Update - October 1, 2020: In order to organize our team of catechists and acquire the appropriate number of materials for Faith Formation and Sacramental Prep (First Penance, First Eucharist, and Confirmation), we asked that families register by September 30th. If you did not do so and/or if you have questions about Faith Formation or Sacramental Prep, please contact the Parish Administration Center. 

Thank you for your patience as we worked through the kinks prompted by the pandemic this year! We are offering two options for Pre-K - Grade 8 Faith Formation this year.
 
OPTION 1 - Because we are unable to gather in person this year, we will be providing families with a text-based faith formation program to be studied at home with the help of parents/guardians. Information about the texts for each of the grade levels can be found on this subpage: Faith Formation texts to be used 2020-2021. We are looking to begin Faith Formation in October, but will need families to register by September 30th so that we can organize our team of catechists and order materials. 

Catechists: Though we will not be meeting in person for classes, a catechist will still assist at each grade level. The catechist will be available to help guide parents/guardians by providing them with information and guidance from their Catechists’ Manuals. This guidance may be through communications such as emails, Flocknotes, Zoom sessions, etc.

Supplementary materials: In addition to the guidance provided by the catechist assisting each grade level, families may receive supplementary materials from the Faith Formation Advisory team in the form of links to videos, prayer resources, Zoom sessions, activities, games, crafts, etc.

Important note: For this model to “work” successfully, families need to make a commitment to working together to grow in their faith and each family should to decide how they will best carve out some dedicated time not only to work through the week’s lesson, but to attend the Sunday liturgy. If attending Mass is not an option for your family right now, you can still “attend” Mass by watching it on video. While there is a dispensation from attending Mass, the 5:30pm Saturday Mass at St. Mary’s is being recorded and posted on the parish website. It can be accessed each Sunday morning by visiting https://stbenedictonline.org/.

Cost: $40 per child or $60 per family.
To pay by check - Checks can be dropped in the collection baskets at Mass in an envelope labeled "Faith Formation" or can be mailed to the Parish Administration Center at 95 N. Main Street, Canandaigua NY 14424. Checks should be made out to St. Benedict Parish. 
To pay online - If you would prefer to pay your materials fees online instead of by check, please visit https://www.osvhub.com/stbenedict/funds. Click on "Faith Formation/Sacramental Prep" and type in the amount to be paid ($40 if you are registering one child, $60 if you are registering more than one child). Be sure to change the gift type from "Recurring" to "One Time" and in the notes section, please list the child(ren)'s name(s) that you are registering. Please note that this is not the registration form -- the OSV link is for payment only. You must have completed the registration form(s) separately. If you have any questions about online payments, please contact Tony DiPrima at Tony.Diprima@dor.org.

OPTION 2 - Families can wait and participate in a summer intensive program using the same materials as option 1. The content will likely be covered in one or two weeks of intensive programming over the summer, in a format to be determined. The cost for this option will be the same as option 1.

Please note that if your children attend St. Mary's School or another parochial school, private school, or homeschool program and they already get Religious Education classes, you can still enroll them in Sacramental Prep only and opt out of Faith Formation, if you wish.