ELEMENTARY CURRICULUM—PFLAUM GOSPEL WEEKLIES

Grades One through Five:  Lectionary-based catechesis combines the learning of young people with the ongoing life of the parish community at Sunday Mass.  The content is based on the Sunday Gospels.  In this way, their education flows with the liturgical seasons of the church year.  Every level explores the sacraments of Baptism and Eucharist.  Second and third graders emphasis is on Eucharist and Reconciliation; while grades four and five are presented with all seven sacraments.  The commandments, Beatitudes, and other teachings of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount are learned in age and language appropriate formats.  Social justice issues are also introduced; and prayer is always a part of the program. The lectionary-based approach implements the doctrinal norms as described in the General Directory for Catechesis and are based on the Four Pillars of the Catechism of the Catholic Church:  Creed, Sacraments, Morality, Prayer.

Grades One will use the Promise Series

Grades 2-3 will use the Good News Series

Grades 4-5 will use the Venture Series.

MIDDLE SCHOOL CURRICULUM GOALS: DISCOVERING PROGRAM

Sixth Grade:  “Exploring the Bible”

• That the students understand the Bible as God’s self-revelation
• That they become familiar and comfortable with the Bible as a source of personal instruction and inspiration
• That they see themselves as persons whom the Bible addresses and calls
• That they see how the Bible shapes the church’s shared prayer
• “Meeting Jesus”
• That the students focus on the qualities of Jesus as reflected in the gospels
• That they clarify their understanding of who Jesus was
• That they deepen their personal relationship with Jesus

Seventh Grade:  “Exploring the Story of Israel”

• That the students recognize the Old Testament as God’s self-revelation
• That they begin to read the Old Testament in the light of the New Testament
• That they experience the Old Testament as meaningful for their life
• That they develop skill in using the Old Testament

“Gathering to Celebrate”

• That the students assume greater individual responsibility to celebrate the sacraments consciously and intentionally
• That they recognize the relation between the spirit and actions of Jesus and the rites of the Church
• That they recognize the relation between the celebration of the sacraments and the ministry to which the sacraments call them

Eighth Grade: “Being Catholic”

• That the students reflect on the ways in which the church has helped to shape their personal identity
• That they identify and clarify the essential carriers of Catholic identity
• That they experience a fuller sense of participation in the Catholic community
• “Seeking Justice”
• That the students recognize Jesus as the model for justice
• That they see the church as a powerful resource and a personal support in achieving justice
• That they recognize their ability to live as people of justice.

(If you are interested in receiving the objectives for each lesson of the units, please call or email the Faith Formation Coordinator)

HIGH SCHOOL CURRICULUM

Ninth Grade – Christian Prayer:

The material in this course encourages young people to pray as a way to grow in their relationship with God.  It gives young people the tools to pray all ways, and always, and enables them to build their relationship with God on a solid foundation.  From the Scriptures and Tradition, we come to know prayer as our response to God’s invitation of covenant and communion.  It is both a gift of grace and a determined effort on our part.  Prayer involves our whole being—mind, body, and soul.

Tenth Grade – The Creed:

The material in this course focuses on understanding the treasure, the gift, the challenge, and the sacrament that is Church.  The young people are supported as they grow in their faith and in their knowledge about the basic truths of the Catholic faith.  They are encouraged to make the mission of the Church their own, and challenged to set their heart on all that is good, holy, and true about being a young Catholic in the world today.

Eleventh Grade – Liturgy and the Sacraments:

This course addresses the sacraments of initiation, the sacraments of healing, and the sacraments at the service of communion.  The sessions share the history of the sacraments, their meaning, the significance of symbols, and the nature of the rite itself.  Participants are invited to enter actively into the study of the sacraments, to make connections between the sacraments and their own lives, to reflect prayerfully on the meaning of the sacraments, and to take some sacrament-related action steps.

Twelfth Grade – Christian Morality:

This course is an appropriate conclusion to the young adults faith formation after receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation.  It is a rich course that gives young people a solid grounding in the foundations of Christian morality, to add to what they have already received in their faith community and in their family.  The course presents young people with the fundamental concerns of the moral life in a Catholic Christian context.  Above all, the course is an invitation to young people to build God’s Reign by loving themselves and others as God loves them.  In other words, it is an invitation to become holy, healthy, and happy.  In doing so, young people will bring God and the world together!

 

Footnote:  The course descriptions were taken from the Coordinator’s Manual of the Total Faith Initiative Program. 

 

HOME STUDY PROGRAM

St. Mary Parish also offers a lectionary based program for any family who cannot send their child to our after school program.  We use the Pflaum Gospel Weeklies for this program and can service families who wish to register in our program but cannot physically attend.  We provide student booklets for children in grades Pre-K through 8^th grade.  Included with the quarterly mailing is a detailed lesson plan that coincides with each lesson and is age appropriate for each level.  Therefore, if you have children in various grades, you can easily create a lesson to fit everyone’s needs.  Assistance and training are provided upon request.  The tuition for this program is the same as our in parish program.  The fees are used to purchase materials and mail them.  Each family also is included in the family celebrations within our program year.