Donate

Donate
Click here

Office of Religious Education and Faith Formation

Home|Our Diocese|Office of Religious Education and Faith Formation

Our Diocese

Office of Development Contact Information:

P. O. Box 7417
Alexandria, LA 71303
Phone: (318) 445-2401, Ext. 209
Fax: (318) 448-6121

DRE Portal

Our Mission

The Office of Religious Education and Faith Formation works with all diocesan and parish ministries to further the diocesan mission of religious education and evangelization, specifically working closely and collaboratively with Pastoral Leadership, Office of Divine Worship, and all other diocesan programs associated with the development of faith formation. Through analyzing the catechetical needs of the Diocese, the office develops policies and procedures to assist parishes/Directors of Religious Education (DREs) with guidelines, evaluation, resources, and training to support in the shared ministry of evangelizing, catechizing, and educating to form life-long Disciples who will witness the love of God.

Baptism

Baptism is the first of three sacraments of initiation. Only to be received once, through Baptism one is received fully into the body…
Read More

John 3:3-7 “Jesus answered and said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a person once grown old be born again? Surely, he cannot reenter his mother’s womb and be born again, can he? “Jesus answered, “Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit What is born of flesh is flesh and what is born of spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I told you, ‘You must be born from above.’

Baptism is the first of three sacraments of initiation. Only to be received once, through Baptism one is received fully into the body of Christ as a member of the Catholic Faith.  Baptism of all faiths, if performed in the Trinitarian formula, are recognized as the single way one becomes a member of Christ Church.  At the moment of being baptized, the individual is imparted with the Holy Spirit which will dwell within them giving them sanctifying grace.

As with all sacraments two elements, form and matter, are required for the conferring of graces to be valid.  For Baptism, the form is “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”  While the matter is the water that is poured over the one receiving baptism.  There are other rites included in the baptism ceremony of individuals but at minimum the form and matter must exist to be a valid baptism.

For more information on Baptism, please contact your parish church office, click on the below link or call the Office of Religious Education and Faith Formation office at the St Joseph Center at (318) 445-6424, ext. 207.

The Ultimate Guide to Catholic Baptism

First Communion

The inexhaustible richness of this sacrament is expressed in the different names we give it. Each name evokes certain aspects of it.
Read More

Matthew 26:26-29 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you ,for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, from now on I shall not drink this fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it with you new in the kingdom of my Father.”

The inexhaustible richness of this sacrament is expressed in the different names we give it.  Each name evokes certain aspects of it.

It is called: Eucharist, because it is an action of thanksgiving to God. The Greek words eucharistein and eulogein recall the Jewish blessings that proclaim-especially during a meal- God’s works: creation, redemption, and sanctification.” (CCC #1328).  It “makes present the one sacrifice of Christ the Savior.” (CCC #1330).  The source and summit of the Christian life, the term Eucharist has its roots from the Greek word “eucharistia”, meaning thanksgiving.  The Sacrament of First communion, is truly the third of seven sacraments, after Baptism and First Reconciliation.  Typically performed at the age of reason, 7 years old, it is usually aligned with those in the second grade.  To prepare children for the reception of the real presence of Christ, one to two years of formation are typical.  Catholics should be in a state of grace to receive the Blessed Sacrament so First Reconciliation may occur just prior to children receiving their First Communion.

For more information on First Holy Communion, please contact your parish church office, click on the below link or call the Office of Religious Education and Faith Formation office at the St Joseph Center at (318) 445-6424, ext. 207.

The Eucharist as Source and Summit of the Christian Life

Confirmation

In the Sacrament of Confirmation, we renew our Baptismal promises and obtain in a new way the gift of the Holy Spirit. In this gift…
Read More

John 3:19-22 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. [Jesus] said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”

And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the holy Spirit.

In the Sacrament of Confirmation, we renew our Baptismal promises and obtain in a new way the gift of the Holy Spirit.  In this gift, we strengthened our bond with the Church and all of its members.  Through the Sacrament of Confirmation, we are reminded of our connection with the universal global church.

Confirmation is necessary for the completion of baptismal grace. For "by the sacrament of Confirmation, [the baptized] are more perfectly bound to the Church and are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. Hence they are, as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed." (CCC 1285) Strengthen by the Spirit, we are called to put the gifts we received into an action.

For more information on Confirmation, please contact your parish church office, click on the below link or call the Office of Religious Education and Faith Formation office at the St Joseph Center at (318) 445-6424, ext. 207.

Confirmation

Sacraments of Healing

Reconciliation

So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our…

Read More

2 Corinthians 5:20-21

“So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.”

The Sacrament of Penance, which is also known by Reconciliation or Confession, is one of the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church.  Reconciliation is a sacrament instituted by Jesus Christ in His love and mercy to offer sinners forgiveness for any offenses committed against God. In this sacramental moment, one is reconciled with the Church who is also wounded by our sins.  Each time we sin, we injure ourselves, others and God.

