Faith Formation for Children

Faith Formation for Children


In his beautiful apostolic exhortation On Catechesis In Our Time (Catechesi Tradendae), Pope John Paul II stated that "before Christ ascended to His Father after His resurrection, He gave the apostles a final command - to make disciples of all nations and to teach them to observe all that He had commanded." This is how Jesus wants the Good News of God's love to reach every person, so that together we may become a People of God.  Today, we call the "Good News" the Gospel, the "People of God" the Church, and the mission to teach and make disciples of all nations catechesis, which in Greek means "instruction by word of mouth". 

 

A catechist is a person who is called to this mission by the Holy Spirit - and for Catholics, that means all of us. We are all called to proclaim the "Good News" in how we live our lives. The first and foremost catechists in the life of every child are his or her parents. Parents are the fundamental source of their child's faith formation. The Office of Religious Education at Saint Edmond is devoted to helping parents in their efforts to raise their child in the Roman Catholic faith, so that he or she will become a disciple of Christ.

A Disciple of Christ...

1. Lives a moral Christian life

2. Meaningfully participates in liturgical & sacramental worship

3. Prays on his or her own & in communion with the Church

4. Provides service to the Church and to those in need

5. Is knowledgeable about the faith

6. Shares the Good News of Jesus Christ with all people 

The faith formation program at Saint Edmond Parish is designed to give young people the opportunity to encounter Christ in their lives through instruction, prayer, service, and participation in the Liturgy.  The instructional curriculum we use for Kindergarten through Grade 8 is the Finding God series by Loyola Press. It incorporates Scripture, Church Tradition, Prayer, and Sacred Art in every lesson. The video below gives an overview of the program.

Classes are held on Sundays, usually, twice a month, and begin with attendance at the 9:00 a.m. Mass, for Grades K-5, and end at 11:00 a.m. Grade 6, 7, 8 & 9 will attend class from 6-7:30 p.m. Parents with children in both sessions should pick the most convenient time to attend Mass together as a family. Our Religious Education Program also incorporates a family "home school" component. Parents teach two lessons a month at home and students complete online interactive reviews to get credit for the lesson. Teaching the Catholic faith at home strengthens family relationships and helps children learn from watching faith modeled by their parents.  Click here to view the current Religious Education Parent Handbook. 

At Saint Edmond Parish, we believe that it is essential for even the youngest child in our program to experience the joy of helping others through Christian Service. Therefore, all students are required to complete several hours of service that includes any Corporal or Spiritual Works of Mercy freely given to another person in need. (See our Parent Handbook for details.) Parents should document their child's service on the appropriate form.  Christian Service Form for Grades K-8

Students in Grade 8 study Church history from September through December, and begin their Confirmation preparation in January. Confirmation preparation continues through Grade 9, and the Sacrament of Confirmation is celebrated in the Spring of Grade 9. 


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