Lenten Resources

This Lent, why not let us do the heavy lifting and provide you with a plethora of resources from across the web to make your Lenten load a little lighter.

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Advent 2023

To help you and your families celebrate Advent well this year, we have put together the best resources we could find. We even categorized for an easy search.

ADVENT RESOURCES






Adult Confirmation Formation

If you are an adult (over 18) and a practicing Catholic who somehow missed Confirmation when you were younger, make plans to join us for a workshop to discover all you need to know to prepare to celebrate this great sacrament. This is a hybrid formation experience, with both online and face-to-face workshops offered in both English and Spanish. Follow the links below to learn more!

LEARN MORE  APRENDE MÁS

Welcome to The Institute for Catholic Formation

The Institute for Catholic Formation serves as the headquarters for formation for all those who serve in ministry in our families, parishes, and schools.

I am interested in:

Discover the many ways the Institute for Catholic Formation can help you learn, grow, and share your faith. Choose from one of our featured links or just browse the site to enter the journey from encounter to discipleship.

Becoming Catholic

Becoming a Catechist

Become a Mentor/Mentee

Funeral Norms and Resources

Getting Married

Serving as a New Reader or EMHC

Upcoming Events

Young Adult Events and Resources

 

A person is said to be fully initiated in the Catholic Church when s/he has received the three sacraments of Christian initiation, Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist. This is achieved through a process of preparation called the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults.

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We are grateful to all our catechists and want to offer them support, resources, and formation. To make sure the young people and adults in our communities are served by those who are well-formed, all those who wish to serve their parishes as catechists are required to enter into ongoing formation.

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For those who are already enrolled in LEAD, please use the log in button. 

The Catholic Bridge Mentorship Program connects Catholic professionals in Fairfield County with Young Adult parishioners seeking spiritual, life and career guidance.  Through this program, volunteer mentors from parishes across the Diocese serve as both guide and resource for their Young Adult mentees as they plan for their future. 

Become a Mentor

Become a Mentee

Learn More

 

From the beginning of the Church, Christian funeral rites and burial have been an important spiritual and pastoral practice. These resources are designed to introduce you to the revised funeral norms for the Diocese of Bridgeport, help a family plan a funeral, and discover related resources.

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Because Christian marriage is a sacrament, the Catholic Church wants couples to be well-prepared. In the Diocese of Bridgeport, some parishes offer their own formation. Others depend on the diocese. The diocesan marriage formation program offers preparation to help couples develop a better understanding of the sacrament; to evaluate and deepen their readiness to live a married life, and to gain insights into themselves as individuals and as a couple.

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Updated resources for Natural Family Planning are now available online. Read about the recommended methods and where you can find more information.

English

For those who are already enrolled in Marriage Formation, please use the LEAD log in button. 

Liturgical ministry is an excellent opportunity to fulfill your baptismal call of service to one another. An engaging liturgical celebration utilize the talents and gifts that God has given this community to the fullest extent. Whether participation is through “behind the scenes” preparation and planning or through a public role of service within the Mass, such as reader or Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion (EMHC), your participation brings life to our celebrations.

Liturgical Formation

For those who are already enrolled in LEAD, please use the log in button. 

Find all the great events and learning opportunities offered by the Institute for parish leaders, clergy, parents, and liturgical ministers. Sort by category, save the events to your calendars, sign up for our newsletter, and view previous webinars - all in one convenient place.

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To address this challenge of keeping young adults connected, the Diocesan Young Adult Council has launched Catholic203. Aptly named after the area code of Fairfield County, Catholic203 serves as a central hub connecting Catholic young adults with the communities that serve them.

On this page, we offer links to upcoming events, suggestions for your own formation, and more.

Check It Out


Adult Confirmation Formation

If you are an adult (over 18) and a practicing Catholic who somehow missed Confirmation when you were younger, make plans to join us for a workshop to discover all you need to know to prepare to celebrate this great sacrament. This is a hybrid formation experience, with both online and face-to-face workshops offered in both English and Spanish. Follow the links below to learn more!

LEARN MORE  APRENDE MÁS

Personal Consecration

January 9 – February 11, 2024

To Jesus through Mary: Join us as we encourage all young people in the Diocese of Bridgeport to spend thirty-three days in prayer, after which they will consecrate themselves to Jesus through Mary.

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Advent 2022

Check back each day for a new challenge for you and your family during Advent 2022.

