Diocesan Administration: Parish Religious Education Department Introduction The Religious Education Department of the Secretariat for Education assists the Superintendent in matters and programs pertaining to religious education in the Catholic Elementary Schools of the Diocese as well as the Parish Schools of Religious Education. The mission and vision of this office is: to be sure that the authenticity of the faith is carried on throughout all religious education programs, to enhance the process by which our children grow in an intimate and personal relationship with Jesus Christ; and to facilitate the process of catechesis in the adults that work with the children in our programs. What's New? Catechist Formation Program: 3rd Quarter 2010 Click Here Diocesan Media Library Listing: Click Here Programs in this Department The following is a list of programs within the Parish Religious Education department: Religious Education Certificate Program: Each catechist in the Diocese is required to be certified to teach Religious Education. There are two levels of certification. Level I includes participation in BASIC I AND BASIC II. The Master Level Certification includes the Level I requirements as well as nine other courses presented by Diocesan personnel or on parish levels. Teacher Retreats: Teachers in the Diocese have an opportunity to make a private retreat during the school year. These retreats are sponsored by the Office of Education and offered at various times during the year at different retreat center locations. Curriculum for Religious Education – Elementary Schools: There is a curriculum in place for children attending our Catholic Elementary Schools. The curriculum covers material from the Kindergarten level through the eighth grade levels. Also included in the material are the Sacrament Programs of: Eucharist, Reconciliation and Confirmation. Curriculum for Religious Education – Parish Religion Programs: There also is a curriculum in place for parish programs. The parishes have the option of choosing their own materials but are asked to follow the curriculum outline provided for by the Diocese. In this way there is a scope and sequence to follow from Grades K through the Confirmation Grade Level. This is in place to be sure that the students receive as complete an education process as possible. Home Schooling for Religious Education: There is in place a general outline and policy for parents who wish to home school their children in Religion. Much of the details for this program is planned out on a local level but the basic guideline is presented by the Diocese. Rainbows Program: Rainbows For All God’s Children is a program designed to help children who are in the grieving process due to some type of loss. The loss may occur through: death, divorce, separation, abusive home life, dysfunctional family life style, etc. The children are placed into small groups (age appropriate) and are led by a trained facilitator. It is truly a pier ministry type program where the children reach out to one another to come to the realization that it doesn’t have to hurt forever. There are materials geared to each of the grade levels and the children participate in many activities during the course of the program. ACRE – Association of Director/Coordinator/Administrators of Religious Education: This is an Association of professional DRE’s/CRE’s/Administrators in Religious Education who meet monthly. The meetings are part business to discuss the happenings within the Diocese and also outside the Diocese. At each meeting there is a speaker or a presenter offering good materials on various topics to help the leaders enhance the programs within their own parishes. There is an ACRE board that meets prior to the general meeting. EPDRE – Eastern Pennsylvania Director/Coordinator/Administrators Conference: This is an organization composed of representation from each of the Eastern Pennsylvania Dioceses: Philadelphia, Scranton, Harrisburg and Allentown. Each year this organization sponsors a conference for all Religious Education Leaders in the Diocese. The conference is held in October down the Jersey Shore. Speakers and presenters have been dynamic to help make the three day conference memorable and helpful to our work. There are five representatives from each Diocese on the EPDRE board. This board meets four times during the year at the Office of Education. PCCL – Pennsylvania Catholic Catechetical Leadership: As part of my job responsibility I belong to this organization. It is a group of all Religious leaders in the state of Pennsylvania. We meet four times a year and discuss pertinent issues and concerns that are then brought to NCCL – the National Conference of Catholic Leaders. Elementary School Religion Coordinator Program: Every elementary catholic school has a religion coordinator. I meet with the coordinators once a year to touch base with them on curriculum issues, spirituality issues and personnel issues. I keep in touch with them throughout the year with bi-monthly newsletters. The Religious Education Newsletter: This is a periodical produced from the office of education bi-monthly. It is mailed to all Principals, Pastors, DRE’s and religion coordinators in our schools and parishes. It contains information regarding what’s happening in religious education in the Diocese as well as serves as a vehicle for communication between the religious leaders in the Diocese. Post Office Box F  •  Allentown, PA  •  18105-1538 Copyright 2003 The Catholic Diocese of Allentown Disclaimer and Terms of Use