Religious Education

Religious Education is for everyone!

Here at St. Catherine's, we uphold the Church's teaching regarding Religious Education. "Parents, have the most serious obligation and right, as the primary teachers of their children, to provide an education for their children - especially a Christian education." (Canon 226) As Christians, we never stop growing in our love of God, and we are ever in need of ways to continue to learn more about our faith. We have several programs available to aid in faith development.

Sacramental Preparation - English for grades 2 & 3

In order to assist parents in the education of their children, we provide a Family Catechesis program for parents and their children. This program focuses on the basic fundamentals of our Catholic faith. Children in grades 2 & 3 attend classes along with their parents, under the supervision of certified Catechists. Sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation, Confirmation and First Eucharist is part of our two year Family Catechesis program. For more information, please contact the church office.

In the Diocese of Phoenix, we celebrate the Sacraments of Initiation using the restored order. Children are prepared for First Reconciliation in grade 2, and for Confirmation and First Eucharist in grade 3. Please see the links in the sidebar for more information on the Diocese of Phoenix Sacramental policies.

Special Needs Religious Education

Here at St. Catherine's we are pleased to offer Religious Education classes for children with special needs using the program designed by Rose Kennedy. This program allows children to prepare to receive their sacraments at a pace that is comfortable and fun. Children who have an IEP on file with the local school district are eligible to participate in this program. For more information about our Special Needs program, please contact the church office.

Spanish Religious Education and Sacramental Preparation

Religious Education classes are offered in Spanish on the first, second and third Wednesday of the month during the school year. Children in grade 2 are prepared for First Reconciliation, children in grade 3 and up are prepared for Confirmation and First Eucharist. While the children are attending classes, their parents are also attending classes to assist them with the education of their children.

Registration for our Family Catechesis program, Special Needs Religious Education and Spanish Sacramental Preparation programs is from June 1st to August 1st each year. Please contact the church office for more information.

Adult Faith Formation

We have Bible study groups and many other formation opportunities for adults. The programs change throughout the year. For more information please check our Parish Events section, our calendar, or contact the parish office.

In addition, we offer an "e-mail" Bible study for adults who cannot attend classes. If you are interested in joining this group, please contact the office.

Fr. John Salvador Library.

Another source of information is our Parish Library. The library has books, audio books, cd', DVD's and VHS tapes available for check out. The library is typically open after Mass on the weekends, and can be accessed by stopping in the office on Tuesday and Thursday from 1 PM to 4 PM.

Our parish library has a book discussion group that meets on the third Wednesday of the month. The group reads and discusses books on the Catholic faith, as well as books that help us to understand our fellow Christians. To join this group, please stop by our parish library to find out what book they are currently reading.

Throughout the year we offer classes and discussion groups on varying topics. Please check our "Upcoming Events" page for information on these classes.