Pathways for Parish Leaders

PASTORS

As a pastor, you long to provide the programs and resources that inspire and nourish your flock. Not all parishes are equipped with the expertise, time, or funding to create their own programs. With a FORMED subscription, your parish has access to engaging content that is catechetically solid and professionally produced. FORMED media is available for use in a ministry setting or for parishioners to view at home, with many programs offered in both English and Spanish. 

The Augustine Institute provides a Pastor’s Pathway below for making the most of the content available on formed.org that can serve and form your parishioners in their faith journeys. 

“A Powerful Evangelization Tool . . .”

“FORMED provides Catholics of all ages access to excellent Catholic resources. In a parish, school, or home setting—utilizing the best in current technology—FORMED becomes a powerful evangelization tool for the modern world.”

~ Bishop Gerard Bergie, Ontario, Canada ~

 

Top Recommendations for Pastors:

Opening the Word
Looking for homily talking points?

Opening The Word Weekly Gospel Reflections offer prayerful insights for the Sunday Readings. Each reflection is lead by one of our experienced presenters and is perfectly designed to facilitate personal faith formation in your parish. You can also gleam ideas from Dr. Tim Gray’s Daily Reflections for your daily and Sunday homilies. 

The Search/La Búsqueda
Help all your parishioners dive into the fundamental questions of every human heart.

The Search is a kerygmatic series used effectively by RCIA coordinators during the period of inquiry phase of RCIA. Start the journey by diving into the fundamental questions of every human heart.

Available in English and Español.

Forgiven/Perdonado and Presence/Presencia
Capture their attention and inspire 

In a church with a new FORMED subscription, these two series on the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist come highly recommended as the first FORMED offerings to draw in your parishioners. Invite parishioners to journey together for three weeks as they learn more about each sacrament. Encourage parishioners to view one episode each week at home and then incorporate the topics into your weekend homily. Consider offering live or remote discussion groups. Both series are effective for parents whose children are in sacramental preparation programs, as a Lenten/Advent journey, or as a parish retreat/mission. Affirm the ongoing centrality of the Eucharist and Reconciliation to our Catholic faith. 

Available in English and Español.

Revive Parishes
Forming your core team for Evangelization and Discipleship 

The three Revive courses provide insights, practical steps, and training for your staff, catechists, and parish leader volunteers. In Evangelization, Chris Stefanick breaks down the Church’s mission of spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ and making disciples. In Missionary Discipleship, Julianne Stanz provides rich examples, stories, and ideas to help Catholics deepen their faith in their walk with Christ and to go on mission in their neighborhoods and communities. In Loving and Serving the Poor, Fr. Mark Mary Ames, CFR, leads the discussion of how and why Catholics should love and serve the poor and help them encounter Christ. 

The Sanctuary Course for Catholics
Raising Awareness on Mental Health 

One in four people will be affected by a mental health problem at some point in their lives. This eight-session course—designed for use in small groups and vital for all parish leaders—breaks the stigma surrounding mental illness and helps parish communities respond compassionately and effectively to those who are struggling with a mental health challenge.

Also available in Spanish! 

YDisciple

Reaching the Youth

 YDisciple is a toolbox of training resources for adults and teaching resources for teens specifically designed with small groups in mind. YDisciple couples video resources with extensive training and support for leaders. 

 

 

Called
A Series on Vocation Discernment

CALLED offers first-hand accounts and insights from presenters who have searched to understand God’s unique plan for their lives. This series talks through the importance of vocation, helping young people especially to consider the priesthood, the consecrated life, and the deeper meaning of marriage.

Watch this webinar to learn more.

Additional Recommendations on FORMED:

Symbolon  The 20-part Symbolon  series gives your parishioners a systematic understanding of the Catholic faith.  Pastors often use Symbolon  in RCIA, as catechist training, and as ongoing catechesis for the entire parish. Many pastors offer discussion groups at least once every year and invite all parishioners to attend.  Available in English and Español. 

Lectio Bible Study The Lectio series is a growing video library of Catholic Bible studies, rich with sacred art and stories from the lives of the saints. Led by distinguished faculty members of the Augustine Institute, topics include individual books of the Bible, prayer, evangelization, Mary, and the case for Jesus. Each topic is divided into sessions for small-group study. The accompanying workbooks provide additional information, space for guided reflection, and a call to prayer.

FORMED Daily  The Augustine Institute provides marketing material to encourage your parishioners to sign up for daily reflections that are delivered directly to their inboxes.  Your parish community will be inspired and renewed each morning with a short video from the professors at the Augustine Institute. 

Opening the Word (Weekly Reflection on the Sunday readings) Opening the Word is complete with video reflection and discussion questions on the upcoming Sunday readings, to foster deep reflection as a group, as a family, and individually.  Instill in your parishioners a key “good habit” to preview Sunday readings as that day approaches, furthering their love for and contemplation of the Word. Personal prayer journals and leaders’ guides are also available. 

