Continuing Education

[Dana80]

Forgive me for being naive if this is a topic that has a common school of thought, but I often wonder why Sunday School is not part of parish life for most Catholics. I’m a recent (almost 1 year) convert from the Baptist faith and one thing I really do miss is Sunday School. In my former church all members from 2 and up can attend a class each and every Sunday. Those classes were such wonderful opportunities for peer groups to gather and learn and discuss. It also really helped make Sunday seem a little more a full day of learning and reflection.

I love the Mass as unquestionably the most important thing we can do. I just often find myself missing those Sunday morning lessons that so often enhanced my understanding of faith and morality.

 

[Belle10]

I can understand this. While I’m a cradle Catholic, I would also like to have some kind of classes too. I suppose this is where Bible studies, etc. come in…but for someone like me, with a little one at home and being that I work all day, going out at night just isn’t possible, and that’s when they seem to always schedule things. I guess maybe that’s part of the appeal of CAF (for me) – I learn here constantly.

 

[kage_ar]

Sometimes they forget to hand out the Catholic de-coder ring

Catholic Parishes have these things, it is simply not called “Sunday School”. Check your bulletin look for:

CCD
Religious Education (RE)
Adult Faith Formation
Small Group
Why Catholic

Sometimes they meet on Sunday, sometimes on other days of the week.

Welcome home!

 

[SMHW]

I think there is an underlying fundamental difference between many evangelical oriented communities and the Catholic Church that is probably not well understood by either group. To many evangelicals, learning and studying the faith is a significant part of worship. To Catholics, learning about and studying the faith is a worthy and extremely important thing to do but it is NOT worship. In fact, it is more like a kind of work, and thus probably more suitable for the other six days of the week.

Now this is certainly not a hard and fast ‘rule’ because the line between worship and study is not clear cut. We obviously have homilies at Mass and many parishes do have instruction classes on Sundays. (And, of course, we have Mass on days other than Sundays.)

But ‘traditionally’, Catholic instruction has most commonly occurred on days other than Sundays.

 

[puzzleannie]

I have been advertising a Sunday School for adults for the past 4 weeks in the bulletin, on websites, by personal invitation to all groups meeting during that time–including 28 Disciples in Mission groups–and by mail

not one person has signed up, including the 28 people who responded to the parish survey in the fall requesting a Sunday class on the catechism and scripture.

besides Disciples in Mission parishioners have their choice of 2 scripture studies, apolegetics class, each with choice of 2 nights, 8 catechist formation classes designes for adult continuing ed, as well as the parent/sponsor classes for sacramental prep, and the confirmation and RCIA classes. there are also the diocesan progams at the lay ministry institute in every topic imaginable, many offered right here in town involving little travel.

every single thing requested in our surveys the past 3 years has been offered, with choice of date and time, and fewer than 100 parishioners total have taken advantage of them (out of 1800 adults) Not ONE of the persons who specifically asked for a program and signed their name, who have all been personally invited, have bothered to attend the program when it is offered

 

[joamy]

I have been advertising a Sunday School for adults for the past 4 weeks in the bulletin, on websites, by personal invitation to all groups meeting during that time–including 28 Disciples in Mission groups–and by mail

not one person has signed up, including the 28 people who responded to the parish survey in the fall requesting a Sunday class on the catechism and scripture.

besides Disciples in Mission parishioners have their choice of 2 scripture studies, apolegetics class, each with choice of 2 nights, 8 catechist formation classes designes for adult continuing ed, as well as the parent/sponsor classes for sacramental prep, and the confirmation and RCIA classes. there are also the diocesan progams at the lay ministry institute in every topic imaginable, many offered right here in town involving little travel.

every single thing requested in our surveys the past 3 years has been offered, with choice of date and time, and fewer than 100 parishioners total have taken advantage of them (out of 1800 adults) Not ONE of the persons who specifically asked for a program and signed their name, who have all been personally invited, have bothered to attend the program when it is offered

:bounce: :bounce: I’ll come!!! (Ok, I live in North Dakota.) I was blessed to be able to go to an excellent Catholic bible study the summer after I came into the church. It was a follow up on RCIA although it included other members of the parish as well.

To the OP - you may want to check with your diocese to see what’s going on in your area. Sometimes there may be things going on either at another parish or on a diocesan (sorry about the spelling) level. In my diocese we have several types of adult education going on at different places. Like the other posters said, many times it may not be on Sunday.

Coming from another (former) Baptist (southern variety), Welcome Home!!!

 

[Gertabelle]

Forgive me for being naive if this is a topic that has a common school of thought, but I often wonder why Sunday School is not part of parish life for most Catholics. I’m a recent (almost 1 year) convert from the Baptist faith and one thing I really do miss is Sunday School. In my former church all members from 2 and up can attend a class each and every Sunday. Those classes were such wonderful opportunities for peer groups to gather and learn and discuss. It also really helped make Sunday seem a little more a full day of learning and reflection.

I love the Mass as unquestionably the most important thing we can do. I just often find myself missing those Sunday morning lessons that so often enhanced my understanding of faith and morality.

We have them in our parish, but they’re called SRE (student religious education) for the kids and Scripture or Creed classes for the adults. They’re held between two of the morning masses on Sunday. I love it.

Make a request at your parish and see if you can get something started, unless it’s already there and you just didn’t know it.

God bless you.
Gertie

 

[Joannm]

I have been advertising a Sunday School for adults for the past 4 weeks in the bulletin, on websites, by personal invitation to all groups meeting during that time–including 28 Disciples in Mission groups–and by mail

not one person has signed up, including the 28 people who responded to the parish survey in the fall requesting a Sunday class on the catechism and scripture.

besides Disciples in Mission parishioners have their choice of 2 scripture studies, apolegetics class, each with choice of 2 nights, 8 catechist formation classes designes for adult continuing ed, as well as the parent/sponsor classes for sacramental prep, and the confirmation and RCIA classes. there are also the diocesan progams at the lay ministry institute in every topic imaginable, many offered right here in town involving little travel.

every single thing requested in our surveys the past 3 years has been offered, with choice of date and time, and fewer than 100 parishioners total have taken advantage of them (out of 1800 adults) Not ONE of the persons who specifically asked for a program and signed their name, who have all been personally invited, have bothered to attend the program when it is offered

We have the same problem. We sent out surveys a few years ago asking what they wanted in way of Adult Ed, best times, best days, topics, course suggestions, you name it. Got a good response to the survey but it’s the same people who come to our offerings and we have a great Adult Education progam which includes several courses a year, workshops, lectures, days of reflection, video series, small Christian communities. We keep trying though. Next year we are having profs from our seminary give lectures every month and following it up with a day of reflection at the seminary in the spring. We are hoping new people will show up.