Adult Education: While there is already knowledge and faith in Jesus Christ, a very deep desire is shared by many to invest the time to know him more intimately. (42)
Youth Formation: Young people of our parish need and deserve programs and an engaging worship environment that draw them into the Catholic faith and aid their journey of discipleship. (34)
School: St. Mary School is an important part of the parish mission and needs renewed attention in its growth and development as an exemplary source of education in the community. (49)
“We need to learn ‘what’ the faith really is and then ‘how’ to share this with others.” This sentiment was shared by many who attended the November Listening Sessions! Everything, from Bible Studies to “10-minute Catechism sessions” to Speaker Series on saints and Church Fathers, was suggested as beneficial ways to support parishioners in satisfying their thirst to grow in their faith. Such desires are only natural for Catholics who yearn to grow closer to God, as suggested by Pope Benedict in his Apostolic Exhortation, Verbum Domini:
The definitive aim of catechesis is to put people not only in touch but in communion, in intimacy, with Jesus Christ: only he can lead us to the love of the Father in the Spirit and make us share in the life of the Holy Trinity. (2010)
It also follows that, once relationship with Jesus Christ is experienced, parents want their children to know of that same source of love and joy. Jesus Christ is, indeed, the font of all life, and it will be up to the future generation to share this truth! To that end, great hope was expressed for faith formation for the youth, for lively liturgical worship suited for the engagement of teens, and for the parish school to thrive in its mission. This desire, too, is enthusiastically supported in a variety of church teachings, such as in the Directory for Catechesis, published in 2020 by the Vatican:
“[The young people’s] great capacity to bring about renewal, to urge and demand consistent witness, to keep dreaming and coming up with new ideas” can help the ecclesial community to grasp the cultural transformations of our time and to cultivate trust and hope" (includes quote from Pope Francis, Christus Vivit, 2018).
Only through encouraging one another of all ages to come to know Jesus more deeply, and taking definitive steps to assist in that formation, can we hope to make an impact in building up the kingdom of God in our midst.
Listed below are the various comments from the Listening Sessions on “faith formation.” Some comments will be repeated and appear under multiple themes.
10 minute catechism classes with Fr. Redmond were very appreciated.
5-10 minute talk after Mass by Fr. Redmond regarding Scripture or marriage or ANY topic and would take questions from the congregation
Adult faith formation – eg. Bible in a year type of program
Bible Study for families
Bible study that relates to today
Catechism for adults
Catechism geared towards adults as well. RCIA for Catholic to reintroduce
Catechism lessons for adults would be amazing!
Continue to have parish missions such as Lenten and Advent.
Couples Bible Study
Doctors of the Church info.
Evening bible study for adults and children at the same time
Explain differences between faiths
Expose us to all the marvelous things the Church offers. We seem to have lost a lot over the years.
Gotten away from a lot of spiritual educational. i.e. PSR program is very weak – inconsistency and needs guidance, not coming out catechized.
Would like to see more adult education
Having questions regarding any topics answered at church.
Again, we need to learn “what” the faith really is and then “how” to share this with others.
Late night catechism, opportunities to socialize
Learn Bible stories at church.
Make people squirm – challenge them in your homilies
More Bible Studies! More God = more vibrancy.
More Bible Study groups
More classes for parishioners – theology
More retreats!
More teaching of the faith! The Mass and sacraments!
Parish is hungry for catechism and ready for more teaching
Programs to “continue the journey” after things like RCIA.
Refresher courses for us (like RCIA)
Reinstate 10 minute catechism after Mass or something similar
Renewals and retreats
Speakers on various subjects
Speakers that know the Catholic faith
Talks about Fatima
Teach and tap into saints, relics
Teach what Jesus taught
There was vacation bible school
To be grounded in the faith for our families.
Use of the Jerusalem Bible in a study session
Veritas Debates – Like Tolkien or C.S. Lewis type atmosphere.
We need to continually learn about the beauty and truth of the faith
We thirst for the fruit of virtue
CYO
Engage more high school students and relate to them
Evangelizing Parish – particularly with teens
Get the youth involved in parish community
Growth in our youth – teen group, PSR
Would like to see more of the students in parish activities and Masses.
We want people, especially youth, not to feel pressured or forced to be involved in parish life
If nothing else, the faith is the most important thing we need to teach our children!
