Saint Mary of the Assumption’s PSR program works with the parents, to help your children deepen their understanding of the Catholic faith and foster a personal relationship with the triune God and the Church. Our PSR program seeks to give your child a base of knowledge about their faith to build upon and grow for the rest of their lives. We also hope to instill in them the value of continuing education and faith formation. All children of our parish come together for sacramental preparation. That is, children from St. Mary PSR, St. Mary School (who are parishioners) and families who may homeschool their child for religious education.

Our PSR program holds weekly classes for students in kindergarten through high school. Although the religious education program at our parish follows an academic model, with 32 or so sessions a year, the truth is that our education and formation in the faith as Catholics follows a 52 week model. The most important part of both you and your child’s growth in the faith and relationship with the triune God happens every Sunday at holy Mass. On Sunday, the day of the Resurrection, the Universal Church gathers to give herself in worship to God; to be taught and formed more perfectly as members of our Lord’s body, by being nourished and build-up with nothing less than the Body & Blood of Jesus Christ. The Second Vatican Council said, even more clearly what we have always believed, that receiving our Lord in holy Communion is “the source and summit of the Christian life (Lumen gentium, II).

Kindergarten: At this level, the students will encounter the faith lessons, presented in a lively and colorful way, which teach them about God and His creation, the dignity of each person as made in God’s image and likeness. Students will encounter teachings of our Faith on God and creation, God’s love of Man and basic moral living, Prayer, God’s family the Church and Baptism. Each lesson includes stories from Scripture, “concepts of faith,” and home activities.

First Grade: The students are introduced to the Blessed Trinity through studying the development of salvation history and presentations on God the Father, the life of Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Students are also introduced to God’s plan and their participation in God’s family, which includes Mary, the angels, and the saints. The emphasis of the first grade curriculum is for students to grow to know, love, and trust God.

Second Grade: The students are prepared for the sacraments of Penance and First Holy Communion through studying the development of salvation history. As students learn about God’s plan of love and mercy, they begin to understand that these sacraments are God’s gift to us and that they too are part of His loving plan. Special emphasis is given to preparation for and reception of these sacraments, as well as learning about the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

Third Grade: Through studying the development of salvation history, students become immersed in the life of Jesus and develop a deeper understanding of God’s loving plan and of how they are a part of His plan and share intimately in His life through the sacraments of the Church.

Fourth Grade: Through studying the development of salvation history, students come to a better understanding of God, His plan for man, and our relationship with God. Students develop a better understanding of their purpose and goal in life and a deeper appreciation for the Church as the very means that God has given us on our pilgrimage to heaven.

Fifth Grade: Through studying the Creed and the development of salvation history, students are immersed in the Profession of Faith. They develop a deeper understanding of each component of the Creed as it is part of salvation history.

Sixth Grade: The text teaches students that the Old Testament is an expression of God’s merciful love and is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. The students should gain an appreciation for the main characters of the Old Testament and their struggles to do God’s will. There is also a special emphasis placed on Genesis and our being made in God’s own image and likeness.

Seventh Grade: Students learn about God’s loving gift of revelation through creation, the prophets, the Incarnation, and the Church. Grace is understood as being central to our relationship with God because it unites us with Him and allows us to share in His eternal life. The seventh grade places special emphasis on the role of grace in the seven sacraments and in practicing and developing the virtues.

Eighth Grade: The eighth grade students prepare to receive the sacrament of Confirmation. Students cover the history of the Church – her founding by Christ, her birth and life in the Holy Spirit, the marks of the one true Church, the Fathers and Doctors of the Church, the saints, and the role of religious communities in Church history. Also covered is the structure and hierarchy of the Church, the Magisterium, clergy, religious, and laity. Students come to know and love the Church as Christ’s Body, to better understand the nature of their life in the Church, and to respond to the teaching of the Magisterium as the sure voice of Jesus, strengthening their lives in the Church and leading them to discern their specific vocations and to live lives of Christian holiness in the world today.

High School Program –CATHOLICISM – For High School Students

Students in our high school PSR program will primarily work through the well-known CATHOLICISMDVD series by Bishop Robert Barron and its accompanying classroom materials. The format is more like a seminar with teacher-guided discussion than an instructional classroom.