• “The Christian home is the place where children receive the first proclamation of the faith. For this reason, the family home is rightly called ‘the domestic church,’ a community of grace and prayer, a school of human virtues and of Christian charity … It is a community of faith, hope, and charity.” (CCC, 1666, 2204)
• “Parents are the principal and first educators of their children. In this sense, the fundamental task of marriage and family is to be at the service of life.” (CCC, 1653)
•  "The home is the first school of Christian life and ‘a school for human enrichment.” Here one learns endurance and the joy of work, fraternal love, generous — even repeated — forgiveness, and above all divine worship in prayer and the offering of one’s life.” (CCC, 1657) 

Our Faith Formation programs for Children and Youth has always involved a cooperative effort between parents/guardians and the parish. At home, children learn things like prayers, the way we live our faith, as well as the values we hold dear as Catholic Christians. And up to this point, St. Anthony’s has been here to assist you by offering you/your family a classroom-based faith formation model. 
This year (20-21) things will look somewhat different.  As a result of the Faith Formation Family Survey and as an attempt to put something into place that is “Covid” friendly, (something that is consistent through the ups and downs of this pandemic) we are choosing a new model, that we will call “Families Celebrating Faith” (FCF)! This will be a combination of meeting on campus once a month, and parent led catechesis at home for the remainder of the month.
  
What to expect…
 
Kindergarten – 5^th grade:
Beginning September 20, 2020, we will have a family on campus kickoff event, which will model the once a month family events that we will be implementing.  We will come together to pray, play, talk and do service in fellowship and fun!
It will be offered as many times as necessary to keep our numbers low in accordance with diocesan and CDC guidelines. (for example, 5 families at a time)
 
When we gather, we are hoping to do so in the Faith Development Center and some classrooms, but who knows how long that will last!  This model is so user friendly, we could even change it into something like…Parking Lot Pick Up Parties! Or Drive Through Faith & Fun! Hey…would that make us Drive-Thru Disciples?  Anyways, you get the gist…we can simply adapt!
 
This is a possible layout of the day: (60-75 minutes)
Sunday September 20, 2020 – Kick Off of Families Celebrating Faith.
Times: 9:30, 11:30 and 1:30. (you will be assigned a time)

• Prayer (pray)
• Parent instruction on leading a lesson and children go to their own lesson. (talk)

Materials will be handed out to do at home for the rest of the month.

• Service Project: (Example) Birthday bags for food pantry. (service)
• Family activity (play)

Diocesan Mandated Circle of Grace safe environments programming will be partially done here at St. Anthony’s on a given “Families Celebrating Faith” session, as well as an at home segment.
More information on this to come later.
As always, parents can choose to opt their child(ren) out of this safe environment training. To do this, simply check NO on the Faith Formation registration form.