Access to the Greater Confirmation Retreat was provided to the parent emails of our 8th-grade students. The last group should have received this on Thursday, February 25th. If your young person is registered in St. Paul Parish Religious Education for 8th grade or set to receive Confirmation here from a Catholic School, and you have not received this information, please contact jmcguire@stpaulsofprinceton.org.
Family Home Study Announcements
Understanding that these are challenging times, we will offer three chances for parents to attend a First Reconciliation and First Eucharist Meeting. These will be held on Saturday, December 5th at 10:00 am. Tuesday, December 15th at 6:00 pm, and Sunday, December 20th at 11:00 am.
Religious Education families will find links to these meetings on Flip Grid.
Recordings will be made available on the First Reconciliation/ Eucharist Tab of the Parish Website.
Our Supported Home Study program kicked-off on September 20th. However, we've extended registration for families. If you have yet to register, please do so by Friday, November 13th.
As a reminder, preparation for First Eucharist and Confirmation both require 2 years of preparation, and begin in 1st grade and 7th grade respectively. Families that choose not to register for these years, will be required to complete 1st or 7th grade during the Summer Academy Program to celebrate these sacraments at the regularly scheduled time.
Our families began their supported home study program beginning on Sunday, September 20th. At the beginning of the 2020-2021 Religious Education session, families were provided with access to Flip Grid, and a digital book. Each week they study 1 chapter of materials, which is supported by an in-home lesson plan, associated videos, and an e-assessment. Families complete the assessment as a way of showing that they've participated in that lesson.
Families are not in this alone, each grade is assigned a volunteer that we call a Catechetical Concierge. This volunteer has past experience with Religious Education, and helps to guide families through their work. Some families may not yet have heard from their volunteer as of yet, because this is a period of adjustment, but will soon.
If you have yet to register for Religious Education, we are accepting late registrations until October 30th. Please register now so that you can catch-up with the other families!
What does this mean? Families will be provided digital texts, helpful videos, and in-home lesson plans for our parents. Each week, families will complete one asigned lesson. Review the chapter from your book, watch any associated videos, and complete the weekly e-assessment. There isn't a specific time that you have to gather, just find some time during the week, and take a look together.
You aren't in this alone! The Office of Religious Education is here to support you. We plan on assigning a volunteer to each grade level to act as a "catechetical conceirge". This person will be a support for parents in the process of remote learning. They will review assessments, assign occasional assignments, and ideally offer periodic video meetings to review and preview student materials. If you have any specific questions about the content of lessons, this will be your first contact. Scheduled meetings, and information to access them will be made available through Flip Grid.
We will offer a video meeting orientation for our Supported Home Study Model on September 20th for Sunday PREP, and Family Home Study, and on September 22nd for Tuesday PREP. Sessions may need to be broken up by grade level, so you will recieve more information, including time when we send you access to Flip Grid, and your digital texts before September 20th. Anyone who missed their orientation video meeting, will have access to a recording on their Flip Grid.
The Office of Religious Education has determined that we will begin our year remotely. This decision will also apply to sacramental formation. The best guidance available to us from the Diocesan and Civil authorities, suggests that this is the best course of action at this time.
During our Summer Academy program in July we provided support to parents as they reviewed lessons with their children utilizing online resources such as videos, digital text, and family lesson plans. Families were also accompanied by a volunteer that I call a catechetical concierge. As parents discussed lessons with their children these volunteers assigned activities, reviewed assessments, and even offered video calls for the parents and children to connect.
Whether you are registered for Family Home Study, Sunday PREP, or Tuesday PREP you will be provided with these materials to begin the year. If circumstances change and we are able to offer in-person classes later this year, families enrolled in the Sunday or Tuesday sessions will be given the option to return or to remain remote. All those that wish to remain remote for the entire year are encouraged to register for Family Home Study.
The schools of the Diocese of Trenton will be closed through Friday, May 8, 2020. Until that time we will continue with remote learning. Grade level schedules, in home learning guides, additional resources, and further updates will be available through our Religious Education Website linked below. Parish Staff is monitoring the situation as it develops, and we will provide further information as it becomes available.
