What can I do as a parent to help my child learn more about our faith?
One of the greatest blessings brought about by Vatican II is the increasing realization that parents must be the primary evangelizers of their children. For our children to accept and be nourished by the teachings of the Church, we must be involved directly in teaching the faith to our children. We should read through our children’s CCE lessons with them. Ask them what they learned in class. For parents trying to pass on the Faith to their children, we suggest that most of all you try to incorporate the faith into your daily lives. Family prayer should have some part in every day. Mary's prayer, the Holy Rosary, has nourished generations of Catholics since it was given to St. Dominic in the thirteenth century. Preparing for the seasons of the Church like Advent and Christmas, Lent and Easter by decorating the house will give us an opportunity to explain to our children each season's purpose. We can read Catholic books aloud to our children. Family vacations can use a spiritual dimension like a visit to a shrine or beautiful church in an area. If you are raising a family today, you can begin to teach them to love our Lord. To love Him by imitating Him, for love seeks to imitate the One Who is loved. To imitate Him in obedience and in the practice of Christian virtue.
Why do we have to pay for CCE?
The tuition collected goes toward the cost of materials, supplies and maintenance for each of the CCE sessions. We make every effort to keep down the cost of tuition, however, we must have lights and air, materials and supplies, textbooks and support staff to maintain records and ensure that the children are learning about our faith in a safe environment. Each year we offer a 20% discount to families who pay the tuition in full at the first registration in June. This year the dates June 1& 2, 2019. Volunteer catechists who help with CCE classes the full school year also receive a grant for their family’s tuition. Sometimes a family may experience a true hardship in paying the tuition for their children. No child is ever turned away! Please talk with Sister Diane.
Why is there a separate fee for Sacramental Preparation?
The fee collected for Sacramental preparation is to offset the cost of materials, supplies and maintenance for the preparation classes. In addition, children in the second year of RCIA and youth preparing for Confirmation have a retreat fee to help with the cost of the retreat. As with tuition, every effort is made to keep fees as low as possible.
I am an adult who is not baptized or is missing sacraments. Can I register for CCE?
Yes you can….although you will be attending Adult Education classes in English or Spanish. RCIA – Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults and adult Confirmation are under Deacon Freddy Ramirez. Please come and register in June and he will contact you with more information about Adult Ed.
My child attended CCE in another parish last year. Does that count toward their sacramental preparation?
If your child attended CCE at another Catholic Church last year, please bring a letter of attendance to the June CCE Registration. The letter will be held on file as proof of attendance for the school year 2018/2019. If your child was enrolled in Catholic School, a report card may be used in place of the letter of attendance.
Why can’t all my children attend CCE on the same day?
We are blessed in this parish to have had over 1000 children enrolled in CCE last school year! There are only 18 classrooms available for teaching here at Cabrini. In order to accommodate and educate all of the children of the parish, we have to divide CCE into sessions. Following the guidelines of the local school district, we have divided the sessions based on the school they attend. Children in Elementary (grades Pre-Kinder thru 4) meet on Saturday, Sunday or Wednesday. Middle School (grades 5 & 6) meet on Tuesdays. Intermediate students (grades 7 & 8) meet on Thursday. High School students (grades 9 thru 12) meet on Mondays
When will my child make their First Holy Communion?
To prepare for the Sacrament of Eucharist (Holy Communion), a child MUST be baptized, enrolled in CCE or attending a Catholic School AND in the second (2nd) grade or older. In addition, they MUST have attended CCE or Catholic School the previous year. It is a requirement in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston that all children who are to receive their First Holy Communion, MUST prepare for the Sacrament of Penance (Confession) FIRST. Preparation for Penance is ONLY offered in the fall; therefore, if your child is eligible for sacraments, please register early. If this is the first year that your child is attending CCE, they will not be eligible for sacraments until the next school year. Please note: you will have to register for the Sacraments of Penance and Eucharist separately. You will receive information at the June CCE Registration of the dates for Sacramental Registration.
When can my child receive the Sacrament of Confirmation?
