Adult Faith Formation

And the same one granted that some would be Apostles, and some Prophets, yet truly others evangelists, and others pastors and teachers, for the sake of the perfection of the saints, by the work of the ministry, in the edification of the body of Christ, until we all meet in the unity of faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as a perfect man, in the measure of the age of the fullness of Christ.

– Ephesians 4:11-13

ACE- Adult Continued Education

Adult Continuing Religious Education at Sacred Heart Catholic Church offers opportunities for adults to deepen their understanding of the Catholic faith. Through programs such as Bible studies, faith formation courses, and spiritual workshops, participants explore theological topics, engage in discussions, and strengthen their spiritual lives.

Contact: Robin Deady, robindeady@yahoo.com

Online Resources:

Websites: Online handbook with Information about The Mass, common Catholic prayers, and more
catholic.com – Answers to questions about Catholicism

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Website.org – includes an online Catechism

newadvent.org – Writings of the Church Fathers and much more

“FORMED” is a website with free Catholic content. You can sign up as a member of our parish by following the instructions below. There are online courses about Catholicism, The Saints, daily reflections, scripture study, free audio books, resources and videos for kids, and much more. To sign up as a Sacred Heart Parishioner go to: https://signup.formed.org Then type in Sacred Heart Conroe, select our parish, and enter your contact information to establish your free account. Formed is also available as a smartphone app.

YouTube Channels and Podcasts:

The links are to their YouTube channels, and they are also available wherever you get your podcasts:

Bishop Robert Barron – (Be sure to watch or listen to Bishop’s Sunday homilies)

Father Mike Schmitz “The Catechism in a Year” – 365 podcasts that teach the beliefs of the Catholic Church

Father Mike Schmitz “The Bible in a Year” – 365 podcasts that teach about the Holy Scriptures

Books:

Ignatius Catholic Study Bible (2024)

“The Four Witnesses” by Rod Bennett (Introduction to the writings of the early church fathers)

“The Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church”. This 200-page volume offers a quick synopsis of the essential contents of the faith as promulgated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church

Phone Apps:

Hallow – The number one app for Catholic Christian prayer and meditation. It includes Bible and Catechism in a year, an online OCIA class series in the form of 10-20 minute podcasts, and much more.

Ignatius Study Bible – online Bible

Laudate – Daily readings, order of the Mass, prayers

Magesterium – An AI driven search engine that you can use to answer questions about Catholicism. It is like ChatGPT but restricts its searches to Catholic sources.

Catechest Training and Certification

Certifying Catechists to Advance the Kingdom of God

Sacred Heart Catholic Church is proud of her catechists and core members.We believe in empowering true disciples of Jesus Christ to go into the classrooms of our parish and school and communicate the Gospel through personal witness and professional development.

We also desire every one of our catechists to work towards full diocesan catechist certification. To obtain full catechist certification, you must complete FTCM (Formation Towards Christian Ministry) and 3 years of classwork. FTCM develops “the basic academic, spiritual and critical reflection skills necessary for Catholic adults to fully answer their Baptismal call to service. FTCM is open to all adults who seek greater understanding of their faith and is designed for those who are active in parish ministry or discerning their call to ministry.”

Currently Sacred Heart Catholic Church is hosting FTCM Classes, so this makes it accessible and practical for pursuing your certification.

A twelve hour course giving a systematic overview of Catholic teaching on the nature of the Liturgy and the Sacraments is being offered as a part of the larger program called Formation Toward Christian Ministry (FTCM). We are asking you to consider signing up for at least this twelve hour course.

Contact the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis at (713) 741-8730 if you have any questions.

Contact: Daniela Gonzalez, dgonzalez@shconroe.org

Catholic Faith Study

The Catholic Faith Study, taught by Henry Avila, MTS, meets from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm in the auditorium on the first, third, fourth and fifth Thursdays of each month with exceptions for Holy Days and some Holidays.

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Bible Study Class

Sacred Heart offers biannual Bible Study programs in the spring and fall. The studies usually run eight to ten weeks and concentrate on various books of the Bible. The classes meet at the Parish Life Center on Wednesday nights from 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm or Thursday afternoons from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm. Parishioners can register for these classes in the Parish Life Center. The cost of the workbook is approximately $30 and *CMG certification is required.

