St. Athanasius Faith Formation

St. Athanasius Faith Formation This is the faith formation page of St. Athanasius Parish in Louisville, KY.

03/05/2026

The ACTS model helps to guide my prayer

01/11/2026

✝️THE CATHOLIC GESTURE THAT IS MORE ANCIENT THAN THE BIBLE YOU HOLD, BUT EVERYONE RUSHES THROUGH IT😳🤔
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Every Sunday, Catholics do something so ancient that it existed before the New Testament was written…
before the Gospels were compiled…
before Saint Paul wrote a single letter.

A gesture older than most of the Bible itself.

Yet we rush through it without thinking.

It’s the Sign of the Cross.

✝️Before Scripture, there was the Sign

The early Christians didn’t have bound Bibles.
They didn’t have printed missals.
Many couldn’t read.

But they had one thing they never forgot:

The Sign of the Cross was their identity.

Tertullian wrote in the year 200 A.D.:

“At every step, when we enter or leave, when we eat or drink… we trace the Sign of the Cross.”

This was decades, even centuries, before the New Testament existed in the form we know today.

When soldiers arrested Christians, the sign betrayed them.
When martyrs died, it marked their bodies.
When parents blessed their children at night, it was the sign they traced.

Long before Christians carried the Bible,
they carried the Cross on their bodies.

What you do in two seconds meant everything to the early Church

✝️The Sign of the Cross is not a Catholic greeting.
It is a declaration of war.

It proclaims:

The Trinity

The Incarnation

The Crucifixion

The Resurrection

The victory of Christ over hell

And your belonging to Him

You cannot make this gesture casually.
Heaven recognizes it.
Hell fears it.
Angels honor it.
Demons flee from it.

The problem is not that we don’t know it,

the problem is that we don’t think it.

We rush:
In the nameoftheFatherandtheSon…
as if we’re late for a bus.

But the early Christians made it slowly, deliberately, reverently,
because to them, it was a shield.

A priest once said:
“If you understood the Sign of the Cross, you would never rush it again.”

✝️Think of this next time

When your hand rises to your forehead,
you touch the mind of Christ.

When it comes to your heart,
you touch the Sacred Heart.

When it crosses your shoulders,
you carry the Cross with Him.

This is not a routine.
It is a relic of the first Christians,
a tradition older than the bound Bible you hold.

Make it with intention.
Make it with faith.
Make it as the early Church did.

Because the Sign of the Cross is not just a gesture,
it is a proclamation of who you belong to.


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12/26/2025

✝️EVER WONDERED WHY ALTAR SERVERS FOLD THEIR HANDS AT MASS? DISCOVER THE POWERFUL HISTORY BEHIND IT😳🤔

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It looks simple. Almost unnoticed.
But it speaks volumes.

As altar servers walk, stand, or kneel during Mass, you’ll often see their hands folded together, fingers extended, palms pressed, thumbs crossed.
This isn’t random. And it’s not just “what we were taught.”
It’s a posture filled with meaning, and its origin goes way back, not just to Church tradition, but even to ancient cultural practices of loyalty and reverence.

✝️ A Gesture of Homage

In medieval times, during the era of kings and feudal lords, a vassal who wished to serve under a lord would kneel, join his hands, and place them into the hands of the lord, a solemn act of surrender and trust.
It was called homagium, homage.

By this act, the vassal was saying:

“I am yours. I serve you. I trust you to lead and protect me.”

The Church, recognizing the power of this gesture, adopted it as a sign of prayerful submission, no longer to a human lord, but to Christ the King.

✝️ At Ordination, A Moment of Total Surrender

This gesture becomes even more profound at a priest’s ordination.

During the rite, the man being ordained kneels before the bishop and places his joined hands into the bishop’s hands, publicly declaring his promise of obedience to Christ through His Church.

It is one of the most sacred gestures of the liturgy:

“I place my life, my hands, my will, into the hands of the Church, into the hands of Christ.”

This solemn act of self-offering mirrors the ancient homage, and sanctifies it for divine service.

✝️ At the Altar, A Living Echo

So when altar servers fold their hands during Mass, they are not just being neat or reverent.
They are silently echoing that same heritage of surrender and service.
They are saying:

“I am here to serve, with attention, with obedience, with love.”

It shows readiness, discipline, and humility.
It reminds the server, and everyone watching, that the altar is not a stage, but sacred ground.

