Contact: Dr. Pamela Garra

tel: 203-687-0973

email: [email protected]

At Our Lady Star of the Sea, forming a child’s faith is a continuous and holistic craft, that takes approximately eight years as we work to build a most solid foundation. We encourage you enroll your child at the age of 3, even though attendance is not required until age 5.

Truthfully, the whole purpose of the first of three Levels of Forming Faith is to help your child fall in love with our God Who is already in love with them. And, when each child tells us in his or her own way “I’m ready!” we decisively and gently guide them towards an ever-deepening relationship with and intellectual understanding of our God in Jesus the Christ and His Church.

Along with you, we prepare them to encounter God sacramentally (First Holy Communion & First Reconciliation and Confirmation) — knowing that your family will make every effort to be present weekly at Sunday Mass where that most extraordinary encounter in the Eucharist is celebrated again and again. We know it is in the Mass that God makes His greatest impression in forming each and every one of us.

At Our Lady Star of the Sea, we don’t speak in terms of “grade” levels, but we do “level up” from Level 1+ to Level 2 to Level 3+, with the + representing your child’s reception of one or more sacraments. Plan for your child to spend 2-3 years at each Level with us. Continuous attendance from age 5 will help them sail through smoothly!

If your child is in public or private school, Register Here.

If your child is in the second grade at Catholic school and is seeking First Holy Communion, please email [email protected].

And, for information about Confirmation and the immediate preparation for the sacrament, please see “Confirmation,” below.

Contact: Mrs. Anne Heekin-Canedy

email: [email protected]

At Our Lady Star of the Sea Church the celebration of Sacraments, including Confirmation, is an essential component of Forming Faith. Children are expected to attend every year from age 5 through their full Initiation in the Catholic Church.

Adolescents attending Catholic School and receiving ongoing religious education there, who desire to complete their initiation in the Catholic Church, through the sacrament of Confirmation, need to enroll in weekly meetings at Our Lady Star of the Sea when they are in the 6th grade, and monthly meetings at Our Lady Star of the Sea when they are in 7th grade.

Register Here for each year of Forming Faith Level 3+ (6th and 7th grades in Catholic School)

Preparation for the immediate reception of the Sacrament is the final portion of this immersive education. Invitations to begin this phase will be sent by the Coordinator of Confirmation, in consultation with the Forming Faith Level 3+ Team, to students who have demonstrated readiness.

Contact: Siobhan O'Hara

email: [email protected]

A club for girls/boys to socialize and grow spiritually with other Christian girls/boys, where the activities include meetings, sleepovers, games, films, crafts and spiritual talks, spiritual direction, rosary and Mass.

Contact: Parish Office

tel: 203-324-4634

email: [email protected]

Families must participate in a Baptism Preparation Class. Please call the Office for information and scheduling.

Contact: Parish Office

tel: 203-324-4634

email: [email protected]

Preparation begins at least six months to desired wedding date. Please call the Office for more info.

Contact: Fr. Peter Smolik

tel: 203-324-4634

email: [email protected]

RCIA is a process of study, exploration, faith-sharing, and faith formation with specific liturgical rites for seekers and inquirers. Seekers and inquirers are non-baptized adults who desire to be fully initiated into the Roman Catholic Church and/or baptized adult Christians who desire full communion in the Roman Catholic Church. Read more here