Children's Faith Formation (age 3 through Grade 5)

Special Message: January 7, 2022

Due to illness and a shortage of catechists, the entire Children’s Faith Formation ministry is temporarily going virtual effective immediately. In-person classes will tentatively resume on Sunday, February 6. We appreciate everyone’s understanding and we continue to keep the health and safety of our students and catechists our number one priority, while also continuing to provide the opportunity to learn about our Catholic faith.

Parents will receive an email link to weekly video lessons. Each grade level will have its own video lesson. Textbooks will be available to pick up this Sunday, January 9 (after the 9 or 11 am Masses) or Monday, January 10 (from 6:00 – 8:00 pm) in rooms 1/3.

If your child(ren) is already enrolled in virtual lessons, nothing will change for them at this time.

Due to a booklet shipping delay, our Sacramental Prep Meeting (for parents whose children will be eligible to make their First Communion this spring) has been postponed. Please mark your calendars for Monday, January 24 for a Grab and Go format from 7:00 – 9:00 pm in Marian Hall. All the necessary information for First Reconciliation and First Communion will be shared at that time.

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Children's Faith Formation classes began the week of September 12, 2021, and registration is now closed for the 2021-2022 school year.  Our parish will offer Faith Formation classes for first through fifth grades this year.  This year, classes will be held in person and masks will be required.   Class session options will be Sunday mornings (1st and 2nd Grades only), Monday evenings, or Wednesday evenings.  We will also offer an online option for those families with unique circumstances that prevent them from attending in-person classes.  

Please note that due to space constraints and planning requirements,  we are unable to accept registrations from non-parishioners this year.  For Children's Faith Formation classes, a family must be registered in our parish on or before January 1st of the year they wish to enroll their child(ren) in class (so, no later than January 1, 2021, for 2021-2022 classes, no later than January 1, 2022, for 2022-2023 classes) to be considered a registered parishioner/family. Thank you for your understanding!  

As a reminder, parents of first and second graders must enroll their child(ren) in Children's Faith Formation classes this year if they want their child(ren) to make their First Communion the spring of the child’s second-grade year. Sacramental preparation in our Diocese is a two-year program. If you have questions about this requirement, please contact Karen Galloway at 269.327-0861 or kgalloway@stcatherinesiena.org.

Information about our early childhood textbook, Allelu!, published by Our Sunday Visitor, and purchased courtesy of our local Knights of Columbus Council #6980.

• It is developmentally appropriate and includes child-directed activities in every lesson.
• It is built upon the same 7 catechetical themes as the older child curriculum, Alive in Christ!, and includes Revelation, Trinity, Jesus Christ, the Church, Sacraments, Morality, and the Kingdom of God.
• Allelu! is the only Catholic early childhood curriculum that incorporates the latest research in child development and specifically includes child-initiated activities in every lesson.
• It also provides a seamless transition to our older child textbook, Alive in Christ! 

Information about our older child textbook, Alive in Christ, published by Our Sunday Visitor, and purchased courtesy of our local Knights of Columbus Council #6980.

• Alive in Christ is a comprehensive religious curriculum that leads students and their families to understand and live a catholic life of discipleship. We will use the Parish edition, which invites children into a personal relationship with Christ while helping them to discover the beauty of their Catholic Faith.