Circle of Grace Safe Environment Lessons for Children and Youth

We have signed an agreement for another 5-year commitment to this program that satisfies the USCCB Standards for providing training to and for our students.

These lessons, provided by the Archdiocese of Omaha, are expected to be taught within the first few weeks of gatherings by certified religion teachers. The absolute deadline for providing is December 15, 2026. Reports go to your respective diocesan lead:

Catholic Schools ~ Rhonda Rose

Faith Formation ~ Erin McGeever

Youth Ministry ~ Robin Shipley

Training for leaders:

Friday, August 28 at 3:00pm

Erin McGeever, St. Augustine Diocesan Director is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Circle of Grace Leader Training

Time: Aug 28, 2026 03:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85296525790?pwd=MY6KMF7HIz6P0mgXQacBu2hlgTvoK9.1

Meeting chat link

https://us02web.zoom.us/launch/jc/85296525790

Meeting ID: 852 9652 5790

Passcode: 9Ssf8Z

Tuesday. September 1 at 6:30 pm

Erin McGeever, St. Augustine Diocesan Director is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Circle of Grace Leader Training

Time: Sep 1, 2026 06:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83003700762?pwd=V74bBHTTX9MaVrgwBZtgGzc7TXfhkb.1

Meeting chat link

https://us02web.zoom.us/launch/jc/83003700762

Meeting ID: 830 0370 0762

Passcode: pf52vK

Please note, training will last about 1.5 hours.

I will post the Zoom links closer to the dates of training. This training is specifically for leaders, but all would be welcome.

Second Edition of the Liturgy of the Hours



The new 4 volume set will begin to be available in January, 2027 with Volume II ready for prayer on Ash Wednesday, February 10, 2027. Two companies have been given copyright permission to print the full 4 volumes, which will be distributed when ready over the next 2 years, with mandatory use at the end of 2028. You may have received several missives on this for Ascension Press and Word on Fire with pre-order specials. 

 I have negotiated pricing for a diocesan order with both companies, which of course is a bit better. The Jotform is the pre-order form if you choose to order through the OCF. Ascension is working on quantity orders (about 20% off depending with free shipping) and Word on Fire is working on a flat fee of 40% off plus shipping.  I recommend looking at each publication online before committing to one edition or the other. It certainly is a bit of personal choice.

Look at Ascension to get a feel for what that one will be like

Look at Word on Fire to get a feel for what that one will be like

Jotform to Pre-Order

Deadline for pre-orders through the OCF will be September 1, 2026

Catechetical Sunday September 20, 2026

If you were unable to attend the webinar last Wednesday on Celebrating the Catechetical Sunday theme all year round, here is the recording: Zoom recording

Background on Catechetical Sunday



Catechetical Sunday was inspired by the Vatican document Provido sane consilio (On the Better Care and Promotion of Catechetical Education) published in 1935.

This document asked every country to acknowledge the importance of the Church’s teaching ministry and to honor those who serve the Christian community as catechists.

In the United States, Catechetical Sunday was first observed with national catechetical congresses held in conjunction with the Vatican celebration.

Beginning in 1971, the USCCB’s Department of Education began producing materials to help parishes celebrate the event at the local level. When the Committee on Catechesis, now named the Committee of Evangelization and Catechesis, was named by the Conference as a standing Committee, it continued to publish Catechetical Sunday materials each year.

Those whom the Community has designated to serve as catechists will be called forth to be commissioned for their ministry. Catechetical Sunday is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the role that each person plays, by virtue of Baptism, in handing on the faith and being a witness to the Gospel. Catechetical Sunday is an opportunity for all to rededicate themselves to this mission as a community of faith.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops designated the third Sunday in September as Catechetical Sunday which this year is September 20.

Link to USCCB downloadable resources

Sacramental Brochures

The OCF has revised each of its sacramental brochures to reflect new terminology and realities

These brochures are intended for your bookracks or for parent meetings to assist families and individuals to understand the formation that is involved with each of the sacraments. 

These are free downloads and are available in both Spanish and English. Limited numbers of print copies are available by request.

Sacraments

A Guide for parents Baptism Preparation

A Guide for Parents First Reconciliation Preparation

A Guide for Parents First Communion Preparation

A Guide for Parents Confirmation Preparation

OCIA

Order of Christian Initiation for Adults and Children of Catechetical Age

Preparing Catechists and Teachers for the new Formation Year

Every catechist and teacher should be provided with a copy of the curriculum that they are expected to teach. You may find each grade, Pre -K - 8 at the following link. The high school religion curriculum will be under review this coming year.

Documents: These are also all found on the www.dosaformation.com website.

Bishop Pohmeier Letter for Curriculum

Director Letter for Curriculum

A curriculum text is to be used at all grade levels. This consists of a series that is on the USSCB List found to be in conformity.

Conformity list as of July 1, 2026

Note, the series must be a K- 8 series with all parts (teacher manual and student book approved)

Curriculum (large file)

Make sure that at the parish you are providing the minimum of 30 hours of instruction. In addition, the hours of preparation for all for the sacraments is:

First Reconciliation 6 - 12 hours of immediate preparation

First Communion 6-12 hours of immediate preparation

Confirmation 18-24 hours of immediate preparation

Guide for Parents to the Curriculum

Grade Level Prayers

Developmental Stages of Children for teachers/catechists

Developmental Stages of Children for Parents

Child Photo Release

Adult Photo Release

Media release children (Spanish)

Media Release Adults (Spanish)



R.E. Policies 2023 Please note, these are in effect but will be studied this year for updating in 2027-2028.

