Coordinator
Bridget Rao 978 475-0050 x28, brao@staugustineparish.org
Chastity Program Information and Registration Form
Our Religious Education year has come to an end and I need to thank all the catechists who help to make every lesson meaningful for our students. I want to thank our students who have come to class looking to deepen their relationship with God and finally a thank you to our parents who support us in our efforts.
The year has been a busy one with many social, spiritual and artistic initiatives in addition to our regular class time.
When you consider the thousands of sandwiches made, blankets produced for sick children, Thanksgiving placemats for Bread and Roses, Ash Wednesday door hangers for the parish, bulbs plated in the meditation garden, birthday party for children living in Lawrence Housing Projects… the list goes on.
We have also led our church in worship by hosting Sunday Mass and by leading both a Taize prayer service and a very special Christmas Carol Service.
During our last class the students and catechists evaluated the program and I will take their comments into account when planning for next year – I already have some ideas for new initiatives!!
Registration forms will be sent out in May and I would encourage you to return them as soon as possible. I would be delighted and grateful if as many catechists as possible would return but also I would like to suggest that those of you who have never taught before might want to consider this as something you might try!!!
Vacation Bible School takes place Monday July 30 – Friday August 3 and we will be looking for students to volunteer during this week. More details will be available soon!
Curriculum
The Call to Faith series we use for Grades 7 & 8 and has been especially designed with the young adolescent in mind. This program promotes dynamic, age appropriate faith learning and life application for adolescents and presents the content of the Catholic faith by drawing on Doctrine, Scripture, People of Faith and Catholics Today, the very sources of catholic wisdom.
Grade 7 Call to Faith – Kingdom of God
The seventh grade will learn that the Kingdom of God is a kingdom of peace, justice, and love. Being followers of Christ requires us to share the good news with others and to work towards ending everything that denies the dignity of the human person.
Grade 8 Call to Faith – The Church
This year we focus on the Church, and how every one of us is called to be a disciple of Jesus and join in the tradition of the Church. Evangelization, using personal gifts, salvation, the role of the clergy and being part of the parish community are all discussed
Evaluation
No formal assessment of the students takes place however there is a review at the end of each class that allows us to reinforce the content of the lesson.
Every student – through class discussion and written comments- is given the opportunity to evaluate the program at the end of the year. This allows me to appraise how we teach the faith to this group of students and how effective these methods are.
Social Projects
Young people need to see their faith in action to fully appreciate its value and so there are opportunities throughout the year to work on specific social projects – including making sandwiches for the homeless, blankets for sick children, making placemats for Bread and Roses and Nursing Homes residents and sponsoring birthday parties for children living in the housing projects in Lawrence.
Arts and Crafts
Most lessons involve making crafts, which incorporates another way to teach in the classroom. Some of these crafts go home with the student but others are distributed within the Parish and to outside organizations.
Sunday Liturgy
To encourage our students to worship on a regular basis there will be opportunities for them to lead some of the 9:30 Masses.
Sacraments
Each grade is given the opportunity to participate in the sacrament of reconciliation once during the year.
Prayer & Worship
The students will be introduced to different forms of prayer and will lead the Parish in worship by means of these prayer styles.
Please contact me by phone or e mail if you have any questions.
God Bless
Bridget Rao DRE
Grade 7 & 8 Schedules for 2012-2013
Chastity Program Information
One of the most important gifts we can hand on to our youth is the importance of the virtue of chastity in developing lifelong emotional, physical and spiritual well-being. To that end, the Archdiocese of Boston has launched a chastity education curriculum for Middle School and is developing one for High School.
For Parents
Recognizing that parents are the primary educators of their children in matters of faith and morals, the program begins with a parent information session.
Parent Information Session
Thursday, October 20th, 7-8pm
Parish Center – St. Michael Parish, North Andover
This information session focuses on the necessity of a chastity curriculum for their children, bringing real life examples into the presentation. It educates parents on the physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual consequences and benefits of Catholic teaching regarding chastity, relationships, responsibility and love, it providing parents with the tools to begin these sensitive conversations at home first. Finally, the information session will offer an overview of the content that will be covered during the student program, including some of the video clips that will be shown.
For Students—Middle School
The second part of the curriculum is the student/teacher section, taught in 7th and 8th grade. This is a three hour session which will be taught by a team of curriculum specialists certified by the Archdiocese. The program presents church teaching on love & relationships as the appropriate framework for understanding the gift of human sexuality through age appropriate activities, video clips, presentations, and Q&A.
Registration
The parishes of St. Michael, St. Augustine and St. Robert Bellarmine, are coordinating their efforts on this program in order to offer additional options and greater flexibility to our families. By completing this registration form, your 7th and/or 8th grader may participate in the program at any of the three parishes.
Please return the completed form to: Bridget Rao, DRE, St. Augustine Religious Education, 35 Essex St., Andover, MA 01810
Chastity is a moral virtue … which allows us to give the gift of our very selves to others. … All Catholics are called to chastity whatever their age or state in life, whether single, married or consecrated religious. … Chastity contributes to the psychological and spiritual growth and stability of teens by encouraging temperance, self-mastery and the true integration of the powers of life and love as God intended.
