Adult faith formation is aimed at creating a community of faith that is a witness to the Gospel and an active agent in bringing to life the reign of God. Adult faith formation is an ongoing, life-long process by which people consciously grow in the life of Christ through experience, reflection, prayer, and study.
For generations the Church has insisted repeatedly that adult faith formation is the chief form of catechesis, situated not at the periphery of the Church’s educational mission, but at its heart. In keeping with that belief, St. Joseph’s offers a vibrant adult education program.
The adult faith formation ministry consists of five areas, each designed to address the special needs of our community:
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is a process that dates back to the early beginnings of the Church's foundation. After Vatican II, this process was renewed and restored in our church. This was a tremendous gift to a parish community. In this process, persons who are not baptized, who were baptized in another Christian faiths, or who were baptized Catholic, but never received any instruction in our faith, come to a fuller understanding of God, the Church, and his or her own spiritual life. Catechists, sponsors, and team members, as well as the Church community journey with adults who are preparing for the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist.
In RCIA, those exploring our faith come together on a weekly basis to pray, share scripture, and learn more about the beliefs, practices and traditions of the Catholic Church. Periodically during the process there are ceremonies in which the persons involved come before the Parish Community at a weekend Liturgy to be presented to and to ask for the prayers and support of the community on their faith journey.
Every year at our Easter Vigil those who are called to Baptism are baptized into the Roman Catholic Church. The persons of other faiths make a profession of faith in our Church at this time. Finally, all involved in the process celebrate the sacraments of Confirmation and the Eucharist at the Easter Vigil.
The task of adult religious education is to create settings and processes that invite people to journey together - exploring, reflecting, experiencing, and making connections. It is about promise, obedience, pathos, and mystery, about sharing hope for the future and seeking peace. Adult religious education invites teachers and learners to journey together towards knowing, loving, and serving the living God. It is a journey towards wholeness.
Adult confirmation - the process of preparing for the sacrament of Confirmation - is a program designed for those who have already received the sacraments of Baptism and Eucharist. The process consists of a series of six sessions that review the meaning of the sacraments and the Church. These sessions are usually held in the spring.
This program is for those who for one reason or another are no longer in full communion with the Church, but wish to become aware of the changes that have occurred in the Church and rejoin the Catholic community. The program consists of a series of weekly meetings. Our parish extends a warm welcome for you to "Take Another Look" at the church through a process of hearing your stories, answering your questions, and providing information on current Catholic beliefs and practices.
A Small Faith Sharing Community is a face-to-face gathering of six to twelve people who invest time with one another for the common purpose of applying gospel values to every aspect of their lives. Members are able to relate to one another at a personal level, sharing in their common journeys of faith.We subscribe to the vision that, "Prompted by the Spirit, we commit ourselves to work together for a more vibrant Catholic Church. We hunger for a Church in which community life is fundamental to people's experience and leads to a fuller participation in the mission of Jesus. We envision a transformation of parish life so that people help one another connect life and faith on a regular basis."