Roman Catholic Church Of Saint Peter

History

Liturgical Ministries

Saint Peter's School

Religious Education Programs

Church Activities

Cemetary

Kindergarten through High school
*Held in St. Peter's School*

Statement of Philosophy

We at the Parish of Saint Peter's look upon religious education as a total parish experience involving not just the child, but also parents, families, catechists, and priests that form our parish community of faith. We believe that religious education is getting to know Jesus and learning what is expected of one who chooses to follow him in the Catholic tradition. Our program reflects an integrated learning experience, composed of learning, catechesis, prayer, sacramental preparation, traditional catholic doctrine, biblical studies, liturgy, community building, and other dimensions of vibrant church life. Through the light of faith, we hope to develop in those entrusted to our care a deeper relationship with God.

R.E.P.

R.E.P. also offers special religious education for the needs of a person with a physical, mental, or emotional disability; as well as bilingual catechesis with a two year Spanish-English program.

Sacramental Preparation

Christian initiation is celebrated in Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. Through these visible actions a young person is incorporated into the Church and shares its mission in the world: full initiation into the church occurs by stages.

Sacramental Catechesis has traditionally been of two kinds: preparation for the initial celebration of the sacraments and continued enrichment following their first reception.

Requirements for the reception of First Reconciliation, Eucharist and Confirmation are determined by Canon Law:

Age of reason
Proper knowledge of sacraments
Emotional and spiritual preparation
Approval by parent, pastor, catechist, D/CRE of Religious Education The policy of St. Peter's is that a young person who will prepare for any of the sacraments (First Penance, Eucharist and Confirmation) must have had a minimum of two years of religious education immediately before entering the sacramental preparation programs.

Composition of St. Peter's Religious Education Program

Our Religious Education Program offers instruction to students in elementary, junior high school and high school who attend St. Peter's Parish. It offers an eight year course of study in which all Catholic children attending public school are expected to participate. The Religious Education Program offers an ongoing, continuing development of the Christian personality. This program is not a convenience for the reception of the three Sacraments of Confirmation, Eucharist and Penance. Just as sacraments are not isolated events, but rather an integral part of Christian life, so, too, our aim is to provide a loving and caring Christian atmosphere in which our parish youth can grow in sound Christ like attitudes and values.

Catechesis

St. Peter's Religious Education Program meets all of the requirements of the Catechetical Office of the Archdiocese of New York, and adheres to the Archdiocesan Guidelines for Catechesis. Our program ensures for all the children of our parish a clear and uniform presentation of the faith in concepts appropriate to each age level we instruct. The Religious Education Program is designed to assist parents in their sacred responsibility to educate their children in the faith. It complements, but can never replace parents in carrying out their responsibilities. A parent must be acknowledged as the first and foremost educators of their children. @ (National Catechetical Directory for Catholics of the United States).

In addition to enlightening the children in doctrines and tenets of our faith, our Religious Education Program welcomes the opportunity to aid the parent in teaching their children to walk along the path of faith. This can only be achieved when parents, through word and example, place Jesus Christ and His teachings at the center of their lives through liturgical worship, frequent prayer, and communication of Christian values and attitudes. In this way parents make meaningful their professions of belief and nurture faith in their children by showing them the richness and beauty of the lived faith.

O God, who hast given unto Thy blessed Apostle Peter the keys to the kingdom of heaven, and the power to bind and loose: grant that we may be delivered, through the help of this intercession, from the slavery of all our sins: Who livest and reignest world without end.

Amen.

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