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PAGE 2 — The Southern Cross, September 28,1972
ST. MARY’S-ON-THE-HILL
Teachers, Parents Study
Religious Ed. Programs
By Ken Mac Cleod,
St. Mary’s 8th Grade
IT’S HOMEWORK FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY - AND new program preparing children for their First Communion.
THEY ENJOY IT! Mr. and Mrs. James Buske of Savannah The children (from left) are Bill, Brian and Lynn,
look at the family book which forms an important part of a
1st Communion Preparation
By Gillian Brown
St. Mary’s-on-the-Hill Home and
School Association and Parents of
Students in CCD held their first meeting
of the school year Tuesday, September
19th. It centered on religious education.
Miss Frances Spinks, a primary grade
teacher at St. Mary’s; Sister Ellen, an
intermediate teacher; Mrs. Paul MacLeod,
the 8th grade CCD teacher; Mrs. Jane
Rachels, the kindergarten teacher and
(Continued from Page 1)
Catholics would have to echo the answer
which some disciples of Apollos gave to
St. Paul when he asked them if they had
received the Spirit: “We did not even
know that there was a Holy Spirit!” (Acts
19:2).
An increasing number of Catholics
today, though, would be able to answer
that question with an emphatic “Yes!”
Through the Charismatic Renewal or
the Pentecostal movement, (as it is
called), the Spirit has been powerfully
moving within the Church, renewing the
lives of thousands of individuals. As a
part of the overall renewal of the Church
in our generation, the Lord is awakening
among Catholics a consciousness and an
awareness of the role of the Holy Spirit
which for too long had become for too
many a matter for theologians or mystics.
These Catholics are experiencing the
powerful presence of the Holy Spirit in
their daily lives. They are being taught by
the Spirit himself how to love God and
how to love and serve their neighbors
both within the Ch»rch and without. For
them God is an ever-present reality,
speaking to them individually, through
their prayer community, through
prophecy, through inspired teaching and
preaching, and through the teaching of
Sister Camille, the religion coordinator
were the speakers for the evening.
Mrs. Spinks explained how the teacher
tries to bring the children to the Father,
Son and Holy Spirit. In prayer, the
children are asked to thank and praise
God for his goodness to them. Loving,
sharing and giving are stressed in the
primary grades. In third grade, charity is
stressed.
Sister Ellen, then explained that the
subject matter of the primary grades
the Church.
And God speaks through them to
others, using signs such as miracles,
healings, prophecies which are fulfilled to
call men to believe in the Christ and to
join his body.
For these people, God is not dead or
silent. And what is happening to them is
simply what God promised would happen
to all who believe in Jesus. It is a promise
which is made to every Christian. For
many, its threshold has been the
Charismatic Renewal.
Next week article II, “Baptism in the
Holy Spirit.” A discussion of the
theological principles concerned and
some suggestions on seeking “Baptism in
the Holy Spirit,” the central experience
of the Charismatic Renewal.
(Editor’s Note: All clergy, religious and laity
in the Savannah Diocese are invited to attend
the conference. A special introductory
workshop is available for those who seek to
learn more about the Charismatic Renewal.
Registration information may be found in
the advertisement which appears in this issue,
or may be obtained by writing Southeastern
Conference, P.O. Box 3987, Augusta, Georgia
30904 or calling the conference office at
Aquinas High School (404) 736-3421.)
occurs again in the intermediate grades,
only in a deeper way.
The children learn about the people
who were near to Jesus, i.e., his mother,
Mary, Joseph and Peter. At this level, too,
the teachers try to develop a real sense of
prayer instead of just words.
Sister did say that at these levels the
children are taught the Beatitudes, the
Way of the Cross and Rosary. As the
students are prepared for the Sacrament
of Penance, they are told about sin,
death, heaven, hell and the after-life.
The children also study all ten
commandments with special attention
given to the third and fourth.
In the sixth grade the students are
shown how Jesus is in our midst. They
talk about the vocations of marriage and
the priesthood. Mass prayers are studied
in depth.
Mrs. Paul MacLeod, in outlining the
7th and 8th grade programs, stated, “The
students are more adult now and they
need to take on new responsibilities. The
importance of the Mass is stressed. It is
pointed out how the Mass gives the
spiritual food that is necesarry for
spiritual growth.”
Mrs. MacLeod continued, “The ten
commandments are covered more
thoroughly now, only changing from a
negative attitude to a positive one.