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What's New at the Institute

How to use LEAD™

With LEAD™, the learning management system custom-built for the Church, the Diocese of Bridgeport and your parish offer on-demand enrichment courses, Zoom sessions, and in-person workshops to help you grow as a disciple of Christ.

About the Institute

Through a combination of online learning, face-to-face workshops, and independent study, the Institute offers creative opportunities for ministry personnel to learn more about the Catholic faith and discover new ways to shape the next generation of disciples in Fairfield County.

The ONE

Learn about Most Reverend Frank J. Caggiano's vision of Ecclesial Renewal through a culture of “evangelizing catechesis” in the Diocese of Bridgeport.

True Love That Lasts

What if you could grow the enjoyment and love between you and your spouse by asking one simple question each day? Join the True Love That Lasts Movement and enjoy its benefits - each and every day.

Catholic Chat

Introducing Catholic Chat - an AI web app for you and your family so you can engage with the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Ask it a question, ask it to give you a quiz. Ask anything about the teachings of the Catholic Church and see what happens.

Conversations on Race

Updated resources. Take a look at these great webinars and the resources curate to help in our journey to end the sin of racism.

The Family Bible Challenge

St. Jerome said, "Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ." What if we told you that your family could engage in Scripture in a way that never bores. Sign up for the FBC and receive a reflection every Sunday and a quiz every Thursday.

Laudato Si

After five years, what has your family or parish done to implement the Holy Father's challenge to care for creation? Learn more at our Laudato Si page.

The Face of Prayer

The Face of Prayer has shared more than 20 million prayers to date. Signing up is easy: text the word pray to 55778 and receive a new invitation to pray ever afternoon around 3 pm. Pause and pray. Every day.

The Catholic Bridge

Are you interested in participating in a diocesan-wide mentorship program? The Catholic Bridge is an opportunity for Catholic professionals in Fairfield County to share their skills and experience with Young Adults seeking life and career guidance.

Preparing Myself for Mass

How do I quiet my soul, clear my conscience, and prepare myself to worship with friends and family? Check out these great resources about how to prepare oneself for Mass and receiving the Eucharist.

New General Directory

The new Directory for Catechesis presents fundamental theological-pastoral principles for the ministry of catechesis while responding to current social conditions and cultural forces that shape the church’s communication of the Faith.

Guidelines for End of Life Decisions

We have a rich tradition of respecting life from the moment of conception to natural death. Let us surprise you with the Truth about what the Church teaches.

Fratelli Tutti

Pope Francis asks for recognition of the dignity of each person, in order to build a more just world. In his third encyclical, “Fratelli Tutti,” meaning “Brothers and Sisters All,” the pope compiles and categorizes the main proposals of the social discourses of his pontificate, in Rome and during his trips.

From The Field

Learn from musicians and ministers, confessors and counselors, parents and partners in ministry - all eager to share their thoughts and advice for how to improve our shared adventure of missionary discipleship.

Upcoming Events

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Mar 19
Parish Leader Check In #74
Every other week, parish faith formation leaders are invited to a half-hour online meeting to discuss upcoming events, learn more about what others are doing in their parishes, and brainstorm… Read More
Mar 23
Adult Confirmation Formation
If you are an adult (over 18) and a practicing Catholic who somehow missed Confirmation when you were younger, make plans to join us for a workshop to discover all… Read More
Mar 23
Formación para la Confirmación de Adultos - 23 de marzo
Si eres un adulto (mayor de 18 años) y un católico practicante que de alguna manera se perdió la Confirmación cuando era más joven, haz planes para unirte a nosotros… Read More
Apr 02
Parish Leader Check In #75
Every other week, parish faith formation leaders are invited to a half-hour online meeting to discuss upcoming events, learn more about what others are doing in their parishes, and brainstorm… Read More
Apr 12 - 14
Continuing the Journey - Youth Ministry Conference
A conference for all those that walk with the Young Church “Continuing the Journey” is our desire to offer a “national conference”, but on a local, regional scale. The goal… Read More
Apr 16
Parish Leader Check In #76
Every other week, parish faith formation leaders are invited to a half-hour online meeting to discuss upcoming events, learn more about what others are doing in their parishes, and brainstorm… Read More
Apr 20
How To Lead A Small Group
Small Groups Make The Difference One of the many ideas that Bishop Caggiano has been sharing in his regional conversations is the power of small groups. Indeed, it was small groups… Read More
Apr 30
Parish Leader Check In #77
Every other week, parish faith formation leaders are invited to a half-hour online meeting to discuss upcoming events, learn more about what others are doing in their parishes, and brainstorm… Read More