Saint Mary
Parish Faith Formation Handbook
Upon saying His final farewell to His apostles, Jesus gave
His new Church the task to evangelize, that is to bring the
message of the Gospel to all the world (Acts 1, 8).
The mission of evangelization calls Catholic children
“to be formed into disciples through the family’s
faith life and religious education.”
Our Faith Formation program is a supplemental program complementing the spiritual and religious formation that is ongoing in the homes of our families. We recognize parents as “the first and foremost educators of their children,” (John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio, Sect. 36), and the first to communicate the faith to their children.
Our program has the fundamental task of complementing, reinforcing, and extending the family’s efforts. The primary instruction of the Catholic family takes place at Sunday liturgies. Living in a world with conflicting values, we need the Eucharist to help us stand firmly with one another in our faith and become the followers of Christ that we are called to by our baptism.
Catholic parents choosing to live a life of faith within the Catholic Community and pass their faith onto their children should be attending Sunday worship weekly. There is no better teacher than Jesus Christ who is made present to us both in the scriptures and in the Eucharist during the Holy Mass.
“At the very heart of catechesis is the person of Jesus Christ.”(JPII)
Our program:
Aims to foster faith in Jesus Christ
Strives to build our Catholic Christian faith community
Encourages active participation in the liturgy and sacraments
Motivates students to apostolic service
Educates children in religious literacy
Religious education is much more than passing on facts ~ it is about formation. The life of every Catholic, from childhood to adulthood, is about being formed in the image of Christ. It is a life-long communal pilgrimage in coming to know, love and serve God. We are formed in our Catholic tradition to be informed people of faith who model Christ’s love, compassion and justice. Through an awareness of the graces given to us in the sacraments and “full, conscious and active participation” in the holy sacrifice of the Mass, we recognize and celebrate experiences of God with us.
Kindergarten Our Kindergarten program is an enrichment program that focuses on laying the foundation for early faith formation. Essential to the Kindergarten and Grade 1 program is an introduction to prayer and life in the Church. Kindergarten meets once a month on the 1st Sunday or Monday of the month.
The First Sacraments Preparation (2-year program beginning in Grade 1)
Grade 1 Our Grade 1 program has a scheduled class component on the 1st Sunday of the month, with parent & child catechetical family gathering sessions throughout the year, and an end of the year parent & child retreat. Additional Home lessons are an integral part of the Grade 1 program. Regular weekly participation in the Mass is expected.
Grade 2 Our Grade 2 program is focused on formation and preparation for the reception of the sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist. The Grade 2 program has a scheduled class component on the 3rd Sunday of the month, with parent & child catechetical family gathering sessions throughout the year structured to provide community catechesis. Additional Home lessons, sacramental practicum sessions and 3 parent formation sessions on the sacramental life are an integral part of the Grade 2 program.
Regular weekly participation in the Mass is expected. There is a 9:00am Family Mass is celebrated weekly.
Grades 3 Thru 8 Grades 3 thru 8 meet bi-weekly for and hour and a half at the Religious Education building or in the Parish Hall. Classes provide our young people with a catechesis based on sacred scripture, tradition, liturgy, teachings and life of the Church. There are 2 parent & child catechetical family gathering sessions per grade throughout the year structured to provide community catechesis. Community Service opportunities are offered and encouraged at every grade level. Regular weekly participation in the Mass and the Sacrament of Reconciliation is expected.
The Faith and Life Series, by Ignatius Press, provides a clear and informative presentation of what we as Catholics believe, live and teach. With a firm grounding in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, it presents and educates about the faith with clarity, depth, and beauty. Our curriculum is as follows:
Grade 1: Our Heavenly Father begins with the basics: creation, God, heaven, and the need for a savior. It also covers prayer, the Trinity, the life of Jesus, salvation, Mary and other topics. Children learn their basic prayers.
Grade 2: Jesus Our Life prepares children for Confession and First Communion with lessons on the commandments, forgiveness, salvation/redemption, the Eucharist, and the Mass. There is an added emphasis on the order of the Mass and on prayer.
Grade 3: Our Life with Jesus focuses on the commandments, and the founding of the Church. Special emphasis is placed on the importance of Confession, Holy Communion and the Mass.
