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A Letter from Rev. Joseph K. Kalladan, Pastor


Sunday Bulletin - September 9, 2007


Dear Parishioner,

As our Nation is gearing up for the new academic year that is just starting with great anticipation, hopes, and dreams for a fulfilling year, we here at St. Thomas Aquinas are preparing ourselves for our new CCE Year that begins this week. Our parish Director of Religious Education, Lila, has done a tremendous amount of work with her helpers, to make sure everything goes well. I was happy to hear her say that all the teachers are in place and the parish is prepared to begin another year.

When talking about the religious education of children, it is vitally important for all of us to realize that it's not just the job of the DRE, her teachers, and their helpers. True Christian formation of our children takes place when every one in the parish is involved in some measure. This is absolutely and vitally critical with regard to parents and families. If our Catholic Faith and Christian values are not lived and practiced in the home, how on earth can we expect our dear children to be educated and formed in the way of the Lord? Can this one hour or so of weekly catechism do the work of forming the minds and hearts of our young? I certainly do not think so. Parents and family members must live and practice their Christian values in their homes. How can we expect our children to be prayerful, for instance, if the family never prays? Making them learn some prayers in the CCE Class does not do the trick. They must have the experience of prayer in their daily lives at home.

Moreover, parents must be keenly interested in what their children learn and do in CCE. When parents try to participate in the religious education programs and are actively involved, rather than just dropping them off weekly for the class, the message that is given to our children is loud and clear. 'Co-operation' is the key word. The real question for all us to consider is: "How can we all work together, parents, teachers, all parishioners, to make this our CCE Year a very successful year so that we can try to bring our dear children to a deeper love and friendship with Jesus and a greater appreciation of our Holy Catholic Faith and Traditions?"

Let us pray that we’ll do our share in all this as we begin another CCE Year.


Sincerely,

Fr. K.K.

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