Religious Education Newsletter
April 2023
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Message from the Director
Jessie Adrians, Director of Religious Education
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They devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to communal life, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers. . . All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their property and possessions and divide them among all according to each one’s need.. . They ate their meals with exultation and sincerity of heart,
praising God and enjoying favor with all the people.
And every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.
Acts 2: 42, 44-47
Happy Easter! Easter is my favorite holiday for many reasons, but one of them is rooted in my childhood experience of gathering at my Grandma’s house in Green Bay for a big meal with my loud relatives. At its peak the table stretched from the dining room into the living room with not one, but two card tables in order to seat each person in our extended Johannes family. Grandma’s table was a site to behold with real china plates, real silver utensils, and lots and lots of food. Before we could eat, we somehow got everyone quiet enough so prayers could be said and then we all dug in, with the most coveted prize being a piece of her chocolate angel pie. I loved every chaotic minute of it, and at the center of that chaos was my Grandma, a person whose home was always full of enough food, room, and love for everyone. I knew that no matter where I was, I could knock on her door and be welcomed with an offer of food, a cup of tea, and an honest answer. I could share with her joys and troubles, and she would offer advice, wisdom, and courage. I always had a place with her. That sense of belonging was the best gift I ever got from her. (It was even better than chocolate pie!)
This experience of belonging is something we all yearn for and when both my mom and Grandma passed away within six months of each other, I felt myself adrift. It was especially difficult because Andrew was only one year old at the time, and there were lots of things about raising a child that I wanted to ask but couldn’t. I imagine that the way I felt was similar to the way the disciples felt after Jesus’ death, resurrection and eventual ascension into heaven. Like a family Jesus and his disciples ate together, laughed together, cried together, and prayed together. At the center of that family was Jesus, and within the span of 40 days (Less than two months!) Jesus died, rose, and ascended into heaven. Talk about an emotional roller coaster! What were they supposed to do? Where did they belong?
The disciples did not need to wait long to find the answer to their question of belonging. Jesus had given them a gift, a gift whose value was not truly realized until Jesus had ascended into heaven. It was the same gift my mom and grandma gave me by virtue of my baptism, and that was the gift of community. After Jesus’ ascension into heaven and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the disciples devoted themselves to communal life which included breaking bread together, praying together and providing for each other’s needs. The way they cared for each other so inspired others, that more and more people started to join them in spreading the Good News of Jesus’ victory over death and sin.
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If I were to recount the many ways during the past year alone that I was supported by my St. Raphael Church family as a mother, wife, and child of God, it would fill many more pages that you would probably want to read, but there is one particular incident that happened at the Easter Vigil that truly demonstrates this care: Andrew and I were part of a large crowd of people that were standing outside as the Paschal fire was lit. After the lighting of the fire , we all made our way back into church, and as usual, my little man likes to be at the head of the crowd. (It was dark and he was on a mission to get his candle lit first.) I had a moment of panic as he slipped away and then I saw John, a parishioner I have known for years (I taught his son’s 5th grade RE class almost 20 years ago) gently guide him as he walked so that Andrew was in step with me as we all followed the Light of Christ into the darkened church. |
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Soon the church was ablaze as each of us held our individual candles. Together in Christ, we drove out the darkness. I am not alone. Andrew is not alone. Because of our church family, we will never be alone. As a church family we follow in the footsteps of the Disciples every time we gather to pray and break bread at Mass. But that sense of caring for each other extends well beyond the hour a week we are at Mass. We care for each other and those around us in so many ways driving out the darkness of this world with the Light of Christ within us. We do this by ministering to each other in a variety of ways, each one according to the gifts God has given them. |
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As we approach the end of the RE school year, I want to thank each one of you for journeying with us as a disciple of Jesus. I am VERY excited to continue our journey in the 2023/2024 school year. (Registration for grades 4K-10 will be available online on May 1st.) However, you don’t have to wait until next fall to continue your journey as a family of faith. Here are three simples ways to stay connected as a church family this summer:
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Attend Mass on Vacation: Many of us take road trips in the summer, and there is no need to go without the nourishment of the Eucharist. Once you plan your vacation, investigate the local parishes and select one to attend.
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Family Pilgrimage: A pilgrimage is a trip that is taken where the focus is growing closer to God, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t fun! There are several pilgrimage sites in Wisconsin, including Our Lady of Champion (formerly Good Help), which is a little more than an hour away from Oshkosh! Click here for a listing of pilgrimage sites in Wisconsin.
