Welcome to St. Joseph Parish School of Religion. This family handbook is designed to provide you with the philosophy, mission, policies and procedures of the PSR. It also contains general information you may find helpful. All policies and procedures are developed in order to promote Catholic Christian teachings and values, to foster a positive learning environment and to ensure student safety.

Families are asked to review this handbook together and to keep it as a reference throughout the year.

The ministry of the PSR is to provide formal religious education into our Catholic faith and to nurture a growing relationship with God: Father who loves and creates us, Jesus our brother and Savior, and Holy Spirit who breathes in us the fire of faith. This ministry is extended not only to the children enrolled in this program, but to their families as well. Vatican II reinforced families as the first and foremost experience of the Church community for children. It is in the family (the Domestic Church) that children come to experience faith as a lived response to the presence of God in their lives. It is in the experience of everyday family life that children see and imitate a desire to continue in relationship with Jesus and his Church. Therefore, St. Joseph PSR is dedicated to providing resources and opportunities for families with open houses, regular parent communication from the CRE and catechists, parent meetings for sacramental preparation and an open door policy for all comments and concerns. Parents are welcomed and encouraged to meet with me for any further support they may need.

The PSR Office is located in the administrative office section of the school building.

Carrie Sallwasser

Coordinator of Religious Education

2002/03 PARISH STAFF

PASTOR: Rev. Thomas Santen

ASSOCIATE: Rev. John Wetmore

IN RESIDENCE: Rev. Robert Marshall

COORDINATOR

OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION: Carrie Sallwasser

ST. JOSEPH SCHOOL

PRINCIPAL: Jeanne Dandino

ST. JOSEPH SCHOOL

ASST. PRINCIPAL: Michael Larson

YOUTH MINISTER: Tom Lancia

LITURGIST:

RCIA/RCIC COORD. Kathy Crouse

PSR ADMINISTRATIVE

ASST. – PRIMARY Fran Crowley

PSR ADMINISTRATIVE

ASST. – MIDDLE/JR. HIGH Pat Belding

PSR SECRETARY: Debby Marshall

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MAILING ADDRESS: St. Joseph Parish School of Religion

555 St. Joseph Lane, Manchester, MO 63021

PHONE: 636-391-1404

FAX: 636-391-1462

E MAIL psr@email.com

OFFICE HOURS: Sun. 8:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Mon. -- Fri.: 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

PSR ADVISORY BOARD

PRESIDENT AnnaLiezel Yosel

VICE PRESIDENT Nancy Heet

SECRETARY Patrice Regan

MEMBERS Tori Devereaux

Cathy Dobrynski

Donna Faust

Karen Gissy

Laurie Hiegel

Stephanie Hornsby

Anne Hruz

Rita Knesel

Craig Lawson

Patrice Regan

JoAnn Skelton

Becky Smith

MEMBERS, EX OFFICIO Fr. Tom Santen

Carrie Sallwasser

Patrick Belding

Fran Crowley

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me.” (John 14:6)

THE PHILOSOPHY OF ST. JOSEPH PARISH SCHOOL OF RELIGION

We believe Jesus is the reason for our existence. We believe that the Gospel message is central to the integration of religious truths and values with our lived life experiences.

We believe that the primary responsibility for the faith formation of the child resides within his or her family group. We also believe the total religious education of the child is more effective when family, parish community and the parish religious education program have the same vision, speak the same language and are jointly committed to seeking the Kingdom of God.

We call our children and their parents to seek the Kingdom of God through attention to WORD, WORSHIP, SERVICE AND COMMUNITY.

Through the experience of liturgical catechesis (word/worship) and socialization (service/community) we assist both children and parents as they seek Jesus in the everyday experiences of their lives.

MISSION STATEMENT

Believing in and relying on the love and guidance of God; Father, Son and Spirit, St. Joseph Parish School of Religion joyfully proclaims the good news of Jesus Christ. Our mission is to promote and encourage a life-long relationship with Christ and the Catholic Church.

We welcome all as Jesus would, adapting to meet each individual’s needs, learning styles and faith experiences. We strive to fulfill this mission in partnership with parents. We affirm and support parents as they guide their children to a fuller knowledge, understanding and participation in the sacraments, prayer, worship, stewardship and community life of the Catholic Church and of St. Joseph parish.

