1. Excellence in Faith Formation
Family, Age-Specific & Intergenerational Settings

2. Begin with the Documents
Church documents offer a vision of faith formation

3. National Directory for Catechesis
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2005
The guiding document for catechetical ministry in the United States
Addresses the nature and content of catechesis, methods, principles of adaptation, catechetical personnel and resources

4. Renewing the Vision A Framework for Catholic Youth Ministry
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 1997
Presents goals & components of comprehensive ministry with adolescents

5. Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us
A Pastoral Plan for Adult Faith Formation in the United States
U.S. Catholic Bishops, 1999
Outlines goals, principles and dimensions of adult faith formation

6. Discipleship is Key
“Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” Mt 28:19-20

7. Discipleship is Key
“The command of Jesus Christ to his apostles sets the course from the very beginning for the Church’s fundamental mission to make disciples of all nations.”
Nat’l Directory of Catechesis #1
“Call and Prepare Adults to Act as Disciples in Mission to the World”
Our Hearts were Burning #72

8. Tasks of Catechesis

9. Tasks of Catechesis
Knowledge of the Faith

10. Tasks of Catechesis
Knowledge of the Faith
Liturgical Life

11. Tasks of Catechesis Knowledge of the Faith Liturgical Life
Moral Formation

12. Tasks of Catechesis Knowledge of the Faith Liturgical Life
Moral Formation
Prayer

13. Tasks of Catechesis Knowledge of the Faith Liturgical Life
Moral Formation
Prayer
Communal Life

14. Tasks of Catechesis Knowledge of the Faith Liturgical Life
Moral Formation
Prayer
Communal Life
Missionary Spirit

15. Developmentally Appropriate
The Church’s catechesis—and even more so, the catechist—must take into consideration all the human factors of a particular age level in order to present the Gospel message in a vital and compelling way.
From infancy through maturity, catechesis is thus a permanent school of the faith
and follows the major stages of life.”
National Directory for Catechesis #48

16. Developmentally Appropriate
Respect the different learning styles and needs of participants, treating adults like adults, respecting their experience, and actively involving them in the learning process.
Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us #82

17. Developmentally Appropriate
Provide developmentally appropriate programs and activities that promote personal and spiritual growth for young and older adolescent
Renewing the Vision

18. Diverse Settings
The documents call for a diversity of formational settings. . .

19. Diverse Settings
Renewing the Vision describes several settings:

20. Diverse Settings Renewing the Vision describes several settings:
Age-specific programs for young and older adolescents

21. Diverse Settings Renewing the Vision describes several settings:
Age-specific programs for young and older adolescents
Family-centered programs for the entire family, for parents, foster parents, grandparents raising children. . .

22. Diverse Settings Renewing the Vision describes several settings:
Age-specific programs for young and older adolescents
Family-centered programs for the entire family, for parents, foster parents, grandparents raising children. . .
Intergenerational parish programs

23. Diverse Settings Renewing the Vision describes several settings:
Age-specific programs for young and older adolescents
Family-centered programs for the entire family, for parents, foster parents, grandparents raising children. . .
Intergenerational parish programs
Community-wide programs

24. Diverse Settings Age Specific Family Centered
Intergenerational Parish-wide
Community-wide

25. Putting it all Together
View Parish Faith Formation through the multiple lenses of:
The Tasks of Catechesis
The Settings of Faith Formation
The Life Stages of Parishioners

26. The Tasks of Catechesis
Knowledge of the Faith
Liturgical Life
Moral Formation
Prayer
Communal Life
Missionary Spirit

27. Settings of Faith Formation
Age Specific
Family Centered
Intergenera-tional
Wider Community
Knowledge
of Faith
Liturgical
Life
Moral
Formation
Prayer
Communal
Missionary
Spirit

28. Life Stages Age Specific Family Centered Intergenera-tional
Wider Community
Knowledge
of Faith
Adult
Liturgical
Life

29. Life Stages Age Specific Family Centered Intergenera-tional
Wider Community
Knowledge
of Faith
Adult
Youth
Liturgical
Life

30. Life Stages Age Specific Family Centered Intergenera-tional
Wider Community
Knowledge
of Faith
Adult
Youth
Child
Liturgical
Life

31. Life Stages Age Specific Family Centered Intergenera-tional
Wider Community
Knowledge
of Faith
Adult
Youth
Child
Liturgical
Life
Moral
Formation
Prayer
Communal
Missionary
Spirit

32. Assessment Tool

33. Small Group Discussion
What strikes you as you look at your parish faith formation programs in the context of this assessment tool?
Which of the tasks of catechesis are most effectively addressed?
Which of the settings?
Which of the developmental stages?

34. Large Group Discussion
What insights did you hear in your small group discussion?
How could you build on strengths?
What would you need in order to address areas that currently show room for growth?

35. Assessment for Change
Change is based in the mission of forming disciples
Change begins with sharing the theology of the church’s documents
Change builds on parish charisms and current programming strengths
Change should be planned – including financial and personnel resources
Change needs the involvement of parishioners, committees and staff

36. Caution
No one program or model can meet all needs nor accomplish all the tasks of catechesis for all ages in a faith community
This approach requires resources, hard work and dedication to faith formation in a community
Ultimately this is about cultivating a living, loving, learning community of faith, not about adopting a specific program