Dear Parents and Guardians,

In an effort to forward the Church's mission of protecting children from abuse, the Archdiocese of Newark is requiring all students enrolled in Faith Formation programs to complete the Empowering God’s Children® program .  Developed by Virtus, this is an age-appropriate,  comprehensive program through which educators and/or parents can give children and youth the tools they need to protect themselves if someone tries to violate their boundaries.  More information can be found in the PROGRAM OVERVIEW.

Each year, Empowering God's Children will present a theme that introduces and builds on the basic concepts of the TEACHING BOUNDARIES AND SAFETY GUIDE. The material is developmentally appropriate for each age group and includes content and activities that reinforce the message. Within each lesson plan is the ability to tailor the activities and messaging to meet the needs of the children and youth at all levels.

To meet the goals of the mission this year, St. Catherine of Siena Faith Formation will be providing families with the resources to complete the EGC program lessons during their March at-home instruction week (March 16 for Sunday students and March 26 for Wednesday students).

Thank you for your partnership with us in sharing the faith and protecting our youth.

Sincerely, 
The Faith Formation Team