For years, directors of religious education programs have been restating what the Catholic Church teaches that parents are the primary educators of their children in matters of faith and morals. We as a church need to do a better job of supporting parents in this role. A "drop off" classroom model does not provide parents with the tools and resources they need to fulfill the role of primary educator. A family faith formation model empowers families to, together, deepen their relationship with God, live and learn their faith, share their faith stories, and strengthen their relationships within their families. The classroom model was developed at a different time and in a different cultural context belief and self-identification were default positions supported by the social norms. Now we are surrounded by a culture in which choosing to believe is more and more a revolutionary act. The option of belief needs to be made real by family and community relationships that offer examples of true Christian discipleship.

There are six parishes involved in the program in La Crosse; Blessed Sacrament, Cathedral, Holy Trinity, Mary, Mother of the Church, Roncalli Newman, and St. James the Less.