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.
Mass Attendance Requirement/Presentation of the Gifts Each child in the program is required to hand in a minimum of 12 Mass attendance envelopes for each year in addition to the scheduled grade level Masses. Please see the grade level requirements for specific weekends we expect each grade level to attend Mass. The attendance envelopes should be picked up in the Faith Formation when you come to puchase the student books. Please know that while donations are greatly needed and greatly appreciated, they are not necessary. The envelopes are mainly for attendance purposes. Please print all your children's names neatly on one envelope and be sure to include your last name.
Any child that does not attend the minimum number of Masses will be considered not ready to celebrate the sacraments of initiation. We will accept bulletins from other Roman Catholic Churches but they must be handed in within 2 weeks of attending. Please print your children's names on the cover.
Presentation of the Gifts at Mass - each class is invited to sign up to bring up the gifts at a Mass during the year. If a child is unable to attend the Mass with their class, they can sign up for another Mass and bring up the gifts with their family instead. Catechists need to contact the Faith Formation Office in order to choose a weekend Mass to bring up the gifts. Catechists will tell the parents which Mass they are to attend.
PARENT MEETINGS AND SPECIAL LITURGIES - We look forward to your presence at parent meetings and special liturgies. Please mark your calendar with the events listed below for your child's grade level.
Working from home option - parents can choose to work with their children at home this year. Unit reviews for levels 1-6 and monthly reviews for level 7 & 8 must be completed by the end of April.
Class Attendance - weekly attendance is required in order for a child to successfully complete each grade level.
Children should have no more than 3 absences throughout the year.
Arrivals and Departures - each child is to be escorted by a parent or guardian or designated adult to the classroom in the Parish Center. At dismissal time, parents must go to the classroom and sign their child out. The child will be released by the catechist only to the parent, guardian or designated adult.
Information for the Catechist form - Your child will be given this form at the first class. Please complete it and return it to the catechist the following week.
Contact with Catechists - We encourge you to be in communication with your child's catechist. The catechist is available to share or clarify any concerns you might have.
If your child is unable to attend a session, please notify the catechist prior to the class so that they are not waiting for you. Ask the catechist which chapter they will be working on so that you can work with your child at home on it.
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT - After each meeting of your child's faith formation group, try to find time to read the chapter presented by the catechist and discuss it with your child. Please read "With My Family" at the end of each chapter in your child's textbook (levels 1-6). Children learn best when parents are involved.
QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS: Please feel free to call the Faith Formation Office @ 631-587-4717 if you have any questions and/or concerns.
Building Procedures * Every child must be accompanied to and from the classroom by an adult.
* Stairways are marked "up" and "down" - please use the proper stairways to help alleviate congestion.
* We ask that children be in the room 5 minutes prior to the start times so that the group can begin on time.
* For the safety of the children, we ask parents to park in designated parking spot and walk their child in either to the "staff entrance" at the rear of the building or to the Nursery School entrance and the end of the ramp off N. Carll Avenue.
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Do not use the front door to the Parish Center. * 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.
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 contact the Faith Formation Office @ 631-587-4717 if you are able to help with this effort.
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 class time. There are children with severe food allergies and we cannot risk having food particles leftover from a prior group using the same classroom.
Toys, electronic devices, cell phones...please leave all distractions at home. The children only have one hour a 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.
* Please note: if Confirmation is celebrated on Wednesday, Feb. 2nd, there will be no classes that day.
There are no classes on the following holiday's: Monday, Oct. 1 - Columbus Day, Tuesday, Nov. 2 - Election Day, Wednesday, November 24 - Thanksgiving, Weeks of Dec. 20 & 27 - Christmas, Monday, Jan. 17 - Martin Luther King, Week of Feb. 14th - winter recess, Tuesday, March 1 - Mardi Gras, Wednesday, March 2 - Ash Wednesday.
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.
Parent Meeting - Monday, Sept. 20th either at 11am or 7pm in the O'Connell Room - we will go over the Finding God program and the role of parents in Faith Formation.
Special Masses for Level 1: Welcome Celebration - Sunday, Oct. 17 @ 9am Mass in the Church. Return First Eucharist Covenants and join us for hospitality after Mass.
December 18 or 19 - come to any Mass and bring donations for the food pantry.
January 22 or 23 - attend any Mass and receive your copy of the Catholic Prayers book.
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.
Special Activities for Level 2 Parent Meeting - Wednesday, Sept. 22 @ either 11am or 7pm in the O'Connell Room.
