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In December, 2016, when Fr. Paddy announced a path of parish renewal rooted in missionary discipleship, our parish Senior Leadership Team (SLT) had already begun focusing on how this new vision and mission would impact our current approach to Faith Formation, which each year serves 500+ families and 700+ children. In spite of the wonderful spirit so active and alive here at Notre Dame, the disheartening nationwide statistics are impacting our faith community as well;
The reality we faced is that the classroom model of catechizing children, a model used by the Church for decades, no longer is working because the culture has changed so significantly. As a society we face a crisis of the breakdown of the family unit, an increase in alcohol and drug use, as well as a crisis in terms of anxiety, depression, mental health issues and suicide.
Many families search for the sacramental “event” for their children (Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation) without being offered a path of true spiritual growth and active engagement in the faith. The classroom model not only fails the families we serve, it also places a continuing drain (financial, physical and spiritual) on the resources available to sustain it.
Life Benefits of Active Engagement in the Life of the Church—In study after study, we see that families who actively engage in a faith community on a regular basis are rewarded with significantly reduced likelihood of life problems and risky behaviors, and stand to significantly improve their odds of a happier, healthier, and longer life.
What are parents to do? Achieving this active engagement suggests that parents/families should seek to:- Pursue a personal relationship with Jesus
- Develop a regular rhythm of participation in Mass and in the life of the parish
- Pursue opportunities to learn and grow in the fullness of our faith
- Recognize Christ’s presence in ordinary moments of daily life.
So, we asked ourselves: How can we as a parish support our families on this new path of spiritual growth and engagement in the life of the church?
- Connect: Help people belong
- Worship: Bring liturgy to life and life to liturgy
- Grow: Live, learn and teach
- Serve: Reach out to others