Children, Youth, & Teens

Preschool Religious Formation is for children who are at least three years old but not in kindergarten yet and are potty-trained.  We meet most Sundays from September - April in the youth room of the Basilica while parents participate at the 9:00 am Mass.                                                                                               
Our time together is patterned after the natural flow of the Liturgy. Preschoolers will have opportunities to encounter our Loving God, growing in relationship with Him through this scripture-based program filled with stories, skits, prayers, crafts, and song. 

Safety protocols are being worked on at this time and will be communicated once set.

For more information, contact Janie Lynch at jlynch@shrinechurch.com or 248-541-5133.

To register your child, please contact Renee Cramer at rcramer@shrinechurch.com or 248-541-5133.

Elementary Religious Formation is for families with children in kindergarten - grade 6. We meet two Sunday mornings a month from September through May from 10:45am to noon. Our program will be online through December and may shift to in-person sessions if circumstances allow at that time.  Children in grade 2 will “move” into a breakout room with their catechist to prepare for the sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist after our opening prayer.  Families with children in the other grades (K, 1, 3, 4, 5, 6) will participate in family sessions for prayer, teaching, and activities. We ask that at least one parent participates, and we're confident these sessions will be a blessing for your family. Family sessions will also include breaking into family small groups, and offline activities at home.

Crucial to your child’s faith life is attendance at Mass every Saturday evening or Sunday (9am or 12:30pm) and is considered part of your child’s Sunday formation time.  The Catholic Church teaches that the Eucharistic liturgy – the Mass – is the source and summit of the Christian life. God wants a relationship with each one of us and we encounter Him in the most intimate way at the Mass. 

In these uncertain times, drawing close to God is a huge source of comfort. In the upcoming year, we are going to do all that we can to help you live Sunday with greater joy than ever. God wants His children gathered as a family at Mass! God calls us to worship Him because He knows we need it. Worship sets us free from turning in on ourselves, and sets us free to walk in clarity and peace. 

For more information, contact Vikki Jenkins at vjenkins@shrinechurch.com or 248-541-5133.

To register your child, please contact Renee Cramer at rcramer@shrinechurch.com or 248-541-5133.

CYO Athletics (Catholic Youth Organization) serves parish youth by offering organized sports teams that compete in a Christian environment. We are a participant member of the Catholic Youth Organization (CYO), organized by the Archdiocese of Detroit (AOD).

Shrine CYO Athletics is available to grades K-8 with a variety of sports over three annual seasons: fall (cross country, football, soccer & volleyball), winter (basketball), and spring (baseball, lacrosse, softball & track).  Most athletes participate beginning in 5th grade, but an increasing number of sports now include 4th graders (cross country, basketball & track), and 3rd graders (football).

The Shrine CYO program is supported by the Grade School & Academy Dads’ Club. The Dads’ Club additionally supports a few non-CYO athletic offerings such as club sports (tennis, swim & ski), and an Intramural Basketball Training Program (grades 1, 2 & 3).

For more information, contact Eric Gardner at shrinecyo@shrineschools.com

Grades 7/8 Religious Formation is to assist teens preparing for the sacrament of Confirmation who don’t attend a Catholic school. We meet about two Sundays a month from September through May from 10:45am-noon.  Our program will be online through December and may shift to in-person sessions if circumstances allow at that time.

This two-year period strives to prepare the candidate for a life of active discipleship. We use the award-winning Chosen program by Ascension Press which incorporates prayer, scripture, video, and discussion. Special family activities and service opportunities are provided throughout the year, giving participants a chance to encounter Christ and to share Him with families and the community.

For more information, contact Janie Lynch at jlynch@shrinechurch.com or 248-541-5133.

To register your child, please contact Renee Cramer at rcramer@shrinechurch.com or 248-541-5133.

The Special Needs Ministry offers group instruction in a multiage class, beginning with prayer and music. Group instruction may include discussions, arts and crafts, videos, and opportunities for religious activities. We provide one-on-one help for children from kindergarten - 8th grade and address their individual needs.

Our sessions are most Wednesdays from October through May from 6 – 7 pm. For the 2020-2021 formation year, we will alternate classes between meeting in-person at the Shrine Conference Center and virtually.

We use the Adaptive Finding God text series by Loyola Press and incorporate prayer, music, discussion, arts and crafts, and video. 

For more information, contact Janie Lynch at jlynch@shrinechurch.com or 248.541.5133.

To register your child, please contact Renee Cramer at rcramer@shrinechurch.com or 248.541.5133.

If you’re interested in becoming Catholic, we welcome you! No matter where you’ve been up to this point in your life, we are so excited that you have encountered God in some way and are interested in learning more about our faith. And if you are here to bring your child into the fullness of the Catholic faith, we welcome them as well.

RCIA, or the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults, is a program to bring you into the Catholic Church as a full member, specifically for people who have not been baptized or are coming from another denomination.  RCIA is also for adults or children who wish to celebrate the sacraments of Eucharist, Reconciliation, or Confirmation. 

We would be so honored to journey with you in your process of becoming Catholic and as you ask the deeper questions that lead to a sacramental encounter with Jesus Christ and full communion with the Catholic Church.

If you’re interested or would like to learn more, please contact Ann Ferguson at aferguson@shrinechurch.com.

Shrine Catholic Schools are co-educational, Pre-K-12 parish schools committed to faith-based education, academic excellence, and a comprehensive experience that develops the character and potential of every student. 

We form a foundation of success through Catholic teachings, hands-on learning, technology, and college-preparatory curriculum. Opportunities to be a part of accomplished athletics, visual and performing arts, service projects and extracurricular activities enrich the student experience and unite our families, creating a strong sense of community.

