2026 - 2027 Child & Family Faith Formation
Family Faith Formation
The theme of this year’s family faith formation program is Sacraments. We will be following and augmenting volume 2 in the series A Family of Faith, exploring the meaning and gift of the sacraments and learning to see all the ways God is present in our lives.
Parents meet once a month, on a Tuesday evening, to receive teaching, inspiration, and support both for their own faith journey and for guiding their children in lessons at home. These evenings include a variety of talks, reflection time, discussion, and practical sharing.
The second gathering of the month is for the whole family. These events center around liturgical celebrations and the themes of the month, and are typically held on a Sunday afternoon.
We invite all families with children in elementary and middle school to participate in this opportunity to grow and deepen your faith life together. There is always more to learn!
Sacrament Preparation
If your child is preparing to receive any of the sacraments, the first step is to be enrolled and participating in Family Faith Formation. The sacraments are both the foundation and expression of relationship with God and living a life of faith.
Families with children receiving sacraments will be given specific materials to work on at home and will participate in a series of reflections and teachings in the months leading up to the sacraments.
We highly encourage children preparing for sacraments to participate in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS), as this experience of prayerful contemplation and hands-on work with key themes of Scripture and Liturgy provides rich soil for the seed of faith to take root and flourish. These sessions meet most weeks and are especially recommended if your child attends public school.
In our diocese, the typical timing for receiving sacraments is second grade for First Reconciliation, and third grade for Confirmation and First Communion. We also provide preparation suited for older children. Please contact Carol at faithformationswnh@gmail.com if this is your situation.
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS)
Based on the child development principles of Maria Montessori, CGS offers children a unique opportunity to encounter God and nurture a relationship with Jesus, the Good Shepherd, in a specially prepared environment called the atrium. Everything in the atrium is designed to foster exploration and wonder as we work with essential elements of Scripture and Liturgy. The atrium provides a peaceful environment where children can ponder and reflect on their relationship with Jesus and the Kingdom of God. More information can be found at cgsusa.org.
We offer sessions for Level I (ages 3-6) and Level II (ages 6-9) beginning in the fall.
For More Information
For questions or more information, please contact Carol at faithformationswnh@gmail.com.