Circle Overview

Family Circle Overview

What's Involved?
Parents participating in the Circle Program of Faith Formation commit to spending 24 hours each year instructing, modeling, guiding, and sharing lessons of faith with their children. At registration they choose between working with their children independently (Home-based), or teaming with 6 or 7 other parish families in a group setting (Neighborhood/Group-based) to conduct these lessons. In addition, all families are required to attend a Family Circle Training session which outlines the Circle structure, objectives, safety procedures, best practices, commitment, and reporting system. Support is available for developing lessons, attaining resources and teaching materials, managing group dynamics, reserving campus space if needed, and facilitating guest teachers. The Family Circle Program of study is strengthened by a monthly Catholic Foundations class on campus, discipleship enrichment opportunities, monthly Family Mass, and Children’s Liturgy of the Word at Sunday Mass. Read about the two Family Circle options here

Parent training and safety information
Create calendar and yearly plan
24 hours of scheduled faith gatherings to include instruction time, social time, and service time (home-based or group-based)
8 Foundations classes (monthly, October-May)
8 Family Masses (monthly, October-May)
Discipleship Enrichment Activities (i.e.: Thanksgiving pie baking, river clean up, gleaning, etc.)
42 Sunday Children’s Liturgy of the Word gatherings per year (ages 4-10)
Circles MUST submit monthly attendance records via the link HERE!

On-Campus Elements of the Family Circle Program

Catholic Foundations Class: All participating families (Neighborhood- and Home-Based Circles) are required to attend a monthly Catholic Foundations class to round out the faith formation experience. Parish children, grades Pre-K-8, are encouraged to take part in these classes. Lessons are created by the Parish Faith Formation Director and implemented by volunteer Catechists. Classes are held on the first Saturday afternoon (2:15-3:45 pm) of each month, October – May. Parents are invited to meet during this time with the pastor to reflect on the same Catholic Foundation being presented in the child’s classroom. Parent session takes place in the Church or Fr. Ray Hall. In addition, Diocesan grade-level objectives, grade level concepts and vocabulary are found here to enrich home studies.
Family Mass: A special Children's Liturgy follows the monthly Foundations Class. Open to everyone, this Mass allows the children to participate fully in a Liturgy by serving as lectors, greeters, ushers, gift bearers, choir members and musicians. The homily is directed to the children, and satisfies the Sunday obligation. Family Mass begins promptly at 3:45pm on the first Saturday of the month, October – May.
Discipleship Enrichment Activities: To further support the living faith life of our families, service and learning activities are created and offered throughout the year. Activities in the past have includes an afternoon church tour, living stations of the cross, homeless walk and education session, gleaning on a farm, Red Nose Day hunger event, 5K run/walk for charity, backpack drive, and more. Watch the bulletin and parish calendar for dates and times of each event.
Children’s Liturgy of the Word: CLW is offered throughout the year during 3 of the Sunday Masses (9:30, 11:15, and 1:00 pm Spanish). Please visit the parish calendar for specific dates. Children ages 4-10 are invited to listen and reflect on the Sunday Gospel in child friendly language. The children leave the main sanctuary and proceed to our Children's Chapel where they experience the Gospel, Profession of Faith, and General Intercessions before returning to join their church community for the Liturgy of the Eucharist.