We will explore the Jesus and his life, family and friends. We will explore the story of Jesus’s birth and its significance for believers.
Year 1
Hail Mary
As Mary, Mother of Jesus is the patron Saint of the College, we look closely at ways in which individuals and communities Honour Mary. This unit is linked to the wider school event of celebrating Mary, Mother of Jesus Feast Day. Year ones are invited to lead the Hail Mary at the Feast Day celebrations.
God Speaks to Us
Using our personal experiences, we identify ways in which we live in accordance with God’s plan. We develop our understanding of respecting the dignity and natural rights of all people and to care for creation by responsibly using God’s gift of freedom to make choices.
Jesus Life and Mission
Year one students identify the nature of Jesus’ mission and ministry in a local and wider context. Students reflect on Gospel accounts of Jesus’ Mission and Ministry while describing some aspects of Jewish daily life at the time of Jesus.
Prayer
Students discover ways to pray that helps strengthen their relationship with God and recognise the significance of Prayer for themselves and others. They participate in various prayer experiences which include, communal prayer such as Grace and the Hail Mary and meditative prayer practices.
Year 2
God’s Nature
We identify aspects of God’s nature in bible stories such as; The Birth of Moses, Moses and the Burning Bush, and Moses Parts the Red Sea. We analyse the teachings and actions of Jesus that reveal aspects of God’s nature.
Jesus and the Community
We are learning about Jesus’ mission and explore ways in which Jesus’ teachings and actions continue to guide the life of the church community today. We talk with Father Stanley and get his perspective of how he aims to continue preaching Jesus’ message in the community today.
Creation in all Forms
In Creation in all forms, students are learning about ways to pursue peace and justice out of respect for human life and all creation. They recognise ways to heal relationships with others and harmful choices that impact our friendships. Students learn the wisdom of the saints and how they have impacted lives and how they may be more like the saints.
Working through God’s eyes
In Working through God’s eyes, students are learning to create prayers of forgiveness through investigating prayers they know. They describe ways in which they can nurture their relationship with God and in-turn creation. They make connections between Jesus’ healing ministry and the Church community’s celebration of the sacrament of penance.
Year 3
Living a moral life
We recognise that scripture provides a foundation for living successfully in community. By identifying that respect for basic human rights serves as a foundation for living this moral life we can recognise our responsibilities, in particular, to the poor and disadvantaged.
Church Community
We demonstrate an understanding of the significance of the Church community and the ways the Sacraments of Initiation welcome and strengthen this community. While continuing to develop their understanding of community, we explore the key features of the local diocese.
Jesus the Messiah
We develop an understanding of the Christian belief that Jesus is the Messiah and can discuss ideas about the life and teachings of Jesus.
Praise and Thanks
We identify and participate in prayers of thanksgiving and praise and demonstrate an understanding of the significance of these forms of prayer for Christians.
Year 4
Prayer and Spirituality
Students explore prayers of blessing, petition and intercession, as well as the sacraments of penance and anointing of the sick. They identify and explain some scriptural passages that express God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Community and Moral Choice
Students investigate the roles and responsibilities of members in a variety of different communities. They explain how morals and rules, or right and wrong actions of individuals can impact the relationship they maintain with God.
Students examine Sacred Texts from the Old and New Testament and recognise that God, as Trinity, is relational in nature and that God’s word is spread through scripture.
The Bible
Students investigate the structure of the Bible and develop familiarity with the referencing system to locate texts. They use Bible knowledge to better understand God’s word and how these related to different communities throughout history.
Year 5
Holy Spirit and Formation of Conscience
We explain how the Holy Spirit is at work in the lives of believers. Through the examination of scripture, we develop an understanding of the gifts and fruits of the spirits and identify how the Holy Spirit is connected through the symbols and actions of the sacrament of Confirmation.
Mary the Mother of Jesus and Church
We examine Mary’s role as the mother of Jesus and the mother of the Church. By participating in personal and communal prayers we examine the features of Marian prayers and the role they can play in our lives.
