It is a pastor's responsibility to provide instruction in the Catholic faith to his people. This is accomplished institutionally through the parish sponsorship of both St. Alphonsus School and the parish Religious Education program for all ages.
28. Adults and
Teens
The family is where foundational
instruction in the Catholic faith takes place every day. This is what
is meant by the teaching that parents are the primary
teachers of their children in the faith. The parish provides educational and
youth ministry programs to assist parents in their responsibility:
"Education in the faith by the
parents should begin in the child's earliest years. This already happens when family
members help one another to grow in faith by the witness of a Christian
life in keeping with the Gospel. Family catechesis precedes,
accompanies, and enriches other forms of instruction in the faith. Parents have the mission of teaching their children to pray and to
discover their vocation as children of God. The parish is the
Eucharistic community and the heart of the liturgical life of Christian
families; it is a privileged place for the catechesis of children and parents."
(CCC 2226)
As the Church sees it, religious education is to be directed above all to adults, and ongoing education in the faith is to be a life-long part of one's Catholic life. What we learned as children and adolescents needs to grow to fit our adult intellectual and spiritual needs.
Like most parishes, we provide a variety of opportunities for adults to grow in their faith: study groups, Bible study, sacramental preparation, library, audio- and videotapes, newspapers, pamphlets, etc. We welcome suggestions for study. Notices are in the bulletin and on the bulletin boards of the church and elsewhere.
By and large there is no fee to participate in classes here, although instructional materials may be available at cost to participants.
§1. When a child attends a Catholic school, we entrust him or her to systematic, daily teaching in the Catholic faith and the Catholic atmosphere that supports it. St. Alphonsus School has a long tradition of encouraging the educational, personal, and spiritual development of children while maintaining high academic standards.
St. Alphonsus School is committed to:
To enroll your child at St. Alphonsus School per-kindergarden through eighth grade, contact the school office at 782-4363. You will be invited to meet with the principal to discuss the school policies and admission standards and to receive all applicable paperwork.
§2. Parents who do not send their children to Catholic schools are still responsible in conscience by a promise made at the baptism of their children for providing their children with Catholic religious instruction.
There is no tuition for parish religion classes, although donations to the parish are welcome.
§3. Children who cannot come to scheduled programs still need to learn their Faith, and parents are still obligated to see to their children's religious instruction including sacramental preparation—parents should have a conversation with the director of religious education to map out ways for this education to take place within the family with the assistance of the parish. There are many forms of home learning available today, not least of which are computer-assisted programming, games, books.