The cost of PSR

[Allegra]

The higher fees don’t really affect the poorer families at all. Anyone who request a financial waiver in our parish gets one. We don’t even ask for documentation.

But that isn’t really true. Many parents are embarrassed and don’t want to “beg” for help. They would sooner just enroll their kids in the two years they need to get their sacraments and forgo the whole rest of the process. Also, many families may not consider themselves “poor” enough to qualify for those waivers. They may not realize that they qualify. I don’t really agree that the parents will be come concerned about their kids behavior just because they’re paying money either. Parents who have raised ill-behaved kids don’t all think that way. They might just as soon say, “Why are they complaining about my kids’ behavior, I gave them $200, didn’t I? He’s their problem now.”

 

[Allegra]

If a parent pays $20 or $25 bucks and the kid acts out or skips half the classes - no big loss, just sign up again next year. But if there is real money involved, the parents will likely have a strong reaction the first time their kids comes home with a warning letter.

Given how many tuition waivers we give, in order to have a self-sustaining CCE program, we really should be charging well over $100 per child, more in Sacrament years (to cover flowers, music and retreats). That works out, by the way, to $12.50 per month. Is there any other activity or lesson you can sign a kid up for that is that inexpensive?

And of course the returns are priceless.

I think attendance is a common problem in many parishes PSR classes, but attendance is the responsibility of the parent, not the child. I don’t agree with allowing a student to have first communion if they haven’t completed the course, however, I do think that even if they only attend half the classes, it could still have a positive effect on them spiritually. Their parents may not have follow through while they are kids, but when they are older, they may remember the experiences they did have and want to learn more about the faith they were baptised in. Should we discourage children from the opportunity of a small about of religious education just because their parents don’t have their act together?

As for as the use of the money, the Mass for First Communion and Confirmation usually asks the parents for an additional fee anyway. (Both the PSR and the day school families) This is what is used for the extra expenses incurred for the Mass. It’s an extra fee for the years the children have those sacraments. Flute lessons and soccar teams are nice, but they are not essential like religious education. It bothers me that some parish programs feel it is their right to “weed out” children of poorer or uninvolved parents.

 

[puzzleannie]

if you are in a parish that charges what seem to be unreasonable fees for PSR (or anything else) become part of a movement to encourage the pastor and parish to embrace stewardship spirituality and tithing. Catholics can have the parish they want if they are willing to tithe the way their Protestant brothers and sisters do, and who enjoy a wealth of ministry and programming for children, youth and other groups w/o charge as a consequence.

 

[Corki]

But that isn’t really true. Many parents are embarrassed and don’t want to “beg” for help. They would sooner just enroll their kids in the two years they need to get their sacraments and forgo the whole rest of the process. Also, many families may not consider themselves “poor” enough to qualify for those waivers. They may not realize that they qualify. I don’t really agree that the parents will be come concerned about their kids behavior just because they’re paying money either. Parents who have raised ill-behaved kids don’t all think that way. They might just as soon say, “Why are they complaining about my kids’ behavior, I gave them $200, didn’t I? He’s their problem now.”

In our parish it seems to work out. We have several CCE teachers who also teach in the local public schools. They have a good grasp on which families are receiving assistance and give us a quiet heads up if there is someone that should be excused from the fee.

The only time we have any questions is for the quincinera parents. They gladly pay the $300 fee for Quininera but then don’t enroll the other kids in CCE ($25) due to expense. It’s all about priorities.

 

[Corki]

I think attendance is a common problem in many parishes PSR classes, but attendance is the responsibility of the parent, not the child. I don’t agree with allowing a student to have first communion if they haven’t completed the course, however, I do think that even if they only attend half the classes, it could still have a positive effect on them spiritually. Their parents may not have follow through while they are kids, but when they are older, they may remember the experiences they did have and want to learn more about the faith they were baptised in. Should we discourage children from the opportunity of a small about of religious education just because their parents don’t have their act together?

As for as the use of the money, the Mass for First Communion and Confirmation usually asks the parents for an additional fee anyway. (Both the PSR and the day school families) This is what is used for the extra expenses incurred for the Mass. It’s an extra fee for the years the children have those sacraments. Flute lessons and soccar teams are nice, but they are not essential like religious education. It bothers me that some parish programs feel it is their right to “weed out” children of poorer or uninvolved parents.

Well our parish doesn’t charge more for sacrament prep. It’s all part of the annual CCE fee.

As for the benefit of being exposed to even a little catechesis, this will be true no matter how much is charged.

