In January, we welcomed families back to Family Faith Formation and our new theme – The Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation. These are the sacraments that welcome us into the Christian community and provide the foundation for our lifelong journey in the faith.
In early January, Kelly Meraw, Director of Pastoral Care and Liturgy, led sessions for our Loaves & Fishes (3-5) and Mustard Seeds (K-2) families.
During the “Focus on Faith” reflection at the beginning of the session, we talked about what a sacrament is and what is meant by “sacramental grace.” The children learned that a sacrament is something we can see that is a symbol of something we can’t see, and that sacramental grace is a love that we can’t earn – it’s something given to you, as a gift. We talked about and looked at some of the visible symbols of sacraments, including water, oil, bread, and wine.
In the second half of the session, while the children participated in activities with the Children’s Faith Formation team, parents gathered in small groups to discuss questions including: What compelled you to have your child baptized? Describe a feeling you have when receiving the Eucharist? How would you describe The Sacrament of Confirmation to a young person?
Afterward, parents completed the following sentences on a prayer card to share with their children at home: I pray your baptism gave you. . . . I pray the Eucharist gives you. . . . . I pray your confirmation will give you. . . .
On February 1, Sister Colleen Gibson, Coordinator of Pastoral Care, led the Salt & Light (6-7) session on the Sacraments of Initiation for students and parents.
In the first half of the session, we discussed what a sacrament is (something we can see that is a symbol of something we can’t see) and what “sacramental grace” is (a love we can’t earn that is given to us as a gift.) We looked at some of the visible symbols of sacraments, including candles, water, oil, bread, and wine.
In the second half of the session, the students participated in activities with the Children’s Faith Formation team, while the parents joined Sr. Colleen in the chapel.
Parents gathered in small groups to discuss questions including: What compelled you to have your child baptized? Describe a feeling you have when receiving the Eucharist? How would you describe The Sacrament of Confirmation to a young person?
We ended all the sessions as we always do, gathered together for a closing prayer.
Remember, if you missed a session, or if you just want to listen again to the reflections or review the slides, you can find it all, including the At-Home Discipleship for the month, here on our website.