Faith in Focus: Children's Faith Formation

As we come to the end of our Children’s Faith Formation program year, I am grateful for all of the many ways the people of St. Ignatius Parish contribute to the faith journeys of our children. Particularly during the years when children are preparing to receive their sacraments, generally grades 1/2 and 7/8, the involvement of the community is crucial.

This year marks the first time since COVID that our children have been able to attend classes primarily in person. Our First Communion classes met in dedicated spaces in the church building. Our Confirmation and other CFF classes met in classrooms borrowed from the university, which allowed us to Zoom as needed when illness or scheduling conflicts meant classes could not meet in person. Our catechists Andy Weyer, Therese Cannata, Ana Gonzalez-Lane, Vanita Louie, Mya Spence, and Katie Suddarth, and our catechist aide Julia Kearney, shared their time and their faith with our young people: encouraging them, instructing them, and accompanying them as they grew in faith. Our parents, who our Catholic faith teaches are the primary instructors of their children in the faith, supported the catechists and their children by joining classes, getting them to class, and most importantly, attending Mass regularly. Thank you, catechists and parents!

In addition to our catechists, other parishioners also dedicated their time and talent, offering our Confirmation candidates opportunities to complete their service hours by working for Shelter Meals (thank you, Tiffany and Therese), helping at hospitality (thank you, Barbara and the hospitality crew), serving at Mass or as greeters (thank you, Matthew, Maggie, and Don), and decorating the church at Christmas or otherwise contributing to the upkeep of our common worship space (thank you, Maggie and Quincy). Preparing meals for the homeless, welcoming parishioners to Mass, serving at the table of the Lord: all of these opportunities have given our young people the chance to see what it feels like to put their faith into action as mature Catholic Christians. Thank you, volunteers and staff!

And finally, to all of you, every week, who fill the pews and bear witness to the importance of faith in your own lives, who greet our young people during the Sign of Peace, who smile at the young parents struggling with a tired toddler, who prayed for our First Communicants and our Confirmandi, and who, year after year, support our Faith Formation program with your prayers and your pocketbooks, we could not do it without you. Thank you, thank you, thank you, wonderful parishioners of St. Ignatius! See you at Mass!

Lisa Freese


Lisa Freese is the Director of Faith Formation at St. Ignatius. If you would like to volunteer as a catechist or catechist aide, or you would like to enroll your child(ren) in our Children’s Faith Formation process, please email Lisa at [email protected]

Photo (top): CFF, visiting Church corerstone.