Dear Fellow Parishioners, I cannot believe that July is almost over and that means summer is quickly slipping away. It also means that it is time to think about and to begin to prepare for the fall activities, including registering for Faith Formation. Registration is easily done on our parish website: https://sacredhearthopedale.org, clicking on the Faith Formation tab for all the details of the offerings for each grade level. The registration form, and calendar for each program are clear and easy to print. Register before September 1st as the registration fee increases after that date. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (pp 2223) states, “Parents have the first responsibility for the education of their children. They bear witness to this responsibility first by creating a home where tenderness, forgiveness, respect, fidelity, and disinterested service are the rule. The home is well suited for education in the virtues…. Parents have a grave responsibility to give good example to their children.” In other words: parents are the first teachers in the ways of the faith. Parents have a responsibility to set a good example to their children by practicing their faith, as faith is caught, not taught. All our Faith Formation offerings are designed to assist parents with their responsibility of faith sharing and education. Providing a firm foundation of faith is accomplished in the ways that faith is practiced in the home and practiced in the context of the faith community. Because we still do not have a Faith Formation Education leader, we will need parents to assist at all levels of faith formation. The job description for Family Education and Outreach Administrator is posted on the home page of our website. If you are interested, or you know someone who has the qualifications for the position call the office. This is a part-time (paid) staff hybrid position. And if I say so myself, we are a great group of people to work with! Notice that our programming revolves around Mass which as Catholics is central to our faith life and formation for all ages. We all can learn from being involved in ministry in the parish and become part of our community through involvement as greeters, readers of the Word, Altar Servers, AV ministers etc. Family participation in ministry plants the seeds for faithful discipleship and increases knowledge of our faith and connection to life-long community relationships. Summer is flying by, make sure you and your family are passing on the wonderful gift of faith! Fr. Bill