Parish Catechesis

The Church's catechetical mission aims to help the faithful of all ages to grow in both human and Christian maturity, enriching the whole of life with the leaven of the Gospel.

When children begin school, they enter a world wider than the family. The school environment provides greater opportunities for children's intellectual, affective, and behavioral development. This means that our parents, clergy, catechists, and teachers need to cooperate closely to ensure that the catechesis offered children is truly an ecclesial catechesis that is consistent with Christian values lived in the family. 

School-age children at Divine Mercy receive formal and systematic catechesis in a parish-based catechetical program (Faith Formation), our Catholic School (St. Elizabeth Ann Seton), or a program of home-based catechesis in which the content of the faith and the experience of Christian life is presented authentically and completely.

Having introduced them to the person of Jesus Christ within the family, catechesis for school-age children presents His teachings, His ministry, and the major events of His life. Children can begin to appreciate the parables of Jesus and capture glimpses of the Kingdom of God; they can learn more formal prayers; and they can commit brief passages of Sacred Scripture to memory. Catechesis for the Sacraments of Penance and Reconciliation and of the Eucharist is provided in these early years of schooling.

Our adult faith formation ministry must engage the particular needs and interests of the adults within our parish family. To be faithful and effective Divine Mercy will offer, over time, a comprehensive and systematic presentation and exploration of the core elements of Catholic faith and practice—a complete initiation into a Catholic way of life. We will do so in a way that is accessible to adults and relates to their life experiences, helping them to form a Christian conscience and to live their lives in the world as faithful disciples of Jesus.

This integration of actual life experience, diverse adult learning needs, the study of Scripture, and the teaching of the Church's tradition will create a vibrant learning environment. It will also challenge the creativity of those who establish the direction, plan the content, and provide programs of adult faith formation. Meeting the challenge is both demanding and rewarding.