Meredith Smith, Director of Faith Formation, Catholic Parishes of Arlington
Encouraging parents to embrace their role as primary educators of their children is essential to the mission of the Church, but so many parents feel unprepared for or uncomfortable with this responsibility. We cannot and should not simply tell parents that they are the primary educators and send them home with work to complete. So, how can we, as catechetical leaders, engage, equip, and accompany parents on their journey and support them in effectively passing on the faith to their children?
Meredith is the Director of Faith Formation at St. Agnes and St. Camillus Parishes in Arlington, Ma. A native of northern Virginia, she has been actively involved in parish life since joining the parish children’s choir in 1st grade. She has been in ministry for over 15 years and has served in parishes in the (Arch)Dioceses of Arlington, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Rome, and Boston for the past 7 years. She holds a BA in Music, BM in Music Therapy, and Certificate in Theology from Immaculata University in Pennsylvania, as well as a STB from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome, Italy. She has a passion for walking with families on their faith journey. She is also a thrifting, crocheting, LEGO, and travel enthusiast.