Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Parent Handbook
Important
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd will offer sessions on Mondays from 10am to 11:15 and on Wednesdays from 3:45 to 5pm Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Schedule 2025-2026
- Religious Education Classes meet in the social center on Wednesdays from 3:45pm to 5pm. Elementary RE Schedule 2025-2026
- First Reconciliation (First Eucharist/First Communion) Classes meet in the social center a couple Sundays a month from 10am to 11am. First Reconciliation/First Communion 2025-2026 Calendar
- Middle School and High School Youth Groups meet in the social center on Wednesdays from 6:30pm to 7:30pm. Please visit our Youth Ministry page to see the Youth Group calendar.
- Confirmation classes meet in the Social Center from 10am to 11am on Sundays. We will have 4 sessions for candidates and sponsors, 2 service opportunities and a retreat. Confirmation 2025-2026 Calendar
Children’s Liturgy of the Word meet on Sundays in the social center at the 9:00am Mass.
Baptism
To register for Baptism Preparation, please call Dawn at the office on 406-442-5268 or dbrannman@stmaryhelena.org
First time parents are required to attend a Baptism preparation session, prior to the baptism. The date of Baptism will be scheduled after that. There will be no Baptisms during Lent.
Designation of Sponsor / Godparent for Baptism
- Only one sponsor is required for baptism; two are permitted (in which case, there would normally be one man, one woman).
- The sponsor should be a practicing member of the Catholic Church who has received all three sacraments of initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist.
- He or she should be at least 16 years of age and mature enough to undertake the responsibility of fostering faith in the newly baptized.
- As long as there is one Roman Catholic sponsor, a baptized member of another Christian community may participate as a Christian witness, who has a role in the church ceremony and in the child’s life, as does the Roman Catholic sponsor.
- A person who has not been baptized, for example someone who is Jewish or Muslim, may not act as a sponsor because he or she is unable to profess faith in Christ or renew baptismal vows.
Order of Christian Initiation of Adults/Becoming Catholic
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) is a process developed by the Catholic Church for prospective converts to Catholicism who are above the age of infant baptism. Candidates are gradually introduced to aspects of Catholic beliefs and practices. The basic process applies to adults and older children, with younger children initiated through an adapted version sometimes referred to as the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults for Children of Catechetical Age.
Sessions are from September/October until May.
Meet Monday evenings at 5:15pm – 6:30pm – Pastoral Center
Contact Dawn Brannman for more information: 406-442-5268 or dbrannman@stmaryhelena.org
OCIA 2025-2026 CalendarFor more information on Faith Formation, Children’s Liturgy of the Word, and Religious Education, please contact Dawn Brannman. Dawn Brannman
For more information on Youth Ministry, please visit the Youth Ministry Page or contact Dawn Brannman. Dawn Brannman
For more information on Elementary Religious Education, please contact Lori Mleko. Lori Mleko
Adult Faith Formation Events and Information
Zoom Community Night meets on the Third Thursday of each month from 7pm to 8pm MST
Connect to Zoom