People were bringing little children to Jesus in order that he might bless them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. But when Jesus saw this, he said to them, “Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs.”
~ Mark 10.13-15
Guiding Our Younger Parishioners in Faith
Our children and youth ministries take a comprehensive approach to lead all our children and young people to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, integrating them into the life of the Parish Community and to a deeper understanding of their Catholic Faith. It all begins at the child’s Baptism as we seek to support and encourage parents, as the first teachers of their children in the ways of faith. To fulfill this mission we offer a variety of programs, resources and opportunities to support parents in the faith development of their children.
Children’s Liturgy
For children in kindergarten to grade 3, we offer Children’s Liturgy during our Sunday Mass. At this young age, children learn the stories of our salvation by reflecting on the Sunday Gospel and through activities which relate the Gospel message to their daily lives.
Click here for more information for Children’s Liturgy.
First Communion
As the children grow in their understanding of what it means to follow Jesus, they move into a time of preparation to receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist for the first time. This usually occurs when the child reaches grade 2. Preparation sessions are held in the Winter and Spring during the Sunday Mass.
Click here for more information on First Communion preparation.
Altar Serving
Once the children have received their First Communion, we encourage them to remain with the congregation during Sunday Mass to grow in the practices and devotions of our Catholic Faith. A great way to encourage children to learn about our worship and prayer is by becoming an altar server.
Click here for more information on altar serving and becoming involved in our Parish.
Confirmation
The children continue to grow as disciples and in grade 8 usually begin their preparation to complete their initiation into the Church by receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation. This preparation is completed jointly by the Parish and our Catholic school, or by the Parish itself for youth attending a public school.
Click here for more information on preparation for Confirmation.
Creating Safe Environments
The Diocese of Thunder Bay is committed to creating and maintaining safe environments in our Faith Communities for those who work, volunteer and gather within our Parishes and institutions. In keeping with Diocesan policy, involvement in parish ministry requires a mandatory screening process for all applicants. Ministries which will place the applicant in the company of vulnerable individuals will require additional screening, including a criminal record check.
Interested? What’s the next step…
If you are interested in assisting with one of these ministries, please contact the Parish Office to learn more and to register, or download the volunteer ministry application and return it to the Parish Office.