Family Faith Formation: Cultivating the Rich Soil for God’s Word to Take Root

The family, often called the Domestic Church, is where children are first introduced to God — it’s where they learn who He is and how to have a relationship with Him through prayer. Parents are the primary educators of their children, especially when it comes to matters of the faith. This is why Corpus Christi offers the Family Faith Formation program.

Family Faith Formation is a model of religious education that draws the whole family into participation. It is designed to provide parents with the knowledge, tools, and support necessary to lead and grow their children in the faith.

“Involving the whole family in faith formation is vital because studies have shown us that parental involvement in the faith-life of a child is critical to ensuring that a child develops into a practicing Christian,” says Laura Hulcher, Director of Faith Formation at Corpus Christi. “It is also a wonderful opportunity to help refresh parents with the truth and beauty of the Catholic faith as they pass it along to their children.”

The Family Faith Formation program is designed for families who have children in first through eighth grades. Children can be enrolled in a public, private, or home school setting. Parents should be intending to raise their children in the Catholic faith and teach them how to lead a sacramental life.

“To paraphrase a beloved parable, Family Formation is one way that we can cultivate the rich soil for God’s Word to take root, weather the storms, and be fruitful,” Laura says.

There is grade-level specific curriculum that is provided through the program and taught at home. The at-home approach to teaching the faith allows families to fit the program into their full and busy lives in whatever way works best for them. The materials and syllabus cover a school-calendar year.

In addition, there are sacramental-specific preparation materials. These materials are provided for children in second grade, preparing to receive their First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion, and for children in seventh and eighth grades as they prepare for Confirmation.

Learning about and practicing the faith primarily starts at home. However, it also involves the greater Church community — it is through community that we, as members of the Church, can enter into fellowship together and praise God together. The Family Faith Formation program recognizes this need for community and strives to gather the families together once a month for Family Formation Night to dive deeper into specific faith topics with each other.