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.
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 may be a small enrollment / sacrament processing fee.)
- Parents will report the student’s catechetical instruction (e.g., attendance, prayer memorization, and an educational summary) when requested.
Sacrament Reception
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.
Sacrament reception is initiated by submitting the SACRAMENT REQUEST FORM to the Faith Formation Department
Once the Sacrament Request Form is submitted it will be reviewed by the Director of Faith Formation. 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 - TBA). 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 parents wish to have their child receive at some other time or Mass than the parish offers, they may simply bring their child to confession or up to receive communion at a Mass of their choosing. (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 to the presiding priest to fill out and turn in to the parish for record keeping - if this is not done, the parish will have no sacramental reception record.
Sacrament reception is initiated by submitting the SACRAMENT REQUEST FORM to the Faith Formation Department
Once the Sacrament Request Form is submitted it will be reviewed by the Director of Faith Formation. 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 - TBA). 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 parents wish to have their child receive at some other time or Mass than the parish offers, they may simply bring their child to confession or up to receive communion at a Mass of their choosing. (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 to the presiding priest to fill out and turn in to the parish for record keeping - if this is not done, the parish will have no sacramental reception record.
| homeschool_sacrament_request_2022.pdf |
| homeschool_sacrament_record_form_2022.pdf |
