AGE: Grades 1 to 8
DAY(S): Monday or Wednesday
TIME: 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
PLACE: Parish Class Rooms, Parish Hall, and Ste. Anne Room
At Mary, Mother of the Church, SUNDAY IS THE NORM FOR CATHOLIC LIFE. As a Christian Community, we gather at weekend Liturgy to give thanks and praise to our Triune God. We believe the Mission of Mary Mother of the Church, as a Christ-centered community, is to be a radiant light in the world and a bold witness to those whose lives we touch, inspiring them to love God and to love one another as God loves us. When our children gather on Monday or Wednesday, they are invited to KNOW, LOVE, AND SERVE the LORD. In a PSR session, we lead our children through faith and prayer to see the Lord in their lives at home, at Church, and in the world.
PSR sessions are only a part of the formation of young Catholics in our parish spirituality. What happens in a PSR session can only take root if the following aspects of our Parish Life are met:
ALL OF THE ABOVE, tell the child that "church" is important to parents and something the child can gradually come to see as worthwhile for himself or herself.
The Discover! Program helps children fully engage in the process of discovering and growing in the richness of their Catholic faith, making deep faith a central part of their everyday lives. The Catholic Children’s Bible is the core text of this program, rooting the key concepts of each chapter to important Scripture passages. Every lesson is structured around a key story from the Bible, with children looking up, engaging in, and discovering deeper connections from Scripture to Church teaching. This also serves to promote biblical literacy and an in-depth familiarity with and knowledge of key Scripture stories throughout the Old and New Testaments, including their meaning for us today.
The Catholic Connections Handbook for Middle Schoolers will strengthen young adolescents’ Catholic identity and inspire them to participate more fully in the Church’s mission. The sessions are based on the pillars of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and are arranged in four main parts: The Creed, Liturgy and Sacraments, Christian Morality and Justice, and Prayer. These sessions will help young adolescents to make connections between the Catholic faith and everyday life and will also strengthen their connection to the faith community.
Your child's catechist encourages your child to believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the teachings of the Catholic Church. The catechist cannot do this alone. The catechist is a partner who works with parents to supplement the spiritual growth initiated by them at their child’s baptism. We hope that each child will hear the faith shared and spoken at home as well as in religion class.
We expect every parent to keep abreast of the weekly lesson and what is happening in class. Spend twenty to thirty minutes with each child, reviewing the religion lesson each week. This gives parent and child information to share about our Catholic faith. This one-on-one work by parent and child is the secret of success in the PSR program. When reviewing your child’s lesson, pay particular attention to the “Family Page” (1st-5th grade) or the Chapter Summary sheet (5th-8th grade). These items are what you need to help your child understand and recall.
Your Sunday Offering is the primary means of support for our PSR. We encourage families to be generous in giving to God what belongs to God. There is no tuition for our PSR. Simply use your Sunday envelope or Faith Direct. We ask that all PSR households contribute a minimum of $10.00 per week.
Parents should notify the teacher if their child will not be attending the class. The teacher will contact the parents after the second unexcused absence. Parents are advised to check the Parish Bulletin weekly for important announcements concerning changes in schedules or calendar.
In view of the fact that one hour a week is minimal for religious formation, teachers are directed to begin classes promptly (6:30 p.m.). Please allow time for your child to enter our building and get to class on time.
On a Monday or Wednesday, when Mehlville schools have been closed due to snow or inclement weather, PSR sessions that evening are to be considered cancelled. If ice or snow begin in late afternoon, cancellations will be posted on KSDK-TV, KSDK.COM, KMOV-TV, KMOV.COM
When needs, concerns, ideas, or interests in religious education from pre-school through adult arise, the Christian Formation Commission is the appropriate place for expressing them. The Commission meets monthly and is open to all parishioners. Check the Parish Calendar for exact time and place.
Parish School of Religion registration forms are emailed in May to the families of those previously registered. Please return your registration form as soon as possible. If you are a new family to the program, you can download the registration from the parish website, pick up a form in the vestibule of church, or contact the Director of Faith Formation (314-894-1373 ext 218) for more information.