St. Martin of Tours welcomes all children and youth, baptized or not, to participate in our catechetical and youth ministry programs.
Here you will find a Christ–centered program. The family “Is our first community and the most basic way in which the Lord gathers us, forms us and acts in the world” (Follow the Way of Love: A Pastoral Message of the U. S. Catholic Bishops to Families, USCCB, 1994). The Faith Formation Program can only enhance and encourage what is presented in our homes. Only parents can create a God-centered home where behavior is guided by godly living, where there is continuity between faith at home, faith at church, and faith in everyday life. It is our duty as parents to try our best to represent the Christian ideal to our children. In the short number of class meetings each year, we try to teach the message of Jesus, the Good News, and present the basic teachings of our Catholic faith. We need to support each other in this very important effort.
The Lord has blessed us with committed parishioners who are willing to give of their time, talent, and faith to the children of our parish. Please remember our catechists in your prayers and ask that they be truly led by the Holy Spirit.
Here is some information about our after-school catechetical and youth ministry programs for grades 1-12:
- Children’s Catechetical Ministry (CCM) Grades 1 – 5:
- Catechesis is on Wednesday afternoons, 4:00p.m. – 5:15p.m. from September through May in the school building. We utilize Loyola Press’ Finding God faith formation program for our elementary age children.
- Families gather once a month to recognize God’s actions in their lives as we delve into specific topics of our faith. Parents, led by our experienced team of adult catechists, participate in listening and discussion while the children learn and reflect on the same topic by their catechists.
- Parents also attend Speaker Series sessions as part of their formation process.
- A two-year participation in this program fulfills the two-year formation requirement for First Eucharist.
Participants in the program need to register anew each Fall. Registration forms are available online and at our parish office. All are welcome, so we hope to see you!
- The EDGE Middle School Youth Ministry Grades 6 – 8:
The EDGE meets Tuesday evenings, 5:00p.m. – 6:30p.m. from September through May in the Community Building. We utilize Life Teen International’s program for middle school youth ministry in order to have engaging, fun, and relevant catechesis for our middle schoolers.
- Life Teen High School Youth Ministry Grades 9 – 12:
Life Teen meets Sunday evenings after the 6pm Youth Mass from 7:00p.m.- 8:00p.m. from September through May in the Bailey House. We utilize Life Teen International as our high school youth ministry resource. It is based on the USCCB’s doctrinal guidelines for high school catechesis. We also have catechetical, issue and social gatherings (called Life Nights).
Children/Youth with Special Needs: Depending on the need, most can attend regular class. A home study program is also an option. Please contact the Director of Faith Formation regarding the specific needs of your child/youth.
Participants in the program need to register anew each Fall. Registration forms are available in the Catechetical Office or on the parish website.
For more information, please contact Lerma Simpson in our Faith Formation office at (408) 294-8953 ext 321 or at lerma.simpson@dsj.org