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CSA funds support religious education in parishes
by Robert Delaney of The Michigan Catholic
Published August 29, 2008
 Detroit — There has been a heightened emphasis on continuing adult faith formation ever since Pope John Paul II's call for a New Evangelization, which includes re-evangelization of the Catholic faithful to give them a fuller understanding of Christ's message.
And the U.S. bishops have said faith formation should be a lifelong process, not something that is just for youngsters.
The Archdiocese of Detroit provides programs and resources to help parishes offer effective adult formation programs, says Maureen O'Reilly, director of the archdiocesan Office for Faith Formation. The office is among the ministries funded through the annual Catholic Services Appeal.
Ongoing faith formation not only benefits adult Catholics, but is also a key component needed for effective catechesis of children, O'Reilly says.
While many Catholics who do not attend Mass regularly "find something in the Church they want their children to have," the religious instruction they receive will not be fully effective "if the parents are not taking them to Sunday liturgy," she says.
Because the Church recognizes the importance of parents and home life in the catechetical formation of children, ongoing adult formation is seen as crucial, O'Reilly continues.
But even adults without children benefit from a program of ongoing catechesis, she says:
"A lot of adults know 'about' their faith, but there isn't that transforming personal relationship. Catechesis provides formation and information – neither one can exist without the other and bear fruit."
A number of parishes have chosen a "whole community" approach to religious formation and education, adopting the Generations of Faith model of intergenerational catechetics.
Besides religious education classes for children, St. John Neumann Parish in Canton Township brings parishioners of all ages together once a month for a session that runs 2 hours, 30 minutes.
"The entire household is invited and encouraged to attend, explains Donna Franke, the parish's director of religious education.
All ages are together for a portion of the program, while other portions break them into age-specific sub-groups. And each household is given a kit to take home, so parents can support what their children are being taught in their religious education classes.
Besides providing introductory workshops for parishes that want to adopt the Generations of Faith program, the archdiocese also offers workshops that provide updates and ongoing support.
Because St. John Neumann is a large parish of 3,400 families, six identical sessions are held every month, each drawing as many as 250 to 300 families, Franke says.
Also, there are archdiocese-wide gatherings of DREs. "These are very important, because we get ideas of how to do it from each other," she adds.
Peggy Casing, DRE at St. Mary of the Hills in Auburn Hills, echoes Franke's praise for the programs provided by the Office for Faith Formation.
"Really, truly, their workshops and gatherings are a huge help to a DRE. Not only because of the content, but because of the networking that occurs at those events," says Casing, whose parish also follows the Generations of Faith model.
She says it is a great model for parishes, "because it stresses what the bishops have been saying for years, that formation is life-long."
"We want to make sure we are conveying all of the content the Magisterium (the Church's teaching authority) wants us to convey," Casing continues.
An example of the assistance provided by the archdiocese is the upcoming Sept. 11 event for catechetical leaders featuring nationally known speaker Thomas Groome, she says, adding "It's a great opportunity."
The budgets of other offices within the archdiocesan Department of Education are also funded through the CSA. Besides the Education Department, CSA provides funding for most of the ministries of the archdiocese, including Sacred Heart Major Seminary, the Vocations Office, Department of Parish Life and Services, and CTND, the Catholic cable channel. The Michigan Catholic also receives CSA assistance.
Archdiocesan officials are hoping individuals who have not yet pledged to this year's CSA will do so in coming weeks, especially in those parishes that have not yet completed their CSA campaigns. Completion of the CSA is crucial to fully funding its ministries, they say.
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