By Mary-Jo McLaughlin

Faith Sparks…. Ignite Your Faith is a new column that the office of Faith Events (OFE) will premier in the August issue of the Four County Catholic to help engage parents, grandparents and families in their faith.

“One of the focuses of our new Diocesan faith formation curriculum is to get adults involved in learning more about their faith along with their children,” said Andrea Hoisl, OFE director. “This new column will help people become more aware of the nuances of their faith so that they in turn may be a living witness of what they believe.”

Hoisl referred to the growing trend among many young Catholic parents who send their children to faith formation classes at their parishes but do not practice their faith or attend weekly Mass. “They are not being marinated in the faith. They feel they are unprepared to talk about their faith with their children,” she said. “We need to meet people where they are and offer them information on a practical level so that they can be teachers of the faith for their children and families.”

The column will provide families and catechists with resources, ideas and websites they can utilize to learn more about their faith. It will offer practical activities families can do together to enrich their faith especially around the liturgical seasons of the Church such as Lent, Advent, Holy Days of Obligation or the feast days of saints. Every column will have a theme and the information provided will dig deeper into that aspect of our faith. Hoisl also plans to make the column available on different social media platforms, in parish bulletins and on the Diocesan website.

“We want to help families blend Church life with everyday life,” said Liza Roach, youth and young adult minister with the OFE. “When Mass is dismissed, the priest says, ‘Go in peace to love and serve the Lord and one another.’ This column will give practical examples to people of all generations of ways to love better and serve one another within their own family and the greater family of God.”

According to Hoisl, the name of the column Faith Sparks….Ignite Your Faith is fitting as its aim is to spark the fire of faith in everyone. “We hope the information we provide will spark some action in our readers to become connected to their faith and appreciate the joys of giving and receiving as a member of a parish faith community.”

She continued, “Every large fire begins with a spark. We want to ignite an inferno of faith that will burn in our hearts, our lives and our diocese forever.”