Religious Education

St. Stephen’s Home Based Religious Education Programs

Here at St. Stephen’s Parish, we are very blessed to have a home-based Religious Education Program offered to our children from kindergarten to level one. This program gives families an opportunity to share the Catholic faith, experience a faith community, and witness the Good News of Jesus Christ to others. The program is based on the teachings of the Catholic Church.

This is an opportunity to bring families together to share their faith and to become part of a faith community. To empower the family by being a witness to the Good News and to pass on the Catholic teaching of the Church. Since the Catholic Religion is no longer taught in the regular school system; the parish and the family work together to share and experience the faith.

Programs are available for ages 5-16 years. This includes preparation for the sacraments of First Eucharist, Reconciliation, and Confirmation at the appropriate age.

Please see below for more information.

Diocesan Guidelines for Catechetical Formation and Sacramental Preparation:
In consultation with the Priests, Directors of Parish Life, and Parish Catechists of the diocese the following guidelines have been promulgated to take effect as of September 2016:

Catechetical Curriculum:
Allelu, a family-based program for children age five; Alive in Christ, a family-based program for children aged six to eleven.

First Reconciliation/First Communion Preparation:
Minimum age: 7 years
Minimum faith formation prep: 2 year program

Confirmation:
Minimum age: 13 years;
Minimum faith formation prep: 2 years

More information regarding these guidelines may be found under Policies at www.rcchurch.com

Each family follows a three-tier approach; attending weekly mass, meet as a faith community once a month, and completing the program at home.

In our parish, preparation for Confirmation involves two years. There is a pre-confirmation program (for mostly grade Sevens) in the first year of preparation and a Confirmation program (mostly for grade eight) during the second year. Each year involves about eight sessions. At the end of the second year, Confirmation candidates will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation during Mass Celebration.


PDF IconRegistration Form for Religious Education

PDF IconRegistration Form for Pre-Confirmation and Confirmation

PDF IconBaptism Application - St. Stephen's Parish


Parking
You are reminded of the NO PARKING areas in front of the church as per FIRE ZONE REGULATIONS. There are BLUE ACCESSIBILITY PARKING spaces available near the Church entrance.

Collection baskets
Collection baskets are returning starting February 1st, 2025. Baskets for the Offertory collection will again be used at Saturday evening and Sunday morning Masses. The boxes at the Church entrance will be removed. Volunteers to pick up the collection are needed; please contact Debbie Wilton at 709-649-1958 if interested.

St. Anne’s Guild
St. Anne’s Guild will meet on Monday, January 20th, at 2:00 pm downstairs in the St. Anne’s Meeting Room. New members are welcome.

2025 Calendars
2025 Calendars can be purchased at the Parish Office.

Grief to Grace
We have been requested to announce a Five-day “Grief to Grace” program to be conducted in Kelowna, BC, from May 20th to 25th. For more information please email grieftogracekelowna@gmail.com or make a confidential call to 250-808-6403. This information will be posted on the bulletin board at the Church entrance.