Families Forming Disciples

Faith Formation During COVID-19: Planning for ‘20-’21

Presentation

•Intro/Context

•Families Forming Disciples –Faith Formation ‘20-’21

•Pertinent Topics and Questions

•Discussion

The crucial location where youth’s religious

outcomes are largely decided is not the

congregation or the parish,

but the home.

The Big Picture

•Parish catechesis: approaches•Traditional, age-oriented, parish sessions•Catechesis of the Good Shepherd•Youth ministry•Various approaches to engage parents•Family-focused approaches•Combinations of the above

The Big Picture

•Parish catechesis: challenges•Long-standing challenges: parent and family engagement and connection to the parish; limited time and capacity for evangelization; catechist availability and formation; gaps between sacramental prep; path of discipleship unclear, etc.

The Big Picture

•Parish catechesis: challenges•Families:

• “Domestic Church” unknown to many families

•Many parents don’t feel competent to pass on their faith

• A culture or “code of silence” when it comes to sharing about Jesus/faith

The Big Picture

•Parish catechesis: challenges•COVID-19: In-person gatherings limited or not possible; adapting to virtual engagement; parental responsibilities with at-home learning for schools; screen fatigue; limited resources; future unknowns over next several months, etc.

The Big Picture

•Responding to a crisis –a unique situation – yes•Triage

•Adaptation

•Creativity

The Big Picture

•But also … a great opportunity•To pilot change strategically•To engage families in renewed ways•To respond to the pastoral plan, to our Holy Father(s), and to the data•To refocus on the goal of faith formation

Survey of Parish Catechetical Leaders

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45

Yes

No

Don't know yet

Will your parish offer some form of adapted faith formation approach that engages families?

Families Forming DisciplesA hybrid, family-focused approach to faith formation

• See Planning Ahead recommendations: https://archatl.com/come-holy-spirit-fill-and-renew-us/families-forming-disciples/planning-ahead/

• Hybrid, family-focused, thematic-activity approach

• where groups of families meet with catechists online and/or in-person to encounter the Lord together

• and to encourage each other to live as the Domestic Church in and through their home and family life.

• Catechists accompanying families

• Families growing in relationship with each other

Families Forming DisciplesA hybrid, family-focused approach to faith formation

Goal: More families praying and

encountering Jesus together and growing as disciples.

Families Forming DisciplesA hybrid, family-focused approach to faith formation

Objectives:

•NOT to burden parents with more school work

•NOT to water down faith formation (the content of the faith remains unchanged)

Families Forming DisciplesA hybrid, family-focused approach to faith formation

Objectives:

• Accompany families through an unprecedented time

• Support parents to learn and live the liturgical year within their homes with their children

•Help families strengthen their relationships with each other, with the Lord, and with their Catholic community

Families Forming DisciplesA hybrid, family-focused approach to faith formation

•Approach: • Adaptable by parishes

• Can be integrated into current parish approaches or stand alone

• Flexible as a hybrid approach: Can start virtually, shift to in-person where possible, etc.

• Lessons:• OFD providing content for the ‘20-’21 year; Spanish incl.

• Can be used as stand-alone or supplemental

Families Forming DisciplesA hybrid, family-focused approach to faith formation

A 3-Week Model (Per Month)

•Weeks 1 & 3: Virtual gatherings of families with catechists (40 min. lessons)

•Week 2: Families at-home activities

•Daily and weekly family prayer commitments (simple but meaningful)

•Sacramental preparation will need particular attention

Week 1: Virtual Gathering of Families

• Welcome and Prayer

• Ice breaker

• Teach main concept

• Facilitate discussion/questions within families (mute everyone for privacy)

• Large group sharing (unmute)

• Assign Mission/Discipleship Activity

• Provide models/ideas for family-sharing session

• Reminder about next gathering of families to share their experiences

• Close in prayer

Week 2: Families At-Home

Time for families to:

•Carry out the Mission/Discipleship Activities together

•Prepare to share at the next online gathering

Week 3: Virtual Gathering of Families

• Welcome back and prayer (**great opportunity for priest participation – even if just dropping in to say hello)

• Ice breaker

• Review main concept

• Families share their experiences

• Facilitate new discussion of questions with large-group sharing about their experiences doing the Mission/Discipleship Activity

• Close in prayer

Calendar/Topics for the Year

•Organized around liturgical calendar

•Keeping family prayer a central dimension

•Key guiding principles:• Jesus at the heart of all catechesis

• The fundamental place of the kerygma (EG, nos. 164-65)

• Rooted to the word of God in Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition (references to Scripture and to the CCC pillars)

• Lessons based on contemporary teaching pedagogy

Calendar/Topics for the Year• Aug: Introductory Session for Parents as Primary Educators