Religionless Spirituality (Audio) In this audio talk, renowned Scripture scholar and author Dr. Tim Gray addresses the “I’m spiritual but not religious” sentiment in American culture. Dr. Gray offers incredible insights that make clear the role of the Church as an essential part of God’s plan for salvation, sure to help those who have drifted from the Church or who love someone who has done so. This is an important message for your entire flock.  

Grieving with Great Hope  Grieving with Great Hope is a grief support program and a healing ministry that has helped thousands of people who are grieving the loss of a loved one. The five–part series comes with a Participant’s Workbook and a Leader Guide that walks leaders through the program from early planning, to preparation and implementation.  

Best Practices:   

  • Parish Care Support: For technical questions or concerns, the fastest way to a solution is to create a support ticket. You can also call 1-844-367-6331. Our fantastic Parish Care Support Team responds to every ticket and will get back to you during our regular hours of operation. 
  • FORMED Admin Tool: The FORMED Admin Tool is the way FORMED administrators can access and manage FORMED users, update payment information, and see key subscription information. Visit the FORMED Admin Page to get started.
  • FORMED Coaching: Schedule a free coaching session with our FORMED experts for you, your staff, ministry leaders, catechists, and most on-fire parishioners.  We will help you create an evangelization plan for the upcoming year.

Strengthen Your Staff and Parish Leaders:  

Introduce FORMED to your staff with these simple steps:   

  • Ask them to watch this 20–minute video tour of FORMED.
  • Ask them to spend some time exploring FORMED and the FORMED Leaders Site for resources specific for their ministry; then, share with you at least one resource they will use this month. 
  • Listen and discuss resources: either schedule time together with your staff to watch and discuss various studies and Lighthouse talks on FORMED, or ask people to listen on their own and share something they learned at the start of your staff meetings.

Be sure to share FORMED with your school principal and teachers if you are the canonical administrator. 

Strengthen Your Parish Community:  

 

Your excitement will be contagious.  Speak often from the pulpit about your personal recommendations.

  • Daily: Encourage your parish to register for our Daily Reflections.  
  • Weekly: Ask your bulletin editor to include FORMED’s Pick of the Week. In addition, include two to three sentences from the pulpit each week highlighting something on FORMED.  Finally, encourage parishioners to use OPENING THE WORD as a Sunday reading reflection series. 
  • Monthly: Light a fire within your parish from the pulpit by regularly suggesting an audio on formed.org. Lighthouse talks, audiobooks, and audio dramas resonate with those who are busy but can listen while driving, exercising, or working around the house.   
  • Yearly: Catholics tend to be open to doing more work on their faith lives during Advent and Lent.  This is a great time to offer a parish-wide study or a weekly Lighthouse talk. Give them a path to follow and a shepherd to lead them. 
  • Sick/Homebound: Share FORMED with those who are sick or homebound.  Request donations to purchase Roku sticks that can be given to the homebound so they can watch the material on FORMED on their television sets.  
  • Parents: Encourage parents with resources such as:
  1. How To Keep Your Kids Catholic
  2. Reborn
  3. 7 Keys to Catholic Parenting
  4. Motherhood Matters
  5. Pure Fatherhood
  6. Protecting Innocence 
  7. Pass it On

Use these letters to announce your parish’s FORMED subscription: Letter from the Pastor to Parishioners (English / Español)

Strengthen Yourself as a Pastor:  

Let the resources on FORMED encourage and uplift you.  Not only will you grow in faith and holiness, but your enthusiasm will overflow to your parishioners.

  • Movies: Watch movies about inspiring priests, such as St Andre of Montreal, Don Bosco, The Story of Father Kapaun, and more. 
  • Audio Books and Lighthouse Talks: Use time in the car to listen to audio talks while driving around your community or when out on visits to the sick or homebound.  
  • Play FORMED videos on your T.V. — An inexpensive Roku stick allows you to watch FORMED on the big screen. Tutorial Video. 
  • Pray the Novena of Surrender To Jesus:  Jesus reminds us that a thousand prayers cannot equal one single act of surrender, summed up in “O Jesus, I surrender myself to You, take care of everything!” 

Webinar:  

Testimonials:

 

 

 

 

 

Forgiven Video Testimonial

Tina Gregory, CA

“I would encourage any pastor who wants to impart within his people a greater reverence and love for the Mass to use Lectio: Eucharist as a parish-wide study.”

Fr. Brian Geary, IL

“After watching this session [Presence] and receiving the Eucharist this morning, I am strengthened to help the world see Christ through me. I must live as a testimony to God’s glory so that others will be moved by your grace, Jesus, to share in the faith. I must become a living witness in my family, in my work, and in my mission!”

Fr. McCarthy, CA

“Very well done [Presence]. I’m so grateful the Holy Spirit has led us to this. I will share this with other parishes, but also with local Catholic high schools, their faculties, and with the local communities of religious sisters, brothers, and priests. Thank you!”

Rev. Gene Vavrick, NJ

“It [Forgiven] lays out clearly what Confession offers and reminds us of how much God desires to love us and forgive our sins to help us love him back.

Fr. Mark, WI

“[Forgiven is] a great series for Lent.”

Fr. James, NY

What’s Your Story?

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