RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PROGRAMS 

Two program options are offered. The Sunday Religious Education program is held at St. Joseph School, and the Family Program is based at St. Margaret Mary Parish. Parishioners from any of the area parishes are welcome to register for either option.

REGISTRATION:

To register for either program, please click here: REGISTRATION FORM. 

Please print form, fill out, and mail with payment to:

Director of Religious Education

161 Main Street

Suite 108, Keene, NH  03431.

SUNDAY RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PROGRAM:

Sunday Religious Education Program Calendar (coming in August)

This classroom style program for grades 1-8 meets on Sundays during the school year from 10:45 - 11:45 a.m. at St. Joseph School. (following the 9:30 a.m. Mass at St. Bernard)  Children meet in classrooms according to grade level.  All teachers have met the requirements for volunteers working with children according to the Diocese of Manchester Safe Environment standards.   

FAMILY PROGRAM:

Family Program Calendar (coming in August)

The Family Program option for Religious education for grades 1-8 is based out of St. Margaret Mary parish.  The Family Program will involve you, as parents and primary educators of your children, more actively in your child's faith formation.  The program consists of 3 components:  A parent education once a month, on a weekday evening; 2 home-taught lessons; and a Community meeting where you will get together with the other families in the program and share what you have learned, as well as do other projects.  Although this may seem like more "work" initially (and it is!), through this process the whole family will come to better integrate the faith into daily life, and in time it will become the "natural" thing to do.  Many of the home-taught lessons can be done as you sit around the table for an evening meal or are together in the car.  The curriculum for Family Program in 2010-2011 will center on the life of Prayer – both personal and corporate.

 

CATHECHESIS OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD:

A new option for children ages 3-6 (preschool through grade 1) is Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.  This Montessori method program recognizes that the 3-6 year old child is particularly capable of receiving and enjoying the most essential elements of our faith – the announcement of God’s love, in the person of the Good Shepherd, who died and is risen.  The children will work in a special classroom, called the atrium, which is to be established at St. Margaret Mary church.  The child will become familiar with Jesus, selected parables about the Kingdom of God, and parts of the Mass.  The role of the teacher, or catechist, is to make presentations in the atrium that “call forth” the child’s response to God and listen with the child to discover more deeply how much God loves them. 
The deadline to register for Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is August 1.  There will be required parent meetings prior to the first session, and class time will be determined by demand and availability of catechists.  For more information, call Joy Davis at 352-2861 or email stbernardyouth@myfairpoint.net

EDGE:

New this year for middle school students in our Sunday religious education program is EDGE.  EDGE is designed to meet the catechetical, educational, spiritual, emotional and social needs of young adolescents.  The Edge format brings the students out of the classroom and into a larger group setting for group activities, presentations of the material and prayer, and then gives them the opportunity to break into smaller groups to process the teaching and build relationships with the others in their class.  It will facilitate them making the faith relevant to their everyday lives and help form their Catholic identity.  EDGE will meet from 4:30 – 6 PM on Sundays during the school year.  For more information, call Joy Davis at 352-2861 or email stbernardyouth@myfairpoint.net