Baptismal Preparation Program
When: Typically the first Wednesday of each month at 6pm. Baptism classes are now delivered via Zoom!
First-time expectant parents and parents of born children who are unbaptized must take the Baptism Preparation class. Register at tinyurl.com/stjoebaptism and select the most convenient upcoming class. Baptisms are then scheduled for the 4th Sunday of each month. Prior registration at the parish and regular Sunday Mass attendance are essential prerequisites to the class.
Baptism is the first Sacrament of Initiation and the gateway to all other Sacraments. The Catholic Church insists on children being baptized within a few weeks of birth (Can. 867 §1), however the parents should take care to first be properly prepared by the parish to understand the responsibilities promised at the baptismal ceremony. A pastor may not baptize a child who will not be raised in the Catholic faith or whose parents may lose their faith shortly after the baptism. For those reasons, the Church may delay baptism for a time, until a well-founded hope that the child will be raised Catholic can be established.
K-8 CCD Classes for 2020-2021
Due to the ongoing public health recommendations, we are offering choices for Faith Formation this year. Choice 1 - Regular, in-person instruction on Monday nights for K-6 grade. Students in these classes will use traditional print methods. Choice 2 - Parent-led, at-home instruction for K-6 grade. Students in these classes will choose traditional print methods or the online MyCatholicFaithDelivered.com platform. You may select your curriculum choice in a follow-up form that Mrs. Rak will send. NOTE - Middle School grades 7 & 8 will all move to the MyCatholicFaithDelivered.com platform with a web-based class run by Mrs. Rak on another night of the week. This will help us reduce the total number of people in our building on Monday nights and will most likely come as a relief to our pre-teens who have the most trouble engaging in the traditional classroom model. Occasional in-person meetings will be planned in the latter part of the school year.
Follow this link to register your child for CCD: tinyurl.com/stjoeCCD2020
Inquirer's and RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
When: Mondays, 7:30pm, Activity Center Room 3
Are You Interested in the Catholic Faith?
Every Monday night, St. Joseph will engage in a journey in faith to share the richness of the Catholic Church and our parish family. We invite you to learn what the Church teaches, and be introduced to some of our parish members. These sessions also are opportunities for you, and others that you may wish to invite, to ask those perplexing and difficult questions you may have about the Church. These gatherings are for inquirers and are open to people who are unbaptized, as well as those who are baptized Christians from Protestant or Evangelical backgrounds. Join any time! Email our Director of Religious Education, Ali Rak, at [email protected] to speak more about joining the class!
Those who decide that they would like to officially become Catholic, this class will lead into the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults for persons converting to the faith or receiving sacraments for the first time.
Please feel free to contact the parish office at (301) 539-3903 with questions.