Faith Formation

Our three neighboring parishes (Sacred Heart in Robbinsdale, St. Raphael in Crystal, and Good Shepherd in Golden Valley) are starting a new youth and faith formation partnership with weekly events on Wednesday night for Elementary faith formation and Middle School.  See the buttons below to register.  

Good Shepherd in Golden Valley will be hosting all of the weekly Wednesday events. It is located just 9 minutes south of Sacred Heart Parish and 10 minutes south of Saint Raphael Parish at 145 Jersey Ave. S. in Golden Valley. Both Sacred Heart and Saint Raphael will be hosting other aspects of Youth Ministry, including Core Team and other events on different nights, so stay tuned.

A Team Approach: Fr. Bryan J.B. Pedersen, Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish and Katie Kruc, the new director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry at Sacred Heart will be on-site at Good Shepherd each week, along with Fr. Nick Hagen, Joseph Turner, and Pam Gagnon of St. Raphael Parish, and Fr. Ben Wittnebel and Brady Tynen of Good Shepherd Parish.

Morgan Leisgang will be coordinating Sacramental Preparation for Penance and Eucharist for Sacred Heart Parish, teaching Confirmation for students in 8th grade at Sacred Heart Catholic School, teaching Middle School Religion at Sacred Heart Catholic School, and continuing her work with our growing Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program, which is available to students ages 4, 5, and 6, in Sacred Heart Catholic School, and also for Home School Students.

Also joining the team will be catechists for grades 1 - 5, and small group leaders for Middle School and Confirmation. If you are interested in assisting in these see the buttons below.

Wednesday Nights will feature:

• Youth Group for all middle schoolers (6, 7, 8) in Catholic Parochial School, Public School, & Home School. Those in High School are also welcome, this includes fellowship, faith formation, and catechesis.
  • Begins Wednesday September 18, 2024
  • Open Gym and Free Time with Friends 
    • 5:30-6:10pm
  • Programming 6:15pm to 7:30pm 
• Confirmation Preparation for those in 8th Grade or those who are older who have yet to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. More information forthcoming.
  • For those seeking Confirmation attendance at Youth Group will be required on Select Wednesday Nights. Schedule Forthcoming.
• Elementary Faith Formation and catechesis for 1st - 5th graders for those in public schools, and for those who Home School.  We will be utilizing Spirit of Truth Parish Edition as our textbooks. Our goal is to have individual sections for each grade level. Coming together in this partnership should allow for this.
  • Begins Wednesday September 25, 2024
    • 6:15-7:30 pm.
  • Pam Gagnon of St. Raphael Parish will be serving as overall coordinator of this element of the Wednesday Night program.
• First Sacraments Preparation (First Penance and Reconciliation, and First Holy Communion)
  • Each Parish will have its own First Communion at their respective parish.
  • Those from Sacred Heart in Public School or Home School participate in Wednesday night classes at Good Shepherd with the 2nd Grade Catechist unless other arrangements are made with Fr. Pedersen.
  • Morgan Leisgang of Sacred Heart will coordinate some additional formation events for parents and students of Sacred Heart Catholic School and parents and students of Sacred Heart in Public School or Home School at various times during the academic year including a retreat day just prior to First Holy Communion at Sacred Heart.
• Core Team invitational leadership opportunity for High School catechists and youth group leaders. More on Core Team for High School aged students will be forthcoming.

To sign up, please click on the corresponding link below. Click all that apply if you have multiple children. You will receive an email with the full registration form. We are also looking for Adult and Teen Catechists, so also click on those links to get more information.

Questions: See the Team Member bios below. An email address for each member of the Team is provided. Click on the name of the Team Member for the email address. 

Wednesday Nights are held at Good Shepherd - 145 Jersey Ave S. Golden Valley.

Programming is from 6:15 to 7:30pm. 

Doors open at 5:30pm with differing options depending on grade level

5:30 to 6:10pm

• Open Gym (Middle & High School only)
• Free Time with Friends (Middle & High School only)
• Board Games with Friends (Grade 1-5)
• Snack Bar for all in the Social Hall
• Prayer & Confession Adoration of the Lord in the Tabernacle & the Sacrament of Penance available for all in the Church

Theme: This year's Youth Group theme is Living Joy. Christian Joy is uniquely different from the world's. Discover how. Bring a friend from school. They don't have to be from our parish and they don't have to be Catholic.

List of dates for Middle School Youth Group:

9/18 (Middle School only)

9/25

10/2 (Gratitude)

10/9 (Silence)

No Session Week of MEA

10/23

10/30 (Love Yourself)

11/6

11/13 (Have Fun)

11/20

No session before Thanksgiving 

12/4 (Engage your Body)

12/11

12/18 (Gaudeamus party)

No sessions during Christmas Break

1/8 (Spring Series Kickoff)

1/15 (Make Friends)

1/22

1/29 (Rest)

2/5

2/12 (Serve)

2/19

2/26 (Frame your Mind)

3/12

3/19 (Baptism)

3/26 (Eucharist)

No session Spring Break

4/9 (Death, Heaven, Hell)

No session Holy Week

No session Easter Week

4/30 (Confirmation)

5/7 (Vocations)

5/14 (Summer Sendoff)

List of dates for Faith Formaion (Grades 1-5):

9/25 Elementary Kick Off

10/2

10/9

No Class Week of MEA

10/23

10/30

11/6

11/13 - Adoration

11/20

No Class Before Thanksgiving

12/4

12/11 Advent Conf. 3-5

12/18

No Class Christmas Break

1/8

1/15

1/22

1/29

2/5

2/12

2/19

2/26

3/12

3/19 Stations of the Cross

3/26

No Class Spring Break

4/9 Lent Conf. 2-5

No Class Holy Week

No Class Easter Octave

4/30

5/7

5/14

5/21 End of Year Party