Religious Education Program – Elementary
“Religious education seeks to develop not only knowledge and disciplinary skills but also to foster in students the attitudes and values that are part of faith and constitute the Catholic stance within the world.” (Religious Education Policy Document, 2012)
Guided by the 2012 Religious Education Policy Document, the Elementary PVNC Religious Education programs support the values and the education in faith that are a part of the child’s family at home and the celebration and witness of this faith in a community. Indeed, the triad of school-home-parish forms the three pillars of religious education. Focusing on the interwoven themes of scripture, profession of faith, sacramental life, prayer, and Christian moral development, the Christian spirit permeates the entire curriculum and daily life of our Catholic schools.
Teachers make use of the following religious education resources to create a welcoming, nurturing, and inclusive environment where students of all ages can learn and grow in their faith:
Growing in Faith, Growing in Christ: A newly developed religious education program by Pearson in close association with the Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario (ACBO) and through consultation with Religious Educators throughout the province. Each year brings another grade level to the program: grade 5 will be added in 2018, grade 6 in 2019, grade 7 in 2020, and grade 8 in 2021.
Born of the Spirit Series: These resources were developed nationally by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops in the 1990s. They are still very applicable today; however, they are gradually being replaced by the Growing in Faith, Growing in Christ series (above) in an effort to further align with the 2012 Religions Education Policy Document. The Kindergarten program In God’s Image is also part of this series.
Kindergarten – In God’s Image (CCCB)
This program affirms the 4-5 year old child as someone who is made in God’s image. Each area of the child’s physical, intellectual, social and spiritual growth is highlighted as a trace of God, reminding them of God’s loving presence through the wonder of growth and discovery at this stage of their lives.
Grade 1 – Growing in Faith; Growing in Christ 1 (ACBO)
| Strand | Theological Emphases |
| Believing | God’s self-revelation in the person of Jesus Christ, Sacred Scripture, and Tradition; God’s plan of salvation for all people as it is found in the Church; the Creed as a summary of Catholic beliefs and a profession of faith |
| Celebrating | The ways that the Church expresses its faith through liturgy and the celebration of the sacraments, with special attention given to the importance of the Eucharist; the celebration of the Church’s liturgical year |
| Living a Moral Life | The universal call to holiness; living as a follower of Christ who reveals God’s love to others; theological anthropology (being created in the image and likeness of God) as expressed in Scripture and Tradition; our ability to reason and the formation of conscience |
| Living in Communion | An ecclesiology of communion calls us to be in fellowship with our neighbour and with God; belonging to the Church as the Body of Christ; sharing in the evangelizing mission of the Church; learning about the Communion of Saints |
| Living in Solidarity | Catholic social teaching: dignity of the person, sharing God’s resources with our neighbours, and so on; mission and evangelization |
| Prayer | Prayer implies a relationship with God; ways the Church expresses its faith and prayer; traditional prayers; prayer as both personal and communal |
Grade 2 – Growing in Faith; Growing in Christ 2 (ACBO)
| Strand | Theological Emphases |
| Believing | God’s self-revelation in the person of Jesus Christ, Sacred Scripture, and Tradition; God’s plan of salvation for all people as it is found in the Church; the Creed as a summary of Catholic beliefs and a profession of faith |
| Celebrating | The ways that the Church expresses its faith through liturgy and the celebration of the sacraments, with special attention given to the importance of the Eucharist; the celebration of the Church’s liturgical year |
| Living a Moral Life | The universal call to holiness; living as a follower of Christ who reveals God’s love to others; theological anthropology (being created in the image and likeness of God) as expressed in Scripture and Tradition; our ability to reason and the formation of conscience |
| Living in Communion | An ecclesiology of communion calls us to be in fellowship with our neighbour and with God; belonging to the Church as the Body of Christ; sharing in the evangelizing mission of the Church; learning about the Communion of Saints |
| Living in Solidarity | Catholic social teaching: dignity of the person, sharing God’s resources with our neighbours, and so on; mission and evangelization |
| Prayer | Prayer implies a relationship with God; ways the Church expresses its faith and prayer; traditional prayers; prayer as both personal and communal |
Grade 3 – Growing in Faith; Growing in Christ 3 (ACBO)
| Strand | Theological Emphases |
| Believing | God’s self-revelation in the person of Jesus Christ, Sacred Scripture, and Tradition; God’s plan of salvation for all people as it is found in the Church; the Creed as a summary of Catholic beliefs and a profession of faith |
| Celebrating | The ways that the Church expresses its faith through liturgy and the celebration of the sacraments, with special attention given to the importance of the Eucharist; the celebration of the Church’s liturgical year |
| Living a Moral Life | The universal call to holiness; living as a follower of Christ who reveals God’s love to others; theological anthropology (being created in the image and likeness of God) as expressed in Scripture and Tradition; our ability to reason and the formation of conscience |
| Living in Communion | An ecclesiology of communion calls us to be in fellowship with our neighbour and with God; belonging to the Church as the Body of Christ; sharing in the evangelizing mission of the Church; learning about the Communion of Saints |
| Living in Solidarity | Catholic social teaching: dignity of the person, sharing God’s resources with our neighbours, and so on; mission and evangelization |
