Lowery's Lines

Post date: Sep 20, 2015 6:41:05 PM

- Rev. Shaun Lowery, O.S.F.S. -

Many of you have been able to meet Jon, our new Director of Evangelization and Discipleship Formation. From the very beginning he has hit the ground running, and wants to look for ways to build upon and improve evangelization and discipleship formation for children in our parish as his first task. He is also looking forward to working with adults of all ages in the parish who seek to deepen their relationship with Christ. As St. Joseph and St. Mary begin to work together for this purpose, Jon brings zeal and new ideas to help all of our parishioners become the disciples that Jesus calls us to be. With this in mind, Fr. Shaun and I want to announce our new schedule for elementary, middle, and high school aged discipleship formation:

High School:

Sundays 6-8:30 p.m. at St. Joseph; the first hour will be time to socialize and just hang out, and then will move into engaging discipleship formation. During the first hour every other week, 9th graders will receive confirmation formation. Food will be served.

Middle School: Thursdays, 6-8:30 p.m. at St. Mary; the first hour will be time to socialize and just hang out, and then will move into engaging discipleship formation. During the first hour every week, 8th graders will receive confirmation formation. Food will be served Elementary School: Wednesdays 4:30-6 p.m. at St. Joseph, or 6:30-8 p.m. at St. Mary; there will be one curriculum for both parishes, so parents will have a choice of which time and location they want their children to attend.

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd: TBD

Jon will rely on our wonderful volunteers to make this schedule work. If you have been volunteering in the past, please know Jon will be scheduling a meeting with you soon. If you would like to get involved as a new volunteer, please contact Jon at either parish office. This is a change from what we have done in the past, but Fr. Shaun, Jon, and I want to start this transition from a classroom-style format, which is often difficult for children after a full day at school, to a more engaging style that will include learning the basics of our faith, but do so in a way more suited for children’s engagement. We also want to engage high school youth, and feel that this new format will encourage our youth to continue to attend discipleship events in our parishes and beyond.

In this way, we are trying to help you, the parents of our parishes, to fulfill the promises you made when your child was baptized: to form your child in the faith. This is not something that Jon and our volunteers can do on their own. We rely on your cooperation and reinforcing what they learn and experience at their formation sessions. If parents do not live out the faith, it is much less likely that their children will. But, if we work together, the children of our parish, from their earliest days until they go off to college, can have the opportunity to deepen their relationship with Jesus Christ.

Peace, Fr. Shaun, O.S.F.S.