Catechesis
Calendar 2024 - 2025 WILL BE UPDATED IN AUGUST 2024
El calendario 2024 - 2025 SE ACTUALIZARÁ EN AGOSTO DE 2024
2024 - 2025 Registration Form
Formulario de inscripción 2024 - 2025
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Whole Community Catechesis
“Catechesis for life in Christ stirs the heart, enlightens the mind, and inspires the soul. It aims to enable Christians to love God, with their hearts, all their souls, all their minds, and all their strength. It seeks to help people form correct consciences, choose what is morally good, avoid sin and its occasions, and live in this world according to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. It teaches people their obligations in love toward God, others, and themselves. It summons them to recognize their inherent dignity and to act in accord with the divine life in which they share. Catechesis for life in Christ offers them the way of Christ, the way that leads away from death and toward life.” National Directory for Catechesis, p. 184; United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2005
Our faith development is not stagnant, but rather a constantly evolving, deeply personal relationship with our Lord, Jesus Christ. This relationship evolves throughout our lives, and as with any relationship, is strengthened only when we put in the time and effort. Through the life of the Church, the Sacraments, prayer, our parish community, and catechesis, we experience God’s love and draw closer to Him each day. It is when we learn to recognize God’s voice, that we learn to listen to Him more closely.
For more information or to register for a program, please contact Alice Fogarty at the Office of
Catechesis at 732-968-2621 ext. 3 or [email protected]
Our faith development is not stagnant, but rather a constantly evolving, deeply personal relationship with our Lord, Jesus Christ. This relationship evolves throughout our lives, and as with any relationship, is strengthened only when we put in the time and effort. Through the life of the Church, the Sacraments, prayer, our parish community, and catechesis, we experience God’s love and draw closer to Him each day. It is when we learn to recognize God’s voice, that we learn to listen to Him more closely.
For more information or to register for a program, please contact Alice Fogarty at the Office of
Catechesis at 732-968-2621 ext. 3 or [email protected]
Adult Catechesis
The 2022-2023 Family Faith Formation Program will be A Family of Faith V2: The Sacraments. We will be exploring the second section of the Catechism of the Catholic Church : The Celebration of the Christian Mysteries. The adult portion of our Family Formation program is open to all adults in our parish. Adults without children in our program should call our office to pre-register. We also offer additional catechesis programs at various times. New programs will be posted in the bulletin as they become available.
Formal Family and Child-Centered Program Offerings
Baptized Children should be enrolled each year in a formal Faith Formation Program from Grades 1 through 8. Parents of unbaptized children in Grades 1 – 8 should contact the PCL directly.
Registration:
Registration for our Faith Formation programs takes place in the summer for children who will be entering
Grades 1 – 8 in the fall. Late fees apply in September. Please check the bulletin for up to date information.
Special note: If you have moved mid-year, and your children are currently enrolled in your previous
parish’s program, please contact the PCL directly at any time to transfer.
Registration:
Registration for our Faith Formation programs takes place in the summer for children who will be entering
Grades 1 – 8 in the fall. Late fees apply in September. Please check the bulletin for up to date information.
Special note: If you have moved mid-year, and your children are currently enrolled in your previous
parish’s program, please contact the PCL directly at any time to transfer.
Family Faith Formation: Grades 1-8
Parents are the primary catechists of their children. Family Catechesis, along with regular participation at Mass and in the sacraments, is necessary for our families.
Our Family Faith Formation program is for families with children in grades 1-8. As Primary Catechists Parents guide their children at home. As a Catechesis Community we have two, hour & half meetings a month. Parents meet in the beginning of the month to learn and gain support to guide their children in the monthly activities at home. At the end of the month we gather again on Sunday for Community meetings and Holy Mass where parents and children participate in family activities that tie together what we have been learning at home.
Adults without children are always welcome to join the parent meeting sessions to learn and grow in faith and build community.
Our Family Faith Formation program is for families with children in grades 1-8. As Primary Catechists Parents guide their children at home. As a Catechesis Community we have two, hour & half meetings a month. Parents meet in the beginning of the month to learn and gain support to guide their children in the monthly activities at home. At the end of the month we gather again on Sunday for Community meetings and Holy Mass where parents and children participate in family activities that tie together what we have been learning at home.
Adults without children are always welcome to join the parent meeting sessions to learn and grow in faith and build community.
Sacrament Preparation
Sacrament preparation for children is a two year process for baptized Catholics, no matter the age or grade level of the child. This is a diocesan requirement. At St. John’s, First Holy Communion Preparation begins in 1st grade, continues in 2nd grade, the children receive First Reconciliation mid-year and First Holy Communion at the end of 2nd grade. This is the normal protocol in the United States. Confirmation preparation begins in 7th grade, continues in 8th grade and the children receive Confirmation at the end of 8th grade. Both 2nd grade and 8th grade have meeting requirements in addition to the Family Catechesis meetings to help prepare them for the reception of the sacraments they are about to receive.
If your child is baptized but has not received Reconciliation or Communion on the unusual schedule your family can still join the Family Catechesis program. Please Contact the Catechesis Office for further information.
If your child is baptized but has not received Reconciliation or Communion on the unusual schedule your family can still join the Family Catechesis program. Please Contact the Catechesis Office for further information.
RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults)
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The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is the way in which adults become fully active, participating members of the Catholic Church. It helps adults grow in their relationship with God, become familiar with Catholic teachings and practices, get acquainted with people in the parish and get involved in service with the parish and wider community.
Through this process non-Christian adults are prepared for Baptism, Confirmation and First Eucharist, and non-Catholic Christians and Catholics who are baptized are prepared for Confirmation and First Eucharist, which takes place at the Easter Vigil. Interested in knowing more?
Contact Alice Fogarty in the Office of Catechesis at 732-968-2621 ext. 13 or [email protected]om
Adult Confirmation
Adult Confirmation is for those Catholics 16 years old and older, who have already received the Sacraments of Baptism, First Penance and First Eucharist, but have not yet received the Sacrament of Confirmation. Through this process, candidates meet regularly for spiritual formation and catechesis in preparation to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation at Pentecost.
For more information, please contact Alice Fogarty at 732-968-2621 ext. 13 or [email protected].
For more information, please contact Alice Fogarty at 732-968-2621 ext. 13 or [email protected].
Grade 2 First Penance and First Holy Communion
Due to the special nature of First Penance and First Holy Communion Sacrament Preparation, Grade 2 children and their families meet with Family Catechesis, but are required to meet for additional preparation outside of our normal Family Catechesis Program. Times, dates and parental attendance for our additional sessions vary from year to year; please see our current calendar for up to date information. Details about First Penance and First Communion days are included on the calendar provided.
Grade 8 Confirmation
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Due to the special nature of our Confirmation Program, 8th graders will meet a minimum of twice per month on Sunday immediately following the 10:30 AM Mass until 1:30 PM. Parents and guardians of 8th grader attend the Parent Meetings connected with our Family Catechesis program however, because of their regular class meetings, Family Activity meetings are optional for 8th graders other than specific meetings where they are a part of assisting and serving in the program itself. Dates, details and requirements are included on the calendar provided.
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