Summer program for PSR CCD

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puzzleannie

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heard something interesting in NE Ohio parish while visiting, neighbor children are attending a one week PSR class, 5 hours a day, at the local parish this week for 1st communion prep (they already had a similar prep for confession). The parents will attend a 2 hr meeting before the children receive in August. it is run by a former religion teacher in the parish school (which has now closed due to low enrollement) and the principal of a neighboring parochial school. looked over text and materials and they seem okay, but wonder if anyone else here has similar programs in tehir parish or diocese and what your thoughts are
 
One of the parishes in our diocese does that. They say it works as an alternate for those whose kids are so involved in sports and activities during the year that they can’t commit to it. I think it is sort of a way out. many of them are not regular church goers during the year…and this is a quick fix and a way to keep the kids occupied during the summer instead of camp.
 
that is exactly how the family I spoke to view the program. both parents work and line up weekly camps and other activities for their kids, and since they are older and still have not made 1st communion, this for them was the perfect opportunity, wedged between art camp and soccer camp.

sadly I can see us looking at this model as an alternative to reach kids that do not come to traditional programs for whatever reason, but paid catechists, as this program relies on, are out of the question in our neck of the woods
 
I suppose that churches have resorted to this plan…However, what does that teach our kids…when the first commandment is I am the Lord your God, there are no false gods before me.
And the parent and children put sports etc. as their god etc before sacramental prep.
 
Our parish is having a week long Vacation Bible School program. I believe it is a way to reach out and offer something to the community that will get them interested in looking at a Catholic education for their kids.
 
puzzleannie said:
heard something interesting in NE Ohio parish while visiting, neighbor children are attending a one week PSR class, 5 hours a day, at the local parish this week for 1st communion prep (they already had a similar prep for confession). The parents will attend a 2 hr meeting before the children receive in August. it is run by a former religion teacher in the parish school (which has now closed due to low enrollement) and the principal of a neighboring parochial school. looked over text and materials and they seem okay, but wonder if anyone else here has similar programs in tehir parish or diocese and what your thoughts are
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I don’t know if my diocese offers this type of sacramental prep – but I DO wish there were more opportunities for faith formation offered in the summertime for children (NOT sacramental prep).
 
quiet52 said:
I don’t know if my diocese offers this type of sacramental prep – but I DO wish there were more opportunities for faith formation offered in the summertime for children (NOT sacramental prep).
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I agree. And, I wish they were really fun.
 
Cathryn said:
Our parish is having a week long Vacation Bible School program. I believe it is a way to reach out and offer something to the community that will get them interested in looking at a Catholic education for their kids.
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this is specifically NOT VBS, it is PSR, sacramental prep for 1st communion, entirely different thing,
 
First, what is PSR? I’m a volunteer DRE and I keep seeing this acronym and don’t know what it is!

Second, I have seen materials for teaching a one-week intensive version of Religious Ed/Faith Formation/CCD/PSR! in the RCL catalog (ha ha, another acronym). But I don’t know of any parishes in my region that use it. I’m of mixed feelings about it.

On the one hand, it’s efficient, and yes, some of the textbooks used for CCD can be condensed into 25 hours of instruction all in one week. They’ll get families signed up who have lots of other outside commitments, as you mentioned. And some kids whose parents would have otherwise put off preparation for Sacraments for some more convenient time will get to receive Jesus in the Eucharist because the Church accomodated them.

However, a lot of CCD is about making those good connections between Catholic families and friends in classes. Not everyone has good things to say about behavior in CCD class, I know, or catechists, but if you get a good teacher who manages the class well, it can be a real help to families to grow in faith. I personally know several families who started attending Mass regularly because of their child preparing for FHC (ha ha) and because they made friends in the program, continue to attend. Hopefully that puts them on the path to listening to the Holy Spirit in other things.

So, condensing the program into one week would seem to lose that benefit of growing together. Although many people make intense friendships during summer camp that last a long time, so who knows?

Hmm, I can imagine the possibilities for our parish, that is extremely limited in space. Each grade would get a week out of the summer for RE instruction–right now we only have one big room (the parish hall) and no classrooms. The parents probably wouldn’t go for it though!

In summary, I don’t think there’s anything intrinsically wrong with it–think of it as an intensive retreat–except that many people do have that attitude of “let’s get it over with sooner! and not be inconvenienced!” which is unfortunate. Always trade offs.
 
down here most parishes use the traditional CCD name, up north where my kids are they use PSR, kids call it Public School Religion class, but I think it means Parish School of Religion

just discussed this at our prof. meeting, and most are 100% against it, unless used as immediate sacramental prep for children who have been attending regular classes during the year.
 
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