To download a pdf version, click here: RE Handbook.

MISSION

The Mission of St. Mary of Mount Carmel’s religious education and youth ministry is to guide all young people to become an active community of disciples while on their journey to heaven.

The Catholic Church has from its very beginning taught about the important role of the “domestic church,” the family, in the practice of the faith.  The family is the place where the faith is normally planted and nourished.  Any programs and catechesis offered by St. Mary’s Religious Education are at the service of and in support of the families and people of the parish and of the outlying community.  Our goal at St. Mary’s is to provide faithful and vital Catholic curriculum, complemented with prayer, liturgical and sacramental celebrations, youth outreach, and other opportunities to enrich the building up of the Body of Christ.

FAMILY

At St. Mary’s Religious Education Program, we support the teaching of the Church that parents are the primary educators of their children. Therefore, we request that families become actively involved in the faith formation of their child by discussing weekly lessons, completing all homework assignments, teaching prayers, praying together at home, attending weekly Mass, and being active members of the parish.  We also welcome family members to be volunteers in the religious education programs provided by the parish.

HOMEWORK

Since the family is the primary place of learning and nourishing the faith, we expect and encourage the whole family to continue to learn and grow in their relationship with Jesus. In addition to participating in parish catechesis, all students are expected to practice their faith and to learn and pray at home.  Attendance at weekly Sunday Masses, a basic precept of our faith, will build and grow the Body of Christ and each person’s relationship to God.  Parents are encouraged to cultivate prayer and Scripture reading in the home.

Memorized prayers should be practiced at home. Parents are encouraged to ask their students about their lesson each week and to complete any assigned homework lessons.  Your student’s catechist can provide more information about class expectations.  Amanda Hinson, Faith Formation Coordinator, and Jenna Miller, Sacramental Coordinator, are also available to explain the religious education programs of the Church and to suggest materials and practices to encourage discipleship at home.

SACRAMENTAL PROGRAMS:

Preparation for the Sacraments is a vital part of faith formation here at St. Mary’s Religious Education Program. These programs are open to all who are interested in becoming an integral part of the Catholic Community at St. Mary’s. The Sacraments are such a primary part of our Catholic faith that it takes the involvement of family, parish community and religious education programs to bring students to the fullness of our Catholic faith. Preparing to receive the Sacraments involves additional time and commitment outside of the regular religious education program. If you have questions, please contact Jenna Miller, Sacramental Preparation Coordinator.

CLASS TIME

Students in grades 1-5 attend class on Wednesday afternoons from 3:00 – 4:15 PM.  This class time includes large group activities, a snack, and smaller group catechesis.  Parents are encouraged to donate snacks for the group; please contact Amanda Hinson, Faith Formation Coordinator, to help.

Students in grades 6 – 11 meet on Wednesday evenings from 7:00-8:30 PM. Students in 6-8^th grade typically meet in the church basement. Students in 9^th and 10^th grade typically meet upstairs or in the prayer room in the Family Center, and 11^th graders use the school.  Parents are always welcome.

Classes are held in St. Mary’s School, the church, and St. Mary’s Family Center.  Students are expected to be on time for class, to remain for the entire class session, and to attend on a regular basis. Parents are asked to notify a teacher for your child’s grade or Amanda Hinson/Jenna Miller in the event of your child’s absence.       

MASS

Along with attending Mass every Sunday with their family, the youth are expected to participate and volunteer their gifts when Mass is held during Religious Education times. These Masses give our young people the opportunity to serve as readers, altar servers, ushers, etc. in order to help them understand and participate more fully in the Mass.

CLASSROOM VISITS

Parents are welcome and encouraged to visit their child’s classroom at any time.  It is always considerate to notify the teacher ahead of time about your planned visit. Parents are requested to join their children for all special events during the year such as prayer services, adoration, and Masses.

DISCIPLINE

We believe that every teacher has the right to teach, every student has the right to learn, and that proper respect for one another should be evident at all times. A student who is found to be uncooperative or disrespectful in class will be asked to leave the classroom and report to either the Faith Formation Coordinator Amanda Hinson, Sacramental Preparation Coordinator Jenna Miller, or another volunteer on duty. Parents will be notified about behavior problems.  After the second offense, the catechist or religious education staff may require that the student write an appropriate note of apology before readmittance to the class.  After a third or serious offense, a parent will be required to attend the next class with the child.  Repeated behavior problems may result in the child being removed from the class and the parents being responsible for teaching their child at home.

CELL PHONE POLICY

In order to keep the focus on Christ and learning, each student will be asked to turn off their phone at the beginning of class. If a phone is seen being used at other times after a student was asked to turn their phone off, the phone will be collected, and the problem will be communicated to the parent.

If parents need to send a message or talk to their student during class they should call or text either Amanda Hinson or Jenna Miller at the above numbers or in person.

TUITION

St. Mary’s Religious Education tuition is $45.00 per student for the 2019-2020 school year. An additional $25 will be asked for Sacramental programs: First Reconciliation/First Eucharist and Confirmation, because of the additional costs associated with these programs. The total amount per family will not exceed $125.  Please contact Fr. Omar concerning a tuition scholarship, if you are unable to pay the full amount. Fees are waived for those that teach or volunteer on a weekly basis with the religious education program.

SNACKS

A snack will be provided for grades 1 – 5.  Parents are encouraged to bring donations for snack time; please contact Amanda Hinson or Jenna Miller to offer your help.

PRE-CLASS SOCIAL

A pre-class social will be held for grades 6-11 in the Parish Hall from 6:30-7PM each Wednesday. Come play whatever game is available!

