Jim Peters Director of Religious Education Email

Claudia Scheaffer Spanish Community Contact Email

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The Christian vision of family life speaks about the family as a community of life and love. It proclaims that family life is sacred, that family activities are holy, and that God's love is revealed and communicated in new ways each and every day through Christian families. This Christian vision of family life calls families to a unique identity and mission. The Church emphasizes that the family is the domestic church or the church of the home. The family shares in one and the same mission that Christ gives to the whole church. The U.S. Catholic Bishops proclaim this vision in Follow the Way of Love when they write:

A family is our first community and most basic way in which the Lord gathers us, forms us and acts in the world. The early church expressed this truth by calling the Christian family a domestic church or church of the home.

This marvelous teaching was underemphasized for centuries but reintroduced by the Second Vatican Council. Today we are still uncovering its rich treasure.

Over the past two decades the U.S. Catholic Bishops have spoken repeatedly about the Christian vision of the family and its important role in Church and society. There is no more important task for parishes today than to promote the faith growth of families. Parishes must engage in intentional efforts to promote family faith development by empowering families to share, celebrate, and live their faith at home and in the world.

The faith formation of our children begins in the home. It is therefore the responsibility of the church community to support our families with Religious Education programs to enrich and develop the community of St. Michael's at every stage of faith development. Please review this page to learn more about the educational opportunities available for the faith enrichment of your family.