COVID a curveball for faith formation programs, but leaders rise to challenges

Faith formation will look quite different this year at Holy Name in south Minneapolis.

Classes are normally held after Mass on Sunday mornings to accommodate people driving from locations across the Twin Cities, said Erin O’Leary, director of faith formation.

“While the kids are in class, the parents are in the social hall socializing, having donuts and coffee,” O’Leary said. “It’s a wonderful community setting, but we just can’t do it this year.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed faith formation plans for parishes across the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

About 40 families and 50 children participate in faith formation at Holy Name each year, O’Leary said. The program is moving to a more family-based program this year, which she said is “good catechesis anyway.” The program uses a hybrid model of in-person and distance learning, leaning toward distance learning at this point, she said.

Faith formation started Oct. 3 at Holy Name. Many parishes are starting their program later this year, in mid- to late October, said Eric Pederson, an associate director of Catholic education in the archdiocese’s Office for the Mission of Catholic Education.

The archdiocese provided faith formation guidance to parishes the first week of August, but left decisions to each parish. “The key principle was we want (them) to make the best decision for their parish community,” Pederson said.

The guidelines include three options: in-person classes, using guidance for safety concerns; a hybrid model, combining virtual with in-person classes; and online only.

If a parish decides to hold classes in person, Pederson said staff will make provisions for families who would prefer to attend remotely. While each parish chooses its best option, he said all parishes should be prepared if pandemic-related circumstances change and there is renewed need to go solely online.

“I really want to commend the (directors of religious education),” Pederson said. “They’re doing a … difficult job and … pivoting on a dime to make the changes that are needed to continue to form disciples of Jesus.” Pederson said he is impressed with creative steps being taken to help families and continue the mission of religious education.

During the 2019-2020 school year, parish catechetical programs in the archdiocese enrolled 31,600 students — more than Catholic schools, which educated more than 25,000 kindergarten-to-grade-12 students last year.

At St. Ambrose in Woodbury, where about 1,100 students participated in faith formation last year, a dual-option approach will be used this year. Its program begins Oct. 21.

In-person faith formation classes are offered Sundays and Wednesdays for grade school students. Children will be spaced apart in a classroom, with up to eight children in each room.

St. Ambrose is also launching a YouTube channel to broadcast recorded lessons from Patti Watkins, director of faith formation, and another instructor each week.

“We ordered brown grocery bags off Amazon,” Watkins said, “and each child will have all the supplies and materials, the worksheets and everything they need for each week from now until Christmas.

“Parents can sit in with their child,” Watkins said. “We’ll have everything marked and (the children) will be doing the project along with us like they were in the classroom.

Students in grades nine and 10 at St. Ambrose will use Zoom videoconferencing and attend one in-person session at the church per month for confirmation preparation.

“The church is big enough (for social distancing),” Watkins said.

Faith formation is taking more time for staff this year, but it is well worth it, she said, adding that the parish is invested in spreading the word of Jesus even during a pandemic.

At Holy Name, faith formation families will be responsible for two lessons at home each month.

“If they have children in multiple grade levels, they’ll be able to do it as a family lesson,” O’Leary said. If the family has one or two children, they complete lessons by grade level. In addition, each family will come monthly to the parish on Sunday morning after Mass for a family faith formation session led by O’Leary.

“I chose a series that has all the grade levels on the same unit theme each month,” O’Leary said. One benefit, she said, is being able to use the same theme at monthly gatherings.

Sunday gatherings are planned for safety, she said, including use of a “huge space” in the social hall. Each of three “pods” of families comes one of three Sundays for faith formation, and the fourth Sunday is for first reconciliation and first Eucharist planning.

While COVID-19 has thrown a curveball at faith formation plans, O’Leary said she is trying to see it as a time of positivity and creativity.

“It might give us some great opportunities,” she said.

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