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NEWSLETTER
From the Desk of the Director of Religious
Education
Dear Religious Education Parents and Guardians,
Now that we have begun our preparations for Christmas, let’s not
forget what and why we are celebrating. We are all very familiar
with the phrase “Jesus is the Reason for the Season,” but do we
truly take it to heart? I know that it is very hard to get around
all of the commercialism that comes with the holidays, but we must
continue to instill in our children the importance of this great
event.
It can be easy to think that the deep level of spirituality needed
to understand the true gift of Christmas is beyond our children. But
it is important to show them that Christ came for all people, not
just grown-ups. Be sure to talk to your children and assure them
that the deep meaning of this great season is for them as well.
We need to explain that a great part of the Christmas message is God
showing us the importance of children. God, in all His power, could
have chosen to come down at any time and in any form, but He chose
to come as an infant. This helps us to understand just how human
Jesus was. Babies can be cute and sweet, but they also have their
“not so cute” side. An infant cries because he can’t talk or move to
get what he wants. They are very helpless and are constantly
struggling to be satisfied.
Christ as an infant is a great reminder for all parents that we need
to see God in each child. Jesus’ life teaches us that it is natural
to start from the beginning, to learn at a natural progression and
not to do everything perfectly. Every stage of our life is very
important.
Talk to your children about how Christmas is a special time for
them, not only because they may be receiving gifts but because of
the message that God loves children and values them. Our children
like to hear how much they are loved, and talking about God helps
change the focus away from “What am I getting?”
I pray that all of you have a Spirit-filled Advent, a Very Blessed
Christmas and a Joyous New Year.
Love and Peace,
Cheryl
What, When, Where
There will no
Religious Education/Confirmation
Classes on
December 28, 2011 or January 4, 2012
Christmas Mass Schedule for 2011
Saturday, December 24th
3:30pm Confessions
5:00pm Family Mass
(beginning with the Gospel Reenactment)
8:00pm Vigil Mass
10:00pm Christmas Hymns presented by the Traditional Choir
10:30pm Midnight Mass
Sunday, December 25th
8:00am Christmas Mass
9:45am Christmas Mass
11:30am Christmas Mass
1:00pm Christmas Mass in Spanish
(No 4:00pm Mass)
Saturday, December 31st and Sunday, January 1st
Regular Weekend Mass Schedule
Catechists
Our 2011-2012 Religious Education
Kindergarten--Franca
DeCampo
Level 1--Laura Caron
Level 1--Terri Griffin
Level
2--Mary Alyce Bauer and Carolyn Kuchma
Level 2 aide - Victoria Short
Level 3--Janet Smyre
Level 4--Kathy Jones
Level 5--Sheri Beach
Level 6--Deacon Santiago and Lisette Montalvo
RCIC 1--Virginia Traynham & Monica
Barahona
RCIC 2--Trish Weiler and La Verne Ward-White
Hispanic Coordinator--Maria de Los Angeles Michelitch
Liturgical Year
Parents are the Primary Educators in the Faith of their Children
Many documents of the church state
that parents are he primary educators of their children. While
this does not mean that parents are expected to know everything about
the faith, it does remind us of their primary role in the formation of
the family's faith.
Faith formation involves more than
being instructed in the teachings of the church, however. As the
terms denotes, it involves being formed in the way of faith. It is
being nurtured in a wholistic way that enables children to grow into a
deeper intimacy and communion with Jesus.
The whole community vision recognizes
that faith is being lived and taught at home. Whether connected to
faith "language" or not, what happens on a consistent basis in the home
has far greater formational influence that what happens in a parish or
school classroom an hour or so a week.
Love, gratitude, right and wrong,
thinking of others, service, and forgiveness are just a few of the faith
lessons families inherently teach and live. It is an education and
formation that is "more witnessed to than taught, more occasional than
systematic, more ongoing and daily that structured into periods"
(General Directory for Catechesis 255).
Our ministry as a parish - the whole
community of faith - is to support this primary responsibility and
activity of family life so that families can fulfill their
"responsibility of training [children] in the practice of the faith"
(Rite of Baptism for Children 39). Formal religious education is
offered so that children can be educated in the faith in a systematic
and age-appropriate way which complements the formation already
occurring in the home.
Reprinted from "Keeping the Faith:
Households of Faith"
FYI
If you have not
settled all financial responsibilities, please be sure to do so by
ASAP. Contact the
office if you need to make payment arrangements or if you have any
questions regarding your account.
Please remember that all
children in grades K-6 must be escorted into the building before
class by an adult and must also be picked up after class by an adult
at their classrooms. Confirmation I & II students may not pick up
their younger siblings.
We follow the P.G. County school
system for the closing of schools due to inclement weather or any
other emergency. If schools are cancelled or close early on any
Wednesday, then we will not have class on that night. Check the
website at www.sjreled.com if
you are unsure. We will also leave a message on our voicemail if
classes will not be held that night.
Please make sure that
you refer to the Religious Education Calendar and the monthly
Religious Education Newsletter for any changes or additions to the
regular year.
You can also visit our website at
www.sjreled.com.
Prayer Intention for the Learning Year
The Prayer intention for
December will be:
We Pray for
Those Who Are Poor
Heavenly Father, help us to be generous with what we
have been given
and
to share with others in your name. Amen.
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