To prepare for the Sacrament of Confirmation, a child MUST be baptized, enrolled in CCE or attending a Catholic School AND in the tenth (10th) grade or older. In addition, they MUST have attended CCE or Catholic School the previous year. Confirmation preparation is not simply cognitive learning but the preparation for celebrating and living a life of faith. Confirmation class is separate and apart from CCE classes therefore; if your child is eligible for Confirmation, please register early. Please note: you will have to register for the Sacrament of Confirmation separately. You will receive information at the June CCE Registration of the dates for Sacramental Registration.
Why isn’t my child prepared for sacraments in their CCE class?
CCE – Continuing Christian Education teaches children the Catholic faith based on the grade level of the children, however not every child in the class is eligible to receive the Sacrament at the same time for a variety of different reasons. Sometimes parents choose to have their child wait until they are more mature. In addition, their parents accompany children who are preparing for Sacraments in the Elementary grades as the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that parents are the first and principle catechists of their children.
My child is over 7 years old and not baptized, can they enroll in CCE?
The answer is YES, but they will be enrolled into a special program called RCIA – the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults adapted for children.The RCIA for children is a process that invites any child age 7 to 17 interested in searching the Catholic Faith to discover what the Catholic Church teaches and believes. RCIAis an intensive 2-year journey of faith formation that leads the aspirant to the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist) at the Easter Vigil. While the children will be attending weekly classes, it is important to note that parents will be expected to attend meetings scheduled during class times and on weekends, especially during the second year. It is important that you register your child early as classes begin the first week of October
My child is attending a Catholic school. Do they have to come to CCE?
Children who attend a Catholic School received their faith formation as part of their total curriculum. However many children who attend a Catholic school prepare for their First Communion, Penance and Confirmation in their home parish. If your child is eligible for Sacraments and you would like them to prepare here at Cabrini, please come to the June registrations for CCE so that you can receive the information about the different dates for Sacramental Registration.
My child is current in their sacraments; do I have to enroll them in CCE?
CCE – Continuing Christian Education is faith formation for children attending a public school. Children in public school are taught to read, write, math, science, history, etc. but are NOT taught about our Catholic faith, the teachings and history of our Church or the Holy Trinity; Father, Son and Spirit. They are not taught the rich traditions of our faith, the example of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saints Peter and Paul or about any of the other holy men and women of the Church. Each year in Continuing Christian Education (CCE) our children learn more about what is means to be Catholic, what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. As parents, we would never consider removing our children from school for 3 or 4 or more years, because they already learned to read and write! Teaching faith is really instilling a set of principles and values in our children from a very young age in order that their actions will lead them onto a positive path as a true disciple of Christ. Attending CCE gives our children the opportunity to interact with other children and adults who know and love the Lord. Ensuring that our children receive the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist) do not signal graduation or completion in any way, but celebrate the beginning of a lifetime lived in the generosity of a gracious God.
I would like to help out in CCE. What do I need to do?
Please call the office and speak with one us in the CCE Office (713-946-5768). The Archdioceses of Galveston –Houston requires everyone 18 and over to take a class called VIRTUS prior to being in the classroom with children. If you have taken VIRTUS in another parish please let us know. We are always in need of adults who are interested helping us to evangelize to our children. We will be happy to help prepare you and pair you with an experienced catechist
My child needs community service hours for school. Can they volunteer in CCE?
Yes! Many of our students are involved in their school and need community service hours toward their graduation or college resumes. They need to talk with Maria Hinojos (713 946-5768) for information about the Ministry of Service. The commitment to volunteer in the Ministry of Service is for the ENTIRE school year, September through March AND the annual Bazaar in May. Students can sign up to help during any of the six CCE sessions except at the time they should be in class. Ministry of Service Hours –Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 12, Sunday - 8:45 a.m. to 11 a.m., Weekdays - 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. There are three areas in which a student may volunteer - Classroom Helper - helps the CCE catechist in whatever is needed for the classroom. Office Helper – helps in the CCE Office in whatever needs to be done to support the CCE Program. Guardian Angel – helps a child with a learning disability have a successful CCE year. A member of the staff will assign you to help in the areas needed. ALL student volunteers and their parent MUST attend a mandatory workshop BEFORE being assigned. We will log their volunteer hours in a notebook and sign the form they need for school.
