September Faith Formation Newsletter
September 20:
Catechetical Sunday
The Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis has selected the image below to accompany the 2026 theme, in recognition of the Jubilee Year of St. Francis. Catechetical Sunday is scheduled for September 20.
Poster, prayer cards are available to purchase from official distributors Ascension Press and Our Sunday Visitor soon. The cards will also be available for free download on the USCCB webpage.
Poster, prayer cards are available to purchase from official distributors Ascension Press and Our Sunday Visitor soon. The cards will also be available for free download on the USCCB webpage.
October 6:
Year of St. Francis Pilgrimage
During the year of St. Francis, we are visiting the diocesan pilgrimage sites and DREs/Parish Leaders are invited! Join us on October 6 at 10:30 a.m. for a pilgrimage to St. Francis Church in Rockwell City (Our Lady of the Plains Parish). This will be at time for prayer, adoration, confession and reflection from Father Ross Caniglia.
Please RSVP ashleyk@scdiocese.org (with any dietary restrictions) so we have a head count for lunch.
Please RSVP ashleyk@scdiocese.org (with any dietary restrictions) so we have a head count for lunch.
October 18:
Pearl & Thistle Prep Class in Boone
Mother/Daughter Regional Workshops
The Office of Faith Formation is hosting Cycle Prep workshops for girls 9-11 and their mothers. Cycle Prep is a body-positive workshop rooted in the Catholic Church’s teachings on human dignity, designed to help girls aged 9–11 understand and respect their changing bodies. Created by Pearl & Thistle, Cycle Prep teaches body literacy through the lens of the Church's teachings on human dignity. Registration is $25 per daughter (mothers/guardians attend free) to cover materials. All are welcome to register!
Ascension Parish, Boone
October 18, 11:30 a.m.
The Office of Faith Formation is hosting Cycle Prep workshops for girls 9-11 and their mothers. Cycle Prep is a body-positive workshop rooted in the Catholic Church’s teachings on human dignity, designed to help girls aged 9–11 understand and respect their changing bodies. Created by Pearl & Thistle, Cycle Prep teaches body literacy through the lens of the Church's teachings on human dignity. Registration is $25 per daughter (mothers/guardians attend free) to cover materials. All are welcome to register!
Ascension Parish, Boone
October 18, 11:30 a.m.
October 22:
Marriage Ministry Dinner
Come join us on October 22, 2026, at Holy Name Catholic Parish in Marcus, for the next marriage ministry gathering. Father David Esquiliano will discuss details in accompanying Hispanic couples as they prepare for marriage. This will include topics such as obtaining and completing necessary paperwork, liturgical planning, cultural norms, preparing civilly married couples, and NFP options. If you have other questions you would like covered, please let us know!
The event, which will run from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and will include dinner, is for clergy and laity involved in preparing engaged couples for marriage.
Please RSVP by emailing Delores Huemiller at deloresh@scdiocese.org.
Photo by: A Moment Forever
November 1:
Called Youth Conference
Save the date for this year's Called Youth Conference on November 1 at St. Joseph's Parish in Granville. This year's theme is Called to be Holy with Jon Konz serving as the keynote speaker and musician. Bishop Keehner will celebrate Mass. The conference will include breakout sessions, a service project, games, and much more! Registration coming soon.
November 14:
Women's Gathering
The 2026 Women’s Gathering will take place on Saturday, November 14, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at St. Edmond Catholic School in Fort Dodge. The day will include keynotes, adoration, confession, small groups, and vendors.
This year’s theme, "I will give you rest" is based on the Scripture verse from Matthew 11:28. Meg Hunter Kilmer, campus minister at the University of Notre Dame and presenter at the National Eucharistic Congress, will be the keynote speaker.
This year’s theme, "I will give you rest" is based on the Scripture verse from Matthew 11:28. Meg Hunter Kilmer, campus minister at the University of Notre Dame and presenter at the National Eucharistic Congress, will be the keynote speaker.
November 15:
Pearl & Thistle Prep Class in Humbodlt
Mother/Daughter Regional Workshops
The Office of Faith Formation is hosting Cycle Prep workshops for girls 9-11 and their mothers. Cycle Prep is a body-positive workshop rooted in the Catholic Church’s teachings on human dignity, designed to help girls aged 9–11 understand and respect their changing bodies. Created by Pearl & Thistle, Cycle Prep teaches body literacy through the lens of the Church's teachings on human dignity. Registration is $25 per daughter (mothers/guardians attend free) to cover materials. All are welcome to register!
St. Mary Parish, Humboldt:
November 15, 2026, 1 p.m.
The Office of Faith Formation is hosting Cycle Prep workshops for girls 9-11 and their mothers. Cycle Prep is a body-positive workshop rooted in the Catholic Church’s teachings on human dignity, designed to help girls aged 9–11 understand and respect their changing bodies. Created by Pearl & Thistle, Cycle Prep teaches body literacy through the lens of the Church's teachings on human dignity. Registration is $25 per daughter (mothers/guardians attend free) to cover materials. All are welcome to register!
