Develop, nurture, and live out your faith
At The Basilica of Saint Mary, Faith Formation encompasses a broader approach with a vibrant selection of programs for children, youth, and adults, encouraging our parishioners and friends to continually develop, nurture, and live out our faith.
Forming faith and nurturing spiritual growth are lifelong processes. We strive to provide meaningful programs rich in quality and substance, filled with God's grace. Our educational programs explore our rich Catholic traditions and encourage people of all ages to strengthen and deepen their faith.
- Young Families: building relationships within the parish and in Christ
- Children - age 3 through Grade 5: preparing to celebrate the Catholic Sacraments
- Youth - Grade 6 through 12: growing in faith with one another and the Church
- Whole Family Model: the family is a privileged place to encounter Christ
Faith Formation Registration for Children and Youth
Our programs re-imagined...
Our 2025-26 Faith Formation and Sacramental Preparation programming for children and youth now falls under the Department for Engagement and Family Life. As the programming unfolds, the aim is to develop a more unified, holistic approach to faith formation, focusing on family life as the cornerstone, which Pope Leo XIV says is where faith begins and where the Church's future takes root. The newly developing program features a comprehensive whole family approach to our formation efforts with catechesis, liturgy, music, and opportunities for community and family fellowship.
"Our goal," says Johan van Parys, Ph.D, Managing Director of Parish Ministries, "is to address the ever-changing needs of children and youth in our demanding world, support their development within the context of family life, provide catechesis that is responsive to today’s challenges, encourage broader community involvement, and most importantly, foster a meaningful relationship with God."
Melissa Streit is excited to lead the department and has been a staff member and parishioner at The Basilica for many years. She has volunteered here in faith formation, sacramental preparation, OCIA, and Children's Choir/Choristers with her son, Peter, now a teen, and is a board member at the parochial elementary and middle school he attended in Minnetonka, MN.
We look forward to working with your family.
- Classes for the 2025-26 program year started Sunday, September 14, and run through the week of May 3.
- Please opt-in to Basilica emails. If you have opted out of emails from The Basilica, you will not receive important Faith Formation communications.
- We welcome all children and youth into our programs! If a section happens to fill up, we will try to find a spot amenable for your child and your family. We do need to maintain a ratio of 2:16 or 3:24 adults per children/youth. If a class size does not have enough adults to meet the ratio we close the class until more volunteers are found.
2025-26 Program Calendar
We are also happy to provide downloadable calendars, separated by program area, in Google calendar and iCal formats:
Children and Youth (PreK-7th Grade): Google Calendar - iCal
Confirmation: Google Calendar - iCal
Basilica YES: Google Calendar - iCal
First Reconciliation/First Communion: Google Calendar - iCal
Young Family Ministry: Google Calendar - iCal
Payment Information
- Cost is $150.00 per child, includes curriculum, classroom supplies, and materials. Maximum of $450/family. If you meet the family maximum cost, please register and pay for three of your children online and then contact Melissa to register your additional children. The discount rate of $125 per child is in place through August.
- Sacramental preparation payments for First Communion/First Reconciliation are in addition to class registration fees. If your child(ren) will be completing First Reconciliation/First Eucharist, please make sure to sign them up for the appropriate grade(s) in Faith Formation if they are not enrolled in Catholic School. (Additional parish policies for sacramental preparation can be found on our website under Sacraments.)
- Payment is made at the time of registration.
- Scholarships and payment plans are available; no one will be turned away due to inability to pay. Please contact Melissa before registering to inquire about these options.
- Volunteer catechists and classroom helpers are allowed full scholarships for the weekly programs for their children. Please contact Melissa if you are interested in this opportunity.
Please select all classes for which you will be registering your child(ren) in addition to sacramental preparation.
