Share your faith, Renew your spirit . . . Become something new

Our family has been St. Giles parishioners since we moved to Oak Park twelve years ago. When my oldest son began attending Sunday morning PREP (Preschool Religious Education Program) classes as a four-year old, I began volunteering in the program. This was a rewarding and delightful experience! I made some good friends with the other catechists, and we laughed and learned along with the children. The questions and observations from young children are so pure and, at times, quite profound. Even though my children are long past that age, I have remained involved with the program and am now the PREP Coordinator. More recently, I served as an Assistant Catechist in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) program in the Level II atrium. My boys have loved learning about faith in the CGS atrium, and I felt like I was learning right alongside the children and deepening my faith in the process. As I’ve been involved with children’s formation, I’ve been pleasantly surprised to see that many catechists continue to teach long beyond the time that their children are enrolled in the religious education program. That is certainly true for us in the PREP program. Many of our catechists have continued to teach because they are called to be of service to the children of the parish, because they believe in the value of the religious education program, and because they enjoy learning along with the children.

~Sara Yount

PREP Coordinator Besides being a Catechist, Sara enjoys spending time with her three sons and husband as well as working in her garden and studying karate.

Interested in having a similar experience? Contact Marrey Picciotti, Parish Life & Formation Director at

mpicciotti@stgilesparish.org / 708.383.3430 x 408 to learn about all of our programs and the opportunities for you to Share, Renew . . . and Become