Grade 4: Jesus Our Guide focuses on the Old Testament stories of the patriarchs and the sacraments, with an overview of salvation history. It helps children understand why Jesus came to redeem us and how we participate in that plan, through His word, His law, and His Church.
Grade 5: Credo: I Believe provides a thorough study of the articles of the Creed as the basic belief of our Catholic faith. Students acquire a solid and specific knowledge of God and his Church through the understanding of the Creed we profess, and the distinguished truths of our faith.
Grade 6: Following Christ covers the commandments in depth, the Mass, and last things, all with a focus on living a Christian life. Students learn to love the law as Christ did and to cherish and love the Mass as our best prayer to God, and especially to revere and adore Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
Grade 7: The Life of Grace provides an overview of the big picture but with an emphasis on grace and virtue as well as the interplay of reason and faith. Emphasis is on transmission of grace through the seven sacraments and on God's loving gifts of revelation, of himself through the prophets, the Incarnation, and the Church.
Grade 8: Our Life in the Church begins a study about the Church’s history, structure, and functions; the mystical body; Christian life; sacraments of service; and last things. Students come to know and love the Church as Christ's Body, and respond to the teaching of the Magisterium as the sure voice of Jesus, so that young people may be strengthened through their lives in the Church to face the confusion and secularism they face in the culture of today.
Students are expected to know the corresponding level of prayers for their grade level. The Prayer Level sheets are available on our parish website. Students in Grades 2-4 should know the level one prayers. Students in Grades 5 and up should know the level one and two prayers. Regular class attendance is required for promotion to the next grade level.
Home Instruction Families also have the option of teaching their children at home under our Home Study program. Materials for home study are provided. Families will need to regularly submit documentation to demonstrate their child's progress in the curriculum. Additional information will be sent to those families electing the home study option.
Confirmation I & II 9th & 10th Grade Confirmation Preparation Confirmation I & ll is based upon the faith formation texts, We Believe and We Live by Father Oscar Lukefahr. This curriculum focuses on the core tenants of our faith in a systematic, organized, and easy-to-understand fashion. It is also based solidly upon The Catechism of the Catholic Church. In using these books, we strive to help teens integrate their faith into everyday life through multimedia presentations and small group discussions with catechists.
Each week covers a new topic of faith that builds upon the one presented in the previous class. Students are expected to read the assigned chapter before each class, and to complete some of the objective questions for that particular chapter in their workbook. These are listed in the syllabus.
Students in the program meet twice a month from 4:15-5:45PM on Sundays and are encouraged to attend the 6:00PM Youth Mass following class each week. If students are unable to attend the 6:00PM Mass they are expected to attend another Sunday Mass time. Weekly attendance at Mass and regular participation in the Sacrament of Reconciliation is expected. To that end, students are also expected to write a brief reflection on their experience at Mass each week.
Each year, all students in the program are expected to complete a family, parish & community service project. Students in their tenth grade year, or sacramental year, are expected to attend a day-long retreat. Students successfully completing the program of preparation will be confirmed in the 10th Grade.
Students entering the Confirmation program who have not been enrolled consistently in St. Mary’s RE program or who are coming in from another parish will be required to take an entrance assessment. If students do not score 80% or higher, they will be expected to complete a Catholic Basics workshop, in conjunction with their Confirmation preparation.
The Parish Catechist “The fundamental tasks of the catechist are
To proclaim Christ's message
To participate in efforts to develop community
To lead people to worship and prayer, and
To motivate them to serve others
To accomplish this, catechists must identify and create “suitable conditions that are necessary for the Christian message to be sought, accepted, and profoundly investigated.” They recognize, however, that “faith is a gift and that it is not ultimately their efforts but the interaction of God's grace and human freedom which lead people to accept faith and respond to it.”(From the Boston Archdiocesan Guidelines for Religious Education)
A Catechist:
Must be a practicing Catholic willing to share your faith.
Be willing to follow prescribed curriculum.
Complete Virtus C.A.P. training and a yearly CORI check.
Committed to attending catechist formation sessions.
Encouraged to attend grade level family gathering sessions.
Coordinate service projects through the Religious Education staff.
Is responsible for informing the students and parents of the class schedule.
Is responsible for informing the Religious Education staff and parents of any class cancellations or class time changes.
Is responsible for keeping accurate attendance and assigning & collecting appropriate make-up work.
