All young people attending Kindergarten through 8th grade in
Non-Parochial schools should be registered with Sacred Heart Parish's Religious Education Program. Students attending the Pre-K and Kindergarten program should pre-register due to the limited size of the classes. Students attending St. John Neumann Regional School are invited to attend if they so wish. The Faithways program is especially encouraged for those young people in grades 6, 7, & 8.
    According to Diocesan Regulations all students participating in the C.Y.O. program must be enrolled and participating in either the Catholic School or the Parish Religious Education Program (PREP or Faithways).

 

PREP Parent's Handbook

PARENT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM
Please return with your registration form

An Introduction to Whole Community Catechesis

  The Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian Life.”(Lumen gentium) Whole community catechesis (WCC) connects what happens at Sunday Mass to what happens in all other areas of parish life - formation, community, home, school and mission. It takes many of its ideas from the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) and its directives from the General Directory of Catechesis. It invites all members of the Parish Community to participate.
  A major part of WCC are the Intergenerational Gatherings. These Gatherings are open to the whole parish young and old alike, and they cover different topics. Families pre-register for the gatherings and at times pay a fee to cover the costs. The gatherings include a meal or snack, a teaching, faith sharing and an activity. The gathering will last approximately 3 hours and in order to get credit for the gathering the family must attend all three hours. Each gathering will fulfill only one requirement. There will be many gatherings to pick from and certain gatherings are required for each sacrament. Children may not attend alone, for this is a family activity.

PREP

The PREP program follows a level system based on the religious education blocks the students have completed.

PREP Blocks:
Level I-A & I-B
Level II
Penance
Level III
Eucharist
Level IV-A & IV-B
Level V-A & V-B
Morality
Prayer
Old Testament
Creed
New Testament
Kingdom of God
Confirmation

** Children must also attend age appropriate Intergenerational Gatherings for the Diocesan Mandated Child Protection Catechesis. This occurs during the first year for a new student then again when the child is in levels III and VI.

 

Sacramental Requirements

First Penance: Completion of Blocks I-A, I-B, II, Penance, and their respective assessments, 6 Intergenerational Gatherings: 3 Seasonal; 1 Saint; 1 Reconciliation; 1 Service or Social Justice, Age appropriate participation in the Sunday Liturgy, First Penance Retreat

First Communion: Completion of First Penance, Block III, Eucharist, and their respective assessments, 1 Intergenerational Gathering, Child Protection Gathering, Seder Supper or First Communion Retreat, Teaching Mass, Age appropriate participation in the Sunday Liturgy

Confirmation: Completion of First Penance and First Communion, Blocks IV-A & B; V-A & B; Old Testament; New Testament; Social Justice or Morality; Prayer or Apostle’s Creed; Confirmation; and their respective assessments, Age appropriate participation in the Sunday Liturgy, Student interview, Completion of Confirmation Packet, 8 Intergenerational Gatherings: 2 Seasonal; 2 Saint; 2 Social Justice; 2 Service, Pentecost Picnic, Confirmation Retreat,

Reception of The Sacraments

The Sacraments of First Penance and First Eucharist will be celebrated upon completion of the requirements. If a student has completed the requirements at a time other than the Spring of the year, First Communion may be scheduled to take place at a Sunday Mass. First Penance may also be scheduled to take place at a different time.
Confirmation will be celebrated upon completion of the requirements and when the Bishop or his representative celebrates the sacrament in the parish.

Block Scheduling allows the students and families to attend religious education classes at times that are more convenient. The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults makes it very clear that not everyone is at the same place at the same time on their faith journey. Block scheduling allows students the opportunity to receive sacraments when they are ready.

Please note: The Diocese of Allentown requires children to have at least 2 years of religious education before the reception of any of the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Holy Eucharist and Confirmation).

A child who enters our program at an older age will be interviewed to determine the appropriate Level that they should be attending. If it is determined that the child should be enrolled in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) modified for Children, the CRE will determine the appropriate blocks that the child needs to attend. The Pastor, the Coordinator of RCIA, the CRE and the parents or guardians will determine when the child will be receiving the Sacraments of Initiation according to Diocesan guidelines.


Pre-Kindergarten: Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. A program for 4 & 5 year olds who will be entering Kindergarten in 2008. This program combines the parables with religious play to encourage faith formation. Class meets during the 11 a.m. Sunday Mass and the students follow the same schedule (spring & fall blocks) as the other PREP students.

Kindergarten Level: Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and Call to Faith. Liturgically based faith formation using the parables and hands-on methods of teaching. Only 12 children will be accepted for the program on a first come, first serve basis. Children who are registered for the kindergarten level will be able to start counting Intergenerational Gatherings towards their First Penance. The students follow the same schedule as the other PREP students.

Levels I, II, III, IV, & V: This program follows a more traditional approach to catechesis. The Call to Faith series, published by Harcourt Religious Publishers, is used for faith formation in these levels.

Faithways: Students who have completed Level V-A and V-B continue their faith formation with Harcourt’s Crossroads series studying Old Testament, New Testament, Creed, Prayer, Social Justice and Morality.

