Pre-K through Grade 12
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St. Austin Faith Formation brings our youth and our adults (parents and catechists) together with the Holy Spirit. Together we develop children and adolescents who embrace their faith and go out and live it. Today there are so many questions for adolescents learning about the Catholic faith. We want them to go deeper and make connections with their faith through all avenues that the Church offers.
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Faith Formation Curriculum for Youth
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Our Faith Formation is a home-based family catechesis. Our lessons are liturgically based and supported by Pflaum Weekly Gospels, weekly St. Austin Children’s Liturgy of the Word videos, weekly check-ins from our dedicated Catechists and weekly Spiritual Newsletters.
Faith Formation registration for the 2021-2022 school year has opened. We will keep the same options for Grades 1-8, the same curriculum for Pre-K and Kinder, as well as for 9th Grade and Confirmation that we had this year. We added one more curriculum option for individuals or the Faith Formation Pods for Grades 1-5. These have options for books and online e-learning. Please visit this link to learn more and to register.
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Godly Play & Children’s Liturgy of the Word (videos)
Our Pre-K 3 and 4 children will have colorful hands-on activities providing a lively way for young children to experience the Gospel. With the Seeds curriculum we teach preschoolers the way they learn best: through talking, cutting and folding, listening and through singing out with love and joy! These activities are available online or in print.
Godly Play presents our life with God through song, movement art and storytelling, and is a method of Christian education and spiritual direction offered by St. Austin's for children ages 3 - 5.
In Godly Play, children meet God through prayer listening to God's word, working with different art materials, and working with each other. Young children learn about the world around them by using all their senses.
The goal of Godly Play is to teach children the art of using religious language (the language of our Christian tradition) to help them become more fully aware of the mystery of God's presence in their lives.
Gospel Weeklies
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Gospel Weeklies & Children’s Liturgy of the Word (videos)
The Gospel at Home (published by Pflaum) provides a short description of the Sunday Gospel and suggested activities and discussion starters for each age level. These easy-to-do ideas bring families together to share what each member has learned about the Gospel that they heard on Sunday.
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Please contact Deacon Dan Wright.
St. Austin Catholic Parish welcomes all children and families as part of our faith commuity, and we especially want all children and families to feel welcomed in our faith formation, religious education, sacramental preparation, and youth ministry programs. Please let us know if your child has unique learning needs so that we can work together to provide the best opportunities for her or him to grow in faith. This also includes special dietary needs that impacts the reception of the Eucharist at First Communion.
Please tell us what adaptations your child may need and what barriers need to be removed so we will be ready for her or him.
Guidelines for the Celebration of the Sacraments with Persons with Disabilities
Catholic Charities Recommendations from the USCCB
Welcome and Justice for Persons with Disabilities from the USCCB
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Gospel Weeklies
The Gospel at Home provides a short description of the Sunday Gospel and suggested activities and discussion starters for each age level. These easy-to-do ideas bring families together to share what each member has learned about the Gospel that they heard on Sunday.
Sophia Institute
- Our curriculum, Spirit of Truth, provides interactive sessions for every week, including sacred art reflections, stories of the saints, games, role-plays, and critical thinking questions, all designed to capture student attention.
- Spirit of Truth treats the Catechism age-appropriately, to connect with children of diverse backgrounds and differing familiarity with our faith.
- While it's important for children to understand the faith, Spirit of Truth helps them internalize the Faith and apply it to their lives, providing ample opportunity for them to reflect on their lived experiences.
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Gospel Weeklies & Sophia Institute
St. Austin views faith formation as a total parish experience. Second grade curriculum includes sacramental preparation.
For Parents: We offer a unique program for parents whose children are preparing for the reception of first Sacraments (Reconciliation and the Eucharist) or whose children are enrolled in the RCIA adapted for children (Baptism, Reconciliation, Eucharist, and Confirmation) as a component of their child’s formation and preparation.
Please find more information on ~First ReconcialiationFirst Communion
Contact Rachel Vaughn.
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Gospel Weeklies
These lessons emphasize social justice, moral reasoning, and service for junior high students through current articles, stories describing life dilemmas, and Christian life examples. Discussion starters allow young teens to explore links between today’s issues, the Sunday readings, and their lives.
Sophia Institute- Our curriculum, Spirit of Truth, provides interactive sessions for every week, including sacred art reflections, stories of the saints, games, role-plays, and critical thinking questions, all designed to capture student attention.
- Spirit of Truth treats the Catechism age-appropriately, to connect with children of diverse backgrounds and differing familiarity with our faith.
- While it's important for children to understand the faith, Spirit of Truth helps them internalize the Faith and apply it to their lives, providing ample opportunity for them to reflect on their lived experiences.
