Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted seeks to cultivate a holistic vision of life-long faith formation, thereby fulfilling the Baptismal call of all individuals. Faith formation encompasses a wide array of activities: formal education, experiential learning, opportunities for prayer and reflection, faith enriching liturgical celebrations, and ministries within the parish, as well as the community at large. Through these activities, we seek to make the Gospel living, conscious and active in the lives of all participants, children, adults, and families.
The Second Vatican Council offered two great insights into faith: 1) it should engage the whole person and 2) it should be developed in a communal setting.
The goal, then, is to inform, form, and transform persons and communities as disciples of Jesus. Instead of any one program, emphasis, or approach, it takes a coalition of parish, family, and program to engage participants in life-long faith development.
Any aspect of parish faith formation is successful only by being in partnership with parishioners. Full participation in parish life, including and rooted in Liturgy and Worship allows the participants to feel part of another family, the parish family, and thus gives deeper meaning to being a member of the family of God.
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