Mission Statement
Saint Clement's Religious Education program recognizes that knowledge of God is the primary focus and goal of all catechesis. It is the program's mission to foster both parents' and children's knowledge of and relationship with God the Father, Son and Spirit, and to translate this relationship into action in the world.
There are three parts to this work. First, the Religious Education program is committed to providing the highest quality catechetical education for students. It is also committed to supporting parents in their role as the primary catechists of their children.
Second, the Religious Education program is also committed to creating an environment where communal worship is central to our life as a faith community. This worship includes Sunday Mass, communal prayer services and opportunities to celebrate the sacrament of reconciliation. We acknowledge that our relationship with Christ requires regular prayer and community worship.
Third, knowledge of Christ must also lead to action in the world. For this reason, Saint Clement's Religious Education program seeks to provide opportunities for families to be of service in the community and the wider world.
It is our goal for the program to foster a Christ-centered community of believers.
Program Description
Saint Clement Church's Religious Education program provides faith education for all parish children who do not attend a Catholic school. Classes serve children in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade and meet September through May. Families are asked to attend Mass together as part of their formation. Both 9:30 Masses, in the church and in the chapel, offer the
Liturgy of the Word for Children program and family Masses are held once a month in the chapel. At these family Masses, children serve as liturgical ministers.
After the 9:30 Mass, children and parents meet in the school for an hour. Teams of volunteer catechists and aides teach the children's classes. Parents gather in the school cafeteria for hospitality and information sharing.
Our Religious Education program uses texts published by Loyola Press. The curriculum for first through eighth grade is the new
Finding God series, which incorporates and encourages all forms of prayer as an important part of the catechetical process.
Students preparing to receive sacraments also receive separate texts. See
First Eucharist,
First Reconciliation and
Confirmation for more details on these programs.
For further information, contact Director of Children's and Family Catechesis,
Kenna Brewer, at 773-281-0371, ext. *814. For application materials, email
Marlo Montgomery-Carthen.
Religious Education Board
The RE Board meets monthly throughout the year to advise the pastor and DRE on both long-term and short-term program goals and projects. Board members for the 2006-2007 school year are:
| Stephanie Chu |
Parent Programs |
| Ana Cummins |
Parent Programs |
| Laurel Elzinga |
Room Parents |
| David Hoese |
Parish Council Representative |
| Carla Miller |
Christmas Pageant, Special Programs |
| Cathi Nardi-Gastevich |
Sandwich Program |
| Terri O'Doyle |
3rd-5th Grade Liturgy of the Word for Children, Special Programs |
| Kathe Pate |
Special Programs |
| Jim Pomposelli |
Family Service |
| Anthony Pope |
Communication |
| Sharron Seymour |
Family Service
|
Stewardship
Our weekly children's collection at each Mass helps our children understand that they are responsible members of our faith community. Just as adults do, they need to help Saint Clement Church to be able to sustain itself and do good in the world.
Weekly donation envelopes are distributed to our Religious Education and Saint Clement School students. Children's donations are used to augment Saint Clement's
Friday Sack Lunch Program for the homeless.) To reinforce the idea of stewardship – sharing our time, talent, and treasure – students are also asked to jot down how they made time for God and shared their talents in the preceding week.
Some of the ways in which our children made time for God recently are:
- Doing devotions every night
- Praying that I like God and for Jesus
- Learning about being peaceful
- Altar serving
Some of the ways in which our children shared their talents are:
- Getting dressed by myself
- Helping my baby brother learn new words
- Trying to be a good boy
- Serving dinner at camp
