New Faith Formation Center Opens in New Haven
Story by Shelley Wolf
Years ago, the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth filled St. Stanislaus Convent in New Haven, where they lived and served local Catholics, especially as beloved teachers at the former St. Stanislaus School.
Today, the former brick convent at 15 Eld St. is finding new life as a hub for spiritual learning and growth – as the new Faith Formation Center for the sprawling, citywide Blessed Michael McGivney Parish. The first classes began there in late September.
“As soon as I walked in there, I knew this was the location,” says Grace Torres, director of faith formation and parish life for Blessed Michael McGivney Parish in New Haven, who says the parish had been looking for a new place to center its faith formation efforts.
“We are one parish with eight churches. And we serve approximately 800 children, youths and adults through our faith formation programs, which bring a diversity of different cultures and different backgrounds,” she says. “But the merger in itself is uniting.”
“So, I feel that the Center is an opportunity to bring these cultures, these families, these needs into one. It just gives that dedicated space to all the children, youths and adults, families and catechists.”
The city parish, which includes immigrants from Eastern Europe and Central and South America, has an especially diverse community. Now the Faith Formation Center is bringing them together for sacramental preparation and special events.
“We’re holding faith formation programs there to start,” Torres says, “including first communion, confirmation, adult confirmation and the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, or OCIA.”
Family faith formation programs, begun last year, will continue to meet at St. Stanislaus Church and St. Francis Church, much larger meeting spaces. The St. Francis campus will also serve as a second faith formation location to improve accessibility for families without transportation. Classes on both campuses are being offered in English and Spanish.
Last summer, to ready the new Faith Formation Center volunteers cleaned up the building and swapped out furnishings. The interior was repainted and recarpeted, and three smart boards were added to assist the 75 catechists. The spruced-up space now provides three floors and a finished basement.
The first floor includes four classrooms, an office, a kitchen and a chapel. On the second floor, 14 rooms present future opportunities. “We have a vision of retreats there for women, men and youths,” Torres says.
The third floor houses three classrooms plus three additional classrooms for the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program. The finished basement provides a larger gathering space for meetings and special events as well as the Polish Saturday School.
The highlight is the chapel. “It’s beyond programs,” Torres points out. “It’s bringing children to a deeper encounter with Jesus in a very personal way. This space will also help strengthen families in their faith. The best place for that is in the chapel in the presence of the Lord.”
By uniting people from across the city, the parish also hopes to create a sense of belonging and Catholic unity, Torres says, especially among immigrant families who are members of the body of Christ.
“At the end of the day, and I see that with the kids, they just want to be loved, seen and feel a part of something,” she says. “And that’s where we get the opportunity to say, ‘You are loved, you do belong and you’re not alone. We are here to help you.’ So, the Faith Formation Center is a key part in continuing that message of unity in New Haven.”