Adult Faith Formation
The following sacramental programs and adult education opportunities are offered at St. Peter’s throughout the year and we welcome you as participants.

Programs:
St. Peter's Church offers the Adult Faith Formation programs outlined below. Contact the Religious Education Center (REC) for additional information at 301/898-5111.

Catholics Coming Home:
God really touches our lives when we touch the lives of one another.  Many of you have prayed for those who are struggling to find a place in the Church today. We need your prayers – and also your help.
You are invited to tell us of friends, neighbors, or family members who no longer practice the Catholic Faith and who you think we might reach out to and gently welcome back to the Church. We will send them an invitation to our Welcome Back sessions beginning the week of
January 15, 2007 that they may feel God touching their lives through St. Peter’s Church community. Use the form or contact Carolyn at 301-898-5111x14

Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA):
We welcome your inquiries about the Roman Catholic faith. RCIA is the ancient practice of the Church by which non-baptized adults (catechumens), after proper instruction and formation, are fully initiated into the Catholic Church through the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and eucharist. Adults previously baptized in other Christian churches (candidates) are received into the Catholic Church through the sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist. Catechumens and candidates attend instructional sessions that are conducted every Tuesday evening (7-9 pm) from September through April. After proper periods of formation and discernment, adults are initiated and received into the Church during the Easter Vigil. After Easter and until September, we conduct monthly gatherings or Bereshet Nights for interested guests to present their questions about RCIA and the Catholic way of life. All are cordially invited to attend these monthly informal gatherings!

Adult Faith Formation:
Opportunities are available throughout the year for adults to enrich their faith journey. We focus on contemporary issues to enhance the lives of Catholics living in the U.S. in the following areas: spirituality and prayer, liturgy, sacraments, medical ethics, church history, morality, parenting skills, etc. Parishioners are encouraged to contact the adult education coordinator to suggest topics of interest for future events.

Baptismal Preparation for Parents:
As a community of faith, we celebrate the newest arrival to your family. Parents desiring to have their child(ren) under five years of age baptized are required to attend a preparation class which is conducted on the second Thursday of each month from 7-8:30 pm in the Birch Library (located in the Parish Office building). Parents with children ages five and older desiring baptism should contact the Coordinator of Children’s Faith Formation.

Guidelines for selecting a godparent: You need one Catholic godparent who celebrated Confirmation; is at least 16 years of age, and is practicing the faith (attending liturgy each week and receiving the sacraments).

Celebrating the Baptism – Communal baptisms are held on the second and fourth Sundays of each month at 1 pm in the Church OR you may celebrate baptism at any of the weekend liturgies. In either case, call the parish office to register for preparation classes and to select the date of the baptism.

Marriage Preparation (Pre-Cana):
Congratulations on your engagement! Couples planning to marry should contact the officiating minister at least six months prior to the ceremony. Marriage preparation is required for all couples and is conducted here at St. Peter’s four times a year: February, April, September, and November. Sessions are conducted for 2.5 hours each week for four weeks. Couples are required to participate in the Facilitating Open Couple Communications, Understanding & Study Survey (FOCCUS) which is scheduled three weeks prior to the start of the monthly Pre-Cana Sessions. FOCCUS results are discussed between the engaged couple and the officiating minister in order to promote open conversation on various topics that envelop the couple. Registration deadline is two weeks prior to the start of the monthly Pre-Cana sessions. To pre-register online for Pre-Cana, click here.

Early Years Together:
This is a unique opportunity for couples married five years or less to gather in a warm and comfy environment to discuss topics of great interest to newlyweds. Refining communication skills, learning to live well together, and nurturing their faith is what this group sees as their goal. Lots of fun, discussion, and fellowship with other couples are promised if you choose to be a part of this gathering of couples living out their early years together.

Adult Confirmation:
Adult Confirmation is celebrated by the Archdiocese in May and November of each year. The bishop reserves the privilege of confirming adults who have been catechized, but opted to defer their confirmation. If you have completed your catechetical formation and would like to be prepared to celebrate the sacrament of Confirmation, please call the REC. 

Catholic Apologetics:
St. Peter's offers this course in the fall as a way to help Catholics explain their faith to others.  It covers such topics as Scripture, Tradition, Church History, Papacy, Mary and the Saints, Sacraments, Salvation, Grace, Eternity, Reformation and Liturgy.  This course requires significant reading, but is well worth the effort.

Refreshe:
Are you looking for a way to update your understanding of the Catholic faith? Come and "refreshe" yourself and your faith as like-minded adults gather on Monday mornings at 9 AM or Thursday evenings at 7 PM. We have fun, we listen to each other, and we learn about the faith that we all profess.  Plans for the fall include studying the DaVinci Code from a Catholic perspective.

New Horizons:
Our parish’s retirees (or retiree wannabees) gather on the third Thursday of every month in Sullivan Hall for business meetings, lunch, then fun and games. At these meetings, we plan future social, spiritual, and educational opportunities for the group to enjoy. We welcome new members at all times, and invite you to come along and bring a friend. Only requirement is that you be retired or yearn to be retired. Come and explore the new horizons that wait you as members of this fun and friendly group.

Mom's Group:
Mother's with small children gather or Bible study and fellowship.  Group meetings are on the first and third Thursday of each month.  Babysitting is available.  Class size is limited.

Holy Grounds Catholic Coffeehouse:
Where do adult Catholics go to relax with friends, maybe hear and engaging speaker, and enjoy coffee and desserts? We’ve got just the thing for you! Holy Grounds meets several times a year at St. Peter’s. Leave the stress of the workweek behind and join us on a Friday night from 7-10 PM. As you enter the gathering space, smell the brewing coffees and teas and enjoy a cup accompanied by a variety of delicious gourmet desserts. As you interact with your friends, you will be treated to a presentation by a dynamic speaker dealing with timely topics related to Catholicism. After the speaker, next comes the FUN! We have live musicians to entertain you for the remainder of the evening.

Spiritual Direction:
St. Peter's Parish is blessed to have a healthy spiritual direction program. Enjoy a healthy journey to renewed spiritual well-being with the help of our spiritual directors. To learn more about our spiritual directors, click here.