Where?

Classrooms located in the Religious Education Building (Here's the Front Door!)

What You Need to Register:

All families must be registered at Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcalá. Otherwise, they must provide a letter from their pastor at their local church that gives them permission to have their child receive faith formation at Mission San Diego de Alcalá.

1.  Complete a Registration and Release Form

• If registering two or more children, please complete separate forms for EACH child

2. If baptized, we need a copy of the child(ren)'s Baptism certificate (unless we already have a copy)

3. Sponsor Form, if applicable (see note below), must be submitted by the January of first year of Sacramental Prep. Please contact us if you need a Sponsor Form and/or more information.

• If your child is not baptized and aged 7 or older, your child will begin Sacramental Prep for the three Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, & First Communion). Thus, the child will need to select a Godparent, or two (one man & one woman), for Baptism and one Sponsor for Confirmation. A Godparent can double as a Sponsor for Confirmation.
• The preparation will be the standard two years.

4. Submit Forms via...

• Paper Forms and Certificate copies can be mailed or dropped off (see address and drop off locations in 'Contact Us' below). Whether dropped off or by mail, please place forms and copies in an envelope and write "Attn: Carol Gamara"
• All documentation (registration form, liability form, copy of baptism certificate, tuition payment) must be turned in prior to the start of the class on Sept 13, otherwise it will be considered incomplete.
• Electronic Forms (PDF scan only) can be sent via email on the Contact Our Staff page by clicking here.

5. Registration Fees

• Faith formation one student $185 for credit card payments or $178 cash or check 
• Two students same household $338 for credit card payments, or $324 cash or check
• Three students same household $490 for credit card payments, or $470 cash or check
• Fees help cover the cost of textbooks and supplies
• Payments can be made by cash or check. Make checks out to "Mission San Diego de Alcala" with "Religious Ed" in the memo.

NOTE: FOR SACRAMENTAL PREPARATION, REGISTRATIONS AFTER SEPTEMBER WILL REQUIRE MAKE-UP WORK.

FAQs:

What is the age range for children to participate in Children’s Faith Formation?

• We cater faith formation to children as young as 3.5 years old, through the 8th Grade.

How long does Sacramental preparation take?

• Two Catechetical Years. For example, if your child begins Sacramental Prep for First Holy Communion in September 2023, they should receive their First Communion in May 2025.



What Sacraments can CFF prepare children to receive?

• Majority of our candidates prepare for First Holy Communion being that they are baptized before age 7.
• According to our Diocese, if a child is age 7 or older and not yet baptized, the child will be prepared to receive all three Sacraments of Initiation, which includes Baptism, Confirmation, and First Holy Communion.

How old does my child need to be to start Sacramental preparation?

• A child can begin Sacramental prep as young 1st Grade.

—What if my child is older than 1st Grade?

• No worries! Sacramental prep is still available in the following cases:
• If your child is a 2nd Grader, we can start them in their First Year of Prep in the 1st Grade Class—this happens often, so they are usually not the only one.

For children in 3rd Grade up through *8th Grade, we have a specific class for them called OCSP which is, Older Child Sacramental Prep, Year 1 and Year 2. If your child has reached the age of reason of 7+ years old and have not been baptized in a Christian faith, they will also complete the OCIA adapted for children process. 

• 8^th graders who are not baptized will complete their first year with CFF and their second year of prep with their peers in the youth program. They too will complete the OCIA process. After they receive their Sacraments of Initiation, we strongly encourage them to join our high school program to continue faith formation with their peers.

My child has already received their First Holy Communion; can they still participate in CFF?

• Yes! We recommend children participate in faith formation, before and/or after they prepare for Sacraments. That way they can continue building their relationship with God on a firm foundation.

What is needed for families with a child in Sacramental prep?

• Weekly celebration of a Sunday Mass. The Body of Christ suffers if you are not there. That is why our global Catholic Church obligates us to celebrate every week. Together, we bring God's Kingdom upon Earth!
• Daily practice of prayer at home
• Regular Attendance to Sunday classes, preferably no more than three absences; if your family needs to be away for a weekend, let us know. We can work with your child’s catechist to give you the lessons/materials your child misses.
• Two Day Retreats per year, which involve participation of the child and the parent/guardian(s). These retreats are scheduled on a Saturday morning lasting 3 to 4 hours. Do not worry, we take breaks and have fun faith activities!