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Catechism Year Planner 2012

SUMMARY OF CATECHETICAL REQUIREMENTS
MINIMUM Attendance Rate of 75% required by all Catechism Candidates for both Class & Mass Attendance.
Candidates to arrive on time for class and collected at the closing time of the lesson.
All Homework to be completed by Candidates and signed by parents each week.
Apologies to be given in advance by the Candidate’s parents. Apologies from any other source is not acceptable.
Candidates to attend Holy Mass every Sunday and to PARTICIPATE in their FAITH LEVEL’S YOUTH OR CHILDREN’S MASS. (Children’s Mass Sun. 10.00am and Youth Mass Sun. 6.00pm)
Candidates to attend the Sacraments of Confession and Holy Communion regularly. (Confessions:Sat. 5.00 – 5.45pm)
Registration Fees of R60.00 per annum per Candidate payable at the beginning of the 1st Term to their Catechist.
The Catechetical Policy is to be read and adhered to by Parents and Candidates.
The Catechetical Policy can be perused at the end of this page.
It is also available for download (right-click and save as)in the following formats
Word
Text

The Catechism Registration form is available for download HERE.

Contact Information
Good Shepherd Catholic Church Tel. No. 021 558 1412 Email: office@goodshepherd.co.za
Catechism Co-Ordinator: Pat Brougham-Cook

For Catechist Names and Contact Details, please contact the church office.

Level 1. Sunday 9.00 - 9.45am in the Hall.
Level 1. Thurs. 4.45 - 5.30pm in Edgemead.
Level 1. Tues. 4.15 - 5.15pm in the Conference Centre.
Level 1. Sat. 9.30 – 10.30am in the Conference Centre.

Level 2. Tues. 4.00 - 4.45pm in Bothasig.
Level 2. Wed. 5.45 - 6.30pm in Bothasig.
Level 2. Sun. 9.00 - 9.45am in the Hall.

Level 3. Mon. 5.00pm – 6.00pm in the Conference Centre.
Level 3. Tues. 5.30 - 6.30pm in Edgemead.

Level 4. Thurs. 4.30 - 5.30pm in the Conference Centre.
Level 4. Tues. 5.30 – 6.30pm in the Conference Centre.

Level 5. Mon. 5.30 - 6.30pm in the Hall.
Level 5. Wed. 4.30 – 5.30pm in the Hall.

Level 6. Tues. 5.00 – 6.00pm in the Hall.
Level 6. Thurs. 6.00 – 7.00pm in the Conference Centre.

Level 7. Mon. 6.15 - 7.15pm in the Conference Centre.

Level 8. Thurs 7.00 – 8.00pm in the Hall.

Level 9. Tues. 6.15 – 7.15pm in the Hall.

Level 10. Wed. 5.45 – 7.00pm in the Hall.

Level 11. Wed. 7.15 – 8.30pm in the Hall

Catechetical Policy

Preamble
It is the purpose of this document to set out the Catechetical Policy for the Parish of Good Shepherd Catholic Church, Bothasig.
All previous policies are replaced by this one, and a copy of this policy will be given to all catechists and all parents of children attending catechism classes. Please read it carefully and take note of all that is contained within this policy, since non-adherence to the directives contained herein will mean that the candidate will NOT be able to progress to the next year of catechism, even if that means that they will therefore NOT receive the sacraments of Reconciliation, Eucharist, and/or Confirmation.

Please also remember and note that, as parents, you made certain promises at the Baptism of your child, and one of these promises was to bring the child up in the faith. This does not mean that you just drop the child off at catechism class and think that this is the end of your commitment. In fact, what it means is that you committed yourself to the faith formation of your child, and this means that you have to set an example – you have to pray together as a family, attend Mass together, take an interest in what your child is learning in catechism class, discuss difficult issues, etc. The Church is there to help in this task, but the faith formation of any child is first and foremost to be in the hands of you as parents. We are only here to fill in the gaps.

The Grade System
Since 2009, we did away with the grade system. Just because a child is in a particular grade at school does not entitle that child to enter the equivalent “grade” in catechism – particularly if he or she has never attended catechism before. Furthermore, the grade system implies that the child can move to the next grade just because he or she has passed the equivalent grade at school – irrespective of whether their commitment to, and informing themselves about, our faith is up to scratch. Therefore, the grade system will be replaced with the following system:
Junior Faith Level
Intermediate Faith Level
Senior Faith Level

Because we come from a grade system, we have to know how the grades translate into the above system. Therefore, the equivalent grades (these are an indication and not an absolute) are:

Junior Faith Level
1. Introductory 1 (Faith Level 1 / Grades 1)
2. Introductory 2 (Faith Level 2 / Grade 2)
3. First Confession (Faith Level 3 / Grade 3)
4. First Holy Communion (Faith Level 4 / Grade 4)

Intermediate Faith Level
5. Intermediary (1) (Faith Level 5 / Grade 5)
6. Intermediary (2) (Faith Level 6 / Grade 6)
7. Intermediary (3) (Faith Level 7 / Grade 7)

Senior Faith Level
8. Confirmation (1) (Faith Level 8 / Grade 8)
9. Confirmation (2) (Faith Level 9 / Grade 9)
10. Confirmation (3) (Faith Level 10 Grade 10)
11. Confirmation (4) (Faith Level 11 / Grade 11)

To move from one phase to the next requires the fulfillment of the following pre-requisites:

1. Class Attendance:
The MINIMUM attendance to be eligible to pass to the next level of catechesis is seventy-five percent (75%). Failure to adhere to this standard will result in the child having to repeat the year. It is the duty of the parents to ensure that their children are present at the catechism classes that they have to attend.

2. Mass Attendance
The ultimate expression of the relationship that we have with God through Christ is by active participation in the sacrifice of the Mass. It is not just the duty of the parents to ensure that their children attend Mass, but also to set an example of their faith for the child by their own regular attendance at Mass. A register of Mass attendance will be kept. Catechism children to have the mass Attendance Card sign by a catechist who is at the same Mass as them. Catechists will be wearing a Badge with the word Catechist on it and children may have their card sign by any Catechist.
HOWEVER, the only way that Fr. John can recognize you and your child is by seeing you regularly at Mass, and even by you introducing yourself and your family to him after Mass. If problems arise in catechism for your child and it is brought to the attention of Fr. John, and he does not recognize you or your child from Mass attendance, then some very tough questions will be asked.

3. Knowledge of the set prayers (given at the beginning of the year).

Registration Fee
The registration fee for 2012 remains at R60.00 per child.

Catechists
Please note that the catechists who teach your children have offered up much of their time in order to do this, and this is not just the time that is spent in class. They have to prepare their lessons beforehand, and often there are things involved with catechism that they have to attend to. As such, we would ask that you respect them for the time and effort that they put into the faith formation of your child, and even on occasion show your appreciation for the work that they do.

Complaints/Problems
Any problems or complaints need to be addresses to either Pat Cook on 021 558 1412 during the Parish Office hours or Fr. John (021 558 1412). If there is a problem that can be solved at the level of the teacher, please first try that avenue. If there you do not succeed, you are welcome to speak to Pat or Fr. John.

Rev. Fr. John Keough. Parish Priest.

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