Summer Newsletter June/July 2010
Happy Summer! School has been out for a few weeks, the June Fair has come and gone, and I am sure that all of us are ready to settle into the slower pace that summertime allows. It is a time to rest, relax and spend time with family and friends, to allow ourselves to just ‘be’. In St. Mark’s gospel, Jesus even tells the apostles to “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” (Mk 6:31) Some of us have a hard time letting that happen, and we fill our summer days with camp, sports practice, traveling to places we’ve never been, or we use the quiet time to catch up on things we are always meaning to do, but never quite seem to accomplish. Sometimes we find ourselves looking for something meaningful to do that will enliven and energize our minds, hearts, and spirits; something that will make a lasting impact on who we are and how we live. We look so hard and become so restless that we can miss the obvious. St. Augustine of Hippo states what we could be looking for, quite beautifully: “Oh God, you have made us for yourself and our hearts are restless until they find rest in you.” Summer can be a time to renew and refresh our relationship with God, for it is in Him that we truly rest and find our home.
The summer assignment for all of our PREP families is simply this: As a family, make time each day to settle your restless hearts and give them over to the One who loves us above all else. Make time to pray as a family, whether it is at the dinner table or gathering at the foot of a child’s bed before the house is quiet for the night. Practice the formal prayers that we all should know, and encourage your children to just find quiet time to sit and talk to God. A prayer journal is an excellent summertime gift. When you are able to go away on vacation, or simply take a day trip, point out the beauty of God’s Creation and talk about it; thank Him for its beauty and majesty. Above all, come to Mass each weekend. Celebrate the sacraments that fill us with grace and nourishment. There isn’t a video game, TV show, or sporting event that gives us that. Praying as a family not only sets the example of who we are as Catholics, it helps our children understand a better way of life. If our faith becomes the root of all we do, we are giving our children the best gift of all.
I hope to see as many of you at Mass as I did at the June Fair this month. I hope that when I see you again at the start of PREP, you are able to tell me that even though you took a break from school, you didn’t take a break from being a Child of God, but that you spent some time working on building your friendship with him!
Mrs. Romano
Walk along beside me, Jesus, as I begin the months of summer.
As I work, play, and enjoy family time and friendships,
May I hear Your voice within me, guiding me toward all that is right and good.
Give me faith in Your presence, knowing that you walk beside me in everything I do.
Gracious and loving Jesus, thank You for the gift of summer.
May the warmth of its sun and the beauty of its light remind me daily of your love for me.
Amen.
Summer Office Hours
The Religious Education Office is on summer office hours from June 21 until August 13. The office will be closed on Mondays during the month of July. Summer office hours are from 9:00 am until 2:00 pm. If you call and no one is available, please leave a message and your call will be returned as soon as possible. You can also email us at reo@olfschool.com.
Important Dates
August
- All PREP Registrations are due to Religious Ed Office
September
- Wednesday PREP classes open – Welcome Back!
- Sunday PREP classes open – Welcome Back!
All registered PREP families will receive a full PREP year calendar in their August mailing.
PREP Registrations for the 2010-11 school year
are rolling in weekly. If you have not yet turned in the registration forms that were sent home in early April, please get them in ASAP to ensure your choice of class day. With over 300 children in our program last year, classes filled up quickly! If you need new forms, please call the Religious Education Office at 328-0207, or Hispanic Ministry at 328-2752. Please remember that if you do not pay PREP tuition in full at the time of registration, you must pay the $25.00 registration fee at the time of registration. Making payments throughout the summer is also encouraged. Please remember that ALL PREP tuitions must be paid by August 15.
Sacrament Formation Registration
If you have children who are eligible to begin preparing for sacraments this PREP year and did not receive a letter in late May, you are being informed as your PREP registrations are turned in. Please remember that sacrament preparation classes are different from PREP classes, and there is a fee for sacrament programs. These registration forms and fees are back to the registration office as soon as possible.
A faith-filled home life
As Catholic parents, we teach our children the ways of our faith through our own example of prayer, receiving the sacraments, and how we live what we learn and believe. We strive to teach our children what it means to be a member of God’s family, the Church. Last year I sent home a list of prayers that each child should know at each grade level. This is to be worked on over the summer, so I am reviewing:
Kindergarten & Grade One: Even before they begin preschool, we teach our toddlers the Sign of the Cross, Hail Mary, Glory Be, Morning and Bedtime Prayers, and Grace before meals. Get the children used to coming to Mass by bringing them to church. Help them understand how we behave and why we are reverent. Begin to help them bless themselves with holy water upon entering church, and how to answer the prayers of Mass.
By the time a child is in second grade and ready to begin preparing for Reconciliation and First Communion, they should have memorized and be praying regularly the following prayers:
Sign of the Cross, Hail Mary, Our Father, Glory Be. They should be saying morning and bedtime prayers, Grace before Meals. Children of this age should be attending Mass weekly with their families and being taught the responses to the prayers of Mass. Reverent behavior is expected whenever we are in church. By the end of November, Second Graders will learn and commit to memory the Act of Contrition.
Children in Grades 3 and 4 should know the above prayers, the Act of Contrition, the Nicene Creed that we say at Mass, and the Apostles Creed. They should be familiar with praying the Rosary. They should have some knowledge of and be able to talk about the Stations of the Cross. Children of this age should not only be attending Mass weekly, but be following along and praying the prayers of Mass. They should also be exhibiting reverent behavior whenever in church.
Children in Grades 5 through 8 should have a command of all of the above prayers, be celebrating the sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist often and fully and actively participate at Mass. Hopefully by now they have shown interest in being a part of the parish community by becoming an altar server, member of the choir, etc. Helping children of this age and older, become a part of the faith life of our parish will help you, as parents, because you have shown them and they have a clear understanding of what it means to be a member of the Body of Christ. They have been shown the example of what it means to live a life of faith because it is practiced at home by you, encouraged by their PREP and sacrament catechists, fed by the Eucharist and grace of the sacraments, and lived out because they regularly gather to worship and serve with the rest of the faith community of our parish.
Partners in Faith is produced and sent home every month. In this flyer there are good conversation starters for home discussion, as well as some ‘fun facts’ about our faith that answer commonly asked questions. The summer edition, as well as a summer calendar, is attached to this newsletter. I encourage you to read this with your family to foster good discussion in the car or at the dinner table.
PREP isn’t over when the bell rings! “Love isn’t love ‘til you give it away!” Think about it for a moment. Once we become aware of God’s love for us and we keep that love strong by learning about our faith and sharing it, then we practice it by going to Mass, receiving the sacraments, and living it in our day to day lives, how can we keep that goodness to ourselves? Talk about class on the ride home. Talk about the readings at Mass, Father’s homily. How can you as a family live what you’ve learned? As you find different ways to serve God and show his love to others, try them. At the end of the week talk about it and see how you kept your word. Be aware of the changes that happen as you nourish and grow your faith filled home.
Try This At Home is a weekly tip for keeping faith-filled families talking. It is sent out every Sunday morning by the Diocesan CYM (Youth Ministry) Office. Anyone can subscribe to receive this weekly mailing by logging onto www.cdowcym.org/trythis/subscribe.html . There is even an option to share something that your family already does to keep our Catholic faith alive in your home. Log on and subscribe today!