Family Faith Formation
UPDATED SCHEDULE DUE TO FLOODING:
Preschool and Kindergarten: Sundays, 11am – Noon, Parish Hall
- Classes for Preschool and Kindergarten will begin on November 22, 2026, at 11:00 AM in the Parish Hall
- See schedule for class dates
First Communion for Second Grade: Saturdays, 5pm – 6:30pm, Parish Hall
- First communion classes for students in second grade will begin on November 7, 2026, at 5:00 PM in the Parish Hall
First Communion for Third – Eighth Grade: Join OCIC, Sundays, Noon – 1pm, Chapel
- Students in 3rd – 8th grade in need of first communion will join the OCIC class which meets on Sundays from noon – 1pm in the chapel
Confirmation: Sundays, Noon – 1pm
- Confirmation classes for high school students will begin on November 15, 2026, at noon
Baptism
- Students who are not baptized should enroll in OCIC (see details below)
Class Start Dates For 2026
Nov 7: First Communion Starts
Nov 8: Confirmation Parent Meeting Following 11am Mass
Nov 15: Confirmation Starts
Nov 22: Preschool and Kindergarten Class Starts
Preschool and Kindergarten Schedule
Classes are held on the following Sundays during the 11am Mass in the Parish Hall.
- Nov 22
- Dec 6
- Dec 13
- Dec 20
- Dec 27
- Jan 3
- Jan 10
- Jan 17
- Jan 24
- Jan 31
- Feb 7
- Feb 21
- Feb 28
- Mar 14
- Mar 21
The Sacraments
God has given us “sacraments” as an outward expression of His invisible grace. There are 3 sacraments which bring us fully into the Catholic church. These are called “sacraments of initiation” and are: Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation.
Baptism: by Baptism, we become adopted sons and daughters of God and become members of the Church (the Body of Christ)
Confirmation: in Confirmation, we are “sealed with the Holy Spirit” and strengthened for service to the Body of Christ
Eucharist: partaking in the Eucharist, we are in full communion with the Church and are called to receive the Blessed Sacrament in union with (communion) our brothers and sisters in Christ
In our Diocese, we currently celebrate the sacrament of Eucharist in 2nd grade and Confirmation in high school.
If your child has not been baptized yet, please contact our office. If they are under 7 years old, we can schedule their baptism as soon as possible. If they are older than 7, they will need to be enrolled in our OCIC (Order of Christian Initiation for Children) classes. This is different from our regular Faith Formation classes.
First Holy Communion
Baptized children typically receive First Holy Communion (and Reconciliation) in the spring of their 2nd grade year, but it can take place anytime after 2nd grade. Children must be enrolled in Faith Formation classes to prepare for this sacrament and cannot take Communion at Mass until they have officially received the sacrament.
Confirmation
Confirmation deepens our life in Christ, and in our Diocese, is the final “sacrament of initiation” which brings us fully into the Catholic church. In our diocese it is celebrated in high school. High school students prepare for two years and receive the sacrament in the spring of the second year. Please enroll your student in Faith Formation classes if they have not been Confirmed yet.
OCIC – Order of Christian Initiation for Children
Children ages 7 and up who have not been Baptized, will go through OCIC classes.
If your child is 7 or older and has not been baptized yet, please contact the office at 515-288-7411 or email secretary@saintambrosecathedral.org.
St. Ambrose Youth Group
There are many opportunities for the youth to get involved here at St. Ambrose. Throughout the year, our youth fundraise for various activities. The fundraising events enable them to attend events such as Catholic Youth Camp (CYC), National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC), and last year some even attended World Youth Day in Portugal.
Some of the fundraising events they hold are:
- Monthly can and bottle collections in the SAC parking lot
- Working the concession stand for Drake University sporting events
- Cleaning Principal Park after baseball games
If you would like to get involved, see the Youth Ministry page for volunteer opportunities or contact Catherine Swoboda (cswoboda16@gmail.com) for more information. Anyone is welcome to help!
St. Ambrose Children’s Choir
Students entering 3rd – 5th grade are invited to join the children’s choir! The choir meets weekly in the church and sings monthly at one of the weekend Masses.
Volunteer with Family Faith Formation
We are always in need of volunteers to help with our Family Faith Formation program! Is God calling you to share your talents? We have many opportunities for you to help including:
- Help teach a class (be a Catechist!)
- Help students prepare for sacraments
- Help Catechists with class prep or special activities
- Help with Family Faith Encounters
- Help coordinate activities
- Help the youth group with fundraising activities
Even if you can’t help every weekend, we would still appreciate your help when you can!