✝️ Training the Heart in Sacred Duty

Altar servers are not passive helpers.
They are junior ministers, apprenticed in the sanctuary.
Their posture reflects the beauty and order of the liturgy, and prepares them to grow in deeper service, perhaps even to the priesthood.

That simple gesture of folded hands says:

“I am present.”
“I am attentive.”
“I serve not just with my hands, but with my heart.”

✝️ So next time you see an altar server with hands folded at the chest, remember:

It’s not just etiquette.
It’s not empty tradition.
It’s the echo of centuries of devotion,
A sign of submission to Christ the King,
A promise of faithful service at His altar,
And the first humble steps toward a lifetime of priestly or lay sanctity.

May every young person who folds their hands there…
one day lift them in prayer, in vocation, and in love for Christ and His Church.

God bless you 🙏

__________________

10/10/2025

An Afternoon with Mary Through Scripture, Prayer, and Song

You’re invited to St. Athanasius Church, 5915 Outer Loop, Louisville, KY 40219, on Sunday, October 26 at 4 p.m.

The St. Athanasius Music Ministry will lead a moving program of music, prayer, the rosary, and Scripture, celebrating the role of Mary in our faith. After the program, enjoy fellowship and light refreshments at a reception in the parish hall.

This event is free and open to all. While there is no cost to attend, donations are gratefully accepted in support of our Music Ministry.

We look forward to sharing this meaningful afternoon with you!

09/16/2025

BIBLE STUDY OF THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

Advent begins this fall on November 30. The Church will begin reading from Cycle A, which covers most of the Gospel of Matthew. To enrich your understanding of this Gospel, the Formation Committee is offering an in-depth Bible study.

We will host 8 sessions this fall and continue with 8 more in January.

*Fall Sessions: Wednesdays, October 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, and November 5, 12, 19

*Location: St. Athanasius Parish Center – Room A, 5915 Outer Loop, Louisville, 40219

*Time: 6:30–8:00 p.m.

All are welcome!

Matthew: The King and His Kingdom shows how Jesus fulfills God’s promises to Israel and establishes His kingdom on earth. With references to the Old Testament and the prophets, this study provides the key to understanding the rest of the New Testament and Christ as the fulfillment of God’s plan.

Matthew portrays Jesus as the true King who fulfills the Law that Israel could not keep and who introduces the new law of the New Covenant. In this 24-part study of Matthew’s Gospel, Jeff Cavins explains how Jesus challenges and empowers us to grow in holiness, and how we must be deeply rooted in the kingdom of heaven on earth—the Church—in order to live it.

Questions or more information:

Please contact Debbie Minton at [email protected]

08/30/2025

Calling All Parents and Grandparents — Including EXPECTING Parents and Grandparents!

In this workshop, Peaceful & Playful Parenting, Elina Holland will integrate psychological science along with the Catholic perspective and her personal experience as a wife and mother of five to provide practical information that will increase parent/child intimacy, improve obedience, foster peace of mind and heart, and promote playfulness between parents and children.

Nursing Infants Welcome

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
Parents and/or grandparents of infants through teens
Expecting parents and/or grandparents who desire to gain useful insights and information

WHEN:
Saturday, September 13, 9am-11am with Q&A until noon

WHERE:
St. Athanasius Catholic Church Parish Center
5915 Outer Loop, Louisville, KY 40219

COST:
$20 per Individual/Couple/Household, FREE for Accompanying Grandparent(s).

Can’t commit in advance? WALK-INS are WELCOME! Registration and payment will be accepted at the door.

For questions, please call/text or email: 502.303.1996 | [email protected] | Scan QR Code

Family Renewal Project is pleased to provide this opportunity for Elina to share her knowledge and skills with various audiences through psychoeducational presentations. During her years as the full-time therapist for Good Shepherd Institute of the Bluegrass, Elina gained a reputation as a gifted professional — competent, compassionate, and joyful! We encourage you to take advantage of this and future presentations on various topics.

08/27/2025

This topic from our guest speaker looks very interesting and much-needed. Join us tomorrow, Wednesdsy, August 27, at St. Athanasius (5915 Outer Loop, Louisville, KY 40219) at 6:30pm in the meeting room of our parish office.

