Sacramental Preparation
for Children & Youth

St. Augustine offers workshops and classes to parents (and when appropriate godparents and sponsors) to help them prepare and educate their child for the Sacraments of Initiation and Reconciliation. School-age children are prepared in religion classes at the St. Augustine School (if they attend) or in the Sunday School/CCD program.  
 
Infants and children under seven years old receive the sacrament of Baptism during Mass, generally on the 1st weekend of the month. During Lent there are no baptisms except in the case of emergency. 
 
Upon reaching the age of reason (seven years old), baptized children are prepared for the reception of the Sacraments of Penance and First Eucharist. After having celebrated their First Reconciliation, the children will then continue their studies towards receiving their First Eucharist. A few years later, children receive the sacrament of Confirmation after completing a two-year program of preparation.  Generally, students are in the 8th or 9th grades at the time they are confirmed.
 
Children 7 and older, who have not been baptized, prepare for the sacraments in our RCIA Program for Children. After a period of suitable study and preparation, the children receive these sacraments at the Easter Vigil.
 

Our Mission is to prepare children, with the help of their parents, godparents and sponsors, for the child's reception of the sacraments of Baptism, First Penance, First Eucharist and Confirmation. In doing this, we help parents fulfill their responsibility before God to raise their children in the practice of the faith. We also encourage the children to begin to develop a personal relationship with Christ, receive the grace that these sacraments convey, and grow in their faith.

If you wish to help with our sacramental preparation programs, you should be a confirmed Catholic. You also must successfully meet the Archdiocese requirements for the protection of our children. These requirements include: completing the Virtus training, being fingerprinted, and passing a background check. In addition, our RCIA and Sunday School teachers are expected to complete the Archdiocesan program towards certification as a Catechist.