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Alive in Christ for Adolescents
We've selected this curriculum to empower our youth to become evangelizers by sharing their faith with others. Our hope is that, through the guides, our young people internalize the lessons of their faith in such a way that they not only apply them to their personal choices but can confidently communicate with their peers.
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More information on Youth Confirmation (usually celebrated in 10th Grade) is available on our Confirmation page.
Dynamic Catholic Decision Point
Decision Point is the first Confirmation program specifically developed to engage young Catholics in a meaningful conversation about the genius of Catholicism. It teaches and inspires teens to respond to God’s grace.
For Parents and SponsorsWith topics on decision making, relationships, prayer, and finding your purpose, Decision Point will nurture your spiritual journey and provides an easy way to join in your child's faith journey.
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Our students who have been Confirmed and are looking for ways to continue their Faith journey can participate in a number of our Adult Faith Formation offerings. We also have videos for them to watch, podcasts to listen to, and book suggestions for them to read. We look forward to continuing walking with them on their Faith journey.
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As Catholics, we believe that every human being is created in the image and likeness of God. Each of us is sacred and our lives - body, mind, and soul - should be treated with respect.
- Called to Protect™ for Children is the safety education piece of our Ethics and Integrity in Ministry (EIM) program designed specifically for elementary grade students K-5. It focuses on understanding rules, appropriate touch, boundaries, how to respond to uncomfortable situations and introduces technology safety. Called to Protect for Children is not human sexuality education and is best described as age-appropriate safety education.
- Called to Protect™ for Youth gives our young people practical tools, in language and medium they can understand, to realize this fundamental teaching of our faith.This program is available to 6th through 12th graders in parishes and schools within the Diocese of Austin. The Diocese of Austin website provides parents with an overview of the program as well as additional resources.
For more about visit our Ethics and Integrity in Ministry page.
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Sign Up to Receive FlockNotes!
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What Is a Flocknote?
Flocknotes is our way to communicate news, updates, prayers, and spiritual resources from the adult and children faith formation ministries.
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Flocknotes Signup
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News from Faith Formation
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2 months agoBeloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. 1 Jn 3:1-2 St. Austin’s has spent a lot of time in the season of sacraments for some months now. In January, we began...
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2 months agoWhat I’ve Learned About Divine Mercy (and Three Saints Who Can Help) By: Sarah Zentner September 30, 2020 This past Sunday was Divine Mercy Sunday. It is one of my favorite prayers...
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2 months agoEaster Is Not Over Thoughts on the Octave of Easter By: Caitlin Kennell Kim April 13, 2020 The tomb is empty. The stone has been rolled away. Jesus is not there. A vacant grave...
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A Message in the Time of COVID-19
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Dear Families,
We at St. Austin want to take this time to thank you immensely for your patience during these challenging time of COVID. The world is quickly changing and know that we at St. Austin's are praying for you and with you during this difficult time. As we hear in the Gospel, the Sower is planting seeds in three different terrains, praying that the seed will germinate and grow in one of them. While we may seem like we are planting seeds where they may not grow, know that the seed is being watered and cared for by the Holy Spirit. The seeds that will be planted and cared for this year are through you, the family. Pope Francis says “It is valuable to live as a family, that a society grows strong, grows in goodness, grows in beauty and truly grows if it is built on the foundation of the family.” We want you to know that we are here for you, you are not alone.
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Children's Liturgy of the Word (CLW)
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At St. Austin's 8:45 a.m. Mass we invite all children, from 3 years of age to those who've not yet made their First Communion, to CLW. It is a great time for the children of St. Austin to learn about the Mass, hear the Gospel readings, and create their own age-appropriate prayers. During different liturgical times through the year we have processions for the children to participate in too! Learn more about Children's Liturgy of the Word (currently under construction).
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CLW Videos On YouTube
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Pope Francis on the Role of Family in Faith Formation
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“Family catechesis ensures the Gospel message is the lived experience of the entire family. As Pope Francis reminds us, “the family is not merely the sum of persons belonging to it, but a ‘community of persons.' And a community is more than the sum total of persons that belong to it. It is the place where one learns to love, it is the natural centre of human life. It is made up of faces, of people who love, dialogue, make self-sacrifices for one another and defend life, especially of the most vulnerable and the weakest.”
Address to Participants in the Plenary Assembly of the Pontifical Council for the Family, 2013
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More Information About Faith Formation for Youth
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“Christ has confidence in young people
and entrusts them with the very future of his mission,
'Go and make disciples.'
Go beyond the confines of what is humanly possible and
create a world of brothers and sisters!”- Pope Francis
Welcome Ceremony at
Beginning of World Youth Day
Rio de Janiero
July 22, 2013
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