Religious ed students learn, live faith

Want to know how a miracle evolves over time? It started last September at Assumption/St. Paul parish in Mechanicville.

That's when one of the fourth-grade religious education teachers introduced his students to the "Religious Answer Bowl." The class was divided into two teams that competed each week answering religious questions from their lessons. An anonymous parishioners donated $25 in prize money to the winners.

In December, the annual Christmas Tree Angel Program was dedicated to collecting items for prison ministry, and the fourth-graders donated their prize money.

The check was given to Sister Bernadette Catellier, CSJ, who was in charge of the Angel Tree Program. She forwarded to Sister Jeanne Pierre Mittnight, CSJ, who works in prison ministry at the Albany County Jail.

Sister Jeanne Pierre let the students know that their donation would be used to start a fund for a mother she had taught at the jail. The woman, who had been released and returned to her three young children, dreamed of owning a computer to help her kids and to use to write articles for publication.

Rev. William Recchuti, OSA, pastor, published the story in the church bulletin, and the local Express newspaper picked it up. Immediately, donations started pouring in to Sister Jeanne Pierre; and within a month, the fund was within striking distance of reaching its goal.

Father Recchuti then contacted Dominick Carelli, a parishioner who owns Micropulse, Inc. He reduced the price of a computer to match the donations. Jim Dimenno, an employee at Assumption/St Paul who has a vast knowledge of computers, helped pick a system to fit the needs of the family.

When Sister Jeanne Pierre delivered the computer, the mother and her children were speechless. Their dream had come true -- all because some children not only knew their faith but also practiced it.

(6/12/03) [[In-content Ad]]