Prayers are studied more deeply to
discover the meaning behind the words.
In seventh grade the Old Testament
figures of Moses, Abraham and David are
studied and students are asked to find
people like these men in our present
world. In the eighth grade, life is the
central theme .. .human life and Christ’s
life.”
Mrs. Jane Rachels followed with her
explanation of the kindergarten program.
“The best feeling is love. We provide
many opportunities for children to
experience it. We work together in groups
and we learn simple spontaneous prayers
and also make little visits to church.”
Mrs. Rachels stressed, “The parents’ role
is very important. Children should see
and hear their parents pray so that
children will feel that prayer is
important.”
Sister Camille, the coordinator,
outlined the Diocesan Sacramental
program for the year. Her office has
prepared a brochure of the entire
religious program of the parish.
In it is stated the times for the special
programs. Communion preparation will
begin in October; Confirmation in
December ; and the Sacrament of Penance
during Lent. Special homework books
will be used by both parents and children
for these programs.
Sister Camille also announced that
each parent will receive a Scope and
Sequence chart this week which outlines
the entire program for all years to study
in the COME TO THE FATHER series. In
it the parents will find at which level
various prayers are studied, which
sacraments, commandments and what
doctrinal content is stressed.
The highlight of the evening was
Bishop Frey’s speech on the
responsibility of parents in religious
education. He said, “We all share the
conviction that we are entrusted with the
responsibility of helping our children go
to God. We must give our children our
religious values and a loving knowledge of
God.”
Bishop Frey, in commending the
teachers for their presentation, called
upon the parents, “The program outlined
tonight can produce good results, but
only with cooperation. Parents should
not only help the teachers in school, but
should take a positive stand with the
teachers in both preparation and
support.”
Getting ready for First Communion
used to be a process that took place in
the classroom. Sister prepared the
children during school hours and parents
turned up on the big day to watch their
offspring receive Communion for the first
time.
Today, parents and families are
involved in the preparation process, and
Mom and Dad have to work almost as
hard as the teacher does. Recognizing the
importance of the parents’ role as
educators of their children, new
sacramental preparation programs ask for
their cooperation at every stage.
. . ' •«..'• •. .... •' . - * •>/.. I X;:-7v'L>t,d
Three new programs produced by the
Department of Christian Formation
(DCF) during a busy summer are
examples of this trend. They were
introduced to priests, sisters and lay
teachers at a series of Deanery workshops
during September, and will be put into
operation in all schools in the Diocese
this year.
To see how they work, let’s take an
imaginary family called the Plessingtons,
and see how the new programs affect
them. The Plessingtons have two children,
Paul, in fourth grade, and Mary, in
second. Paul will make his first
Confession this year, and Mary will
receive her first Communion.
Before Mary begins preparation for her
First Communion, her parents receive a
letter from the Pastor or Program Leader,
telling them that the program will be
starting soon and asking them to attend a
meeting to explain just how it will work.
Mr. and Mrs. Plessington attend the
meeting, and are given a warm welcome,
along with the parents of other
second-graders.
They sit at tables in groups of about
six, and examine a family workbook,
which already has Mary’s name on it and
a design which she has colored in on the
cover. During the meeting, they work
through a number of simple projects
which give them an idea of what Mary
will be learning in class.
The meeting ends with a brief
celebration.
During the period of preparation, the
Plessingtons attend three of these
meetings. Each one brings them up to
date on what Mary has been learning, and
explains some of the basic principles
behind the program she is following.
In the meantime, Mr. and Mrs.
Plessington have homework to do.
After each lesson in class, Mary comes
home and works on the “family book”
with her parents. (Her brother can join in,
too.) There are questions for parents and
children to answer, and projects for Mary
herself to undertake. These questions and
activities all correspond to what Mary has
learned in class, but they add another
dimension - that of family experience -
which can be given best in the
background of the home.
When Mary’s preparation period is
complete, she may receive her first
Communion in her home, or in church
with a group of others. The choice will be
up to her, and to her family.
Much the same procedure is followed
when Paul prepares for his first Penance.
The Plessingtons come to meetings
explaining the program, and work
together on a family work book. When
Paul receives the sacrament of Penance
for the first time, the family will be there
with him.
The family workbooks are designed to
give the parents, too, a little background
on the theological principles underlying
the two programs their children are
following. Each has a couple of pages of
“guiding principles” at the back, for easy
reference.
