FAITH FORMATION STAFF 2019-2020

• Stairways are marked “up” and “down”; please use the proper stairways to help alleviate congestion.
• We ask that the children be in the rooms five minutes prior to the starting time so that the group can begin on time.
• For the safety of the children, we ask that parents please park in a designated parking spot and walk the child to either the “staff entrance” which is in the rear of the building across from the thrift shop, or to the “nursery school” entrance with the ramp which is a North Carll Ave. entrance, and then to the classroom.
• Do not leave your child in the classroom if the catechist is not present.
• Every child needs to be signed out by a parent or designated adult.
• Do not ring the bell to the Parish Center when entering the building for classes.

Hall Monitors :  there are three hallways at the center that are used by Faith Formation.  The ideal is to have parents volunteer to monitor each of these hallways when the children are in the building.  Please call the Faith Formation office 587-4717 if you are willing to help with this effort.  It involves occasionally escorting a young child to the rest room and back and sitting in the hallway to make certain that the children are safely in their rooms.  It is a good opportunity to read the newspaper or a good book while your child is participating in a Faith Formation session.
 

Child Protection & Prevention Program - this is a child safety program that will be presented to the children in levels 1-6.

Food – absolutely no food or drinks are permitted in the building during the catechetical sessions.
Toys, electronic devices, cell phones, etc. – please leave all distractions at home.  The children have only one hour per week to focus on their formal religious education.
 
Books – parents are asked to buy a work book for each of their children; the books are sold in the Faith Formation office.   Please make sure your child brings the book and a pen or pencil to class each week.
              
 
 
LEVEL 1
 
Finding God, Our Response to God’s gifts –This series was put together to help the children experience the presence of God in their lives and to have a personal relationship with Jesus.  Children will come to know God in a personal way in order to find meaning and purpose in their lives.
 
 
    
Presentation of Gifts              See "A Message for Parents" above.
                                
LEVEL 2
Finding God, Our Response to God’s Gifts – this series will help enhance the prayer life of the children by using different types of prayer experiences.  The goal is for the children to come to know Jesus on a personal level and to know what it’s like to experience the presence of God in their lives.
 
 
First Eucharist  Celebrations have been rescheduled!  Emails went out to all the level 2 catechists and the level 2 famillies.  We will begin on Saturday, August 15th and continue through Saturday, September 26th with the exception of Labor Day weekend.

Banner kits can be picked up outside the Parish Center door.  Please come during the following days/times: Monday - Friday 9:30am - 1:30pm and call the office when you arrive: 631-587-4717 so that we can bring your banner kit to the front door.  The banners should be made at home and placed at the end of the pew by the family when they arrive for their child's First Communion Mass.              


LEVEL 3
Finding God, Our Response to God’s Gifts – this new series nourishes a relationship with God through traditional prayer, meditation, liturgical prayer, praying with Scripture and through art. 
      
SPECIAL ACTIVITIES FOR LEVEL 3
 
Monthly Mass Attendance/Presentation of Gifts - please see note above "Message to Parents"     


LEVEL 4
 Finding God, Our Response to God’s gifts consistently provides opportunities for children to experience and cherish prayer as a deeply important, always present opportunity to grow in relationship with God.  Children are encouraged to take time to reflect on and recognize God’s presence in their lives.


LEVEL 5
Finding God, Our Response to God’s gifts focuses on the sacraments, especially the Eucharist, the center of Christian life.  The children will grow in their appreciation of the Church as a worshiping community, and of Christ’s action among us in the Eucharistic liturgy and in the sacraments. 
 
SPECIAL ACTIVITIES FOR LEVEL 5
 Monthly Mass Attendance      Please see section above "Message to Parents"
        
 
LEVEL 6
 
Finding God, Our Response to God’s gifts - this series uses a spiral approach to teaching, which means that the children learn about their faith by revisiting the same topics each year but on a level that they can understand. 
 