Through our joyous faith sharing, families are brought together to share in the life-lone opportunity to know God, share the message of Jesus and to help each young person to discover what it means in his/her life to live in a unique personal relationship with the Lord and his Church.

We pray for God’s grace, Christ’s love and the gifts of the Holy Spirit to accomplish this mission.

CURRICULUM GUIDE – OVERALL GOALS

These goals are overall for grades 1-8. It is our mission to achieve these goals over the period of 8 years of enrollment into the PSR. No one grade level can cover all of these goals; each grade’s individual curriculum goals builds and spirals upon the previous year, using age appropriate resources. Grade level goals will be distributed at the beginning of the year.

These ten goals are broken down into domains.

Triune God

Students will express understanding of the Triune God and the activity of the persons of the Trinity in their lives; they will demonstrate the importance of a personal relationship with God in their lives and in the life of the community.

Jesus

Students will express a basic understanding of Jesus, his life and teachings; they will recognize Jesus as their Savior and model for Christian living.

Church

Students will describe how the Church carries out Jesus’ mission of message, community, worship and service; the structure and functions of the Church in the world; and key developments in the history of the Church, including the role of Mary and the saints.

Worship and Prayer

Students will participate in the worship of the faith community, use a variety of prayer forms to enrich and express personal and communal spirituality, plan Liturgy and prayer experiences with appropriate resources and demonstrate an understanding of the liturgical seasons, feasts, saints’ days and sacramentals.

Sacraments

Students will participate in the sacramental life of the Church, recognizing the Eucharist as the source and summit of Christian life; they will express an understanding of the nature, importance and ritual of the seven sacraments and the sacramentality of all creation.

Scripture

Students will demonstrate knowledge of Sacred Scripture as the inspired Word of God revealing God’s plan for salvation, and will read, interpret and apply Scripture to their lives.

Doctrine

Students will demonstrate understanding of authentic Catholic teachings as promulgated by the Magisterium of the Church and apply these teachings to all life situations.

Morality

Students will demonstrate understanding of Catholic moral teachings, make moral decisions consistent with these teachings, and especially exhibit a respect for life toward self, others and creation.

Bringing Forth the Kingdom of God

Students will exercise responsible stewardship for the gift of creation, share their time, talent and treasure in service to the community as response to the Gospel call, and evaluate societal structures in sight of Catholic social justice principles.

Evangelization

Students will exhibit a welcoming and inviting attitude toward all persons encountered in the broader community and share their Catholic identity, beliefs and practices.

ADMISSIONS

St. Joseph Parish School of Religion is open to all registered families of St. Joseph Parish whose children either attends public schools or are home schooled. Families must be registered in the parish before enrolling their children in the Parish School of Religion.

Registration begins in April. Families must register each year.

Registration must be completed and filed in the Religious Education Office before the child can be admitted to class. The child’s baptismal certificate must be on file in the Religious Education Office if the child was not baptized at St. Joseph.

PSR fees are as follows:

Grade 2-8

Tuition paid by June 1 After June 1

1^st child $ 130.00 $180.00

2^nd child 210.00 260.00

3^rd child 290.00 340.00

Grade Pre-K – 1^st

1^st child $ 65.00 $ 85.00

2^nd child 125.00 145.00

3^rd child 185.00 200.00

St. Joseph PSR, as a parish program, is financially subsidized 55% through the stewardship offerings of its parishioners.

NO CHILD WILL BE REFUSED ADMITTANCE BECAUSE OF FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES. If you are experiencing financial difficulties, please contact the PSR office for a financial aide form. All information will be kept confidential.

PROGRAMS

St. Joseph Parish School of Religion provides both formal religious education and faith growth opportunities for children grades Pre-K through grade 8 who are either enrolled in public school or are home schooled. But in our focus on children, we also reach out to provide faith formation opportunities for parents and families, so that all may grow in relationship with our Lord and Savior. We have developed a three tier approach to PSR in order to meet the needs of all members of our community.

Students

The PSR follows the Archdiocesan guidelines for Parish School of Religion programs. All policies and procedures flow from these guidelines. They are designed to ensure Catholic education and faith development in safe and positive learning environments.

