This pathway is for families who have not been involved with a family-based program before. It is ideal for families beginning their faith formation journey, or for those who are returning parish life after an extended time away. This is a time of either inquiry or investigation into the essential teachings of the Church found in the Apostle’s Creed.

In this pathway, families will be introduced to the basic Gospel message through the Seek resources. In four at-church family sessions during September and October, we will start our faith journeys fresh and discuss what it means to be a child of God, to live in a world broken by sin, to accept the saving actions of Jesus Christ, and to be a member of the Catholic Church today.

During November through April, all families in this pathway will use the Root resource, which includes a monthly parent study, six at-church Family Sessions, and six at-home Family Meetings. Root will teach or remind you all about the Trinity, God as Father, Creation, Jesus Christ, The Holy Spirit, and the Catholic Church.

At the end of this pathway, your family will have a shared vocabulary of faith and be ready to either continue your formation in the Catholic faith or begin preparing your child to celebrate the Sacraments.

At-Church sessions are scheduled for Monday evenings from 6:30pm-8pm. There are separate sessions for parents, junior high (6th-8th grades), and elementary students (K-5th grades). All promote a shared faith vocabulary and are meant to lead to conversations about faith between parents and children.

The Sunday Mass is our primary community gathering and means of parish support. In it we receive the sanctifying grace of the Eucharist, which is the Source and Summit of the Catholic Faith. Jesus Christ is truly present and in consuming his Body and Blood we are made more like him, which is the ultimate goal of our lives. It is likely that family faith formation will have no lasting effect on a child who does not attend Mass regularly with their family. You must make weekly Mass attendance your greatest priority. Our program assumes that this is already the case or that you are intentionally moving in that direction

This pathway is for families who are continuing on their formation journey, which the Church calls “mystagogy.” All families in Continued Growth should be familiar with a family-based program where teaching comes primarily from the parents and is supplemented with at-church Family Sessions.

The resource for the parish’s year of mission is called Mercy. In this resource, families will teach and learn about the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. These are traditional actions that are associated with how God commands us to love our neighbor.

Mercy contains fifteen at-home Family Meetings that will be completed between September and April. We will supplement your at-home experience with at-church Family Sessions four times through the year. I would like to perform some service projects as part of the at-church Family Sessions. Please let Maggie or me know if there are local projects or organizations you know of that could use our help. I will also reach out to our parish service ministries to see what their needs are. 

At-Church sessions are scheduled for Sunday morning after the 8:45 Mass until 11:15.

The Mass is our primary community gathering and means of parish support. In it we receive the sanctifying grace of the Eucharist, which is the Source and Summit of the Catholic Faith. Jesus Christ is truly present and in consuming his Body and Blood we are made more like him, which is the ultimate goal of our lives. It is likely that family faith formation will have no lasting effect on a child who does not attend Mass regularly with their family.

Between ages 11-13, peer groups and dynamics greatly increase in their importance when it comes to practicing and growing in faith. For that reason, we require that all in grades 6-8 attend small discipleship groups throughout the year. These groups are each led by an adult mentor in faith who is your partner in passing on faith to your child. During these groups, there are snacks, a game, and time to learn and share about faith. They all occur on Sunday evenings from after the 5:30 Mass until 8pm. The adult mentors use YDisciple content to help the teens learn and grow in their faith. 

Families preparing a child or children for First Reconciliation will use the Mend resource. It contains eight at-home Family Meetings. As well, Faith Formation families will attend two at-church Family Sessions which will supplement the preparation process for the whole family. First Reconciliation will be held on the morning of Saturday, December 7th.

At-Church Family Sessions for Reconciliation and Eucharist will each take place on a Sunday morning after the 8:45 am Mass until 11:15.

• Parent Information Meeting: September 8, 2024, 6:45-8pm, in the School Gym
• First Reconciliation Date: Saturday, December 7, 10am-Noon, St Brendan Church
• Preparation Resource: St Brendan uses the Mend box resource from Faith and Family Life Catholic Ministries. This involves 7 at-home family meetings. These are to be completed at home between September and First Reconciliation. Parents must also submit a family-follow through after each at-home meeting.
• Day-Of Details: We will begin with a communal Penance service in the church along with an introduction of the priests hearing Confessions. Your child is welcome to have any priest hear his or her Confession. We invite your child to complete his or her penance in the church after the Sacrament. Finally, there will be cookies, juice, certificates, a gift, and the First Communion preparation box available in the Davidson Meeting Rooms. You may leave at anytime; there is no closing service or prayer.
• General Confessions: Any family member is welcome to celebrate Reconciliation during this service.
• Dress Code: Wear something special for this wonderful occasion! Think about along the lines of what you would wear to a wedding, Sunday Mass, or to receive an award.

Families preparing a child or children for Eucharist will use the Nourish resource. It contains ten at-home Family Meetings. As well, Faith Formation families will attend three at-church Family Sessions which will supplement the preparation process for the whole family. First Eucharist will be celebrated at 2pm on Sunday, May 4 and Sunday, May 11.

At-Church Family Sessions for Reconciliation and Eucharist will each take place on a Sunday morning after the 8:45 am Mass until 11:15.

