MORRISTOWN As the Diocese continues its mission to evangelize, technology is providing new ways of spreading the Gospel message. And the new evangelization is embracing technology in all its forms.
There are a growing number of parishes in the Diocese that have embraced the technology for evangelization offered by FORMED, a web library with movies, audio, books and programs with leader guides and videos. The content is available on-demand for computers, smart phones and tablets and the website can be viewed on televisions when connected to these devices. FORMED is an Augustine Institute Production and also features faith-based programming for children and also offers programs in Spanish.
Several parishes in the Paterson Diocese are subscribed to FORMED using the website for its religious education and faith formation programs. It also is available for parishioners to use for their personal faith enrichment.
At Assumption Parish here, many parishioners have been navigating through for two years. “FORMED is a wonderful website that has been called a ‘Catholic Netflix,’ ” Msgr. John Hart, pastor, said. “Our parish invested in FORMED so that each of us might grow in our relationship with Jesus Christ and in our desire to share our faith with others, especially those closest to us.”
Parishioners can prepare for Mass each week by watching an insightful five-minute video on the Sunday readings, enjoy movies as a family that are both faith-filled and entertaining, and they can help children grow in faith and character through engaging children’s materials.
Msgr. Hart said, “It’s very worthwhile. There are many great Catholic movies, including many on the saints such as St. Francis of Assisi and St. Theresa of Calcutta.
St. Mary Parish in Dover started using FORMED when the parish was seeking to revamp its RCIA program. The parish presented “Symbolon: Knowing the Faith,” which explains the essentials of the Catholic Church. Presented in 10 sessions, some were about the journey of faith, the Bible, the mystery of Jesus’ death and resurrection and the Holy Spirit.
SOLT Father Derek Anderson, pastor of St. Mary’s, said, “We began using Symbolon last year for our RCIA as an evangelization tool. We had people from our RCIA classes attend all 20 sessions and they showed up again for classes this year because they got so much out of it and they wanted to learn even more about the faith. There’s a hunger for getting to know the faith out there.”
Following a successful year using FORMED with its RCIA program, St. Mary’s has developed and expanded its faith formation program hosting sessions on the Bible and the Blessed Mother. More than 70 people attended the first faith formation class and during the summer on average 55 people would attend faith formation sessions to enrich their faith.
St. Mary’s has also reached out to its parents with children in its religious education classes through “Symbolon” to help the parents get more knowledge about the faith and assist in their child’s faith journey in addition to their own. The parish also plans to engage married couples with “Beloved,” a marriage enrichment program and “Reborn,” a program for parents preparing for their child’s baptism. “Catholicism,” a popular video series by Auxiliary Bishop Robert Barron of Los Angeles, is also available on FORMED, which is being used by many parishes of the diocese through the DVD series.
Father Anderson said, “People have been really surprised by FORMED. We found something that works for us. There has been a lot of excitement for the sessions with people coming to the meetings early and asking if they can help set up. Some people bring brownies to share. The people find themselves growing intellectually in their faith and a lot of their questions are being answered.”
Cheryl Avery, a parish consultant and servant leader for FORMED, teaches religious education at St. Francis de Sales Parish in the McAfee section of Vernon, where she is a parishioner. The Sussex County parish has also used FORMED in its religious education and faith formation programs.
“Pope Francis reminded us not to be afraid of technology and we have to be where the people are in order to evangelize the faith,” she said.
A parish subscription is $1,680 for the year, which offers unlimited access to 100s of Catholic movies, books, talks and programs at the parish or at a parishioner’s home or mobile devices. While the cost may be a concern for some parishes, Father Anderson said, “We’ve been blessed to have couples and families donate to have FORMED available for the community. They’ve seen that it’s something worthwhile to have in the parish and have donated to make it available again.”
Anyone interested in learning more about FORMED can contact Avery. “FORMED is meant for every person in the parish,” she said. “It is meant for people to watch at home, on their smart TVs, computers, smart devices, phones. It is also meant to be used for parish programs, adult catechesis/faith formation, RCIA, for parents and teachers of religious education, in short, it’s for everyone. You could have a family movie night or a discussion group before or after Mass.”
Father Anderson said, “Parishioners and those who are learning about the faith see that it’s worth their time and are growing close to each other. Our RCIA candidates are being prepared to enter into our parish community. They are getting to know one another and the sacraments they are about to receive. FORMED has been a great way to evangelize the faith.”
[Information: Cheryl Avery, (973) 670-8550, or [email protected].]