The goal of catechesis (that is, Adult Faith Formation or Religious Education) is to facilitate an encounter with Jesus Christ, and to encourage and support a life-long, ever-deepening relationship with our Lord and savior which flows from that meeting of hearts.  It is a process of sharing and explaining the beliefs and teachings of the Catholic faith with the goal of forming disciples of Christ who choose to follow Jesus by living the profound encounter of his love and sharing in the mission of the Church.

The OLV Religious Education program for this year (2022-2023) includes children in grades 1 through 8.  It is a home-based program in which children work at home with family members to complete the work in their Religious Education books, participate in Sunday Mass, and attend a Family Catechesis gathering at the parish one Sunday a month.  In order to receive credit for the work completed at home, the children submit the results of online Chapter Reviews to the Pastoral Associate via email.  

Click here to access the Online Chapter Reviews.

To register for Religious Education, please complete our online Religious Education Registration Form.

Tuition and Fees for the 2022-2023 Religious Education Year
$150 – first child
 $75 – each additional child

Add $50 Sacramental Materials and Supplies Fee for those children receiving First Communion and those receiving Confirmation.  For children in OLV School, only the Sacramental Materials and Supplies fees apply to the children receiving sacraments in 2023.

If tuition and fees present a hardship please contact the Pastor, Fr. Andy, or the Pastoral Associate, Patrice Fitzpatrick.  Tuition assistance and scholarships are available and no one should miss receiving a beautiful sacrament because of an inability to pay.

Sacraments and Sacramental Records
Please provide a Baptismal Certificate for any child not baptized at OLV. The certificate should note all sacraments received to date. OLV will report sacraments received at OLV to your child’s parish of record (location of baptism).

Reconciliation and First Communion:  First Communion is a 2-year preparation. If your child is in the 2^nd year of Religious Education and is in at least 2^nd grade, you will be asked to register for First Communion.

Confirmation:  OLV celebrates the sacrament of Confirmation in odd numbered years (2019, 2021, 2023…). Confirmation prep is a 2-year program and children usually receive Confirmation in either 7th or 8th Grade.

For more information about our Religious Education program,     please contact Patrice Fitzpatrick, our Pastoral Associate, at [email protected] or 202-337-4835, ext. 105. 

To register your child(ren) in Religious Education at OLV for the 2022-2023 year, click on the link below and complete the online Registration form.

Religious Education Registration Form