ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Catechetical Certification Program The current Catechetical Certification Program classes have now been keyed to the Six Tasks of Catechesis. Grade Level Discipleship With the implementation of Grade Level Religion Standards, we will continue to develop programs to help our teachers infuse Catholic Identity across the content areas. Our Strategic Plan asks for more intentional focus on Grade Level Discipleship through the following: 1. Developmentally appropriate service opportunities at each grade level 2. An integrating Essential Question 3. Research regarding the need for the service. Who is served? What is offered? When and where is this service offered? Why is this service necessary? How do students offer their service? 4. Plan for the frequency of the student interaction 5. Preparation of the students for this opportunity 6. On going reflection based on standards in Tasks 3 and 6 centered on moral and missionary education As an example of innovative projects, we have included the initial plans for a seventh grade project, Mission Institute, scheduled to begin this fall with a culminating day in March. The Office for Catholic Schools is partnering with the Mission s Office, Maryknoll Missionary Fathers and Brothers, and the Center for Poverty Education at Seattle University.
SIX TASKS OF CATECHESIS Correlated with Catechist Certification Classes 1. KNOWLEDGE OF THE FAITH Bring People to know, love and obey Jesus Christ as the definitive aim of all catechesis Explore the Scriptures so that adults may be hearers and doers of the word Study the Church s creeds and doctrines, their priority of truths for example, on the mystery of God, the Trinity, the sacraments, human life and ethical principles. o 1.2 Introduction to Scripture & Tradition o 1.3 The Pentateuch o 1.4 God and the Human Person o 1.5 The Gospels of Matthew & Mark o 1.6 The Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles o 2.2 Israel s History o 2.6 Gospel of John o 3.4 Letters of Paul o 3.5 Trinity o 3.7 The Creed 2. LITURGICAL EDUCATION Understand, live and bear witness to the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Understand Church Doctrine on the Eucharist and the other Sacraments Acquire the spirituality, skills and habits of full, conscious, and active participants of liturgy Value the dignity and responsibility of our baptism o 2.5 Sacraments & Liturgy o 3.1 Continuing the Faith Journey 3. MORAL FORMATION Understand how the entire Law of the Gospel is contained in the commandment of Jesus to love one another as he loved us. Study the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes and the moral teachings of the Church and live in accord with them Understand the dignity, destiny, freedom, and responsibility of the human person o 1.4 God and the Human Person o 2.3 Morality o 3.5 The Trinity
4. TEACHING TO PRAY Become familiar with the diverse forms and expression of Christian Prayer Experience and appreciate the richness of the Catholic Tradition Develop a regular pattern of personal prayer Engaged in shared prayer with others o 3.2 Prayer/Mary and the Saints o 3.8 Spirituality of the Catechist 5. EDUCATION FOR COMMUNITY LIFE Foster spiritual growth in the community Cultivate the human values and Christian virtues that foster growth in interpersonal relationships and civic responsibility Church History, Lives of the Saints Ecclesiology o 1.7 The Founding of the Church o 2.7 Council of Trent to Vatican II o 3.2 Prayer/Mary and the Saints o 3.5 The Trinity o 3.6 History of the Church in the USA 6. EDUCATION FOR MISSION Cultivate an evangelizing spirit among all the faithful Respond to God s call whether as lay, ordained, or religious Motivate and equip the faithful to speak to others about the Scriptures, the tradition and teachings of the Church and about one s own faith journey. o 1.1 God s Call and Our Response o 2.1 Catechizing the Body of Christ o 2.2 Israel s History/Institutions o 3.1 Continuing the Faith Journey o 3.8 Spirituality of the Catechist
Mission Institute Framework Invitation to teachers of 7th grade, religion curriculum-driven. To be presented at Teacher Excellence Day. Please note that phases 1-3 culminate with the Mission Institute gathering on March 11, as preparation for a spring service/mission project (Phase 4). Phase 1: Essential Question - Who is my neighbor? Encounter and research phase. A list of suggested resources, Scripture passages, Church documents, and reflections will be provided. 