If you are in need of assistance in regard to the program materials, or faith formation in general, please know that you can contact us through email jmcguire@stpaulsofprinceton.org or by phone: 609-759-0678.
Information for Remote Learning:
- The curriculum is available below please follow the lessons your child will be missing at home (excluding the family life lesson for this week).
- Please have your child complete any chapter, session, or unit reviews in their workbooks. Catechists will be asked to review these lessons our first week back.
- Please watch your email for videos and resources aimed to help make your experience more complete.
Stay safe and healthy.
Registration for the Parish Religious Education Program (Sunday/Tuesday PREP, Home Study, and Summer Academy) will begin Friday, March 6th 2020. If you were registered during the 2019-2020 program you will receive an email indicating that you can log in to register for this year.
Families who register for the Sacramental Preparation years of Second Grade and 8th grade, will pay their sacramental preparation fees while registering on Parish Giving. Please note well, that you should not complete the Sacramental Registration Form, this will cause you to be double charged.
If you are new to the parish program, you will need to complete a new family registration form on the PREP Registration Tab of the Faith Formation web page. Upon review of your form you will be granted credentials to register for this year.
For More Information please visit the PREP Registration Tab.
The St. Paul Parish Office of Religious Education is concerned with the current public health issues that affect all of us. As a result, we have decided to modify the current classroom-based Parish Religious Education Program to a home study model in the coming weeks.
We will suspend Sunday PREP beginning March 15, and Tuesday PREP beginning March 17, and we hope to resume Sunday PREP April 19 and Tuesday PREP April 21 after careful re-evaluation of health and safety conditions at that time. In this model, our children will miss three sessions of classroom instruction that will be replaced with home-based lessons.
Please follow the following instructions carefully:
- Make sure you have your child's religious education workbook. (John McGuire will be available in the school cafeteria during the scheduled PREP sessions Sunday, March 15, and Tuesday, March 17 if you need to pick-up forgotten materials.)
- The curriculum is available below please follow the lessons your child will be missing at home (excluding the family life lesson for this week).
- Please have your child complete any chapter, session, or unit reviews in their workbooks. Catechists will be asked to review these lessons our first week back.
- Please watch your email for videos and resources aimed to help make your experience more complete.
Religious Education staff is available to help and support you during these weeks. If you have any questions, contact John McGuire at (609)524-0509 or jmcguire@stpaulsofprinceton.org or Maureen Sano at (609)524-0510 or msano@stpaulsofprinceton.org. We will be continuing office hours Monday-Friday 9:30 AM- 4:30 PM until further notice.
Sacramental Preparation for First Eucharist
Currently, we are planning to proceed with rehearsals and celebrations of First Eucharist as scheduled. However, the First Eucharist Retreat scheduled for Saturday, March 21 is canceled. Banner kits and children's packets will be available for review at home.
Materials will be available for pick-up on Sunday, March 15: 8:40- 9:45 AM and Tuesday, March 17: 4:30-5:45 PM in Saint Paul School Cafeteria. If you are unable to pick up these materials at that time, you can contact us to schedule a time for pick-up during office hours.
Confirmation Formation
The Confirmation Formation Program will also be affected by these closures. Please keep watch for an update from our Confirmation Coordinator, Kait Mayer.
Families who participate in Family Home Study and Summer Academy please mark your calendar. On Sunday, March 1st we will gather for 11:30 am Mass, then gather at St. Paul School to review the Family Life Program.
Diocesan policy requires that all families participating in Religious Education programs must complete this program. If you will not be in attendance, an Opt-Out form will be required. If you have any questions, please contact jmcguire@stpaulsofprinceton.org.
Join us on Tuesday, Dec. 24 for our annual Christmas Eve Family Mass. At 3:30 pm our Parish Children's Choir will present a musical prelude followed by a Nativity play by our parish children. All children are welcome to participate. Children in Grade 2 and younger are welcome to come dressed as angels and shepherds, Grade 3 and up are welcomed as narrators and others roles. Our children in middle school will take preference for more specific roles. We are also looking for a baby to play Jesus! Rehearsal for children who are not angels or shepherds will be on Thursday, Dec. 19 at 5:30 pm in Church.
