| Welcome Parish Leaders! These are the resources to help you organize Sacramental Formation for First Reconciliation Confirmation in restored order or First Eucharist |
| The Philosophy of Growing Up Catholic We believe in supporting parents as the first teachers of their own children! The kids. You are a parish leader who has been called forth to guide and coordinate the preparation of the children of this parish to celebrate Confession or Communion for the first time. What a great work you have been called to! The kids in your program are young. They’re eight, nine, or ten years old if they’re celebrating these sacraments for the first time in the early years of elementary school. Many of them live in homes where the parents are not engaged with the parish. Many of them have had very little formation prior to this moment in their lives. Their parents. In order to be successful in this ministry, we believe it is necessary for you to coach the parents of these children. Growing Up Catholic is the resource to help you do that, and do it well! If the parents (whether or not they’re both Catholic) don’t know or believe what the Church teaches, then how will their children ever have faith? We make it easy on your catechists! Take a look at the sample catechist guide. You'll see immediately that his or her main work is to lead and coach the parents. And the parents have their own wrap-around teaching guide to use with their children. It's friendly, intimate, and above all, practical enough that parents will actually DO IT. The teacher, catechist, or small group leader is actually teaching the parents how to form their own children. The lessons are designed to be learned via parent-child conversation and cooperation. If no parent or guardian is available for some children, then certainly another adult or young adult could step in. But the best approach is to plan to have the parents and the children together for learning. You as parish leader. We have provided Detailed leader lesson plans for the teacher, catechist or small group leaders, in addition to a full guide for you. Growing Up Catholic may be used
tables. During these sessions the parents lead their children through the sessions, guided by a central, lead catechist and the Growing Up Catholic materials. o At home as a single family, if the parents feel prepared enough to do this for their children on their own; if you have many parents working at home on their own, we recommend you gather them once or twice to add an ecclesial dimension to their experience. o In neighborhood clusters of three to six families gathering in each other’s homes and working together. o In regular classrooms, with the usual school teachers or religious education program catechists, without the parents present (not recommended but possible). license allows you to reprint the number you have purchased.
As you will see, they are very “kid-friendly.” o You may wish
To send or e-mail pages to missing families – be sure to also send the parent lesson plans Detailed parent lesson plans to accompany the children’s pages These are the KEY lesson plans for Growing Up Catholic Growing Up Catholic is designed to do more than merely pass on some facts about our Faith. It is designed to really touch the hearts of the youngsters who are being prepared. But the catechists, teachers, or small group leaders must keep a fairly low profile in the process in order to allow the parents to really shine as the primary teachers of their children. Here’s what we know does NOT work. It does not work for a parish leader to try to form and teach a child, if the parents are not involved. It does not work well for most parents to form their children without the support of the parish. It does not work for all the learning to be “head learning.” It does not work for eight, nine, or ten-year-old children to be exposed to long textbook lessons, no matter how often you do it, unless there is a parent or guardian at their side, witnessing, assisting, touching, and guiding that child. This Guide will help you develop the best possible model for implementing the program in your setting whether you’re in a Catholic school a parish religious education program a household where family members do the teaching a neighborhood cluster where a small group of learners gathers a program reaching the whole parish community Use the notes we provide here as a starting point and build from there according to your needs. You have now read through the introductory material. For a complete copy of the entire Guide for Growing Up Catholic, click here. |
Parents who are not Catholic Some suggestions about how they can take part in Reconciliation Formation Eucharist Formation Confirmation Formation Household Bible Study Here is an easy-to-use, downloadable Household Bible Study. 18 sessions in all. Each has a 5-page worksheet that you all can share. All they need is your own Bible. Just Living Simply. Sustainably. In solidarity with the Poor. This is a 14 step process on the web site which walks them through a series of household exercises leading to a life more in keeping with Gospel values. Exciting but challenging! |
Click on the items below to find more information Catholic Prayers with which every child should know by heart - or at least be familiar! Special Prayers for the Sacrament of Reconciliation Special Prayers which Catholic children should know when praying with Mary Catholic Words An illustrated glossary. Catholic Teaching about the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Catholic Teaching about the Sacrament of Eucharist. Catholic Teaching about the Sacrament of Confirmation. The Catholic Catechism in plain English Parents have to buy this, but it's work their investment. It helps them be fully confident and able to teach their child well. Daily Faith Sharing A guide to how to do it based on the readings from each week's Sunday Mass Resources galore! We've chosen a few resources we think every Catholic home should have in it. Use this as your check list. Some of these things you have to buy. Others are free. |
How to get organized for Sacramental Formation in your parish. The Letter you send to households, inviting them to take part. This is the PDF version. The Word file comes with the program CD. The registration form for Growing Up Catholic. This is sent with the above letter. The scope & sequence for Growing Up Catholic: Eucharist The scope & sequence for Growing Up Catholic: Reconciliation The scope & sequence for Growing Up Catholic Confirmation in restored order The complete Leader's Guide. Download it free of charge here. The Rite of Enrollment for those taking part in the formation process. This is meant to be used at Sunday Mass. Saturday Morning Retreat "Households of Faith" retreat for parents with children in formation for the Sacraments. A special note about separated and divorced parents and the unique needs which they and their children have. This note also addresses other out-of-the-norm domestic situations. A liturgical year plan for introducing the Growing Faith Project over three years as part of your adult formation. Notes for the Pastor & Liturgical Leaders to help everyone understand the role of liturgy more fully. |
| Resources which we provide to parents |
| What You Need to Organize in Your Parish |
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