Religious Education

Monday - Thursday
8:00am-4:00pm 
Friday, Saturday, Sunday by apointment

The goal of the Religious Education Program is to aid parents in the religious formation and sacramental preparation of their children from first through eighth grade. The Ministry of Religious Education supports parents and families as the primary educators of the faith for their children.   

Parish Religious Education Programs – the placement of any child in any of our programs is contingent upon the family’s prior registration with our Parish Office.  Please use the parish registration link below. 


St. Benedict currently offers the following types of Religious Education:

Summer Academy – Grades 1-7   
PLEASE NOTE: 8^th Grade (final Confirmation Prep) is not offered during Summer Academy.

This program is a one-week intensive Religious Education experience for students from Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 2:45 pm. It includes attendance on at least four (4) family days during the academic school year. Attendance at the family sessions is mandatory for students and at least one family member. If the family sessions are not attended the year will have to be completed.

Traditional Religious Education Program --Grades 1-6
This program is offered once a month on Sundays starting in September and runs for twelve (12) sessions, ending in June.  Classes are 9:15-10:45 am.  Students and their parents are then encouraged to stay for the 11 o’clock Mass.  This program includes attendance of at least four (4) intergenerational sessions (Family Days) during the academic school year.  Attendances at these sessions are mandatory for all students, and, at least, one family member.  If the sessions are not attended, the religious education year is not considered completed.   The Traditional Program is also supplemented by a Family Journal and periodic remote check-in sessions. 
7th Grade Classes are normally held during our Summer Academy Program.  If there are special circumstances and your child cannot attend our Summer Academy Program, please call us so that other arrangements can be made. 

First Holy Communion Sacramental Preparation
Our First Holy Communion Program is a two-year course usually starting in 1^st Grade.  Students in their second year of preparation, attending either Summer Academy or the Traditional Program, will also be asked to attend Sacramental Preparation sessions during the year.  There will be approximately six (6) of these sessions.

Confirmation Preparation Program
Our Confirmation program is a two-year course usually starting in 7^th Grade.  Incoming 8^th Graders can register in the fall.  They will meet twice a month on Sunday evenings from 6-7 pm.  They are encouraged to arrive earlier for the 5 pm Mass.  Also included in the preparation program will be retreats, service opportunities, reconciliation services, and Confirmation practices. 

Home Study
Home study is only granted in extreme cases when the child is unable to attend religious education due to medical, academic, and/or behavioral situations.  The home study will not be used for scheduling conflicts of any kind.  Home study is NOT allowed for a child who is receiving a sacrament that year (grades 2 or 8). If you are exploring this option for your child, please make an appointment with Nancy Arkin, DRE, arkin@stbenedictnj.org, or call 732-264-4712 X26.

Special Needs
Special needs children can either be mainstreamed in either of our two above-mentioned programs or enrolled in a program under the auspices of the Holy Innocents Society of the Diocese of Trenton, NJ. (https://dioceseoftrenton.org/holy-innocents-society.)  The children meet here at St. Benedict, under their own special calendar created by the facilitator from the Holy Innocents Society.   If you are exploring this option for your child, please make an appointment with Nancy Arkin, DRE, arkin@stbenedictnj.org, or call 732-264-4712 X26.

Catch Up
If your child has missed a significant amount of catechesis in Grades 1-6, a catch up year may be required before sacramental prep can begin.  Please make an appointment with Nancy Arkin, DRE, arkin@stbenedictnj.org, or call 732-264-4712 X26  to explore this option.

For more information, please contact the Religious Education office.
Nancy Arkin, Director of Faith Formation – arkin@stbenedictnj.org
Phone: 732-264-4612X26
Loretta Assini, Administrative Assistance assini@stbenedictnj.org
Phone: 732-264-4612X24