Our Lady of Mount Carmel happily offers Christian formation for children who are not enrolled in our parish school in grades PreK through 5.  

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“Parents have the first responsibility for the education of their children. They bear witness to this responsibility first by creating a home where tenderness, forgiveness, respect, fidelity, and disinterested service are the rule.” (CCC 2223)

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Children come together weekly on Sundays from 9:00 AM to 9:50 AM (in between the 8 AM and 10 AM Masses) at the middle school classrooms in OLMC School. Parents / guardians will walk and pick their children up at their classroom. The children will be introduced to a new unit of study by catechists in age-appropriate groups. Parents then reinforce the unit theme with their children throughout the month. We begin on September 22, 2024. Please create a free KidCheck account for easy and secure drop-off / pick-up HERE.

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Parent orientations (need only attend one) for CCD will be on Sunday, September 15, at 11:00 AM OR Tuesday, September 17, at 6:30 PM in the OLMC school cafeteria.

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​​​​​The vision of faith formation, as described by the USCCB General Directory of Catechesis, states that effective ministry with families involves building a partnership between the church and the home. 
Our goal this year is to support you and your family with frequent meetings with the coordinator of Christian Formation and a catechist to accompany your family and child in your faith journey.  Each child will be given a book for their grade level, as  well as access to online resources and additional materials. Our catechists teach all lessons completely in English, but our books are fully bilingual so families are able to see what their student is learning in the classroom. 

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Children preparing for either First Penance and First Holy Communion, or children preparing for initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist) age 7 and older, participate in a faith formation curriculum in addition to their preparation for the individual Sacraments.

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This faith formation can be either through the parish, or through a Catholic school. Students receiving formation in the parish participate in the CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine) curriculum on Sunday mornings. Children who are preparing for the Sacraments can also receive faith formation in our Diocesan Catholic Schools or through an approved homeschooling program. These students do not need to complete the CCD curriculum, but do attend preparation meetings for those Sacraments. There will be three workshops prior to First Penance (in January) and three workshops prior to First Holy Communion (in May). 

 

For more information, please contact Elizabeth Kassel at the parish office at 757-595-0385 ext 104, or ekassel@olmc.org. ​

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