Exciting Religious Education Updates for 2024-2025 – Register Now!

Exciting Religious Education Updates for 2024-2025 – Register Now!

Registration for our 2024-2025 academic year is now open!  The Archdiocese has lowered the age for the reception of the Sacrament of Confirmation to 8th grade. In response, the Collaborative has several exciting updates to our Religious Education program this year which will impact Grades 6-10 and our sacrament preparation program.  With these changes, it is more important than ever that families register their children for Religious Education as soon as possible. Registration extends through May 31…

Reconciliation and Worship Service for Teens – Friday, March 1 at 5:00pm at St. Paul Church

Reconciliation and Worship Service for Teens – Friday, March 1 at 5:00pm at St. Paul Church

Are you a teen?  Has it been a while since your last confession? Are you a little nervous about it but really want to receive the sacrament? Come join the Youth Ministry Team for this special reconciliation service – there will be music, a brief reading from scripture, a short reflection, and a walk through an examination of conscience.  The Youth Ministry team will help guide you through all the steps to leaving a little lighter and filled with God’s mercy! 

Are you receiving Confirmation this spring? There is no better way to prepare to receive the Gifts of the Holy Spirit!

Interested, but not sure if you’ll feel ready to receive the sacrament on Friday night? That’s OK – please come anyway, and encourage your friends to come too! There will be no pressure, just an open invitation to experience God’s love and mercy. 

Announcement Regarding Lowering Age of Confirmation

Announcement Regarding Lowering Age of Confirmation

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops sets the ordinary age of Confirmation between the age of discretion (around age eight) and about sixteen years of age, as determined by the local bishop. In the Archdiocese of Boston, the ordinary age has been Grade 10. Recently, the Archdiocese of Boston announced that Cardinal Seán has approved a proposal that will lower the ordinary age of Confirmation within the Archdiocese of Boston from Grade 10 to Grade 8, to be implemented over the next 2-3 years.

Why is this change being made? For some time, the Archdiocese has been involved in an extensive consultation on a question of great importance: how to strengthen the participation of young people and their families in the life of faith in Jesus Christ lived out in our parishes, schools, and communities…

August Religious Education and Youth Ministry Updates

August Religious Education and Youth Ministry Updates

All registered families should have received an email with program information for the upcoming year.  This email has detailed information about each program, schedules and a link to the Religious Ed website.  If you have not received the email please check your spam folder and if it is not there please contact Linda at Linda.Messore@sjspwellesley.org to resolve any communication issues.  Please note that we are still looking for teachers for Sunday morning and Wednesday afternoon classes…  Please consider sharing your faith with the young people in our program…

Congratulations to Our Newly Confirmed Students!

Congratulations to Our Newly Confirmed Students!

Congratulations to the 77 students from our Collaborative who received this Sacrament of Confirmation this month!

Holy Spirit, strengthen our students with your gifts of Wisdom, Understanding, Right Judgment, Courage, Knowledge, Reverence, and Wonder and Awe.

Fill them with the joy  of your presence and increase in them the fruit of your Spirit. Help them to experience and trust your dwelling within, so that they can count on your guidance today and every day.

Show us the way to help one another become better disciples of Jesus Christ, sharing your love with our world and with each person we meet.

Come, Holy Spirit! Come!

Reconciliation Service for Confirmation Candidates – This Friday, March 3 at 6pm at St. John

Reconciliation Service for Confirmation Candidates – This Friday, March 3 at 6pm at St. John

Are you being confirmed this year? Has it been a while since your last confession? Are you a little nervous about it but really want to receive the sacrament? Please join your fellow students in a private service at St. John’s Chapel on Friday March 3rd at 6PM. 

Not sure if you’ll be ready to receive the sacrament on Friday? That’s OK – please come anyway, and encourage your friends to come too! There will be no pressure, just an open invitation to experience God’s love and mercy.

There will be music, a brief reading from scripture, a short reflection, and a walk through an examination of conscience.  The Youth Ministry team will walk you through all the steps to leaving a little lighter and filled with God’s mercy…

Religious Education Opening Schedule

Religious Education Opening Schedule

Sunday, October 2
5:00pm Sunday Youth Mass (St. John Church)
6:00-8:00pm Confirmation Classes   (St. John Campus)

Sunday, October 16
9:00am Family Mass (St. John Church)
10:15 – 11:15am Grade 1-5 Classes (St. John Parish Center)

Wednesday, October 19
3:30 – 4:30pm Grade 1-5 Classes (St. John Parish Center)

Sunday, October 23
4:00 – 5:00pm Middle School Classes (St. Paul Campus)
5:00pm Sunday Youth Mass (St. Paul Church)

News from Religious Education

News from Religious Education

Upcoming Meetings and Events:

Sunday, September 11
9:00am Family Mass (St. Paul Church)
10:00am Grade 1, 2 & New Families (St. Paul Lower Hall)
10:30am Teacher Orientation (St. Paul Lower Hall)
5:00pm Youth Mass (St. Paul Church)

Sunday, September 18
9:00am Family Mass (St. John Church)
5:00pm Youth Mass (St. John Church)
6:00pm Confirmation Program Parents & Students Meeting (St. John Powers Hall)

Registration for “World Youth Day Lisbon 2023” is Now Open!

Registration for “World Youth Day Lisbon 2023” is Now Open!

The St. John-St. Paul Collaborative is sending a group of young pilgrims to World Youth Day Lisbon 2023 next summer!  

For more information and to sign up, please visit the World Youth Day page on the Religious Education website.

World Youth Day (WYD) is a worldwide encounter with the Pope which is typically celebrated every few years in a different country. St. Paul and St. John parishes have a rich history attending WYD. We have missed only the WYD in Panama in 2019 –  otherwise we have sent a decent sized group to every WYD stretching back to Rome in 2000! That’s 21 years of participation in this incredible life changing event! It has proven to be one of the best things we do for the youth of our community, and it energizes the parish as a whole…