There are four components of Reconciliation:

  • Contrition- when we approach the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we must have sincere sorrow for the sins we have committed.
  • Confession- the act of speaking aloud our sins to the Priest.
  • Penance- an important part to Reconciliation, penance is given to us by the Priest for reparation of the sins we confessed
  • Absolution- the Priest speaks the words by which “God, the Father of Mercies” reconciles the sinner back to Himself through the victory won on the cross.

For more information on Reconciliation, please contact your parish church office, click on the below links or call the Office of Religious Education and Faith Formation office at the St Joseph Center at (318) 445-6424, ext. 207.

https://goodconfession.com/

https://www.catholicscomehome.org/your-questions/what-is-the-sacrament-of-confession/

https://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/sacraments-and-sacramentals/penance

Anointing of the sick

The second sacrament of healing, Anointing of the Sick is a effective and compelling sign of Jesus’ spirit that brings strength…
Read More

James 5:13-15

“Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone in good spirits? He should sing praise. Is anyone among you sick?  He should summon the presbyters of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint [him] with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven.”

The second sacrament of healing, Anointing of the Sick is a effective and compelling sign of Jesus’ spirit that brings strength and healing to the sick, the elderly and the dying.

Overtime the name of this sacrament has changed.  It was once called “extreme unction”, the last anointing, and has also been referred to as the “last rites”.  The sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is given to those who are seriously ill by anointing them on the forehead and hands with duly blessed oil-pressed from olives or from other plants-saying, only once “Through his holy anointing may the Lord in his love and mercy help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit.  May the Lord who frees you from sin save you and raise you up.”

If you, or know someone, who is planning to be admitted to a hospital, before medical procedures, have serious illness or is advanced in years, please contact your parish church or hospital chaplain.

For more information on Anointing of the Sick, please contact your parish church office, click on the below links or call the Office of Religious Education and Faith Formation office at the St Joseph Center at (318) 445-6424, ext. 207.

https://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/sacraments-and-sacramentals/anointing-of-the-sick

https://catholic-link.org/illness-sacrament-anointing-of-the-sick/

Sacraments of Service

Matrimony

for out of man this one has been taken.” That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become…
Read More

Genesis 2:23-24

“This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; This one shall be called ‘woman,’

for out of man this one has been taken.”  That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body.”

One of the two sacraments of service, it’s a sacrament of service because married couples promise to be of service to each other in love and also to serve the Church as a whole.  In this lifelong covenant, God gives married couples the grace and blessings to build up the Catholic Church on earth.  The sacrament is where a man and a woman express their love and fidelity to each other in the presence of God and his church.

Marriage is a sacrament of the Church where careful deliberation and spiritual preparation should take place.  Most parishes require a 6 month notification of the request for marriage to allow time for appropriate arrangements and for preparation to take place.

For more information on Matrimony, please contact your parish church office, click on the below links or call the Office of Religious Education and Faith Formation office at the St Joseph Center at (318) 445-6424, ext. 207.

https://www.foryourmarriage.org/marriage-as-sacrament/

https://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/sacraments-and-sacramentals/matrimony

Staff

Holy Orders

He appointed twelve [whom he also named apostles] that they might be with him and he might send them forth to preach and to have authority…
Read More

Mark 3:13-19

He went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted and they came to him.

He appointed twelve [whom he also named apostles] that they might be with him and he might send them forth to preach and to have authority to drive out demons: [he appointed the twelve:] Simon, whom he named Peter; James, son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James, whom he named Boanerges, that is, sons of thunder; Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus; Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.

Holy Orders is the sacrament through which the mission that was entrusted by Christ to his apostles continues until the end of time.  There are three degrees to Holy Orders; Episcopate (Bishop), Presbyterate (Priest), and Diaconate (Deacon).

Bishops (Episcopoi) are the shepherds of the larger Christian Community (Diocese).

Priest (Presbuteros) are responsible for teaching, governing, and performing the sacraments of a given congregation.

Deacons (Diakonoi) are assistants to Bishops and are tasked with teaching, various church functions, preaching, caring for the sick, etc.

Anyone interested in learning more about (or pursing) the vocation of Priesthood or Religious Life please contact Fr. Luke Lafleur, Director of Vocations at Frlafleur@diocesealex.org or by calling (318) 445-2401.

Anyone interested in learning more about (or pursing) the vocation of a Deacon, please contact Deacon Richard Mitchell at Dcnrmitchell@diocesealex.org or by calling (318) 445-2401 ext. 207.

For more information on the Sacrament of Holy orders, you can click on the links below or contact the Office of Religious Education and Faith Formation at the St Joseph Center at (318) 445-6424, ext. 207.

https://www.diocesealex.org/our-faith/office-of-vocations/

https://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/sacraments-and-sacramentals/holy-orders

Deacon Jason Lavergne

Director of Religious Education and Faith Formation

This site is registered on Toolset.com as a development site.