Our long-standing commitment to Gospel values, academic excellence and social responsibility prepares students to lead lives with faith, compassion and respect for all.

For more information, contact Meg Armstrong, Admissions Director at 248-549-2925 ex. 2502 or armstrong@shrineschools.com. 

The Homeschool Families group at Shrine Parish educate their children at home. The group comes together to worship, to celebrate the liturgical year, to serve the parish in a variety of ways, and to support each other in their homeschooling efforts.

Homeschool family Holy Hour is offered every Thursday from 2 - 3 pm in the Adoration Chapel, and children are welcome to come adore Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Whether you stay for a few minutes or an hour, Jesus is waiting to spend time with you and your family. 

For general information about Shrine Homeschooling Families, contact Jenny Grice at jennyg2516@gmail.com.

It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.” - Acts 4:20

Our Mission: As the Youth Ministry at Shrine, we exist to encounter and fall in love with Jesus and the Catholic faith, pursue growth in Him together, and boldly proclaim Him with our words and actions to all – especially those who do not follow Jesus.

In youth ministry at Shrine, we know teens are wanting meaningful friendships and conversation, mentors and an experience of God that moves them. We believe with these three things in mind, we can accomplish our mission together. Pope Francis has called young people the Church of today, not tomorrow. Join us as we pursue Him!

About Crossroads, our Middle School Ministry: We gather twice a month in the Youth Room at Shrine Church, and teens from many different schools join us. At our meetings we laugh and get to know one another, listen to teachings, and engage in prayer and discussion. Thus far in the 2021-22 school year, we have talked about Jesus calling us on the Greatest Adventure of our lives, smashed milk with a baseball bat, and gotten lost in a corn maize!

Upcoming Events: Check out our full fall and winter calendar here, and check out our upcoming dates:

• Thursday, October 28^th from 12pm-10pm at Kouzina (121 N Main St, Royal Oak, MI 48067) Youth Ministry Fundraiser. Help support youth ministry by eating food! Simply mention “Shrine National Youth Conference” when eating at Kouzina to help raise money for those traveling to Indianapolis in
• November. Friday, November 5^th from 7-8:30pm in the Youth Room: Crossroads event on “Why is Mass Important.
• Friday, November 12 from 7-8:30pm in the Youth Room: Crossroads event on “What to do When Mass Feels Boring.”
• Friday, December 3^rd from 7-8:30pm in the Youth Room: Crossroads Advent Party!

Get to know our Youth Minister: Hello! I am the Coordinator of Youth Ministry at the parish here at Shrine. Originally from Troy, MI, I graduated in May of 2019 from the University of Michigan with a degree in business (which, although recent, doesn’t stop teens from calling me old…). I like to play sports, dance to pop music, goof around with my wife and friends, pray, and talk about Jesus, especially with teens!

Get in Touch with Us: For more info at bmchugh@shrinechurch.com, and check us out on Instagram @Shrine_YM for all the latest and greatest information!

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“It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.” - Acts 4:20 

Our Mission: As the Youth Ministry at Shrine, we exist to encounter and fall in love with Jesus and the Catholic faith, pursue growth in Him together, and boldly proclaim Him with our words and actions to all – especially those who do not follow Jesus.

In youth ministry at Shrine, we know teens are wanting meaningful friendships and conversation, mentors and an experience of God that moves them. We believe with these three things in mind, we can accomplish our mission together. Pope Francis has called young people the Church of today, not tomorrow. Join us as we pursue Him!

About Rise, our High School Ministry: We gather every Sunday evening from 7:15-8:45pm, and teens from many different schools join us. At our meetings we laugh and get to know one another, listen to teachings, and engage in prayer and discussion. Thus far in the 2021-22 school year, we have talked about what it means to be spiritual versus religious, sprinted around the Basilica with blindfolds on and eaten a lot of great food.

Upcoming Events: Check out our full fall and winter calendar here, and check out our upcoming dates:

• Thursday, October 28th from 12pm-10pm at Kouzina (121 N Main St, Royal Oak, MI 48067) – Youth Ministry Fundraiser. Help support youth ministry by eating food! Simply mention “Shrine National Youth Conference” when eating at Kouzina to help raise money for those traveling to Indianapolis in November.
• Sunday, October 31st from 7:15-8:45pm in the Youth Room: Rise – “Living Sacrament” and Halloween Party! Wear a costume!
• Sunday, November 7th from 7:15-8:45pm in the Youth Room: Rise – “Encountering Grace”
• Sunday, November 14th from 7:15-8:45pm in the Youth Room: Rise – “Active Participation”
• Sunday, November 21st – No Rise. In Indianapolis for the NCYC Conference!
• Sunday, November 28th from 7:15-8:45pm in the Youth Room: Rise – Pizza, Adoration and Advent Party!

Registration + Forms: Register to be part of the Youth Ministry here! This info helps us serve you or your teen more effectively! Fill out this form for our event permission slip. Permission slips are required for any event or meeting off Shrine or school campuses. Please edit form as necessary.

Get to know our Youth Minister, Brennan. Hello! I am the Coordinator of Youth Ministry at the parish here at Shrine. Originally from Troy, MI, I graduated in May of 2019 from the University of Michigan with a degree in business (which, although recent, doesn’t stop teens from calling me old…). I like to play sports, dance to pop music, goof around with my wife and friends, pray, and talk about Jesus, especially with teens!

Get in Touch with Us. Get in touch with us for more info at bmchugh@shrinechurch.com, and check us out on Instagram @Shrine_YM for all the latest and greatest information!