Our Catechetical Ministry Office provides faith formation processes for students in:
The goal of our faith formation processes is to educate, guide, and enable our youth so that they may grow and fully participate in the Catholic Christian community. All of our processes are developed through Scripture, Tradition, and the Church community.
Below you will find an overview of our faith formation programs for children and teens. For more details, please call 619-463-6011 or email the Catechetical Ministry Office.
All of our catechists have completed a Safe Environment training and background check to ensure that your children are safe in their care.
For children who are infants through age 6, at least one parent should be a practicing Catholic and have made Santa Sophia Catholic Church his/ her primary parish community.
Parents are the first teachers of the faith for their children. To assist parents in handing on the faith to their children, the parish offers a series of faith formation programs.
You can register online anytime or in the Catechetical Ministry Office, Mon-Fri, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.
Families not registered at Santa Sophia parish must provide a letter from their parish priest giving permission to attend Santa Sophia religious education classes. You can register at Santa Sophia here.
The goal of this process is to guide each child into a loving relationship with God and encourage Christian friendship.
The goal of this process is to provide the faith formation necessary for full participation in the Christian community through Scripture, doctrine, prayer, liturgy, morality, and witness.
The classes prepare students for their First Confession and First Holy Communion. Confession (also called, Reconciliation) invites the candidates and their parents to grow in the understanding of sacrament, sin, grace, forgiveness, and healing. First Holy Communion invites candidates and their parents to grow in the understanding of sacrament, liturgy, and Eucharist.
The basic elements of this process are instruction, liturgy, community service, and retreat.
High school teens, beginning in grade 9, who have been baptized, have celebrated their First Confession and First Holy Communion, and have at least one full year of previous Religious Education or have been enrolled in Catholic School, can prepare for Confirmation. Confirmation is a two-year process.
Second year Confirmation candidates are required to make a Petition for Confirmation.
Our goal is to develop the assets, skills, and faith of young people by promoting Gospel values in their lifestyles and choices; by increasing positive self-esteem, self-confidence, and moral reasoning abilities; by building leadership and social skills and helping them discover their full potential in the maturity of their faith.
We strive to provide opportunities that develop friendships with other young people grounded in Catholic Christian values and participation in events where teens participate as members of the faith community and where the faith community can acknowledge, celebrate and value its young members.
Get your Jr. High and High School students involved in Youth Group. There are lots of fun activities as well as activities that feed their souls!
This liturgy takes place during the 11:00am Mass on Sunday mornings.
Children, ages 5 through 7, leave the main Sunday assembly during the Liturgy of the Word and go with a catechist to a nearby space where they celebrate the Liturgy of the Word in a simplified, yet equivalent format, appropriate to their level of understanding.
We believe this enables children to take a more conscious and active part in liturgical celebrations.
The children return before the preparation of the gifts for Mass.
We are happy to have your family at our parish and welcome your decision to conduct your own faith formation for your children who are preparing for First Reconciliation, First Holy Communion, and Confirmation.
The Diocese of San Diego asks that your parish be involved in the preparation for these sacraments as you homeschool your children. Essentially, efforts to homeschool your children in preparation for sacraments must be connected to the life of the parish since families are part of the larger ecclesial community.
To help you observe the guidelines from our diocese we have prepared a unique preparation process for your family.
We will not accept preparation done in private which had no oversight by the pastor or Catechetical Ministry Office.
Please contact us as soon as possible if you have already begun sacramental prep or if you plan to homeschool your children to prepare them for First Reconciliation, First Holy Communion, and Confirmation so we can share with you what we require.