The religious education program for children from grades one through eight is conducted as a family-based program. The program, coordinated by Patty Lee, involves a team of volunteers including parents, Harvard students, and parishioners. It seeks to provide children with a comprehensive Catholic religious education, including:

• catechetical sharing sessions
• sacramental preparation
• celebration of the Eucharist
• experience of church community

Catechetical Sessions. The heart of the faith formation preparation for children in grades one through eight is the catechetical sharing session. These sessions, held on Saturday afternoons, consist of a group of similarly aged children presided over by a catechist. The curriculum, based on the lectionary, roots faith formation in the scriptures, the liturgical year, and the tradition of the Church.

Sacramental Preparation.

Initiation of Children. Children who desire baptism or who wish to be received into full communion with the Catholic Church may be received into the catechumenate or candidacy for full communion under the direction of Fr. Savage.

Reconciliation and First Eucharist. Preparation sessions to ready children to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation or Sacrament of the Eucharist for the first time are held in addition to the Saturday sessions. Every child and family receive liturgical formation at the family celebration of the Eucharist. Introductory remarks are included to help children and their families deepen their appreciation of the Eucharist and liturgical feasts. There is also a yearly communal celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation offered for all families with accompanying catechesis.

Celebration of the Eucharist. The Eucharist is celebrated each week that the sharing sessions take place. These celebrations occur at the 5:00 p.m. Saturday Mass in the lower church. The celebration is prepared with special attention to the active participation and spiritual growth of the children and families involved. It is especially geared to children who are five to eleven years of age. Anyone may participate in these celebrations, including those who do not have children in the program.

Experience of Church Community. Community potluck suppers take place at regular intervals throughout the year and provide an opportunity for participants in the family religious education program to enjoy one another's company and the feeling of an extended family. They celebrate both holydays and holidays and provide multi-cultural activities that involve all the families.

Lectures. St. Paul Parish and the Harvard Catholic Center sponsor lectures on a regular basis as part of the ongoing formation of faith. This lecture series brings guests to St. Paul Parish and the Catholic Center who help examine the role of Catholicism in the contemporary world, the relationship of Catholics to American culture and society, and the impact of Catholic life on the world.

Basic Beliefs. Every autumn a series of evening conversations about the basic teachings of the Catholic Church is presented at St. Paul's. The series is ideally suited for those Catholics who want to review and deepen their understanding of core elements of faith, persons who are investigating the possibility of becoming Catholic, and persons who are engaged or married to Catholics who wish to know more about the faith of their spouses.