Religious Education

The St Joan of Arc Catholic Church Youth Religious Education program is intended for students in Grades 1 through 8 and prepares children for the sacraments of Reconciliation, Eucharist, and Confirmation.  We are blessed to have St Joan of Arc School teachers facilitate all our classes. Each grade level will meet in person on Wednesdays at St. Joan of Arc School.

Faith formation is an essential aspect of Catholic education, as it lays the foundation for a child’s understanding of the Catholic faith. Through engaging and interactive lessons, children are introduced to the basic principles of Catholicism, such as the belief in one God, the Holy Trinity, and the importance of Jesus Christ as our savior.

Our RE students will learn about the significance of the Church, the structure of the Mass, and Catholic prayers. By providing a solid understanding of these fundamental concepts, children are able to develop a strong faith from an early age.

Our RE Program is using the Blest Are We Faith in Action - Parish Edition curriculum. The Blest Are We Faith in Action religious education program was developed according to the four pillars of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. These four parts of the Catechism are identified by the words Believe, Worship, Live, and Pray. Student books for the parish program help students learn their Catholic faith and deepen their Catholic identity.

Blest Are We Faith in Action offers:

Faith in Action pages for each chapter, establishing a strong connection to Catholic Social Teaching
Redesigned Take Home pages, supporting families in the faith formation of their children

At the very heart of your child’s religious education are you, the parents. Parents are the primary religious educators of their children through their lives and examples every day. Your teaching, support, example, attitude, and the values you impart are fundamental to your child.

As Christian parents, you are asked to support our Religious Education program in the following ways:

  1. Attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days, and go to Confession frequently (see bulletin or website for times).
  2. Discuss the Sunday readings with your children before/after attending Mass and help them reflect on them.
  3. Help your child learn how to pray by praying regularly with them.
  4. Please see that your children participate weekly in Religious Education.
  5. Show interest in what your child is learning by sitting down with them at home to review the lessons, discuss them, and share with your family!
  6. Help your child/children be conscientious about any homework given to them each week.
  7. Foster an attitude of respect and cooperation within your child for Religious Education, the staff, and teachers.
  8. Emails and letters to parents will be sent home regularly. Please read them all as they contain important information and upcoming events.

In addition to our Religious Education programs, St Joan of Arc Catholic Church has a fully accredited school meeting the needs of students ranging from preschool to eighth grade. We provide academic excellence, STREAM, arts, Spanish and reading specialists, a safe and loving environment, 98% Catholic high school testing acceptance rate, onsite before and after school care, scholarship options, athletic programs starting in 5th grade, advantage of uniforms plus so much more.  Please visit school.sjalisle.org for more information on our parish school.

“Lifting up the mind toward God is an expression of our adoration of God: prayer of praise and thanksgiving, intercession, and petition. Prayer is an indispensable condition for being able to obey God’s commandments”