The St. John-St. Paul Collaborative provides Religious Education programs for our children and adolescents with ongoing faith formation, spiritual encouragement, and development of the understanding and practice of being Catholic in the world today. Children actively participate in prayer, worship, and service to others while continuing to develop their own personal relationship with God.
The Eucharist – the Sacrifice of the Mass – is “the source and summit of the Christian life.” The liturgy is the high point of our lives as Catholic Christians and is the source from which we find strength to live as Christ’s people. From this celebration of the Eucharist we are sent in mission, ready to glorify God by our lives.
As such, all of our faith formation centers around the full, active participation of our children, youth, and families in the celebration of the Mass. Our Sunday 9:00am Family Mass is at the center of our programs for younger children, and our Sunday 5pm Youth Mass serves as the center of our programs for older children and for our high school students.
As always, parents are the primary educators of their children, and our Religious Education programs serve to support and enhance their important mission.
PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES 1 – 7
- Grades 1-2 Classroom Instruction program (First Reconciliation and First Communion Preparation)
- Grades 3-5 Classroom Instruction program
- Middle School (Grades 6-7) Classroom Instruction program
- Grades 3-7 Family Cluster program offering intergenerational learning for parents and children. (This program is not available for students preparing for the sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Communion – typically Grades 1 & 2 – who must enroll in our Classroom Instruction Program.)
- Grades 3-7 At-Home Lessons program that allows parents to facilitate monthly lessons for their children. (This program is not available for students preparing for the sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Communion – typically Grades 1 & 2 – who must enroll in our Classroom Instruction Program.)
- Kindergarten – Grade 5 Online: “Project Nazareth: Faith Begins at Home” program that delivers weekly resources to families. (This program is not available for students preparing for the sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Communion – typically Grades 1 & 2 – who must enroll in our Classroom Instruction Program.)
- Grade 2 “Sacrament Summer Blast” – an optional summer offering for rising 2nd graders who need to supplement their preparation for the sacraments.
CONFIRMATION PREPARATION PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES 8-10
- Classroom Instruction programs for each grade
In January 2024, Cardinal Seán approved a proposal to lower the ordinary age of Confirmation from Grade 10 to Grade 8, to be implemented over the next 2-3 years. Lowering the age of Confirmation will:
- Decrease the gaps between the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation).
- Increase and strengthen the role of families in the faith formation of their young teens.
- Make the grace of this Sacrament available to our young people in greater numbers, and at a critical time when they begin to encounter the demands and challenges of adolescence.
In the 2024-2025 Religious Education year we will offer Confirmation Preparation programs for students in Grade 8, 9, and 10. All students enrolled in these programs will be scheduled to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation in the spring of 2025.
CALENDAR
The program runs from late September through early May. The calendar for the upcoming school year is emailed to all registered families and posted to the Religious Education website in August each year, before the start of classes.
2024-2025 REGISTRATION AND FEE INFORMATION
Registration is now open. Please visit our Religious Education Registration page today to register!
We ask that you register by June 10 as we will be making updates to our program and they will be based on enrollment numbers.
Regular Fees:
- $100 per Student
- $100 per Family Cluster
Additional Fees:
- First Communion Fee (usually Grade 2): $50 per student
- Confirmation Preparation Fee (currently Grades 8, 9, and 10): $150 per student
- Late Fee: $25 per student will be assessed after June 10.
Family Max:
- There is a Family Max of $300 per family (does not include Sacrament or Late Fees.)
CONTACT INFORMATION
Linda Messore
Religious Education & Youth Ministry Director
linda.messore@sjspwellesley.org
Christina Messore
Religious Education Staff
christina.messore@sjspwellesley.org