July 2015
Dear ABP Families,
In the coming academic year, you will note many important changes in the Arts Based Program. To begin, the
name of the program will now officially include the term “family” as in The Family Arts Based Program of
Faith Formation, or FABP. This makes explicit a core pillar of our methodology: to encourage and support the
process of religious education of the whole family by means of the participation of all (or most) family
members in the Program.
Practically speaking, the structure of the FABP will also be altered to more fully embrace the principle of
family education through full participation. Though structural changes are coherent with the Program’s
goals, they have acquired a certain degree of urgency in light of imminent changes within the Program’s
leadership team. By the end of the upcoming academic year most of the members of the current leadership
team will no longer be actively involved in its day-to-day operations (though we will remain members of the
Parish and available to continue to support the program as advisors).
For you, the parents of children enrolling in the 2015-2016 Family Arts Based Program, the changes we
propose will create opportunities for deepening your knowledge about your faith and for adding your voice
and skills to the process of transmitting your faith to your children. As a requirement to enroll your family
in the FABP we ask that at least one adult per family commits to participating in one of the Program’s three
Parent Teams, which includes the following responsibilities:
1. To be physically available to plan lessons or teach lessons on EIGHT pre-scheduled FABP sessions
(Sundays from 11-12:30pm). This commitment can be met by participating in two blocks of four
Sunday sessions distributed throughout the year
2. To deliver on the tasks for which you assume responsibility within your Parent Team
3. To commit your child/children to full attendance to the program (health reasons excused)
4. To commit to attending the FABP one-day Retreat (no overnight) at Boston College on Sunday,
October 18, 2015.
We recognize that this seems like a heavy load to your already very busy schedule. Yet, as we have promised
in the past, and have seen evidence of it time and time again, the rewards of full participation in the program
GREATLY outweigh its costs. We are in the process of organizing and making available to you materials that
will make the task of preparing FABP lessons easy and streamlined. Again, we anticipate that the
requirement of families’ participation will not go beyond eight FABP classes (divided into two blocks of four
sequential classes).
There will be many opportunities to discuss this new structure in more depth and to answer all your
questions and concerns before the year begins. We hope we can count on your support in this effort to
implement a sustainable long-term format for the FABP, one that does not rely on specific individuals but
that is embraced by the entire community.
Sincerely
Susan Stuart, Director of Faith Formation
langinst@bc.edu or 617-552-6105
Maria Rodrigues, FABP Teacher
mrodrigu@holycross.edu or 617-254-0086
Portia Durbin, FABP Teacher
durbinpc@comcast.net
Lydia Cunningham-Grehn, FABP Teacher
finallylyd@yahoo.com
St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish
28 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
CURRICULUM FOR THE FAMILIY ARTS BASED PROGRAM, 2015-2016
THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES & THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
September 20: Jesus’ Ascension
How did the Apostles feel once Jesus was no longer physically with them? What did they do or try to do?
October 4: The Apostles
What do you know about Jesus’ apostles (names, professions, stories)? Why was it important that the
apostles formed a community, traveled in pairs? How can you act as an apostle in your life?
October 18 – RETREAT: Pentecost: the gift of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit goes by many names and images. When you imagine the “Holy Spirit”, what images come to
mind? Have you ever felt the presence of the Holy Spirit? Have you ever prayed to the Holy Spirit? If you
change the image of God that you usually hold, does that change your relationship with God?
November 1: St. Peter, the Leader of the Church
Why is Peter considered the “rock”? Why did Jesus choose Peter? Peter denied Jesus 3 times when Jesus was
arrested by the Romans. Do you think Jesus regretted choosing him to be the foundation stone of His Church?
How do you think Peter felt when he was chosen to the foundation of the Church? How would you feel?
November 15: St. Peter’s Mission
What made the apostles so brave in their teachings? What other gifts of the Holy Spirit helped the apostles in
their work? Why doing the right thing sometimes gets one in trouble?
December 6: St. Paul’s Conversion
Who was Paul/Saul? When did Paul start believing in Jesus? Jesus asks Paul: “why are you hurting me”?
Why/how did Jesus feel hurt or persecuted by Paul? Why is Paul so important for the Church?
December 20: St. Paul’s Mission
Why does St. Paul think that Love/Charity is the most important feeling or Gift of the Holy Spirit? What does
this mean to you? Are you being able to put Love/charity first in your life?
January 24 and February 7: The Gifts of the Holy Spirit: AWE, REVERENCE & WISDOM – 1 & 2
How do you think people feel when their decision to follow Christ is questioned by their loved ones? Have
there been moments when you were not feeling quite right about something? Have you been able to depend
on the Holy Spirit to help you choose right?
What REALLY makes you happy and/or peaceful, calm? Does it make you happy and calm for a short or
really long time? Have you ever learned something that made you happy? Have you learned something about
God, Jesus, or the Church that has made you happy? Do you think that nuns and priests are happy? Why?
March 6 & 20: The Gifts of the Holy Spirit: TOLERANCE – 1 & 2
If you had to pick out the most important thing you did this week, what might it be? What acts of
charity/love have you done recently? In what ways may acts of charity/love change your life?
Can you think of a time when you were hurt? Did it affect the way you treat other people? Have you seen
someone hurting or in need? How did you feel (did you want to help him/her? No? Why not? Were you able
to help?) Is tolerance (that is, accepting people who is different from you) and charity the same thing?
April 3 and 17: The Gifts of the Holy Spirit: STRENGTH (courage) In what ways do Christians show strength (and courage)? Can you think of moments when you needed to
face a challenge or overcome a difficulty? How did you gather strength to do so? In what ways can we gather
strength to do what God expects from us?
May 1 and 15: Pentecost Re-visited: Going Forth with the Gifts of the Spirit