Adult and Family Faith Formation
With programs, materials, and advice grounded in Catholic teaching, the Office of Evangelization and Discipleship (OED) equips parishes with evangelization strategies and tools to develop strong formation programs helping adults and their families live as disciples and as thriving domestic churches.
Two key lenses of OED’s work are evangelization and the strengthening of marriage and family life. For example, as part of the Eucharistic Revival, OED hosted Rescue Atlanta and has helped equip several parishes to run The Rescue Project, an initiative focused on experiencing and proclaiming the power of the Gospel message.
Another fruitful example has been the renewal of catechesis that seeks to engage the family together. At least half of our 103 parishes and missions are engaged in some type of intentional family faith formation. These parishes have shifted their focus to family catechesis to bolster adult evangelization and faith formation through the strength of the family as the domestic church. The OED team has supported this pivot in family catechesis through the archdiocesan resource “Families Forming Disciples” and various other workshops and guidance.
Your contribution to the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal directly supports the Adult and Family Evangelization and Faith Formation initiatives in the archdiocese to provide guidance to parishes as they serve our brothers and sisters in Christ on their journeys of faith and discipleship, especially in healing and strengthening our homes and families. As Pope Francis has said, echoing Pope St. John Paul II, “The welfare of the family is decisive for the future of the world and that of the Church.”
Making an Impact
One parish that was skeptical of a family formation shift took guidance from the OED team and implemented the Family Forming Disciples program. They have since seen impressive results, including parents feeling equipped to take their rightful place as the first catechists of their children. Other parishes have seen dads step up as leaders in the family's formation, parents of families forming close bonds with other parents in the parish, events that are heavily attended, and a sense of renewal and vitality within the parish.
Adult evangelization and formation is also essential for the sacramental growth of our archdiocese, through facilitating programming for parishes free of charge from the quarterly Initiation Ministries workshop. By providing valuable guidance and timely topics about forming new Catholics in our faith, programs like this helped to train initiation ministers who welcomed 800 elect and 1700 candidates to the Church this year through the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA).
“OED is privileged to serve with our excellent leaders in the field—together cultivating disciples. We cannot do it alone—our clergy, religious and lay leaders are on the front lines. My hope is that we continue to support them well as a team grounded in the Lord and His mission, and we are so grateful for the generosity of the people of the archdiocese, without whom we would not be here.”
“Becoming Catholic has been such a blessing! In addition to being able to participate in the sacraments fully, I made lifelong friends through OCIA as we explored and deepened our faith. Our families socialize, attend small group and bible studies together, volunteer, and enjoy being with each other. Our OCIA Coordinator reminded us when we started OCIA that God knew to bring us all together! “
Your support of the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal provides formation programs to strengthen and grow our archdiocese.
Learn more about other Office of Evangelization and Discipleship (OED) programs.
Learn more about the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA).