Dear Pastoral Assistants of Faith Formation,
This year comes to an end and hopefully, with it, we come closer to return to presenting events and programs in our parishes. Reviewing the labor of our Office of Faith Formation we provide an evaluation of our activities and responses to the challenges presented by COVID-19:
Strengths: Ability to continue offering programs and resources virtually once GotoMeeting and Zoom were discovered; learned to move into a virtual world of evangelization and catechesis in which more people were reached; our publishers responded fast and effectively by digitalizing their resources and offering them at a low price if not free; more people attended Mass virtually; we were able to offer support meetings via Zoom, creating a stronger network and developed guidelines providing opportunities for hybrid programs.
Weaknesses: Some of our parishes lost several catechists and volunteers due to their unfamiliarity with the technology; poor internet service; lack of human contact; the loss of parishioners or family members due to COVID; inability to celebrate some sacraments in the same year, presenting big challenges for parish staff and families to reschedule.
Opportunities: We had the ability to save some money from our budget and took advantage of what was available online; discovered new ways to catechize and involve parents and families in faith formation; we reached other individuals in different states and countries who participated in our programs; we learned new computer programs and ways of stay in touch with our Pastoral Assistants.
Threats: We learned that some positions were eliminated in different parishes and some of our peers retired; a sense of complacency; reduction of budgets and now having to do more with less; unsure what the new "normal" parish life will be like.
What is encouraging is that once we passed through the initial stages of the pandemic, the number of people completing their sacraments remained high and we had a big number of new catechumens and candidates entering into Full Communion with the Church.
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The staff of the Office of Faith Formation wants to praise the heroic and innovative work demonstrated this year by our Pastoral Assistants of Faith Formation and their volunteers. You continue to fulfill the mission given to us and we pray that in the upcoming year we reach more families and children, bringing them to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Have a great 4th of July and summer vacation!
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As a reminder, if your parish allows in-person meetings with small groups, let us know to start visiting you. If you are planning future deanery meetings and would like to invite our Director, please email Carlos at carlos.carrillo@seattlearch.org.
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New Leaders and Participant Guides in English and Spanish
The Leaders Guides are comprehensive overviews of the Directory for Catechesis for Diocesan and Parish Leaders and the Participants Guides are the companions for formation with their catechists.
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PAFF Support Meetings
We will take a break through the summer months so check back soon for dates beginning in September! If you need support or assistance from the Faith Formation office, please don't hesitate to reach out - we are available year round for you!
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PAFF Conference with Joe Paprocki and Loyola Press
A fruitful time was spent with Joe Paprocki from Loyola Press and several PAFFS and others involved in Faith Formation as he presented on his new book, Preparing Hearts and Minds: 9 Simple Ways for Catechists to Cultivate a Living Faith.
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Introducing the Pastoral Plan
Archbishop Etienne invites all Catholics and Catholic ministries to renew their relationship with Jesus to ensure we are carrying out his mission. Watch in English or Spanish
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Congratulations to Maria Murphree on her retirement! Maria provided excellent and unwavering formation guidance and support to St. Gabriel and Prince of Peace. Please find below a summary of Maria's faith formation journey...
My baptism of fire in catechetical ministry was my senior year in college. A group of us were invited to teach faith formation at a local boys reform school. As I moved from place to place with the Coast Guard, I tried to get involved in my parishes when I was on a land assignment. When I left the military, I settled in Port Orchard and became an active parishioner at St. Gabriel. A year later, the DRE position came open and I applied. I wasn’t selected. The evening I received the rejection letter, when I went to bed, I prayed and asked God what he wanted me to do with my life. Around midnight, Father Dennis called and offered me the position after all. That was the first of many instances where God has answered prayer!
In my first week of work, I sat at my desk trying to figure out what about this job could possibly keep a person busy for 40 hours a week. After a few years, I came to understand the joke about the title DRE meaning not just Director of Religious Education, but also “Directly Responsible for Everything.” I learned to do many things at our parish with a small staff. As the staff continued to shrink, the job descriptions grew.
