Faith Formation for Children & Youth
The parish faith formation program (PFF) entails learning the truths of the Faith through interaction with Sacred Scripture and Tradition, fostering familiarity with the Church’s devotional practices, and nurturing a close personal union with Christ through the Sacraments of his Church.

Our faith formation program will be seeing some significant and exciting changes in the coming year! We will be transitioning from the traditional classroom approach which many of us received as children, and which has been the standard at parishes across the country for quite some time, to a whole-family catechesis model called “A Family of Faith” from Sophia Press.

We are embarking on this new journey for several reasons. Foremost, it is the vision of the Church that the faith be actively passed on in the home, and that parents act as the first educators of their children in the truths of the faith. This new program will equip parents to fully embrace their role as primary educators of their children’s Catholic faith.

There will be many changes, much of which will be most easily learned by doing. However, here are some of the important points that will help us get up and rolling:

FIRST COMMUNION AND CONFIRMATION: These classes (second grade, and seventh/eighth grade) will meet weekly this year, as usual. Confirmation and First Communion students will attend with their families once a month on Community Meeting days.

SCHEDULE: “A Family of Faith” meetings will occur twice per month; usually on the first and fourth Sundays.

TIME: Both “A Family of Faith”, and sacramental prep, will be changing meeting times. We will now meet after the 10:00 Mass, from 11:15-12:15.

HOW IT WORKS: The first meeting of the month is for parents, who will themselves receive formation in the information they will subsequently teach their children. Between meetings, parents teach 2 lessons to their children, choosing from a wealth of activities which will be provided. At the end of the month, the whole family attends for a Community Meeting. This allows us to review what we have learned, and make important connections with the other families in the program through activities which strengthen our bond with one another in Christ.

PLEASE RETURN YOUR REGISTRATION FORMS BY SEPTEMBER 19, 2021.
Please Contact the office if you did not receive any forms.

THE FIRST “A FAMILY OF FAITH” MEETING WILL BE SEPTEMBER 26, 2021.

Please contact Ashley (ashleyroberts.dre@gmail.com) with any questions.

Visit sophiainstituteforteachers.org for more information on “A Family of Faith” from Sophia Press (see bottom of page).

First Holy Communion typically occurs in the second grade. Confirmation occurs every other school year for children in grades 7 and 8.

Registration occurs in late summer. To obtain registration forms, to volunteer as a catechist, or for more information, please contact Ashley Roberts at ashleyroberts.dre@gmail.com or 937-592-1656.

Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA)
RCIA is the Church’s process of initiating adult members into the Catholic Faith. It involves the teaching of the Sacred Scriptures, prayer, catechesis on Catholic doctrine, growth in community, and an emphasis on developing one’s personal relationship with Jesus Christ. RCIA is required for all non-baptized as well as baptized non-Catholic Christians who seek full communion into the Catholic Church.

Classes alternate locations every other year between St. Patrick and St. Mary of the Woods. Classes are held in the RCIA room of the parish offices from 6:30-8:00 on Tuesday evenings. RCIA begins in the fall and reaches its culmination with the reception of the Sacraments at the Easter Vigil.

To register, or for more information, please contact Ashley Roberts at ashleyroberts.dre@gmail.com or 937-592-1656.

Vacation Bible School
July 29th - August 1st, 2024 at St. Patrick. Registration forms for VBS are available at the back of church, and are due back by July 7th! Volunteers are also needed. Please contact the office if you'd like to help!

Download VBS Permission Slip '24. (View as PDF).

Visit 2024 VBS Playlist on YouTube.