Children's Faith Formation

Our parish is a welcoming community of prayer, growing in our love of God. For our children, their love of God begins at home, and it is our goal in our Faith Formation Program to deepen that love and understanding that has begun at home.

The merger of St. Peter's, Saint Kateri, and Our Lady of Lourdes, to form, Mary Queen of Martyrs, opens up many great possibilities to our Faith Formation Program.  This year, while the construction of a church hall is underway at Saint Kateri, all classes will be held at St Peter's and Our Lady of Lourdes.  Due to the lack of classroom space at Saint Kateri, will be planning certain special events over there.

We will be returning to a pre-COVID weekly class schedule, and all classes will be in person. We are excited to bring the Edge program to our middle school Faith Formation Program.   Edge is an exciting youth ministry model to help adolescents build community and health friendships on the foundation of faith and the Sacraments.  

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Would you like to share the faith with the children of the parish by becoming a catechist, aide, small group leader, or a substitute teacher? We are still in need of volunteers for this year's faith formation program.  Lesson plans, materials, and a teacher training manual are all provided for you.  It takes a village to facilitate a Faith Formation Program.  Will you be part of our village?                      THE BENEFITS OF VOLUNTEERING

If you would like to help or need more information, please contact Patsy Gillespie at 508-746-0663, ext. 206. or email her Patsy Gillespie

First Holy Communion (FHC) and Confirmation preparation are two-year programs.  All children must complete the first-year preparation prior to registering for the second year. The requirements for FHC are 80% class attendance as well as attendance at the Reconciliation and Eucharistic Retreats.  FHC is designed for children in grades 1-3 and the Confirmation program is designed for high school students. The requirements for Confirmation I and II are 80% attendance, 15 hours of Community Service, of which 8 need to be at the parish, as well as participation in the Retreats.

APPS FOR KIDDOS

It's hard to keep children off their phones and off of social media.  Following your own family rules for electronics is paramount.   Here is an apps designed for children that focus on their religious development.

Please welcome our new director of Faith Formation, Patsy Gillespie!

We are excited to have Patsy join our team! Patsy comes to us with a deep understanding of both the religious and emotional needs of our youth. She received her MA in theology with a concentration in religious education from Franciscan University and an MA in Ministry from Saint John's Seminary. Patsy served as a teacher of theology at Sacred Heart High School in Kingston, Ma as was a member of St. Peter's Parish. When the high school closed its doors, Patsy became the Director of Faith Formation at St. Mary's in Norton, Ma.

Patsy is excited to be back at St. Peter's in her new role and looking forward to getting to know the families of Saint Kateri and Our Lady of Lourdes.  Patsy enjoys spending her spare time, kayaking, reading, playing softball, and being an Auntie to her nephew, Brian.

You can reach Patsy at 508-746-0663, ext. 206 or email her at Patsy Gillespie
 

JUST A NOTE

For many years CCD, or the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, was offered to children who attended public school as a way to better learn their Catholic faith. This was a time when much of the lesson was expected to be memorized and spouted back - does anyone remember the Baltimore Catechism? After Vatican II many places began to refer to CCD as Religious Education and rote memorization was left behind. 

The Catholic Faith is not something that can be relegated to merely education, however. God created each person with a body and soul and we need to integrate the Faith in a manner that connects the heart and the mind. You may notice that we have begun to incorporate a youth ministry model with our middle and high schoolers and no longer use textbooks in a classroom setting. In the younger grades, we are trying to incorporate more family prayer services and activities to help families share their faith not only with their children but with the entire parish community. 

This is a work in progress and faith formation is never-ending. We are blessed to have a parish with many opportunities for children, parents, and adults. Please consider joining a group and let us know if there is something you would like to see added.