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Director |
Administrator |
Youth Minister
(585)586-8089x19 |
St Joseph's Parish is committed to ongoing life long faith formation for all members of the faith community since knowledge of and education in our faith should continue, even when we are no longer engaged in formal education
Adult Education: Throughout the year there are opportunities to explore Scripture, Catholic life, moral decision-making, etc. Please consult the weekly bulletin to discover the many offerings to help you grow in knowledge and understanding of our faith.
Faith Formation for Children: Parents are the primary teachers of faith for their children. Recognizing this, the Faith Formation Office at St. Joseph’s strives to form a partnership with families in order to provide teaching, resources and faith experiences. Imperative in that partnership is the participation of families in weekly liturgy, fostering prayer and spirituality in the home and continuing to grow in faith through participation in adult faith education.
FIRE is an intergenerational form of religious education that involves the whole family. Families that choose this faith formation option form clusters which meet monthly to share in the ongoing program and then carry on the program in their own homes throughout the rest of the month.
Liturgy of the Word for Children: All children from the age of 4 through fifth grade are invited to participate in the Liturgy of the Word, which is appropriate to their age and life experience. These liturgies occur at the 5 PM Mass on Saturday and at the 9 and 11:00 Sunday morning Masses when the children process from the larger church to a gathering place designated for their service. This is in addition to participation in regular faith formation classes.
Elementary School: This program is offered in St. Joseph’s school on Wednesday evenings from 6:15 to 7:30, from September through May, or in the summer for two weeks from 8:45 AM until noon. The program follows diocesan guidelines focusing on Jesus and his ministry, forgiveness, morality and Catholic Sacramental life.
Youth Ministry
BRANCH is an intergenerational form of religious education that involves the whole family. Families that choose this faith formation option form clusters which meet monthly to share in the ongoing program and then carry on the program in their own homes throughout the rest of the month. This program covers various aspects of our faith tradition: Creed, Sacraments, Scripture, justice, morality and revelation of God. It is intended for families with middle and high school youth.
Enrichment Programs: special events are held throughout the year to help families involved in all types of Faith Formation to grow in faith experience. Please consult the weekly bulletin for dates and times of these events that occur, among other times, during Advent, Lent, Holy Week.
Volunteers: Since all programs are dependent upon volunteers to teach and facilitate learning, we invite all interested parishioners to volunteer to become part of our programs. Training, resources and ongoing assistance are provided.
Special Needs: We do our best to work with individuals with special needs. We welcome a discussion of your needs. We will work together to assist you and your family.
St. Joseph Parish warmly welcomes new members and provides a process for adults who are thinking about initiation in the Catholic faith. Generally, those who wish to become Catholic belong to one of two categories. They may never have been baptized in any faith tradition and have little or no knowledge of Christianity, or they may have been baptized in a Christian religion but never received any formation in faith.
People in either of these situations are invited into the RCIA process in order to discern if they truly are being called to Catholicism, to learn about the Catholic faith, to have questions addressed and to share in the life of the community. This process can take a year or more and culminates with Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist at the Easter Vigil for those who have never been baptized.
Those who were already baptized make a profession of faith and celebrate Eucharist and Confirmation.
Baptized persons who are active Christians from other denominations may need less time and formation to become immersed in the Catholic way of life. Each person’s situation and needs will be evaluated and met in an appropriate way.
Children who have reached school age and teens who wish to become Catholic, whether they are baptized or unbaptized, will also participate in the catechumenate process adapted according to their age. To inquire about the process, please call the Parish Office and ask for the person in charge of RCIA.
Common questions of adults thinking about becoming full members of the Catholic Church
Answer:
Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is a journey that consists of learning about the Catholic Church through instruction and group faith sharing, participation in rites/blessings, and reception of the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. Groups usually meet once per week from Sept-May. Depending on the amount of faith formation a person has had, the journey length could differ.
Can I still become a full member even though I haven’t had any formal religious education training in years?
Answer: Yes, people start the RCIA journey with different experiences and faith formation backgrounds.
What if I was baptized in a Protestant faith and want to become fully initiated into the Catholic Church?
Answer: All faith backgrounds are welcome to learn more about the Catholic Church. You will not be baptized a second time if the church you were baptized in baptized, “in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit”.
R.C.I.C.
Questions regarding RCIC- the journey children take toward full initiation:
My school age child was never baptized as an infant; can he/she still become a full member now?
Answer- Yes, the Church welcomes children who desire to become Catholic. The RCIC journey leads toward the Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist.
My child is school age. How old does a child have to be to participate in RCIC?
Answer- Children who are approximately age seven or older prepare for baptism by participating in the RCIC.
What will my child learn in the RCIC process?
Answer: During the journey, your child will learn more about God, Jesus, the Bible, the sacraments and the teachings of the Catholic Church,
If you are interested in learning more about becoming a full member of the Catholic Church, call Michelle Castelli 586-8089 ext 28. Now is the time to inquire about this wonderful journey!
For the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, First Eucharist and First Penance, the program will involve the parents in an opportunity to come together with other members of the parish to reflect on the meaning and significance of the matter and form of the Sacrament. For marriage, the couple asking to celebrate their love in the midst of this community will be given similar opportunities in the Pre-Cana, Engaged Encounter and other immediate forms of preparation. Please contact the Malley Building at 586-8089 for further information.
All of the preparation to receive sacraments begins with readiness rather than age. We invite families to prepare together for any member to celebrate a new sacrament in their lives.
To be eligible to prepare for a sacrament the young person needs to have completed (75% participation or more) at least one year of Faith Formation/Youth Ministry and be involved in a Faith Formation/Youth Ministry program simultaneously with the Sacramental Preparation Program.
Celebrations are scheduled throughout the year:
- Eucharist is celebrated in the fall and spring.
- Reconciliation is celebrated in early winter.
- Confirmation is celebrated in the spring.
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St. Joseph's Church
43 Gebhardt Road
Penfield, NY 14526
585-586-8089
