Faith
Formation for Children
Faith
Formation Sessions for children in Grades K-8
At
St. Clement's we use CALLED TO FAITH (Harcourt Religion
Publishers) as our principal resource. Each child is
provided with a textbook or workbook. This series is in
conformity with the Catechism of the Catholic Church and covers
the following topics over the course of a year: Revelation,
Trinity, Jesus, the Church Sacraments, Morality, Kingdom of God
and Catholic Social Teachings. Over the course of eight
years each child, who stays with our parish program, is provided
comprehensive religious education in these areas. Our
learning sessions are interactive, creative, and our catechists
are trained to respect various learning styles and effective
teaching methods. Harcourt also provide a website for
parents for home-lessons and follow-up discussions. Click
here
to go to Harcourt Publishers
website.
Sacramental
Preparation for Children (First Reconciliation & First
Eucharist)
Our
Faith Formation program is committed to providing high quality,
family-centered sacramental preparation programs for
children. Each child is unique and we are dedicated to
helping parents fashion a vibrant spiritual life in their child
especially through sacramental preparation programs.
The
most important component of any sacramental preparation is for a
family to make the sacraments, especially the Eucharistic
Sacrifice (Mass) central to their lives. Parents desiring to
present their children for First Communion preparation are asked
to commit themselves to attending Sunday Mass weekly in keeping
with the teaching of the church and the command of Jesus to
celebrate the Eucharist in his memory.
Sacraments
are not given according to grade but according to the readiness of
the child, though a majority of children demonstrate a readiness
somewhere around the 2nd or 3 rd grade or higher. The
decision to present a child for sacramental preparation is made in
consultation with the child's parents and catechists. Our
primary consideration is always the child and the child's
understanding and readiness to receive the sacramental gifts of
the church. The Faith Formation Team is here to assist
parents in discerning their child's readiness for First
Reconciliation and First Eucharist.
It
is highly recommended and desirable that children enrolling in our
sacramental preparation program have had one year of an
introductory (Level One) parish faith formation program. Children
with no previous introductory faith formation program often
experience confusion and demonstrate a difficulty in grasping the
materials contained in the sacramental preparation programs.
Parents are encouraged to defer immediate preparation for First
Reconciliation and First Eucharist for their child and to enroll
them in an introductory level class first.
There
are special programs for older children who have not received
First Reconciliation and First Eucharist. Similarly, our
Faith Formation Program provides a special process for older
children who have not been baptized, called Rite of
Christian Initiation of Children.
Our
parish policy is that preparation for Sacraments occurs at the
parish level. Religious home-schooling should be an
exception and only for very serious medical reasons.
Children
enrolled in St. Clement's Regional Catholic School may prepare for
First Reconciliation and First Eucharist at the school.
However, the celebration of these sacraments occurs within the
context of a parish celebration with other parish families and
candidates.
For
our Sacramental Preparation Program for First Reconciliation and
First Eucharist, we use CALLED TO CELEBRATE (Reconciliation)
and CALLED TO CELEBRATE (Eucharist) also from Harcourt
Religion Publishers. Click here.
Parent
preparation sessions are woven into the process so that parents
are empowered to fulfill the promise they made at the time of
their child's baptism: to be the primary teachers in the ways of
faith and Christian living.
Social
justice projects appropriate to children are integrated into the
preparation process. In this way our children learn from the
beginning that the Eucharist calls us to act with justice and care
on behalf of the poor and needy of our world. In recent
years our First Communicants have undertaken some wonderful social
action projects including donating their First Communion clothing
to children of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Calle Real, El
Salvador; helping raise money to help mothers and children at St.
Raphael's Hospital in Baghdad, Iraq, as well as a program
for children with special needs in Oaxaca, Mexico.
Liturgy of
the Word for Children
All children
ages 5 – 10 are invited to participate in Liturgy of the Word for
Children which is held at the 9:30 a.m. Mass each Sunday. Simple
versions of the Sunday readings are proclaimed to the children,
followed by an age appropriate reflection on these scriptures.
Liturgy of the Word for children is a prayer and worship
experience not a religious education class. No prior
registration is required for participation.
Volunteers
Help is
needed throughout the year in many different capacities. These
include catechists for Faith Formation sessions and
Sacramental Preparation, hostesses for receptions and clerical
assistance.
If you would
like to become involved, contact Fr. Neil at 587-3611 or
frneil@stclementschurch.com
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