My friend and consulting partner Heidi Indahl is back this month with a key question that most of us ignore–what is a faith formation program for, anyway? It’s far too easy to get into the “we’ve always had kids in classrooms, so this is what we do…” rut. Let’s remember with crystal clarity why we form in faith in the first place.

Thank you for your work with our parishes, and contributing to our practical mission education, Heidi. Everyone, enjoy the wisdom here.–Susan Windley-Daoust

Can you describe your parish’s faith formation program in a single paragraph?  Even a single sentence?

Effective programs are simple and clearly defined enough to do exactly that. Those running these programs have taken the time to understand the vision and purpose of faith formation across the lifespan and they have a serious advantage when it comes to reaching both the people in the pews and beyond.

Consider that your faith formation program is not equal to a list of the curriculum you use at different ages and stages or a series of special events- your program needs a vision and a plan.  More is not better.

I recently heard a first time faith formation coordinator mention that he was going to throw up a new resource for families on the parish website even though he wouldn’t be supporting or teaching the method in his classes.  His thought was, “Might as well give them another option, right?”

Wrong!

Everything we do in faith formation is one piece of a puzzle.  We need to have one picture (vision, purpose, goal) we are working towards or it doesn’t work. You should know the picture clearly and so should your students, families, and parish members. 

Families need to trust that you are helping them weed through the endless resources to select what they need to be successful in teaching and transmitting the faith to a new generation. Give them too many options and they will be easily overwhelmed and discouraged when they are forced to select among them for time or financial reasons. Give them a series of disconnected programs and events and they won’t prioritize any of them because they don’t easily see how it has anything to do with the last item and how it will help. 

In a previous article, I encouraged you to prayerfully reflect on two things- the vision and goals for your community and the people you are serving.  The goals are the picture and the people are the edges of your puzzle. Every individual program, activity, event, curriculum, etc has to work within and contribute to that fully developed puzzle.  

Once defined, your puzzle framework is now a built in discernment tool. The flashy new resource you heard about at a conference or that the parish in the next town is implementing?  Easy to pass on because you know it isn’t a match for your community.  

On the other end of the spectrum, the new required initiative from your diocese?  You know exactly how to match it to your parish vision.  You know where it overlaps with what you are doing so you can even trim other things to avoid staff, volunteer, and family burn out. 

Once properly discerned, the picture is in focus.  The people in front you are no longer a problem to be solved.  They are an invaluable human resource, with a right to clear, consistent catechesis that contributes and supports their ongoing growth across a lifetime of discipleship. 

Heidi runs a parish faith formation program review process as part of the full Designed for Discipleship mentorship. The program review can be a standalone as well. Contact Heidi at co********@*****************ay.com for a conversation to learn more about this essential component of being an apostolic parish...with The Mark 5:19 Project’s Mission Ignite process or without it!

Heidi Indahl, M.Ed., is a former parent educator and school program director turned catechist educator and program consultant, with an advanced degree in instructional design. She works with schools and parishes to plan, modify, and design catechesis programs for all ages within the context of local community, challenges, and goals.  She focuses on pairing best-practice in brain-based learning with authentic Catholic faith through the lens of catechesis as a vital means of evangelization and discipleship. She is the author of three books.