• Sept: Family as Domestic Church

• Oct: Family Rosary

• Nov: Preparing for Advent

• Dec: Grace and Holiness in Family Life

• Jan: Epiphany and the Baptism of the Lord

• Feb: Preparing for Lent

• Mar: Preparing for Holy Week

• Apr: Easter – Living the Season Fully

• May: Ascension and Pentecost

Calendar/Topics for the Year

•Aug: Intro Session for Parents•Heart of Catechesis: Jesus Christ

• Information about the year; tips for engaging children and youth

•Sept: Family as Domestic Church•Prayer in the Home

•Jesus and the Holy Family

Calendar/Topics for the Year

•Oct: Family Rosary•Rosary as Meditating on the Mysteries of Christ with Mary

•Preparing for All Saints Day & All Souls Day

Calendar/Topics for the Year

•Nov: Preparing for Advent•Spiritual & Corporal Works of Mercy

•Family Rosary – The Joyful Mystery of the Visitation

•Christ the King

Calendar/Topics for the Year

•Dec: Grace and Holiness in Family Life•Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception –Mary as “Full of Grace”

•Family Rosary – The Joyful Mystery of the Birth of Our Lord

Calendar/Topics for the Year

•Jan: Epiphany and Baptism of Our Lord•Jesus’ Mission

•Living Our Baptism

•Family Rosary – The Luminous Mystery of the Baptism of Our Lord

Calendar/Topics for the Year

•Feb: Preparing for Lent• Jesus in the Desert

• Reconciliation

• Family Rosary – The Luminous Mystery of the Proclamation of the Kingdom

Calendar/Topics for the Year

•Mar: Preparing for Holy Week•Feast of the Annunciation – The Mystery of Jesus as True God and True Man

•Stations of the Cross – Contemplating Jesus’ Sufferings for Us and for the Whole World

•Family Rosary – The Sorrowful Mystery of the Agony in the Garden

Calendar/Topics for the Year

•Apr: Easter – Living the Season Fully• The Good News (Gospel) of Jesus’ Paschal Mystery

• The Divine Mercy

• Family Rosary – The Glorious Mystery of the Resurrection

Calendar/Topics for the Year

• May: Ascension and Pentecost

• The Church’s Mission

• The Central Mystery of Christian Faith and Life: The Most Blessed Trinity

• Family Rosary – The Glorious Mystery of the Coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth

Calendar/lessons (English and Spanish):

www.evangelizationatl.com/families-forming-disciples

More resources available:

https://archatl.com/come-holy-spirit-fill-and-renew-us/families-forming-disciples/

Lesson 1 Sample

Hispanic Outreach

• Lessons developed in Spanish (including production of specific videos per lesson)

• Adaptability of approach and awareness of parish community

• Consultation with experienced parish leaders and Office of Intercultural Ministries, sharing available insights

• Presentation for Spanish-speaking catechists at the ACC August 22

• Further trainings as needed/requested

Sacramental Preparation

• Sacramental Prep should be distinctly planned for

• Contact publishers for online/hybrid-friendly resources

• Free resources for sacramental prep: https://archatl.com/come-holy-spirit-fill-and-renew-us/families-forming-disciples/digital-content-for-formation-at-home/

Sacramental Preparation

• For parishes utilizing a family-focused approach for regular faith formation, consider finding ways where the sacramental prep complements the ongoing family faith formation. For example:• The schedule neither overlaps/conflicts nor burdens

• Family groupings that include children and youth of similar ages may encourage more sharing and activities related to the particular sacrament(s)

Questions – Technology

• PCLs expressed concerns about adequate technology in homes or in both homes/parishes• Solutions: print materials

(worksheets, study guides, newsletters, etc.), making phone calls, surveying needs

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

Yes

No

Is lack of adequate technology for virtual formation a concern?

Questions – Technology

•Best platform to use?• Various platforms exist; affordable

•OFD can provide a list of possibilities

•ACC August 22: Virtual Toolbox workshops

•Remember: There is no perfect solution—virtual is not ideal.

Questions – Catechist Training • PCLs have expressed concerns that

catechists are unwilling or unprepared to engage families virtually• Some catechists may be more comfortable

engaging children/ youth; some are worried about technology

• Solutions: catechist recruitment/training that is more selective this year and particular to family engagement; model virtual meetings for catechists by holding them now; emphasize catechist accompaniment (catechists accompanying families)

Questions – Catechist Training

•OFD: Will offer periodic trainings for catechists to review lessons and offer strategies and engagement tips

•ACC August 22: Opportunity for more training

Questions – In-Person Gatherings

•How will we know if in-person gatherings for faith formation are possible in the Fall?

• Solutions:• Plan for hybrid approach, with ability to do all or mostly

virtual/distance if necessary

• Parishes not attached to a Catholic school can follow public school guidelines, with any additional AoA guidance

• Catholic schools are planning for in-person—many guidelines will be in place for health/safety. OFD will see what is adaptable for parishes.

Questions – In-Person Gatherings

•In-person is ideal, but when not possible…

•Community-building opportunity•Within families

•Across families virtually, with catechist accompaniment

Challenge and hope

If children do not “see” Catholicism in the “face” of their parents, they will likely never gain sufficient familiarity with it to commit to practicing the faith in the long run.

Horizon of Hope: Key Takeaways

1. Parents should be informed of their role and empowered, not intimidated

2. Parishes, clergy, and religious professionals are as necessary as ever

3. [Catholic] cultural opportunities need to be available for the enhancement of Catholic family life

ofd@archatl.com