Adult Education

CONTENTS

Sacramental Preparation
Infant Baptism

RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)

Marriage

Education

Adult Opportunities

NeoCatechumenal Way
Catechesis
Mondays and Thursdays

Bible Study

Tuesdays

Church History
Thursdays

Youth Opportunities

Religious Education in the Fall! It has begun!
On-site registration at St. Laurence O'Toole Elementary School
Classes: 3:30 - 4:40 p.m.
Wednesdays when school is in session.

Confirmation - Next Class
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Parents/Candidates/Sponsors Meeting #1
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
St. Laurence O'Toole School

Social Services Information and External Volunteer Opportunities
Salvation Army

There are normally two steps in the process of preparation for infant baptism. The first is to make an appointment to meet with Fr. James. The second is to attend a Baptism Preparation class.

Opportunities for Baptism Preparation Class for 2007-2008 are as follows:

2007
November 19
December - no class

2008
January 21
February 18
March 17
April 21
May 19

Only one class session is required. All are held on a Monday night, beginning at 6:00 p.m. The location is the St. Laurence O'Toole Parish office conference room, 617 S. 4th St. The class lasts approximately 1 1/2 - 2 hours. There is no charge for the class. To register for a class, please call Becky at the parish office, 745-3115. If baptism preparation is needed in Spanish, please let Becky know at the time of registration.

Please make sure when completing the "Blank for Baptism Register" that the legal names of the child or children, parents and godparents are listed, not nicknames. How names are noted on that form is what is placed on the Sacramental Register and in the Baptism Register.

Please plan ahead so that your preparation may be completed prior to the intended date of baptism. Baptisms will be held during the 10:30 a.m., Sunday Mass. In this class, the meaning of the Sacrament of Baptism is explored and the Baptism Rite explained. Godparents are also encouraged to attend.

Instructors: Irene Johnson, St. Laurence O'Toole Parish; Leah Horst, St. Paul's Newman Center

For more information or to schedule an appointment with Fr. James, please call the parish office at 745-3115.

RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
Classes for adults will begin again in the fall. For further information, please call Peggy Benedik, our RCIA Coordinator at 742-7360.

Engaged couples need to contact Father Schumacher at least six months in advance. A wedding date is considered tentative until the necessary marriage preparation is completed. Couples desiring a traditional Catholic wedding should be living a traditional Catholic lifestyle.

Elements of marriage preparation:

FOCCUS
(Facilitating Open Couple Communication, Understanding and Study.)
Honestly, it's not a test! This is an instrument to discover areas of agreement, areas of disagreement, and areas that the couple simply hasn't given much thought. The couple will discuss the survey results together, usually assisted by the parish priest. At St. Laurence O'Toole Parish, each couple sets up an appointment with Father James to take the FOCCUS and then two or three subsequent appointments to review the results.

God's Plan for a Joy-Filled Marriage
This component of marriage preparation helps a couple understand what the Catholic Church teaches about marriage. Seasoned married couples from within the St. Laurence O'Toole Parish will facilitate this fine DVD program.

The class is presented in two sessions:
Next scheduled session
Saturday and Sunday, February 9 and 10, 2008
10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Call Cindi Hewlett at 755-9704 to register.

Life Skills for a Joy-Filled Marriage
This part of marriage preparation teaches practical skills for healthy, married life. Couples will go home with handouts and tools that they can use throughout their marriage. (Length of class may vary with number of participating couples.)

There is only one session for this class.
Next scheduled session
Saturday, February 23, 2008
12:30 p.m. to approximately 4:00 p.m.

Call Cindi Hewlett at 755-9704 to register.

Location for both the "God's Plan" and the "Life Skills" classes will be the parish office conference room, 617 S. 4th St., unless otherwise noted.

For other class locations and dates, please contact Becky at the parish office, 745-3115.

