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I. CRITERIA
1.) The participants of the lay formation program must be baptized, full initiated Catholics in good standing with the Church. By good standing, it is meant that the participant must be a person who leads a moral life.
2.) Each participant must make a serious commitment to the lay formation program. The program encompasses formation in four areas; spiritual, human, intellectual and pastoral.
3.) The academic dimension of the lay formation program is comprised of a three year course of subjects from the Catehism of the Catholic Church. Each of the four semesters consists of six classes. Absence from more than four classes each semester will require the participant to repeat the semester. Absence from any class must be made up under the direction of the teacher. Aside from the regularly scheduled classes, each participant must take a yearly one day seminar in order to fulfill the academic requirements of the course.
4.) Each participant, in order to be accepted into the program, must make a serious commitment to a life of prayer. This life of prayer is understood as the following:
Daily - Morning, Evening and Night Prayer, Rosary and Mass (whenever possible).
Weekly - Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament for one hour.
Monthly - Fervent reception of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
5.) Each participant must be committed to meet every month with an appointed formation advisor. This appointment will be made by the pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church upon recommendation of the Director of the Lay Formation Program.
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6.) Each participant must have completed the Real Life Program of the aforementioned parishes some time during the three year lay formation program. Completion of the Real Life program means that the participant has attended the 10 weeks of meetings. Completion of the Real Life program also means that the participant has attended the weekend retreat which is a part of the Real Life program. For grave and serious reasons, attendance of the Real Life program retreat can be differed for another scheduled retreat with permission of the director of the lay formation program.
7.) At the end of each semester, each participant will be required to write a brief refletion on the subject matter which was covered by the teacher. No exams will be given.
8.) At the end of each year of the lay formation program, participants will receive a special award. The first year is the bronze year, the second year is silver year, and the third year is the gold year. With the completion of all of the requirements of the lay formation program, at the end of the three year program, each participant will be awarded the Apostolic Parish Diploma. This diploma has to be renewed every three years based on pastoral requirements set by the Pastor of the participants home parish. In some cases this may be an extended retreat or a thorough seminar.
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II. FORMATION ADVISOR
Each Participant will have a commitment card for each month of the year. Every participant will  meet briefly with an appointed formation advisor and examine the
commitment card. The commitment card covers the following areas of formation:
Spiritual - the life of prayer
Human - exercise, diet, manners, dress, hobbies
Intellectual - TV Programs, reading, professional life, lay formation, program classes
Pastoral - Active participation in the apostolate of the Catholic Church
Formation Advisors of the OLPH Parishe will consist of the Priests, Deacons, Religious and Formation Director and those appointed by the Pastor. Several priests of the Diocese have agreed to also serve as Formation Advisors.
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III. INTRODUCTION
Before the Sessions begin, every participant will need to attend a day-long basic catechetical and pastoral introductory day of Recollection to prepare them for the three year process. That seminar will consist of a complete review of the goals and expectations of the OLPH Lay Formation Program, including the formation process, the role of the advisor, the yearly seminar on Prayer and the conditions for receiving the Apostolic Parish Diploma.
For more information on registration applications contact: Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, 5830 Williams Drive, Corpus Christi, TX 78412 - (361) 991-7891 - www.olphcctex.org
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