Parish School of Religion

PSR Classes begin September 17th. These classes will be held on the first and third Sundays of each month. PSR classes will be after the 10:30 Mass. PSR classes will end promptly at 1:30 pm. The complete schedule of class dates is available at the link below.

Lunch will be provided in the Parish Center after Mass for PSR students and family members. Lunch will be served on the first floor. After lunch PSR staff will guide students to their 2nd floor classrooms.

Classes last until 1:30 pm. Family members are encouraged to stay after Mass for lunch and fellowship. If you are not able to stay during the class time, please pick up promptly at 1:30 pm those for whom you are responsible.

First communion preparation will be part of the PSR classes for 2nd and 3rd grades. First communion preparation classes will be held at the regular PSR times.

Confirmation classes will be held on the 3rd Sunday of the month at the regular PSR times in the Parish Center.

A list of class groups and teachers is available at the link below.

A registration form is available at the link below. IF you have not pre-registered, please complete one form for each child you are registering.

Registration Form for PSR, first communion, and confirmation

Schedule for PSR Classes and Youth Masses

Teacher list for PSR, first communion and Confirmation

Holy Spirit PSR Watchful Wednesday Meditation. November 6th, 2024

For the LORD, the God of Israel, says,
“The jar of flour shall not go empty,
nor the jug of oil run dry,
until the day when the LORD sends rain upon the earth.” (1Kg 17:14)

These words are spoken by the prophet Elijah in the first scripture reading for this Sunday. Elijah was a faithful prophet called by God to speak words of challenge to the powerful and comfort to the lowly. He was living during an extended severe drought. In what seems like an unusual selection, he chooses a poor widow to be God’s instrument of salvation. She was so poor she only had a handful of flour and a little oil to feed herself and her son.  And yet through the miraculous, abundant blessing of God, Elijah, the widow, and her son lived on these meager rations for over a year until the drought passed.

Throughout the scriptures, God demonstrates a preference for the poor and the outcast. In Psalm 146, the psalmist invites the faithful to sing praise to the Lord who is the creator and redeemer.  The psalm warns all listeners to not put trust in princes or any human but to put their faith in the saving mercy of the Lord. This praise continues with:

The LORD keeps faith forever,
    secures justice for the oppressed,
    gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.

The LORD gives sight to the blind.
    The LORD raises up those who were bowed down;
the LORD loves the just.
    The LORD protects strangers.

The fatherless and the widow he sustains,
    but the way of the wicked he thwarts.
The LORD shall reign forever;
    your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia.

Jesus often teaches and demonstrates that a central element in the Kingdom of God is the Father’s preferential treatment of the poor and outcasts.  Jesus teaches this lesson again in this Sunday’s Gospel from Mark. This story is traditionally called, “The Widow’s Mite”.

First, let us consider what is happening to Jesus and his followers.  They live in an oppressed and occupied land. Jesus’ mission has led him to Jerusalem. This is the City of David. This was the site of historic, and in Jesus’ day, powerful leaders of religion, government, military, and wealth. It was the site of the Lord’s temple.  Expectations were high with his followers that as the Messiah he will bring about a new kingdom. The hostility he has encountered from religious leaders continues to grow.  Three times Jesus has revealed to his followers that he must suffer, be put to death, and be raised up. Yet, they do not grasp the real meaning of his Messianic kingship.

This could be a time of great stress for Jesus and his disciples. Yet it seems Jesus regularly likes to take time and watch for the Spirit inspiring faith in people. Jesus sets down and watches how people put money in the treasury. He watches the crowd and sees the rich. He sees much money put into the treasury. He keeps watching and is filled with joy, when finally, he sees a person of great faith. He sees the widow put in her whole livelihood. He gathers his disciples to share his joy and to teach them a lesson on deep faith and generosity.

Let us be like Jesus and take a little time to watch and give thanks for how the Spirit is inspiring faithful people in our lives, our church, our communities, and the world. As the psalmist reminds us, do not put our faith in the power of this world. Rather, let us join our faith with how the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are lifting up the poor and outcasts. Then, renewed in hope, we can celebrate that, “The jar of flour shall not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, until the day when the LORD sends rain upon the earth.”