2024-2025 FAITH FORMATION INFORMATION
Updated information about the 2024-2025 school year will be available soon.
Please contact Jillian Bohinc at tym@saintandrew.org regarding Faith Formation for middle and high school youth.
Faith Formation for youth in Grades 6 – 12 consists of two components: GRACE Events and either Families Encountering Christ or the Home Program.
The Faith Formation Staff sincerely hopes that families will choose to fully participate in either Families Encountering Christ or the Home Program (both explained below). We recognize that one of these will not work for all families. Please note that regardless of your participation, ALL ARE WELCOME at both GRACE and Youth Ministry events.
Youth Nights
Details and sign-ups for the events below will be emailed out and posted in e-communicatons, etc. as they approach.
- September 29 – Youth Night!
- October (all month) – Box of Joy Service Project
- October 18-20 – SEARCH Diocesan Retreat (for 10th – 12th graders)
- October 26 – Animal Rescue Service Project
- October 27 – Youth Night!
- November 23 – Operation Gratitude Service Project
- November 24 – Youth Night!
- December 7 & 14 – Brown Bag Ministry Service Project
- December 15 – Carols & Cocoa
- January 19 – Blessing Bags for the Homeless Service Project
- January 26 – Youth Night!
- February 8 – Valentine Making Service Project
- February 23 – Youth Night!
- March 1-2 – Bake Sale Service Project
- March 12 – Soup Supper #1
- March 16 – Youth Night!
- March 19 – Soup Supper #2
- March 26 – Soup Supper #3
- April – TBD – Run for Life
- April 4-6 – SEARCH Diocesan Retreat (for 10th – 12th graders)
- April 13 – Youth Night!
- May 1 – GRACE Event Reflection Sheets Due
- May 1 – Home Program Work Due
- May 10 – Car Wash for a Cause Service Project
- June – TBD – Graduation Mass
- June 22 – Confirmation
Youth Nights are open to anyone in Grades 6 – 12. Whether enrolled in Faith Formation at St. Andrew, Catholic school, homeschool, or none of the above… ALL ARE WELCOME! Youth Nights are drop-off, youth-only events from 5:30 – 7:00 pm. The goal is for young people to come together to pray and have fun, with service and learning sprinkled in, too.
Registration is REQUIRED for each Youth Night and will close one week prior to the event. Sign up online via the website or parish communications as the date approaches. Additional info will be sent to those that sign up. We’d love for people to come as often as they can!
2024-2025 Youth Night Dates:
September 29, October 27, November 24, January 26, February 23, March 16, and April 13.
SEARCH RETREAT
SEARCH is a peer-led retreat weekend hosted by the Diocese of Raleigh for those in grades 10-12. Offered twice each year, participants experience a retreat prepared BY high school youth FOR high school youth and enjoy sharing their faith with other Catholic teenagers from across the diocese. Details will be forthcoming but save the dates now!
Fall – October 18-20, 2024
Spring – April 4-6, 2025
Youth Ministry on Social Media
Please join Youth Ministry on INSTAGRAM! Find us @St_Andrew_Youth!
Have you followed us in the past? Please go re-follow us as we are starting fresh!
GRACE EVENTS
All youth in Grades 6-12 will complete four *different* GRACE events during the 2024-2025 program year. GRACE Events are opportunities for youth to participate in the life of the greater Church community at St. Andrew. Youth will individually select their four events and complete a reflection for each event. A paper GRACE Event form can be found here and should be turned into the parish Main Office once complete. Or, complete an online GRACE Event form here (link coming soon).
More information about GRACE Events can be found here.
FAMILIES ENCOUNTERING CHRIST
Families Encountering Christ is our in-person, family-based parish faith formation program. Families will meet eight times throughout the year to learn more about our Catholic faith, in addition to completing activities at home that build upon the in-person lessons. Meals will be served and all members of the family are welcome, so come connect with other families at St. Andrew! Meeting dates and additional information can be found here.
HOME PROGRAM
While we hope that families will participate in our Families Encountering Christ option, we recognize that it may not meet the needs of all. For this reason, we are also offering an at-home option for youth to complete with their families. All materials will be provided, and all activities are completed on your own schedule.
HOME PROGRAM MATERIALS WILL BE DUE BY MAY 1, 2025.
- Middle School – Youth in Grades 6-8 who participated in the Home Program last year are welcome to continue completing activities that complement The Catholic Connections Handbook for Middle Schoolers OR choose to complete a lectionary-based model using Gospel Weeklies. All middle schoolers who are new to the Home Program will be using the lectionary-based curriculum.
- High School – Youth in Grades 9-12 may choose to complete activities that complement The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth OR participate in the lectionary-based Gospel Weeklies.
CONFIRMATION and Other Sacraments
Preparing to receive Confirmation takes two years and requires specific sacrament-related activities, as well as attendance in a Faith Formation program for both years: Parish Based Faith Formation, Catholic School, or Catholic Homeschool. Youth entering grades 9-11 may register for Confirmation if they have not yet been confirmed and have a sincere desire to receive this sacrament. An additional registration process is required, so please visit our Confirmation page for information on receiving this sacrament.
If you are in need of other Sacraments, go here for more information.
CAMPUS CONNECTION
Catholic Campus Connections is a ministry devoted to remembering our college students and reminding them that they are still a part of our St. Andrew family, cared for and prayed for! Sign a student up or learn more about Catholic Campus Connections here.
VOLUNTEERS
We would love for a diverse group of adults of all ages to walk alongside our youth as we grow together in faith. The best part? No previous experience is necessary! Just a genuine excitement to share your unique God-given qualities with this ministry. Please contact Volunteer Coordinator, Dimple Castelino, at volunteers@saintandrew.org or ext. 143 to learn more!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Additional questions you may have are answered here.
CONTACT
Jillian Bohinc, 919-362-0685, ext. 126, or