Welcome to St. Michael’s Parish Religious Education Program, a Spirit filled journey of Catholic faith formation with child, parent, and catechist being led by Jesus. We are grateful and honored to join your family’s faith journey. Together all of us grow in our love for and relationship with God.
Consistent communication with your family is vital to your faith formation. The Coordinator of Religious Education greets every child with joy and compassion upon arrival to class and checks in and/or visits classes regularly. Families receive a weekly email with prayer, focus on faith, guidance, attention to masses, and updates about our Religious Education classes and service opportunities, and invitations to happenings and events in our parish.
2024-2025 Religious Education Program
Our faith formation program for students age 5 through 14 (school grades K through 9) for the 2024-25 year will begin in early September 2024 and continue through April 2025. Faith formation is an ongoing life journey. As a child needs consistency and continual guidance in the Catholic faith as they grow in their relationship with our Lord, it is best and recommended for a child to begin attending faith formation sessions in grade 1 (or kindergarten if the parent desires this) and to continue attending every year until the child receives the sacrament of Confirmation (when in the 8th or 9th grade).
Preparation for sacraments is part of this faith formation journey in our program. Preparation for the sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist will be a two-year part of the journey. Preparation for the sacrament of Confirmation will be in a different two-year part of the journey.
We will have onsite (in person) classes, which take place in our parish school classrooms. For both of these class options described below, going to Holy Mass every Sunday is essential. Support and participation of parents in their children’s faith formation is essential. Our parish ministry team is supporting your family’s faith journey. We do God’s work together, helping each other achieve our most important goal in life of getting to heaven. Our two class options are . . .
– Option 1 = for families – As your family builds your “domestic church”, for this class parents and their child(ren) come together for class once a month on Sunday morning from 9:00 AM to 11:10 AM. Parents and child(ren) then work and learn together at home as a family of faith during the rest of the month until the next month’s class. A family packet is given to parents each month with a topic, focus prayers, virtue focus, five scripture stories for reading and reflection, and lessons with accompanying guides to work on with their children. The “at home” work is turned in at the next month’s class. We do understand that “life happens”, that emergencies and unplanned illness occurs, that may cause a last-minute absence from one of the Sunday classes, but in general, families are expected to attend all 8 class dates. If after looking at the schedule of class dates you realize your family would have to miss more than 1 class, then this Sunday program is not the best option for your family. Coming together in community with other parents, all growing in faith together and learning more on how to guide their children in faith and to the Lord, is an essential part of this journey.
– Option 2 = for children (with parent support and follow up at home) – As your family builds your “domestic church”, classes take place on Mondays and Tuesdays from 6:00 to 7:30 PM, 2 or 3 times each month. When parents register their child(ren) for this option, you will choose either Monday or Tuesday as your child’s class day. Most classes are for your child(ren). However, for some sessions parents will come with their child. (For your planning purposes, you will know of those class dates ahead of time.) A family packet lesson guide page is given to parents each month with a topic, focus prayers, virtue focus, and five scripture stories for reading and reflection. The “at home” work is turned in on a designated date the following month. If a child misses any RE sessions, parents are expected to work on the missed lesson at home with their child and for the child to turn in that lesson’s work to their catechist at the next class. There are 21-22 classes scheduled per year. We do understand that “life happens”, that emergencies and unplanned illness can occur that may cause a last-minute absence from one of the classes, but in general, children are expected to attend all class dates. We do understand that some students may be participating in a school or community sports team and make a commitment to that team. We ask that parents understand the importance of the commitment to their child’s faith formation and that your child attends all classes.
Important note for parents who have a child who is going to be in 2nd grade or 8th grade at their school this Fall and your child did not participate in an RE program during this past year of 2023-24 . . . When you register your child for this coming year’s RE program, you will register your 2nd grader for RE grade 1 (which is year 1 of Reconciliation and Eucharist preparation) or your 8th grader for RE grade 7 (which is year 1 of Confirmation preparation). If you have questions about this, please contact Kelly Martinez at 708-349-0903 ext 633 or via email at kmartinez@saintmike.com.
Thank you for your time here. We look forward to growing in faith with you this coming year! Let’s pray together here for our families . . .
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. God made us a family. We need one another. We love one another. We forgive one another. We work together. We play together. We worship together. Together we use God’s word. Together we grow in Christ. Together we love all people. Together we serve our God. Together we hope for heaven. These are our hopes and ideals. Help us to attain them, O God, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Religious Education Calendar
The 2024-25 RE calendar will be available no later than June 1, 2024.
Contact Information
- Kelly Martinez, Coordinator of Religious Education
708-349-0903 ext 633 / kmartinez@saintmike.com
Religious Education Office Hours
- Week of April 1 – Tuesday, Wednesday: 2-6 PM; Thursday: 5-8 PM
- Weeks of April 8 and April 15 – Monday, Tuesday: 2-8 PM; Wednesday: 1-6 PM; Thursday: 4-8 PM
- Week of April 22 and April 29 – Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday: 1-6 PM
- Emails to kmartinez@saintmike.com will be answered in a timely manner.