Dear Religious Education Parents,
Welcome to the St. Norbert Religious Education Program. We hope the time the children spend in class will help them know the love of Christ.
When parents let children know the importance of God in their own lives, children can understand that they, too, can have a relationship with God. By demonstrating their reliance on God, modeling a prayer life and by taking part in our communal worship at mass, parents plant the seeds of faith that will grow as children develop in other ways.
To assist parents when they bring their children to mass, St. Norbert Parish has endeavored to make our Sunday worship a welcoming experience for families in several ways. At the 9:30 Sunday mass children are invited to join the celebrant around the altar for the "Our Father." During the school year the 9:30 mass is the time for Children's Liturgy of the Word. I encourage you to have your children join the Kindergarten to 5th grade students as they gather in the church hall to celebrate the Liturgy of the Word in a way designed just for them.
Grade level masses where specific grades have a special part in the mass are schedules throughout the school year on Sundays. The children join the celebrant in the opening procession and add their own gifts for the needy to the offertory procession. Please see the schedules for Children's Liturgy Sundays and Grade Level masses in this handbook.
Parents can foster a faith life in their child by praying with them at mass, talking to them about their own faith in God and having them attend religion classes. The goal of St. Norbert RE is to assist families in this important parental role.
We ask God's blessing on all of our families and catechists as we begin another year of faith.
Judy Klein
Directory of Religious Education
Fall, 2011
Dear Parents,
Faith formation is a life long process. Sometimes this is misunderstood because we have connected the Religious Education process to coincide with the academic year. We never really graduate from Religious Ed/Faith formation like we do in an academic career. We are never quite finished with our formation because our God is never quite finished with us. I know that in my own life I have learned more about God since my ordination than I did before it. Faith formation is acknowledging, tending to and learning about our relationship with God. Like any relationship, if we take it for granted it will begin to fade and eventually will fail us.
My desire for both you and your children is to help you strengthen your relationship with God. I have this desire because of what it says in the gospel of John, “I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete.” God’s desire for us is to know His joy and to know it completely. It is a joy that this world cannot give us. It is a joy that is so fulfilling and life giving that it transcends this life and we know it is from God.
I pray our efforts this year will strengthen you and your children’s relationship with God and in doing so deepen the joy of knowing God and God’s love for you.
In Christ,
Fr. Bob Heinz, Pastor
|