    *CMG (Catholic Mutual Group) Safe Environment Certification is a mandatory 3-part online training and background check for volunteers and employees (18+) in many Catholic dioceses, particularly the diocese of Galveston-Houston. It ensures compliance with child safety, grooming, and abuse prevention standards. Certifications are valid for five years.

    Contact: Robin Deady, robindeady@yahoo.com

    Annulment Team Ministry
    Catholic Homeschooling Ministry

    The Catholic homeschooling ministry at Sacred Heart Catholic Church supports families who choose to educate their children at home with a Catholic perspective. The ministry provides resources, networking opportunities, and educational support to homeschooling parents, helping them integrate faith into their curriculum.

    Contact: Henry and Gina Avila, henryandgina@icloud.com

    Marriage Sponsor Couples

    Are you interested in the ministry of preparing couples for marriage through our sponsor couple program?

    Contact: parishoffice@shconroe.org

    Marriage Preparation

    Contact: Daniel & Daysi Bonilla, daysitaf72@yahoo.com

    Natural Family Planning

    The Natural Family Planning (NFP) ministry at Sacred Heart Catholic Church provides education and support for couples interested in natural methods of family planning. The ministry offers classes and resources to help couples understand and use NFP in accordance with Catholic teachings.

    Learn more about the Billings Ovulation Method

    Quinceañera Ministry

    The Quinceañera Ministry at Sacred Heart Catholic Church supports young girls and their families in preparing for and celebrating the Quinceañera, a significant milestone marking a girl’s transition into adulthood. The ministry offers spiritual preparation and guidance on the liturgical aspects of the celebration.

    Contact: Lou Perea, loupis65@gmail.com

    VBS - Vacation Bible School

    The Vacation Bible School (VBS) ministry at Sacred Heart Catholic Church offers a fun and enriching summer program for children. Through engaging activities, crafts, music, and storytelling, VBS provides a dynamic environment for children to learn about their faith, build friendships, and grow spiritually. The ministry is designed to create memorable experiences that reinforce Catholic values and teachings while fostering a sense of community among participants.

    Contact: Brandi Lyons, bddl1976@att.net

    Para el segundo año de preparación sacramental, los padres siguen siendo los primeros maestros de la fe (CCC n.º 2226). Este es un rol continuo tanto para los padres como para la vida de los estudiantes.

    La preparación sacramental se llevará a cabo una vez al mes. Se pide a las familias que asistan semanalmente a la misa dominical, compartan el Evangelio en casa, participen en un retiro, recen el Rosario y que los padres asistan a una charla mensual con nuestro querido sacerdote.

    Se ponen recursos a disposición de los padres, especialmente en lo relativo a la misa. Se pide a los estudiantes que traigan un misal para que lo firmen al finalizar la misa de su elección (sábado o domingo).

    A continuación, se presentan las fechas de las charlas dirigidas a los padres. Los estudiantes asistirán a clases en un aula en la misma fecha y horario: de 6:30 p. m. a 8:00 p. m.

    Se realizarán evaluaciones a los estudiantes; por favor, consulten las Pautas Sacramentales.

    La preparación para la Primera Reconciliación y la Primera Comunión está abierta a todos los jóvenes bautizados - a partir del segundo grado escolar - que cumplan con los siguientes requisitos del programa:

    • La familia debe ser miembro registrado de la Parroquia del Sagrado Corazón. Si no son miembros registrados del Sagrado Corazón, los padres deben presentar una carta del párroco de la parroquia en la que estén registrados, otorgando permiso para que el niño se prepare y celebre los sacramentos en el Sagrado Corazón. También se requiere el permiso del párroco si la familia está registrada en el Sagrado Corazón, pero solicita que la celebración se realice en otra iglesia católica.
    • Los padres deben presentar una copia original del certificado de bautismo del niño antes de la fecha límite establecida. Si el niño no ha sido bautizado en la fe católica, realizará una "Profesión de Fe".
    • El niño debe contar con un mínimo de un año de educación religiosa previa, cursada en el programa de formación en la fe de la parroquia (FE EN EL HOGAR) o en una escuela católica.
    • El niño debe estar inscrito y participando activamente en el año actual del programa de educación religiosa de la parroquia (Preparación Sacramental) o en una escuela católica.
    • La familia debe asistir a la Misa dominical con regularidad.
    • El niño y sus padres deben asistir a TODAS las sesiones de preparación sacramental.
    • Una vez completadas todas las sesiones de preparación requeridas, el niño participará en una entrevista para evaluar su disposición para recibir los sacramentos.

