Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish
Religious Education Program

Thank you for your interest in religious education at Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish. While sacramental preparation for specific student cohorts will continue throughout the summer months, our regular 2022-2023 religious education classes have concluded and will resume in the fall. We wish to thank the parish community for their prayers and support throughout this past year as well as the many families who donated time and energy for the benefit of the program. We would like to especially thank our dedicated volunteer catechists for their unwavering commitment to student development and faith formation. Those who wish to learn more about plans for next year's program and related volunteer and/or teaching opportunities may contact Kevin O'Connell, Director of Religious Education, at [email protected]. Additional information will also be available in the weekly bulletin and on the parish website over the summer. Details regarding our parish's youth sacramental preparation guidelines and expectations are outlined below.


What information is available for parents/guardians who want to learn more about their child preparing for the Sacraments of First Penance and First Communion (FP/FC)?
Students are eligible for FP/FC sacramental preparation only after they have already completed one year of religious education, immediately prior to the preparation year. The preparation year is typically 2nd grade, with these sacraments being conferred in the spring of the child’s 2nd grade. Therefore, this usually means a full year of 1st-grade religious education is required before the student’s 2nd-grade preparation year. Students who only first join the program in 2nd grade without a prior year of catechesis would then consider their sacramental preparation year to be the 3rd grade. Students enrolled in one of the diocese’s Catholic schools may register and prepare for 2nd-grade sacramental preparation without any previous participation in the parish’s religious education program.

Parents of children preparing to receive First Penance and First Communion must attend a minimum of two meetings with parish staff throughout the preparation year (again, this is usually 2nd grade), are expected to attend mass every weekend with their First Communicant and must respond to all correspondence in a timely manner. First Communicants are expected to participate in the liturgy on selected dates, as altar servers, or in presenting the gifts during mass. 

What information is available for high school-aged students and parents who want to learn more about preparations for the Sacrament of Confirmation?
Confirmandi at Our Lady of Good Counsel typically receive this Sacrament in the late fall of their junior year of high school. Accordingly, the next Confirmation preparation program will begin in the late fall of 2023 and continue through the fall of 2024. Eligible students are at least high school sophomores and must have completed a minimum of one year of religious education in the high school cohort during the year immediately prior to the preparation program or be enrolled in one of the diocese’s Catholic high schools.


Parents of students preparing to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation must attend a minimum of two meetings with parish staff throughout the preparation program, are expected to attend mass every weekend with their student, and must respond to all correspondence in a timely manner. Confirmandi are expected to participate in the liturgy on selected dates, as altar servers or lectors.