REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN FOR CCD

CCD (Sunday Catechism for K-12 & and elective class for Beginning Latin grades 7-12) will begin on October 5, 2025, and go through May 17, 2026.

For those enrolled in Sacramental preparation classes, parents are required to bring a copy of each student's Baptismal Certificate to the parent meeting. By God’s grace, we again have a large group of volunteers to teach in our Sunday catechism program. We do, however, need a few more volunteers as aides, substitutes and hall monitors. If you feel the call to help, please reach out to let us know at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The duty of instructing the children of the parish in their catechism is very important, as so many popes and saints have told us. You may not know, however, that in Our Lady’s only proven apparition in the United States she emphasized the importance of teaching catechism. Our Lady of Champion (a title approved recently by the Holy See, and named for the town in Wisconsin where she appeared) told the visionary, Adele Brise:

“Gather the children in this wild country and teach them what they should know for salvation.”
“But how shall I teach them who know so little myself?” Adele said.
“Teach them,” replied her radiant visitor, “their catechism, how to sign themselves with the Sign of the Cross, and how to approach the sacraments; that is what I wish you to do. Go and fear nothing, I will help you.”

Source: www.championshrine.org

CONFIRMATION AND FIRST COMMUNION CCD PROGRAM —We are happy to announce that the diocese has given us a tentative date for next year’s Confirmations. Bishop Ronald Gainer is scheduled to do next year’s Confirmations on Saturday, March 14, 2026.

If your child is old enough to receive the sacrament of Confirmation (Age 13 by March 14, 2026), please register your Confirmation student for the 8th grade. The sacrament of First Communion will be on Sunday June 7, 2026.

If you want to register your student for Sunday First Communion class, they must reach age 7 by Oct 1.
You will need to register them in the 2nd Grade.

Another option for sacramental classes is our Friday Program which has openings for First Communion and a wait list for Confirmation.

The testing schedule for both programs is as follows:

Confirmation

Mid-Term: Dec. 6, 2025 (1:30-3:30pm)
Final: Feb. 14, 2026 (1:30-3:30pm)
Confirmation Rehearsal (with sponsors and confirmandi): Friday, Mar. 13, 2026 (7:30pm) Confirmation: Saturday, Mar. 14, 2026 (11am)
End of Course Final: May 23, 2026 (10-11am & 1:30-3:30pm)

First Communion

First Penance mid-term interview: Jan. 17 2026 (1:30-3:30pm)
First Penance final interview: Feb. 28 2026 (1:30-3:30pm)
First Penance rehearsal: Sunday, Mar. 22, 2026 (with the CCD Class)
First Penance: Saturday Mar. 28, 2026
First Communion final interview; May 9, 2026 (10-11:45am & 1:30-3:30)
First Communion rehearsal: June 6, 2026 (11am)
First Communion June 7, 2026 (10:30am)

"Indeed it fills Our soul with consolation and gratitude towards the divine Goodness to see, side by side with religious men and women engaged in teaching, such a large number of excellent lay teachers...All these labor unselfishly with zeal and perseverance in what St. Gregory Nazianzen calls 'the art of arts and the science of sciences,' the direction and formation of youth. Of them also it may be said in the words of the divine Master: 'The harvest indeed is great, but the laborers few.' Let us then pray the Lord of the harvest to send more such workers into the field of Christian education." - Pope Pius XI, Divini Illius Magistri

Please join us for Acolyte Boot Camp from July 14 to July 18. Open to all boys who have received First Holy Communion. We will be blessed with four FSSP seminarians who will help to train the boys to serve at Low Mass, Sung Mass, Solemn High Mass, Vespers, and Benediction. This will be a great opportunity for your boys who are already servers to advance in serving with an intensive practice schedule, and it will be a great opportunity for boys who have not yet mastered their Latin prayers to get daily instruction and drilling to help them get over this big hump. Every evening we will have Vespers with ceremonies, Exposition and Benediction, and Sung Mass or Solemn High Mass. This will give the boys many opportunities to serve in different roles. There is no cost to participate in Acolyte Boot Camp. Here is the daily schedule for that week:

- - 1pm: Check-in
  - 1:15pm: Talk from one of the seminarians
  - 1:30-4pm: Altar server training with intermittent breaks
  - 4pm-4:45pm: Dinner and recreation
  - 5pm: Vespers with ceremony
  - 5:30pm: Exposition and Benediction
  - 6:30pm: Sung or Solemn High Mass with homily

