St Mary's Parish: "What to Expect this Year in Religious Education"

What to Expect this Year in Religious Education

After reading all of the survey entries (thank you to all of you who submitted the survey) and taking into consideration the amount of teachers that we need to run the program, we have decided to follow a “hybrid” model for the year 2021/2022.  This model is based on the Religious Education model called “Domestic Church”. 

We help and support you as parents as you directly help your child(ren) grow in our faith.  Hopefully, by your teaching, daily actions and example, and by your participation at Sunday Mass, your child(ren) learns “The Ways of Our Faith” which you promised as parents at your children's Baptism so many years ago.

The plan is actually straight forward and easy to follow. Students will complete the book assignments at home and submit them periodically as they did this past year. In addition, we will rotate each grade level into the building for enrichment and review classes and the ability for the kids to all be together with us. Please see below for specific information regarding classes and scheduling.

Religious Education Program

2021/2022

Grade 1 (Fall Semester):  Students will complete a binder supplied by the Religious Education Office at home with their parents. This will be done between October—December at your child’s own pace. 

                                       
Grade 1 (Spring Semester):  Students will come to class every other week and complete their book work together, along with short assignments to be done at home.  

Classes will be offered on Mondays and Tuesdays only.  You will choose which day works best for your child.

Grade 2 (Fall Semester):  Students will come to class every week and complete their book work together, along with short assignments to be done at home. 

Grade 2 (Spring Semester):  Students will come to class every other week and complete their book work together, along with short assignments to be done at home.

Classes will be offered on Mondays and Tuesdays only.  You will choose which day works best for your child.

Grades 3-8 (Fall Semester + Spring Semester):  Students will complete their book work at home as they did this year and submit the work.  Approximately every six weeks there will be an “in person” class for enrichment and review.  

Classes will be offered on Wednesdays and Thursdays--only one grade per week.  You will choose which day works best for your child.

ALL CLASSES FOR GRADES 1-8 MEET 

FROM 4:00 PM — 5:00 PM

Grades 9 + 10 (Fall Semester + Spring Semester):  Students will complete six chapters (three in the fall semester and three in spring semester) per year of the Decision Point book.  These chapters will be submitted at the end of the Fall Semester and the end of the Spring Semester. 

There will be a large group gathering at the beginning of Confirmation 1 and Confirmation 2.  These lessons will be taught by a guest speaker.

In addition the students will be responsible for community service each semester.  They will be required to do three things (each semester) for someone other than themselves and their family.  Be creative and think outside of the box.  A summary of these activities will be turned in with each semester’s work.  More information will follow.

At the beginning and end of the year, the students will all come together for a class. We will have a guest speaker at each of these classes.

For additional information visit St Mary's

https://www.stmarysfranklin.org/

 

St Mary's Parish: "What to Expect this Year in Religious Education"

FM #575 - Talk Franklin - 06/25/21 (audio)

FM #575 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 575 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares my "Talk Franklin" conversation with Town Administrator Jamie Hellen. We had our conversation via conference bridge to adhere to the ‘social distancing’ requirements of this pandemic period.

We talk about: 

Maple Hill status

Staffing changes; committee/board re-appointments

Re-opening continues, more meetings in person allowed

Farmers Market, 4th of July; concerts on the common – Cultural Festival

 

Links to the key topics covered here are included in the show notes. The recording runs about 26 minutes, so let’s listen to my conversation with Jamie.

Audio file => https://player.captivate.fm/5f5bfaa1-b85f-46ea-ba17-8c72c732f308

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Franklin Community Profile  =>   https://mecc.memberclicks.net/assets/2021CommunityProfiles/FRANKLIN.pdf

 

Pop Shop Franklin -> https://www.franklinma.gov/economic-development/pages/pop-shop-franklin 

 

Town Council 06/23/21 Agenda folder -> https://www.franklinma.gov/town-council/agenda/june-23-town-council-agenda

 

Town Council 06/23/21 Agenda doc (including connection info) ->  https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/agendas/6-23-21_town_council_agenda.pdf

My notes from the Town Council 06/23/21 meeting

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/06/recap-town-council-meeting-deserved.html

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We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.  

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

 

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

• If you don't like something here, please let me know

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/ or www.franklin.news/

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

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You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

 

FM #575 - Talk Franklin - 06/25/21 (audio)

FHS baseball falls short In D1 South final To Xaverian - 5-4

 

"The Franklin baseball team came up just short in the D1 South Sectional Final against Xaverian, but it sure wasn’t for a lack of effort.