CURRICULUM

If you would like to view the material or purchase an additional copy of these materials please stop in the Parish Office.

Grades: 1-5:

Pflaum Gospel Weeklies

Those preparing for First Communion will be expected to complete

First Communion and First Reconciliation from Family Formation, the Church of St. Paul in Ham Lake. They are bilingual books that will be completed partially at home and partially during Sacramental Prep sessions.

Those hoping to receive First Communion and their parent(s) are also expected to have an interview with the Pastor before receiving the Sacraments of First Communion and First Reconciliation. They and their parent(s) will also participate in Saturday retreats before First Confession and First Communion.

All those of Catechetical age preparing to receive First Communion need to have their Baptism on record here at St. Mary of Mount Carmel. If your child was Baptized somewhere else please mail or bring their certificates to: St. Mary of Mount Carmel, Attn: Jenna Miller, 409 Central Ave, Long Prairie, MN 56347.  Call Jenna Miller with questions.

Grades 6-8:

EDGE: Middle School Ministry, 2019 LIFETEEN, Inc. Use of Semester Planning guide and online materials. EDGE is an interactive Catholic program that requires the small group leaders to build relationships, help with preparing for lessons, and lead the youth closer to Christ.

Grades 9-10:

YDisciple, Formed.org

Y Disciple is a Catholic discipleship program for teens. It is based on using small groups, usually split by age and gender to form disciples that are knowledgeable about the faith. 9^th Grade will explore who God is and what plans he has for us. 10^th Grade will go through the Creed.

Confirmation:

CHOSEN:  The Chosen program is made up of small group discussion and short videos, covering important topics in adult faith and the featuring prominent Catholic youth ministers, to help teens choose Christ as they prepare for Confirmation!

Confirmation students also need to attend a retreat and have an interview with the pastor before receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation.

All those of Catechetical age preparing to receive Confirmation need to have their Baptism on record here at St. Mary of Mount Carmel. If your child was Baptized somewhere else, please mail or bring certificates to: St. Mary of Mount Carmel, Attn: Jenna Miller, 409 Central Ave, Long Prairie, MN 56347. Please contact Jenna Miller with questions.

BUSING AND DISMISSAL INFORMATION

Grades 1 – 5: Students will be transported by bus directly from the Long Prairie Elementary School to St. Mary’s Church after school. Public School staff will have the names of the students registered for St. Mary’s Religious Education to ensure correct dismissal.  Students will be dismissed from Religious Education class at 4:15 pm. Parents need to provide or arrange transportation for their child(ren) at this time. Please make arrangements with your child about where you will pick up them up.  If your child remains after 4:30PM, they may be sent to the Church basement or the Rectory depending on where the teachers need to be.

CANCELLATIONS

Grades 1-5: In case of bad weather: if school is cancelled, religious education classes are also cancelled.  If after school activities are not cancelled, classes will go on as scheduled.

Grades 6-12: In case of bad weather: if after school sports are cancelled you can assume that religious education classes will be cancelled as well. In the event that classes are cancelled after school is dismissed, the cancellation will be on KEYL, and the parish website: https://stmarymtcarmellongprairie.weconnect.com.  We understand that parents have the best judgment about their student traveling in the weather conditions, so please make the best decision for your family.

PRESCHOOL and EARLY CHILDHOOD ACTIVITIES

CATECHESIS OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD (CGS)

CGS is offered at the parish for ages 3-5 and 6-9 on Mondays and Tuesdays.  The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd highlights essential aspects of the Christian message that nurture the child’s need to love and be loved and the child’s capacity to enjoy God’s presence in her/his life. It is rooted in the Bible, the liturgy of the Church, and the educational principles of Maria Montessori. One of the key features of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is the use of catechetical materials specially designed for children. The children meet in a special space called the Atrium. Our atrium is in St. Mary’s Family Center. For more information or to register, please contact St. Mary of Mount Carmel Catholic School.

EARLY CATHOLIC FAMILY LIFE (ECFL)

Early Catholic Family Life is for families with children 0-5 years old and their older siblings. Families meet monthly October-April on the Second Sunday from 9-10AM to allow families to attend Mass. ECFL is a unique program because the whole family begins together and participates in hands on faith activities based on the topic for the month, and then the parents have separate catechesis and formation focused on building Catholic families. Contact Jenna Miller to register or for more information.

PARISH YOUTH MINISTY

Throughout the year we will have youth ministry events for young people. Please prayerfully consider joining us for these fun faith events!

COMMUNICATION

Look for current information regarding the religious education program each week in the church bulletin.  Reminders of coming events are sent home with the children/youth as needed. A quarterly newsletter will be e-mailed to all parents that we have on file.

Communication will also be done through the website: https://stmarymtcarmellongprairie.weconnect.com

If you have any questions or concerns please call or email either Amanda Hinson or Jenna Miller or stop by education office at the Family Center. We would love to see you!

ADULT FORMATION OPPORTUNITIES

Catholicism 101: All adults and youth in the parish are invited to join those adults preparing to join the Catholic Church in RCIA or complete the Sacraments of Eucharist and Confirmation by joining us on Thursday evenings from 7:00pm-8:15pm to learn more about our Catholic Faith.

Watch for additional adult formation opportunities throughout the year by looking in the bulletin or browsing the website.

FORMED.ORG

Everyone is invited to take advantage of our parish subscription to Stmaryslp.Formed.org. Formed.org is an online library of books, podcasts, CD’s, studies, movies, etc for both children and adults. It is like a combination of Netflix and Kindle Unlimited just for Catholics. Go to StMarysLP.Formed.org to create your free account and start listening and watching today!