Dear Parishioner,
Welcome to St. Mary’s Religious Education Program. We hope that you find this handbook useful. Religious Education in conjunction with the Family and the Parish Community make up the Cycle of Christian Formation. The foundations of faith are best laid in the early years, and your participation, encouragement, and example are critical to developing a love of Christ and an understanding of what it means to be a Catholic Christian.
THE FAMILY
Parents are the first and primary teachers of their
children. This is part of the commitment
that parents made when they requested Baptism for their child. The willingness of the parents to participate
in the life of the church community provides an enriching faith experience for
the entire family. Setting religion and
religious education as first priorities within the family framework helps to
create an attitude of learning that will lead to a deepening of faith and a
strengthening of community affiliation.
By living out the teachings of the Gospel, establishing and encouraging
Christian values, instilling prayer practices, and actively participating in
liturgies and ministries of the parish we model the way of life for family
members and others.
The Family is a continuous setting for learning. Here are
some suggestions of beneficial family activities:
§ morning
and evening prayer
§ prayers
before meals
§ attending
Mass together as a family
§ discussing
the reading and homilies before and after Mass
§ keeping
Sundays as family days
§ treating
the reception of a sacrament as a family celebration
§ being
responsible to religious education class requirements
- participating
as a family in a ministry to help the sick, poor, or less fortunate
THE PARISH COMMUNITY
The second element of the circle in which religious
education takes place is in the Parish Community. Like the family, the Parish Community exerts
its influence on Religious Education outside of the classroom. The essence of parish life is a major factor
in understanding what Church is, why we celebrate together, why we are all
called to ministry, and how we can live out the Gospel message. A complete list of the ministry opportunities
can be found at www.stmarysgrafton.org.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
The academic aspect of Religious Education is provided for
all children and youth in Grades 1-10.
Our program complies with the Diocesan policy regarding Safe Environment
Training and all volunteers must submit to a CORI (Criminal Record Information)
check. For the purpose of administering
the program, it is broken down into two groups Grades 1-8 and Grades 9-10.
GRADES 1-8
The main teaching tool is the “Blest Are We” program. The program is based on the four pillars of
the Catholic faith, belief, worship, morality, and prayer, as set forth in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The “Blest Are We” program provides lessons
on Catholic belief and worship, morality and prayer. This program supports the work of the
believing community with learning materials, prayer celebration, community
building experiences, and ideas for developing an awareness of the need for
peace and justice in the world. In all
this, the focus is on the maturing faith of the young people who are such a big
part of the parish. The “Blest are We”
program is the main teaching tool used in Grades 1-8. A more detailed scope and sequence chart for
each grade is available in the office.
SACRAMENTS OF PENANCE AND EUCHARIST
Children are prepared for Penance and Eucharist in Grade 2.
GRADES 9-10
There
are three major components of the education program: Core Topics, Learning Service Units, Large Group
Activities.
The four Core Topics during grade 9 & 10
in which youth participate are:
§ Justice and
Peace
§ Sex, Love
& Relationships
§ The
Church: Its Wisdom, Works and Worship
§ Called to
Live the Gospel
Each topic consists of 5-6 two hour sessions.
In addition, four Learning Service Units must
be completed each year. Each unit is a
hands-on learning experience. Each
involves:
I.
Reading/research on a certain topic, event, or place
II.
Explanation/purpose of Unit
III.
Action or Direct Involvement
IV.
Reflection (some units have a specific set of
reflection questions)
Some examples of Learning Service Units:
§ Tour/trips
to our cathedral or to other Catholic churches, churches of other Christian
denominations, synagogues, Heifer Project’s Overlook Farm,
§ Exploring
the sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick
§ Assisting
in our religious education program as a catechist (teacher) or classroom aide
§ Visiting/working
at Refugee Apostolate, Worcester County Food Bank, a soup kitchen, or the
Interfaith Hospitality Network
§ Liturgical
ministry such as altar server or lector
§ Participating
in scheduled parish or diocesan events such as parish missions, ecumenical
events, youth gatherings, or hunger walks
In addition, youth and their family may propose/design their
own units which must be approved by the Director of Religious Education.
