St. Bruno & St. Richard
Religious Education for 2021-2022 Catechetical Year
Welcome to St. Bruno & St. Richard Religious
Education Program, a Spirit-filled journey of Catholic faith formation with child, parent and catechist being led by Jesus. We are grateful and honored to join your family’s faith journey. Together all of us grow in our love for and relationship with God.
CLASS TIMES -- Our faith formation program for the 2021-2022 Catechetical Year will begin on Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2021 and continue through May 11. Please see the Calendar for more details.. As part of the program, your children will attend classes on Wednesday evenings from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at St. Richard School. We will have onsite in-person classes. No remote options will be offered this year.
PARENT SUPPORT IS ESSENTIAL -- Parent support of and participation in their children’s religious education is essential, as parents are their first and primary teachers of the Catholic faith. And please know that our parish team is here to support your family’s faith journey. We do God’s work together, helping each other achieve our most important goal in life of getting to heaven.
RELIGIOUS ED QUICK LINKS
We are relying on your partnership to help ensure we can provide a safe learning environment and remain open without undue interruption. Therefore, we ask you to carefully read, sign and return to the Parish Office a Family Pledge to verify that you understand and agree to our health and safety protocols. English / Spanish / Polish
Archdiocese of Chicago Religious Education Operations Guide
This document contains in its entirety the health and safety guidelines for Religious Education recommended by the Archdiocese of Chicago. English / Spanish / Polish
HEALTH & SAFETY A PRIORITY -- Protecting the health and safety of our students and their families, as well as our volunteers and parish staff, while providing an excellent, in-person faith formation experience, remain our priorities. Based on the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), consultation from our team of medical advisors, and the Archdiocesan COVID-19 Task Force, we will follow the same protocols set forth by the Archdiocese’s Office for Catholic Schools. This includes:
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Masking -- Given the new evidence on the COVID-19 Delta variant and the rising infection and hospitalization rates, and in keeping with State of Illinois mandates and with the recommendations of public health authorities, we will start the program year requiring masks for all individuals while inside parish and school buildings, regardless of vaccination status;
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Physical Distancing and Classroom Seating – In all situations, we will work to maintain three feet of physical distancing wherever possible, especially in classrooms and during out-of-class group activities;
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Family Pledge -- We will have fewer restrictions than we did last year but we still need your partnership to help ensure our programs provide a safe learning environment and remain open without undue interruption. Therefore, we ask you to carefully read, sign and return our Family Pledge to verify that you understand and agree to our health and safety protocols.
The Archdiocese of Chicago strongly encourages all eligible participants, volunteers and staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as an act of Charity. Please CLICK HERE to see in its entirety all of the health and safety protocols for Religious Education programming recommended by the Archdiocese of Chicago.
Preparing for the Sacraments of Reconciliation, Communion & Confirmation
FOR PARENTS OF 2nd GRADE STUDENTS –If your child did not participate in 1st Grade
Religious Ed last year (2020-2021) and, as a 2nd Grader, will receive the Sacraments of
Reconciliation and Holy Communion this year, you will need to register your 2nd Grader for
both 2nd Grade RE and Sacramental Prep for First Holy Communion. Your child will also need to
participate in a 1st Grade Catch-Up Class. More details on the catch-up class will be forthcoming.
FOR PARENTS OF 8th GRADE STUDENTS – If your child did not participate in 7th Grade Religious Ed last year (2020-2021) and, as an 8th Grader, will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation this year, you will need to register your 8th Grader for both 8th Grade RE and Sacramental Prep for Confirmation. Your child will also need to participate in a 7th Grade Catch-Up Class. More details on the catch-up class will be forthcoming.
IF YOUR CHILD WAS SUPPOSED TO RECEIVE 1ST HOLY COMMUNION OR CONFIRMATION LAST YEAR BUT DIDN’T – If your child did not attend the 2nd year Sacramental Prep last year via Zoom but did attend the 1st year of Sacramental Prep in-person in 2019-2020, then your child is eligible this year to attend the 2nd year of Sacramental Prep to make either their Reconciliation/Communion or Confirmation. Parents must show proof that their child did complete the 1st year of Sacramental Prep in 2019-2020 to be placed in the 2nd year of Sacramental Prep for this year.
Registration, Fees and Payment for Religious Education
Registration -- Registration for the 2021-2022 Catechetical Year of Religious Education is now open online. Please read the following registration and payment information carefully and then click the Registration Link to begin registering your child(ren).
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One Registration for Per Student is Required – You must complete one registration form in its entirety for each child being registered for Religious Education.
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Completing One Registration Form Will Take Several Minutes -- We suggest you look over the questions prior to completing the form. Once you've answered all the questions on the form, click "Submit" to complete the registration. IF YOU NEED TO COMPLETE REGISTRATION FOR ANOTHER CHILD, please return to this page (St. Richard's Religious Education Home Page) and click one of the registration links to begin registering another child.
Fees – We are grateful to say that there will be no increase in Religious Education fees this year. The registration, catechetical materials and sacramental fees will remain the same as they were at last year at St. Richard for all 1st through 8th grade students. There is a $25 fee for registration per student, as well as costs associated with catechetical materials used for instruction and receiving the sacraments of 1st Holy Communion and Confirmation. The fees for this year are as follows:
Registration & Catechetical Instruction
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One (1) Child – $225 Total – This includes $25 Registration Fee, plus a $200 Catechetical Instruction Fee.
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Two Children – $325 Total – This includes a $25 Registration per child, plus a discounted Catechetical Instruction fee of $275 for two students.
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Three or More Children – $400 Total - This all-inclusive discounted fee covers Registration and Catechetical Instruction Fees if you are enrolling three or more children in religious education this year.
Sacramental Instruction Fees
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First Holy Communion -- $50 Prep Fee
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Confirmation -- $50 Prep Fee
Payment Options – We are hopeful that maintaining our Religious Education Fees from last year will help our families better afford the cost of forming their children in our Catholic faith and we have the following payment options for this year.
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Online --You can pay for your Religious Education Fees online via our Give Central payment page. Paying online will allow you to select the date of payment that works best for your family. You can pay in full or select to make weekly, bi-weekly or monthly payments. Simply scroll down to the correct payment options on St. Richard's Give Central webpage.
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Pay by check or cash -- You may drop off a payment in full at the St. Richard Parish Office, 5030 S. Kostner Ave., Chicago, 60632. Please make checks payable to “St. Bruno and St. Richard Parish.”
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Arrange a different payment option -- We never want the cost of Religious Education to be a burden for any family or a barrier to a child being formed in our faith. If for any reason you need to set up a different payment option, please contact Kathy Kerwin, our Religious Education Coordinator, via email at kerwink03@gmail.com or call the Parish Office at 773-585-1221 and leave a message for her.
If you have questions about Religious Education, please contact Kathy Kerwin via email at kerwink03@gmail.com or call the Parish Office at 773-585-1221 and leave a message for her.
We look forward to growing in faith with you and your family this coming year and are keeping your family in our prayers.
