs of the community, multiple sessions might be made available. It is helpful to host the sessions in a Church facility that can accommodate a large group session and small group breakout sessions.

Communities often host the monthly session after Mass. The morning or evening often starts in the large group with a meal (provided by the parish, parents, or volunteers), followed by prayer which can incorporate the theme for the session. Then participants break off into small groups (often by age, although some programs arrange groups including a diversity of ages to encourage mentorship) for a lesson on the same topic and an opportunity to grow in faith. If small groups consist of multiple ages, guidance on mentorship is crucial to ensure older children are having a fruitful experience and fully engaging as mentors. Adults meet separately to enjoy a session geared toward their level and learning style; curriculum for adults might include a miniseries like The Catholicism Series or live speakers and sessions focused on relationship building and evangelization. The groups then often come together for a group session, closing prayers and announcements.

In between these sessions, the faith is lived out and learned in the home, possibly through weekly sessions led by parents and daily within the context of family life. Parents lean on the take-away sheets they received at the last parish session to lead their children in easy-to-understand weekly sessions (about an hour each) that bring the whole family together for dynamic and prayerful sessions often using hands-on activities, videos, and prayer. Families are encouraged to live out these lessons daily as they grow closer with one another and with Christ. Catechists check in to offer prayerful support and accompaniment during this time in between sessions. Also during this time, parish teams typically host catechists for a preview of the next month’s session.

Communities that have embraced this model have seen great fruit in increased sense of community, strengthened families, heightened adult engagement, stronger Mass attendance, and growth individually in relationships with Christ.

Resources for curricula and models

USCCB Evangelization and Catechesis
Faith and Family Life Catholic Ministries
FamilyFormation.net
Loyola Press: Christ Our Life
Our Sunday Visitor Take Home Sheets
Sadlier
Sophia Institute Family of Faith curriculum

Websites and Blogs

• Catholic All Year A resource for raising Catholic children.
• Catholic Icing: Catholic Craft Ideas
• CatholicMom: A blog for Catholic parents with information from technology to parenting to marriage to Gospel reflections
• The Catholic Parent: Encouraging Catholic Parents to Live Out Discipleship in their Homes
• Catholic Sprouts: Catholic Sprouts offers a podcast, app, resources, and more to support families in growing together in faith.
• Foryourmarriage.org: Family Life and Catholic Parenting
• Katie Warner: Katie Warner provides simple resources for Catholic families and has written a number of outstanding books for children and Catholic families.
• Look to Him and be Radiant: Catechetical and Family ideas for living the liturgical year
• Messy Family Project: Mike and Alicia Hernon offer a podcast, blog, resources, and more for growing together in faith as a couple and as a family.
• Teaching Catholic Kids: From the same people who brought you PB and Grace, a great website for parents learning how to bring the faith home to daily life

Books for Faith Formation

• Directory for Catechesis
• 77 Ways to Pray with Your Kids  by Jerry Windley-Daoust
  • Wondering how to teach your children how to pray? How to pray with them? Or how to introduce more variety of prayer with the children you teach? 77 Ways is full of practical advice and prayer ideas for ages 3-17.
• The Little Oratory: A Beginner’s Guide to Praying in the Home The Little Oratory: A Beginner’s Guide to Praying in the Home  by David Clayton & Leila Marie Lawler
• The Religious Potential of the Child by Sofia Cavalletti
  • Sofia Cavelletti explains how a child (age 3-6) comes to know God and learns about him. It is a refreshing way to grow closer to God versus just learning about him.
• Character Building: A Guide for Parents and Teachers by David Isaacs
  • This book offers suggestions on developing the character of children through the development of moral habits.

Publishers and Organizations

• 52 Sundays
  • 52 Sundays is a dynamic guide to help you and your family reclaim the Lord’s Day with prayer, activities, food, and more.
• Augustine Institute
  • The Augustine Institute is partnering with Ignatius Press to offer a new textbook series in 2022 called Word of Life.  They also offer outstanding sacramental preparation resources called Signs of Grace: You Are Forgiven for First Reconciliation and You Are Loved for First Communion.
• Evangelize
  • Evangelize offers Project Nazareth: Faith Begins at Home, resources for families with children ages 5 through 12, for families to Listen, Pray, and Act with a given topic over the course of several weeks, depending upon the series used.  Guided by Sacred Scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, different series within Project Nazareth explore the fundamental Gospel message and other important topics, such as the Eucharist.
• Faith and Family Life Catholic Ministries
  • Faith and Family Life Catholic Ministries (FFLCM) offers an outstanding on-line formation management system called Martha and a variety of family-centered formation tools for families at different points along their journey of faith, including sacramental preparation.  Learn more about their formation pathways at https://www.fflcm.org/pathways.
• Ignatius Press
  • Ignatius Press offers two K-8 textbook series: Image of God and Faith and Life, in addition to a very wide variety of materials for people of all ages.
• Loyola
  • Loyola offers Christ our Life, Finding God, Persons with Disabilities Resources, a Catechetical Formation Series, a Catechetical Leader Series, and more.
• Openlight Media
  • Resources from the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist focused on teaching the faith and virtues systematically using easy-to-understand philosophy and beauty
• Our Sunday Visitor
  • The curriculum is only a portion of their larger publishing house. This means you have easy access to many resources such as books and pamphlets to help with all your creative ways of doing faith formation.
• Pflaum Gospel Weeklies
  • Easy for parents to teach their children with these weekly pamphlets that are centered around the liturgical readings for each Sunday.
•  RCL Benzinger
  • This publisher offers a basal curriculum based on 6 key components of our faith. They also offer supplemental family guides to help parents reinforce what their children learn in religious education.
• Sadlier
  • One of the oldest publishers of basal curriculum for religious education, Sadlier provides new catechists with many options for how to teach each lesson and works to make their material affordable for parishes.
• St. Mary’s Press
  • This publisher is known for its bibles which are specifically designed for different age groups. They also provide materials for sacramental preparation. They also offer high school e-learning platforms dealing with current events, and bible studies.
• Sophia Institute
  • Takes the stance of teaching the child the faith by introducing them to beauty and God’s love for them while also teaching ways of living out the faith. Catechists like the on-line resources and find their material easy to use.

Catechesis of The Good Shepherd

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) is a Montessori-based religious formation program for children ages 3 through 12 which focuses on the child’s relationship with God and assists the child as he or she learns to follow Christ, the Good Shepherd.  Catechesis of the Good Shepherd was developed almost 75 years ago in Italy and now takes place throughout the world.

A typical session includes prayer, a presentation on Scripture or the liturgy, and time for the children to work with materials from the presentation and silently ponder the mysteries presented. CGS philosophy has the child first ponder God’s love for them and then teach them how to live out the Catholic faith. It is not a classroom style of teaching and allows for more flexibility to teach at the child’s own pace. For this reason, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is also very effective for children with learning disabilities.