- First Reconciliation / First Eucharist
Children preparing for both sacraments must be in at least Grade 2 and should also be registered in our Faith Formation program OR attending a Catholic School. Please review the complete registration policies First Reconciliation/First Communion downloadable calendar: Google Calendar - iCal - Confirmation
The Archdiocese requires all Confirmation preparation to take place in the home parish where the teen will be celebrating the sacrament. Parents/Sponsors are required to come to a meeting in the Fall and again in the Spring. Please read our sacrament policy for other attendance and service requirements. Confirmation downloadable calendar: Google Calendar - iCal
Registration:
Registration is now closed, please contact Melissa with any inquiries
- Preschool
- Kindergarten
- 1st Grade
- 2nd Grade
- 3rd Grade
- 4th Grade
- 5th Grade
- 6th Grade
- 7th Grade
- 8th Grade Youth Confirmation
- 9th to 12th Grade Youth Ministry & Basilica YES
2025-26 Program Calendar
We are also happy to provide downloadable calendars, separated by program area, in Google calendar and iCal formats:
Children and Youth (PreK-7th Grade): Google Calendar - iCal
Confirmation: Google Calendar - iCal
Basilica YES: Google Calendar - iCal
First Reconciliation/First Communion: Google Calendar - iCal
Young Family Ministry: Google Calendar - iCal
Faith Formation for Children Age 3 to Grade 5
We are also happy to provide downloadable calendars, separated by program area, in Google calendar and iCal formats:
Children and Youth (PreK-7th Grade): Google Calendar - iCal
First Reconciliation/First Communion: Google Calendar - iCal
Young Family Ministry: Google Calendar - iCal
Preschool Faith Formation: Stories of God's Love
(Children who are age 3 by September 1, will not be in Kindergarten, and are able to take care of their own toileting needs)
Preschool classes run from 9:15-11:00am on Sundays. Our program incorporates free play, music instruction, and RCL/Benziger’s curriculum, Stories of God’s Love. We follow a two year rotation with their Ages 3-4 and 4-5 series.
Children’s Faith Formation (Grades K-5): Finding God
Our curriculum, Finding God, forms discipleship in children through Ignatian spirituality, weekly studies of sacred artwork, scripture, Catholic social teaching, and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Students each receive a workbook, which is kept in the classroom. Parents have access to online resources that support the curriculum with prayers, videos, and other helpful tools.
Music is an important part of our program. The studentsreceive weekly music lessons and all participate together in a special Christmas Music Extravaganza.
Sunday morning Children’s Faith Formation will run from 9:15-11:00am in the school.
If you join The Basilica after our program year starts, we still warmly welcome you to enroll your children for the balance of the program year, provided there is enough space in class and our ratio of certified catechists/children is met.
Note: Children in second grade or older may sign up for First Reconciliation and First Communion preparation. These classes are an additional fee. Students must also be enrolled in Faith Formation or a Catholic school and be registered members of the parish.
Commitment to Inclusive Learning
The Basilica of Saint Mary strives to meet the needs of each student in our Faith Formation program. Please let us know if your child has special needs or an Individualized Education Program (IEP).
Middle School (6th Grade and 7th Grade)
We are also happy to provide downloadable calendars, separated by program area, in Google calendar and iCal formats:
Children and Youth (PreK-7th Grade): Google Calendar - iCal
Confirmation: Google Calendar - iCal
Basilica YES: Google Calendar - iCal
Students will meet every Sunday following the preschool and elementary program calendar.
Our curriculum, Finding God, reaches young people at this unique time of growth in their lives. The Finding God Junior High program reaches the whole person through multiple points of engagement, accompanying young people as their place in the story of the Catholic faith is revealed through art, music, authentic witness, media, prayer, substantial content, and service to others.
Youth Ministry / Basilica Y.E.S. (Youth Engaged in Service)
High School
Confirmed high school students in 9th - 12th grade, meet regularly on Sunday afternoons from 3:30-5:15pm. This program for youth offers spiritual study, service opportunities, and social activities.
