Faith Formation
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- Religious Education General View
- First Grade - Reconciliation
- First Communion
- 3rd, 4th and 5th Grades
- 6th Grades
- 7th Grade
- Confirmation General Information
- Confirmation 1- First Year of Preparation
- Confirmation 2- Second Year of Preparation
- Spanish & Portuguese
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Parents: You are their first teachers and examples of God's love for them.
Thank you for your participation in the program.At St. Francis Xavier Parish, our Religious Education program helps children and young people grow closer to Jesus Christ and develop a strong foundation in the Catholic faith.
We offer classes from 1st Grade through 12th Grade, with students placed according to their school grade and sacramental needs. Through age-appropriate instruction, prayer, Scripture, and sacramental preparation, we seek to support each child as they grow in their relationship with Christ and in their life as a member of the Church.
Grades 1 through Confirmation 1
Students spend the first hour in their grade-level classroom, where they receive age-appropriate instruction and participate in activities related to their faith and sacramental preparation.
They then come together in the chapel for 30 minutes of prayer, reflection, and Eucharistic Adoration, led by Fr. Michael Fitzpatrick. This time of gathering around the Blessed Sacrament is truly the heart and highlight of our Religious Education program, giving our children and young people an opportunity to encounter Jesus in prayer and grow in their relationship with Him.
Confirmation 2
The Confirmation 2 program is personally led by Fr. Mike Fitzpatrick. Through his teaching, conversation, prayer, and guidance, Fr. Mike invites our young people to go deeper into their faith, ask meaningful questions, and develop a more mature and personal relationship with Jesus Christ as they prepare to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation.
St. Monica Parent's Prayer Group
While the children are in class, parents are also invited to join the St. Monica Intercession Prayer Group, a dedicated time of prayer and intercession for our children, families, and parish community.
Click the links below to learn more about our Religious Education program.
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Preparation for Confirmation:
The Sacrament of Confirmation is a two-year process of preparation designed to help young people deepen their relationship with Jesus Christ and grow in their understanding and practice of the Catholic faith.
Our program is divided into two levels:
- Confirmation 1 – First Year of Preparation
- Confirmation 2 – Second Year of Preparation, culminating in the celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation
Students normally begin Confirmation preparation in 8th Grade. However, students who are already attending high school and have not yet begun their preparation are also welcome to join the program. We work with each student according to their age, previous religious education, and sacramental needs.
Our goal is not simply to prepare students to receive a sacrament, but to accompany them as they grow into a deeper and more personal faith and become active members of the Church.
More information about Confirmation 1 and Confirmation 2, including class details and the calendar, can be found in the tabs below.Adult Confirmation
Adults who have not yet received the Sacrament of Confirmation are also welcome. Adult Confirmation preparation is offered according to each person's individual needs and circumstances.
For information about Adult Confirmation classes, please contact the parish office.Confirmation on the Catechism of the Catholic Church
Baptism, the Eucharist, and the sacrament of Confirmation together constitute the "sacraments of Christian initiation," whose unity must be safeguarded. It must be explained to the faithful that the reception of the sacrament of Confirmation is necessary for the completion of baptismal grace.
For "by the sacrament of Confirmation, [the baptized] are more perfectly bound to the Church and are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. Hence they are, as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed."
From this fact, Confirmation brings an increase and deepening of baptismal grace:
- it roots us more deeply in the divine filiation which makes us cry, "Abba! Father!";115
- it unites us more firmly to Christ;
- it increases the gifts of the Holy Spirit in us;
- it renders our bond with the Church more perfect;116
- it gives us a special strength of the Holy Spirit to spread and defend the faith by word and action as true witnesses of Christ, to confess the name of Christ boldly, and never to be ashamed of the Cross:117
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Religious Education in Portuguese
St. Francis Xavier Parish also offers Religious Education and faith formation in Portuguese for our Brazilian Portuguese-speaking community.
For information about the programs in Portuguese, please contact Fr. Thiago Santos.
Religious Education in Spanish
Religious Education and faith formation are also available in Spanish for our Spanish-speaking community.
For information about the programs in Spanish, please contact Fr. Marcelo Silva.
We warmly welcome all families and invite you to become part of our Religious Education community as we grow together in faith and follow Christ as a family.