Ms. Christine Reilly, CCD Coordinator
ccddirector@saintkevinri.org
 Dear Parents,When your child was baptized you promised to raise him or her as a Catholic. Perhaps some of you believe that bringing your child to religious education classes fulfills this obligation. In part, it does. The real center of our faith, however, is the Eucharist. Simply making sure that your child attends Faith Formation class each week does not fulfill the promise you made when he or she was baptized. Please understand that religious education is only the introduction to a relationship with God, and attending Mass on weekends and holy days is most important. We all have our priorities. Children should be offered every opportunity to learn about our Catholic faith when they are growing up. The religious formation of children is the most valuable gift they can receive and that means celebrating the Eucharist together as a parish as well as ensuring their participation in religious education classes. Connection to God through parish worship offers support and hope. It will make a difference in the kind of person a child becomes. Yes, we want our children to be successful. More than that, we want them to be happy, loving, and surrounded by good people who support them. We want them to rely on God when times get tough, as times do for all of us. In about 20 hours a year, religious education classes can not provide your children with a relationship with God. Only religious education and practice at home, family prayer and devotions, weekly attendance at Mass, and involvement in the life and ministries of the parish can truly help deepen that relationship. The St. Kevin Religious Education program serves students in grades 1 through 8. Both First Reconciliation and First Communion are made in Grade 2. Children are required to attend Religious Education every year from grades 1 through 9, unless they are enrolled in a Catholic school. Students enrolled in Catholic schools ONLY attend religious education classes in grade 9 to prepare for the Sacrament of Confirmation. Sincerely, Christine Reilly Director of Religious Education |