Middle School Program Grades 7 & 8

Dear Families,

Welcome to the Middle School Religious Education Program at St. Mary's Parish! We are excited to share our plans for the upcoming year, aimed at fostering the full spiritual and personal growth of your children. Our mission is to empower young people to grow as disciples of Christ and to love and serve God as active participants in the life, mission, and work of our Catholic community.

This year, we are excited to introduce Edge, a dynamic curriculum developed by Life Teen, the same team behind our successful high school program. Rather than following a traditional classroom model, Edge embraces the communal nature of our faith. In each Edge Session, students in grades 7 and 8 will gather together with our catechists for a mix of prayer, reflection, instruction, discussions, and fun activities—all designed to build community while deepening their love and understanding of the Catholic faith. The curriculum follows the four pillars of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and incorporates opportunities for liturgy, devotions, and service, providing a well-rounded and engaging faith experience.

Our Edge sessions will meet bi-weekly on Sunday afternoons at 4:00 p.m., with our 2024-25 Class Schedule (see Quick Link) aligned with the dates of our high school program. Also, sessions will end in time for students to attend our parish’s 5:30 Mass. As our source of life and the summit of our faith, liturgy is an essential element of our catechesis. We ask parents to bring and join their children at the 5:30 Mass or one of our other scheduled Sunday Masses. The 5:30 Mass also is a popular option for our 9th and 10th graders.  Our first Edge session will be held on Sunday, October 6 in the Parish Hall. 

A Parent Information Meeting about this year’s new Edge curriculum will be offered on Sunday, September 29th at 4:00 pm in the Large Meeting Room. 
We look forward to partnering with you in guiding your child’s faith journey at St. Mary's!