Do I have to register my child every year from 1st-8th grade?

The short answer is yes. The Archdiocese requires all Catholic children that do not attend Catholic school (including home schooled and private schooled) to recieve their religious instruction and sacraments at their local parish. In order to be properly prepared for the sacraments in which they will recieve; each year they grow, learn more, gain new expeirences, and build upon the faith at new levels. We take the requirements of the archdiocese seriously and also see the importance of this first hand. In regular school, most children do not skip ahead in grades. The same concept applies here. Though our Catholic faith is a lifelong relationship with God and it is our mission to create disciples - allowing your child to attend each year opens both your child and family to new faith experiences! We need you to help keep our parish strong or make it stronger!

What if my child missed, but I want to enroll them now?

We always say it is NEVER too late to learn your faith or become engaged in the faith. However, keep in mind that we do follow a curriculum and we can't just plop a child in a class without having experienced the prior years missed. This situation requires a meeting and registration in person with the Religious Ed Director to discuss the options to make up the curriculum and prepare the child properly for their upcoming sacrament. 

What If I can’t afford it, but I desire the faith for my child?

No worries there! We are not a program or community interested in taking your money for the sake of taking it. We will work with you. However, please keep in mind there does have to be some cost. Please visit the “Financial” link on the side for appropriate forms and payment programs to help make it easier for you. If you are requesting a payment plan you are also required to make an appointment with the director in the office to approve and process the forms.

Additionally, we are always looking for volunteers. If money is an issue but you are willing to volunteer your time, gifts, and talents, we would love to hear from you and work something out!

What if my child doesn't like school or thinks Religious Ed is boring?

Part of our improvement initiatives include keeping the integrity of the faith, while still making Religious Ed engaging, fun, and a prayerful experience for your child. It is important for the students to learn their faith in a community setting because the Church was created by Jesus to be a family.

We train our catechists both new and returning in the beginning of the year. They are all volunteer catechists, many whom have kids in the program, once had kids in the program, or are young adults actively involved in Catholic ministry. We also allow assistant catechists in the class room beginning at 8th grade. 

Faith is a lived experience. We encourage the catechists to utilize the methods they are comfortable and familiar with - yet to also encourage evangelization outside of the box. Our students frequent the chapel and church in order to spend more time developing their prayer lives, learning about the church, Scripture and other topics. 

We have working TVs and DVD players that can connect to a laptop or tablet to bring visual media and related content. As well as prayer tables with candles, Bible, Holy Water, etc... to engage the senses. Many of our catechists use crafting as a tangible way to understand a theme or doctrine. Many also use acting, skits, and hands on activities that require the body to engage in the content as well. 

We no longer do graded tests and quizzes for the reason that there are many students at different learning levels, that the faith is also a lived experience, and that you don't have to be a theologian in order to be a faithful, living Catholic. It is extremely important they understand the truths of the faith and learn to articulate them, but we believe in multiple styles in achieving that.

So what is my registration fee used for anyway?

Your registration fees go towards helping to keep the program alive! Of course it is used first and foremost for the textbooks and other materials directly needed for the child’s faith experience in the classroom. It is used to help keep operations up and running in the office including supplies and technology. It is most importantly used for sacramental prep including the Confirmation gown, retreat food, speakers etc… You are investing in a rich, faith filled education for your child and we are here to make that happen!