School of Religion
WELCOME TO BLESSED SACRAMENT SCHOOL OF RELIGION!
2011 marks the 100th anniversary of our parish, and we are celebrating 100 years of Faith Formation! The School of Religion exists to provide sacramental preparation (First Reconciliation, Eucharist, and Confirmation - and in some cases, Baptism for students who were not baptized as infants) as well as continuous, on-going Religious Formation for students in Kindergarten through 8th grades. The Blessed Sacrament Parish Religious Education program strives to communicate the Person and message of Jesus Christ in the context of the beliefs and practices of the Roman Catholic Church. The goal of the School of Religion is to "put students not only in touch, but also in communion and intimacy, with Jesus Christ." (General Directory for Catechesis, #80) In order for this to be effective, the parents are always considered the first and primary catechists (or teachers) of their children. The Religious Education program can only be a complement and support to their efforts at home. In no way is the School of Religion meant to take the place of our weekly obligation to attend Sunday Mass, whereby we receive the living and true God, Jesus Christ, in the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist.
School of Religion Early Online Registration Now Open!
Please use the link below to register online the 2010-11 School of Religion Year
You have the choice of paying online with a credit card or mailing in you payment this year. If you are paying by check please make the check payable to "Blessed Sacrament" and mail to the church at: Blessed Sacrament Religious Formation Office, 3630 Quesada Street, NW, Washington, DC 20015 Attn: Rosalie Days
School of Religion 2010-11 Online Registration and Payment
School of Religion 2010-11 Calendar
*To register for our 3 - 4 year old "Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Program" (Montessori based), please use the registration form above and select "Pre-K" for the grade level when choosing your child's class.
From the Director of Religious Education
About Blessed Sacrament School of Religion:
Sundays, 8:45 - 10:00 am Pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade.
Tuesdays, 4:10 - 5:25 pm Kindergarten through 8th grade.
All classes take place in Blessed Sacrament school with the exception of the Pre-Kindergarten (Catechesis of the Good Shepherd) program, which takes place in the Parish Center Ground Level.
Office of Religious Formation Staff
Therese Recinella, Director of Religious Education: 202-449-3989 or
Rosalie Days, Administrative Assistant SOR: 202-449-3973 or
Did You Know?
"Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God." Luke 18:15-17
We warmly welcome children of all ages and abilities for sacramental preparation! Please do not feel put off if your child is older and has not received the sacraments of Baptism, First Reconciliation, First Eucharist, and/or Confirmation. Moreover, we offer inclusion (as well as individual, one on one, catechesis upon request) for students with special needs. Every child is welcome here at Blessed Sacrament. For more information, please call Therese Recinella, Director of Religious Education, at 202-449-3989 or
School of Religion Textbooks:
You can find out more about the book your child will be using in the School of Religion this year. Check out these websites for scope and sequences, parent pages, activities you can do at home, and online prayer experiences.
Kindergarten: Call to Faith, Harcourt
http://your.harcourtreligion.com/ctf/nsmedia/menu.html
Grade One: Faith and Life, Ignatius Press
http://www.ignatius.com/textbooks/faithandlife/scope.htm
Grade Two: Faith and Life, Ignatius Press
http://www.ignatius.com/textbooks/faithandlife/scope.htm
Grade Three: Finding God, Loyola Press
http://www.loyolapress.com/finding-god-faith-formation-program.htm
Grade Four: Finding God, Loyola Press
http://www.loyolapress.com/finding-god-faith-formation-program.htm
Grade Five: Finding God, Loyola Press
http://www.loyolapress.com/finding-god-faith-formation-program.htm
Additional Booklet for Grade 5: We Learn About Mass, Liturgy Training Publications
Grade Six: Finding God, Loyola Press
http://www.loyolapress.com/finding-god-faith-formation-program.htm
Grade Seven: Faith and Life, Ignatius Press
http://www.ignatius.com/textbooks/faithandlife/scope.htm
Grade Eight: Faith and Life, Ignatius Press
http://www.ignatius.com/textbooks/faithandlife/scope.htm
Top 10 Ways to Parent Your Children in the Faith
"Parents are the most influential agents of catechesis for their children. They have a unique responsibility for the education of their children; they are the first educators, or catechists. They catechize primarily by the witness of their Christian lives and by their love for the faith."
