September 30, 2026

By Darcy Fargo
Editor

An Oct. 17 LEAD event is intended to assist parishes in improving the ways they help others “Journey with Christ.”

Hosted by the Diocese of Ogdensburg, the workshop will be held at Church of the Visitation in Norfolk from 9:15 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. The presenter is Dr. Steven Serafin of Faith and Family Life Catholic Ministries.

Kristin Healt, assistant superintendent for Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Ogdensburg, said she Catherine Russell, program coordinator for Formation for Ministry, first heard Dr. Serafin speak after Sister Ellen Rose Coughlin, a Sister of St. Joseph and diocesan superintendent of Schools and director of Faith Formation, gave them the opportunity to attend a workshop he gave in the Diocese of Syracuse.

“We came back with an idea of how each parish could build a team to support families on their faith journey and collaborate with each other for sustainable and effective ministry,” Healt said. “The goal is to catechize based on Jesus’ own model in the story of the road to Emmaus. In churches all over, there are gaps in ministry between sacraments where we often lose people. The idea is to support everyone on their journey to know Christ from birth to death. This model focuses on people, process and program all working together to get people to Heaven.”

Dr. Serafin the goal is to discuss concrete steps parishes and individuals can take to improve lifelong accompaniment on the “Journey with Christ.”

“The Churh has advocated for a particular recipe for faith formation, but it’s talked about mostly at the 10,000-foot view,” said Dr. Serafin. “I’ve found it’s really helpful to take the ingredients and put them all together at the local level, and to show people they’re not alone in what they’re trying to do and that we can collaborate and learn from each other.”

Dr. Serafin said he became familiar with Faith and Family Life Catholic Ministries as he looked to improve faith formation in his own parish.

“I was a user of resources initially,” he said. “I was trying to build a lifelong model for my parish. I felt like the formation we were doing was missing the home component – people feeling comfortable sharing their faith and talking about their faith in the home. Once kids get older and finish their sacramental programs, there’s nothing to follow up with them, and a lot of people faded out. Father Tim Donovan, a priest of the Diocese of Orange, and Pam Hurwitz, also in the Diocese of Orange, were putting a lot of time, energy and effort into developing resources to engage married couples, young families, the formation years and adults. Two years ago, Father Tim asked me to come on board.”

At the workshop in Norfolk, Dr. Serafin said participants can expect to discuss “key ingredients for working with adults and building intentionality into ministry. We want to meet families where they are and help lead them to deeper understanding of the faith.”

While Faith and Family Life Catholic Ministries offers resources to help parishes, Dr. Serafin said the workshop will give participants time to create a plan specific to their location.

“We work with 165 parishes, and the number one thing I’ve found is that it’s rolled out at every parish slightly differently,” he said. “Each parish has different staff, a different team, a different space. We give people a space and resources for brainstorming, and we’re here to accompany parishes after the fact in figuring out what works for them and how to put it into practice and by offering resources to help them.”

Anita Soltero, diocesan associate director of Faith Formation, said the workshop is intended for anyone involved in helping others grow in faith.

“Pastors, parish catechetical leaders, catechists, deacons, youth ministers, OCIA directors, commissioned lay ministers and all who care about faith formation or are involved in faith formation including all sacramental preparation for confirmation, baptism and marriage,” Soltero said, describing the target audience for the Oct. 17 event. “Adult faith facilitators running adult programs are invited to attend, and we are also inviting members of the Living Stones Planning Committee to join us.

“Dr. Steven Serafin will offer practical insights, encouragement, and parish-based strategies for creating formation opportunities that are welcoming, connected and mission-focused. With most of our PCAs – Pastoral Care Areas – now in place with one pastor for three or more churches, it is critical that strategies for bringing these congregations together be developed and implemented. Dr. Serafin will provide the strategy and guidelines for developing parish teams to accomplish this.”

Dr. Serafin encouraged parishes to send multiple representatives who could work together on a team or to send individuals who could report back with their learnings and help create a team.

“We all have a shared mission,” he said. “Gathering and having conversations about our shared mission is helpful. One person can come and take the message back, or a parish can send a group to work collaboratively. The Spirit is clearly working in the world right now, and there’s excitement and curiosity about people coming back to the Church. This is an opportunity to speak with like-minded people, work collaboratively and develop a support system as people wrestling with how to serve during this influx of curiosity effectively. We need to learn from each other, and it’s nice to not feel alone on this journey. Christ never sent his apostles out as individuals by themselves. He sent them in twos and with a community of support.”

To register for “Journey with Christ,” go to www.rcdony.org/journey. For more information contact Soltero at asoltero@rcdony.org or 518-310-3669.