Religious Education Fees

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marthagreys said:
Reading posts like this brings tears to my eyes. I would just love to be part of a parish that charges for Faith Formation. That would mean that I was part of a parish where the members cared enough about Faith Formation to pay for it. At our parish so few people are interested in teaching that each teacher has about 3 grades to teach, but it doesn’t really matter, because each class size is still only about 7 students(and we have 400 registered families, with about 250 of them active) -that’s with all of them added together. I can’t imagine what it would be like to attend a parish where people cared about the faith that much.
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the Holy Spirit will send the catechists and resources the parish needs to catechize the youth and children of the parish, all the parish needs to do is pray to him, together, every Sunday, to send the laborers for the harvest, and to send the candidates.

I have never heard of any parish, in any of the several dioceses in which I have worked in CCD, nor from any of the catechetical leaders in the national organizations to which I belong, that turns families away for inability to pay RE fees. Ever.
 
Prior to our current pastor, our parish charged fees ($35 for first child, $30 for 2 or more) and those who couldn’t afford it paid less or none, I’m not sure which. When our current pastor came 4 years ago, he did away with charging fees. Instead we have an envelope in the September Sunday offerings marked “Religious Education.” That way, each family in the parish has an opportuity to support the CCD program.

My kids are now out of the CCD program, but I continue to give to the CCD program via the envelope, and I know many other families, both those with kids and the program or not, give too. I think that’s the proper way to do it as it is something the whole parish should support, as it is part of our responsibilities as Catholics to teach and spread the faith.
 
I have to pay $60 total for 2 children, and I may make payments of $5 a month until it is paid off. I was told no one ever is turned away for being unable to pay, but I think the installment plan is very reasonable.
 
Our parish charges $140 per child with a discount each additional child. I think for both of mine it would cost $200.
 
Wow, I never knew of anything regarding fees for my parish. When I was in Sunday school, we never paid anything. This is a surprise to me. My son is in second grade, so he will take his first communion this year (or next year rather) and haven’t heard anything about fees of any kind. I also didn’t realize how normal this is for many other parishes. Hmmm, need to ask one of the faith formation teachers or our priest about this.
 
jpjd said:
Prior to our current pastor, our parish charged fees ($35 for first child, $30 for 2 or more) and those who couldn’t afford it paid less or none, I’m not sure which. When our current pastor came 4 years ago, he did away with charging fees. Instead we have an envelope in the September Sunday offerings marked “Religious Education.” That way, each family in the parish has an opportuity to support the CCD program.

My kids are now out of the CCD program, but I continue to give to the CCD program via the envelope, and I know many other families, both those with kids and the program or not, give too. I think that’s the proper way to do it as it is something the whole parish should support, as it is part of our responsibilities as Catholics to teach and spread the faith.
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I like this idea. Another thought is the second collection. Alot of these second collections, when it is not designated as a diocesan collection, is at the pastor’s discretion. Why not designate one second collection a month for the ccd program. I Just cannot get past paying fees for CCD or Sunday SChool. The second collection is voluntary,so at least you would know how much support you have from the parish.
 
We charge $75 for the first two children with a “good Catholic Family” max of $200 per family - however we only charge $25 per child for families of catechists.
 
dconklin said:
We charge $75 for the first two children with a “good Catholic Family” max of $200 per family - however we only charge $25 per child for families of catechists.
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That’s a great idea to encourage people to be catechists. 🙂
 
We have over 1200 kids in our RE program, my 3 cost me $220.00 per year.
 
Wow we all have so many differences in costs.

At our Parish it has been 15 for each student but a family of 3 or more 30. The fee is to cover the materials and of course like most of you we have complaints they think it should be free, and like one said if we all contributed plenty to the parish it would be.

We have parishioners who believe its okay to spend as much as needed on sports but that faith education should be free. For those I usually just say nothing, pray and think to myself I guess they can teach them at home.
 
As a catechist who teaches seventh, eighth, and second level confirmation I can say that there is no better investment. As the previous poster noted, people never question any other fees in regards to sports, music programs, school functions and the like. I volunteer hours of time each week and I do not get paid. When you see what it costs to buy the books, supplies, and insurance it seems very fair to pay a little to defer those costs. I have seen families who could not afford to pay and they enter our program very easily.

I know that the OP just wanted a comparison chart and is not complaining about having to pay. But there are some who do. We get them coming in the office as they exit their BMW’s and complain about a $75 charge for a year’s worth of instruction. That buys about three piano lessons, if that…teachccd 🙂
 
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