Faith Formation at All Saints

Following Jesus. Forming Saints.

Faith Formation at All Saints is more than a program. It is the living work of the Church: helping every person encounter Jesus Christ, grow as His disciple, receive the grace of the sacraments, and live as a saint in the heart of the world.

From children preparing for First Communion, to teens seeking friendship and mission, to adults desiring deeper theological formation, to seniors continuing to bear spiritual fruit, All Saints offers a place for every age and stage of life.

Whether you are new to the Catholic faith, returning after time away, raising a family, discerning your vocation, seeking healing, or simply longing to know God more deeply, you are invited to walk with us.

At All Saints, our mission is simple: Following Jesus. Forming Saints.

 

Find Your Place in Faith Formation

Faith grows best when it is nourished in the home, celebrated in the liturgy, taught through the Church, and lived in community. Explore the many ways All Saints helps parishioners of every age grow in faith.

Children and Family Formation

Sanctify

Sanctify is the parish faith formation program at All Saints for children in Kindergarten through 8th grade and their families.

Formerly known as PSR, Sanctify is more than a new name. It reflects the deeper mission of formation: helping every child and family encounter Jesus Christ, grow in holiness, and live as saints in the heart of the Church.

Students gather weekly for prayer, classroom instruction, community, sacramental preparation, and formation in the Catholic faith. Led by catechists, aides, and parish leaders, Sanctify seeks to form not only students who know about the faith, but disciples who know, love, and follow Jesus.

  • Best for: K–8 students and families
  • Focus: Catholic teaching, prayer, sacraments, Scripture, virtue, family formation
  • Call to action: Register for Sanctify

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, often called CGS, is a Montessori-based approach to children’s faith formation rooted in Scripture, liturgy, prayer, and the sacred space of the Atrium.

In the Atrium, children encounter the Good Shepherd, learn the language of the Mass, ponder the mysteries of the Kingdom of God, and grow in a quiet, contemplative relationship with Jesus.

CGS is not simply a classroom program. It is a place of prayer, wonder, beauty, and discovery.

  • Best for: Children beginning in early childhood
  • Focus: Scripture, liturgy, prayer, silence, sacred signs, the Good Shepherd
  • Call to action: Learn more about CGS

CGS Atrium at the Ministry Center

The Ministry Center is home to our parish CGS Atrium spaces, including formation across the Atrium levels. Each level helps children enter more deeply into Scripture, the Mass, the sacraments, and the life of prayer.

Level I Atrium

Level I introduces children to the love of Jesus the Good Shepherd, the gestures of the Mass, the altar, Baptism, the Kingdom parables, and the beginning of a personal life of prayer.

Level II Atrium

Level II helps children go deeper into salvation history, moral formation, the sacraments, the Eucharist, and the child’s response to God’s gifts.

Level III Atrium

Level III invites older children into a broader vision of God’s plan in history, the Church, the sacraments, virtue, justice, and their own place in the Kingdom of God.

  • Best for: Children participating in CGS through the parish
  • Focus: Scripture, liturgy, contemplation, salvation history, sacramental life
  • Call to action: Visit the Ministry Center Atrium

New Level I Atrium at All Saints School

All Saints is also developing a new Level I Atrium for our full-time school, allowing more children to encounter Christ through the beauty, silence, and prayerful method of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd during the school day.

This new Atrium will help our youngest students grow in wonder, reverence, and love for Jesus the Good Shepherd while deepening the Catholic identity of the school.

  • Best for: Full-time school students
  • Focus: Early childhood faith formation, prayer, liturgy, Scripture, sacred space
  • Call to action: Learn more about the school Atrium

Children’s Liturgy of the Word

Children’s Liturgy of the Word helps young children hear and receive the Sunday readings in a way suited to their age and understanding.

During Mass, children are invited to listen to the Word of God, reflect on the Gospel, pray together, and return to the assembly to continue the celebration of the Eucharist with their families.

  • Best for: Young children during Sunday Mass
  • Focus: Sunday Scripture, prayer, Gospel reflection, participation in Mass
  • Call to action: Volunteer or learn more

Vacation Bible School

Vacation Bible School is a joyful summer faith experience for children at All Saints. Through music, games, Scripture, crafts, prayer, and fun, children learn that faith is not only something we study, but something we live with joy.

VBS helps children build friendships, encounter Jesus, and experience the parish as a place of belonging.

