Religious Education Program Breakdown

Dear Saint Michael's Parents, 

Welcome back for a brand new and exciting year of faith formation! We hope you had a relaxing summer and a much needed break from the busyness that comes with the school year. 

We are excited to present you with this new, innovative approach to Religious Education which was designed based on your feedback last year. Here's the plan…

Mass Attendance: 

Sunday Mass attendance is the center of our faith and is the center of our parish, including our Religious Education program. Going to Sunday Mass is required, not just during the faith formation school year, but throughout our lives. To help families live up to this obligation, attendance cards will be handed out during the first class on September 25th and will be required thereafter. Students must have their cards stamped at the end of Mass by one of the volunteers at the back of the church. This takes seconds on your way out of Mass. If you attend Sunday Mass at another parish, you may keep a bulletin of that week as proof of attendance. Mass attendance cards will be turned in to be recorded once in December and again in the spring. Families enrolled in the Religious Education program, and especially those seeking First Communion and Confirmation for their children must demonstrate that Sunday Mass is a priority for their family. Of course, sicknesses and other truly unavoidable circumstances will arise and keep some families from attending Mass from time to time. We ask that you simply note those things on the Mass card. 

Masses are offered, in English, at St. Michael's: 

Saturday, 4:00 p.m. 

Sunday, 8:00 a.m. & 10:00 a.m. 

Religious Education Family Sessions 

Classes will be held once per month on Wednesdays at 6:00 pm (dates listed below). Both students and parents are required to attend. Everyone will start in the upper church for sign-in. 

Parents will stay and hear from a guest speaker we've specifically chosen to speak on topics that we hope you'll find relevant, interesting and helpful. We have lined up speakers who are experts on everything from theology to child education to child psychology. 

Students will be brought to their classroom in the parish center with their teachers, all of whom are young, professional teachers in Catholic schools. They have designed lessons that will engage the students, making the one-hour class fun and interesting. At the end of the class, the teachers and volunteers will bring the students back to the upper church. If everyone arrives on time, we anticipate each night lasting no longer than 75 minutes. You should be on your way home by 7:15 p.m. 

Class Dates 

Because this model is dependent on guest speakers and professional teachers, there is no opportunity to make up missed lessons. We are asking you to make these 8 evenings a priority over other extracurricular activities that require your time. 

Please reserve these dates in your calendar now so as to avoid conflicts.

All classes are at 6:00 p.m. 

September 25th 

October 16th 

November 13th 

December 11th (Advent night of reflection) 

January 15th 

February 26th 

March 26/27/28 (Lenten Mission)* 

April 9th 

April 30th: First Communion and Confirmation students only** 

*The Lenten Mission is a three night event; parents and students are encouraged to attend all three evenings but are required to attend at least one of the nights. More information about each night will be given a month before. 

**Families with students in either First Communion (2nd grade) or Confirmation (grades 8, 9, and 10) will be required to attend an additional class on Wednesday April 30th. 

Additional Information: 

We are excited to introduce you to the teachers we've employed for this year's Religious Education program!

1st & 2nd Grade 

Ms. Ellie Packer, 2nd Grade Teacher, St. Benedict’s Classical Academy, Natick MA 

3rd & 4th Grade 

Ms. Bridget Eddlem, 2nd Grade Teacher, Our Lady of Lourdes School, Taunton MA

5th, 6th, & 7th Grade 

Mr. Zach Morris, Middle School Teacher, St. Benedict’s Classical Academy, Natick MA 

8th, 9th, & 10th 

Mr. Brendan Mahoney, High School Teacher, Archbishop Williams High School, Braintree, MA 

Questions? 

Please email Deacon Jared or Lori Morton or send a form message on our website with any questions you may have. 

As always, we will be eager to hear your feedback as the year progresses. If we can do anything to assist your family, don't hesitate to reach out. 

Sincerely Yours, 

Fr. Bert, Deacon Jared & the St. Michael's Parish Staff