The Panthers rallied to get within one run twice and had the tying run in scoring position in the bottom of the seventh but couldn’t get over the hump, falling 5-4 to the visiting Hawks.

Franklin had a hit in five of the seven innings, putting a runner in scoring position in four of those frames. The Panthers pushed across three runs in the bottom of the fourth and made it a one-run game again with a run in the sixth, but Franklin also left the bases loaded in two innings and left a runner in scoring position in two other frames.

“It was a great game, both teams competed hard and both teams had opportunities…they just made a few more plays than we did today,” said Franklin head coach Zach Brown. “We certainly applied pressure and had our chances, even right there to the end. But unfortunately, some walks, some miscues…and they had two big blows. I’m just really proud of this team, especially the seniors."

Continue reading the game recap by Ryan Lanigan, founder and Editor-in-Chief of HockomockSports.com

https://hockomocksports.com/franklin-baseball-falls-short-in-south-final-to-xaverian/

For a photo gallery from this game

https://hockomocksports.smugmug.com/2020-2021/Spring-2021/Franklin-Xaverian-Baseball-06-28-21/

Franklin junior reliever James Kuczmiec threw two perfect innings of relief for the Panthers. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

Flower Alley has its first mural

"One mural done, and more to come! The FDP continues to coordinate the installations of murals on Flower Alley off East Central St. Stop by to see this amazing mural by artist Peg Munson."

Shared from Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/243620642485745/posts/1787627298085064/

For more about the Franklin Downtown Partnership, visit their page

https://www.franklindowntownpartnership.org/

Flower Alley has its first mural

"human behavior is far more important in shaping the course of the pandemic than any variant"

"News headlines and health experts on social media are sounding the alarm over another variant of the coronavirus, this time Delta, claiming it is much more contagious and perhaps more lethal than any other variant seen so far. It’s easy to understand why: New variants of the virus continue to emerge, and cases are rising in many countries. But whether new variants pose a unique or substantial risk is still unknown, and as virologists, we are concerned that misunderstanding variants and the risk they pose can cause confusion and panic.

As the coronavirus spread globally, its genome changed — mutated — as expected for any virus. These mutations may affect the virus’s “fitness,” its ability to reproduce and spread. Some mutations weaken a virus, some have no measurable effect, and some make it stronger.

As a virus becomes more fit, it will outcompete less fit viruses — and Delta is not the first variant that has beat its predecessors and competitors in certain areas. There’s the Alpha variant that first became dominant in Britain, and the Gamma variant that first became dominant in Brazil. Such changes are not unique to the coronavirus. Increased viral fitness happens during every flu season and is why some flu variants may circulate more widely than others.

Just because a variant displaces another does not necessarily mean it is more infectious or more deadly to the people who become infected with it. As has been true for the past year and a half, human behavior is far more important in shaping the course of the pandemic than any variant."

Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/27/opinion/covid-vaccine-variants.html

Peter van Agtmael/Magnum Photos

Get your "Lions Club Donut" at the Franklin Honey Dew locations

For the month of July as we kick off the new "Lion Year",  you can buy a "Lions Club Donut" at the Franklin Honey Dew locations. All proceeds will benefit the local charities of the Franklin Lions Club.

PURPLE: stands for loyalty to friends and to one's self, and for integrity of mind and heart. GOLD: symbolizes sincerity of purpose, liberality in judgement, purity in life and generosity in mind, heart and purpose toward humanity.

Visit the Franklin Lions on the internet at https://e-clubhouse.org/sites/franklinma/

Get your "Lions Club Donut" at the Franklin Honey Dew locations

"members simply could not reach a consensus on an issue that became incredibly controversial"

"AFTER 16 MONTHS of work, members of a commission tasked with updating the state’s laws for reporting child abuse have failed to reach an agreement and will not make any recommendations to the Legislature.  

The report of the mandated reporter commission is scheduled to be released Wednesday. At a meeting Monday, commission members decided to include in that report a summary of their deliberations and of feedback obtained in a public comment period – but not to vote on any legislative recommendations.  

“There’s no recommendations,” confirmed the state’s child advocate, Maria Mossaides, who chairs the commission, after the meeting.  

Asked why the commission decided not to make any recommendations, Mossaides said she was “unwilling to speak for the commission on that matter,” and she would let the document speak for itself when it is released. "

Continue reading the article online
https://commonwealthmagazine.org/state-government/commission-on-child-abuse-reporting-fails-to-reach-consensus/