Religion

Catholic education refers to the totality of the Church’s efforts to make disciples, to help all believe that Jesus is the Son of God so that believing they might have life in his name, and to educate and instruct them in this life, in order to build up the body of Christ. (CF. CCC 4)

Grade & Theme

Kindergarten –  Develop the Roman Catholic identity for each individual student, within the family and our Parish.

Grade 1 – Introduce the faith. The student will be helped to come to knowledge of God the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.

Grade 2 – Help the student begin to understand the sacramental life of the Church especially, the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist.

Grade 3 – Understand the Church as a community of faith to which he/she belongs by virtue of Baptism.

Grade 4 – Understand that the Christian life means being a witness to the Gospel message.

Grade 5 – Experience the presence of Christ in the Liturgy, the Sacraments and the Creed.

Grade 6 – God’s saving actions are manifested in salvation history and fulfilled in Jesus.

Grade 7 – Confirm God’s saving action in salvation history culminates in the person and the ministry of Christ.

Grade 8 – Assure the meaning of the Church and its mission in the world and the student’s responsibility to participate in that mission. The Bishop and the Diocese of Arlington select the date for the sacrament of Confirmation. Sacramental preparation process and time frame is determined by the Director of Faith Formation.

The traditions and celebrations of the Catholic church are observed through:

• Regular attendance of school liturgies.
• Observation of Holy Days of obligation, Feast days, and prayer services.
• Daily prayer both as a school community and in individual classrooms.
• Special celebrations such as; Seder Meal, May Crowning, Stations of the Cross, Advent Wreath Blessing, and All Saints Day.
• Awareness of Liturgical Season.

Children attend Mass as a whole school, approximately once a week. The Director of Liturgy teaches liturgical Music during the year. During Lent, individual grades attend Mass on the day of the choice of the teacher. Stations of the Cross are recited on Friday afternoons, several times during Lent. All children participate in a Seder Meal on Holy Thursday. An Advent Wreath blessing ceremony is organized.  A living rosary and May Crowning take place after our second grade students receive First Holy Communion. Throughout the year, sixth, seventh and eighth grade students participate in various community outreach programs.