Catechesis
Adult Catechesis
Epiphany has a wide range of activities for adults. We have adult education opportunities, where you can deepen your faith and connect with other members of the parish. There are social and service clubs, where you can enjoy some fellowship with fellow parishioners and participate with occasional projects that serve the common good of the parish and community. Besides the tabs in this section, additional activities are found at these pages of this site:
Religious Education and Faith Formation as a Part of a Child’s Life
Our program is sequential - each grade level prepares the student for the next. It begins with Pre-School and continues through Confirmation and the High School sessions. Therefore, it is necessary for a child to attend every year, just as he/she does in secular education.
Parental Involvement
It is a Precept of our Church to attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation. Celebrating the Eucharist each week with our parish community is central to the life of a Catholic family. Participating in the Mass is one of the major components of a person’s faith formation. It is at Mass that our children learn that Jesus gave us His Body and Blood at the Last Supper.
Please note - Religious Education and Faith Formation sessions never take the place of attending Mass.
Helping the young Catholic to develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ within a parish community is the primary responsibility of the parents. Children should be taught to pray in their own words and learn the prayers of the Catholic Church, according to the requirements for the particular grade level and the ability of the child.
Purpose
The purpose of Religious Education and Faith Formation at the Church of Epiphany of the Lord is to assist parents in teaching their children about God, God's love for us and the Catholic Church, founded by Jesus, to help us love and serve God in our daily lives. The Office of Youth Religious Education strives to give children, youth, and adults a firm foundation upon which to build a faith filled life. However, religious education and faith formation sessions do not replace moral values taught in the home by prayer and example. It can reinforce only what is modeled by the family.
PRESCHOOL—5TH GRADE --ELEMENTARY NEWS
Religious Education for Preschool (3 and 4 years old) through students in the 5th grade meet every Sunday during the school year. There are two sessions in which students can be enrolled: 9:00 am—9:50 am or 11:15 am—12:15 pm.
6th -- 8th GRADE— MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWS
Middle School students meet on Wednesday evenings from 6:30 - 8:30.
9th - 12th GRADE -- HIGH SCHOOL NEWS
High School students meet on Sunday evenings from 6:00 - 9:00. They meet EVERY Sunday, except Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Easter.
Texts and Materials
All texts and teaching materials used in our Religious Education and Faith Formation sessions are in conformity to the guidelines of the United States Conferences of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. These texts have been reviewed by, and are on the Approved List of, the Office of Religious Education of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City.
Catechists
Each Religion Education or Faith Formation session is led by a Catechist (teacher), and helped by a Classroom Aide. Catechists and Classroom Aides are parishioner volunteers who have committed passing on the Catholic Faith in the classroom on a year-by-year basis. Catechists and Classroom Aides aged 18 years and above have undergone the Archdiocesan Safe Environment training, which includes an OSBI (Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation) criminal background check.
Catechists are also required to take part in annual Certification Classes provided by the Director of Religious Education using materials approved by the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City.