Church of the Good Shepherd
Religious Education

This page, like each of us, is under construction

Catechetical Mission Statement (May 2007)

Recognizing that parents are the primary teachers in the ways of faith, we (catechists) strive to foster and enable the growth of our children and youth in the Catholic faith as well as encourage whole community catechesis.

August 2010

Calendars
Forms
K-5 Calendar K-5 after Mass Registration Form - New students
6-12 Calendar Evenings Registration Form - Returning students
 
Second Grade (First Eucharist) Calendar (updated 8/25)
Parent's Registration Letter
Confirmation Calendar (updated 8/25)
in addition to, not in place of, age appropriate religious education
   
H1N1 and Seasonal Flu Viruses and Liturgical Celebrations  
Calendars are subject to change until cast in stone by the staff, catechists and students, and even after.
Let the webmaster know if changes are necessary!!

Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us

Issued by NCCB/USCC (now USCCB), November 17, 1999
Copyright © 1999, United States Catholic Conference, Inc. All rights reserved.

"Were not our hearts burning [within us] while he spoke to us on the way and opened the scriptures to us?" (Lk 24:32)

§ 1 §    We are filled with great joy and expectation as the third millennium of Christian history dawns. Before us, in the wonder of God's gracious plan, stretch new opportunities to proclaim the Good News of Jesus to all the world. We are eager to witness and share the word of life about the reign of God faithfully, so that each new generation can hear this word in its own accents and discover Christ as its Savior.

§ 2 §    Every disciple of the Lord Jesus shares in this mission. To do their part, adult Catholics must be mature in faith and well equipped to share the Gospel, promoting it in every family circle, in every church gathering, in every place of work, and in every public forum. They must be women and men of prayer whose faith is alive and vital, grounded in a deep commitment to the person and message of Jesus.

§ 3 §    The Church's pastoral ministry exists to sustain the work of the Gospel. One way it does this is by nourishing and strengthening lay men and women in their calling and identity as people of faith, as contributors to the life and work of the Church, and as disciples whose mission is to the world. To grow in discipleship throughout life, all believers need and are called to build vibrant parish and diocesan communities of faith and service.

§ 4 §    Such communities cannot exist without a strong, complete, and systematic catechesis for all its members. By "complete and systematic" we mean a catechesis that nurtures a profound, lifelong conversion of the whole person and sets forth a comprehensive, contemporary synthesis of the faith, as presented in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. This catechesis will help adults to experience the transforming power of grace and to grasp the integrity and beauty of the truths of faith in their harmonious unity and interconnection—a true symphony of faith.

§ 5 §    Adult faith formation, by which people consciously grow in the life of Christ through experience, reflection, prayer, and study, must be "the central task in [this] catechetical enterprise," becoming "the axis around which revolves the catechesis of childhood and adolescence as well as that of old age." This can be done specifically through developing in adults a better understanding of and participation in the full sacramental life of the Church.

§ 6 §    To make this vision a reality, we, as the Catholic bishops of the United States, call the Church in our country to a renewed commitment to adult faith formation, positioning it at the heart of our catechetical vision and practice.


Links

Vatican - General Directory of Catechesis

Catechism

Documents from the Second Vatican Council

Diocese of Richmond - Office of Christian Formation (youth, adult, resources, Pathways)

USCCB - National Directory (summary and order form only at this link)

Catechism

New American Bible

Subject listing of statements and speeches

 

More links (sort of sorted on the fly)

Making Sense of Bioethics - Fr. Tad Pacholczyk - National Catholic Bioethics Center

Human Life International

In Defense of Human Life - Nonato.org - Pro-Life links dealing with issues at all stages of life, from before birth to euthanasia

Links to links

Catholic Links - CatholicLinks.org

Links (Fishers of Men)

Phatmass Defense Directory

Catholicity Links

Total Catholic Link Directory

Other Devotional Practices

Retreat to the Well Retreat Center - 18047 Quiet Way - Smithfield

Sacred Space, Daily Prayer with the Irish Jesuits
A Word From the Holy Fathers (Patristic Quotations)
Augustine Day by Day (one minute devotional reading)
Centering Prayer group at Good Shepherd
Tradition Day by Day (one minute devotional reading)
Let God Bubble Up in Your Life (Loyola Communications)
Liturgy of the Hours

Liturgy of the Hours links

Rosary Links

 


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Church of the Good Shepherd  -  300 Smithfield Boulevard - Smithfield, Virginia  23430 (USA)