The Gospels and their Authors
We explore how the Gospels were shaped for particular communities. Students examine the history and context of each author, where they came from and how they obtained their information to develop the Gospels.
History and Purpose of Prayer
Students explore the history and purpose of prayer through personal and communal prayer and worship. We look more deeply into the Eucharist, the Psalms and Sabbath rituals within the Catholic and Jewish faith.
Year 6
Catholic Church in Australia
Students analyse information from a variety of texts, including New Testament texts and the wisdom of Australian Catholic Christians, to explain the action of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers. They identify and describe many ways in which faith is lived out in the lives of believers past and present, including Catholics in a developing Australian nation (c. 1900 CE to present).
Jesus’ New Law
Students explain the significance of Jesus’ New Law for the way believers live their faith and examine the spiritual and corporal works of mercy. They identify and describe many ways in which faith is lived out in the lives of believers. They explain the significance of personal and communal prayer, including the Our Father and The Examen. Students participate respectfully in a variety of these personal and communal prayer experience and spiritual exercises. They select and use evidence from Scriptural texts to show how these texts describe Jesus’ relationship with God the Father and with humanity, including the proclamation of Jesus as fulfilling God’s promises in the Old Testament.
Communion of Saints
Students will investigate the term Communion of Saints, as well as define the term believer by focusing on the actions of the Holy Spirit within them. They investigate the Our Father and discuss the significance of spiritual practices in the lives of believers. Students analyse the key messages and contexts of some Old Testament prophets. They explain the significance of personal and communal prayer and the use of spiritual exercises, including reflective prayer journaling and praying with the icons of the saints, for the spiritual life of believers.
Living out Faith in the lives of believers
Students identify and describe many ways in which faith is lived out in the lives of believers past and present. They identify and describe many ways in which faith is celebrated in the lives of believers, past and present, including the commemoration of High Holy Days by Jewish believers; the Church’s liturgical year and the celebration of Eucharist. Students explain the significance of personal and communal prayer, including the Our Father. They explore the parts of the Mass and explain how Jesus’ is sacramentally present within them.
Year 7
Monotheism
Students learn about the common beginnings of faith shared by the monotheistic religions (Christianity, Judaism, and Islam) through the stories of patriarchs, Moses and the prophets. They explore ways in which communities of believers, past, and present, express their understanding of God and God’s relationship with human persons. Students explore contextual information about sacred texts, using a range of Biblical tools, to gain a deeper awareness of these texts and how they influence communities of believers.
Scripture as a Moral Authority
Students investigate concepts of morality and conscience and how sacred text informs conscience. They recognise that sacred texts reflect the audience, purpose, and context of their human authors. Students explain how sacred texts influence the life of believers. They explain the significance of Church teaching and basic principles of Christian morality for the way believers live out their faith, personally and communally.
Christianity and Paschal Mystery
Students investigate the beginnings of the Christian faith (c.6 BCE – c. 650 CE) and explain the role of key people and events in its development. They suggest reasons for change and continuity in the life of Church and religious communities over time and place. Students explain the significance of prayer, ritual, sacraments and sacred texts for the faith journey of believers, personally and communally.
Faith Nourished by Prayer
Students explore ways in which communities of believers, past, present, express their understanding of God and God’s relationship with human persons. They will develop their understanding of the Apostles Creed and Nicene Creed. Students participate respectfully in a variety of prayer experiences, including formal prayers such as the Hail Mary and Our Father; meditative prayer including Lectio Divina and Ignatian Meditation; and meditative prayer practices including silence and stillness, and praying with icons and images.
Year 8
Hope in the Scriptures
They consider and organise Old Testament covenant narratives and the actions and messages of some Old Testament prophets. Students identify the unique relationship between God and God’s people.
The Holy Spirit as an Agent of Change
They consider and organise evidence from the Acts of the Apostles to explain the significance of some key events, individuals and groups in the life of the early Church. Students consider and organise evidence from Scriptural texts to explain how God’s saving plan for all creation was accomplished, through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. They describe how words and images are used to represent the mystery of the Trinity.
