Children's Faith Formation

You and your family are invited to join the Saint Anthony community as we continue our journey of faith and discipleship! The CFF 2019-2020 class year kicks off on Sunday, September 15 at the 11:15 a.m. Mass.

An Open House will be held following Mass in the Memorial Center. The Saint Anthony Catholic Faith Formation Program instructs children, preschool age through high school, about God’s Word, His Church, and our responsibilities as Catholic Christians. While the St. Anthony CFF Program teaches prayers, commandments, and the precepts of the Church, it is so much more! The core of the CFF Program is just that: faith formation — fostering and forming a relationship with God.

Saint Anthony Parish Children’s Faith Formation (CFF) 916-392-6362

One hour classes are held weekly Monday -Wednesday. The school year runs September through May. A preschool/kindergarten program for 3-5-year-olds, as well as classes for some out of sequence children are held on Sundays.

Junior High and High School Youth Ministry will be held on Wednesdays from 6:30-8:00 p.m.

Please feel free to contact the Religious Education Office for further assistance with questions regarding the CFF program and/or to be put on the registration mailing list. We hope you join us!

Class Descriptions:

Preschool/Kindergarten — A PreK-Kindergarten class will be held on Sundays at 9:30 a.m. Ages 3- through Kindergarten level.

Pre-Sacrament Year I — First graders and Second graders under the age of 8 who have had no previous religious instruction.

* Please Note: Consistent class and Sunday Mass attendance is essential for promotion to the next class level!

Pre-Sacrament Year II — Second graders and Third graders who successfully completed the Beginning Year I program in 2019.

* Please Note:  Consistent class and Sunday Mass attendance is essential for promotion to the next class level!

First Reconciliation / First Holy Eucharist – Third and Fourth graders who successfully completed the Beginning Year II program in 2019 and current Fourth and Fifth Graders who successfully completed the Basic Inquiry Class in 2019

*Please see Requirements for Receiving Sacraments page to understand preparation requirements.

Post-Sacrament I —     4^th and 5^th Graders who celebrated Reconciliation & Eucharist in 2019

Post-Sacrament II  —   5^th and 6^th Graders who successfully completed CFF Grade 4 in 2019

Pre-Confirmation —   6^th Graders who continuously enrolled since First Reconciliation and First Eucharist

Confirmation Year 1 (2-year program) — Eligible candidates are students in 7^th grade or above who have been enrolled in consecutive years of a faith formation program.

Confirmation Year 2  — Students who successfully completed Confirmation Year 1.

Junior High Youth Ministry —     All 7^th and 8^th graders who are already confirmed or are not yet eligible for Confirmation Year 1.                                                                                

High School Youth Ministry —  We would love to see the junior high and high schoolers every week, however, the ministry is designed to accommodate busy teenager schedules.

Basic Catechsis —Children between the grade levels of third and twelfth grade who were baptized as infants and who have had no religious instruction since.   A parent attends ‘family sessions’ that are held once a month during the regular class time.

RCIA: Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (adapted for youth)  (Minimum two-year process)

The RCIA process requires a serious family commitment.  Please call the CFF office for more information. 

Basic Inquiry/ RCIA Year 1 (New students!)

• Children between the grade levels of third and twelfth grade who were baptized as infants and who have had no religious instruction since.   
• Children between the ages of 8 and 17 who have not been baptized.
• A parent attends ‘family sessions’ that are held once a month during the regular class time.

RCIA Catechumenate  (Step Two in the RCIA process).

Students who successfully completed the Basic Inquiry class in 2019 and celebrated the Rite of Acceptance.

Important information on Reception of all Sacraments and Promotion to the next Grade levels

 

For All Sacraments and to successfully complete each level:

ABSENCES FOR THE YEAR MUST NOT EXCEED FOUR

We are entrusted with your children for only one classroom hour per week, and in that hour, we endeavor to teach and prepare them for the reception of a sacrament or promotion to the next grade level. Teachers and assistants are here to begin classes on time and lessons are planned to span the entire hour. Students arriving late to class not only miss important information, but disrupt the teacher and other students. Every effort must be made to 1) have your children here each week, and 2) have your children here on time. More than four (4) absences, including tardies, will hold your child back from promotion or reception of a sacrament.

FAMILIES MUST ATTEND MASS

The most important way to develop your child’s Catholic identity is to celebrate weekly Mass and make Sundays special. Parents are the primary teachers and have the ultimate responsibility for passing on the faith to their children.  Our faith is centered around one hour of praise and thanksgiving at Mass each week.  Everything we talk about in the classroom setting has a direct reference to each Sunday’s Mass.  Children who miss Mass are missing out on part of their lesson, and the lesson becomes abstract and obscure.  Therefore, please assure that your children are being prepared for sacraments and promotion by attending Mass each Sunday.

Based on the above information, the Director of Religious Education, in consultation with the Pastor, will determine if your child is properly prepared to receive a sacrament or promote to the next grade level.

Baptism

Parents of children seven years and younger can arrange baptisms by telephoning the Parish Office at 428-5678.

Children eight years or older can arrange for baptismal preparation by telephoning the Catholic Faith Formation Office at 392-6362.  Children eight years or older will receive the Sacrament of Baptism during the Easter Vigil Mass through the initiation rites.  During this liturgy, the children will also receive the Sacraments of Confirmation and First Holy Eucharist.  Preparation for these sacraments takes a minimum of two years. The Director of Religious Education, in consultation with the Pastor, will determine whether the child is prepared to receive the sacraments.

Reconciliation and First Holy Eucharist

Reconciliation and First Holy Eucharist are generally celebrated in the third grade.  In order to receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation and First Holy Eucharist, children must be attending their third consecutive year of classes.  They must have successfully completed Pre-Sacrament Years 1 & 2, and be currently enrolled and regularly attending the Eucharist/Reconciliation class.

Confirmation

Confirmation (2-year program)

• Students may begin this two-year program in 7th Grade if they have been continuously enrolled in a faith formation program.
• Candidates must be in 7th grade or above and must have been continuously attending a faith formation program. 
• Students desiring Confirmation who have not been continuously enrolled in a faith formation program must consult the Director of Religious Education to clarify which class to register for. This may include attending a year of Junior High Youth Ministry, High School Youth Ministry or the Basic Inquiry class, depending upon the age of the student and the number of lapsed CFF years, prior to entering the two-year Confirmation program.

Out of Sequence

Children between the levels of third and twelfth grade who have been baptized but who have had little or no education of the Catholic Faith enroll in the “Basic Catechsis” Tuesday evening class.  The family may wish to schedule an appointment with the Director of Religious Education prior to enrollment to discuss the process. 

Rite of Christian Initiation – A serious family commitment.

Children between the ages of 8 and 17 who have not been baptized must enroll in the “initiation process”—RCIA.  The family may wish to schedule an appointment with the Director of Religious Education prior to enrollment to discuss the initiation process. (Minimum 2-year process)

Basic Inquiry/RCIA Year 1 (Tuesday evenings) is the first year of the initiation process. 

Year 2:  RCIA Catechumenate (Sunday mornings) is for students who celebrated the Rite of Acceptance in June 2019.