ALL Are Welcome!!

St. Michael Parish Faith Formation Program is pleased to partner with you – parents or guardians, grandparents and other household members, who are the primary teachers of faith to your children. You are constantly teaching your children about our faith by modeling Catholic behavior, attending Mass with your children each week, praying and talking about our faith with your children as you go about your daily life. What you do greatly affects them. We’re here to help support you in your teaching.

Our catechists gracefully volunteer to share their own experience of faith and strive to make Christ visible to their students through this religious education program. We hope this faith formation will result in young adults who will themselves proclaim the Lord in word and deed.
 

Learning the basics of the Catholic Faith and preparing to receive the sacraments are important moments not only in a child’s life, but also in the life of the family. St. Michael Parish is here to support you in raising your children in the Catholic Faith. Through our ongoing Faith Formation opportunities, we seek to provide fun and engaging ways for families to learn together, building memories that will last a lifetime. 



For the 2021-2022 Faith Formation Year, we are planning for in-person Faith Formation with proper precautions in place. These include masks for everyone while indoors, social distancing between children and families, and cleaning procedures. These guidelines may change as the situation necessitates. 
 
We are looking forward to a fantastic year full of fun, faith-filled activities. We look forward to seeing you soon. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns. We can be reached at the Pastoral Center at 207-623-8823. 



Children's Faith Formation Offerings

Our parish offers two Faith Formation options: Winthrop Faith Formation for Grades Pre-K through 8th Grade and Home Family Faith Formation for Grades Pre-K through Grade 6. Children enrolled in either option will be prepared to receive the Sacraments of Initiation through our Two-Year Sacramental Preparation Process. 



Winthrop Faith Formation
Meets on Sundays from 9-10:45am in St. Francis Hall after the 8am Mass. Families gather after Mass for a snack and opening prayer. Then children go to their rooms for a session with their catechist. Parents are welcome to remain in the hall for faith sharing.



Home Family Faith Formation
Meets once a month on a Sunday from 3-4:45pm at Sacred Heart Hall in Hallowell. Families gather for an opening prayer and then children go to their rooms for a session with their catechist while parents attend their own session. Families then gather back together for an activity and a closing prayer. Families then complete weekly lessons in the home.



Two-Year Sacramental Preparation Process
In the Diocese of Portland, there is a two-year process for baptized children preparing to receive the Sacraments of Confirmation and First Eucharist.

Year One provides an initial formation in the foundations of the faith. The minimum age for a child registering in Year One is 6 years old. We also offer age-appropriate catechesis for children in upper elementary, middle, and high school who wish to prepare for the Sacraments of Initiation. In Year One, parents and children will attend two retreats.
 
Year Two prepares children to receive the Sacraments of Confirmation and First Eucharist, which includes the Sacrament of Reconciliation. This process will provide children the time to learn and develop a relationship with God; understand and desire the sacraments; learn to pray; and be involved in the life of the Church. All children and parents will attend three retreats in Year Two in addition to the preparatory sessions and a final rehearsal.

St. Michael School Children
Children who attend St. Michael School are welcome to also participate in our parish Faith Formation Offerings. Children who wish to complete the Sacraments of Initiation are required to enroll in the parish's Two-Year Sacramental Preparation Process (Year One in First Grade and Year Two in Second Grade, although children can be in any grade to complete the two-year process). Children in Year One will receive basic preparatory formation through their school religion class in addition to attending a Fall and a Spring Retreat with their parents. Children in Year Two will receive immediate formation for the sacraments through materials provided by the parish and taught through the school religion class. They will also attend a Confirmation Retreat, Reconciliation Retreat, and First Eucharist Retreat with their parents.