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2008-09 Catechist Sign-up
We are recruiting volunteers to be catechists for next fall! Catechists at St. Stephen's teach in teams. Lesson plans, activities
and supplies are provided. R.E. tuition for children of catechists is
waived. Child care for the younger children of catechists is provided free
of charge in our Little Saints Center.
If you are interested in sharing your faith with the children of
our parish, please contact Mary Maguire at
m.maguire@stephen.org or 896-5683.
'Floating Catechists’
Doesn’t this sounds like a really cool volunteer opportunity?! We have
added floating catechists to our list of office volunteers. (No swimming skills
needed!)
What we are trying to do is have a couple substitute
catechists scheduled at each class time to cover for last minute emergencies
where neither catechist can make it to class and they cannot find a sub on their
own.
Being a Floating catechist is a
weekly commitment, so if there isn't a class to teach, they will work in the
office. We provide lesson plans, activities, movies, etc. to support our
substitutes, so this really is a great chance to work with students without the
weekly planning commitment. Please check in the office for more information about this
and other volunteer opportunities!
'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
Catechist Appreciation
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
volunteers at St. Stephen's. Please keep these men, women and
teens in your prayers.
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.
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 www.archomaha.org.
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School Office: (402) 896-0754