Parish Religious Education Program (PREP)

Below are links to additional information relating to the Saint James PREP program.

Mission Statement

Saint James Parish Religious Education Programs (PREP) share in the mission of the Catholic Church in the following ways:

To promote worship of God in Spirit and Truth particularly through the celebration of the sacraments with particular emphasis on the Eucharist.

To create and nourish Christian Community in the family, in the life of the parish and in society as a whole.

To proclaim in word and deed the Good News of Jesus Christ to all persons, inviting those in our community to share our faith and our mission.

To teach the saving message of Christ so that all believers may come to a deeper understanding, conversion and personal witness to Christ.

To serve our brothers and sisters particularly the poor and needy by generous acts of charity while promoting issues of peace and justice.

Contact The Religious Education Office 

Summer hours are 9:30am-noon Monday through Friday or by appointment. Once PREP begins in September, the Parish Religious Education Program’s office hours are:

  • Monday and Wednesday through Friday-9:30am – 12:00noon 
  • Tuesdays-2:30pm – 8:30pm 

Phone: 703-533-1182 x104
Address: 830 W. Broad Street Falls Church, VA 22046 (at Saint James Catholic School)
Email: [email protected]

If there is anyone who feels they might like to help in any way, please feel free to do so. We can never have too many volunteers! Every year, family emergencies can develop and there is always a need for someone to fill in, even if it is temporarily. If you feel that you would like to help as a catechist, catechist’s assistant, office personnel, safety patrol, song leader, or with a special needs student, please do not hesitate to contact Sister Regina at 703-533-1182 ext. 103 or [email protected].

Welcome letters for 2023-2024 are posted below.

Registration 2023-2024

New families are invited to call the religious ed office x.104, to register. Re-registration forms have been sent to current families. Please call the office if you have any questions.   

Parental permission form must be returned with the registration form along with a copy of the birth certificate and baptismal certificate for each child registered.

We are accepting registrations for new students. Classes are held on Tuesday afternoons (4:45pm-6:00pm) and evenings (7:00pm-8:15pm). The schedule will be as follows:

  • On September 19 – ONLY Grades Kinder, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 8th report to Msgr. Heller Hall.
  • On September 26 – ONLY Grades 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and Special Sacraments 1 and 2 report to Msgr. Heller Hall.
  • On October 3 – ALL CLASSES report to their assigned classrooms.

In addition to your child’s birth certificate, you will need to provide a

  • baptismal certificate if your child was not baptized at Saint James.
  • check or cash for tuition ($140 for one child/$190 for two or more children).
  • letter from the school or parish program if your child was in another Catholic School or Religious Education Program.

In order for your child(ren) to begin Parish Religious Education Classes (PREP) on Tuesday, September 19, 2023, your registration form was due in the PREP Office by Friday, September 8, 2023. The children of those families who register after September 8th will be contacted by the Religious Education Office as to when they will begin and where their classroom will be.

Weather Guidelines

For inclement weather, Saint James PREP follows the City of Falls Church Public Schools.

High School Prep Fall 2023-High School Theology Group

High School Students Needed! Are you a high schooler looking for answers to the difficult questions you encounter at school and in our country? Join our parish’s new High School Theology group to discuss the Church’s teachings on the most pressing issues of faith, morality, and theology. We will use Father Carter Griffin’s book, Cross-Examined: Catholic Responses to the World’s Questions, while also learning about the history of the Catholic Church. Our goal is to grow closer to Jesus by better understanding His teachings and His Church, all while growing closer as a community equipped to preach the Gospel. 

The meetings begin on Monday, September 18th, from 7:00pm-8:15pm in the school library.

Parents are asked to complete a sign-up form with contact information for the teacher, click here. You can download and edit the PDF and email to Michael or bring to class.

Our seminarian Michael Sampson will be teaching this high school PREP class. If you have any questions, please email him at [email protected].