Dear Parents:
We miss you and your children! Since the parish closed in late March due to Covid-19, the Religious Education staff has been working at home and wracking our brains to develop a way to continue to support our families and the faith formation of your children.
Given the uncertainty of the times, Father Mario has asked us to move ALL our classes online so the students and volunteers who participate in our program can be confident that they are safe while learning and sharing their faith together.
Here is what we are working on and hope to have ready in the next few months:
- Parents of children in grades 1-8 will have three registration options:
- Our traditional homeschool program
- Attend a weekly “virtual class” with a volunteer Catechist using Google Meet
- Complete enhanced homeschool lessons (the same lessons as the virtual class, but parents teach their own child at their own pace).
- For Confirmation I & II (Grades 9 & 10) ALL candidates will be required to complete the lessons that are posted online, but we will add small group discussions in the spring if we can get volunteers to help. These will be either virtual or live groups, depending on the state of the pandemic.
Registration for the 2020 Fall term will open on June 1st and we strongly encourage you to register as soon as possible, even if you still need to complete the lessons from last term or have financial concerns. Just reach out to us and we will work something out.
We are looking for Catechists to teach online virtual classes!
Our ability to offer “virtual classes” depends on dedicated volunteers. These awesome individuals will host a weekly class of 10 students online using a video conferencing platform like Zoom or Google Meet. Do not worry. We will train you! You will need a computer to access the lessons and a camera (on a laptop, tablet, or cell phone) to lead the class.
- Since we are not meeting at the church, Catechists will be able to set their own schedule as to the day and time their class will meet.
- We expect this will give parents more options for scheduling as well.
- For example, 6th grade classes might be offered for Mon. at 6 pm, Thurs at 4 pm, or Sat at 9 am depending on the Catechist.
- We will assign students to the Catechist of their choice on a first come first serve basis according to the time stamp on their registration. Class size limit is 10 students per Catechist.
If you have any additional ideas of how we can remain together as a community, or would like to volunteer as an online catechist, please email us at staff@stpatreled.org. We also welcome any questions or advice you would like to offer.
Remember! This pandemic will not last forever. Next year, we fully expect to offer our Summer Program at the church once again. In the meantime, stay strong in your faith! Faith can move mountains and provide comfort when all is lost. We are here to help you educate your children in our beautiful faith, so that they may know God’s grace and comfort during these stressful times. We are trying out a new way to learn and there will be hick-ups along the way. We ask for your patience and prayers and look forward to a time when we can safely be together once more!
We are praying for you all!
The Religious Education Staff
