RE Program Information
Scroll down to see info on each program
St. Raphael offers two program tracks for religious education:
Families of Faith
a Whole-Family Alternative to Weekly CLASS SESSIONS
Who: Families with children in grades 4K-10
Respecting the role of parents as the primary catechists, this whole family approach to Faith Formation invites families together in community and seeks to support parents in their role as models of faith for their children. Whole families will attend sessions together and then will break off into parents and age appropriate groups for further formation. Parents will have the opportunity to grow in community with one another while diving deeper into the richness of our faith in order to better share that faith with their children. They then teach their children at home from a resource provided the other three weeks of the month.
Pre-K & Kindergarten
Sunday School CLASS SESSIONS
When: Every other Sunday during the 10am Mass, September 10-April 14.
Who: Children in preschool (age 4 by 9/1/23) and kindergarten (age 5 by 9/1/23)
PreK/K Sunday School is offered every other week, September-April. The program is for preschool
(age 4 by 9/1/23) and kindergarten (age 5 by 9/1/23) age children. We offer faith based lessons featuring activities, Bible stories, music, crafts, prayer, games and more. Children imagine, explore, create, and DO which engages all their senses as they gain the building blocks for a lifetime of Catholic Faith. Our curriculum nurtures young children’s natural tendency to seek a relationship with God, reinforcing a strong sense of community and love.
Elementary School
Weekday Class Sessions
When: Tuesdays and Wednesdays 4:30-6pm, September 12th-April 24th
Who: Children in grades 1-5
Written by Sophia Institute, Spirit of Truth- Parish edition provides the outline and curriculum content for our regular Religious Education program. Our weekly class sessions take children on an inviting and significant journey through the Catholic Faith. Children engage in hands-on activities and small group discussions to form a relationship with Jesus and members of their faith community.
MIddle School
When: Tuesdays 4:30-6pm and Wednesdays 6:15-7:45 pm,
September 10-April 30
Who: Youth in grades 6-8
EDGE is our Middle school Youth Ministry and Religious Education program. EDGE provides the opportunity for our middle school students to gather in large and small group formats. Each week the session will allow for exploration on a given topic in our faith. Activities are designed to allow the students to reflect and learn how a given topic impacts them not just on the intellectual level, but how it impacts their daily life as they strive to live out the call to discipleship.
HIgh School: Grades 9 & 10
St. Raphael Offers Four Faith Formation options
for High School Youth
Option 1: Camp Life Teen 2024
When: June 17-20 AND June 24-27, 1-5:30 pm, Monday-Thursday.
Who: Youth in grades 9 and 10
This 8 day immersive faith formation program for 9th and 10th graders takes the curriculum they would be working on in a traditional classroom setting and presents it in a more intensive retreat-like setting. Combining small group discussions, videos, witness talks, community building, and of course prayer. All 8 days are required for attendance and students are encouraged to find ways to get more involved in their faith throughout the school year to stay connected with the parish community. Space is limited.
Option 2: High School BiWeekly Faith Formation Sessions
When: Every other Wednesday, 7:30-9:00 pm, September 18-May 7; includes 2 service days
Who: Youth in grades 9 and 10
The focus of these 2 years is to dive more deeply into the Mass and practical ways to live out our faith in our own lives. Class material will include: Bishop Ricken’s 5 Alive Practices, Ascension’s Altaration project, The Chosen series and more. The hope is that following class, teens will find ways to get more involved in their faith through retreats, small groups, leadership, service and parish involvement.
Option 3: Families of Faith
Refer to top of webpage
** All High School Students will be required to complete 20 total service hours between 9th grade to Confirmation (Due month prior to Confirmation date)**
Confirmation
When: Weekly on Mondays, 6:15-7:45, September -January/Feb
Confirmation Date: Sunday, January 26th, 2 pm
Who: Youth in grades 11 or 12 who have completed 9th/10th Faith Formation Classes (includes youth who attend Lourdes Academy)
Retreat: Friday, December 6th, 6-9pm / Saturday, December 7th, 9am-6pm
Location: St. Raphael
Attendance Mandatory
The aim of the class is to help youth prepare to say “YES” to Jesus and His Spirit, in becoming leaders and messengers of His Love. We will be meeting for weekly classes, retreat and 1 on 1 interviews September-February in order to open our hearts to all that God has in store for us. Through our “YES,” this class will allow us to embrace the gift of God, His Holy Spirit, who created the Church. Two important questions to ponder before joining class: 1) Do you want to grow in your faith/relationship with God? 2) Do you desire to become a Saint? If you answered “Yes'' to either of these, we are happy to journey alongside you in this next step to Sainthood.
