● Please do not drop off your child for class before 9:15 am on Sundays or before 7:00 pm on Mondays, as our catechists are setting up their classrooms and getting everything ready for your child!
● Also, please be sure to pick up your child on time: 10:15 am on Sundays and 8:00 pm on Mondays. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation!
● At the January 23 or 24 class, your child's catechist (teacher) will give them their Gospel Weekly Readers for the weeks that they have missed. Please have your student complete at least three of the Gospel Weekly Readers and email (scan or photograph) or drop off the completed Readers to Cathy Mackey by February 6 in order to receive credit for the class. This will meet the diocesan time requirement for the month as there will be no Living the Lesson assignment for this month.
● Below is an updated calendar for Grades 1-5, showing where and when we will meet for the rest of the year.
● WINTER BREAK FAITH FORMATION SESSION registration is now live.
● SUPER SUNDAY REGISTRATION is now live for all dates.
● The January 9 Super Sunday was canceled. Our speaker was going to speak about his work with the homeless. Since we cannot meet in person, but will have the speaker come to discuss this topic during our March Super Sunday, we will have students complete an assignment called "Homelessness Is One Paycheck Away."
This assignment was sent via email on Wednesday, January 5 at 6:00 pm. It is a complex one and is worth 5 credit hours (replacing the 2.5 hours in person and the 2.5 hours for Living the Lesson- there will be no additional Living the Lesson assignment this month). Therefore, students are expected to complete the assignment in full, according to the directions, in order to receive the full 5 hours of credit.
If, as a family, you choose not to complete the assignment, that is fine. Hours can be obtained during the Winter Break Session, the next two Super Sundays, and/or the Lenten activities that will be forthcoming. However, PLEASE remember that the year is half over, and it is imperative that your child gets the required number of hours (30) in order to move up to the next grade level of Faith Formation (students in grades 8-9) or to be confirmed (students in grade 10). Please note: since this assignment requires internet research, students should be supervised by parents, at parents' discretion.
Father Cliff, Amy Casper, Deb Krisher, Deacon John, Deacon Joe and Cathy Mackey are all completing the Homelessness is One Paycheck Away assignment! We will be discussing it during the homily at our next Super Sunday Mass in March!
Check your email for additional assignment details. If you have questions, email Cathy Mackey at cmackey@syrdio.org.
● If your child is to receive the sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Eucharist this school year, be sure to register them for Sacrament Preparation as well as for regular Faith Formation classes.
If your child attends a Catholic school, only Sacrament Preparation is required. If you have questions, please email Mrs. Mackey at cmackey@syrdio.org for assistance.
● If your child will be making their Confirmation in 10th grade, they need to be registered for Faith Formation during their 8th, 9th and 10th grade years and must be registered for the additional Confirmation Sacrament Preparation for the year they will be receiving the sacrament.
UPCOMING WORKSHOPS
& RETREATS
● Confirmation Retreat*
Saturday, March 26, 2022
12:30 pm - 6:30 pm; includes Mass.
* All Confirmation candidates must attend this retreat in its entirety.
* Please note that per diocesan guidelines, all Confirmation candidates must attend a retreat. If your child is truly unable to attend on the day of our retreat due to extreme circumstances, your child will have to attend a retreat with another church in order to fulfill the retreat requirement. Please let Cathy Mackey know as soon as possible if this is the case, as our retreat may be the last of the season, and it may be difficult finding another for your child to attend.
Please only reschedule in an extreme situation because it is strongly encouraged that all Confirmandi attend the retreat with their parish. THIS RETREAT DOES COUNT TOWARDS THEIR CONTACT HOURS! It will be 6 out of the 30 hours!
Please remember that your child must complete the 30 credit hours, have attended the retreat, and be registered to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation for this year in order to be eligible to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation.
● First Communion Workshops**
March 27, 2022
5:30 pm - 7:30 pm at St. Mary's
April 3, 2022
5:30 pm - 7:30 pm at St. Mary's
May 1, 2022
5:30 pm - 7:30 pm at St. Mary's
Students attend with a special guest (parent, grandparent or godparent)!
** All workshops must be attended, in their entirety, for your child to be eligible to receive the sacraments. Your child must receive the Sacrament of First Reconciliation in order to be eligible to receive the Sacrament of First Holy Communion.
There will be sign ups for First Communion as it gets closer. For First Communion, you will be able to pick the weekend and Mass time that work best for your family! First Communion Masses will be offered during the months of May and June and will be offered at your home parish.
Faith Formation Reminders
GRADES 1 - 5
GRADES 6 - 10
SACRAMENT PREPARATION
