Religion

The mission of the Religion Department is to invite students to deepen their awareness of God’s presence in their lives; to appreciate the rich history of the Catholic Church; to make informed choices guided by the teaching tradition of the Church; and to engage in authentic worship in both their school and parish communities. The religion curriculum is also designed to lead students to develop the necessary skills to answer or address the questions that they face in life and in their faith development. Students are challenged to acquire an intimate understanding of Catholic morality and are called to analyze how social structures can be an instrument for the enhancement of all people. Academic study, reflection, dialogue, worship, prayer, and service all converge in the curriculum to help students prepare to live and protect their faith beyond the high school experience. The religion curriculum draws on the National Framework for High School Religion, published by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

the course they will learn about the Bible authored by God through inspiration and its value to people throughout the world. If they have not been taught this earlier, they will learn how to read the Bible and will become familiar with the major sections of the Bible and the books included in each section. The students will pay particular attention to the Gospels where they may grow to know and love Jesus Christ more personally.

Course Title: WHO IS JESUS CHRIST

SEM, .5 credit

Grade Level: 9

Course Description: The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the mystery of Jesus Christ, the living World of God, the second person of the Blessed Trinity. In this course, students will understand that Jesus Christ is the ultimate Revelation to us from God. In learning about who He is, the student will also learn who He calls them to be.

Course Title: THE BIBLE

SEM, .5 credit

Grade Level: 9

Course Description: The purpose of this course is to give students a general knowledge and appreciation of the Sacred Scriptures. Through their study of the Bible they will come to encounter the living Word of God, Jesus Christ. In

Course Title: SALVATION THROUGH JESUS CHRIST

SEM, .5 credit

Grade Level: 10

Course Description: The purpose of this course is to help students understand all that God has done for us through His Son, Jesus Christ. Through this course of study, students will learn that for all eternity, God has planned for us to share eternal happiness with Him which is accomplished through the Redemption Christ won for us. Students will learn that they share in this Redemption in and through Jesus Christ. They will also be introduced to what it means to be a disciple of Christ and what life as a disciple entails. to learn how they may encounter Christ throughout life.

Course Title: THE CATHOLIC CHURCH SEM, .5 credit

Grade Level: 10

Course Description: The purpose of this course is to help the students understand that in and through the Church they encounter the living Jesus Christ. They will be introduced to the fact that the Church was founded by Christ through the Apostles and is sustained by him through the Holy Spirit. The students will come to know that the church is the living Body of Christ today. This Body has both Divine and human elements. In this course, students will learn not so much about events in the life of the Church but about the sacred nature of the Church.

Course Title: CATHOLIC MORALITY SEM, .5 credit

Grade Level: 11

Course Description: The purpose of this course is to help students understand that it is through Jesus Christ that they can fully live out God’s plan for their lives. Students are to learn the moral concepts and precepts that govern the lives of Christ’s disciples.

Course Title: SOCIAL JUSTICE SEM, .5 credit

Grade Level: 12

Course Description: This course explores contemporary Catholic Social Teaching on a variety of timely topics including life issues, prejudice and discrimination, human dignity, poverty, war and peace, and stewardship of the environment. The course has two principal movements:

Course Title: THE SEVEN SACRAMENTS SEM, .5 credit

Grade Level: 11

Course Description: The purpose of this course is to help students understand that they can encounter Christ today in a full and real way in and through the Sacraments, and especially through the Eucharist. Students will examine each of the Sacraments in detail so as

(1) setting a principle-based foundation for justice based on the witness of scripture, tradition, magisterial teachings, and the lives of the saints; and (2) applying these principles to concrete challenges we face in the United States and around the world. In short, we explore how the command to love God and neighbor (Mt 22:37-40, CCC ¶1878) is actualized in concrete societal situations. NCAA

Course Title: CHRISTIAN LIFE CHOICES

SEM, .5 credit

Grade Level: 12 reasoning and arguments given to support the position. Two key elements place this course in the religion department. First, students will pray with and critically discuss the daily Scripture readings to deepen their personal understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Secondly, the teacher will ensure that a Christian philosophical voice is heard during the conversation about each topic. The Christian positions, however, are not taught dogmatically. Rather, they are subject to the same criterion as all others in that the positions are judged according to the strength of the philosophical arguments made for them.

Course Description: This senior elective course, taking place in the second semester, is designed to guide students in utilizing their faith in everyday life, especially through participation in and facilitation of seminar discussions. The course will help students understand the vocations of life and how Christ calls us to live. Students will learn what it means to live life for the benefit of others and the value in considering a vocation in service to the Christian community. We will discuss topics such as faith and spirituality, identity, love and relationships, and success and happiness. The course will guide students in developing a firm foundation of faith and identity as they prepare to transition to life beyond high school.

Course Title: WORLD RELIGIONS

SEM, .5 credit

Grade Level: 12

Course Title: HONORS PHILOSOPHY

SEM, .5 credit

Grade Level: 12

Course Description: This honors-level course begins with a brief look at logic and philosophical argumentation. These tools are then used to explore the fundamental questions of life like: ‘what is truth?’; ‘what is real?’; ‘who is God?’; ‘who am I?’; ‘am I free?’; ‘what is the good life?’; ‘is there meaning to be found in life?’; and ‘how do I know?’. The various answers and positions themselves are less important than the

Course Description: The purpose of this course is to help students understand the manner in which the Catholic Church relates to non-Catholic Christians as well as to other religions of the world. Building on the foundational truth that Jesus Christ established the Catholic Church and entrusted to her the fullness of God’s Revelation, the course is intended to help students to recognize the ways in which important spiritual truths can also be found in non-Catholic Christian churches and ecclesial communities as well as in non-Christian religious. It is also intended to help them to recognize the ways in which other systems of belief and practice differ from the Catholic faith.

Course Title: HONORS EXPLORATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS, GENOCIDE & THE PURSUIT OF JUSTICE

SEM, .5 credit

Grade Level: 12

Course Description: This course is a one semester non-traditional seminar discussion course taught by a team of teachers. Students will explore human rights violations, the evolution and consequences of genocide, and resistance to injustice. This course addresses what it means to be a responsible citizen. Students participate in a broad interdisciplinary study of the Holocaust and other 20th and 21st century genocides through the use of history, literature, multi-media, and faith-based and philosophical reflections. This course seeks to empower students to realize their opportunities and abilities to affect positive change in pursuing justice and preserving human dignity. An essay is required for consideration. NCAA