Some important documents ~ these are found on the office website as well as the diocesan website:

DOSA Supplement to the Order (just updated and approved to reflect new realities)

DOSA OCIA Handbook

Please note, as mentioned the norm (December,2024) for an unbaptized person to be in the catechumenate is a minimum of one year. See OCIA) When registering your catechumens for the Rites of Election in 2027, the date of entrance to the catechumenate will be part of the registration process. That date should be recorded in your Book of Catechumens that you are also required to have in your sacramental records.

14-week candidate catechumenal period outline NEW!

Your numbers for the Rites of Election will be taken on October 1. Be ready when that Jotform comes.

8th Annual Homeschool Mass and Dinner

We look forward to welcoming the homeschool families of the Diocese of St. Augustine to a gathering on Monday, September 21 at San Jose Parish. Bishop Pohlmeier will celebrate Mass at 5:30 pm and a reception with entertainment for the children will follow.

In preparation for the liturgical ministries at Mass and the food that will be served at the reception, please fill out the following Jotform.

Jotform to register your family

New course! Caring for Homelessness in Your Parish Community 

A Parish Self-Assessment Tool for Identifying a Pastoral and Ministerial Response

The Scope of this Course

This course offers your parish ideas, suggestions, and a general framework for developing a ministry to welcome and support persons experiencing homelessness within your community. Recognizing that each parish is unique, please use this guide as a starting point to foster open discussion within your ministry and to create a program that best fits your specific context.

Register for this webinar

From Faith and Family Life Catholic Ministries~ BUILD

Make a way with Build, a family faith experience designed for early childhood (0-5) aged children, especially ages 3–5. Invite parents to use simple hands-on activities, conversation, music, and prayer to help nurture the human and spiritual foundations of faith. Families will build with blocks, engage in child-centered conversations, sing songs, and pray together, creating opportunities for children to develop hope, independence, purpose, and a sense of belonging. Watch parents and children grow in community, belonging, and the skills needed to have successful child-centric conversations, with Build.

Link to Build Ages 0 - 5

Build Leader Guide (free download)

Basic Certification (Level I)

September: Holy Family School and San Jose School

September 12 and 13 at San Jose School

September 26-27 at Holy Family School

Jotform to register



November: St. Matthew Parish

November 7 and 8

November 21 and 22

January: St. Anasatasia

January 9 and 10

January 23 and 24



June: St Patrick School, Gainesville

Standard certification is achieved either through courses through the McGrath Institute (STEP) or through the University of Dayton (VLCFF).

Standard Certification Options

STEP through the McGrath Institute

STEP Camino Courses Comprehensive list for the year.

Beginning with the Spring 2027 term, STEP (and our sister program in Spanish, Camino) will move to a revised calendar consisting of five sessions per year: two in the spring, one in the summer, and two in the fall. The remainder of this 2026 calendar will continue as usual, with the new calendar taking effect in Spring 2027.

For your reference, these are the dates for our 2026-2027 sessions:

• Fall 1: August 31 - October 16, 2026
• Fall 2: October 19 - December 4, 2026
• Spring 1: January 11 - February 26, 2027
• Spring 2: March 8 - April 30, 2027 (with a Holy Week break, March 22-28)
• Summer: June 7 - August 1, 2027 (with a summer break, July 5 - 11)

VLCFF through the University of Dayton

VLCFF Calendar

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass~ A Deeper Understanding

The Diocesan Liturgical Commission, in conversation with Bishop Pohlmeier, will be providing this workshop on the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

Bishop Pohlmeier will speak on the following 4 topics:

The Shape of the Sacrifice

The Assembly and the Priest

Full, Conscious, Active Participation

Silence and Reverence

This workshop will be offered twice in two different locations for the convenience of the faithful:

Saturday, August 22 9:00 am -12:30 pm at Holy Faith Parish, Gainesville in the Fr. John Phillips Family Life Center.

Saturday, September 19 9:00 am -12:30 pm at St. Catherine of Siena Parish, Orange Park in the Family Life Center.

No registration is required and there is no fee.

Forming Minds for Lifelong Discipleship

Tuesday, August 25, 2026

Time Zone: 1-2pm est 

Following in Jesus’ footsteps, the Church advocates for a catechumenal process of formation that reflects how human beings are created to learn, grow, and become disciples. Today, educational psychology and learning science help explain what is happening within us throughout this process, giving us a deeper understanding of why this approach works and how we can strengthen our formation efforts to more effectively form hearts and minds to follow Jesus. 

Join Heidi and Tim Indahl from Designed for Discipleship and Steven Serafin and Fr. Tim Donovan from Faith and Family Life Catholic Ministries as we explore where the catechumenal model and modern learning science intersect and what this means for building intentional pathways of lifelong discipleship.

Topics Covered

How We Are Designed for Discipleship

How to Effectively Disciple at Different Stages of Development 

Key Moments of Receptivity

Forming Minds for Lifelong Discipleship (link to register)