Religious Education
Children's Faith Formation at SS. Peter & Paul Church and St. Mary Church seeks to help children and teens grow and continue on a journey of faith by educating them about Catholic teaching, practice, and spirituality. Our goal is to bring them to an encounter with Jesus Christ and equip them to live as His disciples.
Religious Education Classes K-8
At both SS. Peter and Paul Catholic Church and St. Mary Catholic Church, we offer Religious Education (CCD) classes for children in grades K-8. The classes are offered on Sunday mornings from 9:10-10:10am on Sunday Mornings in the former Huntington Catholic Middle School Building at St. Mary. Classes will start either the Sunday after Labor Day or the Sunday after that and end the second to last Sunday in April.
Children Can be dropped off no earlier than 8:55am and can be picked up either in the church parking lot or on Warren St. at 10:10am. A parent or older sibling must come into the gym to get Kindergartners through second graders. For their own safety, they are not allowed to go out to the parking lot or Warren St. on their own.
For those interested, the Kindergarten class uses the "Allelu!" series from Our Sunday Visitor. First through seventh grades use the "Spirit of Truth" series from the Sophia Institute. Eight-grade uses Ascension Press’s "Chosen: Your Journey Toward Confirmation".
Sacrament Preparation for 1st Communion & 1st Penance
When children reach the second grade, they begin preparing to receive the sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Communion. These sacraments will draw the children closer to Jesus Christ, bring them into greater union with the Church, and give them the strength to live their faith. To receive the sacraments, children must have also taken first-grade religious education classes at one of the parishes in Huntington or at another parish.
If you have a child or children who are in the third grade or above and have missed First Reconciliation and/or First Communion, contact the Faith Formation Director so that arrangements can be made to prepare them to receive the Sacraments.
Confirmation Preparation
In the Fort Wayne-South Bend Diocese, youth receive Confirmation, the final Sacrament of Initiation, in the 8th Grade. Confirmation brings youth fully into the Church, fills them with the Holy Spirit, and gives them the grace and strength to live out their faith as young adults.
Throughout their 8th grade year, the youth will be preparing to receive this sacrament. During the preparation process, we use "Chosen: Your Journey Toward Confirmation" in conjunction with the diocesan prescribed resources to ensure that the students have a unique and dynamic Confirmation preparation experience.
The diocese requires two years of Confirmation preparation for 8th-graders receiving Confirmation. This means that they must have completed 7th-grade religious education classes either here in Huntington or at another parish or Catholic school.
Sacraments for Children Over the Age of Seven
The Church requires that any child over the age of reason (which the Church defines as seven years old) who has not been baptized yet to receive, Baptism, Confirmation and First Communion all at once just as adults and teens who go through OCIA (formerly RCIA) do. This can only be excused for serious reasons. Children in these circumstances will have to go through a modified OCIA process for children and the preparation may be separate from Religious Education classes.
Contact the Faith Formation Director for more information.
Registration and Fees:
To register your children for religious education, you can complete the application online using the registration link below or contact Drew Stuart at dstuart@sspeterpaulparish.org
or 260-224-0522 to request a paper copy of the registration form.
The registration fees for Religious Education for the 2025-2026 school year are currently being discussed. Check back soon for more details.
Financial assistance is available if you need it. Please contact Father Tony to discuss receiving assistance.
Contact Information
If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please contact:
Drew Stuart
Faith Formation Director
dstuart@sspeterpaulparish.org
260-224-0522