Remember that FAITH is nurtured in the home.

As a FAMILY, you have a treasure that surpasses all human expectations. That treasure is waiting to be discovered in your own home.

As a CATHOLIC, you possess a treasured heritage that can transform your life into an experience of peace and joy. That treasure, too, is waiting to be discovered in your home!

As a PARENT, (if you embrace your faith and practice it) you have a treasure to share with your children. That treasure is also waiting to be discovered in your home.

May we assist you in that discovery....

August 25, 2011

Dear Parents,

Welcome to a new year of Religious Education at St. Patrick's Church. Whether you are a returning family or brand new to our program - we are so glad you will be joining us this year! I hope you all had a restful and relaxing summer. As many of you know, St. Patrick's School was closed in June. In order for our Parish to utilize the school buildings the decision was made to rent out the Junior High building to Catholic Charities. The Catholic Charities Headstart program contract does not allow anyone else use of the facilities, therefore RE classes can only be held in the Church building. To be able to accommodate all our children we decided to add a second session on Sunday mornings. The first session will be for Kindergarten - Fifth Grade from 8:30 until 9:45. The second session will be for Grades 6 - 8 and will meet form 11:00 am until 12:00 on every Sunday except for Class Mass Sunday. On Class Mass Sunday they will attend 10:00 am Mass and then attend class from 11:00 am until 1:00 pm. If you have any questions regarding times or sessions please email me at julie_a_d@yahoo.com.

Our first day of class will be Sunday, September 18, 2011. The schedule for the day will be as follows:

8:30 - 9:45 - Parents who have not registered yet should register and pay tuition in RE Office in Church building (former library). - Parents may then join their children in class to meet the catechists and learn of their expectations.

8:30 - 9:45 - Students go to class to meet with their teachers. (Students will line up as usual in the hallway of the Primary building at 8:30.)

9:15 - 9:45 - New parents only meeting in the gym for an information session.

Your oldest child will receive a Religious Education Parent Handbook, a schedule of events, a calendar, and sacramental information. Our tuition is $125.00 for the first child for parishioners (non-parishioner fee is $125.00 for the first child) and then $25.00 for each additional child (this is a change from last year). Our sacrament fee for Communion and Confirmation is $20.00. Each child also has a $20.00 book fee for the year. It is very important that we have a baptismal certificate on file for all children who were not baptized at St. Patrick's. If you have not given us a copy of your child's certificate, please bring it with you on this first day. This is absolutely required at the time of registration. Emergency forms must be filled out for each child as well (if you have not already done so). These forms are very important and must be kept up to date and on file. You will not need to fill out a new registration form unless the information contained in the one on file is missing or incomplete. If for any reason during the school year your address, phone number or emergency contact info. changes - please advise us as soon as possible.

The textbook used by Grades K. 1, 3, 4, 5 6, 7, and 8 is Christ Our Life, published by Loyola Press. Grade 2 will continue to use The Gift of Reconciliation, and The Gift of the Eucharist published by Silver Burdett and Ginn Religion. Grade 8 will also use Confirmed In The Spirit, also published by Loyola Press

In regards to sacraments at St. Patrick's we have a two-year program. In order for your child to receive Reconciliation/Communion in Second Grade he or she must have completed First Grade AND Second Grade. And in order for your child to receive Confirmation in Eighth Grade he/she must have completed all of Seventh Grade as well as Eighth Grade. If your child is older and needs to make a sacrament then tutoring is required. Please contact me if you have any questions regarding this matter.

If you have any general questions, please call the rectory at 727-4746 or email me at the above address and I will be more than happy to answer them. I am really looking forward to seeing all of you and the children again. I hope that all of you had a wonderful summer. Thank you for your patience, cooperation and support of St. Patrick Religious Education Program.

God Bless!

Miss Julie Dillenburg
Director of Religious Education

Cc: Fr. Pete Jankowski
JD/jad

We offer the following suggestions which are possible, although sometimes difficult in fulfilling your role as the primary educators of your children in their faith development:

Praying DAILY with your children and/or reminding them to pray. Don't forget to use a little time each day for your own growth in the awareness of God and His great love for you!

Participating at Mass faithfully on Sundays and Holy Days.

Preparing for, receiving (when possible) and cherishing the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist.

Keeping the Bible in a special place of honor in your home. Reading and praying Scriptures together regularly. For example, a family prayer time once a week is a good idea. For many, a Sunday morning or evening is an ideal time.

Practicing KINDNESS and FIDELITY so that the children can absorb the reality of God's love by experiencing the faithful love of parents for each other and the tenderness of parents for their children. They will also learn the healing power of God's love as they experience forgiveness for faults and in turn learn how to forgive others.

Promoting an environment of REVERENCE and RESPECT so that the children can appreciate the importance of right relationships between God and the human person, among family members, neighbors, and all created things.

If any parent would like to help with publicity for Religious Education (taking pictures for the bulletin, writing an article or two for the parish newsletter...) or if you would like to help in any other way (Catechist Helper, Prayer Listener...), please contact Miss Dillenburg at 815-727-4746. We would love to hear from you. Thank you.