DIRECTOR:  Bethanne Maus-Schaefer

  
Requirements for students in grades 7 - 9 are a follows:

• Attend at least 13 of 16 classes

• Attend one enrichment with a parent*

• Complete service hours according to grade level.**

• Attend a Reconciliation Service (see dates listed below)

• Complete 8 Mass Reflections

The Christian Formation Office can be called or emailed at any time to verify the status of student requirements.

The goal for attendance is 100% for classes and one enrichment with a parent.  All families have obligations that they must attend. It is our hope that families make Christian Formation a priority. In order to cooperate with the needs for busy families, we have allowed three absences  for the year.  There are 16 classes and one enrichment with a parent.

*Enrichments are meant to enhance spiritual formation in a non-classroom setting. These opportunities  are  meant  for parents  to  spend  time  with  their children  in  an  environment that can enrich their faith journeys. An Enrichment Offerings schedule will be mailed to parents in October.  The most current schedule can be found online at www.stleonards.org.  Click on the 'Enrichment Offerings' tab.


** Service hour requirement   Grade 7 – Two Hours
                                                 Grade 8 – Five Hours
                                                 Grade 9 – Ten Hours

The Christian Formation Office can be called or emailed at any time to verify the status of student requirements.

Service can be completed in a variety of ways: at the parish, in our community, and/or in the home.  We have a wide assortment of projects through our parish with all of the various activities, events and committees.  Information is provided, as it becomes available.  We also understand that students are involved in service elsewhere, outside the parish walls, and these activities can be (in most cases) recorded as service commitments.  Aside from this information being available at the time of Confirmation, these records can be used to provide letters of recommendation for colleges, job references, etc., but only if they are complete.  It is beneficial for all students to record their service for all of these reasons.  

If you are a member of an organization that benefits from or are under obligation to perform the activity, the work does not count toward this Christian Formation requirement.

Community service hours performed to satisfy a court order may not be used toward this Christian Formation requirement.

To help in this endeavor, there are purple service record forms located in the back of church by the Mass Reflection forms as well as in the bins outside of the Christian Formation Office and on our website under the 'Service Opportunities' tab.  Please completely fill out one purple form for each project.  Forms must be signed by both the student and a committee representative or parent to be accepted.  The information on the purple form should be as detailed as possible and will be recorded in the student file as part of his or her record.

Completed Service Hour sheets should be put in the Mass Reflection box (bottom tray) or turned in to the Christian Formation Office.

Service opportunities that are available through St. Leonard: 

• Labor of Love (LOL) – ongoing

• World Series to Strike Out Hunger – October  

• Souper Bowl of Caring – February

• Mission Trip – Summer

• VBS - Summer

• Family Enrichments / Veggie Tales - multiple times 

• Church Decorating - multiple times 

• Knights of Columbus activities - multiple times 

• Sunday morning nursery during 9:00 am Mass - multiple times

• Additional opportunities are presented weekly during class time and will be listed on our website under the 'Service Opportunities' tab.
  

If you have any questions on the service portion of your child's Christian Formation experience, please contact:  Bethanne Maus-Schaefer - Office  262-679-0880 


Reconciliation Service - can be found on the Reconciliation Schedule page.

Curriculum for Youth Ministry is meant to be a more in-depth study of the Catholic faith.   Students  review  what  they have  already  learned in  elementary  Christian Formation and become more involved in their faith. Below is the focus for each year.

Seventh Grade & Eighth Grade:  Alpha - Learning to have a relationship with Jesus
Ninth Grade:  Morality and Chastity

Make-up work is not available
Making up a class on a different day is NOT an option.


HOME STUDY - For the families who cannot attend classes due to a legitimate conflict, St. Leonard Christian Formation offers a Home Study alternative on an exception basis only.  Students benefit greatly from the classroom experience which cannot be duplicated at home.

All Home Study participants are required to:

• Attend one enrichment with a parent (see Enrichments above).  

• Complete eight Mass Reflections

• Attend a Reconciliation service each year as scheduled (see Reconciliation Schedule page)

• Participate in community service (Gr. 7 - 2 hours; Gr. 8 - 5 hours; Gr. 9 - 10 hours).  Service hours become part of the student record.

• All of the requirements listed above are a component of the 'Annual Expectations' for Athletic Eligibility.

If you have questions or would like additional information on our Home Study program for grades 7, 8, and 9, please contact Bethanne Maus-Schaefer at: 262-679-0880.