Welcome to St. Mary’s – Big River  Faith Formation Program!

Our Faith Formation program combines education in Catholic doctrine with spiritual formation for students in K/1^st through 10/11^th grade. 

Classes are held on Wednesday evenings, starting in early September, during the academic year, ending in early May. The afternoon session is for grades K/1 through 5^th grade from 3:45 pm to      5:00 pm.  The evening session is for grades 6^th through 10/11^th.

The Sacrament of First Reconciliation and           First Holy Communion is prepared for in the 2nd-grade class.

The Sacrament of Confirmation is begun in Year 1 Confirmation, which is grade 10, and ends in a brief Year 2 Confirmation, grade 11, with Confirmation in Mid-October.

Grade level classroom instruction is given by well-trained catechists using the              "Faith and Life" series published by Ignatius Press. 

Each Wednesday class begins with prayer, with an emphasis on the rosary. Students have two special Holy Hours, to adore Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, during the year near the time of Advent and Lent. An opportunity for the Sacrament of Confession is also provided during Advent and Lent. During Lent, we teach the students how to pray the Stations of the Cross.

If you have any questions, please contact Traci Campion (Director of Religious Education) at 715-307-8844 or by email reginahope1917@gmail.com.  
 

Second-grade preparation for First Confession and First Holy Communion is a joyful and exciting time for children at St. Mary’s and their families. 

Our program is designed to help parents properly form and prepare their children for Reconciliation and Holy Communion by helping them understand God's great love for them shown in these two tremendous sacraments.

Part of our program includes a pre-First Confession interview in December and a pre-First Holy Communion interview in April, and a mini-retreat day with the parents (after the practice) on the day before their reception of First Holy Communion.

Requirements:

One must be a registered and active member of St. Mary’s parish in order to enroll your child in our sacramental preparation programs. *Unless special permission is granted by the pastor BEFORE registering.

Your child must be already baptized and 7 years of age by January 1st of the calendar year in which your child is to receive First Holy Communion.

If your child was not baptized at St. Mary’s parish, an official copy (NOT a photocopy) of your child’s Baptismal Certificate is needed before First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion. From the parish of baptism, order a copy of the baptism certificate to be sent directly to St. Mary's.

For families who wish to prepare their children for the Sacraments                 in other ways:

Please contact the pastor before August 30^th of the academic year in which you wish your child to receive these sacraments. Children in these situations must still participate in certain parish events through the course of the year and meet the same work requirements as the students in the classroom. Parents will be provided with materials to assist them so that their children will know what is expected of them at the interviews.

Parents also have a right to provide their children's religious instruction at home. We will happily work with families to facilitate proper sacramental preparation in these cases.

Students enrolled in other Catholic schools cannot assume that their curriculum will satisfy our preparation requirements. Parents should also be aware that sacraments are part of the life of a parish community--not of a school. Preparation may be received through a school setting, but all St. Mary’s parishioners will be expected to receive the sacraments here rather than as part of a class activity at a Catholic school.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Traci Campion (Director of Religious Education) at 715-307-8844 or by email reginahope1917@gmail.com.  

This Sacrament is for high school students who are ready to deepen their relationship with Christ and be empowered by the Holy Spirit to take on the mission of spreading the Gospel. 

Confirmation preparation at St. Mary’s parish is configured as a Year 1 and Year 2 course. Year 1 is for 10th-grade students and runs from mid-October to early May. Year 2 is for the new 11th-grade student and runs from early September until the Confirmation ceremony in mid-October.  

The Wednesday evening classes inspire the young students to deepen their spiritual lives and to gain a solid understanding of the Catholic Faith. Classes are taught by Deacon Dan Gannon who is the Director for Ongoing Clergy Formation at the St. Paul Seminary for the Diocese of St. Paul/Minneapolis. Our students get excellent instruction! The goal is to assist young people to embrace the Gospel whole-heartedly, love God enthusiastically, and bring Him into the world fearlessly, all with the assistance of the powerful sacramental grace of Confirmation and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. 

Requirements:

One must be a registered and active member of St. Mary’s parish in order to enroll your student in our sacramental preparation programs. *Unless special permission is granted by the pastor BEFORE registering and before Aug. 30th.

Your child must be already baptized and 16 years of age by October 1st of the calendar year in which your student would receive The Sacrament of Confirmation.

If your child was not baptized at St. Mary’s parish, an official copy (NOT a photocopy) of your child’s Baptismal Certificate is needed before Confirmation in October. From the parish of baptism, order a copy of the baptism certificate to be sent directly to St. Mary's.

For families who wish to prepare their children for the Sacraments                 in other ways:

Please contact the pastor before August 30^th of the academic year in which you wish your student to receive these sacraments. Students in these situations must still participate in certain parish events through the course of the year and meet the same work requirements as the students in the classroom. Parents will be provided with materials to assist them so that their children will know what is expected of them at the interviews.

Parents also have a right to provide their student 's religious instruction at home. We will happily work with families to facilitate proper sacramental preparation in these cases.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Traci Campion (Director of Religious Education) at 715-307-8844 or by email reginahope1917@gmail.com.