Growing as a Catholic through FMP

The change is due to her participation in the diocesan-sponsored Formation for Ministry Program (FMP). Mrs. Scuderi and her husband Sam were among 66 people from 41 parishes to participate in the annual commissioning for the FMP, held Oct. 24 at St. Gabriel the Archangel Church in Rotterdam.

The commissioning marked the completion of two years of prayer, study and training.

Adult education

"Neither one of us had an agenda," she said. "We wanted to be updated. In the North Country, sometimes things don't get filtered to us."

She is pleased she participated in FMP. In addition to leading a more prayerful life, she has found that she has a better understanding of the Bible.

"It touched me so to journey with these people," she said. "It's hard to explain the prayer journey, but these people touch your lives like no one."

Effort needed

"We looked at this as a field of study," she said. "There is a lot of reading, but it's not unmanageable."

When the couple began the program, they were parishioners of St. Cecilia's in Warrensburg. During their participation, Mrs. Scuderi accepted a position as music minister at St. Michael's, so the couple joined that parish. In addition to serving as music minister, Mrs. Scuderi heads the parish's bereavement ministry.

Being part of FMP didn't change the couple's level of participation in parish life. "We've both always been involved," she said. "Now we're more in-the-know."

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