Increase the younger generation with the older generation
Instill the Catholic faith in the youth!
Is there a teen mass? Could that be a possibility? Teens might feel better being with their peers.
Kids want to be involved in church – e.g. children’s mass
LifeTeen has taken many hits and is not being supported by parish and church
Lifeteen Mass on Sunday evenings
Listening Sessions for students/PSR
Grow music ministry – perhaps an upbeat mass, XLT night?
More extended youth program – youth mass. Is a newman club set up possible?
More involved youth, excited about their Catholic Faith, attending Mass weekly, receiving the sacraments frequently
More involvement of students and teens during Mass
More young people
More youth activities – they are our future
Opportunities for kids to be more engaged in learning faith, such as community service – knowing what it means to be Catholic
Our youth are our future. We need vibrant youth activities and a support of our amazing VBS program
Possible one mass should be more contemporary to attract teens
PSR should be more personal and engaging.
Reintroduce the LifeTeen Mass (used to be 4:30 on Sunday)
Remind and encourage children to attend Mass (mandatory)
The children are excited to know you and appreciate that you know them
The Lifeteen program about 7 years ago was beneficial because it instilled a love for service and solid young adult fun activities.
To get 8th graders interested in Lifeteen, the Confirmation Preparation more fun; also more focused on the spiritual preparation (Mass, confession, adoration) than on things like writing a paper. Needs to be more personal.
To get more teens involved in Lifeteen, the Life Nights need to be more engaging, more fun, more interactive
Very vibrant LifeTeen program
We need to reach our youth. E.g. we eliminated the Sunday LifeTeen Mas. We need to find ways to attract the youth, not turn them away.
When there was a youth choir, more teens came to Mass on a weekly basis. The music from the “Spirit and Song” books was typically used at those Masses and teens found that more engaging.
30 kids in a class then, 2 classes per grade. It has decreased quite a bit.
52 years ago, our 5 children attended school. It is important to have a Catholic school. This parish school has accomplished this.
Better understand roles/responsibilities of school administration
Connection
Combine Geauga County’s Catholic schools
Enrollment in school – is it up, down, or steady?
Faith needs to be the forefront of education
Good job in the mission of having a Catholic School.
Great experience having the school for our children!
Grow the school: there are 300 PSR students, 170 students in the school. Scholarships could be given for families who want to send students to St. Mary Day School.
We’d like to see the school continuing to progress!
Multiple sources of income for parish/school
Improved communication of school administration
increased enrollment at school
Actively visit the children’s rooms at school. I loved when our pastor would come into our classroom – teachers respect
Ebb and flow of school and drivers
Daily Mass times are inclusive of teachers and school families
Get St. Mary students involved with the Masses
Make stronger ties between the school and the parish
Minimal school tuition
More school communication
Nice that Pre-School was added.
Offer financial help for families who cannot afford to send their children to St. Mary School
Parish is very devoted to the school.
Parish school children should be required to have service hours.
Passionate administration at school
Possible “student” janitors to help decrease their tuition
Promote school
Redmond scholarship should be for incoming students
School – bring back Baltimore catechism – more relative to today
School – move back to 2 classes per grade but market it as smaller size (15 students) and more individualized
School parents need to be more active in parish projects.
School to remain open!
School: 3 principals in the past 15 years or so, can create rumors about why
School: historically strived to be a standout school with many opportunities or children to grow. When 8th grade teacher left, she was replaced with someone qualified for K-5. Previously there was honors English.
School: trouble retaining kids at middle school. Some great teachers have left, the culture has changed.
St. Mary’s School started with grades 1-4 only. Every year the next year was added. There was no tuition at the time the school began.
The school began with no tuition – in the early 60’s.
The school has always been small, close-knit, manageable! Small town feel.
The school has helped build the parish in the sense of it having a “family” spirit. Church has been open to new ideas.
The school is integral part of the church life, also.
The school seems to be very progressive (STEM) which is good
The school was very affordable in the past. Parents volunteered to work at BINGO once a month to help the parish make money.
Tuition on a sliding scale and open to less affluent
Unity with school administration and parents
School and parish needs to be inviting
What made the parish decide to have a school?
Increase school enrollment and PSR
Secular books at book fair
Social media
Social planning ministry
Survey parish on what they need to meet them where are at