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Religious Education (PREP)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. -
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Our goal is to assist parents with their mission to pass on the Catholic faith to their children. To register for PREP for the 2022- 2023 school year please register using the Prep Registration form.
Through 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 Coordinator of Religious Education (CRE). For more information, please email religioused@churchofstjosephaston.org.
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Families have two options for PREP classes this year. Wednesday in person classes are from 4:00 to 5:30 pm or 6:00 to 7:30 pm.The second option is our Family Catechesis meeting once a month (with weekly assessments). We will be using the Finding God series from Loyola.
If you have any questions, please email religioused@churchofstjosephaston.org
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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 required 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.
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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 Coordinator of Religious education at religioused@churchofstjosephaston.org
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Liturgy of the Word for Children
Children's Liturgy of the Word will return in September, 2023.
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