Please know the motivation for changing the program is not to make your lives harder! We understand change is not easy, but we are convinced that we can do a better job of serving your children and serving your family. COVID has given us a golden opportunity to improve how our parish teaches the Catholic faith so that the effect will be deeper and longer lasting than our past programs did. We really hope to get to know you and your children better through the family talks so please sign up!
 

MSW still offers the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) program. This methodology starts students in preschool, kindergarten, or 1st grade and has students consistently attend sessions through 8th grade. If all of your children are younger, then CGS might be an option for you. If you children are older, it would be awkward to start them in a Level I atria with students in kindergarten and 1st grade.

For TNT, because we are moving to a family faith formation model, it will be very rare that students will come without their parents. Remember, in a typical year (excluding your first year, Communion, or Confirmation prep year) this will only be 8-10 times a year. Our hope is that this program will give parents the tools to discuss the faith with your children and supplement those conversations when we are all together in a group.
 

The goal of the family talk is to allow us to know each family and understand their particular situation so we can create a custom pathway that will not only work for your family but that will allow us to support you on your pathway.
 

Due to a variety of reasons, we need to designate a night at the parish for family faith formation and Tuesday nights have been the historical night used in this area.  As your family becomes acquainted with Tuesday Nights Together (TNT), you will likely only be on campus one Tuesday night a month during the school year, approximately 8 -10 times annually.  While you may need to be here more than that while you become acquainted with a family faith formation model or when your child is preparing for a sacrament, please know our goal is not to burden you with weekly sessions. Our family talks are designed to understand each family’s particular situation and to create a personalized pathway for you.  We can talk about the particulars of your availability at the family talk.
 

TNT sessions will be comprised of pathways that may at times have some classroom-based sessions for students.  For the most part though, we encourage your family to treat weekly Sunday Mass as the “class” and enjoy the family materials together in the home.
 

The family talk is designed to help us understand your unique situation.  We look forward to meeting with you and your child and hope you will share any educational plans that have been prepared for your child.  We feel confident we can work with you to create a personalized pathway that will not only work for your family but that will allow us to support you on your pathway.
 

Every family dynamic is different.  Some families may desire to complete all the necessary preparation and may have the time to incorporate the active sacramental life necessary to prepare their child in a year.  For others, it may be too much to complete in a year.  We need to meet with you to discover what will work for your family.  Family talks facilitate this process and allow us to create a custom pathway that will not only work for your family but that will allow us to support you on your pathway. 
 

The goal of the family talk is to allow us to know each family and their particular situation so we can create a custom pathway that will not only work for your family but that will allow us to support you on your pathway.  Some families may have the time to complete the necessary preparation which is accompanied by the practice of an active sacramental life.  For others, it may be too much to complete in a year.  The family talk will help us make this decision.
 

We do not feel family dynamics present barriers that completely block the ability for a family to grow in faith.  However, we acknowledge that for some families it may feel like it, and many families have real challenges.  We want to support you in the life your family experiences.  Please email or call the Director of Faith Formation and Evangelization, Dolly Pointner, at dpointner@mswparish.org or 847-825-0048 to not only discuss how we can help you, but how we can pray for you and your family.