On May 19th, our 2011–2012 academic year of Religious Education ended. We would like to take this opportunity to express our heartfelt appreciation and gratitude and thank:

• All of our dedicated Catechists who chose the ministry of teaching our faith on a volunteer basis
• Our Pastor, Priests and Deacons – Fr. McKeon, Fr. Gill, Fr. Eric, Deacon John and Deacon Mark. At the start of every class in Church, they have taught a Church lesson to our students for five sessions each week from September through May on a rotating basis. The topics just to name a few, ranged from Adoration, the Blessed Trinity, the Blessed Mother and the Rosary, the Saints–role models/patron saints, Sacraments including visual demonstration of the sacraments of Baptism and Holy Orders.
• Our High School Assistants for all of the service hours they provided to our Program
• The parents of our students for the commitment they made at Baptism to continue the faith formation of their children.

Throughout Lent, our students participated in a fundraiser of children helping children. They donated a total of $660 for the Holy Childhood Association (HCA) collected through the Lenten Coin Holders. HCA is a Pontifical Mission Society. Their Missionaries help poor children in the mission countries. We received a letter of appreciation to our students for their donations from Sister Pauline Chirchirillo, Archdiocesan Director of the Society of the Propagation of the Faith.

Our last Family Catechesis took place on April 21st. The catechesis was a Family Vocation/ Enrichment Day. The theme was: “Open To God’s Grace.” This free event was open to the whole parish and was for all ages. The Knights of Columbus provided lunch. We sincerely thank the Knights. We also thank Mrs. Julie Noce, one of our 8th grade Catechists who also heads the Spirituality Committee. Together with Fr. McKeon, they made all of the arrangements. Several orders of religious and clergy came. The day included vocation talks, entertainment, and concluded with a special Mass celebrated by Fr. Luke M. Sweeney, Vocations Director for the Archdiocese of NY.

After fulfilling the Confirmation requirements, on April 25th, 26th and 27th Bishop Dominick Lagonegro confirmed over 90 of our 8th graders in three consecutive Confirmation Ceremonies. We sincerely thank Angela Luiso a college student from our Parish. On behalf of the Catholic Daughters, she hand-made 100 Rosaries for our Confirmation students.

Our second graders and second year sacramental students received First Penance in January. They and their parents also attended a Catechesis/Workshop–“The Celebration of First Eucharist.” Thanks to a donation of Rosaries, each student was given a Rosary at the Catechesis. First Communion took place on May 5th and May 12th. Our 2012- 2013 registrations for new families are currently taking place throughout the month of June Please see further details in this bulletin. Have a wonderful summer!