We don’t weed out the children of poor parents. We do weed out the children of uninvolved parents, though not intentionally. It is the same with Baptism; a pastor needs a reasonable assurance the child will be brought up Catholic. If a parent is not involved in their child’s religious education, at the minimum bringing them to Mass and class and making sure homework gets done, the child probably won’t make it to the end. That is sad but we can’t force the Sacraments on children or their parents.

 

[Allegra]

if you are in a parish that charges what seem to be unreasonable fees for PSR (or anything else) become part of a movement to encourage the pastor and parish to embrace stewardship spirituality and tithing. Catholics can have the parish they want if they are willing to tithe the way their Protestant brothers and sisters do, and who enjoy a wealth of ministry and programming for children, youth and other groups w/o charge as a consequence.

I agree with you that tithing is very important. It is unfortunate that many people don’t seem the importance in giving back to their church and community. They might be surprised at how it all comes back to them in one way or another.

 

[KPSimon]

In our area PSR means “Parish School of Religion”, although when I was growing up it was called CCD “Confraternity of Christian Doctrine”.

Thank you for the poster who indicated some resources for teachers/parents.

I am frustrated with the PSR program at our church and am considering home instruction. I understand that it’s difficult to find PSR teachers but shouldn’t the materials be similar/the same as what is taught in the church’s catholic school? My children attended our church’s school and when we moved and they stopped attending, we started the PSR classes. I was shocked at the difference in content. When I questioned the head of religious ed at our church, she seemed unconcerned, which only added to my frustration. We now have a new pastor and a new head of religious education…so I’m hopeful!

As for the costs at our church, PSR is $50 with reductions if you have multiple children and the fees are often waived too.

 

[Corki]

I am frustrated with the PSR program at our church and am considering home instruction. I understand that it’s difficult to find PSR teachers but shouldn’t the materials be similar/the same as what is taught in the church’s catholic school? My children attended our church’s school and when we moved and they stopped attending, we started the PSR classes. I was shocked at the difference in content.

Most of the major publishers put out school and parish versions of the same programs. The content is the same but the presentation and reinforcement are adapted to meet the once-a-week schedule of a parish program. In some cases, there is a parent-taught option too but, if not, the school version would usually work fine (minus any group activities).

I, for one, am very thankful that the parish does not use the same program as the school. For a couple of years, my kids attended Catholic school and I taught CCE. Our school program was all rainbows and kum-ba-ya while our parish program was solid. It matters less which enviroment (parish vs school) and more the capabilities of the DRE or principal to select good material.

 

[KPSimon]

Well…we have the opposite problem. Our school program was great, our kids learned a lot and even taught my husband and I some things that you’d think we would have known! Our PSR program, at least the classes my children have been a part of…have been pretty bad, no content etc And yes, obviously, it depends on the materials as to whether or not the program is good (not the location). Which is what I was saying…that our school program was great, and how I was surprised the content was so different from the PSR classes. So now, the decision for us is to whether to do home instruction. Hopefully my meeting with our new head of religious ed will provide me some information to make the decision easy.

 

[kristacecilia]

I have to say, this idea that the Church is charging for religious instruction is really discouraging for me. I can see having to buy books and possibly charging for that. But really, a parish should be able to support their catechism classes for children. It is in their benefit to do so.

If it were me, I would homeschool for religious instruction and only deal with the parish when it came time for my children to receive the sacraments. The sacraments are free and cannot be denied to anyone who can prove they are prepared to receive them. I would go over my priests head to the bishop if I had to, to get my kids the sacraments without being charged a completely absurd amount of money. The Church teaches that children area blessing and large families especially so, but then parishes financially punish large families by charging excessive amounts of money per kid to attend ‘required’ religion classes?

Um. no. Sorry.

 

[TexCatholic4JMJ]

Public School Religion classes.

Thanks, I was wondering this as well. Knew them as CCD classes. (My neighbor
would pitch in and drive my kids when I couldn’t. She’d call them CBC, CCE, and
everything else. The only thing she got right was the “C” at the beginning. )

 

[Norseman82]

I found out that my parish only charges $25.

 

[kvw]

Perhaps some parents of PSR kids not “in the pews” at the parish where you are expecting them are attending Mass elsewhere. It is not uncommon for us to attend Mass in our grown daughters’ parishes from time to time, while still financially supporting our own parish the weeks we are out of town, or out of state on vacation, attending Mass wherever we find ourselves.

I know a couple who float from parish to parish several weeks each month. They just enjoy little road trips on a Sunday and the different scenery, churches, music, homilies, people from one town to the next.