Category: Faith Formation

Catechetical Sunday

9/26/2021

Catechetical Sunday is a day set aside to recognize the vocation and ministry of teaching and sharing the faith with others. A wonderful opportunity to reflect on the role that each baptized person plays in handing on the faith and being a witness to the Gospel.

On this day catechists throughout the diocese, and country, are commissioned and dedicate themselves to their vocation of teaching the faith to the children, teens and adults of our parish community.

The catechists of our parish, wonderful men and
women who answered YES to the call to be present and walk the faith journey with the adults, youth and children of the parish, are called forth to receive a blessing and be formally commissioned to continue the beautiful labor of sharing and growing in the faith.

To all catechists in our lives, parents and grandparents, priests and deacons, religious sisters, church family, all who have been encounters of Jesus in our lives, we thank you!

Also visit: Children, Youth, Adults, RCIA

Faith Formation for Children and Teens

9/2/2021

Live a Life of Faith, Understanding and Love...

Registration ends September 30!

Online Registration

Questions contact:
Tere Delgado
tere@padreserra.org
(805) 482·6417 x347

PENTA

8/15/2021

A New Beginning
Catholic Virtual Conference
Saturday, September 25
8:30 am – 1:00 pm

The Archdiocese of Los Angeles will come together to focus on the spiritual and emotional needs of families, catechists and parish catechetical leaders.

The day includes a keynote speaker, interactive breakouts and each track includes three speakers.

$15 per login
$10 per login early bird discount by August 31

Learn more and directions to register: www.lacatholics.org/regional-congress

Download Flyer

Becoming Catholic

6/25/2021

Tuesdays
7:00 - 8:30 pm
Via Zoom

Are you longing for a closer relationship with Jesus and a church to call your own? Do you know someone who is wondering if the Catholic Church is the place for them? It could be your neighbor, your coworker, or someone in your family.

We have a group that meets year-round to explore what it means to be a disciple of Jesus in the Catholic tradition. The atmosphere is informal, open, and free of any pressure. Those attending are invited to ask any questions they may have followed by a discussion on various topics regarding our faith.

If you know someone who might be interested, invite them to accompany you to one of the meetings. We serve great refreshments, too!

For information please contact:
Catherine Shadduck
catherine@padreserra.org
(805) 482·6417 x331

Also visit: RCIA

Fr. Patrick, Marcia Galles, Catherine Shadduck.
Photo by Julius Acero

Stuff for High School Teens

6/20/2021

4:12 (pronounced four one two)
Wednesdays
September to May
7:00 - 9:00 pm
San Juan Capistrano Room

Our high school Youth Ministry Group.
Different teens are there from week to week due to sports and jobs. That is the beauty of it, you can always go or miss from time to time and there will always be people there to welcome you and make you feel at home.
Brett Becker and the Peer Leaders do a great job addressing current world events, playing the latest music, games and videos, and enjoying life.

Youth Confirmation
Sunday
11:00 am - 2:00 pm
San Juan Capistrano Room
for half the year then in a weekly hands-on ministry of their choosing for the other half of the year.

Generally begins at the start of ninth grade.
It is a two year process injected with a ton of activities to choose from. It is an awesome period of growth not to be missed. Contact Brett Becker.

Also visit: Youth Faith Formation

Peer Leaders

5/6/2021

Tuesdays
7:00 - 9:00 pm
Serra Center's Backyard

Everyone confirmed, 14 to 39ish is welcome!
Dates are subject to change, ask Brett to add you to our GroupMe to keep you updated.

Peer leaders help engage our confirmation candidates by acting as mentors and facilitators during our weekly confirmation sessions, our annual retreats, and at 4:12 youth nights.

If you are confirmed and are interested in joining our team, or if you have any questions, contact youth@padreserra.org

Visit also: Youth and Young Adults

Hope Never Fails · Junior High Youth Day

11/14/2020

Every year we celebrate this inspiring day for 6th, 7th & 8th graders that includes a keynote speaker, music, prayer and fellowship.

Any questions, please contact tere@padreserra.org

Advent Awakenings: Take the Time

11/8/2020

A four week small faith sharing group opportunity to renew your experience of Advent.

