St. Joseph's Supports Home Schooling!

Faith Formation for Homeschool Families

The Church teaches that parents are to be the first Catechists of their children, and St. Joseph’s supports the rights of parents to catechize their children and prepare them for the reception of sacraments. If home school families wish their child(ren) to receive religious education at home rather than through the parish program, they are free to do so following the norms, policies, and guidelines set forth by the Diocese and adaptations followed at St. Joseph’s parish.

Enrollment

Home schooled students must be enrolled annually in order to receive sacraments at St. Joseph's!

Families may participate in Family Faith Formation, use the same catechetical resources used by the parish, or choose any primary curriculum approved by the USCCB. All parish catechetical and sacrament reception policies – including annual enrollment - apply to families involved in home school education. This is to ensure proper records are kept.

• Children must be annually enrolled as St. Joseph's home school students so that the parish has the children’s educational records. (Note: this is distinct from registering the family as members of the parish).
• Those using their own materials still must enroll, but any tuition fees are waived. (There will be a small enrollment / sacrament processing fee.*)
  • *Email dbeaumont@stjmod.com for discount code!
• Parents will report the student’s catechetical instruction (e.g., attendance, prayer memorization, and an educational summary) when requested.

Sacrament Preparation

Home-schooled children must fulfill the same or equivalent requirements for sacraments as those enrolled in the parish formation / sacrament preparation program following the norms, policies, and guidelines set forth by the Diocese and adaptations followed at St. Joseph’s parish. This includes age level (7 years old is the minimum), parent formation participation, ministry experience, sponsor selection, retreats, etc. When these requirements are met, the parent may request that their child receive a sacrament. 

• General Guidelines
  
  • A minimum of two full consecutive years of catechetical instruction is to precede the reception of any sacrament.
  • Homeschool program enrollment with the parish is required each year of faith formation.
  • Previous sacrament certificates must be made available.
  • The minimum age for reception of Confession and / or Communion is 7.
  • Parents should request sacraments at the appropriate age and celebration time as those in the parish program (pastoral exceptions are possible – parish office to request pastoral meeting):
    • Confession and / or Communion: 2nd Grade / 3rd Grade 
    • Confirmation: 8th grade
      
      
• Formation Resources
  
  • Utilize the same materials as the parish program, or otherwise approved catechetical resources.[1]
  • Circle of Grace safe environment education is required.[2]
  • Confirmation curriculum guidelines can be found at the diocese website. [3]

 

• Sacrament Preparation
  
  • Catechesis on relevant sacraments is to be included during sacrament reception years.
  • Confirmation parents and youth are required to participate in a retreat experiences. (Homeschool-led retreats may be offered.)
• Parents / Guardian / Sponsor Responsibility
  
  • Attend any required parish sacrament practice and preparation meetings.
  • Actively participate in the Parish community and in Sunday Mass.
  • Follow the norms (including Safe Environment), established by the bishop.

[1] Primary curriculum must be approved by USCCB. See www.usccb.org/about/evangelization-and-catechesis/subcommittee-on-catechism/upload/Current-Conformity-List.pdf
[2] See dovesnest.net/circleofgrace. For more information contact the Diocesan Safe Environment Training Manager at 209-466-0636, ext. 611.
[3] See stocktondiocese.org/confirmation-guidelines.

Sacrament Request, Reception, and Recording

Sacrament reception is initiated by submitting the SACRAMENT REQUEST FORM to the Faith Formation Department. This will be reviewed by the Director of Faith Formation and parents will be notified of approval. Parents of children ready to receive a sacrament will then have two options. The first is to have their child receive the sacrament along with the other parish families (e.g., at our annual first reconciliation times or first holy communion masses). This option allows homeschooled children to participate in the life of the parish in a public and communal manner. Sacrament recording, certificate provision, pictures, etc. will be handled by parish staff.

If instead parents wish to have their child receive at some other time or Mass than the parish offers, they may indicate this request through the Faith Formation Department. If approved, it will be handled by the Director of Liturgy. (Note that if this second option is chosen, there will be no special actions taken during the Mass regarding the child's reception unless parents work it out with the presiding priest beforehand. Pictures / video may not be taken during Mass.) If this second option is chosen, parents must present the SACRAMENT RECORD FORM (which is on the opposite side of the Sacrament Request Form) to the presiding priest to fill out and turn in to the parish office (with both Birth and Baptism certificates) for record keeping. If this is not done, the parish will have no sacramental reception record!

homeschool_sacrament_request_and_record_form_2023.pdf
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