WHY STUDY RELIGION AT RIS?

At RIS, the Religious Education classes are design to educate students about the teachings and practices of the Catholic Church and to enhance the student's faith life through the sacraments, retreats, community services and other religious activities.  Students are given the opportunity to learn about the Catholic faith and to put the message of Jesus into action in their daily lives.  Students are encouraged to share their faith life with each other while the role of the teacher is to journey with the students as they discover and take ownership of their Catholic faith.   Liturgies, retreats and community services are integral and required components of the Religion curriculum.  

Catholic students are required to study Religious Education.  The Redemptorist Fathers play an active role in the faith development of the students.  Non-Catholic students are required to take Values classes.  Non-Catholic students can choose to take Religion classes with special permission from the Campus Ministry and the Religion Teacher followed by a parent’s and student’s request letter expressing his/her reasons and interest.

Liturgies – Faith Formation

Our faith formation is central to who we are here at RIS. School Liturgies are planned by the section Religion teacher and students once a month, on a weekday, throughout the school year.  Every liturgy involves full student participation, from the lectors to the cantors, from a gathering rite to the altar servers. Donations from the Thanksgiving Mass and during Lent season for outreach projects are offered and blessed at the liturgies as a living sign of Eucharist and their faith in action. In addition to the monthly liturgies in school, there are also two Sacramental liturgies and Annual Retreat for each section including the First Communion Retreat as well. For specific dates of Sacramental liturgies, please consult the activities calendar.  Class Masses and Reconciliation services are schedule with the priests as needed arise.

Global Citizen Outreach

Generosity and compassion are what help define us at RIS.  It is through our Community Service program that these virtues are culminated.  Formed on the foundation of our Service Learning Program, we come together as a school and as a department to raise funds, goods and awareness for a number of sponsored works and mentor sites.

FIRST RECONCILIATION & FIRST EUCHARIST

Preparation: Preparation for these sacraments starts in second grade and begins with the Rite of Enrollment in March.  First Reconciliation is celebrated in April.  First Eucharist is celebrated in early October of third grade.  The program consists of classes during the school day at RIS and a preparation retreat before first Communion.  In addition, there are parent sessions which are designed to provide background and information on both the sacraments and the textbook material.  This will enable parents to help prepare their children at home.  Parents are required to attend these sessions.  All children preparing to celebrate their First Eucharist must first be prepared to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1457). 

Registration

Registration for the Reconciliation and Eucharist programs takes place in the spring.  A separate letter is mailed in February indicating the date and time of the first Parent Session for the Sacramental Program.  A separate fee is charged for the Reconciliation/Eucharist Program, which is collected in the fall of third grade.

Religion Department Parental Involvement policy

The Ruamrudee and Redeemer Religion Departments welcome and encourage parental involvement in the Religious education of their children. We believe that parents play the greatest role in helping students to foster a lifelong relationship with the Catholic Faith and to model Christian moral values.

Please feel free to become involved in our activities, contact your student’s Religious educator for further information.

Homework Policy