No 66 Term 1, 2008 SPREADING GOOD NEWS. MAY GRACE and PEACE be yours from GOD, OUR FATHER and CHRIST JESUS. the LORD. Phil 1:2

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1 No 66 Term 1, 2008 SPREADING GOOD NEWS MAY GRACE and PEACE be yours from GOD, OUR FATHER and CHRIST JESUS the LORD Phil 1:2 1

2 My dear SRE teachers and helpers, As the incoming Director of CCD SRE in the Diocese, I would like once again on your behalf to say a special thank you to Sister Maureen Schiemer for the tremendous work she has carried out for the SRE teachers. She is very knowledgeable about the catechetical programmes and the many people who worked with the children in the State Schools. Sister has used her knowledge for the benefit of us all, both the Catholic and the Inter Church groups. Please keep Sister Maureen in your prayers. I would like to welcome all SRE teachers and the many classroom helpers who will start this new year. I hope you have had a restful break. We need to keep in our prayers those SRE teachers who have been experiencing ill heath or have a family member whom they are caring for at this time. We begin another year in this ministry in the State schools in our communities. Thank you to those of you who are coordinators in your schools. To you falls the demanding task to find volunteers to accommodate each of the classes with an SRE teacher. AUTHORISATION CERTIFICATES Please ensure that each have a current 2008 Authorisation Certificate, red in colour. Authorisation Certificates have been sent to your Parish Priests to sign and distribute to the SRE teachers and to all helpers. You will need to collect these yourselves. A reminder to any new SRE Teachers or Helpers to ensure you have completed a Prohibited Employment Declaration 2

3 Form (PEDF) and a Teacher Engagement Form (TEF). Please make sure a copy of these forms are sent to your Parish Priest and a copy needs to be sent to me at the Chancery Office, PO Box 246, Bathurst COMMISSIONING CEREMONY If at all possible, discuss and plan with your Parish Priest to have a commission ceremony in your Parish. This could be part of your weekend Parish Masses or at one of the week day Masses. We are all called to this Ministry and need to be recognised by our Parish community. this don t hesitate to ask. You might be able to use a display page in your Parish Bulletin. This can also be a promotion as well as a reminder for the Parish community to pray for you as you work in this ministry. Suggested Prayers of the faithful have been sent to your Parish Priest. Remember that enthusiastic SRE Teachers/Helpers are the most effective recruiters of new SRE Teachers and Helpers for the schools. CATECHIST SUNDAY Sunday 24 th February is the day set aside for Catechist Sunday in the Diocese. This is a day to promote the work you do in the State schools. Some of you will have started back at the schools and so I suggest you put up your photos, display some of the students work and display the program you are using as well as the students books. Ask the Parish Priest to allow you to speak at all the Parish Masses. Remember it s a promotional day and I hope your talk will enlighten some other people to join you in this ministry. If you need help to prepare 3

4 for the generous work you do and pray that the gifts you share with the students will overflow to their families. God Bless Helen C Ryan INSERVICE DAYS I ve included the agenda for the inservice days from the Western Region Inter-Church Committee for I encourage you to attend some of these training days to better equip you to carry out this ministry. Professional Development is very important, so avail yourself of the opportunity. I wish you a happy and fulfilling term with the students. Develop a positive self-esteem. Believe in yourself as an effective teacher. Mental attitude is vital for success. I thank God each day 4

