Religious Education Helps Families Grow in Faith

By Mary Lim

Religious Education (RE) is simply the teaching of a religion, but it is also so much more than that for our Catholic Church. As explained by Director of Religious Education (DRE) at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (SEAS) Parish, Cari Kimminau, RE is “an opportunity for children to form bonds and create community with like-minded kids, it helps them to form a moral conscience, grow in their faith and their relationship with God, and learn to understand their faith intellectually and devotionally.” 

What’s more, RE is not a ministry just for children, but also for parents and other adults who are part of the RE students’ lives. Kimminau explains her work, ministry, and mission in her position, “Religious Education is an opportunity to not only help people and families grow in their faith, but also to correct misunderstanding about our faith.”  

Parishes in the Diocese of Tucson are either wrapping up their RE Registration for the season or have already started their classes in the first weeks of September.  

Many parishes will offer two different types of religious education. Traditional religious education – usually just referred to as RE – is what some may remember as “Sunday School” (although many parishes have RE on other days than Sundays) and is faith formation for children, often including Sacrament preparation when age appropriate.  

The other kind of religious education may be referred to in some parishes as the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA), or the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA). This is for individuals aged seven or older who are interested in learning about the Catholic faith. After going through this program, most individuals will choose to join the Catholic Church, but some will not. Kimminau says, “We respect the journey of the individual. It is our job to give them the information and experiences in order for them to make an informed choice.” Depending on the resources of the parish, some RCIA/OCIA programs may include children, others may not, and parents who have children and are themselves going through RCIA/OCIA may choose to put their children through RE instead.  

“Religious education is vital to one’s spiritual life,” says Kimminau, “How does one grow without education and experiences outside one’s own world?” The benefits of religious education are countless. Kimminau reminds us that our Catholic faith is a communal faith, and we learn in RE that we are called to be in communion with not just Jesus, but also with each other presently, and even with the communion of saints in Heaven – our faith brings us together, and we are all called to share in life together. As innately social beings, it is incredibly fruitful that the Church provides us with such community! RE teaches students about this amazing resource that we have as Catholics and as human beings, and RE itself provides a community of people who are in a similar place in their spiritual journey. 

The catechists who teach RE use a curriculum approved by the parish pastor, they are passionate about RE, and they are called by God to do this work in their community. Kimminau shares why she is passionate about RE: 

“I am passionate about Religious Education primarily because I am a convert in the sense that I was practicing my faith as a Protestant at a non-denominational church. For years, I would ask Catholics questions I had about their faith, and they were either unable to give me answers or they would give me incorrect information. I finally found an RCIA program, and it was life changing for me! [After RCIA] I hungered so much to learn more, but there really wasn’t anything at the parish level. Because of this, I entered a four-year formation program so that I would be qualified to impart this information. For a while, I was able to do this in a small capacity, but then when the position of Director of Religious Education became available, I was very excited realizing that, with the pastor’s approval and help, we could reach so many more people! What a gift and responsibility.” 

In her work, Kimminau noticed that oftentimes, children in RE would go home and discuss with their parents what they learned in class, and that parents were not able to answer their children’s questions about their faith. This is something that Kimminau noticed about Catholics when she was a practicing Protestant Christian.  

At SEAS Parish, they are doing something unique to address this recurring situation. Kimminau says that they are using a new curriculum that is meant to be digital and interactive. “There are pieces specifically for the parents and family,” says Kimminau, “and they are fun and interactive. 

“We also invite the parents to come to the Parish Hall after bringing their children to RE for what we call ‘The Parent Mission.’ Each week, we offer an informal session. The parents bring the children that are too little for RE, and we have catechists available to offer them videos, coloring pages, and toys.” At “The Parent Mission,” Kimminau and her team teach and minister to the parents of RE students, so that they can support their child at home and so that they themselves can grow in their faith and their understanding of the Church. 

Kimminau speaks for most, if not all, of the parishes in the Diocese of Tucson when she says, “My greatest need is volunteers. Besides needing catechists and aides, there is so much behind-the-scenes work to be done. Just emails and phone calls alone can be overwhelming at times. I have a few faithful volunteers and, only after helping, do they realize how much work there is to be done. Parishioners can help support this ministry by volunteering time, talent, and treasure. There are families who cannot afford the cost of materials, so donations or sponsorships help. Also, having facilitators for 'The Parent Mission' is invaluable.” 
 

If you feel called to support RE at SEAS or at your local parish, apply to be a volunteer here.

If you are interested in learning more about RE, contact your parish’s DRE or your pastor, or visit the Diocese of Tucson webpage to find a parish near you.

If you are interested in learning more about RCIA/OCIA at your local parish, you can find more information on the Diocese of Tucson webpage here.

Please pray for DRE’s, Directors of Youth Ministry (DYM’s), Youth Ministers, Catechists, volunteers, and students as they begin this year of religious education!