Pastor’s Corner — June 22nd, 2023

A New Vision for Religious Education: Now Hiring at the Parish and School

Parish Family,

Thank You Lori and Hiring a Coordinator of Youth Formation

At the end of May, Lori Feiler stepped down as the Coordinator of Religious Education for our parish. Lori had let us know when we hired her that she intended to stay in the position for only a few years as her family had just recently moved to Manchester, MI. (That drive is dedication!) Her goal in those years was to build a solid foundation upon which to grow youth formation and religious education at the parish in coordination with the school. In those few years, Lori worked tirelessly to establish a new vision for youth religious formation at St. Patrick for which I am extremely grateful. Thank you, Lori, for your dedication to the parish, and especially the children of St. Patrick! Lori will continue to use her gifts in a similar position at St. Mary Church in Manchester.

This means that the parish is now seeking a new Coordinator of Youth Formation (30hrs) to take the reins and continue to implement the new vision for Religious Education of our youth. In a slightly different model from a more traditional classroom approach, we have discerned to utilize the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) model of children’s instruction for all grades PK-4. We have offered CGS for lower ages here at the parish for a number of years, and there has been immense fruit in the lives of the children who have participated. We are excited to offer additional classes for older grades. For those unfamiliar, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is a more Montessori-based catechetical style. From the CGS website:

“The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd was born from the joy of the children in their encounter with God and lives in being nourished by this joy.

An interpersonal relationship is always a mystery, all the more so when that relationship is between God and the child. We believe that there is a deep bond between God and the child which produces in the child the desire to draw nearer to God. The catechist’s role is to prepare the environment and to give selected presentations from scripture and liturgy that “call forth” the child’s response rather than “pours in” information. The catechist listens with the child and together they ask, “God, who are you? How do you love us?”

Michelle Rooney has been and will continue to be our CGS Coordinator for both the parish and the school in an expanded role. Our vision is to offer CGS Levels I, II, and III at the parish beginning this fall. The school will continue to offer Level I catechesis for grades JK-1. Second graders will attend more traditional sacramental preparation classes for First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion as we work to transition to a CGS model of sacrament prep. The new Coordinator of Youth Formation will work closely with Michelle to oversee the entirety of the PK-4 religious education and sacramental preparation process at the parish in collaboration with the school. In order for us to be successful in this endeavor, we need catechists and catechist assistants! If you are interested in learning more about this beautiful method of forming our youth and assisting us in growing CGS at the parish and school, please email Michelle at cgs@stpatchurch.org

Religious education for Grades 5 and 6 will now be incorporated into the Young Church youth group on Sundays. More details about that will be coming out over the summer.

While these are some pretty major changes, I am confident that the Holy Spirit is doing great things in our parish and school and that these changes align with our Discipleship Pathway and our overall mission of making Spirit-filled disciples of Jesus.

If you or someone you know is interested in applying to this position, please go here www.dioceseoflansing.org/human-resources/careers


Two Open Positions at St Pat’s School

In addition to the Coordinator of Youth Formation, St. Patrick Catholic School also has two open positions for the upcoming 2023 school year. We are looking for a full-time 5th grade teacher in addition to a full-time Middle School teacher. Our school is a beautiful environment to both work and serve. If you know of anyone who may be interested in either of these positions or for more information, please email Mrs. Carley Dunphey at principal@stpatschool.org or you can apply at www.dioceseoflansing.org/human-resources/careers.


Your servant in the Lord,
Fr. Mathias