Family Faith Formation

St. Paul's Sunday Faith Formation & Catechesis of the Good Shepherd are offered to assist families as they grow in Faith and life-long discipleship. They are structured to support on-going, progressive catechesis across multiple stages of development.

Our new year for Faith Formation kicks off on August 10th, 2025

We invite all families with children to join us on Sunday mornings during the school year, 9:30am - 10:45am, so we can grow in fellowship, faith, and understanding. A typical Sunday begins with refreshments at 9:30 in the Giri room. We open with family prayer at 9:45 and then separate into age-based groups to learn more about our Faith.

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd

Children in preschool through kindergarten meet in our Level I Atrium and learn with Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. This environment is a Montessori-based approach to the religious formation of children, rooted in sacred scripture, liturgy, and respect for the child’s unique relationship with God. It is a beautiful way to share the Gospel with young children, and more about CGS can be read at CGSUSA.org

We are in the process of building a Level II Atrium for our older children. We are excited for this expansion in the near future. Our CGS Coordinator is Mrs. Colby Bond. She can be contacted at bondc@stpaulcatholic.net

Word of Life

Catechesis for our older children (1st - 8th Grade) is divided according to age and occurs in a more traditional classroom setting. Our Word of Life curriculum uses a four-dimensional approach to faith formation by teaching salvation history, Christian anthropology, virtue & character building, and discipleship. More information about this curriculum can be read here at wordoflifeseries.org

Family Catechesis

All of the above age groups and families come together approximately once a month for a "Family Faith Day." On these dates, we learn together as a group with parents and kids working side by side.

At St. Paul Catholic Church we are excited to put into action Bishop Bill Wack’s renewed vision for catechesis and sacramental celebrations. Most notably:

Catechesis is to be a family-centric journey to encounter Christ. We recognize that parents are the primary catechists of children and that they are the most effective persons to form the next generation of disciples. Our parish is here to support and empower parents in this critical role.

On-going formation in the Catholic Faith is necessary to be an effective disciple. It involves a life long pursuit of truth and understanding.

Sacramental preparation is a focused endeavor. Sacramental catechesis is distinct and separate from parish religious education, Catholic school, and homeschool programs.

The Eucharist is the culmination of Christian initiation. Weekly worship at Holy Mass on Sundays is an indispensable part of being formed in the Catholic Faith.

Please note that sacramental catechesis (i.e. formal preparation to receive a particular sacrament for the first time) is distinct from Sunday Faith Formation and requires separate enrollment. Please see this page for information on sacramental catechesis.

Contact Faith Formation Director Elizabeth Thompson for more information: thompsone@stpaulcatholic.net or 850-434-2551 x.102

All volunteers ages 18 and over are required to complete and keep current with Safe Environment courses and fingerprinting through the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee BEFORE they can assist or serve with any ministry involving children. Please contact Elizabeth Thompson if you are interested in serving this ministry.