Welcome to the St. Mary of the Assumption Religious Education Program.  Our Religious Education Program seeks to provide opportunities for all members of your family to deepen and share their faith within the parish community.  Our programs are as varied as the age groups we want to serve:  Traditional classroom style instruction for our young children, Sacramental Preparation Programs, a Junior High Program that combines ongoing faith formation with activities and service projects, a High School Program that focuses on activities and Confirmation preparation, adult faith formation programs, and The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). 

We are blessed in this parish with many people who are willing and excited about sharing their faith with others.  In the Religious Ed Program we have over 70 volunteers who give of their time to teach, serve on Boards, and offer assistance for special projects.  It is certainly an exciting testimony to the vibrant, active parish we are when so many give so much! 

It is important to remember that the Religious Education Program is successful only by being in partnership with you the parents/guardians.  While the instruction and formation we provide are the building blocks of a growing faith life, the foundation is laid and reinforced by you within the family structure.  Full participation in parish life, including regular Mass attendance, allows the children the opportunity to feel part of the parish family.  It gives meaning and value to all they are learning about God, Jesus, and their Catholic faith.

This handbook has been designed to provide you with all the information you may need to know the workings of the Religious Education Program.  Included are fuller descriptions of the various programs as well as policies and procedures.  We hope it will answer any questions you may have; but if not, please feel free to contact the Religious Education Office any time. 

Your children are a blessing – they are always open, honest, and eager to learn.  Their questions are indicative of the inquisitive minds they possess.  May we always foster questions, growth, and  deepening faith life.

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Faith Formation Mission Statement

St. Mary of the Assumption Parish seeks to cultivate a holistic vision of life long faith formation thereby fulfilling our Baptismal call.

We recognize that faith formation encompasses an array of activities to put our faith in action.  These activities would include but are not limited to:  formal education, experiential learning, opportunities for prayer and reflection, and ministries within the parish as well as within the cluster and the community at large.

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Catechetical Plan

The Office of Religious Education at St. Mary of the Assumption Parish seeks to make the Gospel living, conscious, and active in the lives of its participants – children, adults and families.  Through formal instruction, Junior High and High School Youth Ministry, Sunday Liturgy, family activities, adult education, and Sacramental Preparation there will always be opportunities for faith formation. 

The resources of the Office of Religious Education will be available to provide training for leaders, support for catechists, and supplemental materials for families.

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 Religious Education Personnel

Religious Education Director            - Lisa Scarry

RCIA                                                         - Mary Eisenhaure

Secretary                                                 - Shirley Callahan

Religious Education Board Members:  Cathy Bowes, Susan Hajjar, Cathe' Hayes, Jo Loughnane, Sarah Marcella,  Ellen Mitchell

Office Address:  210 Samoset Ave.

Office Hours:  Monday through Friday 10 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Phone:  781-925-5446

Fax:  781-925-0685

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Curriculum

For Grades 1 – 5: The text used is the Sadlier Publishing Coming to Faith Series.  This series helps children to explore their Catholic faith, develop morally, and grow in religious understanding and practice.  The curriculum carefully blends age appropriate child development with faith and moral development.  Just as the child learns incrementally in school, so the child must learn about faith. The texts introduce topics that are more challenging as the child moves up in grade level. 

The textbooks are all designed the same way - there are five movements to each chapter.  Movement one is “Our Life” and the children are invited to think about and name a personal or faith experience related to the theme of the lesson.  Movement two is “Sharing Life” where the children are encouraged to think, share, or talk with God, one another, and/or the catechist about the life or faith experiences they named in the first movement.  Movement three, “Our Catholic Faith”, presents the Catholic Church’s vision based on Scripture, Doctrine, Liturgy, and Faith stories of our Church.  Movement four, “Coming to Faith”, offers activities and questions to help the children learn, understand and relate our faith to their lives.  Movement five, “Practicing Faith”, challenges the children to decide how to live the Catholic faith today in their homes and parish.  At the end of every chapter for every grade level there is a section called “Faith Alive, at Home and in the Parish.”  These pages are for you, the parent/guardian, to work on with your child.  They give you an opportunity to spend time with your child sharing faith. 

The following is a list of the textbooks: 

Grade 1:  Coming to God
Grade 2:  Coming to Jesus
Grade 3:  Coming to the Church
Grade 4:  Coming to God’s Love
Grade 5:  Coming to God’s Life

 

Middle School Program (Grades 6-8):  Faith formation is the ongoing need of this age group.  Much of the wisdom of our faith, the “basics”, is already present through their previous religious education as well as in the life experiences of these learners.  Understanding the restless nature of our young teens, the Discovering Program from St. Mary’s Press offers a variety of topics in short six week segments, workbooks for each segment as opposed to one textbook for the year, and lessons which utilize active learning techniques.   Throughout each course, the lessons are grounded in faith stories taken from Scripture.

In addition, there are special lessons for special times of the year – Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, etc.   Every meeting includes time for prayer.    

Realizing that these early adolescents are beginning the struggle to separate from authority while learning to make their own decisions, we want them to know that we recognize and value the changes that are happening to them.  The Middle School Program is designed to assist them during this early part of the journey to adulthood. 

