Partners in Faith Formation
Learning and Forming Faith
June, July, October, November, February, March		 Sundays 8:30-9:45 for ages 6-10
Mondays 6-8pm Family Evenings for all ages;
Tuesdays 6:30-8:30
for ages 11-18
Family Catechesis First Thursday
Vacation Bible School August  6-10, 2007
Fiesta Texas August 18, 2007
Catechetical Sunday September 15-16, 2007
Praise and Worship July 25th, Aug. 22, Sept. 26th
See You At The Pole September 26, 2007
World Youth Day Celebrated Nationally October 27 & 28, 2007 Here at St. Helena
World Youth Day With our Archdiocese November 3rd, 2007
at St. Mark the Evangelist
Cosmic Bowling Lock-In November 21, 2007
Souper Bowl of Caring February 3, 2008
Good Friday Liturgy March 21, 2008 at 3:00pm



Faith Formation
 
Why do we stress Faith Formation and not Religious Education?  Religious education has generally been seen as “classes for children” and growing in faith is not just limited to children

Growing in faith is seen as something that begins with the way life is lived everyday. For young children to grow in faith, the family and its practices are crucial. Beginning in middle school and into high school, teens need to be addressed through their process of growing from adolescence into adulthood.  Parents, single adults, and elders have their own needs, interests and concerns.

Providing a Catholic perspective for all these life circumstances is the challenge each parish faces; we are striving to follow the direction of our Church in offering intentional faith formation opportunities for everyone to continue to grow in faith.

 We (all ages) are called to continually deepen our relationship with the Lord
Therefore, our Faith Formation program consists of more than classes for students. The philosophy is that regular participation with the parish at Mass and good habits of religious practice at home are crucial if children are to develop a relationship of faith in God. The programmatic elements attempt to give families opportunities to come together around different aspects of faith both at home and in a parish setting. This process is meant to give parents, as well as their children, an opportunity to deepen their understanding of faith.

 Kids in the Kingdom is for the little members of our parish community: ages 1-3 meet in the nursery; the watch videos, listen to stories about Jesus; ages 4-5 meet and listen to the Gospel story of the day (in kid friendly language), sing songs and work on an activity that reinforces the Gospel message. Sundays 10–11am & 10 -1pm.

 Children ages 6-10 we focus on the Sunday Scripture readings so that faith is based on the stories of Jesus, as well as learn about saints and what it means to live in the Kingdom of God.  They also work on crafts & activities that reinforce the gospel message.  Sunday mornings: 8:30-9:45am.

 Adolescents focus on the topics of growing up and coming to know themselves and their community as members of the Body of Christ.  Tuesday evenings: 6:30 – 8:30pm.

 All ages gather on Monday evenings during Family Evening 6 – 8pm   (“Family is a descriptive of our entire Parish Family it does not mean only parent and child). The evening begins with supper followed by a master lesson on the topic of the week then breaks off into age appropriate groups.  Take home materials help continue the learning process at home.

 The First Thursday Family Catechesis follows the same format as Monday evenings.  5:30 – 7:30pm on the 1st Thursday of every month