GIFT (Growing in Faith Together) is an exciting way of supporting families to engage with their faith. Whether you are already engaged with your faith and the Church, looking for a way to become more engaged or seeking the sacraments for your child, GIFT is for you. Encouraging you to pray, talk about faith issues, and have more family time together is good, but we believe it is not enough.

We want to provide a place for you to learn what engaging with your faith actually looks like and then give you the opportunity to do it!

As parents, when your child is baptised, you agree confidently to accept the responsibility of training him/her in the practice of the Catholic faith. The Church has always maintained that catechesis, the passing on of faith, is the primary responsibility of parents. As your parish  family, we are here to work with, support and encourage you in this long-term process.

We can’t pass on what we don’t have!

The Church recognises that for many people, catechesis often ended when they were children. We all need help to understand our faith better and grow in our relationship with Jesus Christ. We can’t pass on what we don’t have! And all families are different. We know that many parents are not both Catholic and this too can be challenging.

How we can support you

We want to support you as a family to talk about faith issues and have more family time together. We want to provide a place for you to learn and engage with your faith.

How this works

Families are invited to come along on the second Saturday of each month at St Gerard’s school from 1.45 to 4.15pm. The sessions are  engaging, spirit-filled and fun, and they are for all the family! We will celebrate Mass, enjoy a time of fellowship and refreshment before sharing family friendly faith input followed by activities. Each month we will explore a different topic e.g. The Saints, Epiphany, Lent.

Who is GIFT for?

GIFT is for families with children aged between 5 and 11, whether you are already engaged with your faith and the Church, or seeking the sacraments for your child and you’re not yet as engaged as you would like to be. In reality, GIFT is for everyone aged 6 to 106!

The pathway to the sacraments

Engaging with GIFT will enable a family to discern when their child is ready to prepare for their First Holy Communion. We will no longer base readiness on a child reaching the age of 8 (Y3). When you, and we, feel your child is ready to receive the sacraments, we will support you with separate parent sessions and resources for you to prepare your children at home.