Faith Formation 2025/2026

Dear Faith Formation Families of Mary, Queen of Martyrs Parish, 

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

We are excited for Vacation Bible School this summer at St. Kateri. The theme this year is MARVELOUS MYSTERY: The Mass Comes Alive and will immerse kids in the greatest mystery on earth as they learn about the incredible treasure of the Mass and develop a deeper love for Jesus in the Eucharist.

Vacation Bible School or VBS is a week long morning summer camp for children, ages 4-10. We will begin each day with a morning assembly at 9 am, then break up into age specific groups to rotate through five stations, which consist of faith, music and dance, crafts, games, and snacks. The morning will conclude with a closing assembly and children will be ready for pick up at noon each day. The cost for the entire week is just $40 for one child, $75 for 2 children, and $100 for 3 or more children. Discounts are available for those who volunteer to help. Middle schoolers and high schoolers are welcome to volunteer throughout the week in a variety of ways from helping with small groups to putting on skits or helping with the stations. To register and pay go to https://maryqueenofmartyrs.org/vacation-bible-school-2025.

Registration for VBS is open from April 1 to July 1, 2025. 

STEUBENVILLE HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH CONFERENCE

All teens currently in grades 8-12 are invited to attend the Steubenville Youth Conference in Ohio from July 10-13. We are joining with neighboring parishes to rent a bus and will leave early on Thursday, July 10. That night we will arrive at Franciscan University of Steubenville and be able to stay on campus for the weekend. All meals on campus will be provided and there is a separate area for those with food allergies to get specially made meals. Friday morning the teens will have the opportunity to take a college tour, play basketball, kickball, or explore. The conference begins Friday evening with a concert and talk and then we will break up into small groups for pizza and to talk about the day. Saturday begins with breakfast, followed by music,  Mass, and a talk. Saturday afternoon provides free time and some sweet treats, as well as small group activities and large group games. Saturday evening has Adoration with praise and worship followed by small group pizza time. Sunday morning will have Mass, a talk, Adoration, music and more. To register go to https://www.maryqueenofmartyrs.org/faith-payments-2024 and select Steubenville from the drop down menu. The approximate cost of the weekend is $475 which includes transportation, room and board, a conference t-shirt, and conference registration. We are working to secure a bus and that will be a deciding factor in the final cost. Payment plans are available with the balance due before July 10. Limited space is available. 

ONLINE PAYMENTS

Please visit https://maryqueenofmartyrs.org/faith-payments-2024 for the links to register and pay online for both Faith Formation and this summer’s VBS camp. See the dates under tuition and fees in order to take advantage of our early registration discounts!

FAITH FORMATION 2025/2026

REGISTER

Go to https://www.maryqueenofmartyrs.org/faith-formation-registration to register for classes next year and to submit electronic payments. Unfortunately, like everything else, our programs cost money as we need help to pay for the books, supplies, activities, food, and more. We try to pass on the early discounts we receive from publishers to you and are mindful of the fact that some families are on a tight budget. We have an Amazon Wish list that several of you have graciously helped us with over the past year, helping us to keep our registration fees lower than others in our area. Please be aware that we have payment plans available. Most families on a payment plan paid between $10 and $15 a month over the course of the year. Limited scholarships are also available; please email me with your requests and we will do our best to work with you. 

Please be aware the total you are shown depends on the accuracy of your information. All fees will be calculated through our database and you may receive a bill or be made aware of an overpayment if there was a discrepancy. Please submit any cash payments in person to ensure they are properly recorded. Kindly submit payment by check to:

Mary, Queen of Martyrs Parish Faith Formation Office

10 Memorial Drive

Plymouth, MA 02360

CALENDAR

The calendar for next year is underway and will be posted as soon as it is ready. Please make sure to check out the dates for Sacraments and retreats as they are mandatory events and we want you to have plenty of time to prepare. If more than one option is available, please let me know as soon as possible if you have a preference. 

VOLUNTEER

Would you like to share the faith with the children of the parish by becoming a catechist, aide, small group leader, or substitute? Lesson plans, materials, and a teacher manual are all provided. It takes many people to facilitate a faith formation program and we appreciate your willingness to support the children of the parish. Catechist training will be provided in early September before classes begin. If you are able to help or would like more information, please let us know. 

NEW!! Monthly Family Bible Study for most grades

Do you have trouble with Sunday morning sessions? Is meeting on a weekly basis a strain on your tight schedule? Do you have children in multiple sessions? This may be the solution for your family. We will be offering a Family Bible Study focused on the New Testament for the upcoming year and open to all grades. The catch is that there is no Sacrament prep included in this program, although middle schoolers can participate in these sessions instead of the Edge sessions but they must complete their Confirmation components with their classmates (retreat, service, Day of Reflection, etc).

