Sunday Youth Gatherings

Pre-K and Kindergarten (Ages 4-5 (potty trained)):

Pre-kindergarten and kindergarten (ages 4 and 5) will use stories in the bible to help develop a sense of, “Who is God?”. Most stories will come from the Old Testament.

First Grade: (Age 6)

will use bible stories to understand, “Who is Jesus” and “What is Jesus’ relationship to God?”

Second Grade (Age 7):

will focus on right and wrong and prepare students for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. This is the start of student’s Catholic Identity.

Third Grade (age 8):

continues the development of students’ Catholic Identity by preparing them for the Sacrament of the most holy Eucharist.

Fourth (age 9):

Students seal their Catholic identity as they are prepared for the Sacrament of Confirmation.

Fifth grade (age 10) post-confirmation

With the younger confirmation age, we feel it will be essential to be there with the newly confirmed as they begin navigating life as a Catholic Christian.  This will be the newly confirmed students’ period of mystagogy (learning to participate in the mysteries of the church).

Middle School (ages 11-13)

Extended mystagogy with a focus on discipleship

High School (ages 14-17)

Students continue their journey through life as a Catholic Christian with a focus on catholic social Teaching.

Additional Gathering activity:

An additional change is a more formal addition of a Family Faith formation component with Family Life Catechesis. As we all know all education begins with and is strengthened within the family network, we will be infusing this very important piece into our program.  We will be asking family members to join our working sessions approximately every six weeks to receive and review assigned projects.

To address some scheduling conflicts that may arise (shared parenting, Mass attendance) We are adding a virtual component.  Students will alternate between in-person sessions and online class assignments. We will not be adding a fully online component so we may continue to build community among the students as they get to know each other during the in-person sessions.

In person sessions continue to meet at the Saint Bernardine Parish Center In the rear of Harcum Hall 614 Edmondson Avenue 21229 off the parking lot.