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Stay Connected: St. Raphael offers several opportunities for youth and families to gather in community during the summer including:
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Vacation Bible School: Grades 4K-5, August 7th-11th
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Love Begins Here: Grades 6-8, June 11th-14th
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Summer Aftershock: Grades 9-12, Mondays 6-8 pm, June-August
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Family Fun: We will also be offering several family events, so check your email regularly for updates.
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However you decide to grow as a family in faith this summer, know Josh, Andrew and I are praying for you! Please pray for us!
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Jessie Adrians
Director of Religious Education
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Family Outreach
Kathy Baehman, Youth Ministry Assistant & Family Outreach Coordinator
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Jesus Has Risen…He Has Risen Indeed!!
I hope you are having a wonderful Easter Season! One of the things I love about Easter is that we celebrate it for so long!
Most people think of Easter as a single day. It’s never had the commercial appeal of Christmas, and because it always falls on Sunday, most people don’t get an additional day off from work. But for Catholics, Easter isn’t just a day, it’s a whole season. The Easter season stretches all the way to the feast of Pentecost. Lent, which sometimes feels like it’s stretching on forever, is actually 40 days long. Easter, on the other hand, is 50 days long!
How can your family sustain this “Easter spirit” of celebration all the way to Pentecost? Here are some ways to celebrate the fifty days. But don’t try to do them all each week, just pick a few ideas that seem right for you and your family. You’ll be rejoicing long after the last jelly bean is gone!!
- Use a special candle at family meals to recall the light of Christ.
- Add an “alleluia” song or 3 alleluias to your grace before meals.
- Celebrate new life by doing something as a family to support unborn children and their parents.
- Visit a lonely neighbor or do some other family act of kindness to express thanks for the resurrection.
- Use a special container for newly blessed water from church. Show your kids how to use holy water.
- Take a trip to an interesting shrine or church.
- Discuss what it means to be Christ’s “witnesses” Luke 24:13-35; Help each family member to see that their witness matters.
- Learn a prayer to the Holy Spirit to use in your family prayer time.
- Fly a kite to celebrate the wind of the Holy Spirit.
- Find ways to make Sunday meals special during the Easter Season.
- Continue the “special Sunday meal” tradition to celebrate jesus’ resurrection all year.
I hope you have a wonderful time celebrating the Easter Season with your families!
We are Easter people and Alleluia is our song!
Kathy Baehman
Family Outreach Coordinator
Youth Ministry Assistant
kathy.baehman@raphael.org
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Sunday School
Gwendolyn Larsen, Sunday School Coordinator
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Happy Easter Families!
Christ has Risen, Alleluia! The Lord is so good. As we are coming to the end of this school year, I want to thank all the families who have allowed their children to learn through Sunday School this year. It has been a joy to see all the students grow and understand God and all the love that He has for each of us!
For our final Sunday School class, we will be learning about the story of David and Goliath. I thought this would be a good final lesson to send the students with for the summer. David learns that if he has faith in God then anything is possible!
We will also be having a small end of the year celebration, where we will be able to share our alphabet books with each other, play easter bingo, and complete some other fun activities.
In what ways have you seen God working in your life? How can you be a God sighting for others in your life?
Have a wonderful summer,
Gwendolyn Larsen
(gwendolyn.larsen@raphael.org)
Sunday School Coordinator PK/K
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Elementary School
Jenifer Jensen, Elementary School Coordinator
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April, already? What? Wait! So much more to see, to do, to experience with your beautiful kiddos! Most memorable? Hmmm- Everyone had a class time to use Playdough!
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You read right. Most classes focused on the sacraments & their symbols, but 4th grade- a favorite for me- were given items to create a circuit to show the light of Jesus. Heavenly vs. Earthly happiness while learning about the 8 Beatitudes. Many other fun lessons pop into mind too.Hopefully they have shared these take home activities with you throughout the year.
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Your children have grown in Christ and will continue to do so with your guidance and love. Thank you for being their domestic church♥ I look forward to having them registered next year and helping you to continue to grow these beautiful children into friends and followers of Jesus.
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Middle & High School Youth Ministry
Michael Wilms, Youth Ministry & MS/HS RE
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Praise the Lord!...Now and forever!!