As per these guidelines, St. Joseph PSR meets at least 33 times a year. Class time for Pre-K through First grade is on Sunday at. 9:15 –10:15.

Class time for Second through Eighth grade is on Monday evening, from 6:15-7:30.

Annual calendars can be found on the front inner cover and back cover of this handbook.

A brief overview of the various programs PSR offers follows:

Pre-school – 1^st grade

This is a classroom centered formal religious education program. It is held on Sunday morning, 9:15 -10:15. These sessions are not meant to be a substitute for mass attendance. Prayer services are held throughout the year for these students. The textbook series is Silver Burdett Ginn, copyright 1998.

Grades 2- 8:

This is a classroom-structured formal religious education program. It is held on Mon. evening from 6:15-7:30 p.m. in St. Joseph School. These classes also provide various liturgies and reconciliation services which all students are expected to attend. (See calendar for dates.) These classes meet a minimum of 33 weeks. The text book series (gr. 3-6) is Silver Burdett Ginn, copyright 1998. The textbook series (gr.7 -8) is Harcourt, Brown ROA. 2002.

Grade 7-8 Home-based classes:

Another option offered for Jr. High students is PSR in small faith community settings that are based in the home. The home based option also uses Harcourt-Brown as their textbook series, and is encouraged to attend all liturgical and sacramental services.

Home Study

For families whose schedule may not coincide with the offerings of the classroom settings, we do offer Home Study. Families are given the child’s text and grade level curriculum goals and objectives and encouraged to work at their own pace. Additional support and resourcing is provided by the coordinator, as requested. Home Study families are invited and encouraged to attend all liturgies, prayer services and PSR events.

Sacramental Programs:

Children who are not baptized, and those baptized, but who have not celebrate the sacrament of Eucharist are to be enrolled in RCIC (Rite of Christian Initiation of Children) and will be enrolled in the PSR the following year, after the reception of the sacraments.

It is a policy of St. Joseph parish that all sacramental programs are two years in length, and the student must be enrolled, and participating, in these preparatory periods (1^st and 2^nd grade for First Reconciliation and First Communion, 7^th and 8^th grades for Confirmation).

Parents are expected to help prepare their child for the reception of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion. Materials will be provided.

An integral part of the Sacramental program is meetings for parents. These meetings give us an opportunity to focus on the meaning and power of these sacraments. AT LEAST ONE PARENT IS REQUIRED TO ATTEND THESE MEETINGS. Parental involvement is further encouraged through a variety of activities, which are described at the meetings.

Regular attendance at Mass is a concrete way of our living out our commitment to worship with our parish faith community. Therefore, regular attendance at Mass, as well as PSR classes, is a vital necessity for the children who are being led to fuller participation in the Church life, especially through the reception of First Communion.

First Reconciliation and Communion

Preparation for the reception of the sacraments of Reconciliation and Communion begins in the first grade. The sacrament of Reconciliation is celebrated in the fall, and First Communion is celebrated during the Easter season. Sacraments are by their very nature parish celebrations so children from both St. Joseph School and St. Joseph PSR will celebrate the reception of these sacraments together. Retreat experiences will be provided along with the catechesis.

All children must have celebrated the sacrament of Baptism prior to celebrating First Eucharist. The Child’s baptismal certificate MUST be on file in the Religious Education Office

Confirmation

The sacrament of Confirmation is celebrated in the eighth grade. Confirmation preparation begins in 7^th grade and continues in 8^th, with focuses on the sacrament, service, and community. Retreat experiences will be provided along with the catechesis.

Parents

We proclaim parents are the primary religious educators of their children. Our role is to partner with you and to assist you in this vital role. We offer a series of opportunities to grow in knowledge and faith throughout the PSR year. Once a month there is a session focused on various facets of our Catholic faith and/or tradition. There is also an opportunity almost every month for parents to worship or provide service with their children during PSR. A calendar is on the inside back cover.

Families

In order for our faith to make sense, it must be lived out and experienced. We offer quarterly opportunities for families t o come together for service, shared exploration of our faith and traditions and to worship together. A calendar is on the inside back cover.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PREFACE