Kerry Acker, Director of Religious Education
kacker@amarillo.church
Parish Office:  (806) 358-2461, ext. 106


St. Thomas offers Religious Education classes through the school-year to children Pre-K through 12th grade.

Pre-K classes meet Sundays during 9:00 AM and 11:15 AM masses (September - May).

Children's classes meet Sundays between 10:05 AM and 11:05 AM (September - May).

If you are interested in becoming a catechist, a catechist assistant, or a substitute for a class when needed, please contact the RE office.

Religious Education 2020-2021

The Diocese of Amarillo has given each parish some in-person class guidelines to follow to help keep children safe this year. In addition, families can opt to have at-home religious education this year. Please read the following:  

• In-person:
  • These classes will be prioritized for sacramental-aged kids due to the restrictions we must follow.
    • Each student and catechist must wear a mask.
    • Each student will socially distanced in the room.
    • There will be special drop off places for students as parents will not be allowed in the building except for special cases and then only with a mask.
    • Each student will have his/her temperature checked upon arrival.
    • Each student (or parent) should do a health check at home prior to coming to the church for class. Any child or catechist who knows of COVID exposure must stay home until a negative test is received and 14 days since exposure have passed. Additionally, if a child or catechist has any symptoms of COVID, they must stay home until well and at least 10 days have passed. All lessons can be completed at home with online access.
• At-home:
  • Parents or grandparents can lead weekly lessons for their kids with support and training offered by RE staff. Every family who takes this option will receive a take-home kit with materials, a child-aged Bible, a rosary, and other ways to create a sacred home space. RE staff will reach out to you on a monthly or more basis to make sure that you have all you need and feel empowered to share our faith with your children!
  • Parents can also opt to have their child sign up for a class that will be led by a catechist in a virtual setting. RE staff will still be checking in on you to make sure your family’s educational and spiritual needs are being met. Materials will be sent home to make everything as easy as possible!

• “In-person if possible on Sundays” (for Reconciliation/1^st Communion I and II, Confirmation I and II, and RCIC I and II only)
• “In-person on a weeknight if possible.” This option is only available for 3^rd-6^th grade students if a catechist and enough families are interested. More information will follow if you choose this option.
• “At-home with a parent leading.” This option is available to anyone. Students in sacramental years (listed below) will have to turn in work on a monthly basis and will have to participate in an interview prior to receiving the sacrament for which they are preparing.
• “At-home with a catechist teaching virtually if possible.” This option is available to anyone.

1. Parents can opt for religious formation through their own teaching at home. We have some very easy-to-use materials!
2.  Parents can opt to have a virtual catechist. There will be no in-person Sunday morning instruction this year for these grade levels.
3. Parents can select “In-person class if possible on a weeknight” if they would be interested in having their child attend an in-person class with a catechist on a day other than Sunday. If this option is selected, parents will be contacted with more information to determine time and place.

• Yes! We still would LOVE to have your help this year!! There are different ways in which you can volunteer:
  • Be a catechist: if an adult (anyone 18 or older) who is a practicing Catholic in good standing with the Church and who has completed all sacraments of initiation. This year, you can sign up as a catechist to teach in person or virtually. Anyone who signs up to be a catechist for a group of students will not have to pay the materials fee.
  • Be a catechist assistant: an assistant should have completed the sacraments of initiation and be in at least high school. Anyone who signs up to be an assistant for a group of students will not have to pay the materials fee.
  • Be a substitute: an adult 18 or older who is a practicing Catholic in good standing with the Church and has completed all Sacraments of Initiation who is willing to cover classes when needed.

• Returning families (i.e. were enrolled for the 2019-2020 year), you will just answer a series of questions so that we can update our files. You will also have the opportunity to add another child or remove a child who was enrolled last year but who will not attend this year. We are offering this option since we already have your information on file and just need to update it!
• Families new to the RE program: you will fill out a completely new registration form. Please note: you do need to register with the parish first!

• Yes, because we still have to pay for the materials that you are using to educate your child(ren).

• Classes start for sacramental kids on Oct. 4, 2020 at 10:05 a.m.! More details to follow!
• Classes for other grades will begin in October as well. Exact date and time will be determined once registrations are received.

