Because Masses, Confessions, Way of the Crosses and prayer services are crucial to the Catholic faith and education, students’ presence is mandatory. Students assist in the preparation and celebration of school liturgies. In order to establish a reflective and reverent mood, each student is to enter the church or the gym in silence and maintain silence until the celebration begins. Students are encouraged to participate in the singing and appropriate congregational responses. Any student being disruptive or disrespectful at Mass is subject to disciplinary action. Non-Catholic students are required to either participate in the spiritual exercises of the school or remain silently reverent. Reverent participation in prayer and song are expected.

Attendance is mandatory at ALL school Masses, Confessions, Way of the Crosses, Prayer Services and Come, Lord Jesus meetings. To fill the obligation for an absence from a Mass, Confession, Way of the Cross and/or Prayer Service 9^th – 12^th grade students must attend a make-up mass. Students who are absent for a Come, Lord Jesus session, however, are required to write an essay for the missed session on the school form provided. The student will have a week (7 days from the date/day) of the missed school mass, prayer service or Come, Lord Jesus meeting to fulfill this requirement without consequence. A priest must sign the student’s make- up form as acknowledgement of the student’s attendance at a make-up mass. Make- up/obligation forms are available in the high school office, at Sacred Heart Church, Our Lady Queen of All Saints Church and may be downloaded on Renweb. ONLY these forms are accepted. Students will have the responsibility to submit his/her Come, Lord Jesus essay to the Religion Administrator, through the front office, within the allotted time of the missed meeting.

Should a student not complete his/her obligation as listed above within the allotted time, he/she will be required to attend 7:00 a.m. detention until his/her obligation is fulfilled. Attendance at weddings, funerals or any other Mass scheduled for a “special occasion” is not accepted to fill the obligation for the absence of a school Mass and/or prayer service. If a student attends the 8^th Grade Promotional Mass for a sibling and would like to have the Mass fulfill a Mass obligation, it is the student’s responsibility to receive permission from the Religion Administrator prior to attending the event.

In the event that a non-Catholic student misses a school Mass, he/she is expected to attend a Catholic Mass to fulfill the obligation. Documentation is required.

Students in grades 9^th-12^th are allowed a maximum of 3 absences, excused or unexcused, for school Masses/Confessions/Way of the Crosses and/or prayer services per school year. In the event a student continuously misses a Mass or religious service for school functions as stated, he/she will be required to fulfill his/her obligation. Should a student be absent for more than the allowable amount, he/she will be assigned an automatic one day in-school suspension.

Students attending a school function on the day of a scheduled school Mass, Ways of the Cross, Confession, Prayer Service and/or Come, Lord Jesus meetings, are excused from fulfilling their obligation if permission has been granted by the Religion Administrator PRIOR to the school function (Ex. FBLA, Literary Rally, Sports…) Students are strongly encouraged to participate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation both at school and in their respective parishes. Active involvement at the parish level is recommended as an excellent introduction to the larger church community.