Maureen Brawley, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Seekonk
We began using the following Parent Letters (Packets) last April : https://www.osv.com/Shop/Product?sctn=sac&subsctn=bap&pg=baphp&ref=shopgrid&ProductCode=X1088
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel calls this Ministry "Jordan Ministry". We gathered some volunteer couples and explained that this new ministry would help the parish and the families of the newly baptized stay connected. Far too often children are baptized and we do not see them again until they register for Faith Formation classes, we are trying to keep in touch with them and remind them of their great responsibility. The packets go out at first every three months and then the gap gets a little bigger until the child reaches age three. Our Jordan Ministry couples include, in the prepared packets, a personal note on Our Lady of Mt. Carmel stationary to add a personal touch.
Susan Orzeck, St. John the Baptist Westport
We have a pre-school class (3,4, & 5 year olds) that is held during the 9:30 mass. We use gospel weeklies for pre-school. After a few classes the teacher brings the class up to mass for the consecration. They get to sit near the altar and see up close what Father is doing. They say their peace be with you and then they go back and finish their class. 9:30 Mass is a family mass so parents with older children get to go to mass with them and the younger ones are downstairs.
John Pietruszka, Holy Name Fall River
The most we do formally is the Children's Liturgy-- typically at the 8:30AM mass on Sunday-- although during the summer it gets pushed back until the 10:30AM mass. At that liturgy just after the collect and before the first reading, father calls up all the young children. He gives them a blessing and they go into the sacristy with two or three adults. Those adults use the Pflaum publication and guide the children through the readings for that Sunday but at their level.
Christine Patota, St. Francis of Assisi Swansea
Our parish has a pre-school program for youngsters 3 years old through kindergarten during the 9:30 A.M. Mass each Sunday. This Mass tends to be the one which most families attend and the parents appreciate the chance to worship in peace! The children start out up in the church, they receive a blessing from Father, then they proceed downstairs to our classrooms. Years ago the program followed the SEEDS curriculum from Pflaum. Now, my friend Karen Lacroix, bases the lessons on the liturgical year and some basics on prayer and stories about the saints and Jesus. It has been very successful, growing each year. It makes it nice for the children when they begin attending faith formation because they see many familiar faces.
We began using the following Parent Letters (Packets) last April : https://www.osv.com/Shop/Product?sctn=sac&subsctn=bap&pg=baphp&ref=shopgrid&ProductCode=X1088
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel calls this Ministry "Jordan Ministry". We gathered some volunteer couples and explained that this new ministry would help the parish and the families of the newly baptized stay connected. Far too often children are baptized and we do not see them again until they register for Faith Formation classes, we are trying to keep in touch with them and remind them of their great responsibility. The packets go out at first every three months and then the gap gets a little bigger until the child reaches age three. Our Jordan Ministry couples include, in the prepared packets, a personal note on Our Lady of Mt. Carmel stationary to add a personal touch.
Susan Orzeck, St. John the Baptist Westport
We have a pre-school class (3,4, & 5 year olds) that is held during the 9:30 mass. We use gospel weeklies for pre-school. After a few classes the teacher brings the class up to mass for the consecration. They get to sit near the altar and see up close what Father is doing. They say their peace be with you and then they go back and finish their class. 9:30 Mass is a family mass so parents with older children get to go to mass with them and the younger ones are downstairs.
John Pietruszka, Holy Name Fall River
The most we do formally is the Children's Liturgy-- typically at the 8:30AM mass on Sunday-- although during the summer it gets pushed back until the 10:30AM mass. At that liturgy just after the collect and before the first reading, father calls up all the young children. He gives them a blessing and they go into the sacristy with two or three adults. Those adults use the Pflaum publication and guide the children through the readings for that Sunday but at their level.
Christine Patota, St. Francis of Assisi Swansea
Our parish has a pre-school program for youngsters 3 years old through kindergarten during the 9:30 A.M. Mass each Sunday. This Mass tends to be the one which most families attend and the parents appreciate the chance to worship in peace! The children start out up in the church, they receive a blessing from Father, then they proceed downstairs to our classrooms. Years ago the program followed the SEEDS curriculum from Pflaum. Now, my friend Karen Lacroix, bases the lessons on the liturgical year and some basics on prayer and stories about the saints and Jesus. It has been very successful, growing each year. It makes it nice for the children when they begin attending faith formation because they see many familiar faces.