New Director of Religious Education

by Rev. Gabriel Baltes, O.S.B.  |  09/01/2024  |  A Message from Our Pastor

Dear Parishioners,

I am pleased to introduce our newly hired Director of Religious Education (DRE) Julie Dillenburg. Julie comes to our parish with twenty-six years of having served in this ministry at number of parishes in the Joliet Diocese. She has a vast array pastoral experiences that include: teaching general education with certification to teach kindergarten through 9th grade, as well as, religious education, coordinating Religious Education programs, working as a Youth Minister as well overseeing the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA).

Julie is a certified Facilitator for Protecting God’s Children, the national organization founded by our bishops to safeguard our children. She introduced “Family Day” formation at one of the parishes with great success bringing together Sunday worship and catechetical formation. She has been active in the formation of liturgical ministers, including Altar Servers. She is competent in the latest technology, fundraising and Hispanic Ministry. In addition to directing the many faceted Religious Formation program for our parish elementary and junior high students, Julie will also be responsible for the very specific sacramental preparation of students in the school and RE program. This preparation is to ensure the readiness of our children to receive the sacraments of First Reconciliation, First Communion and Confirmation. Julie will also be involved in other areas of faith formation in our school under the direction of principal Mrs. Picchione.

If it is not evident simply by this general description of Julie’s ministerial career, let me personally attest to the boundless energy and creative zeal that are characteristic of her faith-driven life. We welcome Julie with open arms and hearts.

In addition to Julie’s presence on our parish staff, I am delighted to announce another introduction to our parish life. Beginning this September, our Religious Education classes will be held on Sunday mornings starting with attendance at the 9:30 Mass followed by the religion classes from 10:45 – 12:00. This is certainly a major change for our parish, but one that I believe, will offer some highly significant benefits. The first of these is having our RE students and their families at Sunday Mass. We have always believed that the church’s liturgy is the most important formative component of the spiritual life. Unfortunately, this has not always been taken advantage of as much as it could have been. By scheduling Religious Education Classes on Sunday, there is now a greater incentive for families to come together in worship on the Lord’s Day. Following Mass, the students will move to their respective classrooms in the school from which they will be dismissed at noon. I wish to emphasize that this twofold approach to religious formation is essential and mandatory. Students may not simply attend just the Mass or the religion class. Once a month, we will offer some type of religious formation for parents during the time when their children are in class. If there is interest, we may also provide a place where RE parents could socialize while their children study.

I am painfully aware that this is an unexpected change with little forewarning. I apologize for this and hope that it will not be too unsettling or, God forbid, become a deterrent for family participation in our Religious Education program. More details will be shared at the required Orientation Meeting this Wednesday, September 4, from 6:00 – 7:00 in the Parish Activity Room (PAR). Because the church is not yet available for Sunday Mass, we will not begin the actual RE classes until Sunday September 22.

I see this as a profoundly positive move for our Religious Formation Program here at St. Joan of Arc Parish. As we move into our next 100 years as a faith community, particularly in light of our newly enhanced place where we worship as a Catholic people, I believe we will discover untold blessings as we seek new and creative ways to deepen our relationship with Jesus Christ and his church.