Faith Formation of Adults and Families

Priority: Faith Formation of Adults and Families

The Collaborative of St. Martha and St. Mary has expressed a desire to provide opportunities for the faith formation of adults and families. Thankfully, 24% felt strongly their parishes helped them grow spiritually as Catholics, but this also suggests an opportunity to increase the portion who feels this support. By providing a safe and comfortable environment for the discussion of our faith, adults and families will grow spiritually and continue their journey as disciples of Jesus Christ. The movement of parishioners from a passive to an active membership is essential to growing our faith community.

“In the same way your light must shine in people’s sight, so that, seeing your good works, they may give praise to your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 

Goal: Family Retreat – Facilitate a Family Retreat to help 8-15 families from Plainville and Wrentham to live their faith more vibrantly by November 2018.

Some important milestones and strategies that will aid in the fulfillment of this goal are:

o Identify an initial retreat purpose and establish expectations by July 2017.

o Recruit a facilitator by September 2017.

o Organize a retreat committee by November 2017.

o Determine goals, review expectations and establish key retreat action items by January 2018; these should include some form of follow-up with participants post-retreat.

o Identify the site to be used by March 2018.

o Come up with a variety of activities which reflect the purpose of the retreat by June 2018.

o Project the cost of the retreat (food, activities, location…) by August 2018.

o Advertise the Family Retreat through the Parish website, Constant Contact, Bulletins, Social Media, and personal invitation by September 2018.

o Evaluate and make a recommendation on whether to continue family retreats by December 2018. 

Goal: Small Group Programs – Engage 80-100 adults in small group programs that deepen their encounter with Jesus Christ in personal ways by June 30, 2020.

Some important milestones and strategies that will aid in the fulfillment of this goal are:

o Create a small team to investigate programs such as Alpha, ChristLife, Word on Fire, and Cursillo.

o By August 2017, the small team determines which programs will be most suitable for our parishioners to encounter Christ and share their faith.

o Locate facilitators for proposed programs by October 2017.

o Determine locations, meeting times, materials, and any additional volunteers needed by November 2017.

o Promote the programs through the Parish website, Constant Contact, posters, existing groups and personal invitation by December 2017.

o Launch initial groups by January 2018.