Class size will be at approximately twelve students.
Diocesan guidelines require, for the safety of all involved, that all catechists have another adult with them at all times. We have a Building Monitor present who can serve as the second adult.
Do not make class placement decisions.
Attendance Regular attendance at all religious Education classes and special grade level events is an expectation for all the children. Missing classes is disruptive for the child who is absent and disruptive for the class when the child returns.
When a child has an ongoing commitment that results in many absences, the Director should be contacted.
When an absence is unavoidable, a parent should call the catechist [if possible beforehand] and arrange to make up what the child has missed. If a child misses four or more classes, they will not be promoted to the next grade level unless make-up work has been completed and they complete a grade level assessment.
In sacramental years, if a child misses more than four classes, the child and parent may need to meet with the Director and Pastor to evaluate the child’s readiness for the sacrament.
Regular attendance at Sunday Mass is considered integral to each child’s faith formation and is expected of every family registered in the Religious Education Program.
An updated attendance register should be maintained for your class. For Kindergarten and grades 3-8, Catechists will pick up the Attendance Register at the central location and return it to the central location after class. When a student is absent and you have not been notified, please call the parents directly after the class; to discern pastoral concerns and to ensure make-up work is assigned. Possible pastoral concerns should be communicated to the Director right away. If a student has missed two classes in a row please notify a Religious Education staff member.
Please use the standard markings of attendance sheets: T = Tardy Present A = Absent AX= parent/staff let you know student would be absent (make-up work still needs to be completed)
Accidents The catechist must report any accident that occurs to a student while attending a catechetical program. The accident should be reported to the Religious Education staff or the building monitor
who will notify the child's parent or guardian. The Religious Education staff or the building monitor should also complete and keep on file an incident report. In the case of a serious illness, accident or emergency, call 911 immediately.
Safety Monitor A Safety Monitor will be on duty in the Religious Education office during all class times and often there is a Safety Monitor for classes held in the parish hall. The Safety Monitor primary duty is the safety & care of the children in our programs. They answer the telephone and will pass on messages as needed. The Safety Monitor is available to assist as needed if it does not interfere with their ability to safely monitor and supervise.
Bulletin Boards Bulletin boards are located in almost every class space. Catechists may use them to display educational material or special work done by the class. Please take down seasonal items in a timely manner. All class material should be removed at the end of the year.
Cancellations Snow/Storm Cancellations If Chelmsford Public Schools are cancelled, Religious Education classes are cancelled.
The announcement is publicized through the Religious Education Office outgoing phone message (978-256-3541), Channel 4 WBZ, Channel 5 WCVB & Channel 7 WHDH and the parish website. The decision to cancel will be set by a set time.
For Weekday Classes: The decision will be made Monday –Thursday by 1:00PM
For Sunday Classes: The decision will be made Saturday evening or Sunday by 6:00AM or 1:00PM (in case of mid-afternoon storm)
Individual Class Cancellations If a catechist needs to cancel a class, the catechist is expected to notify the Religious Education Office and contact the families of the children in their class.
Class Supplies Each classroom will be supplied with a container to hold basic supplies, pencils, markers etc. Other supplies, rulers, construction paper, poster board are available in the Resource Room or by asking the building monitor. For out of the ordinary supplies, catechists should fill-out a Supply Request form or contact a Religious Education staff member.
Classroom Visitation The Pastor, Parochial Vicar, Deacon, Director or Coordinator of Religious Education may, on occasion, visit the classroom. If you would like to have the Pastor, Parochial Vicar, or a Deacon visit on a specific date, please coordinate through the Religious Education Director. The same holds true for any other visitor you may desire to have come speak to your class.
Copy Work A copy machine is available in the Catechist Resource Room. Please contact the building monitor or the Religious Education staff if the machine is jammed or needs toner. Children are not allowed to use the machine.
Communication Encourage open communication with your class. If you have an issue with another catechist or student, please try to address it yourself first. If you need a mediator contact the Director.
Contacting Parents- Please give the Director or Grade Level Coordinator a copy of any information you send home. Catechists are encouraged to write a welcome letter to the parents about class expectations, class focus and what they can look forward to in the upcoming year. By building communication with your families outside of class, you will nurture a positive relationship and create trust. Successfully catechizing children is a team effort. If possible, send home a monthly newsletter.
