Prayer and Eucharistic Adoration take center stage at annual Faith Formation Conference

On October 5, the Archdiocese of San Francisco held its annual bi-lingual Faith Formation Conference at St. Matthew Catholic Church in San Mateo, drawing more than 600 attendees, including faith formation teachers, directors of religious education, and parents. The theme was  “Be still and know that I am God,” which aligns with the Church’s Year of Prayer in anticipation of the Jubilee Year of Hope in 2025.

“The conference was a wonderful opportunity for all of us to know about prayer and how it becomes a very important part of our lives as the people of God and as catechists,” said Sister of Social Service Celeste Arbuckle, director of the Office of Faith Formation for the Archdiocese of San Francisco. “We anticipate the Jubilee Year of Hope asked for by the Holy Father with our participation. We’re so thankful for the support given by the parishes.”

The conference began with Eucharistic Adoration, led by Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone, setting a reflective tone for the day. Talks throughout the event emphasized the importance of prayer in personal and communal spiritual growth. Speakers encouraged attendees to cultivate a deeper connection with God through stillness and reflection, themes deeply rooted in the conference’s focus on the transformative power of prayer.

Archbishop Cordileone spoke on the Year of Prayer reminding attendees that “He accompanies us, He is in our midst.”

The Archbishop also spoke on the meaning of being pilgrims ahead of the many planned pilgrimages to Rome that will take place in the Jubilee Year.

“Pilgrimage reminds us that we are pilgrims in this world,” said Archbishop Cordileone. “We are pilgrims making our way to our true and eternal home, the life in Heaven. We must do so with a spirit of constantly seeking this restoration in the Lord.”

The National Eucharistic Pilgrimage and National Eucharistic Congress were highlighted with a talk by seminarians Dereck Delgado and Jimmy Velasco sharing their reflections from their journey from San Francisco to Indianapolis.

Participants also had the opportunity to engage with various vendors, including Archdiocesan ministries and businesses, offering religious books and other items that provided resources for faith educators and parents to support religious instruction and spiritual formation.

The Faith Formation Conference not only empowered participants to strengthen their spiritual lives but also prepared them for the upcoming Jubilee Year of Hope, which will focus on celebrating faith and hope across the Church.

“May prayer be the underpinning of all we do in sharing our faith and knowing Christ Jesus,” said Sr. Celeste.