Faith Formation, also known as Religious Education, or CCD, is an important part of a Catholic child’s life in the Church. Whether your child is preparing for First Communion, Confirmation, or simply growing in their understanding of the Faith, a little preparation at home can make CCD classes more meaningful, engaging, and fruitful.
What Is CCD?
CCD stands for Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, an official part of the Catholic Church dedicated to forming children in their beliefs, practices, and moral teachings. They oversee and assist parishes in offering programs for kids who do not attend Catholic school.
Although the name “CCD” is still used in reference to the official organization, many parishes now refer to the programs as Religious Education or Faith Formation. Regardless of the title, the mission of the Confraternity remains the same: to help children know, love, and live our Faith.
A Brief History of CCD
The Confraternity of Christian Doctrine was established in Rome in 1562. Pope Pius V gave it Confraternity status in 1579, and Pope Pius X mandated it for every parish in 1905, when he recognized that public education had become widespread.
The CCD ensures that all children, regardless of where they are schooled, receive solid formation in Scripture, the Sacraments, prayer, and moral life through their parish.
Today, the organization in the United States is a subsidiary of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. From its office in Washington, DC it continues the mission of partnering with parents as the primary educators of their children and helps form Catholic kids.
Preparing Your Child for CCD
Preparation for CCD doesn’t begin in the classroom — it begins at home. Here are a few simple and effective ways to help your child enter CCD with confidence and openness.
Children learn best by example. Regular prayer, attending Mass together, and talking naturally about God help faith feel like a lived reality rather than a subject to study.
Hang a crucifix in your child’s room. Place Guardian Angel and Marian themed items in their room so they are surrounded with images of their Faith in daily life.
Discover how to decorate your child's room with Catholic imagery.
Make Mass a Priority for Your Family
Teach kids that church is a special place from the earliest age, and help them feel at home there. Explain what’s inside the church. Introducing them to statues, holy water fonts, the altar, and the tabernacle makes it a familiar yet special place.
Attend Sunday or daily Mass together, and create a Mass bag for your very young child. Place a few items inside that help your child understand, appreciate, or stay occupied while at Mass.
Explore Mass Activities for little ones.
Make Prayer Familiar & Accessible
Introducing age-appropriate prayer tools helps children feel comfortable praying on their own. A child’s rosary, prayer book, or saint medal can become a familiar companion rather than something reserved for church.
Begin with natural prayer times like mealtime and bedtime, but teach your child to talk to their Guardian Angel, the Saints, Our Lady, and Jesus any time.
Browse items that teach kids about prayer.
Connect Learning to the Sacraments
Helping children understand why the Mass matters and what the Sacraments mean will help them connect the dots over time. This is who we are, this is what we do and this is what Jesus gives us so we can love Him and others better.
See our favorite tools for teaching kids about the Sacraments.
CCD is a place to help a child learn more about their faith. Let your child know that questions are welcome at home and in class. Faith grows stronger when children feel safe to wonder, ask, and explore. Also explain that we never stop learning about our faith. Parents are also learning. We can never exhaust all their is to know, yet the important thing for them to know is that God loves them no matter what.
Helpful Tools for Kids
To support your child’s religious education journey, thoughtfully chosen faith items can reinforce lessons and encourage personal devotion. Here are some suggestions:
A children's book of bible stories and a durable rosary are great places to start.
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Engaging books that introduce the saints as their heavenly friends also make faith seem "real."
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A sacred image that's safe for them to enjoy, or a comforting and child-friendly reminder of their patron saint teaches that our faith is a comfort too.
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These kinds of tools, available from The Catholic Company, help bridge the gap between classroom learning and everyday life.
When their daily lives feature many routine aspects and objects of our Faith, kids learn that faith is a big part of everyday life. It's real and relatable, not just what they study once a week in Religious Education, or experience on Sunday at Mass.
Then their faith becomes an integral part of who they are. There can be no better preparation in early childhood than loving parents who share this great gift.
At Home in Christ
Faith Formation is not meant to replace formation at home; it’s meant to support it. When parents stay engaged, encourage prayer, and provide meaningful resources, children are more likely to grow in confidence and love for their Catholic faith. Children also imitate what they see. This does not mean that we have to be perfect; in fact as children get older, they benefit from seeing humility from their parents. Seeing their parents go to confession, for instance, is a way to show them that their parents need forgiveness, too.
Preparing your child for religious education is ultimately about helping them encounter Christ, understand His Church, and begin a lifelong relationship with God who loves them even more than we do.
The Catholic Company is here to help you do that — one small, faithful step at a time.