National Directory for Catechesis, page 234
10. Storytelling: Read and discuss stories from a children’s Bible and the lives of the saints.
9. Bless your children: A blessing can be done simply by making the sign of the cross with holy water on the forehead of each child at the beginning and the end of each day.
8. Set up a family altar: The family altar can be a simple bookshelf, table, or mantle with a combination of elements that image our Catholic identity, like: Religious art, Crucifix, Holy Water, Candles, Holy Bible, Statues.
7. Weekly family discussions: Having family discussions as a weekly event, such as Sundays after Mass or during a weeknight, is a great way to apply the message of the Gospel (and the homily) to every day life and grow closer as a family.
6. Activities with other families: Celebrate feast days and holy days together, have breakfast or lunch after Sunday Mass, or volunteer to do a service project with another family.
5. Family Retreat: A family retreat can be a time for silence, it is also a time to be reacquainted with each other through games, stories, prayer, and other creative ways to bring a family closer to God and each other. Try visiting places like the National Shrine.
4. Family Prayer: Choose a specific time each day or evening for family prayer where you can teach your children traditional Catholic prayers like the Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, the Rosary, etc.
3. Teach by example: As parents, you offer powerful modeling effects for the faith formation of your children, especially by your example, words, and the way you practice your own faith.
2. Receive the sacrament of Reconciliation: Let your children see you model how to receive God’s mercy and forgiveness in this sacrament and encourage them to do the same on any Saturday in the church from 4:00 – 5:00 pm.
1. Attend Mass every Sunday with your children. Teaching your children special love for the Holy Eucharist and the Real Presence of Christ is one of the greatest gifts you can give them!
Catholic Online Resources for Parents
"The catechesis given by parents with the family 'precedes, accompanies and enriches all other forms of catechesis.' When children are baptized, parents accept the responsibility to bring up their children in the practice of faith and to see to it that the divine life that God gives them is kept safe from the poison of sin, to grow always stronger in their hearts."
National Directory for Catechesis, pages 234-235
We highly recommend that you check out these websites! They contain valuable information and are well worth your time.
www.catholicparents.org Catholic parents online has as its mission to "build a network of faithful, dynamic, and informed parents, students, and alumni, committed to working with Catholic schools and other programs of education to ensure authentic teaching and protection of the Catholic Faith." They are truly devoted to the Magisterium and recognize the parents' role as the primary educators of their children.
www.dads.org This is an online resource ministry of St. Joseph's Covenant Keepers (SJCK), an informal international network of Christian men, under the patronage of St. Joseph, dedicated to strengthening the family. The primary focus of St. Joseph's Covenant Keepers is men who are fathers of children still living at home. The site is well designed and filled with solid information and great resources for dads.
www.catholicmom.com This is a website for sharing and learning about parenting and faith issues. You can stop by their new Catholic Mom Blog and share your comments and ideas. Check out their new Catholic Moments Podcast for news and chats with different authors, columnists, and musicians. Other highlights of the Catholic Moms web site include: recipes, traditions, holy day and holiday ideas, home management, kids activities, and motivational tips pages; you can submit your ideas or find out new tips.
www.e5men.org E5Men is a site for men to help men and women live the truth of Ephesians 5: "Husbands love your wives, wives love your husbands."
www.catholicparenting.com Catholic parenting is an online meeting place for Catholic parents looking to exchange ideas and experiences about their wonderful, but challenging vocation of being a Catholic parent. The site features a bulletin board, resources, articles, and crafts.
www.masstimes.org Mass times is a free ministry to traveling Catholics, funded by Pauline Books and Media, in partnership with the Catholic Communication Campaign to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and Mass Times Trust. No matter where you are traveling in the world, you can find out where and when the nearest Catholic Masses are available.
www.zenit.org ZENIT's "mission is to provide objective coverage of events, documents, and issues emanating from or concerning the Catholic Church. "Where to go to get the latest news about everything, from the viewpoint of the Roman Catholic Church."
www.catholic.com Catholic Answers is mostly an apologetics site put together by folks who work with Karl Keating, author of Fundamentalism and Catholicism, and other great books about knowing, defending, and sharing Faith of the Roman Catholic Church.
