Faith Formation

faith-ministries

Religious Education Registration
Click Here to Register beginning August 13, 2023

Dear Faith Formation Parents,

Welcome to a new year of Faith Formation Programs with Holy Spirit Church. We are very excited to continue growing in faith with your children and you. Online registration is now open and will close October 6th, 2023.

This year we will continue several faith formation opportunities:

K-5 Whole Family Catechesis

  • Wednesdays 4:30-6pm
  • Parent Informational Night October 18th 4:30pm
  • Classes begin October 25th
  • Taught by Jessica Coffey and Lynn Lankford

First Year Confirmation

  • Wednesdays 6:15-7:30pm
  • Classes begin October 25th
  • Taught by Jessica Coffey

Second Year Confirmation

  • Sundays 12:00 pm – 1:15 am
  • Classes begin October 15th
  • Taught by Cindy Dowgewicz-Hordyk and Maggie Vera

Registration Fee is $50. Checks can be made out to Holy Spirit Church. Scholarships available.

Feel free to pass this on to anyone who is interested in joining us for Faith Formation this year. If you have any questions, please email or call with any questions.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your families.

Yours in Christ,

Holy Spirit Faith Formation Team

Phone: 707-539-4495

Email: Holy-spirit@sbcglobal.net


General Information about Faith Formation

Children’s Ministry

Preschool and Kindergarten (Not available at this time)

Available Sunday mornings during the 10:30 AM mass. The children will reflect on the Sunday lectionary readings through music, arts and crafts and prayer. Children must be registered to participate

Faith Formation Programs for 1st through 5th grade

Through Bible readings, arts and crafts, prayers, and catechetical lessons our children and families will receive materials and support to enrich their lives and faith journey each week over the school year. (Gatherings will be both on-line and in person as Covid restrictions allow.)

Sacramental Preparation

To foster the necessary understanding of faith at a child’s particular age level a minimum of two full consecutive years of catechetical instruction is to precede the reception of sacraments. Appropriate sacramental readiness, not chronological age or school grade will determine a child’s preparedness to encounter Christ in a sacramental celebration. (Diocese of Santa Rosa)

First Communion

Preparation begins in 1st grade (or first year) in our regular Faith Formation program and continues with specific formation for the Sacraments of Reconciliation and First Communion in the 2nd grade (or second year).

Confirmation

Preparation begins in the 6th grade (or first year) with the focus on Sacraments and the Bible. It then continues in 7th grade (or 2nd year) with the focus on the Sacrament of Confirmation, the Church, and the Holy Trinity. Any parent wishing to enroll an older child (3rd grade to high school) wanting to receive further Sacraments (i.e., Baptism, First Communion or First Reconciliation), may contact the Director of Faith Formation for more information. You and your child are invited to a period of Inquiry!

Youth Ministry

Welcomes all teens(grades 8th through 12th) Youth Ministry provides opportunities to explore who we are as Catholic Christians in our everyday lives, relax with some fun games and prayer. We meet weekly to provide support and friendship to each other in our journey of faith.

RCIA – Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults

Can you relate to any of these questions?

  1. What do I have to do to become a Catholic?
  2. I was baptized Catholic, but that’s about it. How do I get my other Sacraments?
  3. My fiancée is Catholic, and we want to get married in the church, and I want to become a Catholic – what do I do?
  4. I’ve been out of the church for a while, but started coming back here and want to catch up on what’s been going on since I left – are there classes or something like that to find out?
  5. I am trying to be responsible in my obligation to raise my children Catholic – but I realize how much I don’t know about my own faith, how can I catch up to help them in their Religious Education?
  6. I was born and raised a Catholic and now that I am an adult, I want to learn more about who we are as Catholic’s, what we believe, and why we believe it, is there an adult study group for this?
  7. We have so many programs here for young children and teens – Is there a way adults can get together and learn about the church’s teaching on topics and issues of today?

The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) is a process by which one explores faith and life in the Catholic tradition. The Rite is modeled after the initiation process used in the first centuries of the early Church. It includes a combination of study, prayer and participation in the liturgy and certain rites at Mass. Participants, known as catechumens, undergo a process of conversion as they study the Gospel, profess their faith in Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church and receive the Sacrament of Christian Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. How do we address this need, these questions? Contact the Director of Faith Formation for more information.