We will be using the series GPS: God’s Plan in Scripture, which provides multiple levels of the same topic. The whole family will meet once a month to introduce a topic and then there will be an at home component. With the help of a couple of catechists, children will break up into small groups by age while I help the parents understand the at home sessions. Our hope is that we can have 8-10 families in a group and offer pizza and salad for dinner. These sessions will be held at OLOL on Wednesday evenings from 5:30-7 once a month, with an option to order pizzas for dinner. 

GRADES KINDERGARTEN - 5

The children’s class schedule for Grades K-5  will be as follows: 

            Sunday            8:15 AM        St. Peter

            Sunday            8:45 AM        Our Lady of Lourdes

            Monday            4:45 PM        St. Peter

* Kindergarten classes will depend on having at least 5 students and finding a catechist, by August 15.

FIRST COMMUNION PREP

First Communion Preparation (FCP) is a two-year program. All children must complete the first year of preparation prior to registering for the second year. Children enrolled in sacramental preparation must attend at least 80% of the classes and their retreats. If you have a child in need of sacramental preparation with disabilities, extenuating circumstances, or major health concerns, please contact the office to ensure that we can make the appropriate accommodations for your child. Children in FCP I (typically grade 1, but may have 2nd and 3rd graders as well) will have a retreat on a Saturday in early February with the theme “God Loves Me!” and will be accompanied by an adult of their choice. Children in FCP II (typically grade 2, but may have 3rd and 4th graders) will have an afternoon retreat in early January as part of their Reconciliation preparation and a full day First Communion retreat in March or April. All retreats are held on Saturdays. There will be parent meetings in the fall to make sure everyone understands the requirements of the program.

HIGH SCHOOL CONFIRMATION

All teens who completed Confirmation I last year and are scheduled to be Confirmed in the fall do not need to register for the upcoming year, however they should pay the retreat fee. The retreat is all day Saturday September 27(location TBD), teen rehearsal on October 19 at 6:30 pm at St. Peter Church, rehearsal with sponsors October 24 at 6pm at St. Peter, and Confirmation is Sunday, October 26 at 2pm at St. Peter. 

Please reach out to [email protected] if you have a high schooler who would like to begin the Confirmation program. At this time we are not offering a class, but we will put something together if there is a need.

EDGE CONFIRMATION

At this time, we are planning to have all youth in grades 6 - 9 attend Edge on Sunday at St. Peter’s from 4:30 - 5:45 with a Youth Mass once a month from 5:30 - 6:30.  A fall retreat will be held for those in grades 6-7 and an early spring retreat for grades 8-9. The 8th and 9th graders will also have a fall Day of Reflection with their Confirmation sponsors in the fall. We will be requesting dates in the spring of 2026 for Confirmation of 8th and 9th graders and expect to hear back from the bishop’s office in September. 

MIDDLE SCHOOL BIBLE STUDY

This year middle schoolers will have the option to attend a Tuesday night Bible Study at St. Kateri from 5-6 pm. This class is reserved for those who wish to dive deeper into the faith or who have trouble with large groups. Please be aware that this session has limited space. Youth can participate in Edge and the Bible Study. 

Please share this information with your friends and neighbors so that they can register early and take advantage of the discounts, too! Please also consider volunteering for further discount opportunities. Children will not be enrolled in classes until payment is received. If there is any difficulty in payment, please contact the office to make arrangements for a payment plan or scholarships. No family will be turned away due to finances.

Director of Faith Formation

Mary, Queen of Martyrs Parish

(508) 746-0663 ext. 206

P.S. All links have been updated for this year, even when the web address looks like it may be an old link. 

REGISTRATION FEES

• 1 CHILD     $85.00
• 2 CHILDREN    $135.00
• 3 + CHILDREN $    160.00

• 1 CHILD     $100.00
• 2 CHILDREN     $150.00
• 3 + CHILDREN     $ 175.00

• 1 CHILD    $130.00
• 2 CHILDREN    $180.00
• 3 + CHILDREN   $205.00

RETREAT FEES

Cost per child enrolled in sacramental prep

● FIRST COMMUNION PREP I $ 50.00

● FIRST COMMUNION PREP II $50.00

● MIDDLE SCHOOL EDGE GRADES 6/7--$40.00

● EDGE GRADES 8/9-$50.00

VOLUNTEER DISCOUNTS

● CATECHIST DISCOUNT $40.00

● SMALL GROUP LEADER $40.00

● HALL MONITOR DISCOUNT $20.00

Payment For Faith Formation 2025

New Family Registration Form

 

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Authorization for Pick Up From Faith Formation

Electronic Photo Consent