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K-8 Faith Formation. Parent Meeting Sept. 2019. Opening Prayer. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; He restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.
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K-8 Faith Formation Parent Meeting Sept. 2019
Opening Prayer • The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.He makes me lie down in green pastures;he leads me beside still waters;He restores my soul.He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake. • Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil;for you are with me; your rod and your staff— they comfort me. • You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long. Psalm 23
Introductions • Aaron Giard • Director of Lifelong Faith Formation • Grew up in Merrimac, now live in Haverhill with wife and two kids • Began in July under this position after leaving previous role in L’Arche Boston North, a faith-based community in Haverhill centered on adults with developmental disabilities. • Melinda Burrell • Assistant to Lifelong Faith Formation • Longtime Newburyport native and IC parishioner
Outline of the evening • What is the reason for this change? • The Program: What has changed? What is remaining the same? • Question and discussion forum • FORMED sign-up • Flocknote • Closing Prayer
Why the Changes? • First, an important note: judgment is checked at the door. Some of what we discuss may apply to you, some may not. We are not here to judge either way, but to support and learn from and with you. • Changes support the Pastoral Plan: • Welcoming/hospitality • Forming Intentional Disciples • Vocations • Service and Ministry • The State of the U.S. Church • A class in values and virtue vs. an encounter with the Person of Jesus Christ. • The Role of the Parent in Catechesis • Our Desire for Fellowship and Community-building
An Encounter vs. a class • “Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction.” – Pope Benedict XVI, Deus Caritas Est • Faith is not something we do astride all of the other “hats” we wear or things we do. It is the thing, the “vision” that gives our life purpose, direction, hope and strength. We want our sessions to better reflect this: we just aren’t jamming heads with information ABOUT God, we are encouraging an encounter WITH God.
The Role of the Parent • The Church has always understood that the parent is the primary teacher of the faith. • This means we need your help. Your kids need your help. I could have Mother Teresa as a catechist for our children, but if the faith isn’t manifested in real ways in the home, it won’t take root so easily. The child will wonder what difference it makes in their everyday lived experience and not find any point to it. • The reasons for take-home lessons: • Fulfilling requirements (Archdiocese calls for 30 hours of catechesis, we only have around 20 hours in person at the parishes). • BUT: Most importantly, creating opportunities for creating a faith-based conversation and connection with your child.
Our Desire for Fellowship, Community-building and Mending • The Church is not a factory. It isn’t a bunch of men in Rome who like to tell people what to do with their personal lives. It is a living organism made up of people in communion with one another across generations, cultures, ethnicities etc. We are all broken in one way or another, but united by the love of God in Jesus Christ. • Local churches have not always done a good job of fostering a warm, radically welcoming environment. • Why do Catholics not seem to focus on this as much as Protestant denominations? • What needs to happen? • The world needs an antidote to the fragmentation and silo-ing of individuals and groups. We see the toxic political landscape and the distance between social groups growing. The Church community offers this to the world: “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” – Gal. 3:28 • We come together in fellowship as Catholics to break down those barriers and facilitate encounter and dialogue.
The Structure of the Program • Mass-prep • Mass • Student Catechesis/Parent Fellowship • Take-home “lessons”
Mass Prep: • At Immaculate Conception All Grades: 8:30am – 8:55am; at Holy Redeemer Grades 5-8: 9:45am-10:10am • Holy Redeemer Parish Grades K-4: NO MASS PREP. • Students are invited to sit with their grade-level in reserved seating at the front. They are also welcome to sit with their families separate from the class. Parents and family are also invited to sit in the reserved section with their child. • No matter what the child or parent decides, the student picks up a lanyard upon arrival (returning it when they leave) so we can keep track of who is under our care for the day. • Over 11 sessions, we will walk through the Mass, explaining what is happening at each part. • What is it that we are saying? Why are we standing, sitting or kneeling? What is the priest doing? • The aim will be to make this engaging for all age groups through use of different methods.
Mass • Holy Redeemer, Grades K-4:Children are encouraged to attend 8:00 AM Mass, but are welcome to go wherever their family attends Mass, especially if it might be with an older sibling that attends the 10:15 AM Mass after Mass-prep. • “The Source and Summit of the Christian life.” • The privileged encounter with Jesus. • God is near to us. He has willed to be present to us most intimately in the Mass. • A meal • A sacrifice • Jesus is really, substantially present • The reason I stayed Catholic through all the scandal and corruption. • An obligation or an amazing privilege? Relationship is the key to any discipline/obligation.
Child/Youth Catechesis • After Mass, children head to catechesis sessions. • IC: 10:05 AM – 11:05 AM • HR: Grades K-4: 9:05 AM – 10:05 AM; Grades 5-8: 11:20 AM – 12:20 AM • This year, Grades 2-6 will continue to use same textbooks from years past. K-1 use “The Kids Prayer Covenant”. • Holy Redeemer: • Grades K-1 will be in one class together. • Grades 2, 3 and 4 will be separate • Grades 5 and 6 will be together; Grades 7 and 8 will be together • Immaculate Conception: • Grades K-1 will be in one class together. • Grades 2-6 will be in separate classes: • Grades 7-8 will be together • In the future, we hope to formulate our own curriculum, for a more personalized, creative approach.
Parent Fellowship • During the child catechesis • The hope is to build community and create a safe space for discussion, airing of grievances, and exploring themes of the faith and tools for engaging in discussion with our children on matters of faith. • This is meant to be a positive space where we support one another in our own journey as parents who are all teachers of the faith to our kids. • There will be coffee and other light refreshments! NOTE for K-4th Grade parents at Holy Redeemer Parish: Fellowship will be 30 minutes long, as I need to get to St. Ann’s for 5-8th grade catechesis.
Take-home “lessons” • These are not meant to be burdensome, but to be opportunities to engage in conversation with your kids about the faith. We ask that these are done together with your kids. • This is key to the program because it is designed to help make it easier for you to bring up and discuss matters of the Catholic faith with your kids. • Primarily, these will be short videos that will cover a theme and spark reflection and/or prayer in your home. • Reflections will be submitted using text or e-mail. This is meant to make it easy and quick.
Home-school Option - We will give you the textbook. • You can either do one lesson every Sunday, or two lessons every other Sunday, whichever works for you. • - Every other week, we will check in to see how things are going via Flocknote. This is to make sure to bolster accountability, but also to make sure you feel supported. • - At any time, you can e-mail or call me for assistance, ideas or help. • - I will also send the take-home assignments that in-person children/parents will be assigned every other week. This will be helpful in engaging your kids in conversation through videos and prayer. You are also invited at attend Mass-prep and Mass with your children, if possible. • - Twice during the year, we will find a time to meet in person and check in on your child’s progress. Dates/Times TBD.
Flock-note • How does it work? • We e-mail you the video, tools and discussion questions on Sundays before a “lesson” is due (they are due on Sundays during off-weeks, when we don’t have sessions at the church. They don’t start until October). We will send an automated text message reminder on Saturday morning. • Text message reminders that Faith Formation at the church is occurring that weekend, or is cancelled (if there is a winter storm, for instance). • Other uses? • How do I sign up? • We enter in your cell phone and e-mail address. No username, no sign-in, no spam.
FORMED • You will need to sign up for this in order to do take-homes. • What is it? • A Catholic Netflix. LOADS of great resources for learning about the faith. • What does it cost? • We have paid for a subscription. It is FREE for parishioners. • How do I sign up? • Go to: www.hriccatholic.org/formed
