Faith Formation at St. Norbert and Our Lady of the Brook
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Information about the program, tuition, volunteer discounts and class dates can be found in the pdf below.
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About the program |
St. Norbert & Our Lady of the Brook parish hopes to be a source of Christ's love, strength, comfort and joy for your families. We are here for you and your children and are committed to journeying together with you to develop and deepen your relationship with Christ.
Our Faith Formation program not only teaches children about our Catholic faith, traditions and Jesus’ love, it also engages the entire family on the journey of faith. We offer Faith & Family Nights on a quarterly basis; weekly messages to parents describing what their children are learning in the classroom and ways to continue the conversation and lessons at home; and many parish-wide adult faith formation opportunities. Our Programming K-6 Faith Formation Program Our K-6th grade program uses the Pflaum Gospel Weeklies curriculum that combines a complete catechesis of our Catholic faith with the liturgical life of the Church. The content of the program flows from each Sunday’s Gospel and students learn about their faith within the rhythms and seasons of the liturgical year. Every lesson goes home to involve parents (who hear the same Gospel on Sunday) making it easier for you to discuss topics with your children. Classes are held two times per month on Sunday mornings after the 9:30 Mass (10:45 a.m. – 12 noon) and on Tuesday evenings (4:30 p.m. – 5:45 p.m. and 6:15 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.). Parents select class day/time at registration. First Communion and First Reconciliation The preparation for First Communion and First Reconciliation is an exciting time for your children. They will finally get to sit at the Big table and receive the Eucharist along with the members of their family and friends. During the academic year they will learn about the true presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and how Jesus nourishes us in the sacrament. Likewise, they will learn about their responsibility of keeping their hearts open to the love of Jesus and how the sacrament of Reconciliation helps that. We will use a combination of resources for the sacramental preparation: Blest Are We text book and Blessed First Reconciliation & First Communion videos. Traditionally, these sacraments are received during a child’s second grade year. For those students who missed preparation due to Covid restrictions or other reasons, we will work with you to help your children make these sacraments. Parents should email JoEllen at joellen@northbrookcatholic.church to arrange a discussion about the options. Parents and other members of your family play an important role in helping form and prepare your children for these sacraments. It is important that you attend Sunday Mass as a family and to pray with your children every day. An active prayer and faith life is a practice—it requires our movement, action and repetition to notice the benefits. A simple way to teach your kids some of our common Catholic prayers and begin a practice of praying with your children is to pray at bedtime. Download the common Catholic prayers (found below) to get started. Called Confirmation Program for 7th and 8th Graders Called, our 7th and 8th grade Confirmation program, takes the students out of the classroom and brings them together for a youth group style experience. They meet in one large group for the primary lesson and prayer experience and also in small groups to discuss and make sense of what they learned about our Catholic faith. Called Confirmation is a two year program, so we alternate between two curricula. Last year, we used Pflaum Gifted in the Spirit curriculum as the primary source, which focused on the meaning of Confirmation, reviewing the Sacraments of Initiation into the Church (Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation) and being called as a Disciple of Christ. This year, we will be using Youth Alpha, which is a video series geared towards middle and senior high school students. Youth Alpha is a series of interactive video sessions that explore the basics of the Christian faith. It asks big questions, like “What am I hear for?” and “What’s the purpose of my life?” It also covers the person of Jesus, why he died for us, prayer, how we read the Bible, resisting evil and our responsibility of telling others about Jesus. Our Called Confirmation Program is designed to help our students… • Realize they are beloved children of God with distinct gifts to serve others; • Think critically about their faith and how to integrate it into their daily lives; • Consider Jesus’ invitation to accept his love and become his disciples. Our Called Confirmation program meets twice a month. The sessions begin after the Sunday 5 p.m. Mass with pizza at 6 p.m. and end with prayer about 7:30 pm. The programming takes place in the church basement, as well as the church. Students are expected to attend weekly Sunday Mass with their families. One easy option is to attend the 5 p.m. Mass on Sundays and the students can head directly to the Church Hall (lower level) at 6 p.m. for the start of the program. Confirmation is a two year program. In order to be confirmed in the 8th grade, a student must have been enrolled in a Catholic Faith Formation program or a Catholic school in the 7th grade. If your child missed the 7th grade instruction last year, please contact JoEllen at joellen@northbrookcatholic.church to arrange a time for a conversation about options. Study at Home Programs Study at home programs are available for families whose schedules do not permit regular class attendance. Approval for registration into such programs is required. Parents who are interested in pursuing this option should email JoEllen at joellen@northbrookcatholic.church to arrange a time for a conversation. The price for study-at-home programming is the same price for in-person classes.
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Calendar |
Important Dates to Remember
• Mid-June – K-8 Faith Formation registration opens. • Monday, July 31—last day to register for early bird pricing • Sunday, September 10 – Parent and Student meeting for Confirmation (8th graders only) • Week of September 17 – K-6 and Called Confirmation (7th & 8th grades) programming begins. • Other key dates are found in the Faith Formation Plans 2023-24 pdf above. |