All year 1-6 programs will be using the Our Sunday Visitor series "Alive in Christ". This series provides a spiraled approach for children to learn their Catholic faith. The truths of our faith are taught each year with new information added as they grow and mature so the children become familiar with doctrine, scripture, and liturgical year celebrations.
 

This family-centered model of faith formation incorporates both home study and community meetings at St. Catharine. Our family groups attend either the 5pm Mass on Saturday or the 10:00 a.m. or 12:00 p.m. Mass on Sunday seven pre-scheduled weekends during the year. We meet for an hour in the Holmes Rec Building immediately before the Saturday Mass (4p.m.) or immediately following the Sunday Masses (11a.m. or 1p.m.)  where we explore different aspects of our Catholic faith. At home, parents will work with their children using their Alive in Christ workbook and children are asked to complete a short online quiz at the end of each unit.
 

We believe that parents foster faith at home through prayer and scripture, as well as participation in the weekend Mass. Parents and children attend our weekend session together. We will send a sign-up a few weeks prior to the session each month for the three Mass times. This helps us to prepare ahead for the class size. Advance planning of attendance is crucial for us to plan our program successfully. Please see session dates listed below.
 

Class attendance requires active participation and cooperative behavior; body and soul should be present.
Let us be brave and reach an understanding with all of our coaches, directors, dance teachers, and tutors that faith formation is integral to the development of our children.
Monthly attendance is mandatory. Absenteeism, tardiness, and early dismissals have a negative impact on overall class learning. We ask that you consider your family's schedule before registering for this program.
If you miss a session you will have an alternate assignment that will need to be completed before the next group meeting. If a family attends fewer than five sessions, the Religious Education requirement for the year will be considered not met, and the child may have to complete extra assignments or repeat the year.
 

Families will choose monthly which meeting they will attend via an online sign up.  Families will meet at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday followed by the 5:00 p.m. Mass or attend either the 10:00 a.m. or 12:00 p.m. Mass on Sunday and meet immediately following the Mass on the following dates:

September (Sunday only): Sept 10, 2023, 10:00 a.m. or 12:00 p.m. Mass - meeting with book pick up after Mass.

 

Our Monday classroom model-based program is weekly, in-person learning.
Catechists and students will gather weekly during the school year to learn and explore different faith themes using our Alive in Christ workbooks and related activities.  
 

This program requires a weekly time commitment. Classes will meet from 4:00 p.m. - 5:15 p.m. on most Mondays from September until April. *note new time*
 

Class attendance requires active participation and cooperative classroom behavior; body and soul should be present.
Let us be brave and reach an understanding with all of our coaches, directors, dance teachers, and tutors that faith formation is integral to the development of our children.
Regular class attendance is mandatory. Absenteeism, tardiness, and early dismissals have a negative impact on overall class learning, particularly in a small group setting. We ask that you consider your family's schedule before registering for this program.  If a child is absent more than four times during the year, the Religious Education requirement for the year will be considered not met and the child may be required to complete extra assignments before moving to the next year or repeat the year.

This program is currently shared with another local parish. This year, we have partnered with Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Ridgewood to offer a summer religious education program for children who will be in years 1-6 during the school year.

The Summer Religious Education program takes place shortly after the school year ends. Children register for the grade they are entering in the upcoming fall. The Summer Religious Education program, combined with 3-4 school year gatherings, fulfills a child's religious education required for the next school year. Opening Prayer, scripture, art, music, daily class lessons, and activities are all part of our summer program.  

The beginning of the summer program is dependent upon the end dates of public schools in Glen Rock, Ridgewood, and a few other surrounding towns. The summer program usually takes place on the campus of St. Catharine parish from 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Families must be available and agree to attend all 6-7 Summer dates for the entire time. Families will be expected to also attend 3-4 school year dates. The retreat days during the year typically take place in the fall, Advent, Lent, and final session in the spring. One parent must attend these sessions with the child. If any classes or group sessions are missed, the Religious Education requirement for the year will be considered not met and the child may be required to complete extra assignments before moving to the next year or repeat the year and may not be able to participate in the Summer Program the following year.

Parents of the children who participate in this program must volunteer up to 2 full days per child during the summer program. Parents are given choices as to where they would wish to volunteer, but, ultimately, volunteers are placed where they are most needed. All parents are required to complete the Safe Environment/Protecting God's Children certification. Sessions will be offered at this parish or nearby to accommodate our families.
Registration for the Summer program is held in February/March. Please look out for registration information to be released in January. Registration is open for only one week, and no one will be accepted for the Summer Program after the final registration date.