Welcome to The Institute for Catholic Formation
The Institute for Catholic Formation serves as the headquarters for formation for all those who serve in ministry in our families, parishes, and schools.
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Discover the many ways the Institute for Catholic Formation can help you learn, grow, and share your faith. Choose from one of our featured links or just browse the site to enter the journey from encounter to discipleship.
Becoming Catholic
Becoming a Catechist
Funeral Norms and Resources
Getting Married
Raising faith-filled children
Serving as a New Reader or EMHC
Upcoming Events
Serve as an Ambassador
Young Adult Events and Resources
A person is said to be fully initiated in the Catholic Church when s/he has received the three sacraments of Christian initiation, Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist. This is achieved through a process of preparation called the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults.
We are grateful to all our catechists and want to offer them support, resources, and formation. To make sure the young people and adults in our communities are served by those who are well-formed, all those who wish to serve their parishes as catechists are required to enter into ongoing formation.
For those who are already enrolled in LEAD, please use the log in button.
From the beginning of the Church, Christian funeral rites and burial have been an important spiritual and pastoral practice. These resources are designed to introduce you to the revised funeral norms for the Diocese of Bridgeport, help a family plan a funeral, and discover related resources.
Because Christian marriage is a sacrament, the Catholic Church wants couples to be well-prepared. In the Diocese of Bridgeport, some parishes offer their own formation. Others depend on the diocese. The diocesan marriage formation program offers preparation to help couples develop a better understanding of the sacrament; to evaluate and deepen their readiness to live a married life, and to gain insights into themselves as individuals and as a couple.
Updated resources for Natural Family Planning are now available online. Read about the recommended methods and where you can find more information.
For those who are already enrolled in Marriage Formation, please use the LEAD log in button.
To help children to grow in their faith, we need to start earlier than ever – and since many millennials have drifted away from their own faith – it will take all of us to make a difference in the lives of young people today.
Liturgical ministry is an excellent opportunity to fulfill your baptismal call of service to one another. An engaging liturgical celebration utilize the talents and gifts that God has given this community to the fullest extent. Whether participation is through “behind the scenes” preparation and planning or through a public role of service within the Mass, such as reader or Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion (EMHC), your participation brings life to our celebrations.
For those who are already enrolled in LEAD, please use the log in button.
Find all the great events and learning opportunities offered by the Institute for parish leaders, clergy, parents, and liturgical ministers. Sort by category, save the events to your calendars, sign up for our newsletter, and view previous webinars - all in one convenient place.
Bishop Frank Caggiano invites any practicing Catholic, age 18 or older, to prayerfully consider serving as an Ambassador for Christ in our Diocese.
If you feel called and wish to join the Ambassador Ministry, a new cohort will be forming in October 2022.
Young adults are persons in their late teens, twenties, and thirties who represent diverse cultural, racial, ethnic, educational, vocational, social, political, and spiritual backgrounds. They are college students, workers, and professionals; they are persons in military service; they are single, married, divorced, or widowed; they are with or without children; they are newcomers in search of a better life.
On this page, we offer links to upcoming events, suggestions for your own formation, and more.
The Institute Presents
Conversations on Race
Hosted in 2020, but still relevant today, take a look at these great webinars and the resources we keep updated as we work together to end the sin of racism.
How to use LEAD™
With LEAD™, the learning management system custom-built for the Church, the Diocese of Bridgeport and your parish offer on-demand enrichment courses, Zoom sessions, and in-person workshops to help you grow as a disciple of Christ.
Laudato Si
After five years, what has your family or parish done to implement the Holy Father's challenge to care for creation? Learn more at our Laudato Si page.
True Love That Lasts
What if you could grow the enjoyment and love between you and your spouse by asking one simple question each day? Join the True Love That Lasts Movement and enjoy its benefits - each and every day.
New General Directory
The new Directory for Catechesis presents fundamental theological-pastoral principles for the ministry of catechesis while responding to current social conditions and cultural forces that shape the church’s communication of the Faith. Check out some great resources and plan to join us for our webinar series.
Preparing for Mass
As you prepare for your own ministry, you must also prepare your heart and mind for the celebration of Mass each week. To help, we have collated some great resources, videos, and articles so you can grow in your own faith before sharing what you have with others.
