St. Bernard Parish at 500 Route 22 East, Bridgewater, NJ 08807 US - The Office of Catechetical Formation

Please take note - there will be no CF classes on March 27, 28, 29 and 30. Classes will resume on Sunday, April 3 - Monday, April 4 - Tuesday April 5 and Wednesday, April 6 for all grades except grade eight. They are finished with official classes. Paperwork needs to be handed in as soon as possible.

Please also note that we now have a FAX number for the Office of Catechetical Formation- 908 725-9949.

We are here to serve you, the Catholic Community of St. Bernard!

The purpose of the Catechetical Formation Program at St. Bernard is to "form" the connections between life and faith, and to "inform", that is, accurately teach our Catholic faith to the children of registered St. Bernard parishioners, from grades one through eight. Volunteer Catechists and Aides, many of them certified by the Diocese of Metuchen, work with children in small class groups, ideally of 15 children or less.

Diocesan policy regarding the Sacraments of Eucharist and Confirmation state that a child must be in catechetical formation for two years prior to receiving a sacrament. This would mean the first and second grade for First Eucharist and the seventh and eighth for Confirmation. We expect that children will remain in the program continuously once they have registered in first grade. We also offer an optional pre-school program for children ages 4 - 5 on Sunday mornings during the 10 AM mass. Enrollment is limited, depending on the availability of catechists and aides.

Some important facts to take note of...

More than eleven hundred students are currently enrolled in classes which take place as follows: Sunday mornings from 8:30 - 9:45 AM; Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons from 4:30 to 5:45 PM; Monday evenings from 7:15 - 8:30PM.

Registration for the following school year takes place after mass on the second Sunday in March, with placement for requested times honored on a first come - first served basis.

Private home instruction is discouraged unless arrangements have been made with our office for students who are making up a grade they have missed.

Four things are necessary for an effective Catechetical Formation Program:

Weekly participation in the celebration of Eucharist is not an arbitrary policy, but is instead our response to God's commandment that we "keep holy the Sabbath day" and celebrate our new life in Christ. For this reason it is our expectation that our families with children in catechetical formation celebrate the Eucharist on a weekly basis. Regular class attendance and punctuality - If for serious reason your child must leave class early, please notify the office beforehand. No student will be allowed to leave during class without a written request from a parent, who must pick up the child from the classroom. Learning effort on the part of the child - It is important that students complete their assigned work and concentrate during class. Cooperation on the part of parents is essential to succesful and rewarding catechetical formation. Parents are urged to give their wholehearted support to the program and to the efforts of the Catechists and Aides.

Please call the Catechetical Office at 908-725-0552, extension 810 to speak with me, Doris Hofmann or extension 811 for Jeanne Craig to register your child or for information regarding tuition, class availability, or with any questions or concerns you may have, or you may e mail us at stbchocf@aol.com

It is our privilege to serve the families of our parish!