    El Párroco, el Coordinador de Preparación Sacramental y los padres determinarán conjuntamente la disposición del niño - tanto catequética como espiritual - para recibir los sacramentos.

    El año pasado, las familias de primer año siguieron el nuevo plan de estudios «Fe en el hogar». Aunque todavía tenemos mucho en lo que podemos crecer, nos alegra enormemente que nuestras familias hayan completado el año y que ahora estén practicando su fe y siguiendo un nuevo estilo de vida. «Fe en el hogar» es un programa novedoso en el que nuestras familias no tienen que asistir en persona ni semanalmente, sino solo una vez al mes. Se pide a las familias que asistan a la misa dominical cada semana, compartan el Evangelio en casa, participen en un retiro, recen el Rosario y que los padres asistan a una charla mensual con nuestro querido sacerdote. Hay recursos disponibles para los padres, especialmente para la Misa. Se pide a los estudiantes que traigan un libro de misa para que lo firmen al finalizar la misa que elijan (sábado o domingo). A continuación, se presentan las fechas de las charlas para padres; los estudiantes estarán en clase el mismo día y horario: 6:30 PM a 8:00 PM.

    For year 2, sacramental preparation, parents are still the first teachers of faith CCC#2226. This is an ongoing role for the parents and for the students' lives.

    Sacramental preparation would be once a month. Families are asked to attend weekly Sunday mass, share the Gospel at home, participate in a retreat, pray the Rosary, and have parents attend a monthly talk with our beloved priest.

    Resources are available to parents, especially for Mass. Students are asked to bring a Mass book to be signed by the end of the Mass of their choice (Saturday or Sunday).

    Here are the dates for parent talks. The students will be in a classroom setting on the same date and time: 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM

    Evaluations will be held for students, please refer to the Sacrament Guidelines.

    First Reconciliation and First Communion preparation is open to all baptized youth, second grade or older, who meet the following program requirements:

    • Family must be registered members of Sacred Heart Parish. If not registered members of Sacred Heart, the parents must provide a letter from the pastor of the parish in which they are registered, granting permission for the child to prepare and to celebrate the sacraments at Sacred Heart.  Permission must also be granted by the pastor if registering at Sacred Heart, but requesting the celebration at another Catholic Church.
    • The parents must provide an original copy of the child’s Baptism Certificate by the declared deadline. If not baptized catholic, the child will make a “Profession of Faith”.
    • The child must have a minimum of one year of previous religious education in the parish faith formation program (FAITH AT HOME) or catholic school.
    • The child must be enrolled and actively participating in the current year of religious education in the parish religious Sacramental Preparation or catholic school.
    • The family must attend Sunday Mass regularly.
    • The child and their parents must attend ALL sacrament preparation sessions.
    • Upon completion of all required preparation sessions, the child will participate in an interview to evaluate the child’s readiness to receive the sacraments.

    The Pastor, Sacramental Preparation Coordinator, and the parents together determine the child’s readiness, both catechetical and spiritual, to receive the sacraments.

    Last year, first-year families followed the new Faith at Home curriculum. Even though we have a lot to grow in, we are very happy that our families have completed the year and are now practicing their faith and following a new way of life.  

    Faith at Home is a new program where our families do not have to come in person weekly, but once a month. Families are asked to attend weekly Sunday mass, share the Gospel at home, participate in a retreat, pray the Rosary, and have parents attend a monthly talk with our beloved priest.  

    Resources are available to parents, especially for Mass. Students are asked to bring a Mass book with them to be signed by the end of any Mass of their choice (Saturday or Sunday).  

    Here are the dates for parent talks. The students will be in a classroom setting on the same date and time:

    April 20th from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM

    Hi!