• These are amazing questions!! Actually, when your child is baptized, parents and godparents agree to raise the child in our Catholic faith!! While the Church needs to provide ongoing support to parents, priests, staff, and catechists can only do so much. Therefore, the Church’s role is really supplemental to the main role provided by parents. Recent studies have shown that the #1 way to make sure your child stays Catholic is to have his/her parents take the #1 role in their faith formation! This year is difficult in so many ways, but it is also an opportunity for us to empower and support parents in their role as primary faith formers for their children. So to enroll in RE is a way for the Church to actively support and provide for families a way to grow in their faith even during this difficult time. Together, we can do this!

• That’s ok!!! No matter what your own knowledge of the Catholic Faith is, please don’t fear to learn with your child(ren)! You don’t have to have a theology degree to teach your child(ren) that God loves them, that Jesus died and rose again for them out of love, and that the Holy Spirit is here to guide us. The only thing a parent needs to have is a regular commitment to work with your child in whatever capacity you have. Material for every grade level has been researched by RE staff and has an online option. Many of these materials have a virtual teacher who can step-by-step guide your child from home. You can choose to participate or not (although of course we hope you will join in as much as possible!!) Our hope is that this can be an opportunity for you and your child(ren) to grow in faith together and have conversations about God in a way that perhaps you haven’t had a chance for in the past. We at the Church will be here for you in any way that we can be!

Catechetical Sessions during COVID-19

Dioceses of Amarillo

DEVELOPING A PLAN FOR IN-PARISH CATECHETICAL SESSIONS

The level of planning to hold catechetical sessions in the parish buildings depends on the number of children and teens participants.  The pastor should convene a small group consisting of catechetical leaders(s), catechists, parents and a member of the Parish (Pastoral) Council to explore the situation in the parish and community and make the best decision for the families.

We need to continue providing catechesis for all – children, teens, and adults through life-long catechesis, sacramental preparation, RCIA, Adult Confirmation, etc.

How are we going to accomplish this task?

Many publishing companies are making provisions for digital learning and, as with everything some programs are better than others in content and cost.
This pandemic has brought many difficulties but I dare to say families have been given a great opportunity to share their faith with their children and teens in a more intentional way.  How is this?  Parents have the responsibility of passing on the Catholic Faith to their son and daughters.  Can they do it?  Of course they can! At first they might need a little help from the parish in regards to materials and of course all will need the opportunity to gather at least once a month in a very safe environment.

WHAT IS A SAFE ENVIRONMENT DURING THE COVID-19?

Following the guidance of local government and county health department
Requirement for parental and public notices – letting families know within at least a week before beginning catechetical activities what the parish is planning to do.
Required and recommended practices – to reduce the risk of spreading the virus.
There is currently no vaccine to prevent coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus.  While it is not possible to eliminate all risk of furthering the spread of COVID-19, the current science suggests there are many steps parish catechetical sessions can take to significantly reduce the risks to children, teens, catechists and their families.  

Disease Transmission:
·      The virus is thought to spread primarily from person to person.
·      Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).
·      Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks.
These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.
·      COVID-19 may be spread by people who are not showing symptoms (known as asymptomatic spread).

Preventative Health Measures:
·      Frequent handwashing
·      Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands and properly cover your coughs and sneezes.
·      Avoid close contact with others- stay at least 6 feet from others and do not gather in groups.
·      Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others
·      Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces.
·      Stay home if you are sick.
·      Catechetical leaders, catechists, and catechists assistants must self-screen for COVID-19 before coming to the catechetical sessions and report to the catechetical leaders if they have symptoms or have been in close contact with a person who is lab-confirmed with COVID-19.
·      Restrict visits to the catechetical sessions to those who are essential to the running of the program.
·      Develop a plan for screening children and teens to prevent the spread of the virus.

