School of Religion

Curé of Ars School of Religion serves the parish community of families whose children attend a school outside of the Catholic school system. Our program exists to instill the confidence in our students to become missionary disciples of Jesus Christ.  As a parish, we are centered in the Sacraments – especially in the Eucharist – and dedicated to bringing the Good News of Jesus Christ to our immediate community and beyond.  For many of us, our most immediate community is our family, also known as the Domestic Church.  Our goal is to support parents as the primary educators of the faith by encouraging families toward a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and living out this relationship in their daily lives. We welcome children with special needs who may need accommodations.   

Over the last several years, we have implemented changes in our School of Religion program to intentionally have more family involvement and a sense of community.  Student classes and parent small faith group discussions will be held on Wednesday nights twice a month during the school year with three additional calendar dates for Family Gatherings. 

Please note there are also additional dates for children who will be receiving the sacraments. 

• Confirmation (8th grade): https://www.cureofars.com/confirmation 
• First Reconciliation & First Communion (2nd grade): https://www.cureofars.com/first-communion

The program has three main pillars:​​​​​​

1. Evangelization and Small Faith Sharing Groups

• Grades 1-6 will meet in a classroom setting and Grades 7-8 will primarily use a small faith group format.  The students will grow stronger in their knowledge of our Catholic faith while encouraging and supporting one another to live out their faith in their daily lives. Each grade will be given opportunities to encounter the love and mercy of Jesus through prayer, Eucharistic adoration, Confession, reciting the Rosary, and small faith group discussions. 

 

• Parents are asked during the bi-monthly class sessions for the students, to attend the Parent Small Faith Group Sessions in the Fr. Burak Room.  Each session will occupy the same timeframe that the children are in class and will include a social time that builds friendships and community among the parents. There is also a reflection and/or discussion about Scripture while promoting ways to pass on the faith to our children.  These Parent meetings are essential to our program in that they offer an ongoing opportunity for parents to grow in their faith in Jesus Christ, support one another, and build our parish community.

2.  Sacramental Life & Family Gatherings
 

• Learning about our Catholic faith is important, but experiencing the Sacramental Traditions and beauty of our faith is truly inspiring!  School of Religion families will attend  Sacramental events in the Church together beginning with our Opening Mass in September. Also, we will have a variety of events including a Children's Nativity Play, a Marian night, and opportunities for Confession to encounter the love and mercy of Jesus Christ.  Sharing these experiences as a family and as a greater parish community enriches our understanding of the Catholic faith and broadens our opportunities to worship.

 

• Additional events, such as Works of Mercy, are hosted at the parish and include the family. There is a community-building aspect to the Works of Mercy, as well as an opportunity to help others in our community who are in need.  Can-Struction (Advent) and the Blessing Bags (Lent) were well-received and plan to be continued!

3. Faith Formation Sessions - At-Home and In-Person

• Students in all grades (1-8) will attend a class session twice a month in the classroom with our parish catechist(s) from 6:15 - 7:30 pm from September through May (December and May exceptions). The catechists will incorporate a more diverse and user-friendly array of resources to engage the children in learning and loving their faith while growing closer to Jesus. 

 

• Grades 1-6 will be using the Faith and Life online series for curriculum. This is an outstanding series of internet-based catechetical sessions for children which are done at home and are more interactive and creative than the standard hard copy textbook. It provides students with solid content suitable for diverse learning styles; and allows more flexibility in completing the grade level catechesis. By using the online program, My Catholic Faith Delivered, students are expected to complete a chapter per week at home in order to be prepared for the bi-monthly class sessions.  Parents are not required to do classroom-style teaching at home but are asked to facilitate online learning while reinforcing or discussing topics as a family. Registration in our program will include a subscription to the grade level program for each of our students. 

 

• Grades 7 & 8 will be using the Confirmation prep program, Chosen, by Ascension Press. Chosen utilizes a powerful and effective methodology with lessons designed to capture teens’ attention and present the faith through videos, student workbooks, and a small faith group format. This program takes young people on a journey through the Catholic faith in all its richness and vitality. Teens will be captivated by the story, from Creation all the way through salvation history and they will come to see how the sacraments, prayer, and discipleship are the keys to a happy life. In addition, the lessons feature twelve of the top youth experts in the Church today and filmed in more than 50 locations.   

Cost:    School Year Class Registration– $50/child,  $150/3+ children
              ALL 1st – 8th-grade students are to be registered for SOR classes
                  * 2nd-grade students should also be registered for First Communion Preparation
                  ** 8th-grade students should also be registered for Confirmation Preparation

For more information, please contact:
Bernadette Myers at bernadettemyers@cureofars.com or 913.521.9361.