Monday, August 3, 2015

Blessings in Faith Formation in July: Parish Bulletin--8-2-15


            It has been an exciting month in the faith formation department!
            Earlier in the month nineteen of us (thirteen young people) made a trip to Valleyfair.  It was a great day riding the coasters, relaxing in the water park and eating a well balanced diet of fried and sugar-coated food. 
            The following day we celebrated Mass at my friend’s parish.  We then stopped in at the St. Paul Seminary and Beau gave us a tour and shared his experience as he studies to be a priest.  Besides Beau and I, this was the first time anyone on our trip had visited a seminary! 
            Before heading home we stopped at the St. Paul Cathedral in St. Paul.  Our young people were blown away at the size, beauty and atmosphere in this amazing place of worship.
            Our cities run was a successful one, full of fun and faith!
            Next up was Totus Tuus and I am pleased to report that it was amazing!  We had about twenty-five elementary students in the day program and around twenty for the high school and junior high kids in the evenings.  Our potluck featured over seventy parishioners and some amazing food—thank you to all who were able to make it!
The kids—with the help of colorful strings—learned about the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary, virtues, saints, Mass and importance of living out our faith.  They had the opportunity to go to Confession, attend daily Mass and hang out with their dynamic teachers.  Their week ended with water games.  I backed up my word, unleashed my secret weapon—a fire truck—and won the water fight!
Our junior high and senior high evenings were powerful too.  One evening featured adoration, praise and worship and Confession.  Another focused on vocations—God’s call and purpose for our lives—and a question/answer session.  When I showed up for our last evening I was pumped to see a number of new faces—friends of our students whom they had invited to come!
While they have moved on to their next parish, I want to thank Joseph, Ben, Hannah and Tasha for the great week we had for our children, families and parish.  Their motto—learn more, pray more, have more fun—is precisely what I want for our faith formation opportunities in the future!
Stay tuned as Sabrina, Jean and I continue planning for the upcoming year.  We want to build off of this great month in order to give your children the best opportunities to experience God’s truth, love and mercy.  And yes, we will have fun along the way!
God bless!

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