Adult Faith Formation

Fr. Jerome Kish recommends....

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens is a classic story of redemption through the sacrifice of one's life in the midst of a dark world. These
great themes of Dickens' fiction can lead us straight into the passion of Jesus Christ.

The Lord by Romano Guardini. As the former Cardinal Ratzinger said, "Romano Guardini's book The Lord has helped more than one generation of
Christians enter into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ."

How to Resist Temptation by Francis Remler. This little book is a wonderful and practical guide as we join our Lord in the struggle with
temptation during Lent. You'll learn the difference between temptation and sin and how to grow closer to God even when you're tested.

The Way of the Cross with points for meditation by St. Josemaria Escriva. As you walk along the stations of the cross in church or in life, you will
find these scriptural meditations helpful. This edition has even more writings by St. Josemaria to help you meet our Lord and find new courage
when life is hard.

Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light - The Private Writings of the Saint of Calcutta. Twisted critics of Mother Teresa have said these letters of her
spiritual struggle show her to be a hypocrite and the Christian faith useless. The opposite is true-this Blessed woman shows how in the midst of
life's darkness, Christ does come to be our light. Mother Teresa is a piercing lighthouse of hope for each one of us.

I encourage you to spend about ten minutes a day going through a good book of spiritual reading. It's usually best to start an end with a small prayer, like the Hail Mary. Make sure you don't begin too late in the day; otherwise you might be too tired to retain anything. During Lent we hold back on meat on Fridays; fill your appetite with some meaty reading from one of these books. That ten minute chunk of reading is like a bite from a good steak; it's meant to be chewed over and savored as it's taken in and gives nourishment to your life.

Fr. Matthew Nathan recommends...

In Conversation with God series, Francis Fernandez

Introduction to the Devout Life, Francis de la Sales

The Way of Perfection, St. Therese of Avila

Leadership Gold, John Maxwell

Theology of the Body for Beginners, Christopher West

 

Adult Faith Formation (AFF) provides opportunities for adult Catholics to pursue lifelong growth in the Catholic faith. Its goals are three-fold, following those outlined by the US Bishops in their document, Our Hears Were Burning Within Us.

- Individual conversion: AFF works to foster ongoing conversion of life to Jesus by the individual. Examples of this include evenings of recollection and retreats.

- Active participatioon in the Church: AFF encourages the individual to fully and actively participate in the church, in its sacraments and liturgy, united with the community of believers. Examples of this are Bible studies, theology classes, and seminars on Church teachings and the liturgy.

-A mission to the world: AFF works to call and prepare adults to act as disciples to the world; to bear witness in deed and in word to families, friends, coworkers, and neighbors. Examples of this are seminars on Catholic political responsibilities and current ethical issues , such as abortion and stem call research, and movie evenings, featuring current and classic films.

In order to achieve these goals, AFF seeks to meet the varied needs of adults in diverse ways, to provide opportunities in the church, at home and on the go. Examples of this include day and evening events, and ready access to books, films, CDs, and online resources.

The AFF Team assists the Director of Adult Faith Formation in planning, implementing and evaluating opportunities for growth in the faith. New members welcome!

Contact person: Antonia Summers, Director of Adult Faith Formation, email antoniasummers at gmail dot com, 630.964.0216 X1207.