Dear New Family:

Welcome to our Religious Education Program and parish family!  Our program mission is to assist parents in handing down the Catholic faith and forming lifelong Disciples of Christ.  This mission is important because we know and believe the family to be the first and primary form of religious education, formation and experience.  We are here to help assist in this by offering a community in which the family can grow in love for one another and serve one another.  We believe in opportunities for shared faith experiences that will help keep the whole family connected with the faith and form lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ.

Families enrolled in our program must be registered parishioners of St. James the Apostle parish, for your convenience this can be done through our office or the parish office.  All children must be baptized Catholics before entering religious education classes.  The Archdiocese of New York also requires that children, not attending a Catholic school, be enrolled in Religious Education consecutively from grades 1-8.  And in our program the Sacraments of Communion and Penance are received in 2^nd grade, and Confirmation in 8^th grade. 
We require the following information to be completed prior to student registration:

• Register with St. James the Apostle Church Parish (forms included in this packet)
• Complete New Family Information Record
• Provide Baptismal Certificate or copy, Communion Certificate or Copy (depending on ages and grades of your child(ren))
• Provide a transcript of previous religious education formation and a letter of transfer from either a Parish Religious Education Program/Catholic School. 
• A letter stating the reason for transferring from another parish.

These documents should be returned to the Religious Education Office.  Once received our office will add you to all of our mailing lists, including Flocknote and provide you with student registration documents.  You will be notified of your completed enrollment via email.  Please contact our office with any questions or concerns,
We look forward to welcoming you and your family into our Faith Formation Community and to working together to foster the formation of your child’s faith!
Yours in Christ,


Kathleen Ife
Director of Religious Education