Sacramental Life
Weekly School Mass
Weekly Masses at SJGS are a special time for our entire school community to come together to celebrate the Eucharist. Homilies often focus on the lives of saints, inspiring students to know of God’s love and to imitate Christ. Students are engaged in the liturgy as altar servers, cantors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, and members of liturgical choir. A different class “hosts” each Mass, acting as greeters, readers, and presenters of offertory gifts. Our older students are matched with and sit with younger “buddies” to help as role models during Mass.
Our non-Catholic students join us during this celebration to witness Christ’s love, share in prayer, and receive blessings. We also welcome parents to join us. At the end of each Mass, we offer our “banner presentation” highlighting something special taking place in a classroom to make God known, loved, served. We also bless our “students of the week.”
Diocesan All Schools Mass
Once each fall our 3rd through 8th graders attend the South Bend area diocesan all schools Mass held at the University of Notre Dame and celebrated by the bishop. It is a wonderful experience for our students to celebrate Mass with thousands of their peers from area Catholic schools!
The Sacrament of Reconciliation
SJGS students prepare for and receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time in 2nd grade. Reconciliation services are held for students during the school day twice a year, during Advent and Lent.
The Sacrament of Confirmation
Students begin preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation in 7th grade, receiving the sacrament in fall of 8th grade. This sacrament strengthens the baptized and obliges them more firmly to be witnesses of Christ by word and deed, and to spread and defend the faith. It imprints a character, enriches by the gift of the Holy Spirit the baptized continuing on the path of Christian initiation, and binds them more perfectly to the Church.

