September Faith Formation Update

Summer vacation is now past, and before us is the promise of another school year, and a year of growing in relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ.  

This coming weekend we kick off all our programs. I have been saying that this faith formation year is going to be EPIC. Here are some of the reasons why. Our K-5th classes are using a new book called Spirit of Truth by Sophia Press. It’s a fantastic book that uses the various learning modalities of students to teach the material. Every student will learn according to their ability.

Our junior high students are going to be attending EDGE. Study after study shows that by time students get to 6th grade they are ready for a new way of learning and engaging with the faith. EDGE is that format. Students will begin in large group for an icebreaker activity, opening prayer and the lesson of the day. They will then break into small groups to discuss the teaching with a CORE Team Member! They will finish in large group. 

Students preparing for 1st Penance and 1st Communion are going to be using the BLESSED program from Dynamic Catholic. It is truly the best program for forming children for these two beautiful sacraments of the church. And not only that, it is a program that brings the whole family together to learn and grow in faith.

Truly this year is going to be EPIC. And the biggest reason it’s going to be EPIC is that we will all Encounter Jesus Christ, Engage with our Faith, and Witness our faith to others.

On a spiritual note, September is the month of angels. At the end of the month we have the feast days of the archangels, and our guardian angels. As this new school year begins, as a family pray the St. Michael prayer and the Guardian angel prayer every day for protection. Prayers can be found at the end of this communication.

 

I’m praying for you.

Carlo Stebbings

Director of Faith Formation

Faith Formation News for September

Mark your Calendars!

Monthly/Family Sessions

Just a reminder that we are NOT using Champions for Life this year. Due to the lack of volunteer help it is not feasible to return to CFL and offer the students a meaningful faith experience. Therefore, our monthly sessions will be for student and parent(s). Students need to attend at least 5 of the 7 offered sessions.

Our first monthly session is this Saturday, September 8, 4:30pm Mass at Sacred Heart followed by a family session from 5:30-6:30pm.

***Students in grades 6-8 who are registered for the monthly/summer program can attend an EDGE gathering in place of the Saturday gathering.

Weekly Programs (K-5th)

9th and 10th are the first classes for our Sunday and Monday program.

***All parents are asked to attend the opening class with their children.

EDGE Middle School Youth Group (6th-8th grade)

            Sunday morning 8:45am-10:00am OR Monday 6:30pm-8:00pm at St. Joseph School

9/10- Ignition!

16/17-Kindling!

23/24- Everlasting! and Chosen: Why am I here?

30/1-Life in the Fire!

 

EMMAUS High School Youth Group (9th-12th)

            Sundays from 6:30pm-8:00pm in Youth Room at St. Joseph School

9-Jesus as True God and True Man

16-The Beatitudes

23- Chosen- Who is the Holy Spirit?

30-Truth, Freedom, and Responsibility

 

SACRAMENTAL FORMATION

Confirmation

Orientations for both Year 1 and Year 2: September 5 at 7:00pm OR September 9 at 11:30am.

Both orientations are at Sacred Heart. Parent and candidate attend together.

Year 1- 1st meeting is on the 24th at 6:30pm

Year 2- 1st meeting is on the 23rd at 6:30pm

1st Penance

Orientations/Lesson 1: September 20th at 6:30pm at St. Alphonsus Parish Center OR 22nd at 8:30am at Sacred Heart. Parent and Child attend together.  

 

Family Faith Formation

PRAYER TO
SAINT MICHAEL
THE ARCHANGEL

St. Michael the Archangel, 
defend us in battle. 
Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. 
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, 
and do thou, 
O Prince of the heavenly hosts, 
by the power of God, 
thrust into hell Satan, 
and all the evil spirits, 
who prowl about the world 
seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

 

Prayer
To Your
Guardian
Angel

 

 

 

 

 

Angel of God,
my guardian dear,
To whom God's love
commits me here,
Ever this day,
be at my side,
To light and guard,
Rule and guide.

Amen.

 

August Faith Formation Update

Hello Families,                                                

Praised be Jesus Christ!

I hope this finds you all well and enjoying the dog days of summer!

Our final month of summer vacation is upon us and before we know it the school bells will be ringing again. August is a month of preparation in many ways. Families are preparing for another school year, fall sports begin practicing, and we are preparing for an EPIC year for Breakthrough Faith Formation!

If you are receiving this monthly update that means that you are registered for the 2018- 2019 Faith Formation year! Thank you for registering. If you know of families who have not yet registered, please encourage them to do so as soon as possible as after August 15 there will be a $5 late fee attached to the registration fee.

