FAQ

everything you need to know about MSM

Middle school formation AT SAINT RAPHAEL QUESTIONS

What is MSM?

MSM is the Middle School Ministry program. It is supported by 3 pillars of sessions: Unite, Ignite, and Invite. Together they allow us to share the great adventure of faith, to grow in community together, and to help prepare our middle schoolers for a lifelong friendship with Christ.

What are the 3 Pillars of MSM?

The 3 pillars of MSM are: Unite - a family-centered, intergenerational evening of formation, Ignite - our formation evening for 8th graders preparing to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation, and Invite - youth ministry-style drop-in evenings for middle schoolers.

Does MSM replace PSR?

Yes. The UNITE pillar of MSM is designed to replace PSR by incorporating lessons from middle school PSR into a youth ministry and family fellowship model. This removes the classroom setting and replaces it with a fellowship setting that encourages interaction, community, and mutual support while sharing a meal together. The lesson topics will rotate on a three year cycle so that subjects will be covered by all participants throughout their time in middle school. The Invite pillar does not directly replace PSR, however, attendance is encouraged to help enhance and deepen faith, formation, and fellowship among our middle schoolers. The Ignite pillar provides preparation for the sacrament of reconciliation for 8th graders.

What curriculum do you use?

We do not subscribe to any pre-formed curricula. Instead, we have built our program around the proclamation of the Kerygma, the basic gospel message of Jesus Christ as lived out in the lives of saints and our lives today. That message is, at its essence, this:

-God created us good, and has a plan and a purpose for our lives

-We mess that plan up by sinning, we become less than ourselves

-Jesus became human and died for us to restore God’s plan for us

-We need to accept that healing restoration in our lives (repentance)

-We need to live a healed life (prayer, worship, service)

Woven through this proclamation, we are able to touch on all of the topics found in the scope and sequence of a standard religious ed textbook, including revelation, the Trinity, Jesus Christ, sin and grace, the Church, Sacraments, and building the Kingdom of God.

How do I register for MSM?

Registration will begin July 1st, and more information will be sent out before then.

Are there any fees to attend MSM?

When registering for UNITE, you will be asked to submit the $125 Materials Fee (this can be waived for financial hardship without issue). This fee covers all books, activities, and materials we will use throughout the year, as well as covers the cost of food. We do not make money on any of our ministries, but try to cover our expenses adequately.

When registering for IGNITE Confirmation preparation, you will be asked to submit the $100 Sacrament Materials Fee (this can be waived for financial hardship without issue), as well as a copy of their Baptismal Certificate (if they were not baptized at Saint Raphael or not in Saint Raphael School). This is an additional fee because of the separate events and materials associated with Confirmation formation.

There are no fees associated with INVITE.

When and Where does MSM meet?

A complete schedule for each MSM pillar can be found (here).

Does MSM include Confirmation preparation?

Preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation is completed in the IGNITE pillar of MSM.

Are we required to attend ALL MSM events? Can my child participate in just 1 of the pillars?

No. The structure of MSM is such that you and your middle schooler can participate as much or as little as you want.

All 6th, 7th, and 8th graders are encouraged to attend UNITE (with a parent/guardian) and INVITE pillars.

It is expected that anyone who would have attended PSR attend the monthly UNITE.

IGNITE is for 8th graders only. Any 8th graders desiring the Sacrament of Confirmation at Saint Raphael are required to attend IGNITE. Any 8th grade who does not attend a Catholic school must also attend UNITE to complete their formation.

My Child attends Saint Raphael School. Do they still have to come to all of these?

No, but we certainly hope that they do!

All 6th, 7th, and 8th graders are encouraged to attend UNITE (with a parent/guardian) and INVITE pillars.

What is UNITE?

UNITE is for all 6th-8th graders and their parents. It meets Once per Month, usually on the first Sunday of the month, in the Saint Raphael PAC. It is an opportunity to UNITE with Christ and each other as we share dinner and discussion. This pillar replaces PSR for all 6-8th graders who do not attend a Catholic school, although all families with 6-8th graders are welcome and encouraged to register. Topics will vary each month to help initiate discussion and share in spiritual growth within your family. This is an excellent opportunity to come together to share your own experiences and explore our Catholic faith together as we UNITE with Christ. Dinner is always provided by our volunteer team of Kitchen Angels who will provide homemade meals with no work or effort needed by you. This is not a drop off event. At least one parent/guardian must be in attendance with their 6-8th grade student.

Why does a parent/guardian have to come to UNITE?

The Catholic Church firmly believes that parents are the primary teachers of the faith for their children (CCC #2223). The UNITE program is specifically designed to partner with parents/guardians to help foster that parent/child relationship and promote faith formation.

What if a parent/guardian cannot make it to UNITE?

