Faith Formation

Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary > Faith Formation

Rose Strohmaier, Parish Catechetical Leader (908) 303-9692

Faith Formation Office is located in the School Building

DROP OFF AND PICK UP—PARENTS MUST PARK CARS IN THE KNIGHTS’ PARKING LOT AND COME INTO THE CAFETERIA TO PICK UP AND DROP OFF CHILDREN

DEJAR Y RECOGER: LOS PADRES DEBEN ESTACIONAR LOS AUTOS EN EL ESTACIONAMIENTO DE LOS CABALLEROS Y ENTRAR A LA CAFETERÍA PARA RECOGER Y DEJAR A LOS NIÑOS

 

 

 

     What Faith Formation Is
     Formation of the Faith begins at Baptism and ends when we meet Christ. In  childhood years, it is modeled and taught in the home by parents. Parents teach their children about God, Jesus and His Church as they regularly attend Sunday Mass and frequent the sacraments of Confession and Eucharist as family.
    The Faith Formation Program supports parents throughout the life of children from ages 6 and, possibly up to 17. Once Confirmation is received, the child is no longer seen as a child, but as an adult in the eyes of the God and His Church. There is no structured faith formation after Confirmation as every adult will nurture and grow in faith individually. The parents along with the Confirmation Sponsor continue to offer guidance and counsel as the young Catholic adult continues to grow in his/her faith.
What Faith Formation Is Not
     Faith Formation is NOT a sacrament preparation program.  The focus of these years of formation entails the offering of opportunities for children to experience Christ, learn and know Him for the purpose of developing a loving relationship with Him. This takes time and is why children must participate fully in the years of formation from age 6 through 17 or whenever Confirmation is received. Sacrament preparation is offered within the program for children who have been properly formed in faith. This is why families–together–must attend Sunday Mass and participate in all this formation program offers.  

 ¿Qué es la formación en la fe?

     La formación de la fe comienza con el Bautismo y termina con el encuentro con Cristo. Es modelado y enseñado en el hogar por los padres. Los padres enseñan a sus hijos acerca de Dios, Jesús y Su Iglesia mientras asisten regularmente a la Misa dominical y frecuentan los sacramentos de la Confesión y la Eucaristía como familia.
    El Programa de Formación en la Fe apoya a los padres a lo largo de la vida de los niños desde los 6 años y, posiblemente, hasta los 17 años. Una vez recibida la Confirmación, el niño ya no es visto como un niño, sino como un adulto a los ojos de Dios y de su Iglesia. No hay una formación de fe estructurada después de la Confirmación, ya que cada adulto se nutrirá, crecerá en la fe individualmente. Los padres, junto con el Padrino de Confirmación, continúan ofreciendo orientación y consejo a medida que el joven adulto católico continúa creciendo en su fe.
Lo que no es la formación en la fe
   La formación en la fe NO es un programa de preparación sacramental.  El enfoque de estos años de formación implica ofrecer oportunidades para que los niños experimenten a Cristo, aprendan y lo conozcan con el propósito de desarrollar una relación amorosa con Él. Esto lleva tiempo y es por eso que los niños deben participar plenamente en los años de formación desde los 6 hasta los 17 años o cuando se reciba la Confirmación. Es por eso que las familias, juntas, deben asistir a la misa dominical y participar en todo lo que ofrece este programa de formación.  

 

First Session: 4:15PM – 5:30PM

Communion I-Mrs. Ferise

Communion I Calendar

Communion II-Mrs. Leguizamon

Communion II Calendar

Communion Preparation Youth-Mrs. Duda 

Communicants Youth Calendar

Religion Readiness Youth-Ms. Oseguera 

Religion Readiness I Calendar

Year 3-Ms. Penafiel

Year 3 Calendar

Year 4-Ms. Principe

Year 4 Calendar

  Second Session: 6:30PM-8:00PM

Year 5A-Mr. Strohmaier

Year 5 Calendar

Year 5B-

Year 5 Calendar

Year 6-Mrs. Walsh

Year 6 Calendar

Confirmation IA-Mr. Cafferty

Confirmation I Calendar

Confirmation I Teens-Mrs. Villar

Confirmation I Calendar

Confirmation IB-

Confirmation I Calendar

Confirmation II Teens-Mrs. Nic

Confirmation II Calendar

Confirmation II-Mr. Wolff

Confirmation II Calendar

Communion Preparation Teens-Ms. Taveras

Communicants Teen Calendar

Religion Readiness Teen-Ms. Penafiel

Religion Readiness II

2024-2025 Handbooks 

Handbooks are adapted and modified from: St. Mary’s of the Immaculate Conception, Portage, Wisconsin

Parent Handbook

Communion I

Communion II

Religion Readiness Handbook

Older Communicants Handbook

Year 3 Handbook

Year 4 Handbook

Year 5 Handbook

Year 6 Handbook

Confirmation I Handbook

Confirmation II Handbook

2024-2025 Forms

Saint Report Forms

Service Project Form

Altar Serving Form

Sponsor Form

 

HOSTING OF MASS

MASS HOSTING–Four times during the Faith Formation Year, each Catechist is responsible for hosting 10am Sunday Mass with his/her children. The Catechist plans for readers, servers, ushers, gifts, etc.