www.newadvent.org New Advent is a Catholic Encyclopedia online, plus much more.
www.catholic.org Catholic online is a huge resource center, with news, 10,000+ links, forums, articles, devotions, shopping, webhosting and design, and more.
www.usccb.org The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is an assembly of the hierachy of the United States and the U.S. Virgin Islands who jointly exercise certain pastoral functions on behalf of the Christian faithful of the United States. The purpose of the Conference is "to promote the greater good which the Church offers humankind, especially through forms and programs of the apostolate fittingly adapted to the circumstances of time and place." Great resource for Church "documents" such as an online Bible, Daily Mass readings, Catechism, and more!
www.sacredspace.ie You can make a "Sacred Space" in your day, and spend ten minutes praying as you sit front of your computer, with the help of on-screen guidance and scripture chosen specially every day. It's like having a ten minute online retreat at your disposal every day!
www.thereasonforourhope.org The Reason for Our Hope Foundation was founded by Fr. Larry Richards in answer to 1 Peter 3:15: "Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope." The purpose of The Reason for Our Hope Foundation is to fulfill the command of Christ to "go and make disciples of all nations" (Matt. 16:28). You can download Fr. Larry's weekly homilies for free and send away for his excellent teaching CDs on various Catholic topics.
www.appleseeds.org Apple Seeds has a collection of stories, quotations, and links that is generally inspiring, motivating, hope-instilling and encouraging - uplifting, to say the least, and a neverending source of inspiration from all sources and directions. A must-visit, when you need all of the above. Fr. Brian Cavanaugh, T.O.R. is associated with Franciscan University of Steubenville, in Ohio.
www.TheologyoftheBody.com Christopher West's apostolate promoting Pope John Paul II's amazingly profound letter on how our bodies and our sexuality are a true expression of the love of God when redeemed by the Son. Books, articles, tapes, and passion. Highly recommended reading.
www.parentsandkidstalking.com This website is dedicated to supporting parents in their role as their child's primary sexuality educator. No one knows your child better than you and your child needs your guidance. Talking with children about the physical and emotional changes of puberty enables parents to start an informal dialogue based on trust and respect. This is the foundation that is needed to continue the conversation with teens before they can be overly influenced by the media and their peers.
www.reallove.net Real Love productions consists of Mary Beth Bonacci's dynamic, practical view of real life issues for teens, young adults, and parents. The series of articles on chastity provides great parent "homework" in preparation for discussions with their children. Also available is a variety of videos and books for parents and teens on chastity and love that reflect the teachings of John Paul II's Theology of the Body.
www.osv.com/teachingcatholicyouth Our Sunday Visitor's Teaching Catholic Kids is an online resource for teachers, catechists and parents to help children grow in our Catholic faith. It includes newspaper and magazine articles, access to an article archive, the Catholic Almanac online, "What the Church Teaches," as well as "Teaching Links."
www.magnificat.net Magnifikid! reaches children from 6 to 12. When you order a subscription, the booklets are sent to the child on a monthly basis. Every month, the child will discover a booklet of 16 color pages for each Sunday, and also special issues for all major feast days (Christmas, Ash Wednesday, Holy Week, Ascension, Assumption, and All Saints Day.)
www.catholicculture.org This site tries to organize many of its features so that the brief material is out front. If you've got more time, so much the better! For example, take their "What You Need to Know" feature - quick hits about important subjects. If you have only a few minutes they'll guide you to the most important things to read. They review over 500 Catholic web sites annually to let you know what's out there - both what to look at, and what to avoid. If you want to learn more about your Catholic Faith - it's doctrine, history, and what is happening in the Church today - this is the site for you!
www.wau.org The Word Among Us is a monthly devotional magazine for Catholics. They self-describe their mission thus: "to encourage Christians to know the love of God in a practical and personal way. Following the daily Mass readings, it is our hope that the Spirit will 'enlighten the eyes of our hearts' (Ephesians 1:18) so that we may know Jesus more deeply through prayer, Scripture, and the teachings of the Church." Along with select featured articles from each month's magazine, the site includes resources such as Bible study lessons, timeless stories about Catholic saints and other Christian heroes, guidance on marriage and family, and much more.