Individuals Confirmed, Suspected, or Exposed to COVID-19
·      Any individuals–including catechists, assistants, volunteers or other visitors–who themselves either: (a) are lab-confirmed to have COVID-19; or (b) experience the symptoms of COVID-19 must stay at home throughout the infection period, and cannot return to the catechetical sessions until the person has been screened to determine any of the below conditions for returning have been met:
  §  at least three days (72 hours) have passed since recovery (resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications)
  §  the individual has improvement in symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath);
  §  and at least ten days have passed since symptoms first appeared.
  §  Children, teens, catechetical leader, catechists, staff, volunteers or other campus visitors–who have had close contact with someone who is lab-confirmed to have COVID-19, as narrowly defined in this document and as determined by the appropriate public health agency, should stay at home through the 14-day incubation period, and should not be allowed on campus.
  §  All should be screened after the incubation period has concluded, and if the individual did not experience COVID-19 symptoms during that period, the individual can be allowed back on campus. If the individual experienced symptoms, they must stay at home until the conditions outlined above have been met.
·      In the case of an individual who has symptoms that could be COVID-19 and who is not evaluated by a medical professional or tested for COVID-19, such individual is assumed to have COVID-19, and the individual may not return to the campus until the individual has completed the same three-step set of criteria listed above.
·      If the individual has symptoms that could be COVID-19 and wants to return to school
before completing the above stay at home period, the individual must either (a) obtain from a medical doctor –licensed in the state of Texas, a note clearing the individual for return based on an alternative diagnosis or (b) receive two separate confirmations at least 24 hours apart that they are free of COVID-19 via acute infection tests at an approved COVID-19 testing location.  https://tdem.texas.gov/covid-19/.

Identifying Possible COVID-19 Cases at the catechetical sessions
·      Catechetical leaders must immediately separate any child or teen who shows COVID-19 symptoms while at the catechetical session until the child or teen can be picked up by a parent or guardian and immediately notify the pastor.
·      The area used by the individual who shows COVID-19 symptoms must be cleaned immediately.
·      Children and teens that report feeling feverish should be given an immediate temperature check to determine if they are symptomatic for COVID-19.

To respond appropriately to lab-confirmed cases       
Require actions for lab confirmed cases
·      Parish must notify local health department.
·      Area used by the person must be disinfected; unless, 3 days have already passed since the person was in the premises.
·      Families of all children and teens, catechists and staff must be notified of the confirmed case.

Require and recommended practices to mitigate spread in the catechetical sessions                    
General health and hygiene practices
·      Hand sanitizer and/or hand washing stations with soap and water at each entrance and the same in every room where the children and teens gather.
·      All, including adults, should sanitized and wash hands frequently.
·      Catechists must show/teach children and teens handwashing techniques
·      All should be encourage to cover coughs and sneezes.
·      Parishes should start more frequent cleaning practices with additional cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces that are touch in common (door handles, tables, desks, etc.) between different groups.
·      Cleaning products must be stored safely and harmful products are not to be used near children.
·      Windows should be open frequently to improve air flow by allowing outside air to circulate in the building

Masks and Face Shields
·      Masks include non-medical grade disposable face masks, cloth face coverings (over the nose and mouth), or full-face shields to protect eyes, nose, and mouth. Face shields may be superior to cloth face coverings in many circumstances, given improved ability to see mouth movements and improved air circulation.
·      Consistent with state and local regulations, local school district best practices and diocesan directives, all catechists, assistants and visitors must wear masks or face shields. Catechists who are distanced more than 6 feet from children and teens are not required to wear face covering during the catechetical process.  Face coverings are required outside the rooms and where people congregate in relatively close settings, for example, during meetings or in break rooms, or where people may congregate.
·      Similarly, children and teens for whom it is developmentally appropriate, should wear masks or face shields at times when they will be in close proximity to other children and teens for an extended period (i.e., when they would otherwise meet the definition of a close contact). 

o   Young children and persons who are unable to adjust or remove masks should not be regarded as suitable candidates for wearing masks or face shields. 

o   It is not developmentally appropriate for children 6 years old and below to wear masks. 

o   It may not be developmentally appropriate for some children and teens, including some with disabilities, to wear masks. 

o   For children 6 to 8 years old the determination of whether wearing a mask is developmentally appropriate is up to the catechetical leader in consultation with the child’s parent or guardian.

 Children-Catechist Groupings
·      Where feasible without disrupting the catechetical process, encourage children and teens to practice social distancing.
·      In the room children and teens should be placed a minimum of six feet apart.
·      Parishes should plan for entry, exit, and transition procedures that reduce large group gatherings (of children, teens and adults) in close proximity.