First Reconciliation, First Eucharist and Confirmation: At this time we prepare our students for the Sacraments using the Celebrating Our Faith series by Harcourt Religious Publishers.

Home Schooling is available to all families. The students will also use Call to Faith by Harcourt Religious Publishers. Parents will meet for a 2 hour informational sessions for each block. The beauty of the new program is that all of the students are covering the same unit topic at the same time. So a parent who is home-schooling 3 students at different levels will only have to attend one session per block. Students may not be home-schooled for sacramental blocks. Assessments will be held at the end of each block. Intergenerational Gatherings and age appropriate participation in the Sunday Liturgy is necessary for the reception of the sacraments.

Special Circumstances

Special Education: Parents of students with any type of learning or physical disability should note this on the student’s registration form.

Learning Disabilities: Every effort will be made to work with the parents and student so that the child may participate in the classroom. Other provisions will be made for those students who are not able to handle the classroom experience, either by home-schooling or by the parents acting as aides in the classroom.

Custody Issues: Please include on the registration form any custody issues that involve your child. If at anytime during the year custody arrangements change please notify the CRE. This information will help us ensure your child’s safety.

PREP REGISTRATION

All young people attending Kindergarten through 8th grade in Non-Parochial schools should be registered with Sacred Heart Parish’s Religious Education Programs. Students attending St. John Neumann Regional School are invited to attend if they so wish.

Registration forms are available through the Religious Education Office or on the parish web site at www.shcpalmerton.org. Registration and payment is to be made by July 1st for the Summer block, September 1st for the Fall block, & February 1st for the Spring block, or a $10.00 late fee will be charged. If your child is new to the PREP program and has not been baptized at Sacred Heart, please include a copy of the Baptismal Certificate with registration.
Fees are as follows:

 Religious Education Fees:

Members of Sacred Heart Parish registered for one year and active:
Regular Fall/Spring block $25/child per block
Summer Session: $40/child per block

Inactive members or Non-parishioners:
Regular Fall/Spring block $100/child per block
Summer Session $150/child per block

Sacramental block (Penance, Eucharist, Confirmation):
Active: $50/child per block
Inactive or non-parishioner: $125/child per block

Active Membership is determined by 3 things:
♦ being registered in the parish for one year
♦ faithful attendance at Mass on Sundays and Holydays of Obligation;
♦ the weekly use of the envelope system in support of  the parish. Envelopes are to be placed in the collection basket at Sunday Masses or the Saturday Vigil).

Please make registration checks payable to Sacred Heart Church.
Registration fees for catechists and aides are waived.
Individuals having difficulty paying this fee should contact the CRE to make other arrangements.

PREP PROCEDURES

Arrival and Dismissal: Class time on Sundays is from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. Please do not send children any earlier than 9:25 a.m. Students attending class in SJNRS building should arrive and leave through the glass door in the alley. If you do bring your child to class and the catechist is not there, please stay with your child until the catechist arrives. Please be prompt in picking up your child. As a safety measure, please pick up your child at his/her classroom at 10:45 a.m. Children will be released only to those authorized on the registration form.
ANY CHILD REMAINING AT 10:55 A.M. WILL BE TAKEN TO THE 11:00 A.M. MASS.

Walking Students: Students who have the permission of their parents to walk home after class should give a note, signed by their parents, to their catechist at the beginning of each block.

Attendance: If a child misses more than 1 class in a block the child will automatically repeat that block or will need to be home schooled for that block. Because of the incidence of children skipping class without parents knowledge, we request that the parent or guardian phone, or e-mail the Religious Education Office before the start of class, and report the reason for absence. If you get the answering machine, please leave a message.

Cancellation of Class: In the event that classes would be cancelled because of weather please call the Religious Education Office at 610-826-2849, check the PREP page on the parish website at www.shcpalmerton.org, or check Channel 13. We will include e-mail notification if we have been provided with an e-mail address. Please do not call the Rectory. Parents and guardians should use common sense in regard to transporting their children. Rural road conditions may be very different from those in Palmerton. If weather conditions are too bad where you are located please call to tell us your child will not be attending class that day. If classes are cancelled due to weather a make-up class will be scheduled.

Suspected Child Abuse: Suspected child abuse must be reported by the Catechist to the CRE. The CRE will then discuss the situation with the Pastor, and then the proper authorities will be notified.
All Catechists, aides and volunteers working with children are required to have a background check completed, and are required to attend the Diocesan Training Program “Protecting God’s Children”. Any type of harassment, either sexual, physical (bullying) or psychological by students or any representative of Sacred Heart Parish must be reported to the CRE or the Pastor.

Emergency Procedures: A child who becomes ill during class time will either remain in the building in which they attend class or be taken to the Annex. An aide will notify the CRE and the parents will then be called.

Fire and other Emergencies: The students will be evacuated in an orderly fashion to a safe location on the property of Sacred Heart Parish. If such an emergency occurs parents will be notified by the proper authorities. No student is to be removed from the area without the notification of the CRE. In the event of a natural or other disaster the Catechist will be warned, if possible, and the children will be moved to the area that has been designated as safe by the Emergency plan, whether it be on or off site location. Children will only be dismissed to persons who have been authorized by the custodial parent on the registration form.