| Prayer | Prayer implies a relationship with God; ways the Church expresses its faith and prayer; traditional prayers; prayer as both personal and communal |
Grade 4 – Growing in Faith; Growing in Christ 4 (ACBO)
| Strand | Theological Emphases |
| Believing | God’s self-revelation in the person of Jesus Christ, Sacred Scripture, and Tradition; God’s plan of salvation for all people as it is found in the Church; the Creed as a summary of Catholic beliefs and a profession of faith |
| Celebrating | The ways that the Church expresses its faith through liturgy and the celebration of the sacraments, with special attention given to the importance of the Eucharist; the celebration of the Church’s liturgical year |
| Living a Moral Life | The universal call to holiness; living as a follower of Christ who reveals God’s love to others; theological anthropology (being created in the image and likeness of God) as expressed in Scripture and Tradition; our ability to reason and the formation of conscience |
| Living in Communion | An ecclesiology of communion calls us to be in fellowship with our neighbour and with God; belonging to the Church as the Body of Christ; sharing in the evangelizing mission of the Church; learning about the Communion of Saints |
| Living in Solidarity | Catholic social teaching: dignity of the person, sharing God’s resources with our neighbours, and so on; mission and evangelization |
| Prayer | Prayer implies a relationship with God; ways the Church expresses its faith and prayer; traditional prayers; prayer as both personal and communal |
Grade 5 – Growing in Faith; Growing in Christ 5 (ACBO)
| Strand | Theological Emphases |
| Believing | God’s Self-Revelation in the person of Jesus Christ through Sacred Scripture and Tradition The Creed as a Summary of Catholic Belief and a Profession of Faith In God’s Plan of Salvation Christ founded the Church with the following marks: One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic |
| Celebrating | The Seven Sacraments of the Church – Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist: Sacraments of Healing: Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick; Sacraments of Service: Holy Orders and Marriage The Mass as the source and summit of Christian life The Celebrations of the Church’s Liturgical Year |
| Living a Moral Life | Christian Morality as a living response of our human vocation to life in the Spirit as revealed by reason (Natural Law), the Scriptures and Tradition Freedom and Responsibility, Reason, Conscience, and Conscience Formation Grace, Virtue, Holiness and Sin and Forgiveness |
| Living in Community | Living in the Church as members of the Body of Christ The Communion of Saints |
| Living in Solidarity | Living our Christian vocation within the human community Social Justice Teachings of the Church Our mission to evangelize (i.e. proclaim the Gospel message) and to witness to Jesus Christ |
| Prayer | God’s universal call to prayer and our human response The Way of Prayer: Forms and Expressions of Prayer |
Grade 6 – Growing in Faith; Growing in Christ 6 (ACBO)
| Strand | Theological Emphases |
| Believing | God’s Self-Revelation in the person of Jesus Christ through Sacred Scripture and Tradition
The Creed as a Summary of Catholic Belief and a Profession of Faith In God’s Plan of Salvation Christ founded the Church with the following marks: One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic |
| Celebrating | The Seven Sacraments of the Church—Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist: Sacraments of Healing: Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick; Sacraments of Service: Holy Orders and Marriage
The Mass as the source and summit of Christian life The Celebrations of the Church’s Liturgical Year |
| Living a Moral Life | The Seven Sacraments of the Church—Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist: Sacraments of Healing: Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick; Sacraments of Service: Holy Orders and Marriage
The Mass as the source and summit of Christian life The Celebrations of the Church’s Liturgical Year |
| Living in Community | Living in the Church as members of the Body of Christ
The Communion of Saints |
| Living in Solidarity | Living our Christian vocation within the human community Social Justice Teachings of the Church Our mission to evangelize (i.e. proclaim the Gospel message) and to witness to Jesus Christ |
| Prayer | God’s universal call to prayer and our human response The Way of Prayer: Forms and Expressions of Prayer |
Grade 7 – Growing in Faith; Growing in Christ 7 (ACBO)
Theological Emphasis
The grade 7 program is designed to draw the students into a deeper and more critically aware relationship with God. The program is founded in the six major areas of catechesis: What we Believe; Celebrating our Faith; Living a Morally Good Life; Living In Community; Living in Solidarity, and Nurturing a life of Prayer. The program explores the sacred mysteries of our faith revealed in Scripture, Tradition and the life of Jesus Christ and God’s revelation of Himself to humanity. Through the one, holy catholic and apostolic Church God, offers us salvation. This offer is explored through a study of the four stages of salvation history and the sacraments of Confirmation, Holy Orders, and Matrimony. The program also focuses on the personal encounter with Christ offered through His real presence in the Eucharist. A focused study of the Sermon on the Mount within the program looks at virtuous living and developing habits of prayer. Church teaching on social justice and the call to community and solidarity are examined though narratives and the lives of the saints with a particular emphasis on Mary Mother of Jesus and the many devotions to her prayed by the faithful.
Grade 8 – Stand By Me (CCCB)
This program continues with the second part of the Apostles’ Creed (We believe in the Holy Spirit…). Again, students are invited to examine what it means to live a maturing faith as captured in the second half of the Creed with discussion, reflection on what the Church teaches, prayer and connecting with one’s own parish. As is the case with all our religious education programs, the faith life of the teacher will do much to make students’ experience of this course meaningful.