Rose Strohmaier, Parish Catechetical Leader
(908) 303-9692
Faith Formation Office is located in the School Building
Wednesdays
4:15-5:30PM–Communion I through Year 4
6:30-8:00PM–Year 5 through Confirmation II
6:30-8:00PM–Sacrament Preparation and Religion Readiness
Saturdays, 5:00PM-6:30 according to the schedule below–Confirmation II
November
Wednesday 20—Faith Formation
Sunday 24—Hosting Mass for Year 4 -Arrive and dressed properly for Mass by 9:45AM
Wednesday 27—No Faith Formation Happy Thanksgiving!!
December
Sunday 1—Confirmation IA Hosts 10:00AM Mass and Religion Readiness Class Mass
Wednesday 4—Reconciliation for Years 3 through Confirmation II-Parents encouraged to attend with their child
Sunday 8— Confirmation II—Class Mass Communion Prep
Wednesday 11—Faith Formation—Saint Report Outline Due
Sunday 15—Year 4 Hosts 10:00AM Mass and Communion I—Class Mass
Wednesday 18—Faith Formation—6:00PM Tree Blessing and Carols with Hot Chocolate and Cookies 6:00PM Tree Blessing and Carols with Hot Chocolate
Saturday 21—4:15—Children’s Mass and Nativity
Sunday 22— Year 5 Hosts 10:00AM Mass
Wednesday 25—Merry Christmas! All go to Mass
First Session: 4:15PM – 5:30PM
Communion I-Mrs. Ferise Communion I
Communion II-Mrs. Leguizamon Communion II
Year 3-Ms. Penafiel Year 3
Year 4- Year 4
Second Session: 6:30PM-8:00PM
Communion Preparation Youth/Teen-Ms. Taveras Communicants Youth and Teen Calendar
Year 5A & 5B-Mr. Strohmaier/Mrs. Feula Year 5 Calendar
Year 6-Mrs. Walsh Year 6 Calendar
Confirmation I-Mr. Cafferty/Mrs. Villar/Mrs. Dudas Confirmation I Calendar
Confirmation II — Deacon Paul Classes
Confirmation II — Mr. Nic Classes
Religion Readiness Youth-Mrs. Gonzalez/Ms. Penafiel Religion Readiness I & II Calendar
2024-2025 Handbooks
Handbooks are adapted and modified from: St. Mary’s of the Immaculate Conception, Portage, Wisconsin
2024-2025 Forms
Confirmation II Deacon Paul Class ONLY: Saturdays, 5:00PM-6:30
November
Wednesday 6—Faith Formation–Father Leo Parent Meeting
Wednesday 20—Faith Formation—Part 1 Retreat during Class time
Wednesday 27—No Faith Formation Happy Thanksgiving
December
Wednesday 4—Faith Formation Reconciliation Parents encouraged to attend with their child
Sunday 8— Confirmation II—Hosts 10:00AM Mass—arrive 9:45AM dressed and prepared for hosting
Wednesday 11—Faith Formation
Wednesday 18—Faith Formation – Before Class-6:00PM Tree Blessing with Hot Chocolate and Cookies
Wednesday 25—Merry Christmas! All go to Mass
January
Wednesday 1—Mary, Mother of God—All Attend Mass
Saturday 4—Faith Formation with Deacon Paul
Saturday 11—Home Study
Saturday 18—Faith Formation with Deacon Paul
Wednesday 22—Parents will meet with Father Leo–Parent Session—in school at 6:30
Saturday 25—Home Study
Wednesday 29—SERVICE PROJECT RESPONSE DUE/ALTAR SERVER RESPONSE—You may put it in the mailbox outside the Faith Formation Office on Saturday, February 1st when you meet with Deacon Paul
February
Saturday 1—Faith Formation with Deacon Paul
Sunday 2—6:00-8:00PM Retreat—Part 2—Confirmation II Meet in the Auditorium with Sponsors
Saturday 8—Home Study
Saturday 15—Faith Formation with Deacon Paul
Wednesday 19—Parents will meet with Father Leo–Parent Session—in school at 6:30
Saturday 22—Home Study
March
Saturday 1—Faith Formation with Deacon Paul
Saturday 8—Home Study
Saturday 15—Confirmandi II Retreat with Confirmandi Sponsors 1:00PM-6:30PM
Wednesday 19—Faith Formation—6:30-8:00-Confirmation II Parent Meeting with Father Leo ALTAR SERVING RESPONSE DUE
Saturday 22—Home Study
Sunday 23—Confirmation II Hosts 10:00AM Mass—arrive no later than 9:45AM
Wednesday 26—ADORATION RESPONSE DUE—You may put it in the mailbox outside the Faith Formation Office on Saturday, March 29th when you meet with Deacon Paul
Saturday 29—Faith Formation with Deacon Paul—Final Review
April
Wednesday 9—Faith Formation Reconciliation You must come to reconciliation before Confirmation
Friday 11—Confirmation 5:00PM Details to follow regarding practice and arrival; boys will wear suits—girls will wear modest dresses and no high heels.
HOSTING & CLASS MASS
MASS HOSTING–Four times during the Faith Formation Year, each Catechist is responsible for preparing and hosting 10am Sunday Mass with his/her children.
Not only does the Catechist plan for readers, servers, ushers, gifts, etc., but guides and instructs the children about true worship during Mass.
