Religious education program at St. Alphonsa Syro-Malabar Catholic Church is committed to help children grow in their catholic faith through experience and education. Our teachers are dedicated to promote the formation of faith by following the ways of Christ. As we face the challenges of an ever changing world, our faith formation program strives to build community by sharing our faith, strengthening family bonds and social justice.

As per the tradition of the Syro Malabar Church, we have one hour faith formation classes on every Sunday for all age group starting from PreK to 12th Grade. Our faith formation curriculum follows the standards provided by Department of Catechesis, St. Thomas Syro Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago(http://www.syromalabarcatechesischicago.org). We work with kids by teaching from books and experiences under the guidance and supervision of our faith director and diocese instructions. We encourage our kids to get involved in Holy mass by teaching Mass songs, forming a youth choir, and also as altar servants. Our dedicated teachers prepare kids for First Holy Communion. We also offer Vacation Bible School, Youth Ministry, Children’s Ministry, Activity Sundays and Annual CCD Fest to promote the catholic formation of faith among our children.

Syro Malabar Synodal Commission for Catechesis has prepared a textbook series called, On the Path of Salvation, from kindergarten to XII grades and we use this textbook series for our faith formation classes. Besides this textbook series the diocese also uses the Teacher’s Guide and supplementary textbooks prepared by the Synodal Commission for Catechesis. The diocesan catechetical department has published a workbook series for the students of each grade. All these materials are useful to give proper faith formation to children according to the liturgical, theological, spiritual and disciplinary tradition of our Church. Department of Faith Formation will also prepare question papers for the midterm and final examinations for all grades and will give certificates to the twelfth-grade graduates.

Our motto is “Be Alive to God” (Gal.2/19) and our vision is to envisage to motivate our young ones to Learn, Love, Live and Proclaim Jesus, the Lord and God in and through the Church as Syro Malabar Catholics in the present U.S. context.

Please feel free to contact us for more information. We would also like to welcome volunteers who are interested to teach and promote the formation of faith by following the ways of Christ.

Thank You

Binoy M. George
Director of Religious Education

Child Protection Policy and Resources

According to the "Charter for the protection of Children and young people" by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Article 13, all those who comes in unsupervised contact with minors should undergo a background check. Article 12 of the chapter requires that all volunteers undergo a safe environment training about ways to make and maintain a safe environment for children and young people. It is the policy of St Alphonsa mission that all those who comes in unsupervised contact with minors should undergo a background check and safe environment training.

Click here for VIRTUS website.

Child Abuse/Neglect Hotline
Virginia: 804-786-8536
Out-of-State: 1-800-552-7096