About First Year
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For students entering Religious Education for the first time and are in 1st or 2nd grade in school.
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Program OverviewChildren in their first or second grade in elementary school attend First Year religious education classes on a weekly basis, typically beginning in October and ending in May. The curriculum focuses on God the Father, who Jesus is, his family and his works; how he lived and died and sent us the Holy Spirit. Children learn what it means to belong to a parish, what sacraments are and what it means to follow Jesus. They learn how much God loves us, what it means to attend Mass through the beauty of Eucharist and the Liturgical year.
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Program Requirements
- To enroll parents must provide a copy of the child’s birth and baptism certificate.
- This is to ensure your child is enrolled in the proper classes.
- Upon celebrating your child's sacrament, the certificates must be printed and officially recorded as to how your child's name is printed on his or her Baptismal Certificate.
- Children attend a total of 26 sessions throughout the catechetical year.
- To successfully complete the year children may have no more than 5 absences.
- Any more than 5 absences and the child will be dropped from the program.
- All students are required to attend a Protecting God’s Children® course conducted during regular class time.
- Parents sign and agree to a Code of Conduct.
- To enroll parents must provide a copy of the child’s birth and baptism certificate.
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Required Parent MeetingsAll parents should be attending Mass on a weekly basis. Parents are asked to attend two adult faith sessions/meetings each year of enrollment. First Year Parents attend the following:
1. Protecting God’s Children® for Parents
2. One Adult Faith Formation—Dates vary -you select from list provided at time of registration.
Non attendance at the required meetings may cause receipt of the sacrament to be postponed. -
St. Paul the Apostle......has a three year process to receiving the Sacrament of Eucharist for children this age:
- First Year—basic faith formation. Learning prayers: Sign of the Cross, Hail Mary, Our Father, Glory Be.
- Second Year—for those in 2nd or 3rd grade in school. Focus is on forgiveness, sin, reconciliation. Child learns the Act of Contrition and is evaluated for readiness to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Child/Parent attend a Reconciliation Retreat. Child receives the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
- Third Year—focus is on God’s love and the Sacrament of Eucharist (first communion). Child learns the Nicene Creed; Child/parent attend a Eucharist Retreat. Child receives Sacrament of Eucharist.
St. Paul the Apostle has ongoing faith formation for all grade levels for those who wish to continue their spiritual journey with Christ.