Through scripture, reflection, sharing and prayer, we will journey through the season together, preparing our hearts and minds for Christmas.

You are invited to join in one of the following virtual groups; all groups will meet via Zoom.

Tuesday Morning
December 22
9:00 - 10:30 am

Tuesday Evening
December 22
7:00 - 8:30 pm

Wednesday Evening
December 23
7:00 - 8:30 pm

Advent is a season of waiting and looking ahead. We look ahead during these four weeks to celebrate the Incarnation, the birth of Jesus - the miraculous event in which God came into the world in the form of a child. But oftentimes December can be cluttered with preparations and distract us from the meaning of the season. Perhaps the pandemic will alter our experience of Christmas and maybe things will be less hectic. Maybe we might just have more time to renew our Advent experience.

Questions: Teresa Runyon teresa@padreserra.org

Kinship: Pandemic, BLM, and Elections

8/5/2020

St. Camillus Center for Pastoral Care’s Urban Interfaith Chaplaincy Program in Los Angeles invites all to a gathering with Fr. Greg Boyle, S.J. who will address the current pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement, and upcoming elections.

Contact St. Camillus Center for Pastoral Care
(323) 225·4461 x111
info@stcamilluscenter.org

Our Truths

7/29/2020

A Panel Discussion

“The Catholic community stands with all people who struggle for an end to racism and violence, in our families, in our places of worship, in our communities and in our world. We must continue to build bridges and we must confront racism and violence with a commitment to life, a vision of hope, and a call to action,” Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, President of the U.S. Bishops Conference, June 19, 2015.

With this call to action, we can no longer stay silent or idle to the persistence of racism embedded in our institutions and public policies and how it impacts us personally. It is time we begin the healing process by listening to the experiences of our faith communities of color. May we be present with our compassionate hearts to listen to their voices and truths.

Panelists include: Nirmala Bheemisetty, Martita Martinez-Bravo, and Cynthia Jones-Campbell

Adult Faith Formation Meeting

7/5/2020

Visit our monthly team meeting to see how we dream, plan, and present adult formation opportunities for our parish.

Contact teresa@padreserra.org

Also visit: Ministries A to Z, Adults

Photography by Julius Acero

Landings

7/1/2020

A Caring Ministry for Returning Catholics

If you are an inactive Catholic you may want to consider Landings.

We are a group of Catholics who, for any number of reasons, were away from the church and came back to regular attendance and active participation.

We share our faith journeys and want to hear your stories. We also discuss contemporary Catholic themes and have resources available for questions about the Catholic Faith and the Church.

Landings is a 10-week series that offers a safe place to tell one’s story, discern a place in the Church, and find a way home. Join us; we welcome you.

Information:
Dave landings@padreserra.org
or call Teresa Runyon
(805) 482 · 6417 x322

Also visit: Adults Faith Formation

Gwen Ripplinger, Denise Ginty.
Photo by Julius Acero

Orthodox Faith in a Complicated World

5/29/2020

Fr. Gary Kyriacou

From our shared beginnings, millennia ago, Eastern Christian spirituality and theology has always been a leaven for us Catholics. Hear the best of Orthodox faith, especially as it addresses the modern world's questions and conditions. Fr. Gary will offer spiritual tools to help navigate this complicated life.

Ordained to the priesthood on September 9, 2001, Fr. Gary has been pastor of St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church here in Camarillo since August 1, 2004. He's been married to Christina since 1997, and they have three children.

Unseen Warfare Slide Show - Fr. Gary Kyriacou
File Size:	11574 kb
File Type:	ppsx

Download File

Spark! at Home

4/25/2020

This page has been moved. Please visit Spark! at Home

Also visit: Children

The Elect 2020

4/8/2020

The Elect are those who are very near to being initiated into the Catholic Church through the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. The current social distancing due to COVID-19 has prevented them from being initiated at the usual time during the Easter Vigil. Please pray for our 16 Elect, and for all the Elect of the world, as they patiently await the day when they will join us fully as members of the Body of Christ.