Happy Easter!! As we conclude our year for religious education, we continue to celebrate in the joy of the Resurrection of Christ. I had the joy of being at the Parish this year for Holy Week and it was beautiful! Here are a few highlights that I was able to witness:
- Seeing the Church and the parking lot filled! It was such an amazing sight to see everyone return to encounter the Lord throughout Triduum, I didn’t even mind parking down Abbey road since there were no spots left.
- Seeing all of the volunteers from environment, music, liturgy and staff members who have been preparing for this great time with such love and humility
- Serving with our youth at a few of the Masses; it is always a joy to see young people outside of the classroom and to get to serve together.
- Witnessing 6 youth enter the Church at Easter Vigil. They desired Jesus, they initiated entering into the Church and the parish supported them. How beautiful a gift that is! A Special thanks to their families, mentors and Kathy for walking with them in their faith journey and sharing it with us.
With the Easter season comes the winding down of the Religious Education year. Thank you so much to all of the Catechists for their endless witness and selfless giving. This year would not have been possible without them. Thank you parents and guardians for making faith a priority in your life and in your child’s life, keep up the great work! None of us are perfect or have all the answers, but being present and showing the youth the faith as something of value and great importance is the most amazing gift we can give. It’s all about walking together, and that is precisely where we can encounter the Risen Lord (Luke 24:13-35).
Lastly, thank you students, you are the reason that I am here at Saint Raphael. You help me to grow, to be better, you show me how amazing you are and how much God has blessed me in my life. This year has been a tremendous blessing, and I am truly grateful for growing together with you. Even though it is now Summer, you are always welcome to stop by, reach out for prayers or support, or contact us to find out other ways to stay involved over the summer. Stay tuned for a few new exciting opportunities over the summer and coming up next year!!
Upcoming Events and Retreats:
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Catholic Youth Expeditions (CYE): Retreats for middle, high school and families! Located in beautiful Door County WI, CYE offers retreats that combine nature, community, prayer and fun for all ages. Visit https://www.cyexpeditions.org/ to find out more
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Summer Aftershock Mondays 6-8pm (summer): High School students (entering 9th grade to just graduating) are welcome to join us throughout the summer on Mondays from 6-8pm, from June to August for our social nights. Each week we will gather for outdoor activities, snacks and community, bring a friend!
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June 11-14th: Love Begins Here (De Pere): Open to all middle schoolers (those who will be entering 6th grade to those who just completed 8th). Last year we had an amazing time hosting LBH! This year we will be traveling to De Pere for the first option of LBH this summer. St Raphael has reserved 20 spots, open on a first come, first serve basis. (Other dates are available if unable to attend this week) https://www.gbresources.org/lovebeginshere.html
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Camp LifeTeen: HS RE option #1- June 19-22 + 26-29, 1-5:30pm. Camp LT is back, if interested in signing up your soon to be 9/10th grader, please refer to the parish website to register.
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Aug 12th, “Truly Alive,” A Blessed Carlo Acutis High School Youth day. Located at the Shrine of Our Lady of Champion (formerly Good Help).
Blessed Carlo Acutis…Pray for us!
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Michael Wilms (michael.wilms@raphael.org)
Youth Minister/Faith Formation
Grades 6-12
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Some content in this section may be from FORMED, a Catholic content digital platform that provides 24/7 access to video-based study programs, feature films, audio presentations, and eBooks. St. Raphael has a parish-wide subscription, so sign up for your FREE account by visiting formed.org/signup and searching for St. Raphael the Archangel in Oshkosh, WI.
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Youtube
Receiving Jesus in the Eucharist is the greatest gift! That is why He gives us such a big mission after this powerful encounter!
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Youtube
Communion and community come from God; isolation and division come from sin and the devil. Fr. Mark-Mary describes how, in fact, heaven is the most intense communal experience imaginable. This desire for community—which will be fulfilled when we reach our true home—is not only written on our hearts, but all over creation.
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Youtube
A new Gallup survey found that the proportion of Americans who consider themselves members of a faith community has dropped below 50% for the first time in American history. In 1999, around 70% of Americans attended a church, synagogue, or mosque--today it's just 47%. Bishop Barron and Brandon discuss these results, what they mean, and why it matters whether someone belongs to a church.
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Check the youth page on the St. Raphael website for calendar updates.
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Religious Education
920 233 8044
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