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Family Formation FOUNDATIONS—for Parishes

This one-year option responds to Pope Francis’ call for the kerygma to become the center of all evangelizing activity. Families are introduced to a living encounter with Christ through these home and classroom lessons which proclaim the Good News of the Gospel in simple terms and relatable, family-centered methods.

Family Formation’s catechesis model combines monthly Classroom Lessons with weekly Home Lessons.

Classroom Lessons

During a monthly church gathering, children meet in grade-specific class settings while parents gather for adult catechesis. Learn more »

Home Lessons

Parents, equipped with materials and an understanding of the weekly lessons, teach their children the Faith. Learn more »

This model enables parents to be “the primary educators in the Faith.”

[General Directory for Catechesis (GDC) 255]

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FOUNDATIONS focuses on introducing families to a living encounter with Christ.

The kerygma is a central element of each month's content. See a complete list of topics (PDF) »

 

View sample Classroom Lessons and Home Lessons.

How Classroom Lessons Work:

Once a month, parents and children gather at church to learn about the same topic of Faith. Down-to-earth, engaging and easy-to-use, the classroom curriculum spans October through May. See what a typical month of Family Formation looks like (PDF) »

Through this time together as a parish, families are encouraged not only by parish staff, but by other families who are also undertaking the same task of raising their children in the Faith.

Classroom Lessons are available in a Ready-to-Use format.

MONTHLY FOUNDATIONS CLASSROOM LESSONS:

  • Students in Grades K-6 meet in classes, divided by grade level, where trained catechists present the lessons. The Ready-to-Use lessons include eight monthly lessons and supplies for one catechist and 10 students. Available in English and Spanish.
  • Parents gather as a separate group where they are evangelized, catechized, encouraged, and equipped. This adult component is key to the transmission of Faith in the home. Learn more about the parent session (PDF).
  • A portion of the monthly gathering also includes a time for parents and children to come together for a shared prayer experience or activity.
  • See a Classroom Lesson excerpt in English and Spanish.
SHOP CLASSROOM LESSONS

How Home Lessons Work:

During the monthly gathering at the parish, families are given a packet of weekly lessons to use at home throughout the rest of the month. These Home Lessons are easy to use and have been developed and used by parents amidst typical busy family life. The lessons bring the whole family together to study and then apply the teachings to their day-to-day life.

Home Lessons can be purchased in a Ready-to-Use format.

WEEKLY HOME LESSONS:

  • Have been developed for two age groups: Preschoolers and children in Grades K-6. These age-appropriate lessons cover the same weekly topic. Lessons for Grades K-6 take approximately one hour per week to complete. Preschool lessons take approximately 1/2 hour. Grades K-6 Home Lessons are available in English and Spanish.
  • Learning is made fun through the use of games, activities, stories, memory verses, quizzes, and audios/music.
  • Lessons introduce families to a living encounter with Christ as they explore the basics of the Catholic faith. The Good News of the Gospel is a central element of each month's content.
  • See Home Lesson samples for Grades K-6 (English and Spanish) and Preschool.
SHOP HOME LESSONS

Both FOUNDATIONS and the Family Formation Three-Year Flagship Series follow the same model, which contains two core components, Classroom Lessons and Home Lessons.

Learn more about the Three-Year Flagship Series here.

Which is the best fit for your parish? See our FAQ page for considerations as you discern.

Catechist Training and Preparation

In preparation for the monthly parish gathering, volunteer classroom catechists meet one or two weeks before the monthly gathering to hear the upcoming month’s adult formation talk and to walk through the Classroom Lesson packet from which they will be teaching.

This training should be presented by the ministry leader. Resources are available on your Dashboard and updated throughout the year to assist in preparing for this each month.

Sacramental Preparation from Family Formation

In addition to Classroom and Home Lessons, Family Formation offers curriculum to prepare the children in your parish to receive the sacraments of Reconciliation and Communion for the first time. This curriculum may be used separately from the larger Family Formation program, but ideally they are designed to be used together.

HOW IT WORKS:

Children in sacramental prep meet in classrooms once per month at the same time as the Family Formation classes gather. These children are taught from Sacramental Prep Lessons instead of the regular Family Formation Classroom Lessons.

At home, parents use separate sacramental prep Home Lesson booklets to teach their child in addition to including them in the regular weekly Family Formation Home Lessons. These sacramental prep Home Lessons take approximately 15 additional minutes per week.

See Home Lesson Booklet samples in English and Spanish for First Reconciliation and First Communion.

VIEW SACRAMENTAL PREP RESOURCES

Interested in beginning Family Formation in your parish?

We offer a Parish Intro Kit to introduce you to all of the pieces of the Family Formation program. See the kit »

Have more questions? See our FAQs, or contact us here.

Classroom Lessons and Home Lessons for 2025-2026 are available to order now. See the "Shop" page.

Sign up here to join us for the "Exploring Family Formation for Your Parish" LIVE webinar on May 21 at 1pm (CST) to learn more about this family catechesis model. See samples of a variety of materials in the Parish Intro Kit. (A bilingual English/Spanish Parish Intro Kit is also available here.)