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Divine
Mercy Parish
Family Model for Religious Education
What is Intergenerational
Learning?
Intergenerational learning is a process by which people of all ages gather
together to share and learn about heir faith from each other. Our
program is family-based and requires that at least one adult (mom, dad,
grandparent, aunt, uncle, etc.) attend with the enrolled children.
This approach engages all generations within the parish by making
participation in parish life the center of their faith formation: Sunday
mass, sacramental celebrations, church events, etc.
The intergenerational learning approach allows us to develop a deeper
understanding of the Catholic faith and to nurture a Catholic way of life
in members of the parish community. It provides an opportunity
for families and parishioners to learn, celebrate, pray and share.
Family is the basis of learning. We learn our faith from the
previous generation. If we want our Catholic faith to continue, we
need to continually be formed in our faith so we can pass it on to the
next generation.
Intergenerational learning does just that! It gathers children,
parents, grandparents, friends and relatives together to share a common
bond- faith-sharing through learning and experiencing our faith
traditions.
Learning Environment:
Our classroom environment is set up for children to work with an adult.
Catechists guide the children's interests by being facilitators.
The children direct their own learning through activities and journaling
that relate to their lesson. The catechist becomes actively involved
by modeling and suggesting ideas that bring the child into a deeper
understanding of the lesson.
Godly Play Program:
Godly Play is an interpretation of Montessori religious education. It
is an imaginative approach to working with children - an approach that
supports, challenges, nourishes and guides their spiritual quest. It
is more akin to a spiritual direction than to what we generally think of as
religious education. In Godly Play, children enter in to parables,
silence, sacred stories and sacred liturgy in order to discover God,
themselves, one another and the world around them.
First Reconciliation/ First Eucharist Class ( Multi-age: 2nd, 3rd, 4th
Grade)
The Sacrament class prepares the children for First Reconciliation and First
Eucharist. After the presentation of the lesson, the children follow their
own interests in guided activities, leading them a deeper understanding of
the lesson.
3rd/4th Grade: Areas of Focus include -
Sacred Scripture, God the Creator, Jesus Christ, Son of God, The Holy
Spirit, Liturgical Year, Sacraments, Advent , Jesus' Work of Healing, The
Great Commandment, The Ten Commandments, Lent, The Beatitudes, Nicene and
Apostle's Creed, The Lord's Prayer
5th/6th Grade: Areas of Focus include -
Divine Revelation, The Word of God, Jesus Christ, Song of God, The
Death, Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus, The Mystery of the Holy Trinity,
The Creeds of the Church, Mary, Mother of God, Old Testament Prophets, The
Gospels, Celebrating the Liturgy, Baptism and Confirmation, Eucharist,
Sacraments of Healing, Called to Serve the Whole Church, The Ten
Commandments, Beatitudes, Called to be Saints, People of Prayer, Gift of
Prayer, Jesus, Our Model of Prayer
7th/8th Grade:
Church/ Sacraments and Jesus in the New Testament
High School ( 9th / 10th Grades)
Morality
Confirmation (11th or 12th Grade)
We believe that the youth of today need to have a deeper understanding about
the faith. Faith invites youth to enter into a personal relationship
with Jesus, opens their hearts and fixes their eyes on Him, inviting them to
journey through life with Him.
With our curriculum, the candidate will learn truths and doctrines that are
connected to their everyday lives. It leads them through a process of
spiritual formation that will assist them in being more open and ready for
the ways that God wishes too transform their lives.
Adult:
We believe that faith formation is a lifelong journey. Our priests,
deacons and pastoral administrator give presentations that guide and
spiritually enrich the journey.
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