Religious Education Program

General Information

The Religious Education Program at Our Lady of Perpetual Help provides Catholic faith formation to children in preschool through eighth grade who attend the community public schools. Our Lady of Perpetual Help, along with The Archdiocese of Chicago, encourages participation in all years of formation for a full and complete religious education experience. The goal of the OLPH Religious Education Program is to provide a learning environment that builds upon the previous year for a richer more comprehensive religious education experience.

The Religious Education (RE) program of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish is essential to carrying out the Parish mission to teach and preach the gospel to all people. The program provides spiritual formation and religious education to families, which furthers the goals of the Parish.

Parents, through word and example, are the primary faith educators of their children. The RE program helps parents in their work by teaching our rich Catholic heritage and provides a basis for faith formation.

This process is carried out not only by classroom discussion and teaching, but also through participation in prayer, special celebrations and worship opportunities, and service to others. In this way, the child is led to a closer relationship with God, other children, and the total Christian faith community.

Curriculum

Loyola Press: K - 7th Grades

Forming Disciples of Jesus. The perfect place to start a life of intentional discipleship is with Finding God. Rooted in Ignatian Spirituality and covering the full and authentic teachings of the Catholic Church, the faith formation program fosters a lived relationship with God through Jesus. Finding God’s emphasis on Scripture, prayer, and Church Tradition nurtures children every step of the way on their journey to becoming disciples of Jesus and leads them into a lasting love for the Church.

Employing the spirituality of St. Ignatius of Loyola, Finding God provides all the tools to engage the whole child—mind, heart, and soul—uniquely guiding children to practice prayer and reflection, to explore Scripture, and to find God in all things.

Finding God: Our Response to God’s Gifts is based on a spiral curriculum that integrates the fundamental themes of the Catechism of the Catholic Church with Scripture and Catholic Social Teachings. As children are introduced to and revisit concepts and vocabulary from one year to the next, their knowledge and experience both broaden and deepen as they grow in faith as committed disciples of Jesus.

Sacramental Preparation

First Reconciliation and First Eucharist

Our Lady of Perpetual Help, along with the Archdiocese of Chicago, requires participation in a religious education program for a minimum of two consecutive years for a sacramental preparation prior to receiving a sacrament. Therefore, the preparation for 1st Reconciliation and Eucharist begins in the 1st grade.

7th Grade - Year One of Confirmation Preparation: Decision Point by Matthew Kelly

8th Grade - Year Two of Confirmation Preparation: Chosen by Ascension Press

Confirmation Resources

Confirmation Handbook 2017-2018

Confirmation Candidate & Parent Expectations 2017-2018

Confirmation Candidate Information Form

Confirmation Sponsor Form

"Called to Serve" Service Forms

Works of Mercy

Letter to the Bishop Requesting the Sacrament of Confirmation

Reconciliation and Eucharist Resources

Reconciliation & Eucharist Handbook 2017-2018

Schedule of Traditional RE Classes

Grades PK–8: Tuesdays, 4:30 – 6:00 pm
Grades 1–8: Tuesdays, 6:30 – 8:00 pm
Grades PK–8: Saturdays, 9:00 – 10:30 am
Grade PK-K: Sundays, 9:00 – 10:30 am

Schedule of Classes PK-8th 2017-2018

Schedule of Classes PK-K 2017-2018

Highlighted Meetings and Events (including Sacramental Celebrations) 2017-2018

Gather & Grow: A Family Catechesis Program

“The family likewise needs to be bolstered not only by the proclamation of the Gospel but also by guidance in its work of education. The commonly shared goal is to give the family an increasingly active role in the process of the transmission of the faith.” Vatican City, 2012

The Gather & Grow program is an innovative approach to faith formation that involves all generations in learning and growing together through their experience and participation in church life. This program seeks to prepare all ages and generations for meaningful participation in the life of the Church. Each monthly session assists families in a greater understanding of an upcoming Mass or Liturgical Season. Here, families come together nine times per year to learn about our faith. We will explore six themes throughout the course of the year: Church Feasts and Seasons, Sacraments, Creed, Justice, Prayer and Morality. The Gather & Grow Program seeks to encourage life-long intergenerational learning for all ages by helping families and individuals not only to learn about their religion, but also develop their faith and sense of belonging to the parish community.

Gather & Grow Schedule of Sessions

Gather & Grow