Whole Family Formation (WFF)

Whole Family Formation is a model of catechesis (passing on of the Catholic faith) in which parents play the prominent role in the formation of their children.

Our program empowers parents with tools and resources to build confidence in their ability to pass on the Catholic faith while also discovering it for themselves.  

St. Gabriel offers two pathways for WFF Families to choose from and provides all curriculum materials necessary for your family to be successful. Read more about the pathways below.

WFF is designed for families with children in grades K-5 and runs from September - April.  
 

We live in a society where children and families are influenced by a number of things: peers, social media, school, news, politics, advertising, but...  

• are they being shaped and influenced by Jesus?  
• are we having Christ-centered conversations at home about who Jesus is and why He matters to us?  
• are we having conversations about our Catholic faith and the Church? 

While there are many outside influences, the Church recognizes that parents are the first and primary influencers of their children.  Through our Whole Family Formation program, parents are given the opportunity to have meaningful, faith-centered conversations that don't just teach the facts but also the experience of living and sharing it with the most important people in their lives: their children.  Participating in WFF not only lays the foundation for a life of discipleship for their children, but parents also become disciples themselves, growing ever closer to the heart of God. 

Groups of families connect together on a weekly basis (either at St. Gabriel's or in private homes) to share in the teaching of our faith. These weekly gatherings typically meet before or after the weekend Masses and are designed to engage the whole family while forming long-lasting connections to each other and to the parish. Connect Family Leaders coordinate schedules and facilitate group gatherings.

Expectations of Connect Families include:

• Attend weekly connect group gatherings
• Complete lessons for missed gatherings 
• Submit online assessments for makeup lessons
• Complete monthly Family Challenges

Parents are empowered with appropriate resources to teach and guide their children through the faith. Weekly at-home lessons provided by staff assist parents in modeling the faith and passing along the traditions of the church while growing deeper in relationship with Jesus and one another. Our hope is that these lessons offer an encounter with Jesus that compels the desire to share Him with the surrounding community. 

Expectations of Individual Family include:

• Complete weekly lessons 
• Submit online assessments for attendance and progress
• Complete monthly Family Challenges
• Gatherings at church for additional formation and fellowship