St. Paul's Catholic Church

Portsmouth, Virginia

Christian Formation

Click HERE for Christian Formation Ministry Overview

            
Marisa Beebe
            Coordinator Christian Formation
            Telephone: 757-966-5461
            Email address: mrcbeebe@cox.net

Youth Formation classes have ended for this school year.

Click HERE for the 2010-2011 Christian Formation schedule in Microsoft Word (will be posted in the fall).

Click HERE for Sacrament Preparation Guidelines, including more information on Confirmation classes.

Youth Ministry

What is Life Teen?

Life Teen Spirituality

Implementing Renewing the Vision
The National Conference of Catholic Bishops document Renewing the Vision: A Framework for Catholic Youth Ministry created a foundation for youth ministry in 1997 that Life Teen programs implement in their parishes around the globe. Every component of Renewing the Vision is incorporated in the Life
Teen ministry, including:
Advocacy
Catechesis
Community life
Evangelization
Justice and Service
Leadership development
Pastoral Care
Prayer and Worship

Because of our deep Eucharistic devotion, Life Teen has developed a spirituality that is:
• 100% Catholic
• Obedient to the Magisterium
• Centered on the Eucharist
• Scriptural
• Liturgical
• Catechetical
• Sacramental
• Focused on social justice
Comprehensive
Our spirituality guides us in everything we do. Life Teen models seven Core Values, prompted by the Holy Spirit, that illustrate our spirituality, ministry model and movement:
1. Eucharistic spirituality
2. Love
3. Joy
4. Affirmation
5. Authenticity
6. Evangelization
Primary vocation
To learn more about Life Teen, visit www.lifeteen.com or contact Shaylyn Baker, Coordinator of Youth Ministry at 966-5461 or shaylyn.baker@gmail.com.

Life Teen Mission Statement

Life Teen is an international Catholic movement that serves the Church by providing resources and faith experiences that help lead teens closer to Christ. This is accomplished through a vibrant Eucharistic spirituality and by creating opportunities for teens to grow in their faith.

What does a Life Teen program look like?
The Life Teen program is a complete, comprehensive and interactive model of religious formation. Through youth friendly Liturgies, Life Nights, weekly activities, service opportunities, teen leadership and outreach activities, teens learn more about their Catholic faith and grow to love the Sacraments, the Word, and the Mass. At a parish with the Life Teen program, a priest, youth minister, music ministry and a Core team of volunteer’s build an environment where teens feel loved, accepted, and challenged to go deeper in their faith.  Teens learn about the Mass by being “full, active and conscious” members of the community. Teens not only engage in the liturgy, but also serve as leaders of hospitality, altar servers, lectors, ushers, musicians, vocalists and, when allowed, extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist. “Mother Church earnestly desires that all the faithful should be led to that fully conscious, and active participation in liturgical celebrations which is demanded by the very nature of the liturgy” (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 14). In addition, clergy are renewed and affirmed in their vocation as they reach out to the young Church through the Sacraments.

Edge:  Edge is a Catholic middle school youth ministry for early adolescents in grades 6-8. It is designed to meet the catechetical, educational, spiritual, emotional and social needs of young adolescents.  Edge approaches catechesis to middle school youth using the Life Teen model. Middle school youth are removed from classroom desks and brought into a large-group environment for gathering activities, teachings and prayer.  In small groups, they break open the teachings and build solid, Christ-centered relationships that allow them to comfortably explore their Catholic faith and make it relevant to their everyday lives. This helps build safe relationships during some of the most formative years of a teen’s life.  With new catechetical themes delivered every semester, directors of religious education or middle school Ministers have a variety of topics to explore and teach to youth. This creative and experiential approach engages youth to understand Catholic teaching and form their Catholic identity.

Adult Formation

Adult Religious Formation
Click HERE for information on Adult Formation for June-July 2010.

RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)

The R.C.I.A. – Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults -Not Catholic and have questions about the
Catholic Church?
-Catholic and just want to know more about your faith?
-Looking for a group of believers to travel with on a new faith journey?

The RCIA program is open to anyone who is interested in learning more about the Catholic Church. People from all sorts of religious backgrounds participate in the RCIA. Some have been baptized in another Christian religion and some have not.  Some have been practicing members of a Christian religion for
years and some have had little or no religious instruction or support. Some are already Catholic but are seeking a greater understanding of our Faith. If you are not yet sure whether you want to become Catholic, you are still welcome to participate as you make your decision. The RCIA combines prayer, learning about the Catholic Church and teachings, discussing how these apply to our lives and most
importantly, using all of these experiences to build and grow in a relationship with God. On September 1st, we will start a new session for anyone interested in learning more about the Catholic Church and we
welcome you to drop in and see what the RCIA is all about. Please join us at the Church of the Resurrection, 3501 Cedar Lane, Portsmouth, VA 23703 at 7:00 PM. If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Marisa Beebe, at 966-5461 or by email at mrcbeebe@cox.net.