Saint Mary of the Assumption’s PSR program works with you, 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. Beginning in the 2022-23 spiritual year, children must be in a religious education program the year before a sacramental year in order to prepare for sacraments. So, if a child is entering 2nd grade, but did not attend 1st grade in St. Mary School or St. Mary PSR, the child must complete the 1st grade course of study before entering 2nd grade and preparing for sacraments. The same is true for 8th grade when a child can prepare for Confirmation.

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).