Faith Formation - Pre-K to 12

Pre-K - 5th Grade

Weekly one hour sessions are held at Kearney Catholic High School on Wednesdays. Sessions are separated into grade level and kept to a small size. This catechesis “strives to help each individual to develop his own unique response of faith”, Directory of Catechesis, pg 11. Volunteers to assist in this program are needed as Catechist, Classroom Aide, and Substitute Catechist. Classes are held from September through May. Contact: Kelley Hendrickson, 308-234-5536 or kelley@stjameschurchkearney.org 

Just a reminder: If Kearney Public Schools cancel due to inclement weather, there will be no Religious Education classes that evening. Closings will be announced on local radio and TV stations or check weatherthreat.com for cancellation information.

Catechists: Those that share their time and faith teaching Catholic traditions, doctrine, and prayers to enrich the faith formation of the children of St. James. Our catechists are the heart of our program.
Aide: Assisting Catechists in their classes.
Contact: Kelley Hendrickson, 308-234-5536

Curriculum: We use a curriculum that has the approval of the United States Catholic Bishops. Spirit of Truth, published by Sophia Institute Press, is a Catholic textbook series that takes your young one into a deep and lasting journey through the Catholic Faith. Unlike typical textbooks, Spirit of Truth provides you with a full year of varied and engaging lesson plans, helping to create a learning environment that captures students' imaginations while improving knowledge retention. Most of all, Spirit of Truth helps young people integrate what they learn into their daily lives so they can become the saints God is calling them to be.

The Mission Statement of the St. James Religious Education program is to provide a process whereby children encounter God's loving presence; to encourage them to pursue a faith journey by gaining knowledge through the Bible, liturgy, sacraments, traditional and spontaneous prayer; to cultivate religious education and values in family life; to foster a spirit of community and service to others; and to instill pride in being a Catholic pursuing a lively, celebrated, challenged faith.

RCIC (Rite of Christian Initiation for Children)

Religious formation for the children who are past second grade and have not yet received the Sacraments. If your child has not received sacramental preparation at their designated grade level, please call the Religious Education office for information on this program.
Contact: Kelley Hendrickson, 308-234-5536

Youth Ministry: 6th - 12th Grades

Religious Formation and Education: Our middle school, high school and Confirmation classes are held on Wednesday evenings. Our middle school classes use The Catholic Connections Handbook for their curriculum and includes many community building activities. High school classes focus on Catholicism in our world today and strengthening student's Catholic faith. Confirmation uses guest speakers, peer discussion, and spiritual bonding to prepare juniors and seniors for their third Sacrament of Initiation.

Classes are held from September through May.

Times:
Middle school 6:15-7:15 PM
High school 7:30-8:30 PM

Fun and Fellowship: Getting together to pray, play and share faith are important aspects of our program. Game nights, movie viewings and ice skating are just a few of the events that have been enjoyed by our students.

Volunteers: Not one piece of this program would be possible without the help from all of our generous volunteers. We have 25 adults who teach our students every Wednesday evening and many others who help with special events, join as guest speakers, and provide food and supplies. We love being able to get various parish community members involved in our program, from parents and grandparents to college students and everyone in between. We appreciate all of your help to show our youth they are an important part of our St. James community.

If you are interested in helping:

Middle School / Sr. High Catechists: Prepare and teach learners of the Catholic faith.
Middle School / Sr. High Substitute: Willing to substitute in 6th - 12th Grades.

Diocesan Events: In addition to our local programs and events, we also support the youth events of the Grand Island Diocese such as Teens Encounter Christ (TEC), Higher Ground and Going Bananas for Jesus. More information about these programs can be found at: www.gidiocese.org/yya or call Katie with questions.

Contact Katie Clark at 308-234-5536 or youth@stjameschurchkearney.org for more information.

Confirmation

Classes are held during the 2nd semester of 11th Grade (February through April) & during the 1st semester of 12th Grade (September through November).

If you are interested in helping:
Confirmation Table Leader: Working with a small table of young people as well as with the Confirmation team in the larger group to help the youth understand the church and their role, in preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation in the fall.
Confirmation Retreat Team Member: Help organize and lead the Confirmation Retreat designed to kick off the final preparation period of Confirmation preparation.

Call the office at 234-5536 for more information.