St. Susanna Parish Is a Lively And
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St. Susanna Parish is a lively Each one of these formation and engaged community. It’s size, opportunities provides the chance however, can be daunting! How to get to know a small number of Being able to gather with others of faith to does one member, one family feel members of the parish while being experience and discuss the many aspects of part of such a large group? a learning experience that deepens Catholicism is of great importance. Nothing One way to feel connected faith and provides support along can replace the benefits of faith formation is through the area of faith life’s journey. with others. But many personal schedules formation. The parish provides You will feel more connected make gathering for formation difficult. formation for members from age being able to identify the faces of There are ways to enrich your faith and 2 to 102! And formation won’t those who share the formation learn more about Catholicism on a time frame stop at age 102 if the situation experiences of your family. that fits your busy schedule. It allows you to presents itself. Faith formation is also the make faith formation a priority even while Two-, three– and four-year-old conduit for preparation for juggling the demands of modern life. children begin to enhance the receiving the sacraments. Second You can become a part of an online faith foundation their parents give grade students are prepared for program that makes it possible for you to them at home through a daily First Communion in the school and learn about your faith in your own home and Preschool program. Saint Susanna CFP programs. Eighth grade at a time that works for you. Augustine School provides an excellent and students are prepared to receive the Institute’s Symbolon: The Catholic Faith Explained recognized elementary and middle sacrament of Confirmation in those is available to any interested parishioner. It is a school education in a Catholic same programs. beautifully crafted state-of-the-art video series atmosphere for Kindergarten Those who are seeking to enter filmed on location in Rome, the Holy Land through Grade 8 students. the Catholic Church from another and other sites. Dr. Edward Sri with a team of CFP provides both summer faith journey or are seeking to be skilled instructors provide a clear and very and/or September through May baptized at age seven or after are comprehensive explanation of the Catholic choices for age 3 through grade 8. welcomed into the RCIA program. faith. It’s easy to register for Symbolon. Visit the Youth Ministry is provided for Want some help getting your parish web site, www.stsusanna.org and click both junior high and senior high family registered in one or more of on the graphic on the home page that looks students. the many formation programs? just like the one below. Begin to deepen your There are a great variety of Read on … this issue is dedicated faith today! formation opportunities for all to faith formation. Or visit adults. Interested adults can www.stsusanna.org and click on the choose to participate in Bible formation tab. And always feel free studies, discussion groups, video to call the Parish Office for help, presentations with discussion, and 398-3821. Making you feel retreats. Family events are also welcomed and helping you to feel provided to get everyone at home connected is the Parish Staff’s goal. a chance to learn together about a Register for formation now! topic of interest. By Susan Gravely, program. Children are with their classes and for themselves throughout the The two week summer CFP for a total of 40 hours. We have been rest of the year. We know that two (Children’s Formation Program) able to add in music, snack, morning weeks in the summer is not enough sessions in June and July have gained prayer, short recess, Friday Mass, visits and that a child’s religious formation popularity with many of our children to the Church and to the Schuh Center must be supplemented beyond the and their families. This is the third year – all of which we are not able to do summer experience. We hope that the for Summer CFP at St. Susanna Parish during the year-long program. summer CFP motivates families to and the program and the numbers The children and their families attend Mass regularly and get are up - with almost 700 children support the Schuh Center by bringing involved in some of the Faith attending. Both parents and children in pantry items and peanut butter and Formation Opportunities that have seem to be enthusiastic about when jelly. Parents volunteer to help with been planned for the St. Susanna they come, what they are learning in snacks and with recess. This summer parishioners. class, and how the program works. Michael Collins led our music and Even though our summer program All the summer teachers are brought his special musical gifts to the attracts many of our children, the experienced teachers and spend time children. program does not work with planning for the four hours each day. Part of the family responsibility in schedules of those who work Many of the teachers have returned attending the summer program is to full-time or who travel during June from the last couple of years and bring make a commitment to some form of additional ideas to enhance the on-going formation for their children (continued on the following page) Let’s take a peek into the week of made a good choice or “let their light one Summer CFP Catechist … Jen shine.” Krier. Jen shares her faith in the There is prayer each day at the Prayer program with a class of fourth grade Table which also contains new items students. each day related to the Gospel story. Students were greeted on the first At Center Stage, students can choose a day with six “stations” to enhance lesson to act out with a partner, a game their learning experience. At the to play or prayers to share. Finally at Helping Hands station, students were the Word Games station, the class can encouraged to write on their “paper engage in “trashketball” or charades to hand” something he/she had done to review definitions of vocabulary used help someone each day. in the lesson. At the Liturgical Colors station, a Each day students work on more strip of fabric in the form of a stole than one lesson in the formation books represented a liturgical color. Each provided. There is the reading or acting day the color was discussed and out of the Scripture story of the lesson related to the Season of the Church and discussion. During one summer year when it is used. lesson , students att ended a Jen Krier’s fourth grade class gathers in the Good Deed Beads encouraged sharing presentation by the teens who acted sunshine for class on a sunny day of stories about times when students Summer CFP. (continued on the following page) and July. Our school year program is on Sunday mornings from 10:15 to 11:45 AM and on Monday evenings from 6:30 to 7:45 pm. If you have not registered your child, please do so im- mediately. Classes will begin the week- end of September 14th/15th. We need teachers for our year round program, also. Please consider sharing your gift of faith with our young people on Sundays or Mondays. Our children are the future of our One class of sixth grade students gathers to participate in Summer CFP Church. Not only is it important for with their catechist Amy Jackey. them to learn about their Catholic faith, they need to come to love their is always to teach about our Catholic of Christ in their lives - to ultimately faith and feel that Jesus is calling them faith, but more importantly to lead our put Christ at the center of their living to be His disciples. The purpose of children into lifelong formation with and being. our summer and year-round programs knowledge and desire to answer the call out the journey of Moses with the help of some of the students. Some lessons are accompanied by crafts. Others involve skits. There is daily music and always discussion about the lesson, the Scripture and the activities. Jen tries to change the activity every 15 to 20 minutes to keep interest high and to reinforce the Jen Krier’s fourth graders show off their “spirit” wear! message of each lesson in as many together to worship in liturgy. ways as possible. Students serve as lectors and At the end of the week on each A Summer CFP student lectors at 8:30 AM sometimes cantors. Mass on a Friday during the program. Friday, the day begins with Mass. All Summer CFP packs a lot of punch of the students and catechists come in just two weeks! Over 60 artists and bands representing genres from rock, alternative, rap, and pop to modern worship, acoustic, and every style in between were represented! Over 30 seminars and workshops with nationally known speakers for youth, parents, worship leaders, youth pastors, men, and woman were offered. Five stages, including an outdoor natural amphitheater with sloped lawn seating Not rain nor snow nor feet full of mud could ALIVE Fest attendees could choose for up to 25,000 attendees, with 2 huge keep those in attendance from a great time! to listen to Christian music styles at five video walls to give everyone a close-up different stages … day or night the air was view made for a wonderful venue! filled with a variety of inspiring music.