August is a rich month in our Catholic Faith, especially in its honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

“The month of August is dedicated to the Immaculate Heart. Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. The month of August is traditionally dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The physical heart of Mary is venerated (and not adored as the Sacred Heart of Jesus is) because it is united to her person and is the seat of her love (especially for her divine Son), virtue, and inner life. Such devotion is an incentive to a similar love and virtue.” (catholicculture.org)

August 15th is the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a Holy Day of Obligation. This year St. Mary’s in Auburn will celebrate its 150th anniversary with a special Mass celebrated by Bishop Matano. Everyone is invited!

Some of the other feast days in August are 6- Transfiguration of the Lord, 11-St. Clare, 22-Queenship of Mary, and on the 27 is the feast of St. Monica, patron saint of Wives and Mothers. Our Catholic Faith is so rich and beautiful!

As you use this month to prepare for the fall, as a family put together a family plan to make sure that your faith doesn’t fall on the backburner, but is central in the family, especially once school and all the activities begin. Our families are called to shine with the light of Christ in all we do. Use Mary as your model!  

I’m praying for you.

Carlo Stebbings

Director of Faith Formation

Faith Formation News for August

Registration for 2018-2019

As mentioned above, if you know anyone who has not registered, please encourage them to do so as soon as possible. Deadline for regular registration is Wednesday August 15. After August 15th there will be a $5 late fee added to the registration fee.

Mark your Calendars!

Monthly Sessions

The 1st monthly session is on Saturday September 8. 4:30pm Mass at Sacred Heart followed by a family session.

Weekly Programs (K-5)

Our Sunday morning and Monday afternoon programs begin September 9 and 10

EDGE Middle School Youth Group (6-8th grade)

            Sunday morning 8:45am-10:00am OR Monday 6:30pm-8:00pm at St. Joseph School

We begin September 9 and 10!

EMMAUS High School Youth Group (9-12)

            Sundays from 6:00pm-7:30pm in Youth Room at St. Joseph School

 August

5- Mini Golf at Tom Thumb

12- Cookout and Movie

SACRAMENTAL FORMATION

            Confirmation- Orientations on September 5 OR 9 for Year 1 and 2

            1st Penance– Orientations on September 20 OR 22

Summer Sessions 2018

August 6-17. 8:30am to Noon at Sacred Heart

 

Adult Faith Formation

This is an opportunity not to be missed! Learn about the history, traditions, and richness of our Catholic Faith from the comfort of your home! Having viewed this series and used it as a teacher, you will love it!

July Faith Formation Update

Hello Families,                                                

Praised be Jesus Christ!

I hope this finds you all well and enjoying these early days of summer vacation!   

In my June letter I suggested some ideas on how the family can use summer to grow in relationship with each other as well as grow in faith. As Christians our whole identity is founded on relationship. Why? Because God, a Trinity, is relationship, and God has desired to be in relationship with us. God’s desire for us is the basis of scripture, the writings of our saints, and the liturgical/sacramental life of our faith.

Every time we go to mass and receive our Lord in the Holy Sacrament of the altar we receive him body, blood, soul, and divinity. We touch heaven in communion! How awesome is that?! What makes that moment of communion even more intense is that as we touch heaven we are in communion with all those who have gone before us, the Communion of Saints!

We all know someone who has passed from this life into eternal life. When I receive communion or adore our Lord in Eucharistic Adoration I feel that much closer to my loved ones who have gone before me. Our relationship has not ended, it has just changed. We should not only pray for our deceased love ones but ask them to pray for us just as we ask our recognized Saints to pray for us.

One such saint is Saint Maria Goretti, whose picture is above. She is a patron saint of youth, young women, purity, and victims of rape. Her feast day is July 6. At the end of the month we celebrate the feast day of Saints Joachim and Ann on July 26. They are the parents of Mary and are role models for parents. July is a great month to discover the role of saints in our Catholic faith.

Catholic.org is a helpful website to learn about saints. They have a listing of saints by day and month. Spend some time as a family and discover the saints celebrated on each family member’s birthday.

I’m praying that you and your family have a safe, and holy summer

In the peace of Christ,

Carlo Stebbings

Director of Faith Formation

 

Faith Formation News for July

Registration for 2018-2019

Please try to get registration forms back to the Faith Formation office by the end of the month. We need to plan accordingly for the upcoming year, and we need everyone to do their part to make that happen.  

Deadline for regular registration is Wednesday August 15. After August 15th there will be a $5 late fee added to the registration fee.

Next year is going to be EPIC!

EMMAUS High School Youth Group

            Sundays from 6:00pm-7:30pm in Youth Room in St. Joseph School unless otherwise noted.