STUDY/SPIRITUAL activities include ways for students to grow in their own Catholic faith and apply it to their daily lives. It provides opportunities for spiritual growth to deepen their relationship with Jesus and grow in faithful discipleship through prayer and study, videos, discussion, and more.
SERVICE opportunities allow students to give back to others in the parish, our community, and the greater Church. Faith will be expressed and put into action in many ways to help the less fortunate in our communities.
SOCIAL activities provide time to gather, enjoy each other’s company, and have fun. These opportunities also strengthen interpersonal communication skills and social behaviors, enhancing understanding of what it means to be a member of the Catholic community.
Prayer is included either at the beginning or the end of these activities.
We invite young families, especially those with children younger than preschool age, to engage with our faith community. Many young families gather informally after 9:30am Mass on Sunday for fellowship on the west (freeway) side of Teresa of Calcutta Hall in the lower level of the church.
There is also Young Family Hospitality monthly on Sundays after 9:30am Mass during the school year, with fellowship and age-appropriate activities for our youngest parishioners. Upcoming dates include:
October 19: Young Family Hospitality in Teresa of Calcutta Hall
November 9: Family Brunch in Teresa of Calcutta Hall
November 30: Family Advent Wreath Making in Teresa of Calcutta Hall
December 7: Young Family Hospitality in Teresa of Calcutta Hall
December 21: Children's Music Extravaganza in Teresa of Calcutta Hall
January 4: Young Family Hospitality in Teresa of Calcutta Hall
January 18: Family Brunch in Teresa of Calcutta Hall
February 15: Young Family Hospitality in Teresa of Calcutta Hall
Young Family Ministry downloadable calendar for 2025-26: Google Calendar - iCal
The Family as Domestic Church
Our Whole Family Model
In June 2025, Pope Leo XIV celebrated a Mass for the Jubilee of Families, Children, Grandparents and the Elderly. “In the family,” he said, “faith is handed on together with life, generation after generation. It is shared like food at the family table and like the love in our hearts. In this way, families become privileged places in which to encounter Jesus, who loves us and desires our good, always.”
At the core of our whole family model is the Church's belief that parents are the primary and first teachers of faith for their children, and the parish community guides and assists in this pivotal role. The parish provides a nurturing environment where faith can grow and flourish for the whole family.
In addition to regular and robust opportunities for participation with catechesis, liturgy, and music, we also encourage your active participation to develop community and fellowship at The Basilica.
We are also happy to provide downloadable calendars, separated by program area, in Google calendar and iCal formats:
Children and Youth (PreK-7th Grade): Google Calendar - iCal
Confirmation: Google Calendar - iCal
Basilica YES: Google Calendar - iCal
First Reconciliation/First Communion: Google Calendar - iCal
Young Family Ministry: Google Calendar - iCal
New for 2025-26:
- We have three Family Brunches (in November, January, and March) when families can spend time together and with Basilica clergy and staff between class time and noon Mass. This is in addition to the previous Advent and Lent family events that have been held for several years, which will continue.
- Visit the Parent Gathering Space in the school for fellowship and resources after 9:30am Mass until the class time ends at 11am. Check out our lending library, other resources to bring catechesis to life at home, and get to know other Basilica parents.
- Families get regular emails with easy-to-share resources with information about what is happening in class, the liturgical year, saints, prayers, papal messages, and more -- so that you can easily strengthen and reinforce the weekend's lessons at home during the week as your time allows.
- And even more to come as our whole family model grows and develops.
Questions? Please Contact:
Melissa Streit
Director of Engagement and Family Life; Safe Environment Coordinator
Melissa Streit has been a parish member and active volunteer at The Basilica for over 25 years….
MoreFaith Formation
Faith Formation Learning about and nurturing our Catholic faith
Develop, nurture, and live out your faith
At The Basilica of Saint Mary, Faith Formation encompasses a broader approach with a vibrant selection of programs for children, youth, and adults, encouraging our parishioners and friends to continually develop, nurture, and live out our faith.