08/25/2025

St. Athanasius Parish Religious Education Program (PREP)
Grades K–8 (For children not enrolled in Catholic school)

PREP helps your child grow in faith through Scripture, prayer, Catholic traditions, and preparation for the Sacraments.

*Start Date: Tuesday, August 26
*Time: 6:30–7:45 p.m.
*Location: St. Athanasius School Cafeteria
*Opening Family Session: August 26 (Parents and children attend together)
*Family Mass: Tuesday, September 2 at 6:30 p.m.

To Register:
Submit one Reservation Form (in the back of church or parish office) per child to the Parish Center, place it in the Sunday collection basket (labeled “St. A – PREP”), or email it to: [email protected].

Sacrament Preparation
Baptism (Infants & Children)
*Parent/Godparent Session: November 6 at 6:30 p.m.
*Baptism Dates: November 8–9 (or by request)

First Reconciliation & Eucharist
*Grade 2: Preparation during the school year
*Grades 3+: 5-week prep course for each sacrament

Confirmation:
*Preparation is a two-year process starting in the 7th grade
*Confirmation takes place in 8th grade

OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation)
*Children (Unbaptized, 3rd+): Begins Sept. 24 (time set at parent meeting)
*Adults: Year-round formation for those interested in becoming Catholic

Questions? Contact:
Debbie Minton – Director of Religious Formation
[email protected]
Parish: 502.969.3332 ext. 106 | Cell: 502.645.3559

08/22/2025

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Coronation and Queenship of Mary (Aug 22). Holy Mary, Queen of Angels and Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, pray for us.

08/17/2025

HOW DO I BECOME CATHOLIC?

Have you ever considered becoming Catholic but weren’t sure where to start? Whether you're unbaptized or already baptized in another Christian tradition, there's a clear and welcoming path to join the Catholic Church or grow in your understanding of the Catholic faith.

The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (O.C.I.A.)
is a spiritual journey that helps you explore what it means to follow Jesus as a Catholic Christian. It’s a process of learning, reflection, and conversion that leads to a deeper relationship with Christ and full participation in the life of the Church. Each year, adults are welcomed into the Catholic community through this transformative experience.

O.C.I.A. STEPS

Period of Inquiry (Pre-catechumenate): A welcoming time to ask questions, share your story, and begin exploring the Catholic Church. This stage can begin at any time.

Catechumenate: A period of ongoing formation, often in a group setting, where participants grow in faith, prayer, and understanding of Church teachings.

Purification and Enlightenment: This Lenten period focuses on spiritual preparation through prayer, reflection, and continued instruction. It culminates in the celebration of the Sacraments of Initiation—Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Eucharist—usually at the Easter Vigil.
(Catechumens are unbaptized; candidates are already baptized Christians.)

Mystagogy: After receiving the Sacraments, the newly initiated continue their journey of faith, deepening their relationship with Christ and the Church community.

READY TO TAKE THE FIRST STEP?
Each of these steps includes meaningful liturgical rites that mark the progression of this journey.

If you or someone you know is interested in becoming Catholic at St. Athanasius Church, please contact:

Debbie Minton,
Director of Religious Formation
[email protected]
502.969.3332, ext. 106

08/13/2025

1. During the car ride on the way to church, every person in our family gets to pick someone they will pray for at Mass, and share with the family the reason why they are picking that person.
It’s a wonderful time we spend on our drive thinking about who needs prayers, and gives one small focus for each of them during the liturgy. If I am near to them during Mass, I give them a quiet reminder to pray for their person.

2. On the car ride, Daniël also gives a positive refresher on expected behavior at church. The things we do, the things we don’t do. Every week. We go many places and do many things, so to get them in zone and in the mindset of church behavior has proved very helpful.

3. We started sitting in the front row. I didn’t want to do this because I didn’t want our chaos to be so ‘visible.’ But we knew allowing them to see what was happening instead of people’s backsides could change everything about their experience. How could we expect them to engage with something they can’t even see? So I actually - truly - had to just suck it up and get over being ‘seen’ for the good of their hearts and experience. Whew. It took an adjustment but it did change everything. And it inspired other families to do the same. We will never go back to sitting anywhere except the front row of our Father’s house, watching the greatest gift unfold right before us every Sunday, as the messy, beautiful family we are.

“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
Matthew 19:14

Address

5915 Outer Loop
Louisville, KY
40219

Telephone

(502) 969-3332

Website

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