Faith formation for our elementary, middle, and high school children is vital in moving our Diocese to truly live out the Great Commission of Jesus Christ: "Go and make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19). The resource below is to help support our parishes in educating and forming our Young Church. These standards are to be a guideline to establish the minimal objectives to be taught at each grade level. 

The elementary school standards are suited to most textbooks in conformity with USCCB. The high school level standards are adapted from the six core courses established by USCCB in Doctrinal Elements of a Curriculum Framework for the Development of Catechetical Materials for Young People of High School Age (2008). All high school textbooks that are in conformity with USCCB are aligned to these six core courses.

To help our Young Church (as well as adults) to be more intentional in their faith formation, the Diocese of Biloxi has established a faith formation plan model to be used in conjunction with religious education curriculum. We are called to be intentional disciples; therefore, we must be intentional in forming our personal relationship with Jesus Christ. 

Faith formation plans encourage Catholics to reflect on their personal faith journey using four pillars: to know God, to love God, to serve God, and to witness God. After prayer and reflection, these intentional disciples are to make a commitment, writing down how they plan to tangibly grow their faith life in each of the four pillars, and ask a witness (or "Ananias") to accompany them on their formation path. This "Ananias" can help support the intentional disciple, encouraging them in their commitments and helping them if they falter. Having someone walk with them, especially in prayer, will make all the difference in this faith formation model. 

• In our Catholic schools and parish youth programs, the teachers, catechists, or youth ministers should be "Ananias" for the Young Church. 
• In an adult formation model, the intentional disciple should be accompanied by someone he/she trusts and with whom he/she is in regular contact.

All textbooks used in faith formation for elementary, middle, and high school should be in conformity with the Catechism of the Catholic Church. To confirm that the textbooks used are in conformity, please review the resource below.

USCCB TEXTBOOK CONFORMITY MAY 2024