TEXARKANA — At St. Edward Parish, Sunday school is not just for children. Every Sunday morning, adults eagerly gather at the Bishop Graves Education Building, where they attend the class of their choice.
Several classes meet in the morning and one on Sunday night.
Linda Robertson, director of adult faith formation, said many adult parishioners — herself included — are hungry to learn more about their faith.
“Learning is lifelong,” she said. “As Catholics, we had thought that when we were confirmed we were done. Now all of us are getting back into our faith and learning about it, which is important. The Parish Religious Education program usually is just for children, but our PRE program covers everybody. The classes we have on Sunday mornings and evenings provide our parishioners with a way to learn all year long. I want to stress, though, that all adult formation starts with the liturgy.”
Robertson said an adult of any age may attend any of the four classes.
Participants range in age from the twenties to the eighties. The material used in each class is Church-approved curriculum. When a class completes one study, members choose another study.
One class, facilitated by parish council president Catherine Howard, is studying Scott Hahn’s “Our Father’s Plan — a Catholic Bible Study in Salvation History.” Another class is studying “Israel’s Story, Part One,” and a different class is studying Part Two. Both of those studies are published by Little Rock Scripture Study. Members rotate the teaching of these three classes. Joe and Darlene Redden facilitate another class that looks at each Sunday’s Scripture readings.
Robertson, who rotates her attendance in all four classes, said, “There have been so many graced moments in these classes where you can see something happen out of the ordinary and you can recognize God’s presence. I can think of one graced moment after another.”
An RCIA class taught by Deacon Joe Bruick also meets on Sunday mornings, Robertson said.
Mike Cigainero said of the class, “I like the people and their enthusiasm for study. I also like that these classes started small and are growing. It says a lot about our parish.”
Luanne Jacobs, who is studying the Scott Hahn material, gives her 14-year-old daughter Amber credit for her own participation in a Sunday morning class.
“Because I’ve witnessed Amber’s excitement and enthusiasm for her faith, it has renewed my own, so it was her who led me to the classes,” Jacobs said. “I’m just thankful that our parish has heeded the call for more adult classes.”
The classes inspire their members to take advantage of other learning opportunities, Robertson noted, such as enrolling in the Little Rock Theology Institute, going on pilgrimages, attending the talks of special speakers who come regularly to St. Edward, and volunteering for many other parish activities.
