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We hope that you have had a wonderful summer!
This letter is to welcome you to the new Family Faith Formation year. We look forward to meeting and sharing with you throughout the year at meals, presentations and small-group discussions, and in family projects.
For the calendar of Family Faith Formation sessions for this year, please click here.
Please let us know throughout the year if at any time we can be of special assistance to you and your family. We are committed to helping parents and their children share experiences and discussions that attune us to God's loving presence and guidance, and that strengthen the virtuous life.
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Preparation for First Reconciliation (Confession) and First Communion
Immediate preparation for First Reconciliation and First Communion is done on a parish-wide basis. This means that students from both the Religious Education program and the St. John Vianney Parish and School will come together on selected date to prepare for these Sacraments. Students in second grade or older begin preparing for Reconciliation (First Confession) in October and will receive the Sacrament in January. They will then begin preparing for First Communion in January and will receive the Sacrament in early May. For children preparing for First Reconciliation and First Communion, students MUST have completed the first grade year or one year of an older grade of Religious Education before starting the year of immediate preparation for the Sacraments. This means that they will be completing their second year of Religious Education when they receive First Reconciliation and First Eucharist. This is an Archdiocesan requirement.
If you have any questions, please call Christian Formation Office at 262-796-3944.
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Confirmation Program: Grades 11th - 12th
Confirmation is a community's sacramental celebration of an individual's mature and personal affirmation of the gift of faith, which seals the work of the Spirit begun in baptism. The immediate preparation prior to candidacy for Confirmation is viewed in terms of formation. You must have successfully participated in the parish 10th grade Faith Formation program, or for catholic high school teens, completion of your religion/theology classes.
The Sacrament of Confirmation:
- welcomes us and deepens our belonging to the faith community
- deepens our relationship to God, as Creator, Redeemer and Spirit
- strengthens us as disciples
In the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, young people are given the opportunity to express their decision to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation at age 16 and a junior in high school. Anyone wishing to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation is expected to fulfill the following requirements:
- active membership in the parish community
- minimum age of 16 and a junior/senior in high school
- participation in the preparation program, including educational, retreat and service components
Confirmation preparation provides an opportunity for growth in knowledge, which hopefully will lead to growth in faith as well.
If you have any questions please call Christian Formation Office at 262-796-3944.
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St. John Vianney Youth Ministry offers dynamic, faith filled, Youth Ministry for young Catholics in middle and high school. We attempt to meet young people on their journey of faith as they travel through the challenges of life.
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St. John Vianney Women's Group
All women are welcome to the St. John Vianney Women's Group, which will meet on the second and fourth week of each month from 10:00-11:00am. There will be toys for the toddlers.
This group will focus on the issues involved with being a Catholic Christian woman today with all of its challenges, expectations, stresses and joys. The sessions will include time for women to get together and share experiences and support in the context of hearing brief, helpful presentations on topics. Examples of these topics are: God in the family and workplace; the Catholic Christian mother and wife; dealing with disappointments; spirituality (God's sustaining and empowering presence) for the busy woman; what children need to thrive and how our faith can help us provide for these needs; the feeling of being pulled in every direction; and inspiring Christian examples for women.
Sessions begin on Tuesday, September 25th in Room 201 in the Parish Center
To register and for more information, please call the Christian Formation Office at 262-796-3944.
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St. John Vianney Men's Group
A men's group is forming at St. John Vianney. This group will be meeting during the second and fourth week of each month, starting in September. There will be two opportunities to meet during each of these weeks: either from 6:00-7:00am on Monday mornings or from 7:00-8:00am on Saturday mornings.
The group sessions will include a continental breakfast and input on, and discussion about important topics regarding being a Catholic man in the contemporary world. Examples of these topics include, but are not limited to, the courage to support faithful ways of living in a secular world, coping with crises, the Catholic Christian husband and father, inspiring Christian examples for men, discovering God's will, growing in and handling difficult times hopefully and lovingly. Each meeting will include ample time to talk with, learn from, and grow with others in the group.
The starting session is on Monday, September 10 at 6:00am in Room P210 or on Saturday September 15 at 7:00am in Church Hall. The Monday and Saturday sessions will cover the same topics, and people can switch from one to the other, according to their schedule. One can enter the group at any time.
To register and for more information, please call the Christian Formation Office at 262-796-3944.
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Bishop Robert Barron's Video Discussion Series on The Mass
For the ten sessions of this program, we will be watching and discussing Bishop Robert Barron's series,
The Mass
. The first six episodes explain in detail the significance of each part of the Mass. The other four episodes discuss the history and meaning of the Eucharist. Bishop Barron's videos are full of great insight, and you will be surprised by what you will learn about the roll that the Mass plays in your faith and your relationship with God.
The sessions meet on Mondays from 9:30-11:00am beginning on September 24 through November 26.
To register for the series, please contact Ann Rodig at the Christian Formation Office at 262-796-3944. Participant study guides need to be ordered by September 13 to reach us on time. After this date, we can still order your books, but they may take several days to arrive.
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Wednesday Bible Study: Ephesians
Beginning on Wednesday, October 3rd to November 21st from 9:30 - 11:30am the Bible Study group will be studying St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians. Fr. Nathaniel will lead the group, which will be based on Jeff Cavins' study of this letter. To register, please sign up at the Christian Formation Office or call 262-796-3944. |
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Thursday Bible Study: The Gospel of John & the Formation of Beloved Disciples
This year the Bible Study group that meets on Thursday mornings from 9:30-11:30am will focus on the Gospel of the Eagle, the symbol of the exalted theology of the evangelist, John. This theology is grounded in revealing problems with being a faithful disciple and in guiding and empowering Christians to become beloved disciples, as is the important disciple in John who is characterized in this way.
To register for this Bible study group, please call the Christian Formation office at 262-796-3944. The first session is on Thursday, September 13
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Blessings for the year ahead,
Dennis Sylva, Dave Baudry, Janlyn Carvalho, Ann Rodig
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1755 N. Calhoun Rd. - Brookfield, WI 53005 - 262-796-3944
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