Religious Education
At the heart of catechesis we find, in essence, a Person; the Person of Jesus of Nazareth.
Growing in Faith
"Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you."
MATTHEW 21:19-20 (NABRE)
Thus, the teaching mission of the Church comes from Christ himself. The responsibility for fulfilling that mandate passes on unchanged to the bishops and to all Catholics.
Within each Catholic diocese, the diocesan bishop is its principal teacher. He is assisted by clergy, religious, and lay men and women who serve as educators and catechists in Catholic institutions, including elementary and secondary schools, colleges and universities, seminaries and parishes.
Catechesis is the act of handing on the Word of God intended to inform the faith community and candidates for initiation into the Church about the teachings of Christ transmitted by the Apostles. It also involves the lifelong effort of forming people into witnesses to Christ and opening their hearts to the spiritual transformation given by the Holy Spirit.
The teaching authority of the Catholic Church, called the Magisterium, lies with all of the bishops who are led by the pope and guided by the Holy Spirit. The pope and bishops are the authoritative teachers in the Church.
In the Diocese of Jefferson City, there are many opportunities to grow in one's faith. Each parish provides faith formation for children, teenagers and adults. This is often in our schools, Parish Schools of Religion (PSR), Bible studies, and lay movements, such as Cursillo, Marriage Encounter, Teens Encounter Christ and more.
Faith formation in St. Michael (Russellville)
Our parish offers ministries to members that increase their knowledge of the faith, draw them near to Christ in prayer and worship, and build community among our parishioners. Please see opportunities to get involved below.
Parish Schools of Religion
Parish Schools of Religion (often referred to as “PSR”) provide catechetical instruction to children and youth who attend public schools, so that young people can grow in intimacy with Jesus, be knowledgeable about their faith, and integrate the teachings of the Gospel into their lives. Parish religion programs also prepare young people for the reception of first sacraments.
These programs are often facilitated by parishes with a team of Catechists who serve, pray with and teach children within the parish in a class setting. These Catechists volunteer with the support of the parish religious education standards and procedures.
Parish schools of religion typically consist of weekly classes in religion for Catholic children who do not attend Catholic school. These classes are designed to help parents in their task of teaching their children the Catholic faith.
Parish Schools of Religion at St. Michael (Russellville)
At our parish, PSR consists of weekly classes in religion for Catholic children who do not attend Catholic school. We have designed our program to help parents in their task of teaching their children the Catholic faith.
PSR meets most Wednesday nights from 6:30 – 7:30 PM.
Contact:
Brian Deschu
Email: brdjeff@hotmail.com