The home is the first and primary place where faith is learned and lived. The Catholic Church in her teaching refers to the family as the "Domestic Church" (Ecclesia domestica). In this regard, Pope St. John Paul II beautifully said: “Catholic parents must learn to form their family as a ‘domestic church’, a church in the home as it were, where God is honoured, his law is respected, prayer is a normal event, virtue is transmitted by word and example, and everyone shares the hopes, the problems and sufferings of everyone else.”

 

As a parish we are stepping into intentionally forming our young families to truly make the home the domestic church; a place where disciples are indeed formed. We are therefore going to begin a process of accompanying our young families to equip them to live this out. We will be using a process which a few parishes in our country are currently using called which is called Growing in Faith Together (GIFT).

 

GIFT is also a pathway to preparing children for their First Confession (Reconciliation) and First Holy Communion. Therefore, every family in the parish with a child aged zero to eleven are to be part of this process, not only because of its immense benefit but it will be the only way through which their child can prepare for the reception the two Sacraments mentioned above. Families whose children have already received the Sacraments are not left out of GIFT. It is for every young family in the parish.

 

As a family journeys in GIFT, the GIFT Team (which is composed of catechists and the priest) will discern the readiness of the child for the Sacraments. If both parties think the child is ready, he/she will have a more focussed First Confession and Holy Communion catechesis which is parent-led in preparation for the reception of the Sacraments. Also, a child receives the Sacraments as and when he/she is ready rather than the previous annual large group celebration of First Holy Communion.

 

GIFT entails monthly sessions of parents and children together with the GIFT Team. The team accompanies the families in between sessions. In discussion with some of the parents of the parish it has been proposed that the monthly meetings alternate between Saturday mornings and Sundays after the 10:30am Mass. Each session starts with Mass, followed by refreshments and formation which includes the GIFT Team delivering a short catechesis and each family working together as a unit. We gather to celebrate, learn and worship.

 

The first session will be on Saturday, 31st January 2026 from 10am to 12 noon. Future dates will be published soon. In the coming weeks, there will be more communication on GIFT but please feel free to speak to me if you require any further information or clarity.

 

As hinted above, I have spoken to more than half of the families of the parish, and they are positive and excited about GIFT. One of my own personal excitements about this apart from those benefits enunciated above is that it will create and strengthen the community of our parish families. Let us all contribute our part to make this fruitful.

 

Yours in Christ, Father Joe Owusu-Ansah (Parish Priest)