For more information, please contact us by email at: jmcguire@stpaulsofprinceton.org.
The next meeting of Family Catechesis for Home Study and Summer Academy, will be Sunday, December 8th. We will begin our day at the 11:30 am Sunday Mass and then gather in Saint Paul School. Families are invited to bring their favorite Christmas cookies to share. Please clearly label them to avoid issues with allergies. We will have a lesson on Advent and Christmas, and the opportunity to sing along with our favorite carols of the season. This will be an excellent opportunity for our Summer Academy and Home Study families to learn, pray, and come together as a community!
Saturday 10/12/2019 from 9:30 am– 11:30 am. Parents and children will pray together in Church. Children will be brought to their assigned classroom, and parents will begin their session in the St. Paul School Cafeteria. Topics will include the examination of conscience, instruction for going to confession, the act of contrition, the meaning of absolution, and the Confessionals will be open for inspection.
On Sunday, September 15th all families enrolled in the Family Home Study Program will attend the 11:30 AM parish Mass. Following we will meet in St. Paul School where materials will be distributed, and we will discuss the resources available for a successful religious education year. We look forward to seeing you there!
Church and Spiritual Center
Students registered for Sunday PREP and Stuart Country Day School, as well as some Family Home Study Families will celebrate First Eucharist at 9:30 am. Children in Hispanic PREP will celebrate at 11:30 am. You should arrive in the Spiritual Center no later than 15 minutes early to line up for your celebration!
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Where: Spiritual Center and Church
Children preparing for the sacrament at St. Paul School will celebrate at 9:30 am. Children preparing in Sunday PREP, Princeton Academy of the Sacred Heart, and some Family Home Study students will celebrate at 11:30 am. Please arrive at the Spiritual Center at least 15 minutes early to line up.
Summer Academy for the 2019-2020 Parish Religious Education Program year will be held 9:00 am – 12:00 pm, Monday through Friday, July 22nd to August 2nd. This program covers a year's catechesis requirements over 30 hours in a two week period, and also provides many liturgical and spiritual opportunities unique to this program.
Registration will open in March.
Save the date. St. Paul Parish will host our annual VBC from Monday, July 8th-Friday, July 12th from 9:00 am until 12:00 noon. All children from 3 1/2-8 years old are welcome to participate as campers, and teens are welcome as volunteers. This year's theme will be Birthday Blast: A Celebration of Life. This year registration will be $55 per child, each family will be provided with the Bible Camp Audio CD on the last day. If you would like more information please contact jmcguire@stpaulsofprinceton.org.
The First Reconciliation Retreat is this Saturday, October 13 from 9:30 am until 11:30 am. Children preparing for Reconciliation are expected to attend with one parent/guardian. We will begin the day in prayer as we gather in the Church, and then children and parents will break into their own sessions. The purpose of the day is to provide children an opportunity to become more comfortable with the sacrament of reconciliation. Parents will have their own opportunity for reflection and conversation on preparing their children for this sacrament.
A Session will be held Saturday, October 6th from 10:00 am-12:30 pm in St. Paul School Library
Safe Environments Training for Catechists, Volunteers, and Concerned Parents. Learn to identify risk, and properly respond when there is an appearance of child abuse. Room is limited, and these sessions tend to fill up quickly. To register please visit virtusonline.org. If this is your first time registering, select First Time Registrant > Begin the Registration Process> Please select your Archdiocese/Diocese/Religious Organization from the list below: Trenton, NJ (Diocese)>Create your username and password, and make sure that you indicate that you are associated with St. Paul, Princeton.
On Sunday, September 16th all families enrolled in the Family Home Study Program are invited to attend the 11:30 a.m. parish Mass. Following Mass we will meet in St. Paul School Gym where materials will be distributed, and we will discuss the resources available for a successful religious education year. We look forward to seeing you there.
There will be a meeting for parents of all children preparing to celebrate the sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Eucharist at St. Paul Parish during the 2018-2019 school year on Tuesday, Sept. 25 at 7:30 pm in the school gym. It is important that one parent from each family attend this meeting as we prepare for this exciting time in the life of your child and family. For more information, please contact the Religious Education Office.