Christian Formation (CCD)

This is eternal life, that they may know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

Christian Formation is a lifelong process that begins with Christian parents passing on the Catholic Faith to their children. The Church teaches that while parents are the primary moral and spiritual educators of their children, our responsibility as a parish is to support and assist parents in this most important role – evangelists of their families.

The Church reminds us that the role of forming a child in the Faith is of such importance that it must be undertaken with the utmost care and diligence. The School of Christian Formation at St. Mary’s seeks to offer your child a solid formation in the Catholic Faith so that he or she will have both the knowledge and the skills necessary to become a faithful and fruitful disciple of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Please note that sacramental preparation for both First Holy Communion and Confirmation are both two-year programs.

2023–2024 Registration

Dear Parents,

Greetings in Christ! I hope this finds your family refreshed after a summer of family fun.

Our Sunday catechetical program starts Sunday, August 20. Please register your children by or on August 13, so we can get all our supplies together, and plan to be at class on August 20.

This year we will be including some new events. The events will be fully scheduled by the first day of school, and information will be sent home then. 

Grades 6-8 sessions will be limited to 40 participants in each class.  One class will be Sunday 9:45-10:45am, the other Tuesday evening 6-7pm. 

High School Sacrament Preparation will be Tuesday 7:15-8pm.

You, the parents, are the primary teachers of your children, and the CCD classes should complement what is taught in the home. Your children’s faith is strengthened by conversations about the faith and about how the Lord is working in your lives.

If you have not done so, please sign up for FORMED at www.formed.org/signup, enter Aiken, SC, then choose St. Mary Help of Christians.  This is a resource provided by the parish and has many programs for both youth and adults.

As part of your teaching role, is vital that you take your children to Mass weekly and to confession regularly. Even if they have not yet received first confession, seeing you go to confession is a wonderful example for young children.

Reminder of St. Mary’s Sacramental Policy: In order to receive First Holy Communion or Confirmation, children must attend, at the very minimum, two full years of Christian Formation classes. This policy is intended to ensure that your child has the best sacramental formation possible.

Please complete the registration form and submit it to the parish office, put it in a clearly marked envelope and place it in the Sunday basket, or mail it to St. Mary Help of Christians, 203 Park Ave. SE, Aiken, SC 29801.  We will also have registration before and after every Mass the weekend of August 13.

Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns.