New regional adult faith formation program to begin in Burlington County
July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.
A new approach to adult faith formation is on the horizon in Burlington County.
Five Northern Burlington Deanery parishes have joined in a collaborative effort with Holy Cross High School, Delran, to introduce a new, first-of-its-kind “Regional Adult Faith Formation” program, one that seeks to take a holistic approach in offering a range of topics that are about the Catholic faith such as Church history, canon law, and Scripture, as well as other topics that are of particular interest or concern to people such as financial planning, heath and preparing wills.
“I think this is the best part of the program,” said Dennis Guida, principal of Holy Cross High, which will serve as the site for the program. “Like Holy Cross, where we bring faith and education together, adult faith formation brings faith and the ‘real world’ together.”
“People need to see the relationship between our Catholic faith and the ‘real world,’ ” Guida said, “and showing this relationship is inspiring and fulfills our Holy Cross mission: ‘to become life-long learners and well-informed citizens.’ ”
In preparation for the sessions which are set to begin Oct. 5,Conventual Franciscan Father David Stachurski, pastor of Resurrection Parish, Delran, has been working with a team of parish staff members and adult faith formation leaders representing the parishes of Resurrection; Jesus the Good Shepherd, Riverside; Corpus Christi, Willingboro; St. Charles Borromeo, Cinnaminson, and Sacred Heart, Riverton, to develop a calendar of topics that will be offered on Wednesday and Thursday evenings from 7-9 p.m., with the majority of the presenters being parishioners from the participating parishes, and some who serve in diocesan capacities.
“It’s been a very enriching experience to bring five parishes together in a collaborative effort because some of the people who are (adult faith formation) coordinators are extraordinarily gifted and recognize the importance of adult faith formation,” said Father Stachurski. “One of the goals of the diocese is to have parishes share resources and I think the regional adult faith formation program is a logical step in that direction.”
New Way of Doing Things
Guida explained that the idea for the regional adult faith formation program evolved through the Holy Cross High School board of trustees’ strategic planning meetings. For the past several years, the school has partnered with sending parishes in other capacities, including with Resurrection Parish, which for the past three years has used the facility for its religious education program.
Father Stachurski, who is a member of Holy Cross’ board of trustees, developed a new religious education program at Resurrection Parish soon after he arrived as pastor in 2008 and realized that 70 percent of the religious education students and their parents did not attend Mass regularly. Working in collaboration with Holy Cross High School, the religious education program was revamped by having children and their parents gather at Holy Cross two Sundays a month. A family Mass is celebrated at 9 a.m. in the auditorium, which provides a worship space where both children and adults can “worship as a family unit,” Father Stachurski said, then after the Mass, the catechetical sessions are held in classrooms where the children receive their religious instruction and adult education offerings are available for their parents.
“This model has achieved many goals,” said Father Stachurski, noting that there are currently some 350 religious education students and all of the catechists are parishioners.
Recipe for a Win-Win
Now as Holy Cross High School and the five parishes prepare to enter into a new partnership with the regional adult faith formation program, all who have been involved in its planning view it as a win-win situation.
“I think this is the vision for the future – working together in partnership with our parishes for the greater good of the Catholic faith,” Guida said. “Partnerships will only help both Holy Cross High School and the parishes of Burlington County to do a better job of bringing the teachings of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, to the people of Burlington County.”
“Today, more than ever, we need to think outside the box in sharing our gifts with one another,” said Mary Neary, director of ministries at Sacred Heart Parish, Riverton, “and coming together from different parishes add new flavor and spice to the mix of adult faith formation which is in need of fresh ingredients.
“The significance of the regional adult faith formation is about becoming good stewards of the gifts, talents and resources that each parish has been blessed with and to use them wisely by sharing them with others,” Neary said. “I truly sense that this new regional adult faith formation endeavor has been orchestrated by the Holy Spirit and we are the instruments being used to test the waters.”
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A new approach to adult faith formation is on the horizon in Burlington County.
Five Northern Burlington Deanery parishes have joined in a collaborative effort with Holy Cross High School, Delran, to introduce a new, first-of-its-kind “Regional Adult Faith Formation” program, one that seeks to take a holistic approach in offering a range of topics that are about the Catholic faith such as Church history, canon law, and Scripture, as well as other topics that are of particular interest or concern to people such as financial planning, heath and preparing wills.
“I think this is the best part of the program,” said Dennis Guida, principal of Holy Cross High, which will serve as the site for the program. “Like Holy Cross, where we bring faith and education together, adult faith formation brings faith and the ‘real world’ together.”
“People need to see the relationship between our Catholic faith and the ‘real world,’ ” Guida said, “and showing this relationship is inspiring and fulfills our Holy Cross mission: ‘to become life-long learners and well-informed citizens.’ ”
In preparation for the sessions which are set to begin Oct. 5,Conventual Franciscan Father David Stachurski, pastor of Resurrection Parish, Delran, has been working with a team of parish staff members and adult faith formation leaders representing the parishes of Resurrection; Jesus the Good Shepherd, Riverside; Corpus Christi, Willingboro; St. Charles Borromeo, Cinnaminson, and Sacred Heart, Riverton, to develop a calendar of topics that will be offered on Wednesday and Thursday evenings from 7-9 p.m., with the majority of the presenters being parishioners from the participating parishes, and some who serve in diocesan capacities.
“It’s been a very enriching experience to bring five parishes together in a collaborative effort because some of the people who are (adult faith formation) coordinators are extraordinarily gifted and recognize the importance of adult faith formation,” said Father Stachurski. “One of the goals of the diocese is to have parishes share resources and I think the regional adult faith formation program is a logical step in that direction.”
New Way of Doing Things
Guida explained that the idea for the regional adult faith formation program evolved through the Holy Cross High School board of trustees’ strategic planning meetings. For the past several years, the school has partnered with sending parishes in other capacities, including with Resurrection Parish, which for the past three years has used the facility for its religious education program.
Father Stachurski, who is a member of Holy Cross’ board of trustees, developed a new religious education program at Resurrection Parish soon after he arrived as pastor in 2008 and realized that 70 percent of the religious education students and their parents did not attend Mass regularly. Working in collaboration with Holy Cross High School, the religious education program was revamped by having children and their parents gather at Holy Cross two Sundays a month. A family Mass is celebrated at 9 a.m. in the auditorium, which provides a worship space where both children and adults can “worship as a family unit,” Father Stachurski said, then after the Mass, the catechetical sessions are held in classrooms where the children receive their religious instruction and adult education offerings are available for their parents.
“This model has achieved many goals,” said Father Stachurski, noting that there are currently some 350 religious education students and all of the catechists are parishioners.
Recipe for a Win-Win
Now as Holy Cross High School and the five parishes prepare to enter into a new partnership with the regional adult faith formation program, all who have been involved in its planning view it as a win-win situation.
“I think this is the vision for the future – working together in partnership with our parishes for the greater good of the Catholic faith,” Guida said. “Partnerships will only help both Holy Cross High School and the parishes of Burlington County to do a better job of bringing the teachings of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, to the people of Burlington County.”
“Today, more than ever, we need to think outside the box in sharing our gifts with one another,” said Mary Neary, director of ministries at Sacred Heart Parish, Riverton, “and coming together from different parishes add new flavor and spice to the mix of adult faith formation which is in need of fresh ingredients.
“The significance of the regional adult faith formation is about becoming good stewards of the gifts, talents and resources that each parish has been blessed with and to use them wisely by sharing them with others,” Neary said. “I truly sense that this new regional adult faith formation endeavor has been orchestrated by the Holy Spirit and we are the instruments being used to test the waters.”
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