July

1- The Joys of Ice Cream! Ice Cream Sundae Contest

8- Game Night! Bring your favorite board game or card game

15- Feast of St. Bonaventure: Turn boredom into meaningful moments

22- No meeting

29- Feast of St. Martha- Service opportunity

Summer Sessions 2018

July 9-20 and August 6-17

The summer sessions for 2018 are only open to those who were part of the 2017 summer sessions as this summer completes last summer.

Service Opportunity!

The St. Alphonsus Parish Life Team is looking for volunteers to help with donation drop offs and set up for our annual Garage Sale. 

The last drop off is the 30th of June. Set up for the sale is on July 12th and 13th, with the sale being on the 14th.

Help needed most especially on July 12th when we move all the sale items from the storage container into the gym. Saturday June 30 from 9-11:30 to sort and move items into the container. July 12 & 13 setting up from 8am until 5pm. 

Contact Jeanette Richardson at [email protected] of the Faith Formation office if you would like to help! 

 

Technology and Faith

OFFICIAL APP OF MASSTIMES.ORG!

The purpose of the Mass Times ministry is to help Catholics get to Mass by helping them find churches and worship times worldwide. We do this by hosting and sharing the most comprehensive database of Catholic churches and worship times in existence. Dioceses, parishes, and many volunteers help us keep the database current. We also host the masstimes.org website that our visitors use to search for Mass times.

June Faith Formation Update

Can you hear it? Can you hear the excitement of the approaching summer vacation? The anticipation is almost palpable. With summer vacation comes great opportunities for the family to grow in relationship with each other, and to grow in faith!  

Some ideas for the family this summer include:

  1. Cook/bake together.
  2. Do projects around the house together.
  3. Go on a hike and talk about how God has given us this beautiful creation to enjoy but also the responsibility to take care of it.
  4. Go on a pilgrimage. Visit a cathedral or a holy shrine i.e. St. Kateri Shrine
  5. Go to daily mass.
  6. Go to mass on vacation. This helps teach kids that no matter where we go there is a catholic church nearby. See link suggestion below.
  7. Try a new prayer experience i.e. adoration, the rosary, chaplet of divine mercy.

The most important thing we can do for our kids is give them undivided time and attention, and model/practice with them a life of faith. Check out the many articles and suggestions found on the Loyola Press website.

I’m praying that you and your family have a safe, and holy summer vacation!

This Sunday! Please consider participating in St. Mary’s Corpus Christi Procession on June 3. Procession starts at 2pm at Tyburn Academy and moves to St. Mary’s Church! Celebrate Jesus in His amazing gift in the Eucharist!

Faith Formation News for June

Registration for 2018-2019

Everyone should have received the new BREAKTHROUGH Faith Formation handbook as well as registration form. If not please contact the office. Please be sure to take your time when reading through the materials. We offer many options, and because of that things can be confusing with the amount of information. We tried our best to make the handbook as user friendly as possible. Suggestions on how to make communications clearer in the future are welcome.

Deadline for regular registration is Wednesday August 15. After August 15th there will be a $5 late fee added to the registration fee.

Next year is going to be EPIC!

EMMAUS High School Youth Group

            Sundays from 6:00pm-7:30pm in Youth Room in St. Joseph School unless otherwise noted!

June Schedule

3- Feast of Corpus Christi! Eucharistic Procession! 2pm-4pm! No night meeting!

10-Taking Care of the Soul!

16- Hiking Trip to Buttermilk State Park 10am-3pm (Pack a Lunch)

17- Father’s Day! No meeting!

24- Nativity of St. John the Baptist! Movie Night: The Greatest Showman!

Monthly Session

Sunday June 3- Participation in St. Mary’s Eucharistic Procession! 2pm-4pm This is a parent child event! See Carlo or Matt to sign in at Tyburn.

Summer Sessions 2018

July 9-20 and August 6-17

The summer sessions for 2018 are only open to those who were part of the 2017 summer sessions as this summer completes last summer.

Sacraments for 2018-2019

Once regular registration form is returned, we will mail out information and registration for 1st Penance and/or Confirmation for those ready to begin their journey toward the reception of these sacraments.

You can find information regarding all our programs on our website!

 

Technology and Faith

OFFICIAL APP OF MASSTIMES.ORG!

The purpose of the Mass Times ministry is to help Catholics get to Mass by helping them find churches and worship times worldwide. We do this by hosting and sharing the most comprehensive database of Catholic churches and worship times in existence. Dioceses, parishes, and many volunteers help us keep the database current. We also host the masstimes.org website that our visitors use to search for Mass times.