Dedicated To Forming Faith At All Ages
”Education in the faith by the parents should begin in the child’s earliest years. This already happens when family members help one another to grow in faith by the witness of a Christian life in keeping with the Gospel. Family catechesis precedes, accompanies, and enriches other forms of instruction in the faith. Parents have the mission of teaching their children to pray and to discover their vocation as children of God. The parish is the Eucharistic community and the heart of the liturgical life of Christian families; it is a privileged place for the catechesis of children and parents.” (CCC 2226)
Parents are the first and most important teachers and examples of our Catholic beliefs and so we are counting on you to be involved in your child’s faith formation. Regular attendance at Mass with your children is vital to your child’s faith development.
Formal religious instruction begins when a child enters the 1st grade and continues through Confirmation. Continuous participation in religious education classes through and beyond the sacrament years will nourish their spiritual growth in our faith. This process doesn’t stop at Confirmation, in fact it only begins!
We invite you to click the buttons below to explore the various Faith Formation options available at our parish.
Multi-Age Sacrament Program
Our Multi-Age Sacrament program is designed for the initiation of students in grades Grades 3 through 9 who have not yet received the Sacraments of Baptism, or Reconciliation or First Eucharist. They will receive the required religious instruction and sacramental preparation by being placed in age appropriate classes with a Catechist.
Students must complete one year of regular Faith Formation before registering for Special Sacrament Classes. Please call the parish office for more information.
Youth Ministry
Join us for a fun filled journey into your faith, and the foundations
of what we believe as Catholics, in an engaging
and exciting way with the Youth Ministry at St. Stephen.
Contact Laurie DeLuca at (407) 699-5683, ext. 228
or email LaurieD@st-stephen.com
Adults Becoming Catholic (OCIA)
If you’re interested in becoming a Catholic, we’d love to be along with you for the journey. Our OCIA program or “Order Of Christian Initiation of Adults” can help get you there. This rich program of prayer, study, discussion, and ritual will result in your initiation into the Catholic Faith. Our team of OCIA Catechists, Candidates, and Catechumens meet every Monday evening from 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm.
The OCIA process serves the following:
- Those who have not been baptized or have not been catechized.
- Those who have been baptized either as Roman Catholics or as members of another Christian community but did not receive further instruction.
- Those who are seeking full Catholic Communion. If you’ve been baptized, a practicing Christian and want to seek entry into the Catholic Church.
Some Important Things To Know:
Attendance
Regular and routine attendance is expected of all children and families registered for classes. Attendance at class should be a priority on your child’s scheduled Faith Formation day. There is a mandatory attendance policy requirement for students attending Sacrament Preparation Classes.
Behavior
Good behavior by the student is expected while in class. If a student’s behavior is continually disruptive to the class after being corrected by the catechist, the student will be removed from the classroom to the Resource room and the parents will be called. Most behavior problems can be corrected through the cooperative efforts of the catechist, parents, and staff.
Homework & Materials
If homework has been assigned, parents should review their child’s workbook and folders after each class to know if work has been assigned and to be familiar with the curriculum. A syllabus of curriculum and class dates will be provided to parents.
Arrival and Dismissal
Please follow the signs for instructions on the safe traffic flow for entering & exiting.
Primary (K-5 Grades) A parent or guardian is required to escort each of their children to the classroom. Children in these grades may not be dropped off to walk in unescorted. Primary grade students are to be picked up at their classrooms and signed out in the teacher’s attendance folder.
Middle School (6-8 Grades) students can be dropped off to walk into class at the covered ramp in the back parking lot. Parents or guardians of middle school students are always welcome to park and escort their students to class. These students are to be picked up at their classrooms and signed out in the teacher’s folder.
Early Pickup – Please notify your child’s teacher upon arrival that you intend to pick them up early. Before proceeding to the classroom for an early pickup, please check in at the Resource Room with a staff member.
Registration Requirements
Families enrolling their children for Faith Formation classes must be registered members of the Parish. New students enrolling for the first time are asked to provide:
– Updated Baptismal certificate that includes record of all sacraments to date OR a completed Baptismal information form, if baptized at St. Stephen.
– Letter confirming enrollment and participation in previous parish religious education
program.
Class Fee Structure
Faith formation class fees are due at the time of registration.
