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 Our
Call to Life-Long Religious Education
Father Kevin, the teens, and adults are still on their
pilgrimage in Italy this week. Please keep them in your prayers,
especially for safe travel.
We read in Matthew’s Gospel, Christ commissioned his disciples
to go out into the world to continue his ministry given to him by
God the Father. He sent the apostles to go in all directions with a
specific goal in their hearts: to proclaim his Gospel and to bring
people into communion with God. And they would not be alone. The
Holy Spirit would guide their mission. The apostles and their
successors throughout the ages- the popes, obediently complied with
Christ’s directive. Today, not only Pope Benedict, but also the
bishops and priests of the world continue the mission of Christ. But
where do we, the lay faithful, fit in?
Each one of us, by virtue of our Baptism and Confirmation, is
called to be a disciple of Christ. We are to spread the Gospel of
Christ and lead others to God. Many times that entails just planting
the seed of faith and allowing God to nurture it. All of the time we
are called to live out our faith in our actions, in the manner we
live our life. Parents have a special role as the primary teachers
of the Catholic faith to their children. The documents of Vatican II
emphasize this by stating, “parents are the first teachers of the
faith to their children.” Read Scripture stories to your children.
Pray together. Go to the Adoration Chapel together. The Religious
Education ministry is here to assist parents in that role. We are
very committed to providing opportunities for children and teens to
learn about our Catholic faith. This is accomplished by teaching and
formation on Scripture, Tradition and the doctrines of the Roman
Catholic Church. We also strive to model Catholic practices, values,
and promote participation in Mass and the other Sacraments.
Religious Education formally takes place in PRE, Vacation Bible
Camp, Confirmation, HOPE (our 7th
and 8th
grade Youth Group), TRUTH (our high school Youth Group), and in St.
Maria Goretti’s school.
Religious Education is not just for children and teens though.
Every adult, as a disciple of Christ, must strive to learn about the
faith. After all, we can’t teach and guide others, what we,
ourselves don’t know. We need to strive to gain a deeper
appreciation and understanding of Scripture, the doctrines and
teachings of our Catholic faith, strengthen our prayer life, and
regularly utilize the Sacraments. Here at St. Maria Goretti,
opportunities for growth and formation in community with other
adults are: Bible Basics, a lectionary based Scripture study on
Sunday mornings during PRE; Adult Bible Study which meets on
Wednesday evenings and Thursday mornings; St. Philip Neri Oratorio
which meets the first Friday evening of each month. In addition,
several groups provide opportunities for formation: the Silver
Angels, the Altar Rosary Society, the Holy Name Society, the
Confraternity of Christian Mothers, Christ Renews His Parish, and
Basic Christian Communities. I would also challenge adults to learn
independently. Go to a reputable Catholic bookstore like Holy Family
Books and Gifts pick up a book or audiotape on a subject that
interests you or that you want to learn more about. Attend a
workshop or seminar on topics of our Catholic faith. This fall, we
will be offering adult faith formation opportunities through the
F.I.R.E. program of the Diocese.
We take religious education and formation very seriously here
at St. Maria Goretti. Each one of us in this Parish community is
called to be a disciple of Christ and to transform our lives with
the help of the Holy Spirit. We are all on a life-long journey
together. May we take advantage of opportunities to grow in our
faith and love of God. If we don’t follow Christ’s directive, who
will?
In Christ’s Service,
Connie Anderson
Director of Religious Education
“It is better to be the child of God then King of the whole world.”
St. Aloysius Gonzaga
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