  • Best for: Children during the summer
  • Focus: Scripture, joy, friendship, prayer, Catholic identity
  • Call to action: Register for VBS

Totus Tuus

Totus Tuus is a summer Catholic youth program offered through the Archdiocese of St. Louis. Led by missionary teams, Totus Tuus helps young people encounter the Gospel, grow in prayer, learn the faith, and deepen their love for Jesus Christ and His Church.

The name means “Totally Yours,” expressing the desire to belong completely to Jesus through Mary.

  • Best for: Children and youth during the summer
  • Focus: Evangelization, catechesis, prayer, Marian devotion, discipleship
  • Call to action: Register for Totus Tuus

Childcare Ministry

The Childcare Ministry supports parents, volunteers, staff, and families participating in parish faith formation events by providing safe, welcoming care for younger children.

This ministry allows parents to attend formation, serve the parish, and participate more fully in parish life while knowing their children are cared for in a loving environment.

Best for: Families with young children
Focus: Hospitality, safety, family support, parish participation
Call to action: Request childcare or volunteer


Youth/Teen Ministry

EDGE Middle School Ministry

EDGE is our middle school youth ministry experience, helping young people grow in friendship, faith, prayer, and Catholic identity during some of the most important years of their formation.

Through games, talks, small groups, prayer, and community, EDGE helps middle school students discover that the Catholic faith is not boring, distant, or irrelevant, but alive, joyful, and deeply personal.

  • Best for: Middle school students
  • Focus: Friendship, Catholic identity, prayer, discipleship, community
  • Call to action: Join EDGE

Life Night High School Ministry

Life Night is our high school youth ministry experience, designed to help teens encounter Christ, build authentic friendships, ask real questions, and grow as Catholic disciples.

Life Night gives high school students a place to belong, pray, learn, serve, and be challenged to live the Gospel with courage.

  • Best for: High school students
  • Focus: Discipleship, prayer, community, mission, Catholic life
  • Call to action: Join Life Night

The Summit

The Summit is a middle school event from the Archdiocese of St. Louis Office of Youth Ministry and Office of Vocations. It gathers students from across the Archdiocese for talks, prayer, music, interaction with priests and religious, and an encounter with the Eucharist.

The 2026 Summit will take place on Thursday, November 5, 2026, for students in grades 6–8.

  • Best for: Grades 6–8
  • Focus: Vocations, Eucharist, prayer, discipleship, Catholic community
  • Call to action: Learn more about The Summit

Sacraments and Christian Initiation

OCIA

OCIA, the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, is the Church’s process for those who are discerning entrance into the Catholic Church or seeking to complete their sacraments.

OCIA is for adults who are unbaptized, baptized Christians seeking full communion with the Catholic Church, or baptized Catholics who still need First Communion and/or Confirmation.

At All Saints, OCIA is a journey of prayer, teaching, conversation, conversion, and community. It is not simply a class, but a process of coming to know Christ and His Church more deeply.

  • Best for: Adults seeking Baptism, full communion, Confirmation, or deeper Catholic formation
  • Focus: Conversion, sacraments, Catholic teaching, prayer, parish life
  • Call to action: Begin OCIA

OCIA Adapted for Children and Teens

Some children and teens may need to receive sacraments outside the standard grade-level sequence. This may include students who are not baptized, were baptized in another Christian tradition, have not received First Reconciliation or First Communion after 2nd grade, or have missed several years of religious formation.

In these cases, students may enter OCIA adapted for children or teens while also participating in age-appropriate parish formation.

The goal is never to make families feel behind. The goal is to walk with each child and family faithfully, personally, and carefully so that every student is prepared to receive the sacraments with understanding, reverence, and joy.

  • Best for: Students needing sacraments outside the usual timeline
  • Focus: Baptism, First Reconciliation, First Communion, Confirmation, Catholic identity
  • Call to action: Contact the Office of Faith Formation

Wedding at Cana Convalidation Retreat

The Wedding at Cana Convalidation Retreat is for couples seeking to have their marriage recognized and blessed by the Catholic Church.

This retreat helps couples understand the sacrament of Matrimony, the grace of marriage, the vocation of family life, and the beauty of placing their relationship fully within the life of the Church.

Best for: Couples seeking convalidation
Focus: Marriage, sacramental grace, family life, healing, renewal
Call to action: Begin the convalidation process


Adult Faith Formation

Veritas

Veritas is the adult formation school of All Saints Catholic Church.