Also visit: Holy Week, Mass Livestream

Youth Prayer Service

3/30/2020

4:12 Zoom meeting

All high school teens, meet Brett and the Young Adults for a special Holy Week Reflection and Guided Meditation.
youth@padreserra.org

Also visit: Youth, Lent

Children & High School Faith Formation at home

3/24/2020

Dear Families,

We are working on creating lesson plans for families to do at home; please make sure we have your most updated email address on file. Please contact me if your child(ren) is in Faith Formation, and you have not yet received an email from us this week, tere@padreserra.org

Please make sure to mark as a VIP email so that they won’t accidentally end up in your junk folder.

For Spark! Grades 1-2
jennifer@padreserra.org
For Spark! Grades 3-5
christine@padreserra.org
For Three:Sixteen Middle School and Youth High School Ministries
youth@padreserra.org
For First Reconciliation,
First Communion and sacrament prep
mary@padreserra.org
For Baptism for School-Age Children Grades 1 through 8
catherine@padreserra.org

Also visit: Padre Serra / COVID-19, Spark! at Home

Mardi Gras

2/25/2020

Mardi Gras or "Fat Tuesday," is celebrated the day before Ash Wednesday. In the past, people would clean out their cupboards, removing all the sugar, fat, and lard to prepare for the forty days of fasting ahead. Here at Padre Serra, we share a delicious dinner or dessert and talk about what we will do as a family to draw closer to Jesus this Lent.

Also visit: Children, Lent

The (Scandalous) Mission of the Messiah in the Gospel of Luke

2/5/2020

It is commonly known that, in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus the Messiah appears above all as a compassionate and gentle savior who socializes with tax collectors and sinners, dines with the Pharisees, and proposes parables that highlight mercy and compassion. In his presentation, Fr. Slawomir show that this image of Jesus is not just very comforting but also deeply scandalous and disturbing. It is not just Jesus’ opponents that fail to understand him. In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus’s ministry poses a challenge to everyone around, including John the Baptist, Jesus’ disciples and even his Mother, Mary.

Fr. Slawomir Szkredka

Ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in 2002, Fr. Slawomir Szkredka, S.S.D., a native of Poland, served as Associate Pastor at Saint Genevieve Parish in Panorama City (2002-2006) and at John the Baptist Parish in Baldwin Park (2006-2008). From 2008 to 2015 he resided in Rome pursuing biblical studies at the Pontifical Biblical Institute. He is now assistant Professor of Biblical Studies at St. John's Seminary.

Sponsored by the Adult Faith Formation Team.

Little Church

2/4/2020

Sunday preschool
9:00 am and 11:00 am Mass
Age 3 through Kindergarten

Sign up your little one for a fun time at church during Mass.
Children learn so much! From the Sign of the Cross to bible stories, songs and more.
Super fun to make friends and be at church on Sundays!! Parents love it too.
Register your child as soon as they turn 3.
soraya@padreserra.org

Stations of the Cross Family Craft

2/1/2020

Our Lenten Stations of the Cross Family Craft gathering has been cancelled. Kits will be available after Mass on Sunday for you to take home and work on this beautiful and prayerful project.

Come and join us in making a meaningful Lent project with your whole family!
This project will entail painting and decoupaging peg people. Once completed, this set has the characters you need to act out the Passion of Jesus, including everyone you need for the 14 Stations of the Cross.
Set this up in your home to remind everyone of Jesus' sacrifice for us and his triumphant resurrection.
Donation: $10 per family.
Contact: christine@padreserra.org

Scripture’s FAQ

1/13/2020

Fr. Patrick Mullen
Monday, January 13
7:00 - 8:30 pm
St. Peter Claver
West hall of the parish center
at 2380 Stow St., Simi Valley, 93063

The adult faith formation committee of St. Peter Claver parish invites you for an informative, uplifting, and interactive question and answer session with Fr. Patrick who will address the many challenging and interesting questions about our sacred scripture.
Refreshments will served.
Free will offering appreciated.
Questions:
Office of Faith Formation (805) 526·0680
adultfaithformation@saintpeterclaver.org

33 Days to Morning Glory

1/4/2020

Encounter Jesus through Mary.
Written by Fr. Michael Gaitley, 33 Days to Morning Glory is a six-week small group journey to draw closer to Jesus through his mother, culminating in consecration to him through Mary. We'll learn what the Church and four great saints - Louis de Montfort, Maximilian Kolbe, Mother Teresa, John Paul II - have to teach us about the power and influence Mary and then how to live as better disciples. Whether you are brand new to the concept of Marian Consecration, or you wish to renew your consecration, you are invited.

