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In the last issue of The Forerunner, I shared information on the Archdiocesan religion standards given to each parish for their Faith Formation & School Religion programs. The Archdiocese describes our mission as, "Making Jesus Christ known and loved in our time by choosing to live out the Gospel in every moment."
The role of the school and the parish is to help parents (and all parishioners!) in understanding and passing on the Roman Catholic religion in its totality. Parish religious education directors, Catholic school principals, and Catholic education formation ministers spent a year meeting to develop the standards based on the Church's General Directory for Catechesis.
Standard Two, Liturgical Education, asks us to help children's understanding of, and faith in, how the Church worships through "full, active, and conscious participation in liturgy."
The first component is that students (and all of us)...
Understand, live, and bear witness to the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus, celebrated and communicated through the sacramental life of the Church. Children learn about Jesus' birth, life, ministry, and death, and about the mystery of His humanity and divinity. Teachers and catechists use a variety of methods to teach about the life of Jesus: Scripture, stories, movies, and role playing. Students begin to see how the sacraments help us to understand our God and ourselves and how they help us to live holy lives through their gifts of grace. Students learn about the saints, those holy people who lived out God's will in their daily lives. From St. Francis of Assisi in October to praying the Rosary during the month of May, children are exposed to these heroes and devotions of the Church.
The second component is that all...
Understand Church doctrine on the Eucharist and other sacraments. Church documents describe the Eucharist as the "source and summit" of Christian life, therefore, weekly opportunities for students to participate in the liturgy are provided. Our priests and teachers work together to make approved liturgical accommodations where it would benefit a particular age group (e.g., use of the Children's Lectionary). Second graders in the parish prepare for First Reconciliation & Eucharist. Father Magnuson recently gave our second graders a tour to learn about the various parts of the Church. Teachers take time during Friday religion class to review with students the Sunday readings to help prepare them for weekend liturgy. Older students put together their own prayer service in small groups.
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The third component is that all...
Acquire the spirituality, skills, and habits of full, conscious, and active participation at Mass. At the weekly liturgies, the students use Mass booklets to help them learn the responses. Studying the liturgical calendar helps students to become familiar with the seasons and feasts of the Church, and brings them into a deeper understanding of the life, death, and resurrection of Christ Jesus. Liturgy is the work of the full Christian community, and students participate fully through lectoring, singing, bringing up the gifts, and knowing the correct responses. The example of our parish community is critical.
The fourth component is that all...
Value the dignity and responsibility of Christian Baptism. The sacrament of Baptism initiates each of us into the Body of Christ, consecrates us to God, and gifts us with the Holy Spirit. This sacrament calls us to be disciples of Jesus. Students are shown the many ways we must live out this Baptismal call by being respectful to others and good stewards of God's gifts. Students learn that Baptism and the other sacraments are fountains of grace that strengthen us to live the Christian life.
The fifth component is that all...
Understand the roles of the laity and the ordained in liturgical celebration. Students are helped to participate appropriately at Mass. At each of the different grade levels, students participate and prepare prayer services. Our priests are present at different times in the classrooms and at school so that children can see their witness as faithful shepherds.
The sixth component is that all...
Understand and participate in the Church's daily prayer, Liturgy of the Hours, and learn to pray the Psalms. The entire school community prays together daily, and during October and May, we recite a decade of the Rosary. At each grade level, students learn certain prayers. Every classroom has a prayer table, and religious art is evident throughout the school: statues of saints and Our Blessed Mother. Each classroom has a Bible and a Catechism of the Catholic Church. The Psalms are beautiful prayers that speak to every situation in human life; our students' exposure to these give them another way to relate to God.
Standard Two allows us to help students understand that the sacraments are God's gift to us, and they give us the grace to live a faith-filled life. This grace instills within us the wish to do good and the strength to seek out God's will and live it in our daily lives. All of us are witnesses to our youngsters.
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