Saint
Joseph’s Parish and Religious Education Staff place great
importance on offering religious direction to the adults and youth of
our community. Our Religious
Education curriculum follows a sequential pattern of instruction in
the Catholic faith and in moral development. Instruction is offered
from PreK through High School and incorporates Sacramental
preparation for First Reconciliation, First Communion and
Confirmation. Since parents are the first and primary educators of
their children, we encourage parents and guardians to take an active
role in their child’s religious growth by nurturing and encouraging
their faith at home and within the St. Joseph Church community.
Regular
classes for PreK through 9th
grade are held Sunday mornings from 9:45-10:45 a.m., from September
until May. Classes for 10th
grade are held on Sunday afternoon, with Confirmation taking place in
October or November. For information contact the Director of
Religious Education (DRE) at (607) 748-0442. Registration forms for
the school year are available at the parish office, at the
entrances to the church, or you can also download them (See FORMS
link below).
For
older children who are seeking Baptism, or formal reception into the
Catholic Church, First Reconciliation, or First Communion, their
participation in Religious Education and Confirmation classes are
supplemented by the RCIA (see below) process adapted for older
children.
Our
Religious Education Program is staffed almost entirely by volunteers.
We are blessed with many teachers, aides, and student helpers who
give generously of their time and talents. If you are interested in
becoming involved in this vital ministry, please contact the DRE at
748-0442. All Religious Education volunteers must be VIRTUS
certified. This certification only takes four hours and is free.
Sessions are held throughout the year. (see LINK below)
NOTE: All necessary forms can be opened or downloaded at the bottom of this section.
Schedule – Times/Rooms
K-8 will meet in Saint Joseph School @ 9:45 a.m.
9th Grade will meet in Saint Joseph School @ 9:45 a.m.
10th Grade will meet in Church Hall according to schedule mailed to students
Schedule PreK - 7th Grade 2012-2013
Schedule 8th Grade 2012-2013
Schedule 9th Grade 2012-2013
Registration for Religious Education
Grades K – 8 (Forms you will need)
1) Registration form (Grades K-8)
2) Registration fee ($25/child – $50 Family Max)
3) Emergency Medical Authorization Form
Grade 2 (First Penance/First Communion) (Forms you will need)
1) Registration form (Grades K-8)
2) Sacramental Information for Church Records
3) Registration fee ($25/child – $50 Family Max)
4) Emergency Medical Authorization Form
Confirmation Grades 9 & 10
1) Registration for Sacrament of Confirmation
2) Registration fee ($25/child – $50 Family Max)
3) Emergency Medical Authorization Form
*** New students ***
Please send a copy of baptism certificate with the registration form.
FORMS:
Faith Formation K-8 Registration Form 2012- 2013
Faith Formation Medical Authorization Form 2012-2013
First Communion for Children
The Family and Children Faith Formation Program is
available for children who need sacramental preparation for First
Reconciliation, First Communion, or Confirmation. Regular classes are
held Sunday mornings from 9:45-10:45 a.m., from September until May in
the School building. For information contact the Director of Religious
Education (DRE) at (607) 748-0442. Registration forms for the school year are available at the parish office, at the entrances to the
church, or you can also download them.
The Sacrament of the Eucharist in the Catholic Church
Jesus said: “I am the living bread that came
down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live forever;
…he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life and … abides
in me, and I in him.” (John 6:51, 54, 56).
Because its centrality in the life of the Church, this sacrament is described by the Church in this way:
“The Most Holy Eucharist is the most august sacrament, in which
Christ the Lord himself is contained, offered and received, and by
which the Church constantly lives and grows. The Eucharistic Sacrifice,
the memorial of the death and resurrection of the Lord, in which the
sacrifice of the cross is perpetuated over the centuries, is the summit
and the source of all Christian worship and life; it signifies and
effects the unity of the people of God and achieves the building up of
the Body of Christ. The other sacraments and all the ecclesiastical
works of the apostolate are closely related to the Holy Eucharist and
are directed to it.” — Canon Law 897.
Although the Eucharist is one sacrament, there are three essential
aspects to which the Church points: (1) sacrifice; (2) communion; (3)
Real Presence of Christ.
The Church calls the faithful to respond in faith to these three aspects of the Eucharist:
“The faithful are to hold the Eucharist in highest honor,
taking part in the celebration of the most august Sacrifice, receiving
the sacrament devoutly and frequently, and worshiping it with supreme
adoration….” — Canon Law 898.
The Family and Children Faith Formation Program is available for
youth grades 7 and up. For youth also seeking Baptism, formal reception
into the Catholic Church, 1st Reconciliation, or 1st Communion, their
participation in Youth Catechesis and Confirmation classes are
supplemented by the RCIA (see below) process adapted for older children.
The Sacrament of Confirmation in the Catholic Church
“Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria
had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who came
down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit; for
it had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in
the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them and they
received the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 8:14-17).
Baptism, the Eucharist, and the sacrament of Confirmation together
constitute the “sacraments of Christian initiation,” whose unity must be
safeguarded. Confirmation perfects Baptismal grace; it is the sacrament
which gives the Holy Spirit in order to root us more deeply in the
divine filiation, incorporate us more firmly into Christ, strengthen our
bond with the Church, associate us more closely with her mission, and
help us bear witness to the Christian faith in words accompanied by
deeds.
RCIA
Are you interested in learning more about the Catholic
Church? Are you a baptized Christian, a non-baptized Catholic who has
not received the Sacraments of Eucharist and Confirmation? Have you had
the feeling you need to learn more about the Church? Find out what the
RICA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) means to you. Sign-ups
begin in the Fall, followed by regular sessions that go on until the
reception of sacraments at the Easter Vigil or Pentecost Masses.
If you are interested, please call our Faith Formation Office (607) 748-0442 for more information.
The Sacrament of Penance & Reconciliation in the Catholic Church
“On the evening of that day, the first day of the week,” Jesus
showed himself to his apostles. “He breathed on them and said to them:
‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are
forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’” (John 20:19, 22-23)
The forgiveness of sins committed after Baptism is conferred by a
particular sacrament called the sacrament of reconciliation, confession,
penance, and at times, conversion. To return to communion with God
after having lost it through sin is a process born of the grace of God
who is rich in mercy and solicitous for the salvation of people. One
must ask for this precious gift for oneself and for others.
The spiritual effects of the sacrament of Penance are:
- reconciliation with God by which the penitent recovers grace;
- reconciliation with the church;
- remission of the eternal punishment incurred by mortal sins;
- remission, at least in part, of temporal punishments incurred from sins;
- peace and serenity of conscience, and spiritual consolation;
- an increase of spiritual strength for the Christian battle.
Formation Ministries
Adult Faith Formation
A program designed to help adult Catholics to grow
in their faith. Events and series are offered to help people develop
core skills in the faith (Seeker), to integrate the faith into their
life (Disciple), and to share the faith in the world (Apostle). Classes
and events will be scheduled periodically and will be posted in the
weekly bulletin.
For information please contact Maria Illiof at (607) 748-0442.
