A WORD FROM THE PASTOR

Dear Parents of Faith Formation Children,

Two men went fishing. One man was an experienced fisherman; the other wasn't. Every time the experienced fisherman caught a big fish, he put it in his ice chest to keep it fresh. Whenever the inexperienced fisherman caught a big fish, he threw it back. The experienced fisherman watched this go on all day and finally got tired of seeing this man waste good fish. "Why do you keep throwing back all the big fish you catch?" he asked. The inexperienced fisherman replied, "I only have a small frying pan."

Sometimes, like that fisherman, we throw back the big plans, big dreams, big ideas, and big opportunities that God sends us, because our FAITH is too small. We laugh at that fisherman who didn't figure out that all he needed was a bigger frying pan; yet how ready are we to increase the size of our faith? God has big hopes for each and every one of you! This year’s (2021-22) Faith Formation is well planned to enable our children to grow in faith.

Have you noticed how children follow along after their mothers? From one room to another, they tag along. The more they are near their mothers, the more they become like them. They begin thinking and acting like their mothers. In the case of faith formation, the mother has a greater role in witnessing to her children a growth in faith. Obviously, daily (family) prayer and attendance at Sunday Mass are the minimum ways in which a family could influence a child to grow in faith.

It is a normal gesture of aunts, grandmothers, and godparents to gift blessed medals and souvenirs to the children who receive the sacraments of First Communion and Confirmation. That is to be appreciated! But their job/responsibility does not end with giving gifts; one must check whether those children grow in faith. Let not their faith be very small; do not forget grace. All that you need is to “stretch out of your frying pan” – grow in faith. If you grow in faith, you will not lose the opportunities that God is sending you day by day.

Your willful cooperation in this year of faith formation will certainly enable your children (whole family too) to grow in faith,