Our Family Catechesis program is designed with the understanding that parents are rightfully the primary educators and ultimately responsible for the catechesis of their children. That said, we can help! The goal of our program is to assist and supplement parents in teaching their children to know, love and serve God and the doctrine taught by Jesus Christ through the Catholic Church. We do this by engaging the family in the reading of Scripture and the Catechism, in prayer and in the community life of the Church. The motivation behind this program is the salvation of all souls, and we believe this is best accomplished by helping families actively catechize their children and authentically live the Catholic faith.

We currently plan to offer the following classes for children aged three and up.

1. Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for 3-6 years old (Now enrolling for the year 2024-2025).
2. Class on Penance and the Eucharist, required for families seeking 1st Holy Communion for their children.
3. Class on Baptism for children of the age of reason: 7 years old to 12 years old only.
4. Confirmation classes are not offered at this time.

Our curriculum fosters the truth, goodness, and beauty of the Catholic faith. Children are educated in the four sections of the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

• Creed (what we believe)
• Sacraments (how we worship)
• Morality (how we live)
• Prayer

Except for Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, all classes generally adhere to the following weekly class structure:

• Class session: The catechist provides a lesson on the assigned readings and facilitates group discussion. Each class begins and ends with a prayer, such as a decade of the Rosary.
• Post-class work: Families are encouraged to review the lesson with their child.

The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) is a method that involves children in the core aspects of faith through materials they can handle and explore with their five senses. CGS requires children to have a good amount of mental focus and listening skills. Younger children who are not yet able to engage mentally with the materials should wait before enrolling. Unlike our other classes, the CGS class is designed specifically for children; parents and siblings generally do not participate in the lessons. We offer Level I CGS for children ages 3-6. More information about CGS can be found here.

Class meets on a weekly basis for ~45 minutes. Our academic year starts after Labor Day in September and runs through the first week of May. The Children’s Catechism class to prepare children for First Holy Communion meets every Sunday 10:30-11:20am (after the 9:30am Sunday Mass), at Stella Maris Academy School. We will provide directions about the class location upon registration. The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd meets two Sundays a month after the 9:30am Mass from 10:30-11:20am. CGS classes take place in our Atrium located in the Star of the Sea Preschool.

We expect class participants to actively participate during class and to complete any assigned homework after class.
We expect participants to be on time for class. Children with more than 3 unexcused absences will not be eligible to receive their sacraments.

We ask families enrolled in our program to live and model the Catholic faith by actively:

• To attend Mass with their children every Sunday at Star of the Sea.
• Praying daily with their children. We encourage families to pray the Rosary together, at least once a week.
• Participate in parish activities or events if possible.

Our understanding and practice of the faith deepen through community life outside the classroom. We invite parents to join our Hospitality gatherings each Sunday after the 9:30 am and 11:30 am Masses, as well as at other parish events and social activities.

In addition to having fewer than three unexcused absences, children in the sacramental preparation classes will be required to pass an exit interview at the end of the school year to be eligible to receive the Sacrament. This includes First Confession, First Holy Communion, and Confirmation. Fr. Joseph Illo, pastor, will conduct the exit interviews with the children and their parents.

Tuition is $100 per child.
Payment options: Cash or check for Star of the Sea Church. Memo: “Children’s Catechism Program”. Your tuition will pay for the required texts. No child will be turned away because of financial need. We are pleased to offer scholarships.

If you have any questions about your child’s eligibility, please contact the parish.