Forming faith and nurturing spiritual growth are lifelong processes. We strive to provide meaningful programs rich in quality and substance, filled with God’s grace. Our educational programs explore our rich Catholic traditions and encourage people of all ages to strengthen and deepen their faith.
- Young Families: building relationships within the parish and in Christ
- Children – age 3 through Grade 5: preparing to celebrate the Catholic Sacraments
- Youth – Grade 6 through 12: growing in faith with one another and the Church
- Whole Family Model: the family is a privileged place to encounter Christ
Faith Formation Registration for Children and Youth
Our programs re-imagined…
Our 2025-26 Faith Formation and Sacramental Preparation programming for children and youth now falls under the Department for Engagement and Family Life. As the programming unfolds, the aim is to develop a more unified, holistic approach to faith formation, focusing on family life as the cornerstone, which Pope Leo XIV says is where faith begins and where the Church’s future takes root. The newly developing program features a comprehensive whole family approach to our formation efforts with catechesis, liturgy, music, and opportunities for community and family fellowship.
“Our goal,” says Johan van Parys, Ph.D, Managing Director of Parish Ministries, “is to address the ever-changing needs of children and youth in our demanding world, support their development within the context of family life, provide catechesis that is responsive to today’s challenges, encourage broader community involvement, and most importantly, foster a meaningful relationship with God.”
Melissa Streit is excited to lead the department and has been a staff member and parishioner at The Basilica for many years. She has volunteered here in faith formation, sacramental preparation, OCIA, and Children’s Choir/Choristers with her son, Peter, now a teen, and is a board member at the parochial elementary and middle school he attended in Minnetonka, MN.
We look forward to working with your family.
- Classes for the 2025-26 program year started Sunday, September 14, and run through the week of May 3.
- Please opt-in to Basilica emails. If you have opted out of emails from The Basilica, you will not receive important Faith Formation communications.
- We welcome all children and youth into our programs! If a section happens to fill up, we will try to find a spot amenable for your child and your family. We do need to maintain a ratio of 2:16 or 3:24 adults per children/youth. If a class size does not have enough adults to meet the ratio we close the class until more volunteers are found.
We are also happy to provide downloadable calendars, separated by program area, in Google calendar and iCal formats:2025-26 Program Calendar
Children and Youth (PreK-7th Grade): Google Calendar – iCal
Confirmation: Google Calendar – iCal
Basilica YES: Google Calendar – iCal
First Reconciliation/First Communion: Google Calendar – iCal
Young Family Ministry: Google Calendar – iCal
Payment Information
- Cost is $150.00 per child, includes curriculum, classroom supplies, and materials. Maximum of $450/family. If you meet the family maximum cost, please register and pay for three of your children online and then contact Melissa to register your additional children. The discount rate of $125 per child is in place through August.
- Sacramental preparation payments for First Communion/First Reconciliation are in addition to class registration fees. If your child(ren) will be completing First Reconciliation/First Eucharist, please make sure to sign them up for the appropriate grade(s) in Faith Formation if they are not enrolled in Catholic School. (Additional parish policies for sacramental preparation can be found on our website under Sacraments.)
- Payment is made at the time of registration.
- Scholarships and payment plans are available; no one will be turned away due to inability to pay. Please contact Melissa before registering to inquire about these options.
- Volunteer catechists and classroom helpers are allowed full scholarships for the weekly programs for their children. Please contact Melissa if you are interested in this opportunity.
Please select all classes for which you will be registering your child(ren) in addition to sacramental preparation.
