Hello everyone,
I am very excited to back again as the Coordinator of Religious Education for grades 6 through 12 for our Parishes. I look forward to building upon and expanding what we started last year. I truly appreciate your support in the past and look forward to working with you and your children as we enter the new school year. Following are some highlights of what to expect as well as the calendar for the year:
Middle School Program (grades 6 thru 8):
Wednesdays at St. Ignatius, 6:00 to 7:30 (see calendar for dates)
The first hour of the program will include large and small group work, Scripture exercises, music, lessons about the Saints, and practical teaching of the Faith. This part of the program continues to be developed in coordination with the St. John Bosco Society Catechists from St. Paul’s Catholic Center. The last 30 minutes will involve large group time overlapping the middle school and high school classes. During this class time, the students experience Praise & Worship music, personal testimonies, and other large group presentations and discussions. Parents of youth in grades 6 to 12 are strongly encouraged to attend from 7:00 to 7:30.
High School Program (grades 9 thru 12): selected Sundays and Wednesdays,
Wednesdays at St. Ignatius, 7:00 to 8:30 (see calendar for dates):
Also developed in coordination with the St. John Bosco Society Catechists, this half of the program meets on average twice per month. It is a similar, but more advanced version of the middle school program. By working on developing an understanding of the Holy Scriptures, we cannot help but deepen our faith. Inspired by the teachings and lectures of Pope John Paul II, Theology of the Body, (Ascension Press, ©2008) focuses on the Church’s teachings on human sexuality and relationships in the light of God’s intentions for our bodies. TOB will continue to be an important component of the program.
In addition to direct catechesis of our youth, one of the main objectives of the high school program is to bridge the gap during the teen years and link the students to their college and adult faith life. We do our best to answer their “why” questions. Remember that Confirmation is not and end unto itself and our program is for all students in grades 9 through 12. Students are expected to attend through the end of 12th grade even if they have already been Confirmed.
Sundays at St. Mary: 6:00 to 8:00 (please note the time change from last year, see calendar for dates):
It is well known that by learning more about the lives of the Saints and calling upon them to intercede for us, we can grow in holiness. When we witness the true stories of their lives and what they contribute to our faith, we gain solid examples of how God would have us live and deal with circumstances in our own lives.
This will be the second year for the Dead Theologians Society as part of the curriculum for our program. DTS has over 400 chapters worldwide and is headquartered in nearby Black Earth, WI. It requires the support of several volunteers each class to prepare snacks and a meal. We are asking each high school family to volunteer for one Sunday night during the program. I will be sending out an e-mail to all high school families to sign up for a class time, probably in early September. This part of the program meets on average twice per month. To learn more about DTS in general, you can visit; www.deadtheologianssociety.com
The reason that this meets on Sunday nights is due to the availability of the DTS facility at St. Mary’s. The established chapter from St. Mary’s already meets on Wednesday nights, thus it is not available to us on our regular night. To prepare a facility even close to what already exists there would require extensive resources. Also, contrary to some rumors, this is an important part of the regular program.
Confirmation:
In the spring of 2011, we will Confirm the classes of 2012 and 2013. If a student from the class of 2014 wishes to be Confirmed, that is an open option (please let me know if that is your wish as soon as possible). The possible dates for the Sacrament will be offered to us this fall. High school families whose child has not been Confirmed should look for a separate Confirmation letter to arrive in the mail very soon containing more details about the Confirmation process.
New and continuing ministries:
St. Joseph’s Sister Parish Project (HS, soon to include MS)
MadCAAP HS (Mississippi) Mission Trip sponsored by 6:8 (HS)
Steuebenville North, Catholic Youth Conference (HS)
St. Paul’s Candlelight Mass (HS)
Youth Advisory Board (HS for now, eventually MS will have one, too) New!
Saints on the Silver Screen - monthly movie night (HS, possibly MS) New!
High School Youth Group (HS, eventually a MS Youth Group, too) Coming soon!
UW Concessions Fundraiser Coming soon!
Do we need more catechists and helpers???
Absolutely!!!! We need more of each in all grades. In addition to having the St. John Bosco Society Catechists doing a lot of the teaching, we still need support at all levels. One of the best ways to deepen your own faith is to share it with others. Many times, starting out as a teacher’s helper is a great way to learn the ropes. The amount of preparation time for each class is minimal and will be provided.
We would like to keep the group sizes as small as possible for optimal learning. We are looking for adults to help whether you have a child in the program or not. We have six fewer catechist volunteers from our Parish since the beginning of last year due to moves, changes in job status, and attrition. Please pray seriously to see if you are being called to teach this year. We really need your help. There are also opportunities for high school students to volunteer as helpers in Pre-K-5 and middle school classes. Please talk this over with your son or daughter and contact me as soon as possible. It could be counted as their God Project for Confirmation.
Summary:
Overall, our intention is that all of the components of the middle and high school programs will compliment each other to form a very solid catechesis in the basics of the Catholic faith for our youth. We are also hoping to spark some family discussions on various topics. Don’t be surprised to have your students asking you some questions or maybe even teaching you a few things…
Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns that you might have. I would rather discuss things with you to clarify our program than to have you be unclear as to what we are trying to accomplish. My contact information is listed below. Our goal is to provide the best catechesis for the youth in our collective parishes and to involve the families as much as possible in order to encourage the best development of the Catholic faith in your children. Please keep our Parish in your prayers as we continue the development of the religious education program.
Sincerely in Christ,Steve Davies
Coordinator for Religious Education, Grades 6-12, St. Ignatius & St. Mary of Pine Bluff Parishes
608-437-5348 x105 (Parish Office) 608-220-2088 (personal cell phone) This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
