The Catholic Parishes in Waterloo are committed to providing life-long faith formation, enrichment and spiritual growth for Catholics at every age and stage of life. Because the Church "exists to evangelize," as Pope Paul VI declared in his 1975 Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi,faith formation is a fundamental commitment and responsibility inherent in our very nature as a Catholic faith community.
We exist to lead people to personal conversion and social transformation in Jesus Christ.
Catechesis, which is the technical word for faith formation, is one aspect or one component of evangelization. It is the way in which Christian faith communities intentionally and systematically pass on both the words and deeds of Jesus Christ from one generation to the next. It consists not only of a message -- certain ideas, or teachings -- but also an experience, a personal encounter, with the Spirit of Jesus Christ, who lives among us in the Body of Christ on earth.
Effective faith formation begins with proclamation of the Good News which invites us to conversion and prepares us for sacramental initiation; it then then provides continuing formation which nourishes and deepens the faith-life of the individual and the community.
The goal of faith formation, as the General Director for Catechesisexplains, "is to put people not only in touch, but also in communion and intimacy with Jesus Christ" alive in the Christian community.
Our commitment to life-long faith formation includes Catholics at every age and stage in life:
• the very young and their parents,
• families,
• children,
• adolescents
• emerging adults
• adults
• older adults
• persons with special needs
• those who are marginalized by social, political, economic, moral, spiritual or personal
circumstances.
The goal of faith formation at every age and stage is to develop in the individual and in the faith community a knowledge of the faith, the disposition for liturgy and prayer, an ability for mission, and moral education for community life.
The Catholic parishes in Waterloo are dedicated to the religious formation of children and youth. We recognize the many challenges which families face these days and are committed to providing a variety of opportunities for faith formation which meet the various needs and circumstances of our families and youth.
Religious Formation of Children
The Catholic parishes in Waterloo provide a full-range of comprehensive and systematic religious education opportunities for children and youth who do not attend a Catholic school. These include regularly scheduled religious education instruction for children in grades K-5 on Wednesday evenings (6:20-7:30pm weekly), Religious Ed virutally, or a two-week intensive program (9am-Noon for ten days) during the summer. Other offerings include Children's Liturgy of the Word with younger children during Sunday Mass; intergenerational family faith formation opportunities; preparation for the Sacraments of Reconciliation, First Communion and Confirmation, and opportunities for parents who want to home-school their children in faith formation.
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Catholic Schools
The parishes support Cedar Valley Catholic Schools which includes Cedar Valley Catholic Preschool at Blessed Sacrament, Cedar Valley Catholic Elementary at St. Edward, Blessed Maria Assunta Pallota Middle School and Columbus High School. Cedar Valley Catholic Schools provide a quality educational opportunity which addresses the academic, personal and spiritual needs of all students. Bus transportation and tuition assistance are available to families who need them.
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Religious Formation of Youth
The parishes also provide faith formation experiences for youth in grades 6-8 and 9-12 through Waterloo Catholic Youth Ministry (WCYM). These opportunities for the religious formation of youth address a full range of personal, spiritual, social and catechetical needs which shape the faith of youth at this important stage in their personal and spiritual development.
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Preparation for First Confession and First Communion
Children customarily celebrate the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Communion for the first time around the age of 7, which usually means when they are enrolled in second grade. Children should be baptized and be enrolled in a Catholic school, parish religious education program, or approved home-school program. Immediate preparation for First Confession and First Communion takes place in both the classroom and the home under the guidance of the child's parents.
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