First Reconciliation:will take place Saturday's, November 13 & 20 in the Church. Emails 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
Child Safety Program - Thursday, Jan. 13 @ 4pm in Nolan Hall.
Parent Meeting - Wednesday, March 16 @ 11am or 7pm in Nolan Hall.
Mandatory Masses: Oct. 2 or 3 - Return covenants Oct. 23 or 24 - children recieve wooden crosses. March 5 or 6 - bring the Church tour booklets to Mass to have them blessed. Sunday, May 22 @ 9am - Going Forth to make the world a better place celebration.
First Communions: Will take place on the following Saturday's: April 30 & MAy 7 @ 11am & 12:30pm, May 14 @ 11am, May 21st @ 12:30pm & 2:30pm
Level 2 Blackline Master Level 2 Syllabus
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:
Advent Celebration - Come to Mass the weekend of November 20-21 and receive an Advent gift and a special blessing.
Child Safety Program - Thursday, January 13 @ 4pm in Nolan Hall.
Outreach Donations - Come to any Mass the weekend o
f March 19-20 to receive a special blessing. Please bring donations for the food pantry.
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.
Special Activities for Level 4:
Mass Booklets - Come to any Mass the weekend of Dec. 11-12 and hand in your Mass Booklets.
Child Safety Program - Thursday, Jan. 20 @ 4pm in Nolan Hall.
Rice Bowls - to be given out in class the week of Feb. 21.
Return Rice bowls at any Mass the weekend of Apr. 2-3 and receive a special blessing.
Operation Rice Bowl - is a program run by the Catholic Relief Services and is open to anyone in the parish who would like to participate during the Lenten Season. The money raised is used to help those in need here in the U.S. and all throughout the world. Please be as genersous as your means allow.
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:
Church Tours - Tuesday, Oct. 26 - 4-5pm & Wednesday, Oct. 27 - 4-7pm. Tours take approximately 45 minutes each. Parents need to stay with their children. tours take the place of class this week.
Child Safety Program - Thursday, Jan. 20 @ 4pm in Nolan Hall.
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:
Come to any Mass the weekend of Nov. 13-14 to recieve a special blessing. Please bring donations for the food pantry.
Child Safety Program - Thursday, Jan. 20 @4pm in Nolan Hall.
Interview Sheets - Due at any Mass the weekend of Feb. 26-27
Works of Mercy Prayer Card - come to Mass the weekend of March 26-27 to receive your card and a special blessing.
LEVEL 7 Chosen Program - This 2 year program will help our students prepare for the Sacrament of Confirmation. Parents and sponsors are responsible for helping the children prepare for the Sacrament of Confirmation. Parent & sponsor guides come with the student book.
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.
Confirmation Preparation Schedule:
Parent/Child Meeting - Thursday, Oct. 7 @ either 4pm or 7pm in the O'Connell Room. You will receive the Confirmation packet at this meeting.
Weekend of Oct. 16-17 - come to any Mass to hand in your Confirmation Covenants.
Weekend of Jan. 8-9 - return completed essay's: "Why Someone My Age Would Want to Follow Jesus".
Weekend of Feb. 5-6 - return completed Community Service Pledges at any Mass and recieve a special blessing.
Level 8
CONFIRMATION 2022 - to be determined at a later date. The Level 8 students complete the Chosen book/video's book and complete an additional 6 hours of community service.
Special Activities for Level 8:
Parent/Child Meeting - Thursday, Sept. 9 @ either 4pm or 7pm in the O'Connell Room - The level 8 Confirmation packets will be given out at this meeting and we will explain the final requirements for Confirmation.
Weekend of Oct. 16-17 - return Confirmation covenants at any Mass and recieve a special blessing.
Tuesday, Nov. 2 from 10am - 2pm in Nolan Hall - Retreat & Reconciliation.
Weekend of Nov. 6-7 - come to any Mass to hand in your Community Service Pledges.
Thursday's, December 2 & 9 from 3:30-7:30pm in Nolan Hall - Confirmation Interviews.
Weekend of December 4-5 - come to any Mass to hand in the Petition to the Bishop & to receive a special blessing.
Confirmation rehearsal & Mass - dates to be determined.
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 special needs. Our gifted and talented volunteer catechists receive specific training to enable them to creatively present lessons of faith to these children.
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 - every volunteer needs to complete the VIRTUS Training and continue with 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. Every volunteer needs to undero a background check.
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.