Gift Shop
St. Gabriel's Gift Shop is located in our courtyard next to the Church
Monday - Thursday
following the 9:00 a.m. daily Mass (9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.)
Friday
following the 12:10 p.m. Mass
(12:45 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.)
Saturday 9:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Sunday 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
OVERVIEW
Our Sacramental Preparation program (for receiving First Reconciliation and Communion) can be completed in as few as 2 years, however, for some families and children, a more spread out timeline over 3 years is beneficial. These 2-3 years of preparation must be consecutive and the earliest this process can begin is first grade. Our Sacrament Preparation program consists of both in-person classes and activities to be completed by parents and families at home.
YEAR 1 OF SACRAMENT PREP
The first year consists of a complete faith formation year (in-class attendance with no more than 3 absences). Missing more than 3 classes will result in a child being ineligible to move up to Year 2 of sacrament prep the following year. Weekly classes help the child gain an understanding of the faith and develop community in the church. In addition to weekly, in-person classes, completion of a monthly family lesson plan with reading, reflections, and questions for students as well as parents is required. Year 1 of sacramental preparation focuses on providing a strong foundation of the basics of our faith, to better prepare students for reception of the sacraments in their second (or third) year of preparation. In these 8 monthly family lesson plans, parents and children will focus on the Creed and the teachings from the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Through short reflections, parents will get to know the Trinity and the essential teachings of our faith. This will deepen their understanding of what we believe and be empowered to share the faith with their families. These monthly family lessons must be submitted by the last day of the month.
YEAR 2 OF SACRAMENT PREP
The second year consists of in-person class attendance as well the completion of an at-home curriculum to provide immediate formation for the sacraments. The family will complete 2 separate curricula, Mend and Nourish, over the course of the year. These boxes contain all materials needed to complete family meetings covering the teachings of the Church in a hands-on fashion. After the completion of each family meeting, you will send a verification that your family has completed it to the Faith Formation office. All family meetings must be submitted by listed due dates on the calendar. Prior to the reception of each sacrament - First Reconciliation in January and First Communion in May. Students will come in for an assessment meeting to gauge their understanding and readiness for the sacrament.
MASS ATTENDANCE
Attending weekly Sunday Mass, is not only a requirement of our program, but a requirement as baptized Catholics. Students will fill out a Mass Card (kept at the front of the Church) with their name, date, and Mass time. Students can also write down a prayer intention that they will be offering up during that Mass. These cards will be dropped in the collection baskets during Mass, and tallied up by staff each week. You can see an example card below.
