ST JUDE Parish Program Description
For Religious Education
Pre-kinder-5^th Grade – Family Formation:  equips parents to hand on a  well-formed Catholic Faith as they fulfill their role as the primary educators of their children.  Children from Kindergarten through Grade 5, and their parents, meet in the Parish hall for a teaching once a month.  Families Formation sessions are held the first Sunday of each month beginning in September. Each session begins with breakfast hosted by the Knights of Columbus at 9:00AM.  Then at promptly 9:30 to 10:40 A.M. children are dismissed to their classes and parent session begins. At these sessions, parents are provided a talk similar to what the children are learning in class and an overview of the weekly Home Lessons (requiring approximately one hour per week) to instruct their children until the next monthly gathering.  The Family Formation program follows the three-year liturgical cycle, which is driven by Scripture, which is doctrinally sound, and references the Catechism of the Catholic Church.  All parent are to register with their parish as well as register for Family Formation even if they are attending St. Francis Cabrini Catholic School and be a part of parish life.
Holy Communion/Reconciliation: students prepare for the sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Communion during their monthly Family Formation class.  In addition, parents and children work together at home during the month with sacrament lessons and home lessons.  If you have a child entering third year of formation in the fall, register for the Family Formation Program and First Sacraments classes.  PLEASE NOTE: If you have a child in Grades 4-6 who has not yet received one or both of these sacraments, register your family for the Family Formation program and write on the “special needs” line the sacraments needed. A parent and student sacrament workshop in August date TBD.         
Middles school (Sixth grade) will meet with their parents for Family Formation class every first Sunday for Breakfast at 9AM and family session from 9:30 -10:40. Than the students will meet for small group settings 2, 3, 4 Sundays as indicated in the family calendar provided, at the Life Center classrooms from 9:15-10:45 AM. We will use the Connect Program: which brings faith to life through The Creed, the sacraments and Christian Morality. Retreats are required or first year
First year Confirmation (Seventh grade) will meet with their parents for Family Formation class every first Sunday for Breakfast at 9AM and family session from 9:30 -10:40. Than the students will meet for small group settings 2, 3, 4 Sundays as indicated in the family calendar provided, in the Life Center classrooms from 9:30-10:45 AM.  Small group setting with Encounter: A Catholic Bible study designed specifically for middle school kids. Pre-Confirmation Connect: bringing faith to life through The Creed, the sacraments and Christian Morality.
Confirmation: Second year Confirmation (Eighth grade and up) will meet with their parents for Family Formation class every first Sunday for Breakfast at 9AM and family session from 9:30 -10:40.   2, 3, & 4 Sundays the students will meet for small group discussion as indicated in the family calendar provided. Classes will take place in the Life Center classrooms from 9:30-10:45 AM.  Small group setting using YouCat and Chosen: A powerful, life-changing experience for teens as they prepare for the Sacrament of Confirmation. The goal is nothing short of winning over the hearts of teens at a critical time in their lives and keep them in the Church. The program encourages self-initiative and responsibility as youth become fully initiated members of the Church community.  A parent and teen orientation in August.   The Confirmation Preparation Program is open to all youth 7th grade and older.  A minimum of 10 months is required to complete each program.  The recommended time for completion is 2 years (beginning in the fall and working through two years with Confirmation in the spring of the second year).  
                 Youth Ministry:    Youth ministry is a group that allows teens ages 12 to 18 to come together and form relationships with each other and with Christ. Youth nights are held  every Wednesday at 6:30 pm; here, youth participate in team building games and activities, they learn about  the Gospel, and they assist in planning future events in benefit of the group and of the church. Fundraisers are a large asset in allowing youth events to take place; participation in all fundraisers is required if wanting to attend large youth events such as Diocese Youth Rally, Steubenville and other. The youth are the church; therefore, youth ministry helps all youth discover their belonging within the church.
            Young on a Mission:    Post Confirmation students up to 18 years of age. An opportunity for our youth  to gather together to study, mentor their peers preparing for Confirmation and help plan and guide them through retreats. First Sunday of each Month at 9:00AM
 “Become yourself, become family, become disciples, and become the church.”