- First Reconciliation / First Eucharist
Children preparing for both sacraments must be in at least Grade 2 and should also be registered in our Faith Formation program OR attending a Catholic School. Please review the complete registration policies First Reconciliation/First Communion downloadable calendar: Google Calendar – iCal - Confirmation
The Archdiocese requires all Confirmation preparation to take place in the home parish where the teen will be celebrating the sacrament. Parents/Sponsors are required to come to a meeting in the Fall and again in the Spring. Please read our sacrament policy for other attendance and service requirements. Confirmation downloadable calendar: Google Calendar – iCal
Registration:
Registration is now closed, please contact Melissa with any inquiries
- Preschool
- Kindergarten
- 1st Grade
- 2nd Grade
- 3rd Grade
- 4th Grade
- 5th Grade
- 6th Grade
- 7th Grade
- 8th Grade Youth Confirmation
- 9th to 12th Grade Youth Ministry & Basilica YES
2025-26 Program Calendar
We are also happy to provide downloadable calendars, separated by program area, in Google calendar and iCal formats:Children and Youth (PreK-7th Grade): Google Calendar – iCal
Confirmation: Google Calendar – iCal
Basilica YES: Google Calendar – iCal
First Reconciliation/First Communion: Google Calendar – iCal
Young Family Ministry: Google Calendar – iCal
Faith Formation for Children Age 3 to Grade 5
We are also happy to provide downloadable calendars, separated by program area, in Google calendar and iCal formats:Children and Youth (PreK-7th Grade): Google Calendar – iCal
First Reconciliation/First Communion: Google Calendar – iCal
Young Family Ministry: Google Calendar – iCal
Preschool Faith Formation: Stories of God’s Love
(Children who are age 3 by September 1, will not be in Kindergarten, and are able to take care of their own toileting needs)
Preschool classes run from 9:15-11:00am on Sundays. Our program incorporates free play, music instruction, and RCL/Benziger’s curriculum, Stories of God’s Love. We follow a two year rotation with their Ages 3-4 and 4-5 series.
Children’s Faith Formation (Grades K-5): Finding God
Our curriculum, Finding God, forms discipleship in children through Ignatian spirituality, weekly studies of sacred artwork, scripture, Catholic social teaching, and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Students each receive a workbook, which is kept in the classroom. Parents have access to online resources that support the curriculum with prayers, videos, and other helpful tools.
Music is an important part of our program. The studentsreceive weekly music lessons and all participate together in a special Christmas Music Extravaganza.
Sunday morning Children’s Faith Formation will run from 9:15-11:00am in the school.
If you join The Basilica after our program year starts, we still warmly welcome you to enroll your children for the balance of the program year, provided there is enough space in class and our ratio of certified catechists/children is met.
Note: Children in second grade or older may sign up for First Reconciliation and First Communion preparation. These classes are an additional fee. Students must also be enrolled in Faith Formation or a Catholic school and be registered members of the parish.
Commitment to Inclusive Learning
The Basilica of Saint Mary strives to meet the needs of each student in our Faith Formation program. Please let us know if your child has special needs or an Individualized Education Program (IEP).
Commitment to Inclusive Learning Statement
YouthMiddle School (6th Grade and 7th Grade)
We are also happy to provide downloadable calendars, separated by program area, in Google calendar and iCal formats:Children and Youth (PreK-7th Grade): Google Calendar – iCal
Confirmation: Google Calendar – iCal
Basilica YES: Google Calendar – iCal
Students will meet every Sunday following the preschool and elementary program calendar.
Our curriculum, Finding God, reaches young people at this unique time of growth in their lives. The Finding God Junior High program reaches the whole person through multiple points of engagement, accompanying young people as their place in the story of the Catholic faith is revealed through art, music, authentic witness, media, prayer, substantial content, and service to others.
Youth Ministry / Basilica Y.E.S. (Youth Engaged in Service)
High School
Confirmed high school students in 9th – 12th grade, meet regularly on Sunday afternoons from 3:30-5:15pm. This program for youth offers spiritual study, service opportunities, and social activities.
STUDY/SPIRITUAL activities include ways for students to grow in their own Catholic faith and apply it to their daily lives. It provides opportunities for spiritual growth to deepen their relationship with Jesus and grow in faithful discipleship through prayer and study, videos, discussion, and more.