At the front are listed the lesson
topics, showing how the lessons build up,
step by step, until all areas are covered.
The Plessingtons may be a little surprised
at the different approaches that are taken
today, and compare them with the
lessons they themselves learned in the
school room.
Penance, for instance, does not start
out with great emphasis on the sins Paul
The Nineteenth Annual St. James
Autumn Festival and Barbecue Dinner
will be held Saturday, October 7th, 1972
from 12:00 noon until 7:00 P.M. at St.
James School located on Montgomery
Crossroads at Whitfield Avenue, it was
announced last Monday (Sept. 25) by
Tony Price, President of the St. James
Men’s Club.
Price said, “This Annual Affair
sponsored by the St. James Men’s Club
has become traditional to the Savannah
and Chatham County area.” He also
announced tli3t Bill McDonald has been
named General Chairman for the event.
“There will be fun and games for the
entire family,” Price said, “as well as a
has committed and his guilt.
It begins, instead, with the idea that
God loves and trusts Paul, and believes in
his ability to live a good life. It goes on to
point out that Jesus did no harm to
others, that he helped people, and that
when we today fail to do these things we
are sad about our failure and want to say
we are sorry.
Paul learns to tell God that he is sorry
for these failures, and that God responds
by continuing to trust and love him.
The Home and School Association has
long been familiar to all parents. These
new Diocesan programs for First
Communion and Fjg^t Penance, bring, the
home and the school closer together in
the whole process of preparing children
for these important moments in their
spiritual development.
delicious barbecue dinner for the
donation of $1.50, Children plates $1.00.
Tickets are available from any member of
the Men’s Club.
Take-outs will be available, however
from the time the fires are lighted in the
‘wee hours’ of the morning for the
cooking of the delectable barbecue
chicken, until the clean up crew
completes its chores late in the evening.
The menu this year, along with the
barbecue chicken will include potato
salad, green beans, rolls, coffee or ice tea.
Proceeds from this Annual Festival and
Barbecue Dinner go into school programs,
athletics etc.
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Augusta, Ga.
625 13th 5f.
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All building supplies
AUTO REPAIRS
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315 West Bay Street
Savannah, Georgia
DORIS
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AUGUSTA, GA.
Shop Easily at Stores and
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REMODELING
LIGHT COMMERCIAL
1537 Montgomery Crossroads
Brakes Put on Priest Exodus
By NC News Service
The Vatican - trying to slow the flow of priests out of the active ministry and
into secular life - has cautioned bishops that the door must not spring open
automatically to priests who want to leave, but should be opened only after due
deliberation and for sound reason.
The “simple desire to marry” is not a sufficient reason, a letter from the
Doctrinal Congregation states, nor is “contempt for the law of sacred celibacy.”
The Doctrinal Congregation warns that going through a civil marriage
ceremony or announcing the wedding date do not in themselves provide grounds
for laicization.
These clarifications were circulated by the Doctrinal Congregation this
summer in response to the perplexities of bishops and major Religious superiors
about the congregation’s norms of January 1971 for bringing back priests to the
lay state.
The congregation’s letter urged that priests be given “fatherly help in
moments of crisis “lest they act precipitously” and rush out of the priestly state.
Putting on the brakes this way, the congregation’s letter went on, would
redound both “to the priests’ future and the Church’s good.”
To support its assertion, the congregation pointed out that “not a few” priests
have withdrawn their petition for laicization while it was still pending at the
congregation. Others, it said, have refused to accept laicization once granted.
The congregation also pointed to cases of priests who have been laicized and
married regularly, only to prove unfaithful to their new obligations.
Replying to a specific query, the congregation stated that bishops may not
themselves dispense from the obligation of celibacy, even under Canon 81. This
ecclesiastical law empowers bishops to dispense from a general law of the Church
when recourse to the Holy See is difficult, when grave harm would result from
delay, and when the Holy See is usually ready to grant such a dispensation.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PROGRAMS outlined at St. Mary’s-on-the-Hill parish,
Augusta. Program participants shown above are (1. to r.) Sister Camille Collini, CSJ;
Mr. Thomas McGreevy; Miss Frances Spinks; Bishop Gerard L. Frey; Mrs. Jane
Rachels; Msgr. Marvin LeFrois; Mrs. Hazel MacLeod; Sister Mary Ellen, CSJ.
Charismatic Renewal—
St. James Sets Barbecue