Rooted in the Catholic intellectual, spiritual, and liturgical tradition, Veritas offers serious, accessible formation for adults who want to know the faith more deeply and live it more fully.

Through courses in theology, Scripture, liturgy, Church history, morality, prayer, and Catholic life, Veritas helps adults move from basic familiarity to mature discipleship.

  • Best for: Adults seeking deeper Catholic formation
  • Focus: Theology, Scripture, liturgy, doctrine, discipleship, Catholic tradition
  • Call to action: Explore Veritas courses

All Saints in the Word

All Saints in the Word is our parish Scripture formation initiative, helping parishioners encounter Christ through the Bible and understand the great story of salvation.

Through Bible studies, reading plans, small groups, reflections, and parish-wide Scripture engagement, All Saints in the Word helps Catholics learn to read the Bible with the heart of the Church.

  • Best for: Adults, families, small groups, Bible study participants
  • Focus: Scripture, salvation history, prayer, Catholic interpretation
  • Call to action: Join a Bible study

Restless Hearts

Restless Hearts is a Catholic book and formation resource written to help readers rediscover the ache for God at the center of the human heart.

Inspired by the great Augustinian truth that our hearts are restless until they rest in God, Restless Hearts invites readers into conversion, prayer, healing, and renewed discipleship.

  • Best for: Adults, seekers, small groups, spiritual reading
  • Focus: Conversion, desire, prayer, discipleship, Catholic spirituality
  • Call to action: Read Restless Hearts

Upcoming Books and Formation Resources

All Saints Faith Formation is also developing new books and resources to help parishioners grow in theology, prayer, liturgy, family life, evangelization, catechesis, Scripture, beauty, apologetics, grief, and Catholic imagination.

Upcoming titles include:

  • Threshold — A theology of the diaconate, service, and the sacred doorway between altar and world.
  • But True — A Catholic exploration of truths that seem too good to be true, but are.
  • Set Ablaze — A vision for parish renewal, formation, mystagogy, and mission.
  • Peter in the Boat — A reflection on the Church, fear, faith, and Christ’s presence in the storm.
  • Grandma is an Angel — A tender Catholic reflection on grief, heaven, and the communion of saints.
  • Princes of the Prince of Peace — A guide to Catholic hierarchy, vestments, titles, and sacred authority.
  • Zeal for the Lord — A call to holy passion, courage, reform, and love for the house of God.
  • Stabat Mater — A Catholic theology of grief, motherhood, infertility, miscarriage, stillbirth, and hope beneath the Cross.
  • The Long Road to Communion — A guide to OCIA, conversion, initiation, and the slow, beautiful work of coming home to the Catholic Church.
  • The Child in the Temple — A book on catechizing children through wonder, reverence, Scripture, liturgy, and the sacred dignity of the child before God.
  • The Saints Next Door — A reflection on ordinary holiness, hidden sanctity, family life, work, suffering, friendship, and the quiet saints who live among us.
  • The Psalms of the Church — A journey through the Psalms as the prayer book of Christ, Israel, the Church, the liturgy, and the human heart.
  • The Work of Wonder — A theology of beauty, sacred art, worship, music, architecture, and the way wonder opens the soul to God.
  • The Last Things and the First Loves — A Catholic reflection on death, judgment, Heaven, Hell, Purgatory, hope, and the loves that prepare us for eternity.
  • By Water and Blood — A sacramental reading of Scripture, tracing water, oil, bread, wine, blood, fire, marriage, temple, priesthood, and sacrifice through salvation history.
  • By the Waters of Marah — A typological journey through Scripture, showing how the bitter waters, hidden signs, and strange moments of the Old Testament are fulfilled in Christ and the sacramental life of the Church.
  • Pyromaniacs in a Field of Straw Men — A bold and creative work of apologetics that clears away false arguments, easy caricatures, and shallow objections in order to reveal the beauty and coherence of the Catholic faith.

 

  • Best for: Parishioners, families, OCIA participants, catechists, small groups, teachers, ministry leaders, spiritual readers, and Catholic seekers
  • Focus: Theology, Scripture, sacraments, catechesis, apologetics, beauty, liturgy, grief, holiness, evangelization, and parish renewal
  • Call to action: View upcoming books and formation resources

Young Adults and Men's Formation

Theophilus

Theophilus is the young adult ministry of All Saints for adults ages 18–35.

Named for the “lover of God” addressed in the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles, Theophilus exists to help young adults grow in faith, friendship, prayer, and mission.

