Information for Families and Catechists

Christian Formation 2023-2024 Program Information

Welcome! We are so thankful for you! We have been praying for you and your whole family. We have worked, and are working even now, for you and your family. It is our greatest hope that you will encounter the living God in our formation program.

Our program is divided into three groupings: 

1. Sunday Morning (K-Grade 5) - This group will meet from 10:10-11:30am twice a month. We utilize the textbook series, Blest Are We.
2. Family Program (Families with children K-Grade 5) - This is a family approach to formation with a pullout for children and mini-sessions for the parents; this group meets monthly on Wednesday Evenings from 6-7:30 pm. 
3. Sunday Evening (Grades 6-11) - This group meets from 6:30-8pm. Middle school will use The Edge from LifeTeen and high school will use YDisciple, Alpha and other tools that help teens to enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ. 

In addition, if you were here last year, take a moment and look at a few of the adjustments made for this coming year:

• 11th Grade Confirmation will go back to Sunday evenings with the rest of middle and high school. This is to accommodate a schedule that does not lead to burnout on my part. Working in the morning and in the evening makes for a very long day. I would rather best utilize my time in a way that helps promote the Gospel to our youth. Furthermore, I have heard from a few parents and it appears that this may be an easier time for many.
• The other major changes will come in the curricula used for our secondary education kids. We will be using a dynamic program that allows middle schoolers to engage and ask questions. We will utilize games, videos, small group discussions, prayer experiences and clear teaching to help introduce our middle schoolers to Jesus and a life of faith. High schoolers will be using YDisciple. YDisciple is an online format that allows for the ability to make up missed sessions and allows for the flexibility for small group leaders to accommodate the spiritual needs and questions they are facing.
• The time for our Sunday morning classes will change slightly. We will be going back to allowing families to attend the 9 a.m. Mass. It has been noticed that we have many kids leaving the 9 a.m. Mass to come to class. And by changing the times, we will negate what has become a very difficult pick up after the classes. We will no longer need to navigate our way between those who are coming to the 11 a.m. Mass and those who wish to simply pick up their children. This will allow for greater safety for our kiddos.
• While our schedule is not yet finalized, we will be looking at the number of classes offered. There's an expectation that every parish from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee offers 30 hours of formation each year. We are nowhere near this expectation. So, we will most likely have an additional class or two. We realize this is something we can't fix in one year. We will tackle this in an incremental fashion.
• We will no longer be purchasing Bibles for kids in fourth grade, and therefore we will no longer have a Bible fee. This fee only covered about half of the cost of these Bibles. Instead, we will have Bibles on hand for each class - the same Bible for everyone. We will be purchasing class sets of Bibles so we can better instruct our kids, which is particularly true on the upper elementary grades on up. The Bibles we have been purchasing are great for young kids but they will grow out of them rather quickly. The Bibles we will purchase are the same translation heard at Mass. Finally, you know your kid better than we do. As such, I think, in many ways, you are more equipped to pick out a Bible for your son or daughter, should you want them to have one at home (there are many different types from which you can choose).

Registering for Formation at St. Alphonsus:

Step one: Fill Out Forms

1. Electronic (ACH, Debit or Credit) - PLEASE, only full payments. Please use our WeShare. Online payments can be made for any aspect of our programs (Sacramental Prep, fees for classes, etc.)
2. Cash or check - for full, partial or a payment plan please use cash or checks. Checks should be made payable to St. Alphonsus CF. Bring the cash or checks to the Parish Ministry Center or drop it in the mail.

Tuition/Fee information:

1. A minimum of $25 non-refundable tuition deposit is due with registration.
2. Full tuition payment is due by the first day of class.