5 LENT Ash Wednesday will be celebrated on the 6 th February this year. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Lenten season on the Church s Calendar. Ashes in the early Church were used as a sign of repentance for sin. Today they help us focus on our need to turn away from sin and follow the way of the Gospel. REFLECTION WHAT IF YOUR ROLE AS CATECHIST? by Susan Kelly, OP A Catechist Is a person of faith. This quality has to do with our belief in the person of a living God. It seldom can be measured, but it is noticed in persons who possess it. People of faith can t have all the answers from a human standpoint, but we can relax knowing that the Lord works through us. It is faith that causes us to believe in a God who loves us even when we cannot understand. a witness to the gospel. This means that we have taken time to know the gospel and to make it part of ourselves. This quality demands more than intellectual knowledge. Rather it is a devouring of the word. The gospel can be taught eloquently, but unless it is lived, its words will not bear fruit. Catechists truly on fire with the word of God can communicate it because they live it. a witness to the church. We see ourselves as the church and lovingly embrace all its human dimensions. Often we become discouraged and impatient with some aspects of church. But what the church is and what it will become depends on our faithfulness to the Lord Jesus who is always present in the midst of this people who are church. a person in relationship with the Lord. Each must be able to stand alone before God as well as to stand with the community at the eucharistic celebration. We can best pray with those to whom we are ministering when we are first able to pray alone before the Father. To be involved with the Lord implies an openness to change. This comes from study and reflection on our faith. Anyone involved with the Lord God is constantly being transformed. As genuine Christians we know that we are not the same people today as we were last year. The Spirit is at work making all things new! one who accepts self. A person who is able to accept himself or herself appreciates strengths and gifts and thanks God for them. He or she can also face sinfulness. It takes an understanding of both dimensions to grasp how much God loves us. An accepting person can relax knowing that everyone has questions, everyone makes mistakes. We all have moments when we wish we had done things differently, but it is through those moments that the catechist comes to believe what the Lord said to Paul, My grace is enough for you; my power is at its best in your weakness. Every catechist is called to grow in faith and to witness to the gospel and church. Every catechist should be intimately involved in a personal relationship with the Lord that involved accepting one s limitations and respecting one s gifts. A person possessing these qualities will certainly be a source of growth and strength for today s church. Sr Susan Kelly religious education director University of Michigan Acknowledgement The Role of a Catechist by Sr Susan Kelly O.P. Is taken from Growing As A Catechist Ed. G Costello and 5

6 C Clark Twenty-third Publication students and I encourage you to adapt these to suit your particular class group. WORLD YOUTH DAY To give witness to the gospel, the catechist must establish a living, ever-deepening relationship with the Lord. A Catechist s Handbook 207 CLASSROOM Each time I begin to prepare an SRE lesson I m challenged with specific tasks: 1. The task of using the program in such a way that the students are able to reach as many of my objectives as possible for each lesson. Teaching SRE is an awesome opportunity and allows us to share with young people the Christian message and the hope it brings. When working with objectives choose one or two and plan the lesson around these. It is better to focus on one or two objectives and achieve these rather than to plan more and be disappointed with the student s response. Your objective needs to be relevant to the Be mindful the Cross and Icon for World Youth Day will be in the Diocese from 7 th to 15 th of February. This will be a spiritual experience for all who attend the various gatherings throughout the Diocese. The agenda for these days was displayed on the back page of the Catholic Observer for December. Please keep the youth in your prayers during this time which is leading up to the week of celebrations in Sydney in July. IMPLEMENTATION OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION POLICY 1. Definitions of General and Special Religious Education General religious education (GRE) is education about the world s major religions, what people believe and how that belief affects their lives. It is taught mainly through the school curriculum. Special religious education (SRE) is education in the beliefs and practices of an approved religious persuasion by authorised representatives of that persuasion. 2. Parents/Caregivers Rights 6

7 In accordance with Section 33 of the Education Act, no child is required to receive any general religious education or special religious education if the parents/caregivers object. Objections should be made in writing to the principal of the school. Certificate of Exemption: Section 26 of the Education Act provides for students to be exempt from attending classes at the request of parents/caregivers who conscientiously object on religious grounds. Principals are responsible for responding sensitively to the beliefs of parents/caregivers and their children and for taking all steps to minimise feelings of discomfort or embarrassment on the part of students. This will be aided by the publication of a clear school policy and procedures statement for the benefit of staff and parents/caregivers. gov.au/policies/religion/implement/index.htm 7