Emails- When sending out group emails, be sure to put the students email addresses in the Bcc line and Cc the Director. Please Do Not forward spiritual or other types of chain letters or business communications.
Discipline Make a list of rules for your class, review with your students and have students and parents
sign the classroom covenant, showing that they understand and accept the rules. Clearly communicate those rules from the first day. Consistency is key to good classroom discipline. Clearly explain the consequences for breaking these rules. If you need to contact a parent about a child’s behavior or have any other specific issue, please notify the Director or Religious Education staff.
Be Prepared, Clear & Consistent
Be Fair & Compassionate
Be Authentic & Of Good Humor
Tips for Handling Resistant Behavior
Try to find the student doing something well and give a specific positive response to his/her accomplishment (ex: Nice job on your activity pages).
Help them understand what they are doing wrong. Perhaps they are seeking attention by acting out. They need to understand that you will give them attention when it is appropriate, not because they disrupted the class.
Seek ways to give positive encouragement when they are cooperating in the learning process.
Try to ignore minor infractions.
Try to anticipate circumstances that will cause disruptions and catch the action before it gets out of hand.
Stand by the student, put your hand on their shoulder, find the page for them, or use another positive gesture that is a signal to them that you need them to stop.
If necessary remove the student, send to a seat set-off in the room, immediately outside the classroom or to the building monitor in the front office.
Discipline- 3 Strikes Policy No catechist shall be required to retain in his/her class any child whose attitude or mannerisms are repeatedly disrespectful, disruptive and non-cooperative.
First Incident- Catechist speaks to the child about classroom expectations. If necessary, have the child sit outside the classroom (NOT on the stairs) or send them
down to the building monitor with instructions. (ex. Billy can return to the class in 5min.)
Use your best judgment. If the situation warrants, fill out a Time-Out Form and inform Director or building monitor and parent.
Second Incident- Director will speak with the child and discuss behavioral expectations.
Third Incident- Director, will contact the parents. If the behavior persists, the child shall be removed from the class and placed on a Home Study program.
The severity of the problem will be considered in determining class placement for the following year.
Illness If a child becomes ill during class time, the catechist should report the illness to the building monitor or the Religious Education staff who will contact the child's parent or guardian. In the case of a serious illness, call 911 immediately.
Snacks The issue of snacks-that is food or drinks in the class is a tricky one. Bringing snacks by the catechist or having the students bring snacks is to be discouraged for several reasons: many students have food allergies, spilled
food or drink may create a mess in the class area that will attract pests, and providing snacks is an unnecessary expense for the catechist. If a catechist would like to give the class a snack it is recommended that the snack be individually wrapped and given to the students as they leave the class area. Please check with your students’ parents before snacks are brought into or distributed in your class.
Special Notices Important information will be given to the Catechists when necessary via postcard, email or phone contact to keep current on upcoming events, notifications, activities or concerns.
Catechist Expectations Catechists are responsible for their assigned classrooms & their
students from the time they enter the building until they leave the building. Students are not allowed in the classrooms before the Catechist.
Catechists must be prepared for class.
Catechists should be in their classrooms 10 min. prior to the class. This enables the Building Monitor to determine if all catechists are present.
Catechist must take attendance at every class session.
Please use the standard markings of attendance sheets T = Tardy = Present A = Absent AX= parent/staff let you know student would be absent (make-up work still needs to be completed)
If a discipline problem arises, please contact the Director of Religious Education. Kindly report any change of contact information, yours or a student’s, to the Religious Education staff.
General Class Area Conditions Please be considerate of the space and cleanup before you leave the area. When leaving the class area kindly:
close the windows
erase the white boards
return the desks/chairs to the original position
sweep rug, if necessary
turn off the lights
If an unusual situation occurs, notify the building monitor.
Safety Issues For The Safety of Our Volunteers & Students;
Catechists will walk their classes outside at the end of class and parents must walk up and pick their child up from the RE building. Due to our small hallways, we ask parents to wait outside the RE building to pick-up their children.
Parents must notify the catechist and RE staff and come inside the building and pick-up their child if they are requesting an early dismissal.
If another adult is picking up your child, the RE staff & Building Monitor need to be advised and a written note authorizing another adult to pick-up your child must be on file in the RE office before your child is released.