This year we will be introducing the topic of “Growing Sexually” in all grades of our Middle School Program.  While the public schools offer a neutral, clinical instruction, we will endeavor to provide the factual information about sexuality while fostering healthy attitudes regarding the sacredness of one’s body, the development of loving relationships, and the knowledge that God created life to be holy and loving.  This will be done in a six-week segment and parents will be given an opportunity to view the material and ask questions prior to beginning the topic. 

In addition to the “Growing Sexually” component, each grade will explore two other themes throughout the year: 

     Grade 6:  Becoming Friends and Praying
     Grade 7:  Understanding Myself and Meeting Jesus
     Grade 8:  Learning to Communicate and Being Catholic  

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Sacraments

First Reconciliation:  Celebrated in December of the Grade 2 year

All persons are created in the image of God, who is perfect goodness.  Yet, people do bad things.  We are made to love, but we are free to choose to love or not to love.  In every choice, whether we are conscious of it or not, we decide who we are and whether or not we will love.  Choosing to do something that is against God’s Law of Love is sin.  Sin damages the good persons we were meant to be.  Sin alienates us from God and others.  The Sacrament of Reconciliation is an opportunity for us to turn back to God who is always there to love us unconditionally.  The word, reconcile means “to bring together”.  In this Sacrament, we are enabled to heal the divisions that have separated us from others and to heal the divisions in our own hearts. 

The children will use the Coming to Jesus textbook focusing on the Reconciliation unit for five weeks prior to the Sacrament. The students will come to understand that God loves us, always; that we make choices in our lives and some are good and some are bad; that we need to say “I’m sorry” when we hurt one another; that we need to tell God we are sorry when we hurt one another because we are also hurting Him when we sin. 

The process of reconciliation will also be part of the curriculum:  examination of conscience (thinking about the things we do that hurt others), confession (talking with the priest about these acts), penance (accepting the direction of the priest to better one’s decisions), and absolution (receiving God’s pardon).  

When we are reconciled with God we are reconciled with one another.  We are showing our willingness to change, seek growth, and to go and try, once again, to live as Jesus taught us to live.

First Reconciliation is offered to the children in Grade 2.  The ceremony is a family celebration and parents and siblings are invited to experience the Sacrament as well.

 

First Eucharist:  Celebrated in May of Grade 2

Eucharist at its roots is a sacrificial meal and all who share in it are challenged to offer themselves for the benefit of others, as Jesus offered Himself for our benefit.  

We want our children to understand that Jesus loved his disciples so much that he wanted to stay with them, and so he left his sacred memory in the gift of bread broken and wine shared.  By saying “do this in memory of me” he expressed his desire to have us remember his gift of love, the gift of himself.  After his resurrection and ascension, this gift of gathering and remembering sustained many of the early disciples and gave them strength to continue preaching his message. The Sacrament, then, is more than receiving the bread and wine, it is gathering, listening to the word of Jesus, sharing in the meal and going out and living according to Jesus’ word.  Hence, the Mass – the gathering, the hearing of the Word, the prayer of thanksgiving, the sharing in the Body and Blood, and the going forth are all part of the Eucharistic meal and each part is essential to the memory of Jesus.  By participating in the Mass we are all making a commitment to Jesus and further, to each other.   The sacrament of Eucharist challenges us to be in unity with each other.  Even when there are differences, the breaking of the one loaf calls us to seek unity with all who gather around the table.   

Our First Eucharist Program also uses the text Coming to Jesus.  For preparation the focus is on the Mass.  To participate in Eucharist is to participate in the Mass.  There is a chapter devoted to each part of the Mass and throughout the lessons there is always a correlation to family celebrations – known experiences for the children.  

Because this Sacrament should be supported and exemplified by the parents, there are parent participation requirements.  Parents are required to: 

1.      regularly attend Sunday liturgy
2.      attend two Parent Meetings
3.      attend a Parent/Child activity day
4.      insure regular attendance at classes for your child

 

Confirmation:  Celebrated in October of the Junior Year in high school

Confirmation, like Baptism and Eucharist, is a sacrament of initiation.  It is a graced moment in which our young people, after study and preparation, say yes to Jesus, to God’s gift of the Spirit, and to the Catholic community in which they share their faith.  It is seen as an opportunity for growth – morally and spiritually.  

We endeavor to provide a comprehensive program of preparation that allows each student to be touched by the Lord.  Through class instruction, communal prayer, group activities, and service projects, the students will be exposed to the life of Jesus, challenged to explore their own lives, and then asked to go out and serve others. 

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Policies and Procedures

In order to insure quality Religious Education Programs as well as providing a safe, nurturing, and faith-filled environment for all our students while in our care, both parent/guardian and children should read the following procedures and policies. 

Mass Attendance:  An integral part of our children’s faith formation is participation in Sunday Liturgy.  While attending classes is important for the practical knowledge that is learned, faith should also be experienced.  To be part of the parish family, to worship together each Sunday is to be part of faith in action.  We expect that you will give your child both experiences – classroom and Church – so that he/she will be encouraged to practice and live his/her faith. 