Church, Challenge and Change
They consider and organise patterns of change and continuity in the Church from c. 650 CE – c. 1750 CE, identifying the impact of the writings and key messages of significant reformers in the Church at that time. Students evaluate and draw conclusions about the ways in which the Church is present and active in the world today: participation of believers in liturgy and other personal and communal prayer experiences; responding to emerging moral questions; practising the cardinal virtues; and giving witness to the ecumenical spirit. They participate respectfully in a variety of prayer experiences including prayers from The Liturgy of the Hours; praying with scripture; meditative prayer including Augustinian Prayer and Franciscan Contemplative Prayer and meditative prayer practices, including centred breathing and attending to posture.
Abrahamic Traditions
They identify the significance of initiation rituals in the Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) for the faith journey of believers. Students explore how believers, past and present continue the mission of Jesus in the world, in times of challenge and change.
Year 9
Sacred Texts
They are introduced to two forms of Biblical criticism, namely for criticism and narrative criticism, and develop the ability to apply these to help their understanding, interpretation and use of a range of Biblical texts.
Challenges to Catholic Social Teachers
Students develop their understanding of the experience of sin throughout human history and some ways in which the Church responded to the presence of good and evil in the past (c.1750 CE - 1918 CE). They consider sources of inspiration, strength and guidance for believers today, including Catholic social teaching.
Foundational Beliefs
They continue to develop their understanding of prayer in the Christian tradition through an exploration of the writings of Christian spiritual fathers and mothers, prayers for forgiveness and healing, Christian Meditation and meditative prayer practices, including praying with labyrinths. Students learn about the divergent understandings of God (Allah, God, G*d) in the monotheistic religions (Islam, Christianity, Judaism). They develop their understanding of three foundational beliefs of Christianity (the Incarnation, Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus) and consider their significance for believers.
Penance and Anointing of the Sick
They learn about the priestly, prophetic and kingly work of Jesus Christ and ways in which believers live their Christian vocation by participation in this work. Scripture, celebration of the Sacraments of Healing (Penance and Anointing of the Sick), the three forms of penance (prayer, fasting and almsgiving), personal and communal prayer experiences.
Year 10
The Holy Other, Why Brother?
This unit will explore how religions of the world contribute valuable insights into the idea of God or the 'Other'. Students will investigate how the core beliefs and practices of the major world religions (Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Indigenous Spiritualties) reflect this mystery of God/Other which is beyond human understanding.
Social Justice in Action
In this unit students will learn that, assisted by the Holy Spirit, the Church draws on the teaching of Jesus and its living tradition to respond to emerging moral questions about unjust social structures. Catholic Social Teaching proposes principles for reflection, provides criteria for judgment and gives guidelines for action. The principles of Catholic Social Teaching, especially human dignity, solidarity and development and preferential option for the poor and marginalised provide will be studied as guidelines for just actions. This unit will use the case study of the Holocaust to see how the actions of those who rescued the Jews had the Courage to Care for others.
Text and Context
In this unit students will learn that, the Church teaches that application of Biblical criticism (including form criticism and narrative criticism) helps the reader better understand the purpose and message of Biblical texts. The miracle stories and parables have historical and cultural settings, as well as well-defined structures. The intention of the human author is important in determining the nature of the truth revealed in the text (e.g. historical truth, factual truth, religious truth). Understanding, interpretation and use of Biblical texts by Christians have evolved over time.
Rituals
In this unit students will learn the significance of rituals in the lives of adherents. In particular the life cycle rituals involving initiation and death rituals from Judaism, Christianity and Indigenous Australians. Also with reference to Christianity students will learn that the Eucharist draws on historical and scriptural foundations, including Last Supper and sacrifice. The Eucharist recalls Jesus' example of service and love, and those who share the Eucharist are sent out to carry on Jesus' mission in the world. The Eucharist is a means of reconciliation and forgiveness of sins as expressed through prayers and actions in the Mass (e.g. penitential rite, Eucharistic prayer and prayers before communion, sign of peace). is the primary and indispensable source of nourishment for the spiritual life of believers.