The Large Group Activities for
Grades 9 and 10 are decided upon each year to supplement and enhance one of the
Core Topics. All youth must participate
in these activities. In the past, Gr. 9
youth attended performances of “Jesus Christ Superstar” and Gr. 10 attended an
event at the diocesan Cathedral of St. Paul, such as an ordination or
If a young person enters the program after Grade 9, he/she
may still participate. While Catholic
school students do their academic learning at their particular school, they
must do two Service Learning Units per year and participate in the Large Group
Activity for Grade 9 or 10.
The class schedules will be determined by the availability
of catechists. Families will be given a
choice of sessions. Placement in sessions
will be done on a first-come, first-served basis with priority given to those
who help with the program as catechists, aides, etc.
CONFIRMATION
Youth who choose to be confirmed, generally enter into this
process in Grade 11. Preparation begins
in the Fall and includes sessions for the candidates, a parent meeting, and
several meetings for candidates and sponsors.
The Confirmation celebration takes place before the New Year.
ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR FAITH FORMATION
§
RCIA and RCIA adapted for Children: The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults
and Children is a process through which adults and school age children are
initiated into the Catholic Church. This
ministry serves non-baptized adults and children, baptized but uninstructed
adults and children, and children and adults baptized into another Christian
faith. Interested persons should contact
the Pastor, the Deacon, or the Director of Religious Education for more
information.
§
Children’s Liturgy of the Word: is held
each Sunday during the 10:00 a.m. Mass.
During the Mass, preschoolers (accompanied by a parent) through Grade 4
children are invited to a separate space for their own adapted readings and
homily during the Liturgy of the Word.
Adult facilitators, Junior Lectors (grades 5-8) and adult escorts
supervise the children who return to the assembly at the Offertory. September to June
§
Adults: Throughout the year various opportunities are
available for Cluster Adult Faith Formation.
Watch the bulletin for announcements and details.
§
Preschoolers/Kindergarten Days: These are occasions for parents of young
children to assist them in fostering a sense of church and community in their
child. Children and an adult companion
explore seasonal faith themes through stories, crafts, and songs. During the school year, five Pre/K Days are
held alternating morning and afternoon times so that children who are enrolled
in half-day programs might also attend some of the gatherings. Siblings are welcome, even if they are too young
to participate. No babysitters
needed! Pre-registration is required
before each Pre/K Day so that adequate materials may be prepared. Watch the Religious Education Column in the
bulletin for dates/details.
GENERAL INFORMATION
ATTENDANCE
Students are expected to attend all classes and activities
except in the case of illness, family emergency, or a significant family event
(ex: a wedding). To ensure the safety of
students, absences will be verified by the office staff. When your child will be absent please notify
the Religious Education Office by calling (839-3993, ext. 13) prior to the
scheduled start of their session. Please
indicate the child’s name, grade, and session in your message.
Students (Grades 1-8) are responsible for making up missed
lesson(s) in “Blest are We” and reviewing with their Catechists at their next
session. For each core topic (Gr. 9
&10), a choice of sessions will be given.
Youth must attend every scheduled session due to the brevity of these
topics. Absenteeism is unacceptable.
BULLETIN NOTICES
Due to increased cost of postage, we will be using the
church bulletin to notify parishioners of many things happening in the Religious
Education program. Please take home a
bulletin every week and read the Religious Education News.
CANCELLATION OF
CLASSES
In the event of inclement weather, cancellation of sessions
or events can be found on WCVB, Channel 5.
BASIC GUIDELINES FOR ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
Regular attendance at weekend Liturgy is the most important
part of a child’s faith formation. For
the safety of your child and to minimize parking lot hassle, it is suggested
that families with children in the
8:45 a.m. or 11:15 a.m. session attend the 10:00 a.m. Mass.
ARRIVAL
Park your car in the parking lot and escort your children
downstairs into the Church Hall. DO NOT
LEAVE YOUR CHILD UNATTENDED, especially before the 11:15 a.m. Session. The Director and many catechists attend the
10:00 a.m. Mass and are not available to supervise your children. Parents may leave after the Director makes
announcements.