St. Mary Parish, Humboldt:
November 15, 2026, 1 p.m.
News and Resources
September Resource
To assist with efforts towards offering a year-round approach to Christian Initiation, we have created a tracking sheet to mark attendance for catechetical sessions. The topics listed align with the resource Catechetical Sessions for the Catechumenate from LTP, but the sheet can be copied and edited to include topics from any curriculum.
The OCIA folder has everything you need!
Previous months' resources are here!
The OCIA folder has everything you need!
Previous months' resources are here!
Pastoral Letter Study
The Office of Faith Formation is offering study materials to accompany the reading of Bishop Keehner’s recent Pastoral Letter, Sic Deus Dilexit Mundum, God So Loved the World.
These materials can be used by individuals or by groups as they reflect upon themes from the letter.
Year of St. Francis Lessons
To help celebrate the Franciscan Jubilee Year, the Office of Faith Formation has created St. Francis of Assisi themed lesson plans for elementary through high school students. Consider taking some time during the Faith Formation year to help students learn about this holy saint and powerful witness to the Christian faith.
Encouragement Posters
The Encouragement Cards include a QR code that sends people to this page of the website where they can find resources for a variety of pastoral needs. These discreet cards can be given to individuals at your parish as pastoral needs present themselves or in the confessional. The information is also available in a poster format by clicking the link below
The attached resource from the PWPN highlights many opportunities that may be of interest to you and your parish staff.
These resources include:
The Pope Video, featuring Pope Leo XIV leading the faithful in prayer for his monthly intentions, materials to help deepen devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, young adult retreats, and leadership formation programs.
These resources include:
The Pope Video, featuring Pope Leo XIV leading the faithful in prayer for his monthly intentions, materials to help deepen devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, young adult retreats, and leadership formation programs.
Catholic Heart Workcamp
2027 summer season
At Catholic HEART Workcamp, they offer a variety of mission trip experiences designed to give your youth group a safe and uplifting environment. Wherever you serve, participants will grow spiritually, make a real difference in the community and connect with other young Catholics from across the country.
Registration opens September 30th!
Missionary Childhood Association
On behalf of Father Stoll:
I recently received materials from MCA regarding the upcoming beautification of Archbishop Fulton Sheen and on the World Mission Rosary. The beautification of Archbishop Fulton Sheen is important to MCA due to his service of the national director of The Pontifical Mission Societies - USA from 1950 to 1966. This is the organization of which MCA operates. I’d like to highlight two of the materials from MCA:
I recently received materials from MCA regarding the upcoming beautification of Archbishop Fulton Sheen and on the World Mission Rosary. The beautification of Archbishop Fulton Sheen is important to MCA due to his service of the national director of The Pontifical Mission Societies - USA from 1950 to 1966. This is the organization of which MCA operates. I’d like to highlight two of the materials from MCA:
- The Mission Prayer Corner Worksheet -This activity helps teachers, catechists, and students set up a World Mission prayer corner in the classroom or other location.
- The World Mission Rosary - Week of the Sheen Beautification in which MCA is asking for volunteer classrooms to lead and/or to join in praying the World Mission Rosary on September 21 and/or September 22 and/or September 23.
MCA resources located on left side column at the bottom under "DOCUMENTS-MCA"
Safe Environment Brochure
DREs are asked to report numbers of parents who reviewed the Safe Environment brochure during the 2025-26 school year to Dan Ellis (DanE@scdiocese.org). He can assist with any questions.Safe Environment announces new VIRTUS training refresher:
Keeping the Promise Alive 4.0 is a new refresher course that Virtus.org has developed for existing users to watch online, and which will give them an update to their original Protecting God’s Children training. The mandatory Keeping the Promise Alive online training will launch in early August and will be accessible when users log into their Virtus account.For questions, please contact Dan Ellis: dane@scdiocese.org
Curricula Feedback Form
We want to make sure we’re supporting you and other parishes as effectively as possible! We have received requests to put together a database to collect DRE feedback regarding various curriculums, resources or programs you use for faith formation. This information can be accessed by DREs on our shared drive. If you would like to add from your own experience and insights, please take a moment to fill out this form.
Institute of the Transfiguration presents:
Fath Timothy Gallaher, OMV
The Archdiocese of Dubuque’s Institute of the Transfiguration is hosting a public event on Friday, November 13 with renowned author and speaker on the spiritual life, Father Timothy Gallagher, OMV. The evening will include prayer, a presentation with Q&A, and a social with food and beverages. It will take place from 6-8:30 p.m. at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Hiawatha, Iowa (Cedar Rapids area).
Back to School Pinterest Board
Take a look at our back to school Pinterest board
Faith Formation/Religious Education photos needed! Lumen Media would like to have photos from Faith Formation/Religious Education sessions and activities to use in stories, social media, development office content and even videos. We love photos of students (and catechists) in action versus rows and lines of students. If you snap some great photos during the year, send to us at news@scdiocese.org or text to (712) 299-6594. We truly appreciate your photos.
Useful Links
