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Aug. 4: Catechist Meeting (required), all grade-levels, DR; 6:30 pm
Aug. 18: ‘Night of the
Round Tables’, Archdiocesan Catechist In-service, St. Leo’s
Aug. 24/25/29: R.E. Classes Begin
We still
have 50 catechist and volunteer spots to fill! Does one of them have your
name on it?
The heart of our program is the dedication of
our catechists and their willingness to share their faith with our
children. For our program to function, we need 295
catechists and volunteers each week! We are very grateful to the 245
wonderful catechists and volunteers who have already signed up for the fall!
We
have teaching opportunities for pre-school through high school.
Our catechists teach in
teams of two with a class of 15 students. All lesson plans and materials
are provided for you and tuition is waived for your children. Email or
stop by the
Religious Education Office to see what opportunities are available. We can
show you curriculum and lesson plans and help you choose the grade that is
best for you. Please prayerfully consider joining
us in this very important teaching ministry. Call the office at
896-5683 or
email Mary Maguire at
m.maguire@stephen.org
for more information.
Aug. 4th
Catechist Meeting!
We
will hold our fall Catechist meeting to kick off the year on Wed., Aug. 4th
at 6:30 pm in the Dining Room. Hospitality begins at 6 pm,
so come early if you can!
R.E. news for 2010-11, class lists, curriculum and lesson plans
will be shared with
catechists.
This meeting is required for our catechists and coordinators,
so please mark this important date on your calendar!
Night of the Round
Tables, Archdiocesan Catechist In-Service.
Catechists are invited (but not required!) to attend the 'Night of the Round
Tables' which will be held on Wed., Aug. 18th at St. Leo’s Parish
(102nd and Blondo). Archbishop George Lucas will be the keynote
speaker. There will be many excellent break out sessions to choose from,
including Jump Start 1 and 2 for
new catechists, ‘Working with Adolescents’ (Dr. Mike Carotta), and sessions on
discipline, music, multi-intelligence and the new Roman Missal. Grade-levels
will also meet to share ideas. Pizza and salad will be served at 5:15 pm
(and is
included with your registration). Archbishop Lucas will begin the keynote
address at 6 pm. There is a $6 registration fee to attend the
workshop. The R.E. department will pay for the first 10 catechists who
contact us to register! Please contact D.R.E. Mary Maguire at
m.maguire@stephen.org with questions or to register.
Night of the Round Tables Registration Information
Congratulations to Julie Shaner and Wayne McFarland!
Julie Shaner has been awarded the ‘2009- 10 Catechist of the Year’ by the
Board of
Education. Julie has served as a catechist for several years, joyously helping
to prepare 2nd graders for the sacraments of Reconciliation
 and
Holy Communion this year.
Wayne McFarland
was named ‘2009- 10 R.E. Volunteer of the Year’. Wayne is a valuable
volunteer in our office, doing safety patrol duties and sharing his gift for
constructing awesome sets for our Vacation Bible School.
Board of Education president Sandra Jameson and V.P. Jeanne Meyer presented Julie and
Wayne with award plaques and $50 Project Hope certificates at the R.E. Prayer
Services. Their names are also engraved with the names of previous winners on
the permanent plaques that hang in the school commons.
 Thank you to the many catechists who
have come forward to share their faith with our children!
We are
blessed by the time
and talent shared by our 300 catechists and weekly
volunteers.
Please prayerfully consider being a
catechist or volunteer in the upcoming year!!
Circle
of Grace
Circle of Grace
lessons are shared with students in Kindergarten through grade 12.
Circle of Grace is the Safe Environment component for children and youth.
Circle of
Grace provides an
excellent opportunity to teach about God's love for us, the gift of Grace and
the action of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It is not a ‘Sex Ed’ or
‘Stranger Danger’ class!
We will teach:
-
Respect
for each person as a unique creation of God (self-respect)
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The presence of the Holy
Spirit and the gift of God’s grace in our lives
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·How to set safe
boundaries for ourselves (physical, symbolic and internal
boundaries)
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·How to handle a
boundary violation
-
·Help them identify
Trusted Adults with their parents
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·Form an Action Plan
Information
on the program philosophy and background is included with your lesson plans. If you have questions about the program, please contact
Mary Maguire, D.R.E. I would be more
than happy to discuss it with you. If you would like to see more background
information, the complete parent information packet provided by the Archdiocese
of Omaha is available on the Program Information page of our website
(link at the left). This packet also provides additional resources to help
parents.
Catechist Development: Catechists are provided opportunities to
further their own faith and learn new methods of catechesis through
workshops and classes offered at St. Stephen's and through the Archdiocese of
Omaha (St. Cecilia
Institute for Laity Formation).
Safe Environment Training: All catechists and volunteers are
required by the Archdiocese of Omaha, in accordance with the Charter for the
Protection of Children and Young People, to complete a training session and
background check. Upcoming Safe Environment training dates and times are
available at
Archdiocesan Safe Environment Training.
Catechist/Volunteers
are always needed!
Catechists teach in teams, and lesson plans and activities are
provided. We also provide free child care for the younger children of
our catechists in the Little Saints Center. Tuition fees are waived for
all of the children of catechists, grade level coordinators, child care helpers,
floating catechists and three-hour office aides. Descriptions of the
duties for these positions are found on page 2 of the registration form.
Sacramental preparation fees are not waived for the children
of catechists and volunteers.
If you are interested in becoming a catechist or have questions about what is
involved in teaching, please email us at the
R.E. Office or call 896-5683.
We can show you curriculum and lesson plans and
help you choose the grade that is best for you.
Because of
Safe Environment requirements that were established by the U.S. Conference
of Catholic Bishops, volunteers at all
parishes who work with or have access to children must attend Safe Environment
training through the Archdiocese of Omaha and undergo a background check. Safe
Environment training must be completed before you can begin working with the students. The current schedule for Safe Environment training is available at
www.archomaha.org.
Prayers for Catechists and Families
"The word of God nourishes
both evangelizers and those who are being evangelized so that each one may
continue to grow in his or her Christian life. (National Directory for
Catechesis [NDC] [Washington, DC: United States Conference of Catholic
Bishops, 2005], no. 17)"
Catechetical Sunday Prayers for Catechists and Families
Encountering the Living Christ'
Catechesis
aims “to put people not only in touch, but in communion,
in intimacy, with Jesus Christ” (National Directory for Catechesis, 55).
Each week
our catechists provide a real ‘encounter with the living Christ’ for our
children. It is what you share of your own faith that changes them and helps
them form and build their own relationship with God. There is no curriculum
that can compare with the conversion that comes from your loving witness and
acceptance of them as individuals.
Unconditional love and acceptance are counter-cultural in today’s society. That
makes the beliefs and moral guidelines that we teach even more important in the
formation of these children. Our patient and caring acceptance teaches all of
our children that the Church is where you go to find love, support and
forgiveness.
As Director
of R.E., I am blessed to be in a position where I can see the difference you
make in the lives of these children and their families. It is evident in the
way our families turn to our Church community in times of crisis, in the way our
youth live out their faith in service, prayer and witness. You make a greater
impact than you will ever know.
God bless you and thank you
for your dedication and devotion to our catechetical ministry. As you help our
children have an encounter with the living Christ, may you follow Mother
Teresa’s example and see the face of Christ in each and every one.
- Mary Maguire, Director of Religious
Education
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