Two weeks ago I gave some advice to parents of children who are of kindergarten age (4-5) about activities that they could do at home to strengthen their understanding and acceptance of the teaching of our Catholic faith in the areas of the knowledge of the faith, liturgy and sacraments, morality, prayer, education for living in the Christian community, and evangelization and apostolic life. This week I want to give similar advice to the parents of children who are in primary or early elementary school level. This would include students in the first, second, and third grades.
For the past fifty years the Church has observed National Migration Week. This year it occurred from January 7-14, 2018. I want to share some of Cardinal Wuerl’s remarks about National Migration Week 2018 and then report on a disturbing development with a statement by Bishop Joe S. Vasquez of Austin, Texas, chair of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Committee on Migration. First let me present some reflections from Cardinal Wuerl:
Last week I gave some advice to parents of children who are of pre-kindergarten age (3-4) about activities that they could do at home to strengthen their understanding and acceptance of the teaching of our Catholic faith in the areas of the knowledge of the faith, liturgy and sacraments, morality, prayer, education for living in the Christian community, and evangelization and apostolic life. This week I want to give similar advice to the parents of children who are in kindergarten.
As we begin this New Year I want to begin a series in which I discuss some things that parents can do to strengthen the knowledge and practice of the faith in their homes. As a basis for these reflections, I am going to use a tool that the Archdiocesan Office of Religious Education prepared in 2011: Forming Disciples for the New Evangelization.
One of the things that I love to do during the Advent and Christmas season is to go to Christmas plays, concerts, and other activities that children put on for their parents, grandparents, and the wider community. I was invited to a Nativity play that was put on by our students in our Preschool/Kindergarten program that is held on Sundays from 11:10 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.