After baptism, what comes next? Enter Grace Space

By Clifford Gorski
Chief Communications Officer

When a child is baptized, parents make a solemn promise before God and the Church: “We will raise this child in the faith.” For many, that promise is heartfelt, but it can also be daunting.

“I remember standing there with my husband saying, ‘I will, I will, I will,’” said Davette Himes, director of Grace Space Families: A Parent Toddler Spiritual Parenting Lab in Alexandria, Va., and Lilly Grant award recipient. “And in my mind, I was thinking: How? How is this actually going to happen?”

That question became the seed for what is now known as Grace Space, an innovative ministry model taking root in the Diocese of Greensburg through the Office of Faith, Family and Discipleship. For more than 20 years, Himes has been a leader in faith formation programming in a variety of Episcopal and Roman Catholic churches.

Himes said Grace Space was born from a gap in what she calls a “life space” — a place where a need exists but nothing is filling it.

In many parishes, strong programs exist for older children, especially once they reach school age. But for parents of infants and toddlers, formative resources are limited.

“The Church does a wonderful job with children, but often that really means age 6 and up,” Himes explained. “For parents with babies, after baptism, there’s not much. You’re on your own.”

Grace Space seeks to meet families from the very beginning — even before a child can talk, walk or sit through a classroom lesson. Himes says the program does so by reimagining what faith formation can look like.

Himes described what a parent of a newborn or toddler will see when they step into a Grace Space session.

“It doesn’t look like a classroom,” she said. Instead, families enter a carefully prepared environment that feels more like a home. There may be a cozy reading corner filled with children’s books centered on Jesus; a kitchen space where families celebrate the Church’s feasts — such as baking bread for liturgical seasons or marking saints’ days; and a simple prayer area, inviting even the youngest children into moments of reverence. This design draws heavily from Montessori principles, especially the idea that young children learn best through experience and environment.

“We’re creating something that mirrors the home,” Himes said, “but infused with the beauty and mystery of the Church.”

While Grace Space appears child-centered, its impact extends just as deeply to adults.

“In many ways, this is really for the parents,” Himes said. “It’s parent coaching.”

Using Montessori insights about early childhood, especially the “absorbent mind” of children ages 0–3, the program helps parents rediscover their role as the primary teachers of faith.

Himes said those participating learn practical ways to pray with their children, introduce Scripture naturally and incorporate faith into daily routines.

“What happens is a ‘twofer,’” she said. “Parents come to help their children, but they’re also being catechized themselves.”

Himes said one of Grace Space’s strengths is its accessibility, especially for families who may feel unsure or disconnected from parish life.

“It’s not Mass. It’s not formal catechesis,” she explained. “It feels like neutral ground.”

The welcoming space allows young families to explore their faith. Family members such as grandparents, aunts and uncles can also play a role.

Grace Space is funded in part by a Lilly Endowment Inc. grant through its Christian Parenting initiative, which supports efforts to deepen the role of the family as the first school of faith.

“The Church has consistently taught that the home is the most critical place where faith takes root,” said Vincent Reilly, managing director of the Office of Faith Family and Discipleship for the Diocese of Greensburg. “Without it, parish programs are not enough.”

The Diocese has received a grant as part of a partnership to build Grace Space locations. Plans are underway to bring Grace Space to Blessed Sacrament Cathedral, Greensburg; Saint Cecilia Parish, Whitney; Saints Simon and Jude Parish, Blairsville; Saint John the Baptist Parish, Perryopolis; Saint Agnes Parish, North Huntingdon; and Saint Regis Parish, Trafford.

In the short term, Reilly and his team of catechists want to see how this model works in different parish settings with varied demographics and to learn how it can be sustained and replicated.

“Long term, our hope is that, over time, these early encounters deepen, and families who begin in Grace Space stay connected to one another and to the Church.”

For more information about the Grace Space program, contact the Office of Faith, Family and Discipleship at [email protected].