Bringing the Faith to life for children

Matthew Greenrod BSJ

Contents - Apr 1999 - Buy a copy now Editorial: Many matters in need of attention - Peter Westmore Adelaide Archdiocese on the brink over general absolutions - AD2000 Report News: The Church Around the World What the census statistics on religious affiliations reveal - Michael Gilchrist How an American diocese promotes individual confession Bishop Heaps' book: a mistaken view of the Catholic Church - Stuart Rowland Presenting Catholic apologetics to a wider Australian public - AD2000 Report Bringing the Faith to life for children - Matthew Greenrod BSJ Extending general absolution: why such a move is out of the question - Fr Peter Joseph A new R.E. consultancy service for the Church No living together before marriage: new research supports Church teaching - Mary Kenny 1999 Thomas More Summer School: another resounding success Why modern Biblical scholarship affirms the Resurrection - Richard Dunstan

For school children the summer holidays are normally a time to relax, to go to the movies, have a swim or just enjoy playing their favourite sport. However, for one group of children, they did just that and much more: they learned about their Catholic Faith.

The St Joseph's Family Catechetical Summer School, held in Adelaide, was fun, it was 'cool' and the children went home knowing more about the foundations of their faith, including the Marian doctrines, the precepts of the Church and the Bible. This was achieved in only nine days, with one of them spent on an excursion to a beautiful Ukrainian Church.

The school began at 9.15 each morning with prayers. Each lesson was followed by an activity to reinforce its theme, e.g., making masks of favourite saints. In between lessons, there were games and exercises, as well as a video on the Bible aimed at children. There was also preparation for a Biblical play that was performed at the end of the school to all the parents and supporters. The Missionary Sisters of Charity were also available to give talks. The program finished each day at 3.30pm with a visit to the Blessed Sacrament.

Priests, parents or catechists interested in having a St Joseph's Family Catechetical School held in their parish or suburb should write to me for a brochure that provides further information. For those with large families, arrangements can be made for a home-based catechesis school. The School is free and available only during holiday periods, with a time frame of three days generally sufficient to teach the foundations of our faith in a prayerful and fun-filled environment.

The author is a seminarian studying at Vianney College, and can be contacted at Vianney College, PO Box 172, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2650.

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 12 No 3 (April 1999), p. 9