As the first and most important teachers of your children your input is essential in order to form your children in the Roman Catholic Faith.
Weekly participation in Sunday Mass (or Saturday evening) is the most effective way to form children in the faith because they experience the ritual week after week and they encounter God in the Scripture readings and in the Eucharist.
A good way to help children prepare for Sunday Mass is to read the Gospel and share what its message means for you. This family activity would help all members of your family to be more open to hearing God's message at Mass. To access the reading, click on the bulletin in this website, then click on the lastest bullein for the next weeks readings. The Mass schedule and the readings will be on the right side of the page.
Given the current social distancing regulations, and the size of our church and chapel, it is impossible to ask all families to attend Mass in person each week, or even each month. However, our Mass is live-streamed (once each day and twice on Sunday's).
We encourage all families to attend Mass in person or virtually every Sunday, even if you attend or watch another Roman Catholic church's Mass. We ask all families to complete a short Mass reflection each month regarding one of the Masses that you attended, either, virtually or in person.
Monthly Mass Reflections - should be sent to the director, Claire Moule, via email: cmoule@stjbabylon.org. Please put your children's first an last names and grade levels on the email and include the following information: Date you attended Mass, whether it was in person or virtually, the name of the Church you attended and the town, the presiders name (if possible) and a short reflection of the Gospel and/or homily.
PARENT MEETINGS AND SPECIAL LITURGIES - to be determined at a later date.
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT It is ideal for a parent to sit and reflect on each chapter with their child. It's healthy for children to have a set routine. It might be helpful to assign a day and time to spend with your child each week. You may want to choose the day and time that you would have been bringing your child to the building. A grandparent, a pious family member, or a godparent could serve as an excellent companion for your child's faith formation journey.
Grade Level Syllabus' - the schedule of which lessons to work on each week were sent via emai to the families the week of October 13th. Please send an email to cmoule@stjbabylon.org if you didn't receive it or if you have any questions.
Supplemental video's - will be posted on the parish website for all families to view and reflect on.
QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS: Please feel free to call the Faith Formation Office @ 631-587-4717 if you have any questions and/or concerns.
Child Protection & Prevention Program - this is a child safety program that will be presented virtually to the children in levels 1-6.
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.
Digital Books (Online Program) - are also available at the same cost.
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.
Level 1 Syllabus Level 1 Blackline Master
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 Reconciliation: will take place Saturday's January 9th & 16th from 12pm-4pm in the Church. Letters will go out with your child's assigned date and time.
Banner kits will be given out when the children come for their First Reconciliation
First Communions: Will take place on the following Saturday's: April 17th @ 11am, 1pm & 3pm, April 24th @ 11am & 1pm, May 8th @ 11am, 1pm & 3pm, May 15th @ 11am & 1pm, June 12th @ 11am & 1pm and June 19th @ 11am & 1pmm
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.
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.
L
evel 4 Blackline Master Level 4 Syllabus
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.
Level 5 Blackline Master Level 5 Syllabus
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.
Level 6 Blackline Master Level 6 Syllabus
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.
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. The Level 8 students complete the Chosen book/video's book.
FAITH FORMATION FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
All youngsters, regardless of ability level, are invited to participate in Faith Formation.
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 Eucharist 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.
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.
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 voluntee with children and/or youth.