In my 26 years at St. Gabriel and more recently Prince of Peace, I have tried to model “No longer I, but Christ who lives within me.” (Galatians 2:20) If I could tell one story that captures my reason for serving in ministry, I would tell you of the Saturday Vigil Mass on September 15, 2001. This was the first Mass for our community after the terrible events of September 11 earlier that week. People came into the church numb and in a sort of shock. There was a feeling of despair in the church. Midway through Mass, after a homily I don’t remember, the priest invited up a single mother who had scheduled her baby daughter’s baptism for that Mass, well before anyone could have imagined the events of the week. As the priest asked the Renunciation of Sin and Renewal of Baptismal questions, he invited the community to respond as well. The first answers were timid and quiet, but each “I do” became more confident. The feeling in the room totally transformed as the priest poured the water and proclaimed “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” Despair had been conquered by HOPE. Fear had been conquered by FAITH. We knew that God was with us and would continue to be with us.
I hope and pray that in my time at St. Gabriel and Prince of Peace, I have helped people come to know Jesus and follow Him through living our Catholic faith.
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Proclamation & Practice Speaker Series
Watching and Listening for God: The Need and the Blessing of Prayer
Dr. Jean Molesky-Poz
July 18 – 10:30 am-12:00 noon/4:30 pm-6:00 pm
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Cornerstone Catholic Conference
October 30, 2021
Keynote Speakers:
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Fr. Robert Spitzer, SJ: A Case for the Inalienable Rights of the Pre-Born
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Gloria Purvis: What Do the Racial Justice and Pro-Life Movements Have in Common?
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Fr. Agustino Torres: Catolicismo y Colonialismo: La Verdad y Las Enseñanzas de La Iglesia Contra La Esclavitud
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Brenda Noriega: ¡Amarás al prójimo como a ti mismo! “¿Y quién es mi prójimo?”
No fee to register but SIGN UP today to reserve your place!
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SIX TASKS ~ ESSENTIAL CONCEPTS ~ LITURGICAL CALENDAR |
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St. Junipero Serra
July 1
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St. Louis & Zelia Martin
July 12
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Sts. Joachim & Anne
July 26
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St. Kateri Tekakwitha
July 14
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Ignatius of Loyola
July 31
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(printable activity for intermediate children)
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World Day for Grandparents & the Elderly - July 25
Sunday, July 25th will be the first World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly. The theme chosen by the Holy Father for the day is "I am with you always" (cf. Mt 28,20). It expresses the closeness of the Lord and the Church to every older person, especially in these challenging times of the Covid-19 pandemic.
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ONLINE RESOURCES PAGE UPDATES |
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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 July. 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.
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Come and Be Fed Small Group Discussion Guides Archbishop Etienne filmed a series of videos on the key topics he highlighted in his pastoral letter The Work of Redemption: Eucharistic Belief and Practice in the Archdiocese of Seattle, including three videos with local young adults discussing real issues and the challenges we face today and how the Eucharist can truly nourish us. These videos may be used as the starting point for discussions with small groups. There is also a Real Presence Teacher's Guide that can be used for both middle school and high school ages. Find the guides here. (Spanish version of the Teacher's Guide will be available soon.)
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Catechist Recruitment via Webinar
We constantly say that Jesus meets us where we are. We can follow his example and meet parishioners (including parents) where they are. We won’t find them sitting in a meeting after a long day at work. We decided to reach them via a webinar.
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Often youth groups and other ministries take a break for the summer, but that doesn’t mean you should take a break from God. With more time on your hands, summer can be a wonderful time to challenge yourself and grow closer to Christ. Here are 12 suggestions on how to “soak up the son” this summer.
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RELIGIOUS CURRICULUM PUBLISHER NEWS |
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Catechesis of the Good Shepherd |
Want to learn more about The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program? Check out their website or contact one of our local parishes where programs are currently running.
(There are several parishes not listed that have CGS. Contact your local parish for more information.)
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Catechetical Sunday 2021 - September 19, 2021. The theme for this year is " "Say the Word and My Soul Shall be Healed." Resources for download and purchase will be available soon.
New Youth Minister Orientation (Save the Date)- September 8-, 2021 at Archbishop Brunett Retreat Center. More details to come.
New PAFF Orientation (Save the Date) September 14, 2021at Archbishop Brunett Retreat Center, Samuel's building. More details to come. Keep this date in mind if hiring new parish staff who will be working in faith formation.
Cornerstone Catholic Conference (Save the Date) October 30, 2021. This year's event will be virtual. There is no fee to register and registration is open now!
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ARCHDIOCESE OF SEATTLE
Office of Faith Formation
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