2020-2021 Faith Formation

Amidst the uncertainty that COVID-19 has brought with it, our team is preparing for this coming year of Faith Formation with adults, children and youth.  It is our goal to offer both "On-Site Learning" and "At Home" options for students registered in our programs.  We ask for your patience and understanding as we prayerfully discern how our programs will look this year. 

Faith Formation Registration is Now Open!
If you did not pre-register last spring, we encourage you to register by Monday, August 31 to help us better prepare for the year ahead. 
2020-2021 Registration

PARENT MEETING - SEPTEMBER 13th | 6:15pm in the Church
“A Night of Presence: Making time for Christ”
All parents are asked to join our priests and staff for a night of prayer and worship in the presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament! Come hear our plan for the year and be inspired to focus on being more present to Jesus, your family and community during this difficult and uncertain time. We look forward to walking with you on the journey this year. Adults only please. We encourage at least one parent per family to attend. Childcare will not be provided

Youth & Family Ministry Programs

• Children's Faith Formation (Kinder - 6th Grade) - At-Home Option Only/Bilingual
  • Traditional catechetical formation
  • Suggested time: Wednesday 5:30-6:45pm, but can certainly be adjusted to fit families schedule
  • Parents will be provided with curriculum from Plflaum’s “Gospel Weeklies” program to conduct at home with their children - combines a complete doctrinal catechesis with the liturgical life of the Church.
  • Every week, the families gather for prayer, song, and an activity that taps into something they already know or have experienced and introduces the Sunday Gospel theme. You will proclaim the Gospel together and then learn the related Church teaching and doctrine. Games, discussion questions, and activities reinforce the Scripture, doctrine, and life application. Additional online content may be provided.
  • Periodic dates will be provided to turn in assessments and pickup next packet of
    curriculum
  • Families will receive monthly “check-in” phone calls from a catechist or member of our staff to offer support, answer questions, receive prayer requests, etc.
  • Communication to families will continue via Flocknote, Facebook, the bulletin and the website.
• Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (PreK - 6th Grade) - On-Site Option Only
  • A Montessori-based approach to the religious formation where the deep bond between God and the child is nurtured
  • Sessions will be offered Sundays 9:00-10:30am, Mondays 5:00-6:30pm, and Wednesdays 5:00-6:30pm
  • Communication to families will continue via Flocknote, Facebook, the bulletin and the website.
  • To stay true to the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd model, which is based on the
    Montessori method, an at-home or online option is not available for presentations.
  • For those CGS students who choose an at-home option, they will follow the Children’s Faith Formation program as described in the above section.
• Sacrament Preparation (2nd Grade or higher)
  • eligible children in 2nd Grade or higher who desire to recieve the sacraments of Reconciliation and First Eucharist
  • Our YFM office has been in communication with these students.
  • The Sacrament Prep Workshop will be held on Tuesday, September 29th at 5:30pm
• EDGE (7th - 8th Grade) - hybrid option
  • a Catholic middle school youth ministry program that helps teens unleash who they were created to be, in Christ
  • EDGE will continue to be held on-site on Wednesday Nights from 5:30-6:45pm.
  • We will meet in the NEW Youth Room, located downstairs in Kemper Hall. Students will
    enter the door near the ramp. (we will no longer meet in the gym)
  • Depending on number of students, if necessary we will explore alternating weeks between 7th & 8th grade
  • Students will be split into grade-specific small groups.
  • Small groups will remain the same for at least the entire semester and to help with social
    distancing will gather outdoors and various spaces around Kemper Hall
  • For students who choose to follow along at home, a live stream of the Edge Night will be
    available on our website or parish YouTube page. Students will be able to view the opening prayer, icebreaker game, and talk live. Then, for Small Groups will join with 2 catechists on a Zoom meeting.
  • Communication to families will continue via Flocknote, Facebook, the bulletin and the website.
• LIFE TEEN (9th - 12th Grade) - hybrid option
  • a Catholic movement in youth ministry that aims to strengthen students' Catholic identity, while rooting them firmly in Christ and in His Church
  • LIFE TEEN will continue to be held on-site on Sunday Nights from 6:00-8:00pm.
  • We will meet in the NEW Youth Room, located downstairs in Kemper Hall. Students will
    enter the door near the ramp. (we will no longer meet in the social center)
  • Meals will not be provided. Pre-packaged snacks and bottled water/sodas will be available. There will be no charge for snacks, but monetary donations will be accepted. Teens are welcome to bring their own food for social time.
  • Depending on number of students, if necessary we will explore alternating weeks between grade levels
  • Students will be split into grade-specific small groups.
  • Small groups will remain the same for at least the entire semester and to help with social
    distancing will gather outdoors and various spaces around Kemper Hall
  • For students who choose to follow along at home, a live stream of the Life Night will be
    available on our website or parish YouTube page. Students will be able to view the opening prayer, icebreaker game, and talk live. Then, for Small Groups will join with 2 catechists on a Zoom meeting.
  • ​​​​​​​Communication to families will continue via Flocknote, Facebook, the bulletin and the website.
• High School Confirmation (11th or 12th Grade) - On-site Option Preferred
  • A transformative approach to evangelizing young people while accompanying them in their journey to becoming disciples
  • Confirmation sessions will continue to be held in person on Wednesday evenings from 7:00-8:30 pm. A mandatory Parent Orientation will be held on Sunday, September 27th at 3:30pm in the Social Center
  • Confirmation sessions will meet in the NEW Youth Room, located downstairs in Kemper Hall. Students will enter the door near the ramp. (we will no longer meet in the social center)
  • Meals will not be provided. Pre-packaged snacks and bottled water will be available. Teens are welcome to bring their own food for social time.
  • Attendance will be taken each week.
  • Students will be assigned to the same small group for the entire year as is the normal procedure
  • An online at-home option will be available for any families who do not feel comfortable sending their student to on-site Confirmation sessions.
    ● Teachings (proclaim talk) will be recorded and uploaded to YouTube. Students will be required to turn in an assignment via a Google Classroom after each lesson in order to verify that they are participating. If the required assignment is not turned in within a week of the lesson, it will be considered an absence.

Please note that this is a working document and may be changed or updated depending on current recommendations from federal, state, and local health departments as well as the Archdiocese of San Antonio. We will also closely monitor guidelines from the local schools.

Lastly, our top priority is to support our parish families in the return to the sacraments. This means Mass, but also includes the Sacraments of Initiation including: Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation.  Be assured that sacrament preparation will occur this year!  More information will be available soon on exactly what that will look like.
All Sunday and Daily Masses have resumed to the public.  Keeping holy the Sabbath is not only a commandment, but an invitation from Jesus - an invitation to stop our work, stop our worrying, stop our stress. An opportunity to find peace and to be renewed.  We hope you  and your family will join us as soon as you feel comfortable!  If any person has discerned that he or she is unable to participate in the celebration of Mass for health and/or safety reasons, then they are also unable to participate in on-site parish ministry.

For questions or concerns, please contact us in the Youth & Family Ministry Office (located in Kemper Hall).