PREP (Religious Education)

Summer Intensive Program 2026

Dates: July 6–10, 2026

CLICK HERE FOR REGISTRATION

Priority registration will be given to families who have actively participated in our Family Catechesis sessions throughout the year.

We look forward to another joyful and faith-filled summer of growing together as disciples of Christ!

Faith Formation at St. David the King: A Mission Rooted in Discipleship

At St. David the King, we believe faith formation begins at home. Parents are the first and most important teachers of the faith, and our parish is here to support and equip them in this sacred mission.

Our faith formation model combines a Summer Intensive with Year-Round Family Catechesis, designed to form children not just in knowledge, but in a living, lasting discipleship. This is not a program of requirements or boxes to check, but a pathway to encounter Christ and grow in His love through intentional formation in the intellectual, spiritual, and human dimensions of the faith.

In a world that constantly pulls children away from Christ, we strive to give them the tools to stay rooted in Him. We do not reduce formation to memorization or emotional service projects. Rather, we teach that discipleship flows from a deep relationship with Jesus, nurtured by the sacraments, Scripture, prayer, and the life of the Church.

Our Core Approach

  • Parents Lead: You are responsible for your child’s faith formation. The parish walks beside you, offering formation, community, and encouragement.

  • Sunday Mass is Central: Participation in the Eucharist is non-negotiable. It is the source and summit of our faith (CCC 2181), and essential for families in formation.

  • Sacramental Preparation: For First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation, children complete three Sunday sessions focused on the sacrament, attend a retreat, and (in the case of Confirmation) fulfill service hours prior to reception of the sacrament.

  • Family Catechesis Events: Open to all families—including Catholic school families—these gatherings are tied to the liturgical calendar and modeled on the joyful, communal spirit of St. Philip Neri. Each includes a shared meal and practical tools for growing the faith at home.

  • Two Track Options: Families may choose either the Summer Intensive or the approved Online Alternative, but all are strongly encouraged to participate in Family Catechesis throughout the year.

A Serious and Joyful Calling

When we stand before God, we will answer for how we guided our children toward heaven. That may be a sobering truth—but it is also full of hope. God has entrusted you with a beautiful mission, and we are honored to walk with you in it.

As St. Paul exhorts us:

“Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

(Romans 12:2)

Family Catechesis 2026–2027: “Encountering Christ: Formed, Forgiven, and Sent”

Join us for our Family Catechesis gatherings, designed to nurture faith, deepen understanding of the Church’s seasons, and strengthen the family as the heart of parish life. Following the model of St. Philip Neri, we seek to create encounters with Christ that empower families to become a reflection of the Holy Family and the foundation of our parish community.

We gather at 5:30pm in the Main Church for prayer and reflection, followed by age-appropriate breakout sessions. Families then come together in the Great Hall for dinner and discussion, sharing insights and experiences in a spirit of fellowship.

2026–2027 Schedule:

  • Wednesday, October 28, 2026 – The Eucharist: Source and Summit of Our Life

      • Core idea: The Eucharist isn’t one devotion among many—it is the Christian life.
      • Family angle: What does Sunday really mean for us? Why does Mass matter?
      • Practical: Walking through the Mass step-by-step

  • Tuesday, December 1, 2026 – The Incarnation: God Enters Our Story

      • Core idea: Christianity is not an idea—it’s an event: God became man.
      • Family angle: How does Christ entering the world change our home?
      • Connection: Nativity, humility, the dignity of human life, family life

  • Wednesday, February 17, 2027 – Sin, Mercy, and the Sacrament of Reconciliation

      • Core idea: Sin is real—but mercy is greater.
      • Family angle: How do we teach children to understand sin without fear, and confession without shame?
      • Practical: How to go to confession, examination of conscience for different ages

  • Tuesday, April 13, 2027 – The Holy Spirit: Living as Missionary Disciples

      • Core idea: The Spirit is not abstract—He empowers real, daily Christian living.
      • Family angle: What does it look like for a family to live “on mission”?
      • Connection: Gifts of the Spirit, courage, evangelization in ordinary life

All families are welcome to join us as we walk together through the liturgical year, growing in faith, hope, and love.

Sacramental Celebrations – School Year 25/26

First Holy Communion

  • Celebration Date: Saturday, May 16, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.

  • Practice: Wednesday, May 13, 2026, at 4:30 p.m.

  • Sacramental Preparation Sundays:

    (Children will be dismissed from the 9:00 a.m. Mass after the Gospel)

    • April 19

    • April 26

    • First Holy Communion Family Retreat: Saturday, May 2, beginning with 9 a.m. mass. Ending approximately 12 or 1 p.m.

Sacramental Preparation – 2027

First Reconciliation

Second grade children preparing for First Reconciliation will receive this Sacrament in a communal setting with the parish:

Thursday, March 18, 2027
6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
(Combined with our parish Lenten Reconciliation Service)

This provides our children with the opportunity to experience the sacrament in the same way that most of the faithful encounter it each year—within the rhythm of parish life. It is a beautiful moment of grace and healing as they prepare their hearts to receive Our Lord in the Eucharist.

First Holy Communion – 2027

Beginning in 2027, First Holy Communion at Saint David the King will be celebrated on Trinity Sunday weekend, which falls on:

Saturday, May 22 & Sunday, May 23, 2027

A New Format Rooted in Parish Life

Starting in 2027, First Holy Communion will no longer take place at a single Saturday morning liturgy. Instead, families will be invited to sign up for one of our regular parish Masses over the course of the weekend to celebrate their child’s First Holy Communion.

This means that First Communions will take place within the context of the Sunday Eucharist—the very heart of our Catholic life—alongside the full parish community.

Available Mass options will include:

  • Saturday: 4:00 PM and 5:30 PM
  • Sunday: 9:00 AM, 10:30 AM, and 7:00 PM

Please note that space will be limited to Four (4) First Communicants at each Mass, and families will be able to select their preferred time when registration opens at the beginning of 2027 on a first come first serve basis.

Why This Change?

This transition reflects a growing desire within the Church to more deeply connect the celebration of First Holy Communion with faithful participation in Sunday Mass. The Eucharist is not a one-time moment, but the beginning of a lifelong relationship with Christ, lived out week after week.

By celebrating this sacrament within the parish’s regular Sunday worship, we hope to:

  • Emphasize the importance of the Sunday Eucharist
  • Encourage continued participation in the life of the Church
  • Support families in living out the commitments of our faith

Diagram Showing how a First Communicant will receive with their family, click HERE.

Summer Intensive Program 2027

Dates: July 5–9

CLICK HERE FOR REGISTRATION (Opens March 2027)

As a way of supporting ongoing formation, priority registration is offered to families actively involved in our Family Catechesis sessions.

We’re excited for another summer of deepening faith and building community in Christ!