About the religious education department
Parents are the primary religious educators of their children. The religious education department is here to assist you on your faith journey. In this program, we help your children to become Disciples of Christ, a process in which you - their parents - have the primary role. We do this by providing catechesis for all children on Sundays between September and May, along with occasional retreats, social and service opportunities. We give special emphasis to sacramental preparation.

When do religious education classes meet?
We meet on Sunday mornings from 9:00-10:15. This allows families time to attend Mass at St. Hedwig at 8:00 or at St. Patrick at 10:30. We meet in the St. Patrick Center and classes are through out the building. In the morning, we gather in the gym. Once we have all assembled we pray as a united program then proceed to classes. A Curriculum outline can be found on the diocesan web site www.diocesefwsb.org.

Admission Policy
The religious education program does not discriminate against anyone on the basis of race, sex, national origin or handicapped conditions.

Registration
Each child must be formally registered prior to participating in the Religious Education program. Registration forms are available from the rectory. There is a tuition fee of $35.00 per child for children Pre K-8th grade. There is no fee for the youth group. Tuition for students of teachers participating weekly in the program is $15.00 per child. For anyone with a financial need, scholarships are available. These fees cover the text books and consumable products used in the program.

Baptisms
Baptisms are arranged through the Pastor and must be scheduled at least one month in advance. A parent preparation class is required

Pre-School Program
Children of ages 3 to 4 may participate in religious education classes. This program offers a variety of activities in a structured setting, including bible stories, arts and crafts, music, prayer and playtime. The curriculum follows the Sunday readings and God’s living world The stories the children are hearing in class are the same ones the parents are hearing at Mass. The classes meet each week excluding the 4th Sunday, beginning in September and ending in May. The calendar for these classes is included in the handbook.

Elementary School
Grades K through 8 meet Sunday from 9:00 AM and 10:15 AM in classrooms noted K-1, 2nd grade (confirmation),3-4 grades, 5-6 grades, 7-8 grades (confirmation). This program offers a variety of activities in a structured setting; the curriculum is lectionary-based and follows the Faith First Curriculum. Sacramental preparation for Reconciliation and First Eucharist are included in the curriculum. All classes begin in August and end in May. Reconciliation is scheduled for early January and First Eucharist in late April or early May. Second grade students must attend all sacramental preparation classes. Calendars for these classes are distributed at registration and are available in the office.

Youth Group
To become part of the Youth Group students will need to have completed the sacrament of Confirmation. Youth will learn what the church stands for and its beliefs. Discussions and reflections will help them to understand their role as young Catholics in today's world. All events are supervised and no religious education fee is required for this program but fund raising events are incorporated into the program. Parental chaperons and drivers may be needed on occasion.

Safe Environment and Boundaries
Safe environment trainings are conducted each year as a requirement of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend. The boundaries program is used for students in 7-8 grades. Information regarding these programs can be found on the diocesan web site http://www.diocesefwsb.org.