SPECIAL ACTIVITIES FOR LEVEL 6
 Monthly Mass Attendance/Presentation of the Gifts - see section above "Message to parents"   
 

LEVEL 7
Chosen Program - This program will help our students prepare for the Sacrament of Confirmation.  If your family has a child in level 7 who wishes to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation.
 
Mass Attendance/Presentation of the Gifts at Mass - see notes above "Message to Parents"

Community Service - students are required to complete a minimum of 6 hours of community service in both level 7 & 8 for a total of 12 hours for Confirmation.
 
Level 8 -  CONFIRMATION 2021 - to be determined at a later date.
 

Mass Attendance/Presentation of the Gifts - please see note "Message to parents" above.
  
FAITH FORMATION FOR CHILDREN
WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
 
All youngsters, regardless of ability level, are invited to participate in Faith Formation. 
Our multi-level Faith Formation Program offers a personalized course of study, prepared for children according to their individual needs.  Our gifted and talented volunteer catechists receive specific training to enable them to creatively present lessons of faith to these children.
 
The Special Needs Program offers supportive one-on-one catechesis on a weekly basis on Tuesdays from 5:15-6:15pm in the O’Connell Room.  Every effort will be made to cooperate with parents to provide the most meaningful opportunity for their children to fully participate in the Sacraments and Christian living
 
If you are interested in providing support or in being trained as a special needs catechist, please call the Faith Formation office at 587-4717; this is a wonderful community service opportunity for teens.  Come join us in being the helping hands of Jesus in thanksgiving for all the blessings that you have received.
 
SACRAMENTAL PREPARATION
FOR CHILDREN IN CATHOLIC SCHOOLS
The Diocese of Rockville Centre has a policy whereby the students of Catholic Schools must prepare for and celebrate the sacraments in the family’s home parish and not the school parish.  Parents of catholic school children are required to register their children for Faith Formation each year, beginning in level one and they are to attend Sunday Eucharist (or Saturday evening) in their home parishes.  They must attend the Level One and Two Parent Meetings and parents and their children must attend any events pertaining to the sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation and First Eucharist.  The same holds true for the immediate preparation for Confirmation (parents and their children are required to attend parent meetings or parent/child meetings, retreats, reconciliation services, outreach projects and any other requirements for the immediate preparation for Confirmation).

Sacramental Preparation for Older Children - Sacramental Preparation for First Eucharist is a 2 year process.  Children who are registered for the first time in second grade will be placed in a level 1 class and will celebrate First Eucharist after completing levels 1 & 2.  Parents will be offered the opportunity to "catch up" by doing level 3 at home after First Eucharist.  Parents mus show completed level 3 work before we can place your child in level 4.

Confirmation preparation is also a 2 year process.  We offer a special program for children between the ages of 10-17 who have been baptized Roman Catholic but have not recieved catechesis for Eucharist and Confirmation.

RCIA for adults - Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults is the formation prosess by which adults are initiated into the Catholic Church.  Any adult interested in becoming Catholic or who is a Catholic but has not celebrated First Eucharis or Confirmation is encouraged to call the Parish Office at 631-669-0068.

RCIA - Adapted for Children - we welcome all children age 7 & above who have never been baptized or who are coming from another faith, into the church through participation in an adapted form of the RCIA for adults.  A meeting with the RCIA for children coordinator is required.

Service Opportunities for families and faith formation groups - making cards for nursing home residents & for those who are homebound.  Cards can be made on construction paper and envelopes are not needed.

Food pantry donations - please see the bulletin for the most needed items for the food pantry and thank you for any donations you are able to provide.  Baskets are at the entrances to the Church and Nolan Hall to collect non-perishable food items and paper goods.
Holiday Baskets - please contact the Outreach Center if you would like to donate for this cause - 631-669-5574.

Thrift Shop donations - clothing, household items, baby items and toys can be brought to the Thrift Shop on Monday, Wednesday and Thursdays 10am - 3pm.