The children are to arrive to their assigned Mass at 9:50am, sit with their class and fully participate in the celebration of Mass. The dates are clearly stated on the calendar. Thank you for adjusting your schedule to be sure your child is at Mass on those four Sundays.
COMMUNION PREPARATION CLASS MASS and RELIGION READINESS—
Four times during the year all children ages 6 through 17 seeking Communion, or having newly received, will meet their Catechists no later than 9:50 (for 10:00AM Mass) on four scheduled Sundays for Class Mass. Children are taught about the Mass and the Catechist guides them throughout the Mass to engage and participate in worship.
NOTE: Both Mass Hosting and Class Mass are an integral part of formation and is essential for formation. If a child is unable to attend the scheduled Mass for either hosting or class Mass, Mrs. Rose will schedule a make-up.
Thirty-seven Ideas for Confirmation Service Projects:
Craft, Cook, and Create
1. Take a meal to a widow, homebound member, single mom, or recent divorcee in your church or community.
2. Bake goodies, such as cupcakes, and deliver them to your local police or fire station.
3. Pack shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child.
4. Write letters or send cards to missionaries. Call the office for contact info.
5. Gather together to assemble no-sew fleece blankets for a local children’s home or women’s shelter. Shelter lications found in the handbook.)
6. Knit or crochet prayer shawls and lap blankets for church members and friends that are facing health challenges.
7. Sew some pillowcase dresses for children in another country.
8. Cut out shoes for Sole Hopean
9. Put together and distribute homeless bags.
10. Host a sandwich making party and pass them out to the homeless in Phillipsburg or give to the Assumption Food Pantry.
11. Fill a freezer with meals for a new mom in your neighborhood.
12. Create birthday bags for your Assumption food pantry (birthday cake, hats, candles, balloons)
13. Paint and decorate the teacher’s classroom before the start of school.
14. Create a garden on the church grounds.
15. Provide a meal for families at your local Ronald McDonald House.
Random Acts of Kindness
16. Deliver bags of groceries, firewood, or gift cards to a local family in need.
17. Tape quarters or dollar bills to the vending machines in the waiting room of your local hospital.
18. Leave quarters and washing detergent in local laundromats around town.
19. Pass out water bottles to construction workers on a hot day.
23. Leave bottles of bubbles at the park for families to use. Add bible scripture cards to the bottles or an invitation to come to Mass.
24. If you have a pool, host a pool party for kids who have no where to swim.
25. Purchase coloring books and crayons and leave them in hospital waiting rooms.
26 Work a shift at the local soup kitchen.
27. Find a local field or farm that allows you pick vegetables.
28. Clean the home of an elderly person or homebound member of your church or community.
29. Take care of some yard work or handyman chores for one of the widows in your church or community.
29. Volunteer to complete tutor for a child younger than you.
30. Visit a nursing home and play a game with a resident.
31. Christmas carol at a nursing home or children’s hospital.
32. Cheer at a Special Olympics or special needs sports event.
33. Plan a Habitat for Humanity workday with your parents.
34. Clean the roadside – your family can select an area in Hackettstown to keep clean.
35. Help with landscaping to church.
36. Call the office and inquire about shut-ins. You and your parents csn plan a visit to their home and bring them something nice to eat.
37. Organize a clothing drive.
38. Give free computer lessons to an adult.
39. Host a free dog wash.
40. Along with your peers, host a bake sale for Assumption Parish
Pilgrimage Mama Mary–Does your family desire to spend a special week with Mary?
On Sundays at 10AM Mass, our Pilgrimage Statue of Mary will be sent home with a Faith Formation Family to venerate for the week. She will be returned the following Sunday to be gifted to another family for the week. There is a sign up sheet outside the Faith Formation Office in the school for all who wish to participate in the opportunity to have this beautiful and blessed statue of Mary in their home.
There are a variety of ways you are able to use your gifts and talents in the Faith Formation Program. Once you have been Confirmed you are able to volunteer, including teens! Contact Rose Strohmaier, 908-303-9692 for info. Thanks!
HOLY DAYS OF OBLIGATION=SUNDAY MASS
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- Solemnity of Mary, January 1
- Ascension of Jesus, May 26 — Celebrated on the sixth Thursday after Easter Sunday
- Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, August 15
- Solemnity of All Saints, November 1
- Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, December 8
- Christmas Day, December 25
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Your child’s faith development ultimately depends on the sharing of your faith with them by going to Mass on Sundays, Holy Days of Obligation and living Christian values at home. It is through your efforts, example and personal relationship with God, more than anything else, that your children will come to know Jesus and grow in love and faith. We thank you for allowing us to support you in this process. We look forward to working with you and your children.
RCIA-Adult Education
RCIA stands for “Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults”. It is a program run by adult members of the parish. RCIA requires a modest commitment in time but we think you will find the process a lot easier than you might expect. In addition, we have found that everyone who becomes involved, young or old, highly religious or moderately so, finds it to be a wonderful experience. An invitation is extended to
- Those who are unbaptized.
- Those baptized in the Catholic Church who have not received the sacraments of Eucharist and/or Confirmation.
- Those baptized in another Christian Church who are interested in learning more about the Catholic Church.
There are many reasons for wanting to learn more about the Catholic Church. The good news is that the Catholic Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish has an excellent program for you. Classes meet weekly, every Sunday after the 9:00 am Mass from September through Pentecost. How do I join and what does RCIA involve? Signing up is easy. Just contact Deacon Walter Pidgeon, our Director of the RCIA process, by calling the parish office or email us at walter.p257@comcast.net.