Through gatherings, discussion, prayer, service, and community, Theophilus helps young adults find a place in the Church and live their Catholic faith with confidence.

  • Best for: Young adults ages 18–35
  • Focus: Community, prayer, Catholic identity, friendship, mission
  • Call to action: Join Theophilus

St. Lawrence Fraternity

The St. Lawrence Fraternity is a men’s discernment and formation group for men interested in the permanent diaconate or a deeper life of service in the Church.

Named for St. Lawrence the Deacon, this fraternity helps men grow in prayer, brotherhood, study, service, and vocational discernment.

The group is not only about asking, “Am I called to be a deacon?” It is also about asking, “How is Christ calling me to serve His Church more deeply?”

  • Best for: Men discerning the diaconate or deeper service
  • Focus: Prayer, brotherhood, discernment, service, diaconal spirituality
  • Call to action: Join the fraternity

Evangelization and Mission

Evangelization Committee

The Evangelization Committee helps All Saints become a parish that does not simply maintain programs, but actively reaches souls.

This committee supports parish hospitality, outreach, invitation, formation, parish events, missionary discipleship, and the work of helping people encounter Jesus Christ through the life of the Church.

  • Best for: Parishioners who want to help others encounter Christ
  • Focus: Outreach, welcome, mission, parish renewal, invitation
  • Call to action: Join the Evangelization Committee

Fishers of Men Podcast

The Fishers of Men Podcast is a Catholic podcast focused on vocations, discipleship, priesthood, religious life, marriage, holiness, and the call of every Christian to follow Christ.

Through interviews, stories, and conversations, the podcast helps listeners hear how God calls ordinary people into extraordinary lives of grace.

  • Best for: Parishioners, discerners, families, young adults, vocation-minded Catholics
  • Focus: Vocations, testimony, discipleship, Catholic conversation
  • Call to action: Listen to the podcast

Explore Our Church

Explore Our Church is an interactive digital resource designed to help parishioners, visitors, families, and students understand the sacred signs, spaces, and symbols of All Saints Catholic Church.

This resource helps people discover the meaning behind the altar, tabernacle, baptismal font, stained glass, statues, sacred vessels, vestments, and other parts of Catholic worship.

  • Best for: Families, visitors, students, OCIA, catechists, school groups
  • Focus: Church architecture, sacred signs, liturgy, Catholic symbolism
  • Call to action: Visit Explore Our Church

Prayer and Spiritual Life

Adoration Chapel

The Adoration Chapel is one of the spiritual hearts of All Saints.

In Eucharistic Adoration, we come before Jesus Christ truly present in the Blessed Sacrament. We bring Him our gratitude, fears, questions, wounds, families, work, parish, and world.

Adoration is not only for the especially holy. It is where the Lord slowly makes us holy.

  • Best for: Everyone
  • Focus: Eucharistic prayer, silence, intimacy with Christ, intercession
  • Call to action: Sign up for an Adoration hour

Consecration to the Sacred Heart

On June 28, All Saints will celebrate a parish consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

This consecration is an invitation to place our parish, families, homes, ministries, sufferings, hopes, and future under the merciful and burning love of the Heart of Christ.

  • Best for: The whole parish
  • Focus: Sacred Heart devotion, parish renewal, family prayer, consecration
  • Call to action: Prepare for the consecration

40 Hours of Adoration

All Saints will observe 40 Hours of Adoration during Corpus Christi weekend.

This ancient devotion invites the parish to spend extended time with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, giving thanks for the gift of the Eucharist and praying for renewal in the Church, the parish, and the world.

  • Best for: The whole parish
  • Focus: Eucharist, prayer, parish renewal, reparation, mission
  • Call to action: Sign up for an hour

Senior and Outreach Formation

Simeon & Anna

Simeon & Anna is the maturing adults ministry of All Saints.

Named after the faithful elders who recognized Christ in the Temple, Simeon & Anna celebrates the wisdom, prayer, witness, and spiritual fruitfulness of older adults in the parish.

This ministry helps maturing adults continue to grow, serve, pray, mentor, and remain deeply connected to the life and mission of the Church.

  • Best for: Maturing adults and seniors
  • Focus: Community, prayer, wisdom, service, spiritual fruitfulness
  • Call to action: Join Simeon & Anna

Hearts on Fire

Hearts on Fire is a parish outreach ministry serving residents at Clarendale.