• First Holy Communion Date: Sunday, May 4, 2pm OR Sunday, May 11, 2pm at St Brendan Church. Mass will likely be 90 minutes. This Mass does ‘count’ for your Sunday obligation. We are limited to 60 families at each Mass.
• Preparation Resource: St Brendan uses the Nourish box resource from Faith and Family Life Catholic Ministries. This involves 10 at-home family meetings. The first 9 meetings are to be completed at home between First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion. The 10th meeting is meant to be completed as part of your First Holy Communion celebration! Parents must also submit a family-follow through after each at-home meeting.
• Jesus Day Retreat: Friday, April 25 at 10am OR 4:30pm. We will serve lunch/dinner between the retreat and practice for first Holy Communion.
• Seating: First Communicants will seat with their family at the end of the pew. Pews will be reserved based on number of guests (numbers will be requested in early spring).
• Reception: Based on a survey of families, there may be a reception offered after the Masses.
• Eucharistic Distribution: Children will receive Holy Communion first under both species, the Body of Christ and the Precious Blood.
• Photography: Personal photography is not allowed during Mass. We will have individual photo opportunities before and after Mass, as well as a group photo with the priest after Mass. There will be an in-house photographer taking an individual photo of each child receiving Holy Communion.
• Dress Code: 
  • Girls traditionally wear a white dress to display the connection between their Baptism and reception of the Eucharist. Veils are allowed so long as they do not cover the face. Gloves are allowed, but they must be removed prior to Communion.
  • Boys traditionally wear a suit and tie out of reverence for the Eucharist. The color should be appropriate for Mass, usually black, blue, tan, or white.
• Materials Cost: St Brendan charges a $50 materials cost to cover the administrative time and gifts relating to preparation for first Reconciliation and Holy Communion.

Families with Confirmation candidates will use the Zeal resource. It contains seven at-home Family Meetings and one Sponsor meeting. As well, Faith Formation families will attend three at-church Family Sessions which will supplement the preparation process for the whole family. Confirmation will be celebrated at 4pm and 7:30pm on Friday, May 9.

Each Confirmation At-Church Family Session will take place on a Sunday evening after the 5:30 pm Mass until 8pm.

Important Dates & Information:

• Parent Information Meeting: September 8, 2024, 6:45-8pm, in the School Gym
• Confirmation Date: TBA
• Confirmation Practice:  April 27, Noon, in the Church
• Preparation Resource: St Brendan uses the Zeal box resource from Faith and Family Life Catholic Ministries. This involves 8 at-home lessons: 7 family meetings at 1 sponsor meeting. These are to be completed at home once or twice each month from October through March. Parents must also submit a family-follow after each at-home meeting.
• Confirmation Retreat:
  • St Brendan has 60 spots reserved (30 boys, 30 girls) at Damascus for the weekend of November 22-24. reservations will begin in September after the parent information meeting.
• Service Hours: Confirmation is the final Sacrament of Initiation into the Church and so we ask students preparing for this Sacrament to begin thinking about how they can best give of their time, talents, & treasure to support the Church and their community. We ask students to complete at least 6 hours prior to Confirmation. Students can begin counting hours after their Grade 7 year is over. We will send opportunities for service at St. Brendan as they arise.
• Sponsor: Students will be asked to prayerfully select their sponsor early so they can accompany them throughout their entire year of preparation! This process is outlined in the Zeal box.
  • • Letter of Good Standing: this is required for all Sponsors who aren’t parishioners at St. Brendan. These letters can be e-mailed to sacraments@104.247.72.45/~stbrendans, dropped off, or mailed to the parish office in an envelope marked Attn: Maggie Agra. 
    • Letter of Support: we invite sponsors to write the teen they are sponsoring a letter of congrats, support and/or encouragement for taking this big step in their Catholic journey of faith. These letters can be e-mailed to sacraments@104.247.72.45/~stbrendans, dropped off, or mailed to the parish office in an envelope marked Attn: Maggie Agra. 
• Confirmation Name: Students will be asked to prayerfully choose the name of a Saint to honor for their Confirmation name. This name does not replace their name given at birth, but they are Confirmed in the Catholic Church with this name as a way to symbolize this important step in their journey of faith as a Catholic adult. Students may also choose to re-affirm their name given at Baptism. 
• Confession: The Church asks that all Candidates receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation prior to their Confirmation. This sets them up to be in a state of grace when Confirmation is celebrated.
• Dress Code: The most important thing to remember is that we ask everyone (including sponsors) to dress appropriately for this Sacred Liturgy! Also, please dispose of any gum prior to entering the Church.
  • • • Ladies:  please wear modest dresses or dress pants/shirt (of any color) along with dress shoes.  Cap sleeves or tank top width straps are acceptable, but please NO spaghetti straps or strapless dresses unless a covering of some sort is used.
      • Men:  please wear a suit jacket & pants along with a dress shirt, tie & dress shoes.  The suit jacket is optional, but please wear a tie.  The apparel can be any color (within reason).
• Materials Cost: St Brendan charges a $50 materials cost to cover the administrative time and gifts relating to preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation.