Parents

Class of 2009-2010

Below is a list of the activities parents are asked by the Saginaw Diocese to participate in with your child(ren).  Parents are also asked to provide weekly support for their child's Faith Program. 

From the offices of the Diocese of Saginaw Department of Education / Formation

By grade level, parents are expected to support your catechist by assisting your child(ren) in studying the weekly material and to do  following:

Kindergartner - parents are asked to:

• Celebrate Sundays and special family and church feasts.
• Read/tell Bible stories to the child.
• Talk about God as part of their family.

1st Grader - parents are asked to:

• Witness a Baptism in the parish community with their child.
• Pray spontaneously as a family at meals and/or bedtime, birthdays, anniversaries, etc.
• Talk about God as part of their daily family life.
• Celebrate Sundays and special family and Church feasts (Advent/Christmas, Lent/Easter) in the home.
• Read/tell Bible stories and listen to the child tell them. 

2^nd Grader - parents are asked to:

• Attend Sunday Mass and participate actively with their child.
• Review with their child the traditional prayers learned in Grade One.
• Celebrate family rituals: involve child in the sharing of bread.
• Participate with the child in some parish "meals"-picnics, festivals, and potluck dinners.
• Encourage and support their child in their Reconcilation/Eucharist/Confirmation preparation.

 3^rd Grader - parents are asked to:

• Attend Sunday Mass and participate actively with their child.
• Help their child to experience and observe the work of parish lay ministers and community volunteers.
• Involve the child/family in some form of shared parish community service.
• Celebrate holy days, holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, etc. in their home with special decorations, family traditions and rituals that express their Christian beliefs.
• Read/tell Bible stories and listen to their child share these stories in their own words.

4^th Grader - parents are asked to:

• Attend Sunday Mass and participate actively with their child.
• Include praying and reading the Bible, and Bible stories in daily family life.
• Help their child understand and learn the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes.
• Involve their child in planning and carrying out a service project.
• Invite their child to lead family prayer.
• Celebrate other forms of Church prayer with their child: Advent, Lent, Stations of the Cross, and Rosary.

5^th Grader - parents are asked to:

• Attend Sunday Mass and participate actively with their child in this and other liturgical celebrations of the church year.
• Help their child to understand and memorize the Nicene Creed.
• Help their child identify ways they can use personal talents and gifts to help the needy.
• Discuss issues of justice and peace with their child and do actions that alleviate suffering and poverty.
• Include praying and reading from the Bible in daily family life.