SERVICE opportunities allow students to give back to others in the parish, our community, and the greater Church. Faith will be expressed and put into action in many ways to help the less fortunate in our communities.
SOCIAL activities provide time to gather, enjoy each other’s company, and have fun. These opportunities also strengthen interpersonal communication skills and social behaviors, enhancing understanding of what it means to be a member of the Catholic community.
Prayer is included either at the beginning or the end of these activities.
Young FamiliesWe invite young families, especially those with children younger than preschool age, to engage with our faith community. Many young families gather informally after 9:30am Mass on Sunday for fellowship on the west (freeway) side of Teresa of Calcutta Hall in the lower level of the church.
There is also Young Family Hospitality monthly on Sundays after 9:30am Mass during the school year, with fellowship and age-appropriate activities for our youngest parishioners. Upcoming dates include:
October 19: Young Family Hospitality in Teresa of Calcutta Hall
November 9: Family Brunch in Teresa of Calcutta Hall
November 30: Family Advent Wreath Making in Teresa of Calcutta Hall
December 7: Young Family Hospitality in Teresa of Calcutta Hall
December 21: Children’s Music Extravaganza in Teresa of Calcutta Hall
January 4: Young Family Hospitality in Teresa of Calcutta Hall
January 18: Family Brunch in Teresa of Calcutta Hall
February 15: Young Family Hospitality in Teresa of Calcutta Hall
Young Family Ministry downloadable calendar for 2025-26: Google Calendar – iCal
Whole Family InvolvementThe Family as Domestic Church
Our Whole Family Model
In June 2025, Pope Leo XIV celebrated a Mass for the Jubilee of Families, Children, Grandparents and the Elderly. “In the family,” he said, “faith is handed on together with life, generation after generation. It is shared like food at the family table and like the love in our hearts. In this way, families become privileged places in which to encounter Jesus, who loves us and desires our good, always.”
At the core of our whole family model is the Church’s belief that parents are the primary and first teachers of faith for their children, and the parish community guides and assists in this pivotal role. The parish provides a nurturing environment where faith can grow and flourish for the whole family.
In addition to regular and robust opportunities for participation with catechesis, liturgy, and music, we also encourage your active participation to develop community and fellowship at The Basilica.
We are also happy to provide downloadable calendars, separated by program area, in Google calendar and iCal formats:Children and Youth (PreK-7th Grade): Google Calendar – iCal
Confirmation: Google Calendar – iCal
Basilica YES: Google Calendar – iCal
First Reconciliation/First Communion: Google Calendar – iCal
Young Family Ministry: Google Calendar – iCal
New for 2025-26:
- We have three Family Brunches (in November, January, and March) when families can spend time together and with Basilica clergy and staff between class time and noon Mass. This is in addition to the previous Advent and Lent family events that have been held for several years, which will continue.
- Visit the Parent Gathering Space in the school for fellowship and resources after 9:30am Mass until the class time ends at 11am. Check out our lending library, other resources to bring catechesis to life at home, and get to know other Basilica parents.
- Families get regular emails with easy-to-share resources with information about what is happening in class, the liturgical year, saints, prayers, papal messages, and more — so that you can easily strengthen and reinforce the weekend’s lessons at home during the week as your time allows.
- And even more to come as our whole family model grows and develops.
Questions? Please Contact:
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Get Involved – we need you.
What gifts can you share with our parish? It takes many volunteers in a variety of roles to make The Basilica’s Faith Formation programs a success. We welcome volunteers for one time, or every week. Opportunities include preparing materials, teaching and assisting in classrooms, planning whole family activities, being an OCIA sponsor, and many other roles.
Volunteer
Get Involved — we need you.
What gifts can you share with our parish? It takes many volunteers in a variety of roles to make The Basilica’s Faith Formation programs a success. We welcome volunteers for one time, or every week. Opportunities include preparing materials, teaching and assisting in classrooms, planning whole family activities, being an OCIA sponsor, and many other roles.