Phone: 860-673-9858
Fax: 860-675-4350
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August 24, 2020
Dear Faith Formation Families, grades K-5,
I am sure you are overwhelmed by the current pandemic as I am! It has been a crazy time, indeed - and I pray that faith has played a major part in helping to cope with the disruptions and uncertainties that we have encountered these past few months. I hope you will join me in seeing this crisis as an opportunity to connect, in a new way, to how we raise up the next generation in our Catholic faith.
All St. Ann’s faith formation programs will be online for the 2020-2021 school year. For the past several months, the faith formation team, has been creating an online approach to meet the needs of our parish children and their families. Our focus this year will be on fostering a relationship with Jesus Christ and maintaining connection with our Church and each other through the Word of God. It is important that this new way of learning does not become a burden to you. We understand your family members will be spending a lot of time on screens, and we will seek to make online family faith formation an enjoyable experience that engages the hearts and minds of each one of you. The success of these efforts will be contingent upon parent participation at all levels.
For the 2020-2021 Faith Formation school year:
Students in grades K-5 will not meet by grade level. Instead, we are forming small groups that will gather parents and all the children in grades K-5 in your household at the same time, via Zoom. Each virtual session will be led by a catechist who will connect the Sunday Gospel to our daily lives, what we believe as Catholics, the liturgy and sacraments, morality and prayer. Students will receive a grade level workbook to help them further explore the subjects at age-appropriate levels.
Students in grades 6, 7 & 8 will meet by grade level. All efforts are being made to maintain existing class and catechist placements. Each virtual session will be led by a catechist who will connect the lesson to their daily lives, what we believe as Catholics, the liturgy and sacraments, morality, and prayer. Students will receive a workbook to use during each session.
Students preparing for First Sacraments, will also transition to a virtual family faith formation learning environment led by a catechist. Parent participation is required for each student at every class. We have a new program which will make online learning fun and engaging, Signs of Grace from Ascension Press. It includes fun activities, entertaining videos, engaging student guides, and compelling stories to aid children in understanding intellectually, spiritually, and emotionally that the Sacraments are a real encounter with Jesus Christ.
Also included are parent videos featuring the Augustine Institute’s Forgiven: The Transforming Power of Confession and Presence: The Mystery of the Eucharist series. These, along with family take-home pages in English and Spanish, assist parents in guiding their children toward the momentous occasions of First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion.
Until the end of this crisis, we pray with Pope Francis to the Blessed Mother:
O Mary, you shine continuously on our journey as a sign
of salvation and hope…
We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick…
We are certain that you will provide, so that,
as you did at Cana of Galilee,
joy and feasting might return after this moment of trial.
Blessings,
Valerie St. Jean,
Director of K-8 Faith Formation
860-673-9858, ext. 223 -
Documents
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Click link below for letter re: COVID-19 including resources for your children