Classes for...
Grades 1-5 & 9-10 will begin meeting
Sunday, September 29th
Grades 1-3 meet Sunday mornings after
9:00 a.m. Mass from 9:50-11:05 a.m.
Grades 4 & 5 meet Monday afternoons from 4:15-5:30 p.m.
Grades 6-8 will meet Monday evenings from 6:30-8 p.m. beginning October 21st
Grades 9 & 10 will meet Sunday afternoons from 12:15-2 p.m. on Specified Sundays
Confirmation 2025
Candidate/Parent Meeting will be
Sunday November 17th after the 11:15 a.m. Mass in the Church Hall.
All families entering St. Mary of the Hills Religious Education Program should be registered in the Parish.
The registration fee for textbooks and materials is $85 for Grades 1-10 and Confirmation.
Additional fees for the Confirmation preparation program are collected separately.
Children wishing to receive the Sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion should attend 1st grade or a 1st year of Religious Education classes. Those high school students who wish to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation are to attend Religious Education classes from Grades 1-10. Usually, Confirmation is ministered to our young people in Grade 10 or 11.
Parents are asked to come into the Parish Hall to collect children in grades 1 - 5 after class. No parent should go to a classroom during classroom time without speaking the Director first.
We ask all of our parents to be involved in their children’s Religious Education in the following ways:
Bring and join them at weekly Mass.
Ask about their weekly lessons.
Encourage, by example, “God” talk.
Attend all required Parent Meetings.
Incorporate daily prayer into family life.
Sometimes a student can be frustrated in class due to a different learning style. We should know this so the teacher can better understand your child’s needs and give her/him the attention needed.
Sometimes a student’s behavior is very disruptive and the whole class can suffer if the teacher is constantly required to give all of her attention to one student. If disruptive behavior occurs more than three times, during which the teacher and Director try to better the behavior, parents will be called and together we will decide what is best for all concerned.
All absences will require make up work. Parents are asked to call or see their child’s teacher to get the make-up work assignment during the week.
After 3 unexcused absences, parents and child will schedule a meeting with the Director.
Any student missing half of required classes will be required to do home study over the summer and be tested by the Director or repeat the year.
If class needs to be cancelled due to a storm, please consult CBSBoston.com or WBZ NewsRadio 1030 and WBZ-TV Channel 4. If either the Town of Boylston or the Town of Shrewsbury should cancel school for the day, St. Mary of the Hills will cancel Religious Education classes for the same day.
The Town of Boylston and the Town of Shrewsbury Public Schools have a Dress Code at all level of education: Elementary, Jr. High, and Sr. High. We expect the same here at St. Mary of the Hills. If a child is dress inappropriately for class, they will be asked to call a parent to bring appropriate clothing to the church hall.
Parents are required to attend several special meetings concerning the Sacrament of First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion in order to obtain the information necessary to accompany their children on this most important part of their faith journey.
All Candidates for First Reconciliation / First Holy Communion should have completed one year of Religious Education classes and are required to attend weekly Mass, as well as their workshops and all of the rehearsals.
Parents, Candidates and Sponsors should attend scheduled meetings.
Confirmation Candidates should attend all sessions. Dates will be given to the Candidates in November. Classes will begin in January. This should allow sufficient time to mark calendars with required dates.
Candidates will choose a sponsor who is a Confirmed practicing witness to the Catholic faith. This sponsor must receive a Sponsor Certificate from her/his Pastor stating that they are in “good standing” in the Church.
Candidates will also choose a Confirmation name of a Saint; research the life of said Saint and hand the report to the Director at the appointed time.
Candidates are required to perform “Christian Service” for their neighbors. These services will be discussed at the first meeting.
All Candidates will attend a special Confirmation Retreat.
All Catholics are called to worship as a Christian Community every Sunday. Thus, Confirmation Candidates are expected to be at weekly Mass.