Catholic Faith Formation (CFF) sessions for young people K-8 are held from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at St. Joseph. Age-appropriate bulletins, Gospel Weeklies, focus on the Sunday Mass readings and provide the foundation for growing in knowledge and understanding of Catholic faith, sacraments, Christian living, prayer, and the Church's social teachings. Catechists trained and commissioned by the Church facilitate the learning experience.

Faith, beginning with God's gift of life and new life in baptism, continues growing, developing, and maturing throughout our lives. Young people who come to Catholic Faith Formation sessions do so with their own experience of spirituality from their homes, including their understanding of what it means to be Catholic. Catechists, the "teachers in faith", facilitate a faith learning process for them while they continue learning and growing in their own faith, as do parents who are the first and primary educators in the ways of faith for their children. Through our baptism we adults learn, live, and pass on our Catholic faith life to youth.

Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist, the Initiation sacraments, give us our identity as Catholics. In their family life and through their participation in Sunday Mass, young people baptized as infants grow in their Catholic faith. 

Parents of children baptized as infants are responsible for helping them understand the importance of Mass, the Eucharist, as the "source and summit" of Catholic identity by taking them to Church each week to celebrate in community the Sunday liturgy. The CFF program supports parents in carrying out this responsibility.

Becoming a Catholic Christian is the beginning of a lifetime of discipleship, not the end of an accomplishment. We adults mentor young people in discipleship, the lifetime mission of Jesus which is the Church. Our lives are the best textbooks from which they will recognize and learn what it means to be Christian and Catholic.

Once a non-baptized young person is capable of making a choice to be baptized in the Catholic faith (at the "age of reason") he/she needs to participate, in addition to CFF, in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) which is rooted in the liturgical life of the faith community. In RCIA children and adults prepare for the celebration of the three initiation sacraments at the Easter vigil.

6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Monday CFF Sessions

Enter St. Joseph School from the parking lot on the south side of the building.

Young people are expected to respect the property of others. If reckless or willful damage is done to church or school property, parents will be held responsible.

Attendance each week helps insure regular and purposeful growth in faith and builds Christian character. It also gives young people a sense of accomplishment and strengthens family life. Perfect or near-perfect attendance is recognized at the end of each semester. If your family member is unable to attend a session, please call the Church office from 9am-4:30pm at 544-7426.

Registration

Kindergarten through 8th grade participants must be registered in the CFF program in order to attend the sessions.

Cancellation

You will be notified by phone if CFF is canceled because of severe weather.  If a scheduled session is canceled for a different reason, children will bring home a note prior to the date.

Student Fees

One child = $30 Two children = $40 Three or more = $50

The fee covers program materials and supplies for students, including sacramental supplements, family night materials, take-home communications, art supplies, and enrichment materials.

The CFF budget is limited. Please make your payment at the first session of the catechetical year.

UPDATES COMING SOON...

Mon., September 11, 2023 CFF sessions begin, 6:30 p.m..

Mon., November 20, 2023 Family Thanksgiving/Advent Family Session 6:30 p.m.

Mon., February 12, 2024 Lenten Family Session 6:30 p.m.

Sun., March 31, 2024 Easter Sunday

Mon., May 13, 2024 Closing Party