We have begun a two year, once a month program for the parents and children who are entering the program 3rd grade and above either needing first communion/confession or needing to be received into the church. They attend their grade level classes each week but we have them come together once a month for an hour as a group. Year one is covering the basics, year two will focus on the sacraments. We begin together with an opening prayer and introduction then the 3rd, 4th (and 2nd grade RCIA) kids form one group, the 5th and 6th a second, the 7th-HS a third and we have two adult groups, one in english, one spanish. Each group explores the topc for about 40 minutes and then we regather and each shares something they have learned. We became convinced that an extended time that included the parents was needed to connect these families into the faith life of the parish. Too often the older communion kids come in, receive the sacrament and drop out. Last year we invited the parents and the whole complexion of the sessions changed but it was too short.

Bill
Brilliant insights! your approach reminded me of many of the tasks we have for those who are candidates ( those already baptized and making a profession of faith) in RCIA.
Yes this is a process for the whole family! Getting kids intergrated with their peers while doing their longer prep for the sacraments is also very important. How are you helping the parents to integrate back into the community during or after the process?
We have a much smaller parish so we do not have a large enough group to gather separately. Instead I try and pair up families who are delayed in their children's sacraments with faithfilled families from our community. I approach it from an every one has a responsablity to be good disciples and share the good news and encourage families to attend to bring their neighbors and support their friends old and new.

Hi, Bill
You have worked out a reasonable and creative solution to the situation in your multicultural parish. With the influx of people from the Hispanic culture, and even the tendency for all American famlies to be more mobile than in the past, parents are increasingly bringing children for catechesis who are "out of level". This has certainly challenged our traditional structures for delivering faith formation!

What I hear over and over that seems to be working in changing the mind-set of those parents who only bring children to faith formation for sacraments (which pretty much is the custom in most of Mexico, by the way) is to help parents see the connection between holistic formation of their children in faith and their own faith, hopes and dreams. Several local parishes here use family retreat days, parent gatherings, etc. to provide opportunities for parents to reflect on and share their own faith experiences.

While there are many possible and workable variations on what you are doing, Bill, I applaud your adaptation of the catechumenate methodology.

Hi there--I am new to the forum and am embarking on a similar trial as Bill describes--
but in miniature. We have been gathering over 20 children during the Reading/Homily
for "Children's Liturgical Study" each week. We ask for children 3-7 to come with us,
but we get children 2-12! So since we have had requests for formal First Communions
for many of these older children, we're splitting them into a separate group for study.
Three Sundays a month they will go out (after a special blessing) before the Readings/Gospel
and Eucharist, and re-enter at the closing of the Mass.
One Sunday each month, they will sit together as a class to observe what they are learning
and practice participating in the Mass as much as possible. From what you are saying, Bill,
it sounds as though we should consider including the parents in one of the weekly sessions
as well. I know the kids would LOVE to have them there.
We hope to be able to teach them WHY they are coming to Mass, WHAT is happening
during Mass and HOW to take the message and inspiration of the Mass with them into
their lives...as well as preparing them for the sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist
by spring 2010 (about 9 months).

We have a LARGE Hispanic population in our parish. The in-and-out baptisms/communions/
confirmations/weddings, etc are slowing down for us as we continue to reach-out to the
community by providing a Spanish Mass 1-2 times a month as we are able. Our (part-time
and don't ask me how he does it) priest also provides a home Mass once a month where
parishioners gather in someone's home in the evening for a special Mass and pot-luck supper
during the week--an attempt toward getting to know each other outside of the church building.
We are also in the midst of establishing two missions in primarily Hispanic towns (each about 1 hour
away from our city) where there is a need for a Mass (Spanish/English--doesn't matter). Our
diaconte candidates will find themselves busy on that front come fall.
We are also finding that (older) CHILDREN attending our Children's Liturgy Program are asking
their parents to continue to attend Mass AFTER they are baptized (4 weeks are mandatory for
parents and sponsors). Whether the parents intended to continue or not, when the children
get up and dressed on Sunday morning, they can hardly refuse them!
The children are also very excited to about going into the First Holy Communion class
and are even thinking beyond that to the next level which is the Confirmation Class (which is
much longer). I suppose we will need to be thinking about a Youth Group soon as well.
So, my input, I suppose, is in "hooking" the children somehow...I mean, what can a parent say
when their child BEGS them to get up and go to Mass?
Any thoughts, ideas, feedback are very welcome.
In peace, Kate

Kate,

Thanks for your post. I'm excited for you that your program is growing.

What great opportunities you have ahead!

Pam

Thanks for your support, Pam--much appreciated.
We are never lacking for "opportunities" here, that's for sure!
It's more a matter of "person-power" to match the need
that always seems to be the issue...you know the deal where
the same handful of folks seem to end up doing everything??
And, everyone please remember that I need feedback/suggestions
etc! Best, Kate.

Kate,

I think you're right on with your thoughts about including parents in the sacramental preparation process. It's so important to be working with families, so that you can mutually reinforce what the other is doing. This is such a great teaching opportunity for both the students and their parents: you can help parents see what they are already doing to help prepare the students to celebrate the sacraments by pointing out how they are (and can) use all those great teaching moments that occur in family life.

Are you doing anything to involve these children and their families in the larger life of the faith community (i.e. inviting them to the coffee and doughnuts after Mass, to the parish festival, to the parish service project) so that they can EXPERIENCE the depth of Catholic life? If you are approaching this as an RCIA process (and Confirming the students, too), have you given any thought to "sponsor families" who can help with the above process of involving the candidates into the full life of the parish?

Good luck,
Pam

Whoa---very good suggestions, Pam!! Actually, I am using the "building on family strengths" approach when parents/guardians are participating and I whole-heartedly agree with your reasoning on that issue. Plus, they are so proud to see their children doing so well in the class--which makes everyone happy...
And, yes, we do work hard to incorporate the families into the coffee after Mass and all other church-sponsored events--
We have two classes right now--one with 3-8yr olds and one with 9-12yr olds. Not optimal, but the best we can do at the moment. We do not have any 7-8 year olds, so that class actually only goes from 3-6 at present. We have one nine year old who is clearly too old for the younger class, but the rest of the older class are 11-12...so we do our best to blend things together for everyone.
We do plan to go on with Confirmation after FHC...which will be after Easter next spring for the older group.
However, I'm not familiar the the "sponsor families" concept and would appreciate hearing about that when you have time! Would this apply to students who have made their First Communion and are then going on to Confirmation Prep classes or....?
Thanks again, Kate

Kate,

Sponsor families are similar to individual sacramental sponsors. It's something I use in the RCIA process, but I think you could modify it for what you're doing.

When I have families who are interested in becoming Catholic, or joining full communion, rather than having individual sponsors for each family member, I try to find a sponsor family who can walk with the family interested in becoming Catholic. The sponsor family invites the RCIA family to parish events to help give them a fuller sense of what parish life is all about. (As a cavaet: there are invidvidual sponsors for the celebration of the sacraments.). I try to make sure that the sponsor family has children the same age of the RCIA family. An RCIA purist might not call these sponsor families... maybe a companion family.

Weeellll, don't worry...I am not a "purist" either. I like this idea very much!
We are a smallish parish (about 150 families) and we recently did a survey--
one of the questions was: How well do you think that the people you worship
with really "know" you? Scale of 1-5. Most people fell into the "Not too many
people know me very well" range and we have been working hard on ways
to change that. This idea sounds like it would fit right in, doesn't it?!
Thanks very much once again, Pam.
With much appreciation,
Kate