Responsibilities of Parents: Religious Education can be effective only to the extent that parents regularly participate at Eucharist, nurture prayer life in the home, are involved in parish activities, and strive to live daily by gospel values.

Participation at Sunday Eucharist: PREP (Parish Religious Education Program) can be understood only in the broader context of the Church as a whole. Children who participate in PREP must also be present when the Church gathers for Eucharist on Sunday.

Rite of Penance:  Children are encouraged to go to Confession with their parents and guardians as frequently as possible. Parish / Family Penance Services will be scheduled several times during the year for the students. Parents and Guardians will be informed of these dates in the bulletin and notices will be sent home with the children.

Responsibilities of Students

In addition to attending classes regularly, students are expected to participate fully, complete all assignments and conduct themselves in a Christian manner and exhibit that same Christian manner towards fellow students and catechists.

Assessments: Each student is expected to demonstrate an adequate understanding of the content presented during a block. At the beginning of the blocks each student will be given a set of questions and prayers on which they will be assessed on at the end of the block. If a student does not attain an 80% on the assessment they will be asked to retake it. This may be done in an oral or written format, whatever is best for the child. If the child does not attain an 80% upon the second review it will be determined whether the child will move on to the next level.

Conduct: If a child is disrupting the classroom, the catechist will meet with the child after class to discuss his/her behavior. If the CRE deems it necessary the parents will be asked to come in for a conference, and at that time the coordinator may suggest other alternatives for religious education.

CATHOLIC YOUTH ORGANIZATION (CYO)

According to Diocesan Regulations all students participating in the CYO program must be enrolled and participating in the Catholic school or in PREP.

PREP students must be registered during the year in which they wish to participate in CYO. They must attend two blocks and three (3) Intergenerational Gatherings during the year, or they will not be permitted to participate in CYO the following school year. Failure to attend classes will result in the students not  being eligible to participate in the games.

ADULT EDUCATION

Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA): RCIA is a process for adults and children to become members of the Roman Catholic Church, while completing the Catholic Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist). It is a process that gives all who partake a chance to discover more about themselves and our faith. For more information on our RCIA program, contact the Religious Education Office of Sacred Heart Church (610-826-2849).

Catechist Formation Classes are offered in the Spring and Fall. These classes are open to anyone in the Parish. The Diocese of Allentown recommends these classes for all who wish to volunteer their time in religious education.

Intergenerational Gatherings offer another means by which the adults of the parish are able to participate in faith formation. These Gatherings, open to the whole parish, offer education, faith sharing, and a sense of community fellowship.

Scripture Study is a group that meets Friday evenings to study and discuss Scripture. Please call Sue Steigerwalt for more information.
 

THE DIOCESE OF ALLENTOWN CHILD PROTECTION CATECHESIS

Dear Parents and Guardians:
  “Let the children come to me…” is what Jesus said to the Apostles when they tried to keep the children from Jesus because He was tired. At another time Jesus tells us, “Unless you become as little children, you cannot get to heaven.” Children are close to the heart of Christ.
  One of the mandates passed by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is that preventative measures be put into place to ensure the safety of our youth. With this mandate in mind the Diocese of Allentown has implemented a Children and Adolescent Protection program in our schools and religious education programs. The purpose of this program is to help children improve self-reliance, raise self-esteem and master personal safety skills – all while reassuring them that most people are kind, safe and committed to their well-being. Students learn to identify specific signs and behaviors often used by predators.
  The material has been prepared in the light of our faith and according to the morals and teachings of our faith by the Department of Religious Education of the Diocese of Allentown. You may have concerns as to whether or not this material is appropriate for your child and in keeping with your beliefs. With this in mind I invite you to preview the material available in my office and attend the sessions with your child. Each new parent will also receive a parent component to the program. The material will be presented in an ongoing manner worked into each class’ curriculum and the Intergenerational Gatherings. If you have any questions please feel free to call my office at 610-826-2849 or e-mail me.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Kathleen D. Merkel
Coordinator of Religious Education

 

DIRECTORY

Rectory: 610-826-2335
Fax: 610-826-5360
Religious Ed. Office : 610-826-2849
Website: www.shcpalmerton.org

Rev. William T. Campion - Pastor

Mrs. Kathleen D. Merkel - Coordinator of Religious Education
Office: 610-826-2849

St. John Neumann Regional School: 610-826-2354

Diocesan Victim Asst. Coordinator:
Mrs. Helen P. Kelleher, L.S.W . Confidential: 800-791-9209;

Diocesan Safe Environment Coordinator:
Sr. Meg Cole, SSJ; 610-289-8900 ext. 222

 

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Prep Calendar

(Schedules are subject to change)

2008 CALENDAR
SACRED HEART CHURCH
CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF FAITH AND SERVICE
 

September 14, 2008 - PREP Classes begin

 

(Schedules are subject to change)

 

 
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