Dear Pastoral Assistants of Faith Formation and Catechists,

We begin a new year with new hopes and opportunities. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year in the company of your family and loved ones.

I take this opportunity to continue to thank you for your response to God's call to be "echoes" of faith. Your ministry is more than an ordinary teacher. You "set hearts on fire" with your beautiful mission and inspire, not only a generation of families in your parish, but many of them.

During the month of January, consider incorporating pro-life themes into your program and to encourage families to pray for the respect for human life from the "womb to the tomb."

Sister Alice Ann Pfeifer, CSA, of Wisconsin, sums up the task at hand very well, and I will share an excerpt from a prayer celebration she created: "We begin this year with the best of intentions, but we know that teaching children [and families] is not always easy. There are times when our students misunderstand us, and there are times when we misunderstand them. There are times when our patience wears thin, our ideas run out, the right words slip through our fingers, and we have less time to prepare for class than we'd like. However, the Holy Scriptures are full of counsel and encouragement for us at times like these."

May God continue to bless your ministry and let us accompany one another in this wonderful journey.

Carlos Carrillo

Director of Faith Formation

FAITH FORMATION NEWS

Marriage & Family Life

At Home with Faith Content:

In November 2023, I was officially appointed to become the Director of Family and Marriage Ministry in the Archdiocese of Seattle, in addition to Faith Formation.

My commitment is that this ministry will continue to accompany parish ministers with resources and support in their efforts to improve the lives of all members of their community. While I evaluate training, expert advice, and focus areas to offer in the coming years, the goal is to create a culture of life by developing partnerships within each parish family.

The Ministry of Marriage and Family Life presents itself with multiple challenges to provide guidance in all areas of the various families in this archdiocese and there is an urgent need to respond to current and changing family issues.

Here are a few priorities I'll be working on in the coming months (keeping in mind the Partners in the Gospel process):

1. Based on the results obtained from a survey conducted from October 26-November 30, 2023, our publication of "At Home with Faith" will no longer be published on the format used to respond to the COVID-19 times. In this newsletter, we will present a brief article and provide links that offer resources on Marriage and Family Life issues. The content will be updated on a monthly basis reflecting a comprehensive family catechesis.

2.  Schedule a quarterly meeting with Marriage and Family Life coordinators to develop a network of support and exchange of good practices and resources that already exist in the archdiocese.

3. Continue to identify the immediate and future needs of parishes during the Partners in the Gospel process and provide resources to respond to those needs identified as priorities.

4. Form an Advisory Committee in the fall of 2024 to offer ideas and guidance to better serve the ongoing needs of parishes and families in the Archdiocese of Seattle. This committee will consist of at least 1 member from each of our deaneries, ecclesial movements, and a priest who will serve as a consultant and spiritual guide to the Committee.

I ask for your prayers for the success of this ministry.

Carlos Carrillo

To sign up for the Faith Formation newsletter, click on this link:

https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/LCTmY8s/FFnews

To view the full content for At Home with Faith click HERE:

Eucharist is the Center of Faith Formation & Sacramental Preparation Retreat & Workshop - February 7, 2024

This workshop and retreat will provide an opportunity to reflect on the richness of the Catholic faith’s teaching about Eucharist along with a chance to explore ways to implement a Eucharistic vision for ministry to engage people of all ages.

Betrothed Marriage Preparation Retreat - January 13-14, 2024

Betrothed invites engaged couples to prepare for a joyful, lifelong marriage. This marriage-prep retreat is designed to impact the quality of a couples’ communication, conflict resolution, and shared sense of mission. Led by Debra and Fernand Ricard.

Archdiocese of Seattle Children's Prayer Book

The Vietnamese printed version is now available! Please e-mail Lisa directly if you would like to order any quantities of this version.

Please let us know if you are in need of the Children's Prayer book. If you need to order for the first time or replenish your stock, please fill out the form below. Cost is $3.00 per copy. Available in English, Spanish & Vietnamese.

