Forming children in the faith is important in their upbringing and in building our society. While parents are the primary educators of their children, parish programs also assist children to learn about the faith and teachings of Christ. In our three parishes, St. Michael, Sacred Heart, and St. Theresa, children have the opportunity to learn more about the faith in the respective Religious Education programs. All three of the programs will start a new year coinciding with the beginning of the school year.
At St. Michael, the first through sixth-grade students meet from 4 to 5 p.m. and the seventh to 12th-grade students meet from 7 to 8 p.m. on Wednesdays. Throughout the year, there are various activities including a school year opening Mass, glow-in-the-dark Rosary, a Nativity program, and the First Communion and Confirmation retreats for the students receiving their sacraments. Most activities wrap up by the end of April, to leave room for graduation and other events in May and June.
“Throughout the year on the third weekend of every month, we do a youth Mass where they do the ministries,” says Holly Carraher, who leads the Religious Education program at St. Michael. “We continue that through the summer.”
The students take on the readings, altar serving, music ministry, greeting, and taking up collection baskets.
Holly says that while discussions about faith should begin in the home, they can continue in the Religious Education program.
“It’s a great place for their children to learn more about their faith,” she says. “The thing is, faith should start at home, that’s where they need to learn it. But this is another place they can join and learn more with discussion and their peers about faith.”
Mary Wood is new to leading the Religious Education program at Sacred Heart, having joined last year. For her, Religious Education is about instilling from a young age the importance of faith in our daily lives, and not waiting for adversity to turn to God later on in life.
“I believe we need God in our life and if kids can develop that early on, it’ll benefit them forever,” Mary says.
The children in first through sixth grade meet from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. and the seventh to 12th-grade students meet from 7 to 8 p.m. on Wednesdays.
During Lent and Advent, the students in the Religious Education program at Sacred Heart have the opportunity to receive the
Sacrament of Reconciliation, preparing them for two important seasons in the liturgical
calendar. They have a Mass on the first
Sunday of each month, wherein the children are in charge of the various services including music and serving. They also participate in Totus Tuus and Vacation Bible School in the summer months.
Sharon Swett is also new to leading the Religious Education program at St. Theresa, having also joined last year. In the past, classes at St. Theresa took place weekly on Sundays at the church before Mass. This past year, however, they have had class on Sunday at 9:45 a.m. on the first Sunday of the month.
“The teachers and parents are given a schedule of classes in September,” Sharon says. “The other weeks, the parents teach their children at home either on Sunday or whenever it works in their schedule. Some have found reading a little each night works well.”
When they meet, the teachers do a quick review of the previous month’s lessons and the students’ workbooks, then teach a new lesson.
“This type of program encourages parents to be involved with their children’s faith education while still allowing the children to be connected to their church family,” Sharon says.
Throughout the month, there are also other activities for the children and their families. The second Sunday of the month is Children’s Mass, at which the students participate as greeters, altar servers, offertory collectors, readers, and singers. The third Sunday of the month is Family Rosary before Mass at 10:30 a.m. The fourth Sunday of the month is adoration.
“Religious Ed is very important,” Sharon says. “Children need to be taught about Jesus and the Catholic faith at their age level of learning — attending Mass is not enough.”
To learn more about our Faith Formation programs, please visit families-infaith.com.
