Dear Families, 

It’s with great enthusiasm that I announce the start of an exciting new approach to religious education here at Christ our Light! 

The basic idea behind this new program is to teach both the children and to equip their parents with the necessary means and tools to share their faith with their children and family, hence, the title, “Family Faith Formation.”  As St. John Paul II said, “the home is the first little Church.”  This will not only help build up the family that participates, but it will also help foster community and times for us to worship at the Sunday Mass, as one family being invited by Jesus, “Come and See.” 

Yet, on hearing about this concept, some parents have expressed the concern, “But I’m not trained as a teacher / I don’t know enough about our faith / I’ve never volunteered as a catechist before!” As Jesus told us so often, “do not be afraid!” Faithful parents have been teaching in our religious education classes for years, without being trained theologians. As a parent, you will be provided with the materials and tools you need to help raise your children in the faith, and above all, there’s something more that you’ve already been given – the grace of God and the inheritance of the Church! 

Whenever a child is baptized in the Catholic Church, the child’s parents are reminded that, in asking for his or her baptism, they are accepting the responsibility of training their son or daughter in the practice of the faith and to bring them up to live out God’s commandments. The religious education of their children is part of the God-given vocation of parents, and the Lord never calls us to do something without also giving us everything we need to accomplish it! So, on top of the essential material and tools our parish will provide, God has given you his grace to do this! 

Over the next few weeks, we will continue to provide some Q & A’s and further details (FAQs link \ page) about our new program as well as in the bulletin; for registration information, please visit our website at www.christourlight.net. 

I look forward to embarking on this new venture with you and allowing Jesus to transform our parish into a family of faith.

In Christ Jesus,

Rev. John P Picinic