***Our shipment of prayer books have arrived! If you have filled out the prayer book interest form and are waiting to receive your order, Lisa will be emailing you soon.

For online versions, click here.

PAFF Support Meetings & RCIA Support Meetings 

We will resume in the Fall. We appreciate all of you that have participated in these helpful meetings and will continue to do so. Please see below for the dates and the Zoom links to join the meetings! Meetings will be held at NOON.

Catechetical Certification Program

• Virtual/Online starts January 11th!

For parish staff, volunteers and adult learners, this program provides the foundation for knowing, living, and teaching our Catholic faith.

National Eucharistic Congress

Youth & Young Adult Opportunities!

Scholarships are available for youth (attending with a parish group) and young adults who would like to attend from the Archdiocese of Seattle. Click on the button below to learn more about the delegation and the scholarship process.

LITURGICAL CALENDAR

Mary, Mother of God - January 1

• Mary Our Mother - PowerPoint
• Mary, Our Model of Discipleship
• Mary, Mother of God: Her Role in the Incarnation

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton - January 4

• Elizabeth Ann Seton's Saintly Journey
• An American Daughter: Elizabeth Ann Seton and the Birth of the U.S. Church
• 35 Facts You Didn’t Know About St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

St. Andre Bessette - January 6

• 3 Lessons from the life of St. André Bessette for the modern Christian
• André Bessette, patron saint of the rejected

Epiphany of the Lord - January 7

• 5 Ways to Mark Three Kings Day Reflection
• Blessing of the Home and Household on Epiphany
• Celebrating the Epiphany with Catholic Kids

St. Sebastian - January 20

• St. Sebastian: A Saint for Athletes
• St. Sebastain: Daring Christian Soldier
• St. Sebastian Novena Prayer

St. Marianne Cope- January 23

• St. Marianne Cope Biography
• Saint Marianne Cope: First American Franciscan Woman Canonized
• The Childhood of St. Marianne Cope

St. John Bosco - January 31

• Saint John Bosco: Father, Teacher, Friend
• Saint John Bosco Coloring Page
• Saint John Bosco PowerPoint

Be sure to check the Liturgical calendar pages in both English and Spanish. These pages will contain who and what the Church celebrates specifically in the month of JANUARY.

Please note: If you receive this newsletter before the beginning of the next month, content on the webpage will not update until the 1st of each month.

FAITH FORMATION IDEAS

Holy Name of Jesus - January Devotion

• 10 Reasons the Holy Name of Jesus is so Powerful
• Why we Celebrate the Holy Name of Jesus
• Catholic Activity: Story of the Holy Name of Jesus

January 16-24 - 9 Days for Life

9 Days for Life is a novena for the protection of human life. Each day’s intention is accompanied by a short reflection and suggested actions to help build a culture of life.

Click HERE for resources.

January 18-25 - Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

The theme for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in 2024, taken from the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke, reflects the connection between love of God and love of neighbor with a particular concern for challenging the boundaries of who is considered "neighbor".

Click HERE to learn more.

New Year

• 30 Days of Pausing in the New Year
• Three Ignatian New Year’s Resolutions
• Examen Prayer for the Year

Catholic Schools Week

• Discover AND Celebrate Catholic Schools Week! (NCEA)
• Hallow - Catholic Schools Week Resources
• Archdiocese of Seattle Catholic Schools

UPCOMING EVENTS

Eucharist is the Center of Faith Formation & Sacramental Preparation Retreat & Workshop - February 7, 2024, 10:00 am at St. Mary on the Lake Peace and Spirituality Center, Bellevue

Middle School Encounter - March 2, 2024, 8:00 am at Kennedy Catholic High School, Burien

Faith Formation Lenten Retreat - March 13-15, 2024, at Archbishop Brunett Retreat Center, Federal Way

Convocation for Lay Ministers - April 25, 2024, location TBD

ARCHDIOCESE OF SEATTLE

Faith Formation