The curriculum for the Parish of St. Theresa Religious Education Program is directed by policies established by the Diocese of Trenton, the Pastor and the Director of Religious Education of the Parish of St. Theresa. The Parish of St. Theresa Religious Education Program includes Formal Academic Faith Formation which depends upon consistent Family Faith Formation.
Formal Academic Faith Formation:
The Formal Academic Faith Formation curriculum is cumulative beginning with Pre-School or Kindergarten. As the student progresses from grade to grade religious and faith concepts are expanded upon and increased in scope. To insure the student understands these concepts and have incorporated those concepts into their lives through the process of academic formation, class participation, homework and periodic testing can be expected.
Family Faith Formation:
At the baptism of your child, the Priest or Deacon says: “You have asked to have your child baptized. In doing so you are accepting the responsibility of training (him or her) in the practice of the faith.
It will be your duty to bring (him or her) up to keep God’s commandments as Christ taught us, by loving God and our neighbor. He then asks “Do you clearly understand what you are undertaking?” To which you responded “We or I do.”
This was your acceptance before God in the Sacrament of your child’s baptism to be the first teachers of your child in the ways of faith. In the Sacrament of Baptism you became directly responsable for your child’s Faith Formation in all aspects of their lives.
This is indeed a significant undertaking and responsibility of yours as a parent or guardian. The Parish of St. Theresa Religious Education Program is thus made available to you to assist you in this formation.
Pre-school / Kindergarten: RCL Benzinger, Stories of God's Love
Through age appropriate stories, class activities, video presentations and prayers the students learns that God created everything and His love is forever. They are introduced to the Sign of the Cross.
Grades 1 & 2: Loyola Press, Finding God or Pflaum Gospel Weeklies, Good News
The students at the 1st & 2nd grade level enter into a two year process of formation preparing them for the Sacraments of Penance (Confession) and Holy Communion. The student learns how special Jesus is in their lives.
Through age appropriate formation, the student learns about the grace which comes through the Sacraments of Baptism, Reconciliation (Confession) and Holy Communion. They learn about sin and how God’s forgiveness is always there for them.
The student masters certain age appropriate prayers and is indoctrinated in the celebration of the Mass. Upon completion of all the sacramental requirements, the student will be considered eligible to receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Communion for the first time.
If the sacramental requirements are not completed and evidence of the student of regular attendance at Mass is not present, the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Holy Communion will be delayed until the student has a full understanding of these Sacraments.
Grades 3 - 6: Loyola Press, Finding God or Pflaum Gospel Weeklies, Venture
The students at the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th grade levels enter into a structured academic formation which builds upon the previous academic year. Students will be exposed to concepts including the Seven Sacraments, the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes, Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy, the Rosary, Christian Morals, the Precepts of the Church, God’s plan of salvation for us and the lives of the Saints. At the beginning of each new academic year, a review is presented to reinforce the academic formation of the previous year.
Grades 7 & 8: Loyola Press, Finding God or Pflaum Gospel Weeklies, Vision
The students at the 7th and 8th grade levels enter into a structured academic formation which builds all they learned in their previous academic formation. The student will be formed in Catholic Christian Discipleship following the teachings of Jesus Christ.
Each student will learn of Jesus’ life and the development of the Church. During the second half of the 8th grade level the student begins their formation to receive the Sacrament of Conformation.
Grade 9: Matthew Kelly's Decision Point
The students at the 9th grade levels enter into a structured academic formation to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. The Faith Formation Program at this grade level is for all students who have successfully completed the required 1st through 8th grade academic formation offered in the Parish of St. Theresa Religious Education Program.
The 9th grade level formation is structured differently from the student’s previous 8 year formation process. The student will be expected to attend Spiritual Formation sessions and a retreat which prepare them for the Sacrament of Confirmation.
Each session focuses on the responsibility of living as a disciple of Jesus Christ. The sessions are structured in a group dynamic and are programed for the student to experience the Catholic faith in their peers in a relaxed and entertaining environment.
The 9th grade level Sacrament of Confirmation Formation session occur in the fall just prior to the scheduled date for celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation. If the sacramental requirements are not completed and evidence of the student of regular attendance at Mass is not present, the Sacrament of Confirmation will be delayed.
“Catch-Up” Classes: Loyola Press, Bridges to Faith and St. Mary Press, Catholicism 101
Teens: Loyola Press, Called to Be Catholic
The Parish of St. Theresa offers formal Religious Education classes for all student from pre-school to the 8th grade level who have not completed formal academic faith formation.
The “Catch-Up” classes will prepare students to move into their appropriate grade level in the following academic year as well as prepare them to receive the sacraments of Baptism, Reconciliation and Holy Communion if they have yet received these Sacraments.
In conclusion:
The Parish of St. Theresa Religious Education Program is in place to assist you as parent or guardian in your “accepting the responsibility of training (him or her) in the practice of the faith. It will be your duty to bring (him or her) up to keep God’s commandments as Christ taught us, by loving God and our neighbor.”
The entire St. Theresa Religious Education Program is based on your commitment “to be the first teachers of your child in the ways of faith.”
The students participating in the St. Theresa Religious Education Program will be expected to attend about 30 hour’s actual academic formation. Thus responsibility of their faith formation depends upon you and the family faith formation you avail to them.
This is the responsibility you agreed to at the child’s Baptism. And we are here to help you in that effort. We believe the most successful way of successfully accomplishing this great responsibility is by attendance at Mass every weekend. For it is within the celebration of the Eucharist that all we present in your child’s faith formation takes root and grows.
Remember the Parable of Jesus found in the Gospel according to St. Matthew:
“A sower went out to sow, and as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep, and when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for lack of roots. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. Whoever has ears ought to hear”.
The “seed” is faith. Where will the seeds of your child’s faith fall? Will it fall on a path for others to snatch it away? On the rocks where there is no rich soil of faith so it is scorched by the heat of today’s society? Among thorns where the seed of faith is choked by those who do not care?
Or will the seeds of your child’s faith fall upon the Rich soil of a family’s faith where it can produce and grow in your child into a strong and fruitful faith that will carry them throughout their lives?