Community of Blessed Sacrament

Faith Formation/Education Committee

Sets goals and objectives to meet the educational and formational needs of the parish community. It also monitors and evaluates programs designed to implement these goals and objectives. Active participation is encouraged in the regular meetings and with all 10 areas of catechesis. For More information contact Barb Duggan DRE

1. Adult and Older Adults Formation

Generations of Faith is an intergenerational faith formation process, meeting monthly beginning with a simple meal, followed by a program based on a theme for the year.
Dialogue with Adults on the third Wednesday of the month.
RCIA for Candidates and Catechumens wishing to become Catholic or desiring to know more about the Catholic Faith.
Small faith sharing groups
MOMS and Dads Group
Adult Confirmation is a 5-week series for people who are current and actively practicing in the Catholic faith, but who never have been confirmed.
RCIA II for people who have been baptized and catechized in a Christian faith tradition and who desires to become Catholic.
Bridges, an adult faith sharing group based on Merton Spirituality
Companions on the Journey, for a small group who share reflections and discussion with a spiritual director.
First Tuesday is marriage enrichment and support group for couples who believe that marriage really matters.

2. Adolescents

CORE is a faith formation program for high school teens that attend public schools.
Waterloo Catholic Youth Ministry is available for all preadolescents and high school teens.
The Sacrament of Confirmation is celebrated junior year with immediate preparation sessions in the parish.

3. Children of Catechetical Age

GOF+Plus ? meets 2 Wednesday?s a month for public school kids in K-8 grade.
Children?s Liturgy of the Word ? for Pre ? 2nd grade children to leave mass during the readings at 10:30 mass to have they can share their own perception of the reading?s.
Children?s Initiation process occurs during the Lenten season for children who are fully catechized but out of sequence with sacraments.

4. Young Adult

For young adults ages 19-35 years old..
Theology on Tap meets for several consecutive weeks at a local pub. Discussion centers around topics of specific interest of young adults, ages 20-30 years of age.

5. Family

Generations of Faith is an intergenerational faith formation process, meeting monthly beginning with a simple meal, followed by a program based on a theme for the year.
Blessed Sacrament recognizes that parents are the primary educators of faith in their home. Sacrament preparation is done in the home for First Eucharist and First Reconciliation.
Baptism preparation occurs monthly in the Waterloo area at one of the Catholic parishes. Baptisms are encouraged to be celebrated at a weekend liturgy in the home parish of the child?s parents.
Parish mission and/or parish retreats are planned for all members of the faith community.

6. Special Needs

Plans are currently under way to make our church and our learning facilities, completely handicapped accessible.
Hearing devices are available for the hearing impaired in the worship space.

7. Immigrants/Marginalized

Children of the Dump shoebox Project is a parish wide service project to serve families and children in Nicaragua.
Faith formation committee supports seasonal service projects during Advent and Lent with our Social Concerns (Just Faith) Committee that have formational/educational components.

8. Catholic School

The Cedar Valley Catholic Schools offer a Catholic School education children ages Preschool ? 12th grade. Our Blessed Sacrament site also includes Kidzone Day Care and grades PS-8th.
Two representatives from this committee also serve on CVCS Board of Education.

9. Early Childhood

Children?s Liturgy of the Word is available during the educational year for children ages 3-6 years old during the 10:30 am liturgy.
CVCS offers Catholic School education for family with children ages 2-5 in the Kidzone Child Care and Preschool Programs.