Whole Family Catechesis

Did you know that almost every active adult Catholic is active because his or her parents had faith? But it wasn’t necessarily faith that came from a textbook, no matter how excellent a textbook may have been.  It came from the witness, “faith talk”, and practices that went on in the home.  


It’s a New Day 
Everyone lives in a world that is very different from anything that the Church has ever known before.  How we pass on the faith in this new reality is a challenge for all involved: the children, the catechists, the families and all members of the parish.  

To help with this challenge, the General Directory for Catechesis (1998) was published by Pope John Paul II and his advisors.  It calls loudly for a shift away from a children’s only religious education program, to one  that provides catechesis for the entire family and all adults.


The Heart of the Matter
We have finally come to understand that a children's religious education program that isn’t situated within a community of well-formed adults won’t work.   

• Religious Education, in other words, isn’t just for kids anymore!  It’s for all of us!  
• It's a life-long process, not connected in any way to the period of one’s schooling.  
• It fits into everyday life and is not separate from the joys and sorrows, the griefs and anxieties we all face.  It flows from our shared worship for which we assemble every Sunday.  
• It is the key to human happiness for us all. It’s the Good News we believe, and how we discern God’s direction in our lives.  

Rather than being a burden, a well-fashioned religious education program that encompasses the entire parish will lead us to true peace and happiness as we learn how to live God’s will for our lives and that of our parish.
 

A New Kind of Parish School of Religion Event

We are introducing new ways of approaching catechesis and religious education. The first way is Whole Family Catechesis.  It is a program that coaches our parents to allow them to take a more central role in their own child’s faith formation.  

Don’t worry, parents. Coaching you to become the primary catechist doesn’t mean sending a textbook home.  We will help you get started, provide family sessions and resources, encourage you to take initiative, and help you understand why this is so significant in your lives and the lives of your children.

We have incorporated into the PSR Calendar Year, two Fall and one Spring event during our PSR timeframes where parents attend with their children.  The families sit together, and the parents are given clear handouts that guide them in learning and teaching their children while they are there.  


We know that you have many things going in your life as a parent.  And yet - this is a time of tremendous bonding between you and your child. Think of this as a real chance to grow together. Having faith and growing in your faith brings some wonderful happiness to your life: forgiveness, generosity, hospitality, a sense of hope, and most of all, a closeness to God. 

• Don't skip this process or cut it short because life is too busy now.
• Plan to attend Whole Family Catechesis sessions in 2018-2019.
• This will last a lifetime!

In addition to Whole Family Catechesis, the following pages will tell you more about our new Lifelong Faith Formation program taking place in the Parish Life Center on Sunday mornings from  9:00-10:15 am.   This program is designed for everybody!  An introductory class that allows you to gather, listen, and discuss – you learn and participate at a level with which you are comfortable. Click here for more information.

Each week PSR children will also be introduced to the significant Bible stories in their class that are discussed in the Lifelong Faith Formation Sunday session.  Parents and children will grow in their faith together as they continue the conversation at home about the beautiful story of salvation woven through the pages of the Bible.