Candles are not allowed in the Religious Education building by order of Fire the Department.
In keeping with Archdiocesan Policy, all adult volunteers who have the potential for unmonitored access to children are required to submit an annual CORI form (Criminal Offender Record Information) to the parish.
In keeping with Archdiocesan Policy, all adults volunteers who have the potential for unmonitored access to children are required to attend a one-time, “Protecting God’s Children”, child abuse prevention workshop. To accommodate people’s schedules, we try to offer the workshop several times a year at Saint Mary as well as informing the parish about opportunities in surrounding parishes. Please watch the Sunday bulletin for notices about these workshops.
If a young person needs assistance in the restroom, two adults must be present.
Signed parental permission slips are required if a young person is leaving parish property for an off site event.
In the event that private transportation is used for an off site event there will be two adults, who have taken the required child abuse prevention training and have a current CORI on file, in each vehicle in which children are being transported. Any offsite events will be coordinated through the Religious Education Office.
In keeping with Archdiocesan policy, required safety programs for young people will be implemented.
The Theology of Safety
The essence of the safety message for the young children is this:
A. God created all of us.
B. God loves us and wants us to be safe and healthy.
C. God gave us rules to live as a child of God [the Ten Commandments].
D. We also have rules to keep our bodies safe.
The safety rules are:
1. Always ask first.
2. It is okay to say “No” to someone who is hurting us.
3. Our bodies are private and no one may touch our private parts
4. It is okay to ask for help when we need it.
If someone is hurting us, we can tell an adult that we trust and that adult will help us.
The catechists will present items A, B, and C with Safety Rules 1, 2 and 4. Much of the safety program materials are written into the lesson plans. The remainder will be part of a gathering session with a staff person and parents present. Any time you have the opportunity to reinforce any of the above concepts, please do so. A consistent message will be very helpful for children.
In the Classroom - Grades 1 thru 4
For the safety and well being of all our children, we have implemented Child Safety components in the classroom at all grade levels. For most of the primary grades, the session will consist of classroom sessions & gathering session with a volunteer or staff person and parents present.
In the Classroom - Grades 5 thru 8
In grades 5-8 resources are given resources to use when talking with children and the classroom curriculum supports that information. In addition, we focus on being home alone, answering the phone, answering [or not answering] the door, avoiding contact with strangers, resisting stranger approaches, and more anti-bullying strategies.
Middle school will focus primarily on internet safety and predator awareness.
Grade 7-8- Focus on Right Relationships and Safety practices in peer situations.
In the Classroom – Grades 9 thru 10
The High School curriculum will address right conduct in relationships, dealing with unwanted advances, and getting help for oneself or for a friend.
Child Advocacy If a child reveals or shows any signs of physical, mental, or sexual abuse, please notify the Religious Education Director immediately. If possible, the Safety Monitor will reach the Religious Education Director if they are not present.
Supervision in the Religious Education Building Students participating in the parish catechetical programs are to be supervised by responsible adults (2 catechists, a catechist and co-catechist, a catechist and a parent visitor or a catechist and safety monitor) during class sessions as well as during activities sponsored by the program. The younger the child, physically or
mentally, the more supervision is needed.
In the unlikely event that a catechist must leave a class unsupervised for a few minutes, due to a serious reason such as, taking an ill child to the office, the catechist must first instruct the class on how to behave in his/her absence.
Supervision before and after class: Catechists are expected to greet the class in the meeting space at the appointed time. After class the catechist should escort the students to the gathering area as a group. Catechists are expected to supervise their students until all have been picked up. In the event that a parent or guardian is
late, the catechist should bring the young person to the Religious Education building lobby and inform the building monitor. A phone call can then be made to the parent/guardian.
Procedure for going to and from the bathroom: Students should ask permission from the catechist to leave the room and go to the restroom. In most cases students may go alone. The exception is young students who may want to go in pairs. If it is necessary for a young person to need adult supervision for a lavatory visit due to special needs or illness, two adults should be present.
Telephone A telephone is located in the front office. The phone is for local calls only. The phone number is 978-256-3541. Calls made from this number should be brief. Emergency Action plan is posted in all RE Office & the RE Resource closet in the hall.
