How We Opened the Door...To Faith in Family Program

Family Program- Year 31- is closing with an interactive Prayer Fair where families have opportunities to experience different forms of prayer: Adoration, Rosary, Stations of the Cross, Visio Divina, the Examen, Guided Meditation, Lectio Divina, Divine Mercy Chaplet, Centering Prayer, the Labyrinth, and will close with a joyful time of Praise and Worship music for the whole group.

Each session of the year focused on a way we can Open the Door to Faith in our lives. We framed the year considering what might be different Keys to do that, exploring a new “key” every session.

We explored the keys through reading, reflecting and discussing Scripture, and projects such as creating a Vision Board of their family values. Throughout the year we learned through video, song, art, and prayer. Families had the opportunity to talk and pray about some of the important keys of faith that open the door to our relationship with God: Family/Community, Prayer, Service, the Catholic Church, Scripture, Sacraments, and Saints.

Each family had a Playlist of opportunities for their family to open the door a little wider. Here are a few of the suggestions for our families:

Family/Community

• Read the upcoming Sunday readings before going to Mass
• Help at the Waukesha Food Pantry or at a nursing assisted living facility

Prayer

•  Pray a rosary together.
• Learn a prayer as a family such as the Memorare

Service

• Bring clean, empty plastic bags, and put them in the Jim Luther New Hope Center bin in the Gathering Space
• Take a look at the St. Vincent DePaul page on our website. Volunteer to serve meals or make bag lunches
• Decorate paper lunch bags with encouraging messages and prayers for lunches at the Open Door Cafe

The Church

• Encourage your young children to participate in Children’s Liturgy of the Word during 9:00 Mass
• Learn more about The Papacy with Al McCauley’s Fish on Friday videos

 Scripture

• Read the upcoming Mass readings before Mass
• Listen to a few of the Bible in a Year podcast episodes by Fr. Mike Schmitz

 Sacraments

• Visit Holy Hill. Attend Mass or walk through the Stations of the Cross
• Attend Mass at a church while on vacation
• Go to Reconciliation at St. Anthony on the Lake on Saturdays

A Family Challenge was offered for families to read the Gospel of Mark as a family. Congratulations to those families that completed the challenge!

Monday evening families were offered time in Eucharistic Adoration from 7:15-8:00 pm. Each class was given time during the year to end their session with prayer in Adoration. We are grateful to our deacons for helping us with this new opportunity!

It was a year full of family discussion and practices of faith which we know is how the Tradition of the Catholic Faith is passed down from one generation to the next generation. We are grateful to the Faith Formation staff, the kitchen help, the catechists, and the dozens of volunteers who make this the vibrant catechetical community it is! We love our families and are grateful for the whole community that nurtures the faith of our children, teens, and parents. It has been a blessing!