Sacramental Preparation

The Process of Initiation

---

Our journey of initiation begins with parental preparation for our Baptism. At Blessed John this includes the New Parent Retreat. We hope to expand upon this beginning in the near future, providing parents with opportunities to meet in small groups to discuss what it means to have their child anointed priest, prophet and king. We also follow up with parents in the years following baptism with letters to parents. Click here for our New Parent Retreat Brochure.

In the near future, it is our hope to design a workshop on Faith Development for parents of our preschool children. This touch stone would be expected for parents to attend before their children begin formal preparation for First Eucharist.

We encourage parents to begin their children's formal faith formation in Kindergarten/Grade One. This year Faith Alive! has a special learning session for those who are age 4 and 5. Grade 1 students will participate with their parent in a parent/child designed process that will allow faith sharing and learning at both levels.

Our second graders continue their faith formation by participation in Faith Alive! We begin additional preparation for First Eucharist by participating in "coaching" sessions, parent meetings with Father Herb, our Jesus Night Retreat, and the First Communion interview where the children receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time.

Faith Alive! and Communal Reconciliation begin in the fall for our families who participated in First Eucharist during the previous year. The Communal Reconciliation preparation process is designed to include "coaching " sessions, three parent meetings with Fr. Herb and a Communal Reconciliation Service for the whole family. Our first youth ministry events begin in third grade. Students are invited to participate regularly in 3:45 Club.

It is our hope to add a seminar on Family Life Values which will help families to live Christian virtues, promote child safety, and address complex issues of contemporary family life within the context of the Catholic faith. Look for this workshop for families in Grades 4 & 5 in the coming months. Faith Alive! participation continues in these years and participation in 3:45 Club.

Beginning in Grades 6 & 7 households with children have two options for on-going faith formation: Faith Alive! OR Impact, a process designed for middle school youth that provides faith formation in a middle school youth ministry format. There will also be a monthly parent component to Impact so parents can continue their life-long faith formation. It is important that children in these years are actively involved in Impact or Faith Alive! These years are prerequisites to our Confirmation process and participation will be expected starting in Fall, 2013.

Confirmation preparation will be the primary focus of faith formation in the Eighth Grade. There will no longer be a break-out session for eighth graders in Faith Alive! If an eighth grade student would like to attend Faith Alive! with their household they can sign up to be a break-out session aid. More details about the new Confirmation process will be coming soon.

Teen Fuel is where Faith Formation takes place for our High School Teens. Teen Fuel meets weekly on Sunday nights during the school year and at other times during the summer months. Annual retreats, mission trips and conferences are also an exciting part of the Teen Fuel program. We encourage parents to promote participation at Teen Fuel as a means to continue faith development in the teen years.

There are many ways for adults of all ages to grow in their faith at Blessed John. Faith Alive! is open to adults with or without kids and we especially enjoy having our wisdom people as part of the process. Other opportunities include small faith groups, monthly contemplative prayer, individual spiritual direction, book discussions, and day or weekend retreats.