Holy Cross Elementary and Youth Sacrament Preparation

General Policy for the Sacrament of Reconciliation

A candidate must be at the age of discretion for sacramental preparation, seven years of age or above, which is traditionally in the 2nd grade, and must meet the following requirements:

• be a baptized Catholic;
• have the ability to recognize the difference between right and wrong;
• have the capacity for sincere sorrow;
• and be properly instructed.

"Children must go to the sacrament of Penance before receiving Holy Communion for the first time," (Catechism of the Catholic Church #1457).

General Policy for Sacraments of Confirmation & First Communion

According to the Diocesan policy, the normal time for Confirmation is the 3rd Grade, usually around eight years old. This is in compliance with the universal law, which holds that a candidate for Confirmation must be at the age of discretion, seven years of age or above. A candidate for Confirmation must be a baptized Catholic, must be properly instructed, must be capable of renewing their Baptismal promises, and must have previously been prepared for and received the Sacrament of Penance (ordinarily occurs in 2nd Grade). Candidates will be prepared for the Sacraments of Confirmation and First Eucharist. Both sacraments will be celebrated in the same Sacred Liturgy.

Sacrament Preparation Vision & Mission

The Sacrament Preparation program at Holy Cross Catholic Church, in compliance with the Diocese of Phoenix Sacramental Policy Gift from on High, strives "to take care that those who seek the sacraments are prepared to receive them by proper evangelization and catechetical instruction;" and takes from the Sacramental Policy Grace, Mercy, and Peace that, "all Christian formation is to draw its' inspiration and direction from the principles and processes of the Order of Christian Initiation."

Through participation in the liturgy, weekly classes, family and sponsor activities, retreats, and service projects we focus on building and maintaining a comprehensive Sacrament preparation program for students in grades 2-12. We strive to create a safe, intergenerational environment where young people can learn and share together in faith and are ultimately fully Initiated into the Catholic Church.

Classes are held on a weekly basis from mid-September through mid-May on Tuesday evenings. Registration and a supply fee to defray program expenses are required to participate. Please contact the Religious Education Office for additional information.

Holy Cross' Religious Education Registration Fee Schedule for:

K - 5th grade General Faith Formation Classes
6th - 8th Grade Edge Program
2nd - 12th Grade Sacrament Preparation Classes

Thank you for choosing to enroll your child(ren) in Holy Cross' Religious Education classes. The registration fee this year is $60 which is used to purchase textbooks, teaching resources and supplies. The fee schedule is: 1 child - $60; 2 children - $120; 3 or more children - $180.

Payment in full is requested when you register you child(ren). If, however, you are unable to pay in full at this time, we will set up a monthly payment plan. Please be advised that a minimum of $20 per family is needed at the time of registration to hold your preferred class time.

We will accept the following forms of payment: cash, check, money order, ACH bank draft, and credit card transactions (Visa, Mastercard, and Discover).

It is the goal at Holy Cross to have all our children and teens active in the various Faith Formation Programs. If your family is registered at Holy Cross and is experiencing a severe financial hardship, please just let us know. We will arrange a time for you to meet with Cindy Benzing, coordinator of Religious Education, to apply for a scholarship.