ST. LAWRENCE CHURCH

2025 ACOLYTE BOOT CAMP

REGISTRATION FORM

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Family Information

1. Parent/Guardian Name *

1. Phone Number *

2. Parent/Guardian Name

2. Phone Number

Email *

Home Address

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Children Information

Please enter the name and ages of each child to be enrolled in the camp. If you have more than four (4) children to enroll, please make it known to Fr. Cortes via email: fr.cortes@stlawrence.cc

1. Child's Name

1. Age

2. Child's Name

2. Age

3. Child's Name

3. Age

4. Child's Name

4. Age

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Camp Supervisor Information

If you are able, please consider helping us supervise the boot camp. Additional adults ensure adequate supervision for the altar servers during training, recreation, and other activities.

Please indicate which day(s) you are available to assist at the camp.

Monday, July 14

Tuesday, July 15

Wednesday, July 16

Thursday, July 17

Friday, July 18

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Supervisor Information (continued)

In order to assist, each supervisor must have the proper youth protection clearances as required by the Diocese of Harrisburg. This consists of an online training, a disclosure statement, and necessary background checks. If you have not completed this process in the Diocese of Harrisburg, please begin as soon as possible.

Please select from the following:

I have completed the requirements of the diocesan Youth Protection Program

I am in the process of completing the diocesan Youth Protection Program

I have not yet begun the process for the diocesan Youth Protection Program

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Policy Agreement

Acolyte Boot Camp Policies

No child is allowed to leave campus without supervision
Children are to be supervised by safe environment certified adults at all times.
All children shall abide by dress uniform standards as defined below for class, church, and recreation time.
A camp waiver must be submitted to participate in the camp.
A media waiver must be submitted to participate in the camp.

Student Rules of Conduct

Children must be in class, the basement library, or the social hall where a supervisor is present at all times, or with a parent who is actively supervising the student.
Children will be expected to show proper respect for adult authority at all times. Instructors and staff should be addressed with Father, Dr., Mr., Mrs., or Miss along with the last name.
Children are not to bring electronic equipment (iPods, laptops, cell phones, game boys, etc.) Electronic devices should be left in the car or with a parent during class/choir hours.
No weapons of any kind are allowed including, but not limited to: pocket knives, airsoft, paintball, or any other form of fire arm.
Each child is responsible for cleaning up after himself in the classrooms and after eating.
All food or drinks must be kept in the cafeteria, and no food or drinks are allowed in any other part of the campus.

Dress Code

Standard uniform consists of: dark slacks (no jeans), dark shoes, and polo or button-down shirts with collars.
Shirts shall be tucked in and belts worn.

Accept Terms *

I have read and agree to the above policies, rules of conduct, and dress code.

Submit

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Map Eph

The priests are looking forward to visiting 90 homes over the coming days to impart the special Epiphany blessing, which includes sprinkling Epiphany water and incensing the house, reminding us of the gift of frankincense that the Magi gave to Our Lord. In the blessing, the priest says, among others, the following prayers:

O God, Who by the guidance of a star didst this day reveal thy Sole-Begotten Son to the Gentiles, grant that we who know Thee by faith may be brought to the contemplation of Thy heavenly majesty.

Bless, + O Lord, almighty God this home that it be a shelter of health, chastity, self-conquest, humility, goodness, mildness, obedience to the commandments, and thanksgiving to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. May this blessing remain for all time upon this dwelling and to all those who live herein. Through Christ our Lord.

Traveling to the 90 homes will take the priests on nine tours totaling nearly 1,100 miles, but scattered over a few days and with the help of their kind drivers, the trips are most joyous.

Email messages have gone out Tuesday afternoon to everyone signed up to receive Epiphany blessings, advising when the priests are likely to arrive. The routes have been updated to accommodate some changes, and the maps blessings routes for Wednesday, Jan. 8, through Saturday, Jan. 11, are published below.

Wednesday, January 8

Thursday, January 9

Friday, January 10

Saturday, January 11

In the blessing, the priest says, among others, the following prayers:

O God, Who by the guidance of a star didst this day reveal thy Sole-Begotten Son to the Gentiles, grant that we who know Thee by faith may be brought to the contemplation of Thy heavenly majesty.

Bless, + O Lord, almighty God this home that it be a shelter of health, chastity, self-conquest, humility, goodness, mildness, obedience to the commandments, and thanksgiving to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. May this blessing remain for all time upon this dwelling and to all those who live herein. Through Christ our Lord.