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Growing in Faith children's resource
- Growing in Faith October 2021
- Growing in Faith September 2021
- Growing in Faith August 2021
- Growing in Faith July 2021
- Growing in Faith June 2021
- Growing in Faith April 2021
- Growing in Faith March 2021
- Growing in Faith Lenten Calendar
- Growing in Faith February 2021
- Growing in Faith January 2021
- Growing in Faith Advent 2020
- Growing in Faith December 2020
- Growing in Faith November 2020
- Growing in Faith October 2020
- Growing in Faith September 2020
- Growing in Faith August 2020
- Growing in Faith July 2020
- Growing in Faith June 2020
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First reconcilation
Please keep our little children in your prayers as they prepare to receive their First Reconciliation on November 11th at 6:30 PM.
They will be creating "God's Garden of Forgiveness". -
Confirmation
Please keep our Confirmation Candidates in your prayers at they prepare to make their Confirmation on January 26th at 4:00 PM
Archbishop Perez will be the Celebrant. -
First Communion
Please keep our little children in your prayers as they prepare to receive their First Communion on Saturday May 7th at 10:00.
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Religious Education
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PREP Level 2
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PREP Classes in person and online For 2021-2022
Families will have three options for PREP classes this year. Wednesday in person classes 4:00 until 5:30 (only 6th level is available for this session), 6:00 until 7:30 (Levels 1, 4, 5 and 6 are no longer available for this session) , Family Catechesis meeting once a month (with weekly assessments) and online sessions (using a digital portfolio completing information and formation projects and 4 Zoom meetings).
There is no in person PREP on Wednesday October 6th.
We will continue to grow in the Faith using Gospel Weeklies Program.
If you are in the online or Family Catechesis program of PREP and have not picked up your Gospel Weekly for your child, please contact the DRE, Kellianne Miley at astonstjdre@gmail.com, to schedule a time to pick them up.
The Archdiocesan Covid-19 Task Force constantly monitors the CDC, state and local county Departments of Health for policies, protocols and changes. The following is the required protocol for attendance of in person instruction for PREP by the Archdiocesan Covid-19 Task Force for all PREP in person sessions to follow:
1. Waiver: Each student must have a signed and dated Archdiocesan Covid-19 waiver on file. If a waiver is not signed, the child will be offered an online catechetical instruction. I have attached the waiver to this email.
2. Masks: All adults, teens and children are to be masked/must be masked before, during in-person instruction session and at dismissal until safely outdoors. Waivers for no masks will not be issued or accepted.
3. Social Distancing: Desks or seating will be three feet apart.
4. Classroom or Instructional space: Environment: Will be kept well ventilated to the greatest extent possible to circulate fresh air.
5. Educational and Hygienic Supplies: The parish is providing each child with their own set of crayons, pencils, glue stick and scissors that will be in a pouch with their name on it. The supplies will be handed out at the beginning of each session and collected at the end of each session.
6. Cleaning and Sanitizing Shared Space: Rooms, bathrooms, high traffic areas will be cleaned and sanitized before and after each session.
7. Monitoring Student Health: Parents/guardians should monitor their child’s health and not send a sick child to PREP.
8. Tracing and Reporting: If a student tests positive for Covid-19 or a variant, please contact the DRE immediately.
Please be assured that the Archdiocesan Covid-19 Task Force constantly monitors the CDC, state and local county Departments of Health for changes in their policies and protocols. As such, the Archdiocesan plan may change at any time. You will be contacted immediately via email with updates.
Thank you in advance for your understanding.
Faith is a journey and the best journeys have companions. Your family and parish community are the best companions for this journey. Celebrate God's love through Mass and times of pray as a family and as a community. The more time we spend getting to know God as a family, the closer we will be to Him and the more peace filled our lives will be.
If you have any questions, please contact the Director of Religious Education, Ms. Kellianne Miley at 610-497-3340 or email astonstjdre@gmail.com -
What is PREP?PREP stands for Parish Religious Education Program. Our goal is to assist parents with their mission to pass on the Catholic faith to their children.
PREPThrough PREP classes, children learn about their Catholic faith. Children begin their formal instruction in Level 1 (first grade) and continue for six more years. Their weekly lessons are 1.5 hours in length with curriculum guidelines. Textbooks and support materials are all approved through the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, our Pastor, and our Director of Religious Education (DRE). For more information, please contact the Director of Religious Education.
To register, please complete the registration form to the left.
Reconciliation, First Communion, and ConfirmationSacramental Preparation is another major PREP program. Preparation for Reconciliation & First Communion (Level 2) and Confirmation (Level 7) are completed through classroom instruction and home preparations, projects, and study. Though this classroom education is essential, parents are the first and best models of Christian witnesses for their children. Their practices of the faith are the best example of a lived faith and best method of sacrament preparation.
First Communion/EucharistThe Eucharist is the heart and the summit of the Church’s life, for in it Christ associates his Church and all her members with his sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving offered once for all on the cross to his Father; by this sacrifice He pours out the graces of salvation on His Body which is the Church. (CCC 1407)
Children receive First Reconciliation and First Eucharist in the second grade.
To receive First Communion at our parish, parish policy requires that each child be in preparation for two years, enrolled at our parish school, attend the Parish Religious Education Program (PREP), or be home-schooled for their academic education.
ConfirmationBy the Sacrament of Confirmation, the baptized are more perfectly bound to the Church and are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. They are true witnesses of Christ who spread and defend the faith by word and deed (CCC1285).
As fully initiated members of the Church, those receiving Confirmation are expected to continue to deepen their relationship with Christ, to continue to serve His Church, and to lead others to Jesus Christ. Confirmed individuals are not “graduating” from religious education but instead are “graduating” into adulthood in the church. Confirmation is the beginning of a new journey as active members of the parish community, which includes serving the parish and continuing to grow in the faith.
Beginning in 2019, parish policy requires that individuals be in at least seventh grade and have two years of immediate preparation in the faith before receiving Confirmation. Students who choose to be candidates for Confirmation must be enrolled at our Parish School, attend the Parish Religious Education Program (PREP), or be home-schooled for their academic education. For information about Confirmation sponsor guidelines, please see the Godparents/Sponsors information under Grow Your Faith.
Catechists Needed!We invite members of our parish community to join in the important work of educating our children. We are looking for teachers, teacher’s aides, and various other volunteer positions. If you are interested in being a Catechist, please contact the Director of Religious Education.
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Liturgy of the Word for ChildrenDURING COVID-19
To help children more fully participate in the Mass, the Liturgy of the Word for Children is on our Facebook page for viewing on Sunday or whenever convenient for the family.
AFTER COVID-19
At the gospel during the 9:30AM Mass children are brought up to the altar and the priests offers them a blessing and they leave as a group to the lower church.
Children four years of age through nine years old are welcome to participate. After the opening prayer at Mass, a team of volunteers brings the children into the Chapel for their own Liturgy of the Word. The Scriptures are read from an approved text especially for children. The Gospel reflection and discussion helps them to understand what God is saying and how to live the message. The children profess their faith and offer prayers from their hearts. Children then return to the main church to celebrate the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
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