The last sessions of religious education classes for the year are as follows:

Monday: May 19th

Tuesday: May 13th

Wednesday: May 14th

Thursday: May 8th

Friday: May 16th

Student Progress Reports (yellow) will be sent home with your child on the last day.

We know it’s the season for baseball, soccer, lacrosse, spring concerts, recitals, etc. but we but would deeply appreciate your child’s presence in class for the entire 75 minutes as we wind down for the year. Important review material is being covered, and it is disruptive to have students come late or leave early.

Over 610 students are already re-registered for Fall 2008 classes. If you are interested in your child’s placement for next year, please call or stop by the office anytime to check. Letters confirming your child’s placement will not be mailed home until late August.

The students learned a lot about Pope Benedict last month! We are very proud of the fact that Mr. Peter Criscione, a sculptor who assists his wife Carolyn with second grade on Wednesday afternoon, had his thirteen foot crucifix featured behind the altar at the Papal Mass in Washington Nationals Stadium on April 17th!

On behalf of Catholic Relief Services, we THANK YOU for encouraging your children to contribute to Operation Rice Bowl during Lent. The final total will be published soon in the church bulletin. Thanks for your cooperation in sensitizing your children to the needs of others.

Msgr. Desmond is completing individual Confirmation interviews this week. The eighth grade exam will be given during class time on May 6th, 7th, 9th and 12th.

Confirmation Rehearsal takes place on Tuesday, May 20th, 4:30-5:45 pm. for classes being confirmed on Tuesday, May 27th. (Parochial school, Mr. McCormack, Mrs. Barone/Mrs. Horton and Mrs. Moylan). Rehearsal will be on Wednesday, May 21st, 4:30-5:45 pm. for classes being confirmed on Wednesday, May 28th. (Mrs. Caridi, Mr. Cavallo and Mrs. Paulmann.) Please be prompt. A parent or the sponsor should also attend. Robes will be distributed at that time.

Before classes end, the seventh grade students will be given information on completing their eighth grade Christian Service Projects.

Congratulations to the 113 children who are receiving First Holy Communion on May 3rd and May 10th. May this wonderful day begin a lifetime of many Communions and a very special closeness to Jesus.

The office will remain open Monday-Thursday, 9:30-4:30 until June 26th, and it will re-open on August 18th. Messages will be retrieved weekly over the summer, but please call first if stopping by.

Next fall will be a very exciting time of transition for our program. Our new schedule is now condensed into three days, all classes will be extended to 90 minutes, and we will be able to conduct up to nine classes during each of our seven sessions. Several family-oriented social or program-wide events suitable for all ages are also being planned. If any parents are considering becoming catechists, please call the Office as soon as possible, so that you can have time over the summer to prepare.

All classes are being asked to submit a saint’s name for our room-naming contest. In the fall each of our nine classrooms will be named for a saint proposed by our current students. Feel free to make suggestions to your child!

Our Religious Education Program for Fall 2008 begins on September 8th. Have a marvelous summer and remember to celebrate Mass each weekend and say prayers each day!