Faith Formation
Faith Formation Options
Children of our parish should attend formal religious education beginning in K or first grade and continuing through Confirmation. Attending each year will ensure that your child will be well prepared to complete their Sacraments of Initiation. You may register more than one child on one form.
Confirmation classes for 6th graders will culminate in Confirmation in Spring 2026 per the Diocese request. A student must have been Baptised, had First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion and been with us or another program since 4th grade. Attend a year-long grade level RE class, and then have an additional 8 classes of Confirmation Preparation starting in February 2026.
FIRST RECONCILIATION/COMMUNION PREP CLASS: This course is for any student grade 3-6 looking to make First Reconciliation and/or First Communion. They must also be Baptised and enrolled in their grade-appropriate class.
You may register for this class along with the grade-appropriate class on one form. Contact the office if you would like more information.
FIRST RECONCILIATION/COMMUNION PREP CLASS: Any Baptised SMS student grade 3-6 who have had one year of religion classes at SMS, another Catholic school or RE at a parish, looking to make First Reconciliation and/or First Communion. Will come to Sunday classes for sacramental preparation.
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FIRST RECONCILIATION: Your 2nd grade religion class at Saint Mary School will include Reconciliation preparation throughout the year. In addition, there will be other/outside requirements & retreats from St. Mary Church, as this is where the Sacrament will be conferred.
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CONFIRMATION CLASS: Your 6th grade religion classes at Saint Mary School will culminate in Confirmation this year, per the Diocese request. There will be 8 mandatory Confirmation Prep classes starting in February 2026. In addition, there will be other/outside requirements & retreats from St. Mary Church and the Bridgeport Diocese, as the Bishop is the one who confers the sacrament. Please contact us if you have not had one year of RE at either SMS, another Catholic school, or RE program.
Faith Formation Classes Grade K - Grade 6
We will begin classes on September 14, 2025. We do have rolling registrations so if your first-choice class is filled we will alert you immediately and help to find your student a spot. Anyone registering after September 1, 2025 will be assessed a $50 late fee and must register in person. We will begin with a brief parent meeting in the Church on each start date. Students will go to their class with their teachers following the meeting.
The first day of class will be:
Sunday, September 14 – 9:30-10:45am
Tuesday, September 16 – 4:30-5:45pm
Thursday, September 18 – 4:30-5:45pm
First Reconciliation Grade 2
First Reconciliation will be celebrated in Grade 2 for those students that completed Grade 1.
First Communion Grade 3
First Communion will be celebrated in Grade 3 for those students that completed Grade 1 & 2.
Confirmation
Students enrolled in Sacramental Preparation for Confirmation will be Confirmed Spring 2026 if they have completed Grade 1-5. They will attend a regular year religious education class in addition to 8 Confirmation preparation classes, which will begin in February and run for 8 weeks. Each class must be attended.
The first day of class for the Confirmation Prep Classes will be:
Sunday, February 22, 2026
Confirmation classes meet from 6:00 – 8:00 pm. in the Church. We will begin with group prayer.
Registration
We cannot accept a registration, online or paper, without full payment or call to make a payment plan with us before registering. If you have a 24-25 outstanding balance with us, that will need to be paid before accepting 25-26 registration.
Registration In Person
There are Registration Forms at the Religious Education office, the Rectory, and the Foyer of the Church in the Family Faith Center. You can pay by check, cash, or online at our website, & leave the registration in the Religious Education secure dropbox, or in person with us by calling 203-743-4557 so we can set a time to meet.
Registration Online
Please see www.stmarybethel.org/religious-education page to register via our online form.
It will include a link for you to make payment online as well.
Please consider volunteering as a catechist or aide; we are in need of extra volunteers for our drop off and pick up process as well as in classroom teachers.
We hope you have a wonderful summer filled with God’s blessings,
Mary Ferri, Director of Faith Formation
