Embracing a New Vision of Faith Formation 

Generations Learning Together

We started our intergenerational learning program, “Faith Fest” in April 2007. We began with the discussion of the Sacrament of Holy Orders to celebrate the upcoming ordination of Deacon Ken Domzalsbi and Deacon Tony Repice. We continued our discussion of the Sacraments with Eucharist (September 2007), Reconciliation (February 2008) and Baptism and Confirmation (April 2008).

Beginning September 2008 through June 2009, our general theme will be the Church Vecir, Feasts and Seasons. In learning about the Church year, our faith will be strengthened by understanding what it means to celebrate feasts and seasons as disciples of Jesus. We will explore Lent, Easter, Advent, and Ordinary Time learning what the Catechism sets out for us as goals in understanding our faith.

Both the General Catechetical Directory and National Directory for Catechesis have given us a vision of what faith formation should be in the Catholic Church. They tell us:

• The church community is the primary communicator of faith tradition and  practices   (GDC #77, 141, 105)

• Lifelong faith formation is norm for learning (GDC #56, 66, 80)

• Lifelong faith formation uses the whole life of the Church as the curriculum and content of faith formation.  (GDC #77, 104, 141, 158, NDC 190)

The GDC sees lifelong faith formation as an integrated process which must include several tasks:

• Learning Scripture and Catholic tradition

• Learning the meaning of the liturgy, sacraments and rituals of the Church

• Developing a life of prayer

• Developing moral values rooted in teachings and example of Jesus

• Educating for involvement in justice and service to the larger human community

• Empowering all, especially the laity, to take on their  duty to spread the “Good News” throughout society

According to the GDC, all of these tasks are necessary and should be done in community utilizing the richness of the events of the Church life.  Here at Holy Eucharist we will utilize Generations of Faith as our life-long faith formation approach.

That’s what Faith Fest aims to do. Faith Fest is a faith formation program for everyone, not just those who have children in faith formation or those who wish to receive sacraments. We invite children, parents, grandparents, teens, seniors, widowed/widowers, young adults, married, retired, visitors from other parishes or other faith traditions, divorcees, students, singles and couples...

Everyone who wants or needs to learn more about the Catholic Faith is invited to attend one session of our intergenerational Faith Fests to be presented approximately six times per year. After the Faith Fest session, we, the entire Holy Eucharist community, will celebrate an event in the life of the church, (for example, Advent, Christmas or Pentecost). Each participant will be given a Home Kit in order to continue to explore the topic of the Faith Fest. The Home Kit will contain opportunities to continue the dialogue begun at Faith Fest in the form of rituals, readings, games, meditations, and crafts.

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