First Aid Kits
A First Aid kit is available in the Religious Education Office. (Consult Building Monitor or Religious Education staff)
A First Aid kit is available in the parish hall across from the handicap restroom.
Fire Alarms Pull-down fire alarms are located on each level of the Religious Education Building.
Lower level: Near front door, in the utility room
Upper level: Beside room 8, in upstairs hall near stairs
Fire Extinguishers Fire extinguishers are located on each level of the Religious Education building
Lower level: outside room 2, in Room 3, in kitchenette, and in utility room
Upper level: in upstairs hall near stairs, outside room 7, across from room 5 In the parish hall-first extinguishers are located in the stairwells on the North Road side, near the handicapped restroom and near the door that leads to the rectory.
Emergency Exits Consult map and signs located in each class area in the Religious Education building. In the Parish Hall all exits are clearly marked.
Covenant of Respect Everyone is expected to be respectful at all times in their behavior, attitude, and language at all times. “Respectful behavior” means
we behave as a guest would
we stay in our assigned area
we act in a way that helps people and protects property
we walk in the hallways
we do not wear baseball caps or chew gum in the Church or the Religious Education Building
we honor the privacy of others
we keep our hands and feet to ourselves
“Respectful attitude” means
we are welcoming and accepting of others in the spirit of Jesus
we listen when others are speaking
we accept responsibility for our own actions
we pay attention to the needs of others
we do our best work when reading, singing, praying, writing, and drawing
we are aware and respectful of holy times, places, and objects
we honor the holiness of the human body
“Respectful language” includes anything that is played (e.g. music), read, written, drawn, etc., and means
we are polite and use our best manners
we keep our tone and volume of voice in check; we use “indoor voices” inside buildings
we focus on positive and encouraging things in others
we are honest with ourselves and each other
we immediately report any accidents, injuries, or problems to an adult
Respect in our Classrooms
We keep our classroom free of distractions by leaving all our personal belongings at home or in our backpacks.
One person speaks at a time. We listen and pay attention when another person is speaking, whether it is the catechist or another student. We do not interrupt the speaker, and we do not carry on a private conversation when someone else is speaking.
We follow the directions of the leader quickly and cheerfully. To keep our classroom fair and orderly, and to maximize our learning, we listen carefully and do what our catechist asks of us.
We acknowledge adults who enter our class area. We honor and respect our parents, elders, and our leaders by being attentive when they come in. This might mean standing up if a priest enters, or politely saying hello when another adult comes in.
Respect in the Church When we enter the Church, we are mindful we are on holy ground. “In the worlds of ancient Christians, the building used for worship is called domus ecclesiae, the house of the Church.” (EAW 29) This is our house as the Body of Christ, the place where our very ordinary gifts become the Real Presence of Christ. This means our behavior and voices should correspond to this holy place: we are prayerful, reverent, and respectful to God and one another. Running and yelling are never appropriate in the Church. At the entrance, we dip our fingers in holy water and bless ourselves, to remind us of our baptism.
We honor the Blessed Sacrament and the altar. Before we enter our pew, we stop and genuflect (bending the right knee to the ground) to acknowledge the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. We stop and bow to the altar when we approach the altar, leave it, or cross in front of it. These outward gestures recognize Christ’s presence in the Eucharist and the special meal which takes place at the altar.
We kneel and pray when we first arrive in the Church, during the Eucharistic Prayer, and at Communion time.
In the Mass, our job is “full, conscious, and active participation”. This means we sing the songs, say the responses, and pray the prayers as our own. We are always respectful of the speaker by paying attention and not talking to others. We keep our hands free from distraction in “prayer hands”.
SAINT MARY CATHOLIC PARISH 25 North Road (Rectory & Church) 33 North Road (Religious Education Building) Chelmsford, MA 01824 Phone: 978-256-3541 Parish web site: www.saint-mary.org
Religious Education Staff Director of Religious Education
Mrs. Heather G. Hannaway, MA Email: hhannaway@saint-mary-org
Coordinator of Youth Ministry & Confirmation Ms. Anne M. Grejdus Email: [email protected]
Office Manager Ms. Elaine M. Kindler Email: [email protected]
Office Hours: Monday – Thursday, 10:00AM- 5:00PM CLOSED FRIDAYS
Artwork in this booklet is by Nippert &Co Artworks