Because parents are the primary teachers of the faith for their children, it is essential that at least one parent/guardian participate within this pillar. Although we understand that special circumstances may arise on occasion, trading parental attendance with other families each month is not permitted. The UNITE program is specifically designed to partner with parents/guardians to help foster that parent/child relationship within the family and promote faith formation. If your family is experiencing extraordinary hardships that prohibit parent participation, please contact our Middle School Minister here.

Can we bring our whole family attend UNITE?

UNITE is designed for 6th, 7th, & 8th graders with a parent. It is a time to connect with your middle schooler without the distraction or responsibility of other children. With that in mind we ask that only your middle schooler and at least one parent/guardian attend. If your family is experiencing extraordinary hardships that prohibit parent participation, please contact our Middle School Minister here.

What are the dinners that will be served at UNITE?

Homemade dinners are prepared monthly by our volunteer group of Kitchen Angels. Meal menus will be provided prior to each month's meeting.

What if we don't want to attend dinner at UNITE? Can we come after the meal for the discussion?

Food and fellowship is integral to this faith formation model. Discussion and presentation will often coincide with dinner so it is important to be present for the entire session even if you do not intend to eat any food.

What if we have food allergies? What if my child is a "picky eater" and won't eat what is prepared?

If you have specific food allergies or concerns about the meal we request that you bring your own meal to eat during dinner.

What is INVITE?

INVITE is for all 6th-8th graders and meets once or twice each month on the Sundays that do not have Unite or Ignite. INVITE continues the adventure together, exploring our faith, and encouraging our middle schoolers to evaluate their lives and choices in the light of the Gospel. We will always seek to answer "why does this matter to me?" and to draw the connection that faith isn't one subject or facet of life, but is integral to our identity and how we occupy our place in the world. It is formatted in a Gather - Proclaim - Break -Send model as follows:

Gather: a time for welcoming each other, socializing, and having fun playing games together.

Proclaim: a brief faithful teaching. Topics will be relevant to the times and will vary each week.

Break: we will transition into small groups where we will be able to "break open" the message of the night in small group discussions.

Send: we will reunite in the large group for collaboration of insights and communal prayer before we adjourn, taking the message and applying it to their lives at home.

Who should attend INVITE nights?

INVITE is for all 6th-8th graders, whether they are in Public, Catholic, Private, or Home Schools. It is an opportunity to invite friends from other areas of our lives to join us in a mixture of fun and faith! It is a drop off event, so parents to not need to stay.

What is IGNITE Confirmation?

IGNITE Confirmation is the formation program for 8th Grade teens at Saint Raphael Parish to prepare them to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. It is a 1 year program, commencing in Spring of their 7th Grade Year and ending with their Reception of the Sacrament of Confirmation in Spring of their 8th Grade Year. It has 3 major components: IGNITES (monthly social and catechetical sessions), Retreat (a day+ long opportunity to encounter Christ and explore the faith), and a Service Experience. For more information about Confirmation, click here.

Are 6th and 7th Grades a part of IGNITE Confirmation?

IGNITE is for 8th Grade only. 6th and 7th graders do not attend.

Why is it called IGNITE?

We're calling our Confirmation Program "IGNITE" because we want to take the time of Confirmation Preparation and make it less about learning facts and more about the lived experience of faith, Igniting the fire in our hearts...

We desire to let the Holy Spirit work freely in our lives to transform us to be the Church not just of the future but of right now. In every age, God raises up saints with the gifts, talents, and passions to turn the world on its head. How many of them are among us, needing our support and encouragement to be the best version of themselves? Let us work and pray together to Unleash the Holy Spirit in the lives of our young people!

What happens at IGNITE?

These are our monthly gatherings to pray, share, and discuss important topics relevant to Confirmation and faith beyond junior high. Meeting monthly underscores the reality that formation is a process, a journey—it cannot be completed without a community of support and a willingness to experience. That is also the reason formation differs from UNITE, INVITE, or day school Religion Classes. Our aim is not to attain mastery of a subject or earn something like a diploma. It is to open our minds and hearts to receive the graces that God desires to pour out upon us, to increase the vocabulary of the Holy Spirit in us, and to mature as disciples.

IGNITE sessions follow the pattern of the Mass: Gather, Proclaim, Break, Send. We gather together as a large group, distinct from all other places and groups we are parts of, sharing in a common journey together towards Confirmation. Sometimes, this takes the form of a game or activity, or perhaps just the natural conversation at tables together. Then, we proclaim the lesson or message for the meeting. This helps us to understand and know how the Lord is working in us through His gospel, even today. We break into small groups in order to break open the message together and share how God is speaking to us and what is going on in our lives. Lastly, we gather together again to be sent out back to our lives, but hopefully a little bit changed than before.

More info about Confirmation can be found HERE

If you have questions, please contact:

Cheryl McBride

Middle School Youth Minister

Email: cmcbride@saintraphaelparish.com

Phone: (440) 871-1100 ext. 2774

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