Apostles For Life

St. Thomas the Apostle Roman Catholic Church Forming young people to know, love and serve Jesus Christ.

Apostles for Life is discipleship formation for young people, from walking age through the twelfth grade, which helps them respond to the love of Christ and develop their Christian vocation.

Included in this formation are the following groups and stages:

Teen Apostles Youth Ministry

From grades nine through twelve, this Teen Apostles aims to assist High School teenagers in understanding Jesus as Friend and receiving from Him the initial call to a vocation. It uses the Crossroads curriculum designed by ymcentral.com.

Jr. Apostles Youth Ministry

From grades six through eight, Jr. Apostles aims to help Middle School students understand Jesus as our greatest Hero and role model. It illustrates this by looking at key Scripture stories and the lives of the Saints. It uses a new curriculum in production by ymcentral.com.

Young Apostles Children’s Catechesis

From grades two through five, Young Apostles aims to help develop in children a love for Jesus and a basic knowledge of Him in the Scriptures and the teachings of the Church. It prepares them for the sacraments of Confession, Confirmation and the Eucharist, using the Come Follow Me curriculum of Notre Dame de Vie, France.

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd: Level One

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is a Montessori-based formation that encourages children to develop their innate potential for a faith-filled relationship with God. In Level One, the child encounters Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who loves them, cares for them, and knows them by name. Catechesis includes Scripture, Mass gestures, prayers, artwork, and music. Level One is for children three years old through kindergarten.

Li’l Apostles Sunday Program

From walking age through first grade, this Li’l Apostles aims to support young children in learning about Jesus in the Sunday Mass readings and developing the most foundational attitudes for participation at Mass. It takes place Sunday mornings during the 9am and 11am Mass.

Core Values of Apostles for Life:

• Christ-Centered, helping young people to love Jesus with all their hearts.
• Engaging, helping young people see a relationship with Christ as dynamic and life-giving.
• Biblical, helping young people understand God’s work in the history of salvation.
• Liturgical/Sacramental, helping young people understand and participate in the Church’s sacramental life, especially the Mass.
• Doctrinal, helping young people understand what and why the Church teaches, on an age-appropriate level.
• Prayerful, helping young people draw into quiet intimacy with Christ.
• Catholic, helping young people understand the universal nature of the Church.
• Personal, where catechists mentor young people in the way of Christian life.
• Parental, helping parents grow as the primary educators in the faith of their children.
• Communal, helping young people to support each other through Christian fellowship.
• Integrated, in which every stage of their development is designed to complement each other.
• Apostolic, helping young people hear Christ’s voice to be ‘sent out’ into the world to serve.