Foundation Classes & Family Circles
Starting in 1st grade, we provide seven years of Faith Foundation Classes that take students from First Communion through Confirmation. We believe parents are their children's most important teachers, so in addition to Foundations Classes led by catechists, we help parents lead Family Circles, in which they conduct weekly lessons with their children as well.
Foundations ClassesOur Lady Queen of Peace provides seven years of Faith Foundation classes. Students begin the program in 1st grade, and it takes them from First Communion through Confirmation. These classes are led by Parish catechists and take place at the church throughout the school year.
Class Schedule
Classes start at the beginning of October and run through May. For the first five years of the program classes take place on the first Saturday of each month. In years 6 and 7 students are working toward Confirmation and have weekly classes on Tuesday or Wednesday evening. The exact schedule for classes is provided each year to all registered families during an Information Session in September. Registration for 2024-25 Registration for returning families begins on May 20th and for new families who are registered members of OLQP on June 10th. If you are not a registered member of OLQP, but are interested in exploring Faith Foundations classes at OLQP please email Cecilia Lopez ([email protected]). Family Mass
A monthly Family Mass, starting at 4:00pm, follows Saturday afternoon classes. Exact schedule will be provided at Info Session. Weekly Connection on Zoom For monthly classes, catechists may also hold a 15-20 minute Zoom session each week. They check-in with students, build relationships and discuss Faith Formation lessons being completed at home through Family Circles (see more info below). Each catechist will determine the time for their class's Zoom sessions. Information Session All families are required to attend an in-person info session before classes begin. We will email all registered families by August to provide a few dates for these sessions . Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you and your children soon. Cost of the Program We charge a small fee during registration to cover the cost of materials for our programs. The cost for each child is $75. However, the 3rd child in a family is only $50 and the 4th child is no additional cost. All families should have the opportunity to participate, so if there is a need for scholarships please contact Cecilia Lopez Oetgen (c[email protected]). |
Family CirclesFaith is a gift from God. It is knowledge born of love. And who better to teach children that knowledge born of love than their parents.
Family Circles Family Circles is a family based faith formation program in which parents commit to spending twenty-four hours each year instructing, modeling, guiding, and sharing lessons of faith with their children. The Faith Formation team will support parents and provide materials including Finding God resources and other lesson guides. This program compliments Foundations Classes and runs during the school year as well. Neighborhood Circles We also encourage parish families to team together if they choose to form a Neighborhood Circle. In a Neighborhood Circle, parents come together to conduct lessons and integrate activities for their children. Information Session As mentioned above, all families are required to attend an in-person family info session. Once registered, we will provide a few dates that you can choose from. This session outlines the Circle structure, objectives, safety procedures, best practices, commitment, and reporting system. Each family will receive family friendly textbooks, detailed learning objectives, and teaching guides at the session. |
Please Contact us with any questions:
Cecilia Lopez Oetgen c[email protected]
Faith Formation Director
Our Lady Queen of Peace
2700 South 19th Street Arlington, Virginia, 22204, USA 703-979-5580 Office 703-979-5590 Fax [email protected] Office hours: Mon-Fri, 8:30 am - 4:30 pm (closed on federal holidays) Weekend Mass Schedule Saturday: Vigil Mass at 5:30 pm Sunday: 8 am, 9:30 am, 11:15 am, 1 pm (Spanish), 6 pm (young adult) |