“Parents are the first and most important educators of their own children, and they also possess a fundamental competence in this area: they are educators because they are parents. They share their educational mission with other individuals or institutions, such as the Church and State. But the mission of education must always be carried out in accordance with a proper application of the principal subsidiarity.” - St. John Paul II, Letter to Families 

The first catechists in any child’s life are its parents or guardians. They are the ones who first provide a child with a concept of right and wrong; the ones who—for better or worse—make manifest the Father’s love. Mindful of this sacred responsibility, faith is meant to be shared within the home as part of daily life. The home, or “domestic church,” is intended to be a place where children can learn about, experience, and ultimately live out the faith as a true disciple of Christ. 

With this in mind, our goal here at St. Angela Merici is to create a catechetical program for our parish youth that recognizes and supports parents in their essential role. Our hope is to enter into a sacred partnership with parents, working together to form these precious little ones so that they can internalize and embrace the truths of our Church within their lives. 

For the 2020-2021 school year, this partnership will look a bit different than it has in years past due to the current situation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. In an effort to adhere to all current guidelines and to keep our children and catechists as safe as possible, we will be switching predominantly to remote learning for this school year for grades K-8, utilizing curriculums with fully embedded online platforms. PSR lessons will be assigned by catechists on a weekly basis and students will have one week to complete all lesson components (i.e. readings, videos, games, and assessments) at home with their family (requiring approximately one hour of time per week). Optional supplemental resources will also be provided regularly, designed to help parents more fully incorporate faith into family living. 

In addition to these weekly remote lessons, there will also be periodic on-campus events entitled Families in Faith. These catechetical workshops are mandatory for both parents/guardians and students and will always occur on a Monday evening from 6-7:15 pm. They are designed to better equip parents in their role as primary educators while also providing the students with opportunities for hands-on, larger group learning. Activities will include the celebration of the Mass, Stations of the Cross and opportunities for Reconciliation as well as developmentally appropriate lessons, crafts and activities. 

A detailed 2020-2021 PSR Calendar can be found on our parish website as well as the necessary registration forms and waivers. Please note that there is a mandatory Parent/Guardian Orientation on Monday, August 31 at 6 pm in the Religious Ed Library. For more information, contact Audrey Huck, Catechetical Coordinator, at [email protected].