Dear Parish Families,

We welcome you to the Generations of Faith Process at St. Bernard's Parish Family. The passing on of faith is the responsibility of every baptized person. Passing on faith happens naturally in the homes, schools and work places where children and youth see you interact with others. Formal learning can and does take place at Mass and in the religious education format. We welcome all to this process.

As adults, we know that we can not pass on to our children a knowledge of our faith unless we are willing to learn with them. The best place to learn as an adult is with your child(ren) and you are encouraged to attend and participate at St. Bernard. When teaching a small group of children or youth, you will see faith come alive.

We are happy and feel privileged to assist you in the awesome task of religious formation of your children. We are thankful for our dedicated volunteers, who make the program a success. Together with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we can do great things with the youth and children of our parish family.

We strongly believe that each child is entitled to an on-going education process. When you brought your child(ren) to baptism you started the process. A formal program begins in 1st grade and is a life-long process. It must be understood and conveyed to the youth that faith does not stop at Confirmation. That this is a life journey where one comes to meet God in His time. Our hope is that through a formal program, skills will be taught along with the history and traditions of the Catholic Church.

A question that you can reflect on with your family is "WHY is attending Mass and Religious Formation important to our family?" This answer will help to set the attitude for the years ahead. Children look to their parents and guardians for guidance and affirmation. What you do, does matter! Attending religion classes without participating at Sunday Mass does not help you or your child(ren) grow in their faith development. (It would be like teaching your children to swim and never letting them go in the water.) We look at the Eucharist as the source of our life. It is where we, as Catholics, find support and nourishment for our faith journey. Please plan to participate weekly with your child(ren) at Mass. It is really their right and your responsibility, as you promised God on the day of their baptism. In turn, we as community, promised to help you, so if you need any assistance, please come to us.

The purpose of the Commission is to further the teaching mission of the Church within the parish and local community. It acts as an advisory body to the educational leaders in the parish by providing direction, formulating policies, developing goals and giving support recruitment.

The Parish Director of Religious Formation and Coordinator of Religious Education are essential resource persons assisting the Commission in fulfilling its purpose with the implementation of goals, and the writing of regulations which flow from the policies.

The key of the Church in any age is to preach the Word; to proclaim Jesus Christ, present and active, in a way that is adapted to the culture and the times. The DRF/CRE share this responsibility with the Commission and the teaching staff. They have chosen to minister to their family in an educational setting; together we strive to assist our brothers and sisters in their journey of faith.

For more information on the Religious Formation Education Commission, please click here.