Education

Head of Committee: Jeremy Rice - Member of the Parish Pastoral Council

The Education Commission will include at least these six standing committees:

Adult Faith Formation
Catholic Schools
Family Life
Catechetics
Vocations
Youth Ministry

PURPOSE

The Education Commission helps all parishioners understand that the entire Parish communion has responsibility for promoting the teaching mission of the Church. The Commission has the responsibility of developing, promoting and evaluating programmes in cooperation with the Archdiocesan and Parish staffs.

FUNCTIONS

A.	To establish and recommend objectives annually to the Parish Pastoral Council that flow from the goals of the Parish to address the educational and formational need in the areas of:
	1.	Adult Faith Formation;
	2.	Catholic Schools;
	3.	Family Life;
	4.	Catechetics;
	5.	Vocations;
	6.	Youth Ministry;

B.	To determine through its committees the programmes that will promote and support total Parish education and formation in all areas of the Parish;

C.	To review and evaluate quarterly the progress of the Commission's objectives;

D.	To work with the Parish professional staff and volunteers to support education and formation programmes in the Parish;

E.	To propose a budget for education and formation in the Parish and submit it to the Parish Pastoral Council;

F.	To promote and support the policies of the Education Department of the Archdiocese as they pertain to the Parish.

STRUCTURE

The Education Commission will include interested parishioners and appropriate Pastoral staff. The Commission will choose one of its members to become a member of the Vicariate Education Commission. The Commission will appoint individual members to chair the following committees:

Adult Faith Formation

PURPOSE

The Adult Faith Formation Committee is charged with actions by which people consciously grow in the life of Christ through experience, reflection, prayer and study, become active members of the Christian Community and prepare to act as disciples in mission to the world, must be "the heart of our catechetical vision and practice." (Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us, #6 – USCCB, 1999):

FUNCTIONS

To promote the Faith Formation throughout the Parish by promoting access to and use of educational resources and opportunities such as

Homilies

Sacramental programmes

RCIA

Bulletin inserts

Marriage preparation

Scripture study

Small faith sharing groups

Lent and Advent programmes

Justice and Peace study circles

DIOCESAN ASSISTANCE

Some of the ways the Office for Faith Formation/Catechetics supports parish Adult Faith Formation efforts are:

Gatherings of the Adult Faith Formation Association three times a year
Publication of Adult Faith Formation Resources Newsletter
Adult Faith Formation Coordinators Networking Gatherings
Various formation and enrichment opportunities, such as the Advent Day of Reflection
Consultation to parishes for study, planning, resources, and development of adult formation

Catholic Schools

PURPOSE

Catholic schools serve as an integral extension of the educational ministry of the Church, which continues the teaching mission of Jesus.

Because we share in the teaching ministry of Jesus, we proclaim the Gospel; develop a faith community in which Gospel values are formed, experienced and lived; preserve and teach the doctrines and traditions of the Catholic faith; provide a learning environment which fosters academic excellence; respect and value the racial and cultural diversity that is unique to the Archdiocese of Detroit.

"Catholic schools will continue to involve students more fully in the mission of the Church. This will be accomplished through the building of community rooted in the life of the Holy Spirit, a commitment of service to others and a response to the call for justice and peace in our world." (One in Faith and Knowledge, 1993)

Family Life Committee

PURPOSE
	The Committee directly supports a number of services and programs in the parish to enrich and nurture the many families – whether in pre-family, active-family or post-family stages – that make up the church.
FUNCTIONS
	1.	To develop and maintain the idea of Family within the Parish.
	2.	To provide pre-family support and education for couples seeking the holy state of Matrimony, and to those recently married couples seeking to become parents.
	3.	To provide active family support to parents and their children.
	4.	To provide support to and programmes and activities for post-family couples, widows or widowers to allow these persons who are potentially a very valuable resource for both pre-family and active family groups to share their knowledge and experience and thus still participate in the oneness of Family.

Catechetics Committee

PURPOSE
	The Catechetics Committee exists to facilitate the parish need for trained persons at both the lay and staff level who are able to provide wholistic religious education in full communion with Church teachings.
FUNCTIONS
	1.	To select and train lay persons and Parish staff to act as catechetical leaders.
	2.	To provide opportunity and support for all members of the parish to undertake catechetical studies, including but not limited to:
		a.	Study for the reception of First Communion.
		b.	Studiies so as to receive Confirmation
		c.	Bible and Doctrinal studies

Vocations Committee

PURPOSE
	The Vocations Committee will promote vocations through special gatherings and prayer services, to create throughout the Church a culture of vocation, wherein people of all ages are more conscious of, and committed to, the mystery of living out to the fullest our baptismal relationship with the Lord Jesus and His Body, the Church
FUNCTIONS
	1.	To promote the idea of religious life as beneficial to the individual, to the community and to the Church.
	2.	To maximise the opportunities available to discuss vocations by arranging gatherings or prayer services devoted to an increase in vocations.
	3.	To provide support to young persons evidencing a strong vocational call so that they can meet with Diocesan professionals who can assist them to discern the true nature of their vocation.
	4.	To provide every opportunity possible to ensure that young persons who are contemplating a religious life become fully involved in the Church, its liturgy and events so that they can fully explore their passion for Christ and their commitment to His Church.

Youth Ministry Committee

PURPOSE
	The Archdiocese of Detroit affirms the vision of youth ministry to be: To, By, For, and With youth. Youth Ministry must be understood in terms of the three-fold mission and ministry of the whole Church: To proclaim the news of salvation. To offer itself as a group of people transformed by the Spirit into a community of faith, hope and love. To bring God's justice and love to others through service in its individual, social, and political dimensions. The Youth Ministry is committed to fostering the personal and spiritual growth of each young person.
FUNCTIONS
	1.	To draw young people to full and responsible participation in the life, vision and mission of our community.
	2.	To empower young people to become disciples of Jesus Christ, and to actively witness their faith.
	3.	To reach every young person, and their family.
	4.	To ensure that all adult members of the Church understand and share the responsibility to care for and guide our young people, and to welcome them as complete, integral and equal members of our faith community.

05/06/08

The Parish Education Commission