1. Students or teacher choose one (or several?) from a list of justice issues: a. hunger, food insecurity, access to clean water, education, trafficking, environmental degradation, conflict and war, human rights, diseases, fair trade, gender equality, child mortality, infectious diseases (HIV/AIDS, malaria, etc.), maternal health, etc. Students or teacher choose 2-4 countries for students to research through the lens of chosen justice issue/s.. Recommend non-western countries (for example not in the EU or North America) Students research/encounter life in several countries facing justice issue, e.g. access to clean water. Students learn about aspects of countries such as cultural practices, history, religion(s), climate, work and economy, etc. a. Students learn about the problems/poverty people endure when subjected to this issue. Phase 2: Essential Question - Who loves my neighbor? Model response phase. Catholic Social Teaching, particularly supporting church documents. 1. Students learn about several case studies from Catholic agencies responding to justice issue in countries researched. a. Examples of agencies include: their own school and/or parish, other schools/parishes, diocesan ministries, St. Vincent de Paul, Catholic Community Services (Catholic Charities), IPJC, Catholic Campaign for Human Development, USCCB, Other Bishops Conferences, CRS, Maryknoll, Pax Christi, Caritas, PMS, CNEWA, etc. b. Supporting questions to consider: what are the agencies doing? who are they working with? whose voices are included (and whose are not)? how is the community transformed? how are the agencies transformed (are they)? mutuality aspect... Students reflect on case studies through lens of CST and Church teaching/tradition, and make connections to supporting church documents. On the Condition of Labor (Rarum Novarum); The Reconstruction of the Social Order (Quadragesimo Anno); Christianity and Social Progress (Mater et Magistra); Peace on Earth (Pacem in Terris); The Church in the Modern World (Gaudium et Spes); Declaration on Religious Freedom (Dignitatis Humanae); The Development of People (Populorum Progressio); A Call to Action (Octogesima Adveniens); Justice in the World (Justicia in Mundo); Evangelization in the Modern World (Evangelii Nuntiandi); Redeemer of Man (Redemptor Hominis); On Human Work (Laborem Exercens); The Challenge of Peace; Economic Justice For All; The Social Concerns of the Church (Sollicitudo Rei Socialis); The Church and Racism; The Missionary Activity of the Church (Redemptoris Missio); One Hundred Years (Centesimus Annus); The Catechism of the Catholic Church; The Gospel of
Life (Evangelium Vitae); ; Contribution to World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance; God is Love (Deus Caritas Est); Charity in Truth (Caritas in Veritate); The Joy of the Gospel (Evangelii Gaudium) a. Supporting questions to consider: What in the Catholic tradition compels us to respond to injustice? What is love (agape)? How do I know I am showing love? What does it mean to be missionary disciples? What does justice require? What does solidarity require? How are justice and poverty related? Phase 3: Essential Question - How can I love my neighbor as Jesus does? WWJD Student response and project prep phase, includes Mission Institute workshop in March 2015. 1. Students decide on a justice issue and a country, brainstorm community/classroom response: a. Students will use rubric similar to how students explored Catholic agencies responses. b. Students will come up with several response options and work as a class to refine using rubric to plan specific response. c. Examples could include fundraising for a specific CRS project, local non-profit, changing school s habits around an issue (ex, water usage), establishing closer ties to parish twinning (if existent), etc. d. Emphasis on using rubric, communal discernment, emanating from the students. Guiding questions: How are we called to respond? Will our response be local or international? Will our response be long-term or a one-time project? How will we engage our (school) community in our response?. Liturgical timing--can align with Ash Wednesday/Lent, and class/school project can be tied in as a Lenten practice. Mission Institute: one day, at Seattle University, February 2015.. Students elect (or teachers appoint) two (2) classroom ambassadors to represent class at institute. a. Student ambassadors present classroom project idea at institute in smaller break-out groups (not to all in attendance). b. At institute, student ambassadors receive formation and workshop support, resources, sharing of ideas with other student ambassadors. c. Day will be grounded in prayer/catholic identity - classroom project is our missionary discipleship response. Phase 4: Sending phase! Student delegates return to classroom and class launches project. NOTE: Resources for research available from the Poverty Education Center, the Missions Office of the Archdiocese of Seattle, and the Maryknoll Mission Education Office