Adult Faith Formation has been identified as a very urgent need in our area. Immaculata is positioned to be a resource for the Diocese of Norwich to help meet that need. In addition to retreat programs in the coming year, we will feature classes for enrichment for those interested in educating themselves in the faith and/or possibly catechist certification. Fr. Gene Tremblay OMI, S.T.L., who recently joined the Immaculata staff after some 30 years in educational ministry, will be offering a series of classes on the truths of our Catholic faith.

The Retreat House is heavily booked on weekends (Fridays thru Sundays) for Retreat Programs. The faith education piece will find a place in the Monday-Wednesday niche of available time and space; for example, an evening program consisting of a 90- minute session once per week on successive Tuesdays in a 6 week block - faith formation needs to be approached in a systematic way if it is to be effective. There will be 2 such “blocks” presented in a calendar year (Spring and Fall) and the contents of these “blocks” will vary among Scripture, doctrinal and morality courses. A “block” could feature a one week hiatus at some point to accommodate holidays or just to break-up the sessions.

The content areas will include:

1. Religion and Social Responsibility
• Christian Morality and Social Ethics
2. Belief and Unbelief in the Brave New World
   • comparative religions, atheism, philosophical underpinnings of contemporary Western culture (secularism)
3. Major Western Faiths:
   • Judaism
   • Christianity
   • Islam
4. Religion and Science
5. Catholicism Today
6. Introduction to the Bible:
   • Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures)
   • New Testament
7. Message of the Prophets
8. Letters of St. Paul
9. Christology
10. Modern Religious Thought

The content here is challenging; however, decades of teaching experience have honed the skills necessary for rendering these materials understandable to college age young people and, therefore, to anybody interested in learning.

The populations served by such a program might be:

• DRE’s and Youth Ministers
• Catholic School faculty members
• on-going education for Deacons
• any interested laity in the area
• catechists in need of certification
• collegians
• follow-up for ACTS retreatants

To facilitate participation for busy, working people, we’ve adopted a “Soup and Substance” format. The Retreat House will provide a light meal consisting of hearty soups and breads in the dining hall (anytime after 6:00 pm) to be followed at 7:00 pm by the 90 minute educational session in one of the presentation halls, ending at 8:30 pm. People could arrive from work (or at least without the need to worry about getting supper before arriving for the sessions), experience some “down time,” and then participate in the evening’s class.

Want to come to a better understanding of why we Catholics believe what we believe? Want to be able to explain the basis of our beliefs to your children or grandchildren? Want to be able to defend your faith? Want to better appreciate the uniqueness of Catholicism and its 2,000-year old apostolic tradition? Then these sessions are for you.

The Spring session of classes will run on 6 successive Tuesdays after Easter: (March 25, April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29).

To cover our costs (food, hvac, electrical and staff expenses) we’re asking $20.on registration day and $15. per session for the remaining 5 classes – a total of under $100. for the full 6-week course: payable in installments or in a single payment.

The topic area for our inaugural Spring Adult Faith Formation series will be:

Christian Morality and Social Responsibility

an examination of the human process of moral decision-making

money, sex and power as the engines that drive our world and how Christians are called to deal with these forces

navigating some life and death moral issues:

• abortion, euthanasia, capital punishment

how mysticism can inform and deepen the moral life

We do need to hear from you as to your interest and intention to take advantage of this opportunity to grow in the knowledge of your faith (we at least need a count for the opening session so as to prepare adequate space and provide for dining needs). Please call Immaculata at (860) 423-8484 or e-mail us at immaculata@omict.org or drop us a note at P.O. Box 55, Willimantic, CT 06226. Let us hear from you. Please mark your calendars now and contact us ASAP (at the opening of Lent) so that planning can go forward for this exciting new offering at Immaculata. Time and space are at a premium in Retreat House scheduling and so if there is not sufficient interest indicated early on, it’s likely that the coming Spring session of our Faith Formation program will have to be suspended and other programming inserted into that time frame.

Help us to make the best use of Immaculata as a spiritual and faith education resource in our area. Think about it, pray about it and let us hear from you in the coming days.