Questions: Grace Martinez grace@padreserra.org

Visio Divina

12/1/2019

Noticing God during Lent through the images in my life.
Dr. Michael Cunningham
Monday, February 3
7:00 pm
Serra Center
Doors open at 6:30 for refreshments

Visio Divina is an ancient prayer form, often referred to as praying with icons. However, it is so much more…Dr. Cunningham will lead us through a prayerful experience of Visio Divina and how we can use it in our everyday lives to deepen our relationship with God.

By the end of the session, you will be able to use this ancient and contemplative prayer form with your cell phone and use photography to reflect on the glory and meaning which surrounds our everyday lives.

The Lenten period gives us the reason to dedicate some special time for reflection and contemplation in this simple but powerful prayer form.

Michael Cunningham OFS is a Secular Franciscan and Retreat Center Director at Mater Dolorosa in the Sierra Madre.

No cost.

Sponsored by the Adult Faith Formation Team

Family Dinner & Reconciliation Service

11/12/2019

This event is for children enrolled in the parish faith formation program grades 1 - 5, moms, dads, brothers, sisters, grandparents...your whole family!

Tuesday, November 12
5:45 pm Dinner
7:00 pm Prayer Service
Serra Center and Church

Celebrate Food, Friends and Forgiveness!
Let's be thankful for all our many blessings. Have some dinner with your family, relax and slow down. Be blessed with the gift and healing of Reconciliation (Confession).

This is an important faith learning experience for the children in which they witness their grown-ups participating at church in prayer and going to talk with a priest. By your example, you teach.

Come to our gathering and enjoy:

Yummy food provided!
Great family fellowship with a spiritual connection...and craft!
Holy peace, prayers and priests available to give blessings.

This is not First Reconciliation! Children enrolled in grades 1 to 5 who have not yet made their First Reconciliation will go to a breakout session that is sacrament preparation focused.

Children preparing for First Communion next May, will make their First Reconciliation on March, 14 2020.

This is our Faith Formation gathering the week of November 12. Regular Centers resume the week of November 18.

Photography by Julius Acero

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Live a Life of Faith, Understanding and Love...​

A New BeginningCatholic Virtual ConferenceSaturday, September 258:30 am – 1:00 pm

Tuesdays7:00 - 8:30 pmVia Zoom

​4:12 (pronounced four one two)WednesdaysSeptember to May7:00 - 9:00 pmSan Juan Capistrano Room

Youth ConfirmationSunday11:00 am - 2:00 pmSan Juan Capistrano Roomfor half the year then in a weekly hands-on ministry of their choosing for the other half of the year.

Tuesdays7:00 - 9:00 pmSerra Center's Backyard​

A four week small faith sharing group opportunity to renew your experience of Advent.

​Tuesday MorningDecember 229:00 - 10:30 amTuesday EveningDecember 227:00 - 8:30 pmWednesday EveningDecember 237:00 - 8:30 pm

A Panel Discussion

Fr. Gary Kyriacou

This page has been moved. Please visit Spark! at Home

4:12 Zoom meeting

​Fr. Slawomir Szkredka

Sunday preschool9:00 am and 11:00 am MassAge 3 through Kindergarten

Fr. Patrick MullenMonday, January 137:00 - 8:30 pmSt. Peter ClaverWest hall of the parish center​at 2380 Stow St., Simi Valley, 93063

Please RSVP

Noticing God during Lent through the images in my life.Dr. Michael CunninghamMonday, February 37:00 pm​Serra CenterDoors open at 6:30 for refreshments

Tuesday, November 125:45 pm Dinner7:00 pm Prayer ServiceSerra Center and Church

Please RSVP

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