DEPARTURE
Please come downstairs to the Church Hall and collect your
child. Children will not be allowed to
leave without an adult. Please be
considerate of the catechists and director’s time and promptly pick up your
children. This is especially important
following the 8:45 a.m. Session so that the Director, catechists, and office
aides may attend the 10:00 a.m. Mass.
SESSIONS
Religious
Education Class Schedule
|
||
Session
|
Start
|
End
|
|
Sunday,
8:45 a.m. |
8:45
a.m. |
9:45
a.m. |
|
Sunday,
11:15 a.m. |
11:15
a.m. |
12:05
p.m. |
|
Sunday,
6:00 p.m. |
6:00
p.m. |
7:00
p.m. |
|
Monday,
7:00 p.m. |
7:00
p.m. |
8:00
p.m. |
STEWARDSHIP IN
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
is strongly encouraged! The opportunities to share time and talent in this ministry are varied. The program follows the public school calendar. Ministry opportunities we seek to fill are: catechists and classroom aides for Grades 1-10, office helpers, substitute catechists, substitute classroom aides, Confirmation preparation catechists, Religious Education Board Members, special project helpers, and helpers for special events.
SAFE ENVIRONMENT TRAINING REQUIREMENTS
The Office of Healing and Prevention (OHPV) of the Diocese of Worcester, in conformance with policies implemented by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, has established three mandatory requirements for all parish staff and volunteers, age 14 and up, who have the possibility of contact with children. Parishioners who participate in ministries that have contact with children are required to complete the following:
· A criminal record check (CORI)
· Signing a Code of Conduct Acknowledgement form
· Attend a Safe Environment Training
THE RELIGIOUS EDUCATION BOARD
Meetings are held monthly during the school year, usually on
the fourth Tuesday. One, two, and
three-year terms have been set for those who serve. New members are welcomed to the Board
annually through a parish wide in-pew nomination process. Parishioners can nominate themselves and
others to the board. Members serve in
advisory capacity, helping to shape the religious education environment of the
parish. The board presents a stewardship
opportunity for those who would like to contribute to the religious education
program.
A Prayer To St. Lucy For Parents….
Good St. Lucy, grant us
extraordinary vision,
to
recognize what our children need
before
we shower them with presumptions or possessions.
Help us to see what is holy in
God’s sight,
the
tender touch and ready smile that shapes all hearts
for
a lifetime of loving.
Give to us, we ask, the long view
on life,
dwelling
on everything that blessings are,
so
as not to lose our focus on busyness and burdens.
And when the days around us
darken,
By
the turning of the earth or twist of fate,
help
us find our way in the darkness by trusting
in the light of Christ.
By Mary Lynn Hendrickson
Religious Education
Class Expectations/Guidelines
We are all looking forward
to another great year of Religious Education.
Your attendance and participation is the key to our success. Please come to class prepared to contribute
to discussion and actively participate in all activities.
Attendance
Students are expected to
attend all classes except in the case of illness, family emergency, or a
significant family event (example: a wedding).
To ensure the safety of students, please call the Religious Education Office
(839-3993, ext. 13) prior to the scheduled start of the session if your child
will be absent. Make sure you note each
child’s name, grade and session in your message.
Absences
Students will be responsible
for making up missed lessons and should plan to review completed materials with
their catechists at their next class.
Arrival/Dismissal
Regular attendance at Mass is the most important part
of a child’s faith formation. For the safety of your children and to
minimize parking lot hassles, it is suggested that families with children in
the 8:45 a.m. or 11:15 a.m. sessions attend the 10:00 a.m. Mass. Children should not be left unattended in the
church hall prior to the start of class.
Parents may leave once the Director has made announcements.
Children should be collected
from the Church Hall by a responsible adult at the completion of their
class. Children will not be allowed to
leave the church hall without an adult.
Please be considerate of the office aide’s, catechist’s and director’s
time and promptly pick up your children at the end of the session.
Please keep the Religious
Education Calendar (neon yellow sheet) and the information listed above to
refer to throughout the year. We look
forward, with your help, to another great year.
Please return the lower portion of this form to your catechist at your
next class.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
We have reviewed the class
expectation/guidelines and understand program requirements.
__________________________ ______________
Student’s Signature Date
_________________________ ______________
Parent’s Signature Date