Church of the Holy Name of Jesus -- CCD Program 2014-2015
Registration for CCD (catechism) will occur at the weekend masses over the weekends of September 6 & 7, September 13 & 14 and September 20 & 21. Registration forms will be available at church or may be requested by emailing or Miss Aldrich, Director of Religious Education at .
The deadline for registration is Monday, Sept. 22, 2014. CCD Classes resume the week of Sept. 29, 2014.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q. Who should be registered for CCD at Holy Name?
A. All childrenKindergarten through Grade 8, whether they attend public school, private school, Catholic school or are homeschooled, must be registered with the parish office of Religious Education.
Q. When and where are weekly CCD classes held?
A. Classes for Pre-K/Kindergarten through Grade 6 are held Saturday mornings from 9:00 am – 10:00 am. Classes for Grades 7 and 8 (Confirmation 1 and Confirmation 2) are held Monday evenings from 6:00pm – 7:00 pm. All classes are held in the Rectory.
Q. My children attend public school or non-Catholic private school. Are they required to attend weekly CCD classes?
A. Yes, weekly attendance is required. Please remember excessive absenteeism and/or years of not participatingin CCD will severely affect a child’s readiness to receive sacraments.
Q. What are the fees for weekly CCD classes? What do the fees cover?
A. The registration fee for 1 child is $25, for two children is $40, for three children is $50, and for four or more children, the maximum fee per family is $60. The fee covers books, classroom supplies, and other resources for the teachers. Parents serving as catechists in the parish CCD program may register their children free of charge, under a policy approved by Father in 2013.
Q. My children attend Catholic school or are Home-schooled. Are they required to attend weekly CCD classes?
A. No, however, participation in the weekly CCD classes is encouraged and many of the parish families make this choice, which has the added benefit of strengthening our parish community. During Sacramental years (First Communion, Confirmation), children attending Catholic or Home-school are required to participate in retreats, parent meetings, rehearsals and interviews with Father. (See below for more information.) Additionally, children who are not attending weekly CCD classes are required to complete an oral evaluation each year, prior to being promoted to the next grade level (grades 1 – 7). More information will be provided upon registration.
Q. I’d like my child to receive First Holy Communion. What are the requirements?
A. Two years of preparation, either through the Holy Name CCD program or through another Catholic catechism program, are required. There are no exceptions to this rule. First Holy Communion normally occurs when children are in Grade 2 and are approximately 8 years old. However, the parish CCD program is also ready to serve the needs of older children who have not yet received the Sacrament. Additional requirements include a $15 sacrament preparation fee to cover the First Communion retreat, photos at the First Communion Mass and other expenses, regular Sunday Mass attendance, participation parent meetings and completion of an interview with Father to determine the child’s readiness to receive the Sacrament.
Q. I’d like my child to receive Confirmation. What are the requirements?
A. Two years of preparation, either through the Holy Name CCD program or through another Catholic catechism program, are required. There are no exceptions to this rule. Confirmation normally occurs when children are in Grade 8 and are approximately 14 years old. However, the parish CCD program is also ready to serve the needs of older children who have not yet received the Sacrament. Additional requirements include a $25 sacrament preparation fee to cover the Confirmation retreat, photos at the First Communion Mass and other expenses, regular Sunday Mass attendance, participation parent meetings and completion of an interview with Father to determine the child’s readiness to receive the Sacrament.
Q. My child has not been baptized. Can they still attend CCD classes?
A. Yes, they may attend, however, they must be baptized before receiving other Sacraments. Please contact Miss Aldrich or Father to discuss arrangements and requirements.
Q. I have other questions not answered here. Who should I contact?
A. Please contact Miss Tabitha Aldrich at . You may also call the rectory at (401) 272-4515 and leave a message for Miss Aldrich.
God Has No Grandchildren
The following was taken from Forming Intentional Disciples: The Path to Knowing and Following Jesus by Sherry A. Weddell, pages 38 – 39.
Attending Sunday Mass, 2007 (by Generation)
Generation / Age / Percentage attending Sunday MassBuilders / 65+ / 45%
Boomers / 47 - 64 / 20%
Generation X / 26 - 47 / 13%
Millennials / 18 – 25 / 10%
“Take a moment to consider the implications. More than 50% of Catholic adults are now either Generation X-ers or Millennials, and that percentage will only grow. Both groups are teetering on the brink of single digit weekly mass attendance. If younger Catholics are not going to Mass or getting married in the Church, why would they bother to raise their children in the faith? We can no longer depend on the rites of passage or cultural, peer or familial pressure to bring the majority back.”
“If this trend does not change, in ten years it will cease to matter that we have a priest shortage. The Builders will be largely gone, the Boomers retiring, and our institutions – parishes and schools – will be emptying at an incredible rate. Sacramental practice will plummet at a rate that will make post-Vatican II era look good, and the Church’s financial support will vanish like Bernie Madoff’s investment portfolio. So let’s be clear: In the 21st century, cultural Catholicism is dead as a retention strategy, because God had no grandchildren. In the 21st century, we have to foster intentional Catholicism rather than cultural Catholicism.”
"Living the Liturgy" or "living the Liturgical Year" are common phrases in Catholic circles, and the Internet is full lovely ideas of foods, crafts, teas and other family activities for feast days of the Liturgical Year. But I am taking a step back to explain my general philosophy in living the Liturgy in our Domestic Church. First I apply St. Pius X's program as stated in his first encyclical, E Supremiof August 1903, "to restore all things in Christ" (Eph. 1: 10), so that "Christ may be all and in all" (Col. 3:2), continuing with everything beginning with and leading back to the Eucharist, "the source and summit of the Christian life" (or "fount and apex" as the current translation states) (CCC 1324) keeping in mind that the "universal call to holiness" (CCC 2013) includes all of us in every walk and stage of life. I am working for sanctity for myself, my husband and our children, trying to bring us deeper into the Liturgy of the Church, and aiding each family member to develop and deepen their prayer life and relationship with Christ.
It is such a blessing to be part of Catholic Church. She is often referred to as "Mother Church"—and truly, what a good Mother she is! In all aspects She keeps in mind our needs as a whole person. Because we are physical beings, the Liturgy incorporates all our senses, having external components to bring us to the spiritual. We want life in our Domestic Church to follow that same pattern, but ensure that the practices are not hollow. The aim is to choose activities that will provide an external reminder of an interior conversation with Christ, thinking of the Benedictine theme "Ora et Labora" (Pray and Work), or Martha's hands with Mary's heart, striving to be "Contemplatives in Action."