As a part of the Faith Formation Family, the children are to arrive to their assigned Mass at 9:50am, sit with their class and fully participate in the celebration of Mass. The dates are clearly stated on the calendar. Thank you for adjusting your schedule to be sure your child is at Mass on those four Sundays.

Thirty-seven Ideas for Confirmation Service Projects:

Craft, Cook, and Create

1. Take a meal to a widow, homebound member, single mom, or recent divorcee in your church or community.

2. Bake goodies, such as cupcakes, and deliver them to your local police or fire station.

3. Pack shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child.

4. Write letters or send cards to missionaries. Call the office for contact info.

5. Gather together to assemble no-sew fleece blankets for a local children’s home or women’s shelter. Shelter lications found in the handbook.)

6. Knit or crochet prayer shawls and lap blankets for church members and friends that are facing health challenges.

7. Sew some pillowcase dresses for children in another country.

8. Cut out shoes for Sole Hopean

9. Put together and distribute homeless bags.

10. Host a sandwich making party and pass them out to the homeless in Phillipsburg or give to the Assumption Food Pantry.

11. Fill a freezer with meals for a new mom in your neighborhood.

12. Create birthday bags for your Assumption food pantry (birthday cake, hats, candles, balloons)

13. Paint and decorate the teacher’s classroom before the start of school.

14. Create a garden on the church grounds.

15. Provide a meal for families at your local Ronald McDonald House.

Random Acts of Kindness

16. Deliver bags of groceries, firewood, or gift cards to a local family in need.

17. Tape quarters or dollar bills to the vending machines in the waiting room of your local hospital.

18. Leave quarters and washing detergent in local laundromats around town.

19. Pass out water bottles to construction workers on a hot day.

23. Leave bottles of bubbles at the park for families to use. Add bible scripture cards to the bottles or an invitation to come to Mass.

24. If you have a pool, host a pool party for kids who have no where to swim.

25. Purchase coloring books and crayons and leave them in hospital waiting rooms.

26 Work a shift at the local soup kitchen.

27. Find a local field or farm that allows you pick vegetables.

28. Clean the home of an elderly person or homebound member of your church or community.

29. Take care of some yard work or handyman chores for one of the widows in your church or community.

29. Volunteer to complete tutor for a child younger than you.

30. Visit a nursing home and play a game with a resident.

31. Christmas carol at a nursing home or children’s hospital.

32. Cheer at a Special Olympics or special needs sports event.

33.  Plan a Habitat for Humanity workday with your parents.

34. Clean the roadside – your family can select an area in Hackettstown to keep clean.

35. Help with landscaping to church.

36. Call the office and inquire about shut-ins. You and your parents csn plan a visit to their home and bring them something nice to eat.

37. Organize a clothing drive.

38. Give free computer lessons to an adult.

39. Host a free dog wash.

40. Along with your peers, host a bake sale for Assumption Parish

Pilgrimage Mama Mary–Does your family desire to spend a special week with Mary?

On Sundays at 10AM Mass, our Pilgrimage Statue of Mary will be sent home with a Faith Formation Family to venerate for the week. She will be returned the following Sunday to be gifted to another family for the week. There is a sign up sheet outside the Faith Formation Office in the school for all who wish to participate in the opportunity to have this beautiful and blessed statue of Mary in their home.

 

On Sundays at 10AM Mass, our Pilgrimage Statue of Mary will be sent home with a Faith Formation Family to venerate for the week. She will be returned the following Sunday to be gifted to another family for the week. There is a sign up sheet outside the Faith Formation Office in the school for all who wish to participate in the opportunity to have this beautiful and blessed statue of Mary in their home.

There are a variety of ways you are able to use your gifts and talents in the Faith Formation Program. Once you have been Confirmed you are able to volunteer, including teens! Contact Rose Strohmaier, 908-303-9692 for info. Thanks! 

 

HOLY DAYS OF OBLIGATION=SUNDAY MASS 

      • Solemnity of Mary, January 1
      • Ascension of Jesus, May 26 — Celebrated on the sixth Thursday after Easter Sunday
      • Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, August 15
      • Solemnity of All Saints, November 1
      • Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, December 8
      • Christmas Day, December 25

Your child’s faith development ultimately depends on the sharing of your faith with them by going to Mass on Sundays, Holy Days of Obligation and living Christian values at home. It is through your efforts, example and personal relationship with God, more than anything else, that your children will come to know Jesus and grow in love and faith. We thank you for allowing us to support you in this process. We look forward to working with you and your children.

RCIA-Adult Education
RCIA stands for “Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults”. It is a program run by adult members of the parish. RCIA requires a modest commitment in time but we think you will find the process a lot easier than you might expect. In addition, we have found that everyone who becomes involved, young or old, highly religious or moderately so, finds it to be a wonderful experience. An invitation is extended to

  1. Those who are unbaptized.
  2. Those baptized in the Catholic Church who have not received the sacraments of Eucharist and/or Confirmation.
  3. Those baptized in another Christian Church who are interested in learning more about the Catholic Church.
    There are many reasons for wanting to learn more about the Catholic Church. The good news is that the Catholic Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish has an excellent program for you. Classes meet weekly, every Sunday after the 9:00 am Mass from September through Pentecost.  How do I join and what does RCIA involve? Signing up is easy. Just contact Deacon Walter Pidgeon, our Director of the RCIA process, by calling the parish office or email us at walter.p257@comcast.net.