Welcome to Parish Religious Education

Living and learning one's faith is not just a Sunday affair. As with religious education in Catholic schools, our Sunday programs give young people an opportunity to get good grounding in their Christian Faith and what he/she is asked to believe as Catholics.

This Pre-K through 8 th grade program is for young Catholic students attending non-Catholic schools. Home-schooled students will need to attend these classes in preparation for the Sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion.

The Confirmation preparation classes are for all Catholic students (whether attending Catholic or public schools) who are in 9 th grade and above. Home-schooled students will need to attend these classes in preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation. This is a two-year preparation program.

For the 2008-09 school year, classes will start on Sunday, August 24 th at 10:30 am.
All classes meet in Rosary School on our campus.

Registration is held in the Kelley Room of the Meerschaert House after all weekend Masses:

* Saturday, August 9 & 16, after the 5:00 pm Mass

* Sunday, August 10 & 17, after the 9:30 am & 11:30 am Masses
      and after the 1:30 pm misa en espanol .

The last day of registration will be Sunday, August 24 th at orientation. An Enrollment Packet has been mailed to parents whose children were enrolled last year. All students must re-enroll each year for this program. All enrollments must be done before September 7 th .

Extra enrollment forms will be available in the 1 st floor Kelley Room of the Meerschaert House at registration.

Parents will recall that they are the first, and very vital, teachers of their children in their Catholic faith. You can be assured that we will do everything possible to help you in the spiritual formation and Christian development of your children. However, since they are not attending Catholic Schools, the other six days a week are up to you. So, parents are encouraged to support their children's regular attendance at the classes by discussing class material with them and in learning their prayers.

Special Teen Class

St. Francis offers a "special class" for young teens who have not received the usual religious education, and also for those who have not yet received the first Sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Communion. Parents whose children fit that description can call the Parish office and/or make that known to the registrars at enrollment time.

This is a two-year program designed to help these young people get a basic grounding in their faith up to a level reasonably close to other students in their age group. At the end of the program, and by the time they are at least in the 9 th grade, they should be better prepared to move on to Confirmation classes.