Through prayer, visits, conversation, Scripture, Catholic devotion, and presence, this ministry helps bring the warmth of parish life to those in nursing home and senior living settings.

Hearts on Fire reminds us that no one ages out of the mission of the Church and no one is forgotten by the Body of Christ.

  • Best for: Parishioners called to visit, pray, and accompany seniors
  • Focus: Nursing home ministry, companionship, prayer, mercy, presence
  • Call to action: Serve with Hearts on Fire

Retreats and Days of Formation

Stabat Mater Retreat

The Stabat Mater Retreat is a Catholic retreat for those who have experienced miscarriage, infertility, stillbirth, infant loss, or the hidden grief of longing for a child.

Standing with Mary beneath the Cross, this retreat creates space for prayer, mourning, remembrance, healing, and hope in Christ.

It is for mothers, fathers, couples, grandparents, and anyone carrying this sacred grief.

  • Best for: Those grieving infertility, miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss
  • Focus: Healing, grief, Mary, the Cross, hope, remembrance
  • Call to action: Learn more about the retreat

Echo Retreat for Catechists

The Echo Retreat is a formation retreat for catechists, teachers, aides, and parish formation leaders.

A catechist is called to echo the faith of the Church. This retreat helps catechists renew their own relationship with Christ, deepen their understanding of the Church’s mission, and prepare spiritually for the work of forming saints.

  • Best for: Catechists, teachers, aides, ministry leaders
  • Focus: Vocation of the catechist, prayer, renewal, teaching, witness
  • Call to action: Register for Echo

Vocations Weekend

Vocations Weekend is a parish-wide celebration of God’s call.

Through prayer, adoration, talks, school visits, family events, encounters with priests and religious, and opportunities for discernment, this weekend helps the parish pray for and promote vocations to priesthood, religious life, marriage, diaconate, and holy lay life.

Vocations Weekend is planned for late April.

  • Best for: Children, youth, families, discerners, the whole parish
  • Focus: Discernment, priesthood, religious life, marriage, service, holiness
  • Call to action: Pray for vocations

Life is Worth Living Day

On September 24, All Saints will celebrate Life is Worth Living Day in honor of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen and his beatification.

Inspired by Sheen’s famous media ministry, this day will help students and parishioners reflect on the dignity of life, the joy of the Gospel, the power of Catholic media, and the call to use every gift for Christ.

The Beatification Mass for Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen is scheduled for Thursday, September 24, 2026, at 2:00 PM Central Time at The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis. More information is available at Celebrate Sheen.

  • Best for: School students, families, parishioners, Catholic media enthusiasts
  • Focus: Archbishop Fulton Sheen, evangelization, dignity of life, Catholic media, holiness
  • Call to action: Celebrate Life is Worth Living Day

Featured Formation Events

June 28 — Consecration to the Sacred Heart

Join All Saints as we consecrate our parish, families, homes, and ministries to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

September 24 — Life is Worth Living Day

A parish and school celebration honoring Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen and his witness to Catholic evangelization. Learn more about Archbishop Fulton Sheen’s beatification

November 5 — The Summit

Middle school students are invited to join youth from across the Archdiocese of St. Louis for The Summit, a day of prayer, talks, music, vocations, and encounter with the Eucharist. Learn more about The Summit

Corpus Christi Weekend — 40 Hours of Adoration

Spend time with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament as All Saints enters into 40 Hours of Eucharistic Adoration.

Late April — Vocations Weekend

A parish-wide weekend dedicated to prayer, discernment, and the call of every Christian to holiness.


A Parish Formed by the Eucharist and Sent on Mission

Everything we do in Faith Formation flows from the altar and returns to the altar.

We study because Christ is Truth.
We serve because Christ came to serve.
We pray because Christ first draws near to us.
We teach because the Gospel must be handed on.
We gather because the Church is a family.
We go forth because the Mass sends us into the world.

At All Saints, Faith Formation is not one department among many. It is the work of the whole parish: forming children, strengthening families, renewing adults, accompanying the grieving, encouraging vocations, serving the elderly, and sending disciples into the world.

There is a place for you here.

Come encounter Christ.
Come grow in the Church.
Come be formed as a saint.

 

Contact Faith Formation

For questions about any Faith Formation program, sacramental preparation, OCIA, youth ministry, adult formation, retreats, CGS, or volunteering, please contact:

TJ Mesler
Director of Faith Formation
All Saints Catholic Church
meslert@allsaints-stpeters.org
636-397-1440 x226