Reimagining Faith Formation: Teach the Parents, Too | Patrick Donovan, Ep 073

The Church Podcast

• 54 min

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"Teach my children the prayers, but teach me how to pray." Patrick Donovan of the Diocese of Bridgeport on what parents are really asking the Church for. Dr. Patrick Donovan, director of the Institute for Catholic Formation for the Diocese of Bridgeport, talks about why innovation makes the Church nervous, what a survey of about 15,000 parents revealed, how the diocese is renewing faith formation parish by parish, and how Bishop Frank Caggiano is using short videos, an animated series and AI to reach families. Full show notes and resources: https://blog.marathonyouthministry.com/churchpodcast/episode-073-reimagining-faith-formation-teach-the-parents-too-with-patrick-donovan Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC307YUsy2980SICsZElRPGA CHAPTERS 0:00 Cold open: "family formation" as a hostage situation 0:54 Welcome and introduction 2:31 Meet Patrick Donovan 5:42 Why innovation makes the Church nervous 15:03 How Bishop Caggiano recruited him 17:54 A "womb to tomb" parish renewal process 23:01 What 15,000 parents said: "Teach me how to pray" 26:04 Bite-sized formation and a school without walls 32:13 Bishop Frank Teaches the Faith, an animated series 40:00 Using AI responsibly 48:04 What gives Patrick hope RESOURCES MENTIONED Formation Reimagined (Institute for Catholic Formation): https://formationreimagined.org/ Start with Sunday (home of Bishop Frank Teaches the Faith): https://startwithsunday.org/ The Face of Prayer (text PRAY to 55778): https://formationreimagined.org/the-face-of-prayer/ First Witnesses: https://firstwitnesses.org/ Ron Rolheiser, The Holy Longing: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0385494181?tag=04130706-20 (affiliate link) Ep 072, What Parents Really Want From Youth Ministry with Robert Feduccia: https://blog.marathonyouthministry.com/churchpodcast/episode-072-what-parents-really-want-from-youth-ministry-with-robert-feduccia CONNECT WITH PATRICK Formation Reimagined: https://formationreimagined.org/ Start with Sunday: https://startwithsunday.org/ MORE FROM MARATHON YOUTH MINISTRY M2GO: training videos, templates and resources for your ministry team: https://marathonyouthministry.com/ministry2go?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=church-podcast&utm_content=ep073 Ministry Coach: https://ministryally.app?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=church-podcast&utm_content=ep073 MYM store: https://marathonyouthministry.store?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=church-podcast&utm_content=ep073 The Church Podcast is a member of the NFCYM Podcast Network: https://nfcym.org/podcastnetwork/ More from the show: http://thechurchpodcast.org/ Recorded on Riverside (affiliate link): https://www.riverside.fm/?utm_campaign=campaign_5&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=rewardful&via=christopher-wesley Produced by Marathon Youth Ministry and Stephen Herrera of Be Well Creative: https://bewellcreative.co/ As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.