Registration: For new families or children entering first grade, a registration form must completed prior to starting classes.  Registration is ongoing at the parish office during regular office hours.  For those with other children in the program, we do ask that a registration form be filled out when the child begins grade 1.  We will then add the child to your family list. 

For all other students, we assume that the children will be moving up a grade level each year and we automatically move them.  We will send a bill in August that will include the names and grade levels of the children for whom you are being billed.  Also, we ask that any changes in information be reported to the office so our records remain accurate. 

Family Concerns:  If there is a severe illness or death in the family, please notify the Religious Ed Office.  Should you need support, we would like to be present to you and your child in difficult times.   We will also notify your child’s teacher. 

Medical Concerns:  If your child has any allergies, special medications, or special needs, please inform the teacher. While we always try to make accommodations for our families, we cannot be responsible for dispensing medications and children should not be bringing any medications to class.   Also, if your child has any learning disabilities we would like to provide whatever accommodations would assist your child in having a good experience in the program.    

Attendance:  If you know your child will be absent, please call the teacher and let her/him know.   It is important that we know where the children are . . . so please don’t leave a teacher feeling uneasy about a child not showing up for class.  If a child in grades 1 – 8 is absent more than five times (this equals 20% of class time), then the Administrator will contact the parent to request a meeting to discuss the situation.  

Arrival and Departure: Parents are expected to drop off and pick up their children on time.  The volunteer teachers spend time preparing their lessons and it is important that they have enough time to present them.  Students arriving late can disrupt the schedule.  Also, the teacher may have plans of her own after class, so a prompt pick-up is expected.  We also would appreciate that parents of young children in grades 1-5 come into the building to pick up their child.  Safety is our number one priority. 

For students on Saturday morning, class begins promptly at 9:00 a.m. so arrival should be no later than 8:55 a.m.   Dismissal is at 10:00 a.m. 

Class Cancellation:  If the Hull Public School does not have school, then there is no Religious Education.  If the public school has a half-day, however, there will be regularly scheduled classes.  If a teacher needs to cancel a class for personal reasons, he/she will call all students as well as the Religious Ed Office.  For Saturday classes, the Administrator will make the decision during inclement weather and will call all teachers as well as to leave a recording on the office phone (781-925-5446).  Teachers will then inform their students if class has been cancelled. 

Behavior & Discipline:  Pupils are expected to arrive on time, ready to work cooperatively, and to act in an appropriate and respectful manner to their teachers as well as fellow students.  The teacher will bring any incident of misconduct to the attention of the Administrator.  If a second problem arises, the Administrator will attend the class, observe the behavior and speak with the student and teacher.  A third offense will result in parental notification and a meeting with the Administrator.  Any further offenses will result in the removal of the student from the class and the parents will be responsible for finishing the education for the year.  

Child Abuse and Neglect:  As now mandated by Massachusetts state law, employees of St. Mary of the Assumption Parish are mandated reporters for child abuse and neglect.  If a child makes a statement about abuse or neglect or shows visible signs of abuse or neglect the Administrator of Religious Ed, after consultation with the pastor, will call the local office of the Department of Social Services and report the incident.  The phone call will be followed up by written report sent to the same office of the Department of Social Services.  Also, if a teacher reports to the Administrator knowledge of abuse or neglect in regard to a student, the Administrator will, again, be responsible for reporting this to the Department of Social Services. 

Communication:  Throughout the year, you the parent/guardian will receive mailings from the Office of Religious Ed.  Information about schedules, special events, and supplemental materials for families during the different seasons will be included.  We are here to serve the religious education needs of our children, youth and adults.  If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions feel free to share them with us – either in the office or with your child’s teacher.  

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Expectations

In order to provide the best possible religious education program for your child, the following is a list of the expectations of all involved: 

             A.    Parents:

    1.  Ensure the child attends all classes.

    2.  Communicate any special needs or circumstances
   that may affect their child within the classroom.

    3.  Be an active part of their child(ren)’s learning and
  be involved in the classroom at the catechist’s
  request. 

             B.    Students:

 1.  Behave in a Christian manner at all times showing respect and being cooperative with adults and other students.

 2.  Actively participate in classroom activities and
     discussions.

       3.  Attend class regularly.

       4.  Follow the rules of the classroom as discussed by teacher and student. 

             C.    Catechists:

        1.  Provide a loving, Christian atmosphere within the learning environment so that children will be able
to grow in their faith.

        2.  Prepare and teach designated curriculum.

        3.  Be a good role-model

        4.  Communicate regularly and involve parents in the faith formation of their children.

             D.    Staff:

        1.  Provide guidance and training for catechists.

        2.  Communicate regularly with families.

        3.  Be a resource for families for faith formation.

        4.  Offer opportunities for families to gather for
      activities that are parish based.

As previously stated, the Office of Religious Education is open to all.  If something is upsetting or bothers you, please tell us.  We can only help if we know what the problem is.  On the other hand, if you enjoy something or are pleased with something, let us know that as well, too.   Communication is the key to success.     

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