Natural Family Planning
There is a healthy and effective way of planning for children that builds closeness between husband and wife and fully conforms to the Church's teaching on marriage and sexuality. It is important to learn about Natural Family Planning especially since couples using this form of family planning well are able to space and limit children with 98-99% accuracy and have a lower rate of divorce. Couples preparing for marriage will be given options for sit-down classes, on-line or home-study courses as well as a list of teaching couples in Wyoming who are available to answer questions arising from on-line and home-study materials.

Natural Family Planning "Face-to-Face" Classes in Colorado

There are normally four sessions to complete a class. Each session lasts from between 2 to 3 hours. Please ask the instructor for the cost of the class at the time you register.

Saturday, 10:00 a.m.
October 20, November 17, December 15
Fort Collins, St. Joseph
Andrew & Wendy Rankin
970-225-3837

Sunday, 1:00 p.m.
November 4, December 2, January 6, February 3
Fort Collins, St. Joseph
Matt & Karen Luttrell
970-481-5576

Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.
December 11, January 8, February 5, March 4
Fort Collins, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
Tyson & Sharla McGuffin
970-206-0887

Saturday, 10:00 a.m.
January 19, February 16, March 15
Fort Collins, St. Joseph
Andrew & Wendy Rankin
970-225-3837

Sunday, 1:00 p.m.
March 2, April 6, Mary 4, June 1
Fort Collins, St. Joseph
Matt & Karen Luttrell
970-481-5576

Saturday, 10:00 a.m.
April 19, May 17, June 21
Fort Collins, St. Joseph
Andrew & Wendy Rankin
970-225-3837

Schedule valid from April 1 to October 15, 2007. Please check the website: www.denver.ccli.org for any changes.

EDUCATION

Education Opportunities for Adults

Church History
The Church History class has concluded for the year. Watch for adult education opportunities this fall!

Education Opportunities for Youth

Religious Education, Grades 1-6, for 2007-2008 have begun!
It's not too late to register!

Instructors:
Grade 1: Marge Carlson
Grade 2: Jeanne Van Huele
Grade 3: Lynette Olson
Grade 4: Sharon Hand
Grade 5: Instructor Needed
Grade 6: Eileen Obssuth

Volunteer teachers are needed for grades 3 (second semester)and
6 (second semester)!
Substitutes are also needed!
Background checks, WYDOT check and Safe Environment Training are required.
If you would dare to take the risk of helping to mold the spiritual life of the children of our parish, please call Becky at 745-3115!
BE BRAVE! BE DARING! TEACH!

Social Services Information and External Volunteer Opportunities

Salvation Army

Information from the Laramie Service Extension Committee

Things You Should Know About Social Services That the Local Salvation Army Provides --

Emergency Services Provided:

1. Food boxes given through the pantry enable clients to prepare meals in their own homes. Food given is donated from the community through local food drives and purchased from the food bank and local vendors.

2. Vouchers to Subway Restaurant are available through the Salvation Army office and the Laramie Police Department. These are given to travelers who have missed the meal offered by the local soup kitchen.

3. A one-time per year payment may be made on past-due natural gas and/or electric bills in order to avoid service shut-off.

4. Vouchers for gasoline are given to travelers in need and on a case-by-case basis to local residents for medical appointments, job interviews and special needs.

5. Vouchers to the Salvation Army Thrift Store are given to those who cannot afford necessities such as: clothing, dishes, pots and pans, towels, blankets and household furnishings.

6. Assistance is provided for auto parts and auto repairs on a case-by-case basis. If the dollar amount is large, then Salvation Army will partner with other community organizations.

7. Emergency lodging is provided for transients and displaced individuals. Vouchers are given to local motels, who in turn bill Salvation Army for those services.

8. Bus tickets are given to stranded or needy travelers who do not have their own transportation.

9. Toiletries are given through the pantry to both travelers and residents. These include necessary items such as soap, shampoo, toothpaste and toothbrushes, feminine hygiene products and laundry detergent.