In Luke 18: 16, Jesus called the children to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.”
As the Director of Religious Education, it is my privilege to write about our faith formation program at Christ the King Knanaya Catholic Church. Faith formation is an important and vital ministry in our Church community. It helps our children build a strong foundation to grow in faith. Through CCD religious education, we are leaving behind a strong legacy for the future generations by passing on the knowledge, faith, traditions, and rich culture we have received from our forefathers under the guidance of our parish priests, without losing its virtue.
Pope Francis said, “Being a catechist is not a title; it is an attitude of abiding with him, and it lasts a lifetime! It means abiding in the Lord's presence and letting ourselves be led by him.” More than textbook knowledge, we as Catechists are imparting our own life and faith experiences with Jesus to lead the way for the children to experience and understand this divine love themselves enabling them to become true followers of Christ.
Over the years, we organized many engaging and faith-enriching activities for our children to participate in through CCD. The Rosary Challenge motivated students to say as many rosaries as they can in dedication to our Mother Mary, encouraging personal and family prayer. Field trips to see the live David and Jesus shows at Sight & Sound theater gave children an opportunity to watch a magnificent Bible story come to life. Our annual Saints’ Day program inspires each kid to learn and emulate their favorite saint as they participate in a heavenly procession during mass. CCD also helps children be active throughout the Holy Qurbana by Altar Serving, being involved in the English Choir, and reading the Bible. Moreover, we encourage our youth to get involved in Catechism, thereby take responsibility within our Church community and gain a sense of belonging as they serve others. We also join together to pray to the Holy Spirit and complete our CCD Pledge during the Assembly Prayers, followed by a Gospel Summary from each child about a chapter in the Gospel of John. I am proud to have witnessed the growth of our ministry from the time of Kids Club to CCD today through the grace and blessings of Christ our King.
I would like to greatly appreciate and recognize all the kids and teachers for their hard work and participation throughout all CCD classes and activities, as well as all the parents for their support and keeping the children accountable.
As defined in our CCD Handbook, the Faith Formation ministry strives towards our mission of preparing our children to live Catholic lives, teaching the faith and tradition of the Knanaya Catholic Church, and forming spiritually, morally, emotionally, socially, and mature disciples of the Lord. Our vision for the future is to motivate our young ones to learn, love, live, and proclaim Jesus as the Lord and God inside and outside the Church.
