2025-2026 Religious Education
From the Pastor’s Desk
Dear Faith Formation Families,
I hope this message finds you and your family well. I’m writing to share some important updates about our parish Faith Formation program for the upcoming year.
As many of you know, our former Faith Formation Director resigned as of August 31, 2025. While we are grateful for her years of service, this transition has left us with less time than usual to plan and organize the program. In addition, we are working with fewer catechists and a smaller number of students than in previous years.
Because of these realities, we will need to adjust our class times and structure so that we can still provide your children with a meaningful, faith-filled experience while supporting our dedicated catechists. We understand that change can be inconvenient, and we truly appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to build a strong, sustainable program.
Class Schedule for 2025–2026
- Grades 1, 2, and 4 – Wednesdays 4:00-5:00pm
- Grades 3, 5, 6 – Thursdays 4:00-5:00pm
- Grades 7+ – Thursdays 6:00-5:00pm
We sincerely apologize for having classes on different days. With the current number of catechists and students, some days did not have enough enrollment to sustain a class. This new arrangement allows us to continue offering quality formation to all grade levels.
Program Highlights
- New Faith Formation Series – Beginning this year, we will be using a new series for instruction. Each student will receive a new book each year. They will be allowed to write in their books and keep them at the end of the year as their own resource.
- Home-School Option – Families who wish may choose to home school their child(ren). All books will be checked periodically to ensure assignments are completed.
- Family Involvement – A portion of the program will ask each family to do some work together at home to reinforce lessons and strengthen faith life in the household.
- Annual Enrollment – Children should be enrolled in Faith Formation every year, not only during Sacramental Preparation years. Ongoing formation allows children to grow steadily in their understanding of the faith, Scripture, prayer, and Catholic life. Just as a child grows academically year after year, so too does their spiritual life benefit from consistent nourishment. This steady participation also strengthens their sense of belonging to the parish community.
- Sacramental Preparation – Sacramental preparation classes (First Reconciliation, First Communion, Confirmation) will use separate books and have their own associated fees.
We Need Catechists!
Our program depends on the generosity and witness of our volunteer catechists. If you love your faith and enjoy working with children, please prayerfully consider becoming a catechist or classroom helper. Training, materials, and ongoing support are provided. All catechists must be VIRTUS-certified, which includes a background check and safe environment training provided by the diocese. Even assisting once or twice a month can make a meaningful difference in a child’s faith journey.
Start Date and Registration
We will announce our program start date once we can confirm our books have arrived. If you haven’t registered yet, please do so as soon as possible so we can order the correct number of books and prepare your child’s materials in time.
Thank you for your continued support, prayers, and flexibility during this transition. If you have any questions or concerns, or if you are interested in volunteering, please reach out to the parish office at 203-377-0444 or you can reach me by email at rnorman@stmarkstfd.org. Together, we can make this a successful year for our children and our parish community.
In Christ’s peace,
Fr. Reginald Norman, Pastor
Interim Faith Formation Director
In-Person Classes:
Grades 1, 2 and 4 will meet weekly on Wednesdays, 4:00-5:00pm.
Grades 3, 5 and 6 will meet weekly on Thursdays, 4:00-5:00pm.
Grade 7 or above will meet weekly on Thursday evenings, 6:00-7:00pm.
Grade 8 or older students who have made their Confirmation are encouraged to attend Senior Youth Group on Sundays, 6:00-7:30pm (more below).
Students in Grade 7+ (Confirmation Prep) students must attend at least one Youth Group meeting a month from October through April (though they are invited and encouraged to attend them all!).
Cost Information:
In Parish: $105 for one child, $185 for two and $240 for three or more.
Out of Parish: $155 for one child, $285 for two and $390 for three or more.
Sacraments: An additional fee of $35 per child will be assessed for students in grades 2 for First Holy Communion sacramental preparation. An additional fee of $75 per child will be assessed for students in grade 7 or above for Confirmation sacramental preparation.
Contact the church office for more information at (203) 377-0444 or lrobertson@stmarkstfd.org
Contact Jared Forcier for questions regarding Youth Group or Flocknote at jared@stmarkyouthgroup.org.
Registration:
Online Registration Payment VoucherYouth Group:
Students in grades 6-12 are invited to join our Youth Groups. Junior Youth Group is for students in grades 6-7, and meets weekly on Thursday evenings 7:00-8:00pm after Religious Formation classes from October to May. Senior Youth Group is for students in grades 8-12 and meets year-round in the Youth Group room on Sunday evenings 6:00-7:30pm, and our meetings include dinner in most cases. Youth Group is a place where youth can come together to build friendships, have fun and grow in their faith. It combines social activities, service opportinities, small group discussions and fellowship to provide youth with a unique experience they are sure to enjoy. It’s a great opportunity to put our faith into action, while having fun and making friendships to last a lifetime. There is no cost to participate in Youth Group, and all youth are welcome regardless of which school or church they attend.
New members are always welcome.
Sign Up for JYG/SYG Youth Group Web PageSafe Environment Resources are Available to All Parents:
The Diocese of Bridgeport is committed to the safety and welfare of our children!
The Diocese of Bridgeport offers all parents the opportunity to attend Safe Environment training to supplement the Safe Environment training your child receives in public school. Please visit the Diocese of Bridgeport website to learn more and to sign up for this free and valuable training: https://www.bridgeportdiocese.org/safe-environments/home/.
Additional resources are available and free to all parents at our parish. These resources include articles on human trafficking, youth protection, and care for vulnerable adults. Please visit the Virtus website Resources page for information: https://www.virtusonline.org/virtus/virtus_resources.cfm.
Youth Group Go-Karting Event
On Sunday, February 5, members of our junior and senior youth group went go-karting in Wallingford, CT. We had fun taking laps around the course, and perhaps gained some good practice for when we get our licenses!
Youth Group Kicks off Fall Semester with Color Run
On Sunday, September 19, our Youth Group hosted a Color Run event to kick off the fall semester. It was an opportunity for youth to come together to meet new friends and have some fun getting messy while learning about our Junior Youth Group (for 6-8th graders) and Senior Youth...