The goal of religious education is to provide a basic understanding of the
Catholic faith. Parents will reinforce these
teachings, and nurture Catholic values and
morals in the home.
Instructional materials are selected with assistance from the Faith
Formation group and the school principal.
All
teachers are volunteers.
Anyone who is a Catholic, and is comfortable spreading the good news can
become a Catechist. All that is required is an honest desire to pass on our faith. All are eligible, men or women, single or married,
retired or with young children.
The Diocese of Grand Rapids now requires teachers to be
“certified Catechists”. They must
attend workshops and retreats to maintain the required hours for each level of
teaching. The Faith Formation director reports these hours to the Diocesan
office. These certifications are meant to be a spiritual boost to the teachers and
also to keep them informed of the latest updates. It also provides them with a
wealth of information from other Catechists. They are meant to help them with their
own faith knowledge to pass it on correctly and help those who may not be quite so
confident in one aspect or another of teaching.
The teachers work with a master edition of the textbook. Teachers are encouraged to work with their group
and tailor their teaching styles and faith subjects accordingly. One of the favorite
Catechist workshops is "Growing as a Catechist" in Grand Rapids every fall
(usually October). This is a daylong event
with many speakers from which to choose.
Retreats are strongly encouraged.
The sacraments of Reconciliation and First Communion are
received in the 2nd grade, at (around) 7 years of age. The teacher has specific
workbooks and sessions that are covered in normal class time for these students.
There
are additional family/pastoral preparation events for these children as well
during their preparation for these two sacraments. Additional
instruction is available for children who have not received these sacraments in the
"normal" time line. It just needs to be brought to our attention.
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