For several years, our parish staff studied models of catechesis that could improve our faith formation efforts. We dialogued with the various groups within the parish, and we experimented.

We had several eye-opening experiences. First, when the bishops published the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, our pastor offered it to all the parishioners. Much to our surprise, we sold over 400 copies. Then we offered several catechetical gatherings for adults based on the various chapters of that catechism. We were surprised again when 100 people participated. They not only participated but also asked us to continue the sessions once the series ran its course! Indeed, we were witnessing a desire to get back to the roots of our tradition and to learn more about our faith. We were confident that we must forge ahead and create an ongoing environment for all members of our parish family to grow together in the faith.

After our initial success, we invited a well-known national leader to present a vision for the model we intended to implement. Our hope was to stir the hearts of the prospective parish catechetical leaders and create enthusiasm about our new vision of catechesis. Again, much to our surprise, nearly 100 people attended this event.

Our hearts were burning
Once the vision was introduced, we gathered bi-monthly with those who were serious about working in this new ministry. For the next six months, we gathered to study the bishops’ document on adult faith formation, Our Hearts Were Burning within Us. The U.S. bishops wrote this document in 1999 to emphasize the priority of adult faith formation in parishes. Many of our new leaders marveled at the church’s insistence that our focus in faith formation must be on adults and that catechesis for adults should enjoy a privileged place in parish life.

Following sufficient formation, we established two teams. One team would provide the retreat program that would feed our efforts; the other team would provide catechetical formation to the parish. The retreat model we chose was Bill Huebsch’s "Living with Christ Retreat" (available in Handbook for Success in Whole Community Catechesis, Twenty-Third Publications).

The first team prepared the retreats that preceded our catechetical events, and the second team planned those catechetical events. Our hope was to provide not only conversion-centered catechetical experiences, but also intentional, easy-access retreat experiences for adults who wished to grow in their love of Christ.

The first event (and most since) was filled to capacity. It has proven to be an ongoing grace-filled event for our parish. Over 600 people gathered -- men, women, children -- for an evening of catechetical formation. We shared a meal and we celebrated a powerful liturgy that served as the springboard for our focus of the evening. The rest of the catechetical event was a mystagogical reflection on the themes that were proclaimed and celebrated in the liturgy. Following the liturgy, we dismissed everyone for two 45-minute formation sessions. One session was age specific; the other was intergenerational. It was a hugely successful evening. We learned a great deal from that first event, and what we learned has guided our model today.

It was important for us to recognize that our efforts would never replace religious education in the parish. The U.S. bishops insist that such events are not a replacement for ongoing parish religious education programs for children. Thus, the steering committee made the decision that we would provide four (and eventually increase to six) formation events a year that would center on a particular theme. Our inauguration year began in March, so Lent and Mardi Gras were our first focus. For the second event, we focused on Eucharist and preparation for Eucharist. The committee set forth the sacraments of the church as the umbrella theme for the following year. Four events were planned -- baptism, reconciliation, confirmation, and Eucharist.

This new ministry in our parish is a great opportunity for adults and children to gather together to encounter Christ, who is present to us in community, in liturgy, in the word, and in the doctrines of our faith. TP