EXCITING FAITH FORMATION NEWS!
Dear Parishioners,
It’s with great enthusiasm that I announce the start of an exciting new approach to religious education here at St Matthew Church! Our new program comes highly recommended by the Diocese of Providence Office of Faith Formation. The basic idea behind this new program is to teach the Catholic faith to parents, that they might then teach the faith to their own children. On hearing about this concept, some parents have expressed the concern, “But I’m not trained as a teacher! And I’m worried I don’t know enough about our religion!” As Jesus told us so often, I repeat: Do not be afraid! Who do you think has been teaching in our religious education classes all these years? Parents, just like you! Sure, a few of them have had careers as teachers…but it’s been pretty rare to find a trained theologian among them. As a parent, you will be provided with the material and tools you need to accomplish this crucial task. And there’s something more that you’ve already been given . . . Whenever a child is baptized in the Catholic Church, the child’s parents are reminded that, in asking for his or her baptism, they are accepting the responsibility of training their son or daughter in the practice of the faith and the duty to bring him or her up to keep God’s commandments. The religious education of their own children is part of the God-given vocation of parents, and the Lord never calls us to do something without also giving us everything we need to accomplish it. So, on top of the essential material and tools our parish will provide, God has given you his grace to do this!
The first parent session for A Family of Faith is scheduled for Sunday, September 18th at 10:15AM, following the 9:30 AM Mass. Some Q&A are included on the back of this letter and a program schedule is forthcoming.
I look forward to embarking on this new venture with you and allowing Jesus to transform our parish into a family of faith.
In Christ’s peace,
Fr. Ronald Bengford
This upcoming year will be different, as we move to an online process. Registration forms are now electronic, so your family will be able to fill them out online. Once you submit the form, you will be directed to Parish Giving’s website to pay the Faith Formation fee to register. (Credit Card, Debit Card, Electronic Check and Paypal are all accepted.) Payment will be required at the time of registration. Your child will not be assigned to a class without full payment.
Registration fee for the 2022/2023 School Year:
$100.00 per student for all classes.
**If your family is experiencing financial difficulty and you would like to create a payment plan, please call for an appointment to register in person. Please do not delay in registering due to finances. We are here to help. 401-461-7172
**A late fee of $25.00 will be assessed for all registrations received after Friday September 16, 2022, so please register early!
REGISTRATION LINK CLICK HERE:
https://forms.parishgiving.org/form-5916289/