DRE: Digital Religious Education
Religious Education in the Digital Age. Our parish digital campus delivers on-demand religious education lessons as part of a complete Catechism course. Provided through an online home study program, religious education actually meets twice each week, that is, once for Sunday Mass and once for online class. Welcome to DRE, Digital Religious Education, at our parish! Please click here to read our parish announcement about our DRE program.
Catechism Program. For students in grades one through eight, weekly online catechism lessons are provided with regular assessments that track student progress. This is an eight-year comprehensive program of religious education provided through MyCatholicFaithDelivered.com and Ignatius Press. This religious education program follows the complete scope and sequence of lessons mandated by the national catechetical directory and the diocese.
Sacramental Programs. For the sacraments, two years of DRE classes are required. In the second of these two years, special meetings are held for final preparations. Most students prepare for First Communion in grades 1-2, and in grades 7-8 for Confirmation. If a student starts their two years later, they receive their sacraments later as well. We urge you to participate in our complete faith formation program for grades one through eight.
In coming years, we hope to provide regular classroom instruction with catechists for our religious education students. Please contact the parish office for information about becoming a religious education catechist at our parish. Even after regular classes have begun, online lessons will still be available to our religious education students. The purpose of our parish religious education program is to train and inspire the next generation of Catholic Christian believers. For information about our approved catechetical curriculum, please click here. For information about approved catechetical programs, please click here. To learn more about an overall strategy for the spiritual renewal of catechesis and evangelization throughout the church today, please click here. Finally, for information about the continuing Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program at our parish, please click here or contact the parish office.
Registration Information for Parish Students. Please go to learning page of this parish website to sign up for DRE. Tuition is only $100 per family, and $25 per student, for this comprehensive eight-year religious education program. Our parish DRE program follows the complete scope and sequence of the teachings mandated by the National Catechetical Directory and the religious education directives of the Joliet Diocese. Welcome to DRE at our parish!
Sacramental Preparation Programs. Two consecutive years of DRE classes are required for the reception of the sacraments. In the second year of these programs, parent-student meetings are held for the actual celebration of the sacraments. Most students receive their Communion in grade two, and most students make their Confirmation in grade eight. For more information about our sacramental preparation programs, please click here.
Continuing Religious Education Programs. Religious education is a life-long faith journey which does not conclude with the sacrament of Confirmation. Our parish and diocesan programs for teens, young adults, and adults provide opportunities for the ongoing faith formation of our parishioners in all age groups. To find out more about CRE, Continuing Religious Education at our parish, please contact the parish office or click here for more information.
Saint Dennis Church is looking upward in faith, moving forward in hope, and leading onward in love to new life in Christ. As a faith community of prayer, learning, and service, we invite you to join us as intentional disciples of Christ. For more information, please check out the many spiritual resources provided at the CatholicChristian.org website. Together, let us embrace faithful Catholic Christian lifestyles for the new apostolic age of church history.