AT SUNDAY SCHOOL WE LEARN TO LOVE
At Sunday school, children learn to love God and other people. It sounds a little strange, but love can and should be studied too! To learn is to know, to strive to find out who God is? Who am I? What is my place in this world? And what is God's place in my life? We are trying to help the children accept the love of God, so that later they will be able to answer it. In these relations, of course, the Sacraments occupy a central place, and therefore the main purpose of Sunday classes is to prepare for Baptism, the First Confession, the First Communion, and Anointing.
What groups do Sunday School?
Junior group (4-6 years old)
Baptism Prep Group, First Confession, and First Communion
Holy Mass Study Group
Sacrament Preparedness Group (Confirmation)
Junior group:
Usually classes take place before the Mass. On them, the children receive the first knowledge about God in an accessible form, leart more about the world, about people and about themselves. It is important, in my opinion, that at the same time there is a process of moral education of the child. Parents, at times, find it easy to give in to temptation and pamper their baby. But here the brats will begin to understand (at least we hope so) that it is important to obey the parents, help them and other people, value friendship... Classes are held in a game-based structure and are mainly based on the training material brought and translated by our sisters.
Group for the preparation for Baptism, the first Confession and the first Communion:
Many of these children will be baptized at Easter or join the Church. I know that many of them are looking forward to this event, but there are those who are in no hurry to make a decision. On the feast of the Body and Blood of Christ (June 19), the children will receive the First Communion, and a few days before this they first confess. These are very important events in the life of every person and, of course, I want young Christians to understand this too.
The first Confession is the first time a child realizes and repents of his misconduct and asks the Lord for forgiveness for them.
The First Communion is when a child enables Jesus not only to be near, but also to enter his heart, realizing that he is becoming a part of His Body (Church).
Holy Mass Study Group:
A deeper study of the Liturgy: prayers, symbols and rites - will allow the children to better understand their meaning and participate more fully in the Holy Mass. The sacrament of the Eucharist occupies a special place in the educational process. The guys do not just talk about this Sacrament, they already accept Him, therefore classes on this subject are significantly different from those held in the previous group. During this year, children also learn to work with the Bible, get acquainted with such types of prayer as the Rosary and Bible prayer. I think that such a course is necessary before the child begins to prepare for the Sacrament of Confirmation. In addition, boys who want to help at Mass as ministrants have the opportunity.
Group for the preparation of the sacrament of Confirmation (Confirmation):
Confirmation is the Sacrament that makes us more perfect Christians and witnesses of Jesus Christ, giving an abundance of the Holy Spirit, i.e. His grace and gifts that support and strengthen us in faith and in other virtues. Now the Sacrament of Confirmation is taught from the age of 14. At this age, faith becomes more conscious, and the young man agrees (or does not agree) to be a Christian, assuming all responsibility for his decision. He says “yes” to God, not because his parents decided (as, for example, it usually happens during Baptism in infancy), but because he himself chose this path and confirmed his faith in Jesus Christ.