Dear Faith Formation, Pastoral Assistants and Catechists,

As we prepare to begin formation programs in our parishes, I want to emphasize an important part of the Directory for Catechesis published in 2020, which reminds us that the tasks of catechesis are inspired by the missionary spirit and Pope Francis reminds us that catechesis must reach the peripheries and become missionary disciples.

"What are the characteristics of a missionary disciple and how does one teach as Jesus did? A missionary disciple witnesses to his or her experience of the love of God in Jesus. Filled with the joy of this love, one wants to share this with others, and for the catechist this means sharing this joy with her or his students, whether children, youth, or adults. This sharing requires having an inviting spirit that accepts without judgment. Such openness follows the manner in which Jesus approached each individual who crossed his path. The catechist does not introduce the learner to his or her knowledge of Jesus but acts as a guide so that each person discovers the relationship with Jesus that already exists and flows out of one's life. The catechist must be in tune with the "culture" of the learners, because each individual or group of persons' age, ethnicity, or state in life is different. Recognizing and responding to such differences enables the catechist to teach in a way that touches all aspects of the person - the mind, heart, and body." (Dr. Lorraine S. De Luca).

I invite you to read the Directory numerals 49 and 50 in which we are reminded of the mission that Jesus entrusted to his Church. This is a missio ad gentes which invites us to address peoples and human groups in permanent mission as part of our role as catechists. Yes, we are called to be missionary disciples and we know that our work many times have this effect on the children and families we serve. Let's echo this mission and do everything we can for our programs and processes to reach out groups that need it most.

To access the Leader's Guide to study the Directory visit this USCCB website:

Leader's Guide to the Directory | USCCB

Carlos Carrillo

Director of Lifelong Formation Department

FAITH FORMATION NEWS

(For printed copies)

Confirmation Retreat Dates

Confirmation retreat dates and locations have been set! Please watch for a separate email and information in the youth ministry newsletter that will include the parish interest form to fill out if you are interested in bringing your Confirmation youth to a retreat.

October 12th at Mary, Queen of Peace, Sammamish

January 25th at Our Lady of Fatima, Seattle

March 22nd at St. Frances Cabrini, Lakewood

April 5th at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Bothell

May 3rd at St. Nicholas, Gig Harbor

PAFF Support and OCIA Support Meetings

Christian Initiation & Partners Presentation with Tom East -

Please click the buttons below to access the recording and presentation materials from Tom East's online presentation in August.

New Minister Orientation & Fall Gathering

Join us for the annual New Formation Minister and Fall Gathering. Register for one or both of the sessions. The morning session is geared toward providing helpful information for new ministers in faith formation, youth ministry, and young adult ministry. The afternoon session continues to provide information to new ministers but seasoned ministers are invited to attend as well to receive ministry updates and the opportunity to network and connect with others. September 17, 2024 at the Archbishop Brunett Retreat Center, Federal Way. For more information and to register, click here.

Maryknoll Bilingual Workshop

This workshop will focus on the methodology of the pastoral circle: see-judge-act that integrates the Scriptures and the Social Doctrine of the Church to discover how your own story is interwoven in the mission of God's love. Lunch is included and there is no cost for your participation. Facilitator: Jacquelyn Hopper. October 19, 2024, 9:00am-4:00pm at the Isaac Orr Conference Room at the Chancery.

Name Change from RCIA to OCIA

Archbishop Etienne has approved for the archdiocese to change the name of the RCIA process to OCIA. The purpose of this chance of name is to emphasize that the journey to become Catholic or to be fully initiated in the Catholic Church it’s a lifelong commitment that each catechumen or candidate makes to the Church. The Ordo of Christian Initiation of Adults present us with the distinct rites of this spiritual process, and it represents the multiple rites in the process of becoming Catholic. Therefore, our name for this process will be referred as Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA).  Once we acquire the book, we will be providing trainings and webinars to see what has changed and what has remained the same. In the meantime, please change your title and information on your parish websites or webpages to reflect the change.

Important dates:

November 1, 2024 - Order of Christian Initiation of Adults may be sold by publishers

December 1, 2024 - Order of Christian Initiation of Adults texts may be used

March 05, 2025 - Order of Christian Initiation of Adults texts must be used

MARRIAGE & FAMILY LIFE

At Home with Faith

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

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

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

Marriage & Family Life Coordinators Meeting - This meeting is for all parish coordinators and volunteers assisting in Marriage and Family Life ministry. September 13, 2024 at the Isaac Orr Conference Room, Seattle - For more information and to register, click here.

Divorce and Beyond Program

St. Louise Catholic Church in Bellevue, is offering “Divorce & Beyond”. This is an excellent 10 week Christian based program of healing and recovery from divorce. Tuesdays, 6:30-8PM at St Louise Parish, beginning September 23rd. The cost is $15 and scholarships are available. If you’d like more information or would like to sign up, contact David Gehrig at 425-214-5466 or email divorceandbeyond@stlouise.org. Click here to learn more.

Betrothed Marriage Preparation Retreats

The Betrothed retreat invites couples to prepare for a joyful, lifelong marriage. Blending hands-on learning of practical life skills with excellent catechesis, this marriage-prep retreat is designed to impact on the quality of a couples’ communication, conflict resolution, and shared sense of mission. Completion of this retreat fulfills the requirements of marriage preparation for the Archdiocese of Seattle. Retreat led by: Fernand & Debra Ricard

LITURGICAL CALENDAR

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 SEPTEMBER.

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.

St. Teresa of Calcutta - September 5

The Birth of Mary - September 8

St. Peter Claver - September 9

• Faith Formation Resource Page on Racism
• Prayer Service for the Feast Day of St. Peter Claver
• Celebrate St. Peter Claver by Checking Your First Aid Kit
• Bishop Barron on Social Justice and Evangelization (video)
• St. Peter Claver - Reflection (video)

Exaltation of the Cross - September 14

• What does the Exaltation of the Cross mean?
• 10 Quotes To Help You Meditate On The Exaltation Of The Holy Cross
• Ways To Celebrate The Exaltation Of The Cross

St. Vincent de Paul - September 27

• The Beginnings of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul
• St. Vincent de Paul Coloring Page (BeKids)
• St. Vincent de Paul: Feast Day, Prayers, Quotes, Patronage and More

FAITH FORMATION IDEAS

Starting a New Faith Formation Year

• Prayer For Students
• Catholic Ice Breaker Games
• 3 Ways to Keep the Faith This School Year (for families)
• Prayer Service to Begin a New Year of Religious Education

September Monthly Devotion - Our Lady of Sorrows

The Seven Sorrows of Mary - The Seven Sorrows of Mary are important for us to know and pray. They are all based on scripture and help us recall Mary’s role in salvation history.

• The Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows

World Day for Grandparents

• World Day for Grandparents and Elderly
• Respect Life - Prayer & Action for Grandparents Day

World Day for Migrants & Refugees

• Pope Francis’ Message – World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2024
• Responding to Refugees and Migrants: 20 Pastoral Action Points
• Prayer Resources: National Migration Week/World Day of Migrants & Refugees

For more feast days & observances not included here, visit the Liturgical Calendar resource page.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Marriage & Family Life Coordinators Meeting - September 13, 2024 at the Isaac Orr Conference Room, Seattle - For more information and to register, click here.

New Minister Orientation & Fall Gathering - September 17, 2024 at the Archbishop Brunett Retreat Center, Federal Way. Register here.

Maryknoll Bilingual Workshop - October 19, 2024 at the Isaac Orr Conference Room at the Chancery. For more information and to register, click here.

ARCHDIOCESE OF SEATTLE

Lifelong Formation