Religious Formation
Director of Religions Education:
Mrs. Sandra Dunn
sandy.dunn@st-patrick-parish.com
Youth Minister:
Mr. Len Komorowski
len.komorowski@st-patrick-parish.com
The source for all programs and classes at St. Patrick Parish comes from a
combination of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the General Directory for
Catechetical Leaders, Holy Scripture, Textbooks written for appropriate age
levels, guidelines from our local Bishop, Robert Morlino, and the combined
wisdom and experience of our parish catechetical leaders, Msgr. Raymond Kertz,
Mrs. Sandra Dunn, the Director of all programs and activities, Len Komorowski,
Master Catechist and Youth Minister and all of our catechists who volunteer
their time and talents in order to pass the faith of the Roman Catholic Church
on to the younger generations.
Our mission is to teach the young people of our parish all they need to know and lead them in a variety of celebrations and activities in order to guide them in the formation of their faith – the faith that guides their every action on a daily basis and calls them to worship and celebrate their faith every week with the community of St. Patrick Parish or any other Roman Catholic Church. From Kindergarten on through the preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation as Juniors or Seniors in High School, it is our goal to assist every child in discovering the faith that is given to them from God the Father Almighty as pure gift, to walk with His Son, Jesus Christ our Savior and to be guided in every action by the Holy Spirit of God. It is an inspiration to every adult in the parish to be witness to this formation of individual faith.
Kindergarten
Classes for Kindergarten students meet during the 10:00 a.m. Mass on each Sunday during the regular school year. This class is intended as an introduction to how the love of God and His Son Jesus reaches into the lives of each of our families. Parents are asked to help out in various ways throughout the year.
Grades 1-5
Classes are taught by a large group of very dedicated and faith-filled volunteer catechists and meet on Tuesday evenings from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. during the school year. Preparation for the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist takes place during the 2nd Grade. First Communion is a family celebration and can be scheduled for any weekend Mass during the month of May. Special activities designed to learn about and celebrate such Feasts as All Saints and Souls, Christmas, Epiphany, Fat Tuesday, Holy Week, Easter, etc. all promote better understanding of the seasons of the Church year and add to the building of traditions in the lives of these children and their families. Parent participation and support adds to the success of this part of our program.
Grades 6-8
A huge change took place last year and it was a great success. Classes no longer meet on Wednesday evenings and are now held on the First Sunday of each month during the school year from 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. This session is designed to be more of a retreat-like experience and will include the elements of social gathering, projects and activities, regular classes, supper and prayer and celebration of the seasons of the church. In between each monthly session there are a wide variety of activities and programs involving this age group including the Diocesan Youth Rally, Camp Gray Fun Day, Net Team sessions, service projects, field trips, etc. The success of this program will depend on the participation of all parents. Parents, please volunteer to help us with supper, etc. so the success of the first year will continue to grow and make this a very pleasant, as well as worthwhile, experience for the students.
High School
Freshmen and Sophomores will meet together for this year on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. In addition to these classes, there are many activities such as the Diocesan Youth Rally, Net Retreat, Service Projects, etc. Many of these students will be attending the National Catholic Youth Conference in last October in Atlanta, GA with 25,000 other Catholic High School students from all over the country. A full bus load of people from our parish are looking forward to the conference and to bringing back lots of ideas and inspirations that will enhance our programs here at St. Pat's.
Juniors and Seniors will meet as the Confirmation Class in preparation for receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation in the Spring of 2006. Classes will meet twice a month on Sunday mornings from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. In addition to classes, these Candidates will also be involved in various activities and celebrations in the life of the parish, take part in a Confirmation Retreat and attend various Diocesan Youth Activities. Many of these students will be in the group attending the National Catholic Youth Conference in Atlanta. We anticipate that the inspiration of their experience at the Conference will spill over onto the rest of the Candidates and make for a very spirited and faith filled year of activities.
Family Religious Formation
As an alternative to our regular classes, parents may choose to bring their whole families (including possible non-Catholic Moms or Dads) together with several other families to learn with and from each other the faith of our Roman Catholic Church. Their children are encouraged to take part in the various celebrations and projects along with all other children of the parish but their requirements for learning about and forming their faith will be fulfilled within the family program. Sessions meet monthly at a variety of times convenient to each family. Learning takes place in conjunction with the seasons of the Church Year and in connection with a yearly umbrella theme (Beatitudes, Mysteries of the Rosary, Works of Mercy, Standards of Religious Formation, etc.). This year we will be guided by the four basic parts in the Liturgy of the Mass - Introductory Rite (gathering of the Christian family), Liturgy of the Word (the message of God - made alive in our lives), Liturgy of the Eucharist (the prayer of our faith and tradition and the communion of all the faithful) and the Conclusion (service - go out and serve the Lord) This program is in its tenth year at St. Pat’s and has become one of the most successful parts of our formation ministry. Contact Mrs. Dunn for more details. (sandydre@charter.net)
Parent Participation
The success or failure of our formation programs depend directly upon the involvement of parents. Some serve as catechists and helpers on a regular basis and many others volunteer their time to assist with special activities. Parents in the Family Program commit themselves to homework and activities at home to see that the faith of our church is passed on to their children. We depend on every parent to support our education ministry and to be mentors to the active worship and Christian lifestyle that our programs are designed to promote with the children. The home is the domestic church and that is where the foundation of faith takes its roots. That is where the religious concepts they may learn at church is practiced every day.
PROCEDURE FOR CANCELING CLASSES IS AS FOLLOWS:
Radio Station WIBA 1310 AM is called. This Web Page will have a runner across the front page. (http://www.st-patrick-parish.com). If you don’t have Internet access, team up with a friend or neighbor who does. This will always be the best way to be informed. Each Catechist is called. Sometimes the weather is typical winter weather but not bad enough to cancel. In those cases, parents have the choice to keep their children at home if they feel it is unsafe to be out.
Please feel free to contact Mrs. Dunn at home (249-7720), at the parish (251-7857), by E-mail
sandydre@charter.net, by clicking under my picture on this Web Page or just flag me down after Mass on the weekends.