Family (Whole Parish) Faith Formation

Taking seriously the Catholic Church's emphasis upon parents as the primary formators of their children in the ways of faith and adult catechesis as the axis around which the catechesis of children should revolve, we are encouraging all parishes to discern ways that they might more intentionally:

• engage parents in the faith formation of their children AND in their own formation
• engage the whole parish in faith formation

Below are a number of resources to assist pastors, priests, deacons, parish catechetical leaders, and others in learning more about family (whole parish) faith formation. 

RESOURCES

Workshops and Webinars from Franciscan at Home (FAH) on Family Formation: Below are a number of online workshops to help you learn more about family faith formation.

(If you are not currently an active user of Franciscan at Home, which we are providing for free to all parishes and schools, please click here for more information and step-by-step instructions to sign up and use this faith formation resource).

• Workshop: Shifting to Family-Centered Formation
• Workshop: The Family as the Context of Catechesis
• Workshop: Family: Domestic Church and School of Holiness
• Webinar: Effectively Reaching Parents (this webinar has a PDF handout - click here to view)
• Webinar: Parents - Protaganists of Their Family's Formation
• Webinar: Evangelizing Families Todays: Engaging Parents as Partners in Faith Formation (this webinar has a PDF handount - click here to view)

Family Faith Formation Programs: Listed below are a good number of programs/publishers that parishes may wish to explore in terms of family formation. We would be happy to discuss these programs with you as well as connect you with parishes that currently employ the particular program you may be interested in using in your parish. 

• A Family of Faith (Sophia Institute)
• Christ Our Life Family Catechesis (Loyola Press)
• Family Formation (FamilyFormation.net)
• Families Forming Disciples (Archdiocese of Atlanta)
• Finding God Family Catechesis (Loyola Press)
• Growing Up Catholic  (Pastoral Center)
• Pathways Formation Suite (Faith and Family Life Catholic Ministries)

Faith Formation Programs with Strong Family/Parent Components:  

• Christ in Us (Sadlier Religion)
• Alive in Christ (Our Sunday Visitor)
• Word of Life (Augustine Institute and Ignatius Press)

• Divine Mercy, Kenner: A Family of Faith (Sophia Institute); Pathways Formation Suite (Faith and Family Life Catholic Ministries)

• Our Lady of Divine Providence, Metairie: Family Formation (FamilyFormation.net)

• St. Angela Merici, Metairie: A Family of Faith (Sophia Institute); Pathways Formation Suite (Faith and Family Life Catholic Ministries)

• St. Benedict, Covington: A Family of Faith (Sophia Institute)

• St. Benilde, Metairie: A Family of Faith (Sophia Institute)

• St. Catherine of Siena, Metairie: A Family of Faith (Sophia Institute)

• St. Jane de Chantal, Abita Springs: A Family of Faith (Sophia Institute)

• St. John the Baptist, Folsom: A Family of Faith (Sophia Institute)

• St. Luke the Evangelist, Slidell: FIRE (Whole Parish Faith Formation)

• St. Margaret Mary, Slidell: Family Formation (FamilyFormation.net)

• St. Mary Magdalen, Metairie: Finding God Family Catechesis (Loyola Press)

If you would like to discuss any of the above information further or if you would like us to connect you with one of the parishes above, please contact Deacon Michael Whitehouse ([email protected]; (o) 504-861-6285.