Mass & Adoration
As a Catholic school, OLPH views faith formation as an integral part of our curriculum. Students attend Mass on a weekly basis, on Thursdays at 10 a.m. as an entire school community. Numerous prayer services and retreat experiences are held for students during the year celebrating the liturgical seasons. Additionally, in an effort to help students learn to be silent and listen to the word of God, all students are given the opportunity to regularly participate in Eucharistic Adoration. To encourage active student participation in services, each Mass and prayer service are prepared by students on a rotating class basis. Non-Catholic students and those younger than 3rd grade attending Mass receive a blessing from the Eucharistic Minister or Priest during communion.
Holy Days of Obligation
The school will gather for Mass during Holy Days of Obligation in addition to our weekly Mass.
Sacrament of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion
Students in second grade prepare for the Sacrament of Reconciliation during the fall and the Sacrament of First Holy Communion during the spring. All classwork in preparation for these sacraments is completed at school. The students are required to attend some evening/weekend meetings prior to the sacraments.
Rosary and Novenas
Students have the opportunity to participate in the Rosary and other Novenas.
Stations of the Cross
We are blessed to have a beautiful outdoor Stations of the Cross area for students to visit and enjoy. Classes often walk this area in Religion class during Lent.
Retreats
Our Middle School students attend various retreats throughout 6th – 8th grade. These retreats are led either by our parish ministers or visiting missionaries.
Confession
Class Charities
In recent years, there has been a growing trend that schools, both public and private, offer students opportunities to engage in community service. For many, the experience helps to develop important skills such as teamwork and a sense of compassion.
But for OLPH, community service is more than an admirable option or a nice addition to one’s high school application. Service activities are fundamental to an OLPH education and core to Catholic discipleship.
Each year as students progress through OLPH, their class adopts a charity where they can use their hands to serve and their hearts to pray. From animal shelters to retirement homes, our students see the fruit of their sacrifices and love in their community.
OLPH School strives to give students the knowledge and facts of the Catholic faith, recognizing the need for this knowledge to belong not only to the head, but to the heart as well. This approach allows students to be brought into a real and meaningful relationship with the Lord. Children are taught how to apply their faith to their daily lives, to find the value and meaning in it now so that they are better equipped for the challenges of life as teenagers and adults. Each school year has a religious theme that highlights some aspect of our Catholic faith. The religious theme is woven into the classroom teaching throughout the year and may, for example, be the topic of a writing or art project.