A Field Guide To Faith Formation

Greetings to all Catholic Community of Pleasanton (CCOP) Families!

I hope you had a restful summer. Just as many of you are getting in the “back-to-school” mode, Faith Formation is gearing up for a return to programming. We are eager to hear the sounds of laughter and conversation in the parish hall.

A hearty welcome to all CCOP families with children attending Faith Formation for the first time. If you have questions, please read on or contact us directly at (925) 846-3531. The Faith Formation department welcomes all of your queries.

Faith Formation Philosophy…
The Faith Formation Department seeks to create a nurturing environment where families of all shapes and sizes can come together to explore their belief in God. We offer many types of Faith Formation programs designed to meet the varying developmental and spiritual needs of our families.

Programs at a glance…
For families with elementary school-age children, we offer the traditional classroom format Monday through Friday. We also offer two family-based programs: The Family Program and the Intergenerational Faith Communities. These two models invite parents and children to learn about God together.

Our middle school youth are encouraged to attend the Middle School Program. It brings pre-teens, grades 6 – 8, together to learn about their faith, share community and participate in service projects, as well as to pray and worship together.

Overtime is the program which caters to our young parishioners in senior high. It offers a variety of educational, spiritual and social activities throughout the year, designed to promote the spiritual growth of youth.

Special ministries…
Our formation for the Hispanic community takes place on Monday evenings and is parent-child oriented. We also have a program for those with special needs. Our Special Religious Education Program (SPRED) meets on Thursday evenings.

Sacrament Programs…
Our sacrament programs for school children include First Reconciliation/First Communion preparation for second graders, First Communion and/or Baptism preparation for children in older grades, Reconciliation in fourth grade and Confirmation for senior high youth. All families with children preparing for the sacraments should contact the individual program coordinators about prerequisites and program specifics.

Registration information…
Monday, August 30, from 5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at St. Augustine Hall. All forms are available on left column of this page. At the time of registration you will need:

Program start dates…
Many of our faith formation programs begin the week of September 13, 2010. However, please be sure to check with your program coordinator, as many calendars differ. Those children preparing for sacraments are also encouraged to have a one-on-one interview with the program coordinator before programming starts.

Come share your gifts and faith with us and help nurture the faith of others…
If you are called to share your faith with CCOP’s children and youth, accept our invitation to join the Faith Formation Community. Please contact me if you are interested.

For specifics about all faith formation days and times, please visit our website at www.catholicsofpleasanton.org and click on the Faith Formation link.

We welcome your questions and look forward to seeing you in the Fall!

Sincerely,

Liz Rogers
Director, Faith Formation