PBJ Gang - please help put together peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the homeless and/or make donations of bread, peanut butter & jelly.  This group meets once a month on a Thursday evening.  Please contact Barbara McNulty @ youth@stjosephsbabylon.org for more information.

CATECHISTS - are volunteers who share their faith with the children of our parish.  All grade levels meet at the Parish Center.  The ideal group size is 10 children.  Therefore, many catechists are needed.  Please consider sharing your faith with a small group of children.

A catechist meeting is offered in September to discuss the content of upcoming lessons and to keep the catechists apprised of what's new in the parish.  The meeting takes place in the O'Connell Room.  We begin with prayer and an overview of upcoming events.  Class lists and catechist guides are given out at this meeting.  Catechists are asked to call the parents of the children in their group to inform them of the start date, classroom number and day and time of their class.

The catechist guide provides a wealth of information and we provide calendars, syllabus and various handouts.  We are here to help you, please contact Claire Moule, Director of Faith Formation if you are interested in becoming a catechist and/or if you need help as you volunteer.

Catechists are expected to attend Mass on a regular basis.  Any catechist with a child in the program that does not hand in any Mass attendance envelopes will not be able to teach the following year.

We have a special meeting for new catechists in September and a follow up meeting in January.  At the end of the year we have a catechist evaluation meeting and social.  This meeting gives us the opportunity to express what went well, what could have been better and what we need to let go of.  We value your feedback and use your comments in planning for the following year.

VIRTUS Training - The Office of Child Protection in the diocese of Rockville Center requires all adults who volunteer to work with children to complete a VIRTUS Training session and undergo a background check.  

VIRTUS sessions will be announced at a later date. In addition, every volunteer needs to complete the monthly online updates.  To register for the training session, create a user name and password on the website: virtus.org.  Click on registration and scroll down to Rockville Center, then find the session you would like to go to.  Contact the Faith Formation Office if you need help.

Volunteer Service Request Form (background check) can be obtained from the Faith Formation Office.

DATES FOR CATECHISTS to be determined at a later date.



SNOW CANCELLATION - check news12.com for delayed openings and cancellations, or watch News12 or call the Parish Center @ 631-669-0068.

Volunteer's Code of Conduct
Our children are the most important gifts God has entrusted to us.  As a volunteer, I promise to strictly follow the rules and guidelines in this Volunteer's Code of Conduct as a condition of my providing services to the children and youth of our parish.
As a volunteer, I will:
* Treat everyone with respect, loyalty, patience, integrity, courtesy, dignity and consideration.
* Avoid situation where I am alone with children and/or youth at Church activities.
* Use positive reinforcements rather than criticism, competition or comparison when working with children and/or youth.
* Rufuse to accept expensive gifts from children and/or youth or their parents without prior written approval from the pastor or administrator.
* Report suspected abuse to the pastor, administrator, or appropiate supervisor and the New York State Child Registry (1-800-342-3720).  I understand that failure to report suspected abuse to civil athorities is, according to the law a misdemeanor.
* Cooperate fully in any investigation of abuse of children and/or youth.
As a volunteer I will not:
* Smoke or use tobacco products in the presence of children and/or youth.
* Use, possess, or be under the influence of alcohol at any time while volunteering.
* Use, possess, or be under the influence of illegal drugs at any time.
* Pose any health risk to children and/or youth (i.e. no fevers or other contagious situations).
* Strike, spank, shake, or slap children or youth.
* Humiliate, ridicule, threaten, or degrade children and/or youth.
* Touch a child and/or youth in a sexual or other inappropriate manner.
* Use any discipline that frightens or humiliates children and/or youth.
* Use profanity in the presence of children and/or youth.

I understand that as a volunteer working with children and/or youth, I am subject to a through background check including criminal history.  I understand that any action inconsisitent with this Ciode of Conduct or failure to take action mandated by this Code of Conduct may result in my removal as a volunteer with children and/or youth.