3/20/07

PSR

I posted a few days ago about our busy weekend and mentioned Matthew's Parish School of Religion classes. Vicki asked if I could post about this.

I have actually avoided posting much about religion other than in passing for the simple fact that I don't feel that I express it very well. I am a very spiritual person, but it is something that I internalize. Normally, I am very outspoken, but when it comes to religion I tend to clam up.

I assure you that it is not out of any sort of shame or embarrassment. I just don't feel that I know enough about it to shout anything from the roof tops. I am still learning so much and feel more like a student (which I will be for life here and in the next world) and not yet like a teacher. Comprenden?

On to PSR.

PSR is like Sunday school except that ours is held between masses so the children may attend mass and classes. In the Catholic Church, it is also called Catechism as they teach the Catechism of the Catholic Church. "Catechism" translates to "instruction". Children in our parish are required to attend from kindergarten through high school.

From the time they begin, they are taught the ideals of Catholicism. Until the children are in about second grade (an acceptable age of reason) and are able to understand the meaning of communion, they are not allowed to partake of the holy sacrament of communion. Most children make their First Communion at a ceremony near the end of their second grade year.

When they are around the age of 14, they are old enough to be confirmed. This is another ceremony in which (in most cases) the Bishop of the Diocese in which the child lives will bless the child and the child will (with an adult sponsor) confirm that he/she accepts the ideals of the Catholic religion.

Our Bishop usually comes to our church every 4 years, so my two nieces (age 15 and 13) will be making their Confirmations this spring and I will be sponsoring the older one (yea!). They will continue to attend PSR classes through high school.

My nieces also attend "breakaway" classes at public school.

What kinds of religious education do your kids take part in?

2 comments:

humble servant said...

We are also Catholic and these are the names of the programs our children have participated in over the years:

CCD
Religious Ed(ucation)
PREP (Parish Religious Education Program)

And my nephews attend at a parish that calls it PSR. It's all the same thing, but my young kids are getting confused by all the different names. :)

I like the idea of having the classes between the mass times so families can attend mass together. At our current parish, Religious Ed is on Monday or Tuesday evening, with the preK group meeting on Sunday morning, during the mass times. I don't like not having our almost 5 year old with the rest of us for mass, so we've been sometimes attending mass at a different time (and I just drop her at the church for Religious Ed on Sunday morning, like I do with her sister on Tuesday evening).

I know this isn't different from what your kids do, but I thought if your readers wondered (or had heard different terms), I'd give a little more info.

God Bless your family this Lent.

Alexandra said...

Ours is the regular CCD. It's very early for the lower grades, 8 a.m. on Sundays followed by 10 a.m. mass. The tweens and up have CCD on Sunday evenings.

Ds had his First Penance tonight...my little boy is growing up, sniff, sniff. :)