Families are the first society that children become a part of, long before they integrate into any school, civic community or government. It is the natural community that God gave us so that children could be educated, first and foremost, by their parents. By taking their responsibilities as educators seriously, parents not only contribute to the welfare of their children, but also to the common good of society at large (Compendium of Social Doctrine of the Church, 238).

The St. Joseph Parish Religious Education Program (PREP) assists with this most important parental role by offering classes from grade 1 through grade 8 to prepare children to receive the sacraments of First Penance, First Holy Communion and Confirmation.