School of Religion (Grades 1-8)

Curé of Ars School of Religion program exists to serve the parish community of families whose children attend a school outside of the Catholic school system.  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.   

Over the last 3 years we have implemented changes in our First Reconciliation, First Communion, Confirmation, and in our School of Religion programs to intentionally have more family involvement and sense of community.  Student classes, and parent small faith group discussions will be held on Wednesday nights twice a month. (There are additional dates for children who will be receiving a sacrament this year). We use a flipped classroom approach utilizing the Ignatius Press Faith and Life Series online and then apply these lessons in the classroom.  By limiting the number of on-site attendances, we are hopeful that families will have additional time to spend together building relationships with each other while growing in their Catholic faith.

 Grade 1            Year 1 Sacramental Prep for First Reconciliation & First Communion
 Grade 2            Year 2 Sacramental Prep for First Reconciliation & First Communion 
 Grade 3 – 6     Continue scripture-based Faith Formation,  application, and Evangelization
 Grade 7            Year 1 Sacramental Prep for Confirmation
 Grade 8            Year 2 Sacramental Prep for Confirmation

The new program has three main pillars:

1. 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.  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!

2. Education – Faith and Life Series Online Home Sessions and Chosen

   • 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 at www.mycatholicfaithdelivered.com. 

   • 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 in new and unexpected ways.  

   • Students in all grades (1-8) will attend a class session twice a month in the classroom with our parish catechist 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. 

3. Evangelization and Small Faith Sharing Groups

• Grades 1-6 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

• Grades 7-8 will primarily use a small faith group format to assimilate the catechesis included in the Chosen program. The students will grow stronger in their knowledge of our Catholic faith while encouraging and supporting one another to live out their faith in daily life.

• Parents are asked, during the bi-monthly on-site 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, support one another, and build our parish SOR community. 

For more information, please contact:
Bernadette Myers at bernadettemyers@cureofars.com, 913.649.1337

2018

September
9/5—Family Gathering: Opening Mass and Social, 6:15-7:30 pm
9/12—Student Class / SOR program Overview for parents in Fr. Burak Room, 6:15-7:30 pm
9/26 - Student Class/Parent Small Faith Groups, 6:15-7:30 pm

October
10/10 —Student Class/Parent Small Faith Groups, 6:15-7:30 pm
10/24—Student Class/Parent Small Faith Groups, 6:15-7:30 pm

November
11/7—Student Class/Parent Small Faith Groups, 6:15-7:30 pm
11/28—Student Class/Parent Small Faith Groups, 6:00-7:30 pm

December
12/4—Children's Nativity Play Practice for participating students in Fr. Burak Room, 6:15-7:30 pm
12/5—Family Gathering: Advent Social & Children's Nativity Play in Fr. Burak Room. 6:15-7:30 pm
12/9—Student Class & Work of Mercy in school, 2-4 pm

2019

January
1/9 —Student Class/ Parent Small Faith Groups, 6:15-7:30 pm
1/23—Student Class/ Parent Small Faith Groups, 6:15-7:30 pm

February
2/6—Student Class/Parent Small Faith Groups, 6:15-7:30 pm
2/20—Student Class/Parent Small Faith Groups, 6:15-7:30 pm

March
3/6 — Ash Wednesday Mass, no class
3/13 - Spring Break, no class
3/20 - Student Class/Parent Small Faith Groups, 6:15-7:30 pm
3/27 - Student Class/Parent Small Faith Groups, 6:15-7:30 pm

April
4/10 – Confessions and Blessing Bags for Homeless 6:00-7:30 pm
4/24—Student Class/Parent Small Faith Groups, 6:15-7:30 pm

May
5/1—Family Gathering: Closing Mass w/ May Crowning in church & social in Fr. Burak Room, 6:15-7:30 pm

June
6/10-13 - VBS: Incoming PreK/4yrs - 2nd grade,  9:00 am-Noon

For more information about First Reconciliation please click here
For more information about First Communion please click here
For more information about Confirmation please click here