Religious Education

As the primary educators of their children, parents have special responsibilities regarding Catholic schools. Chief among them is to help ensure that the school’s life and practices are consistent with a distinctively Catholic environment.’ (Mandate Letter, Catholic Education Commission of Western Australia, para. 57)

Religious Education at Corpus Christi College follows the Perth Archdiocese Religious Education Units of Work. This program is to promote understanding of Christian beliefs and practices. Religious education is taught in a context with the same systematic demands and rigour as any other learning area.

Religious Education possesses five learning area outcomes that link to the Curriculum Framework. Each Religious Education Unit follows a cyclical process that involves three essential steps:

Wondering at the Creator

We wonder at experiences of being human and what religious meaning is given to these experiences. We try to understand what attribute of God is revealed through these experiences.

The Promise of Christian Salvation

Looking at what Jesus models to us through the Christian Promise and how Jesus empowers us to live like him.

Christian Response

Looking at Christ’s power through His Church and how we can continue to wonder at Christian possibilities and become the person God wants us to be.

Pre-Primary and Year 1 will cover 12 units over the year. YearS 2 to 6 cover eights units of work. These units follow the following themes:

• Baptism

• Penance

• Eucharist

• Confirmation

• Church

• Bible

• Prayer

• Jesus

Make Jesus Real Program

Make Jesus Real (MJR) is a values education resource. MJR is centred on the belief that we are all God’s children and are called to try to be like Jesus Christ in the way we live. We are Jesus’ friends. He calls us into friendship with God and he calls us to imitate his way of living.

MJR values include respect, honesty and trustworthiness, understanding, tolerance and inclusion. They focus on the Gospel values of compassion, justice, humility and forgiveness. These values also encourage students to do their best, treat others fairly, be responsible for their actions, follow principles of moral and ethical conduct and stand up for others against bullying.

MJR takes its focus from the mystery of the resurrection. The Christian Gospels record that Jesus rose from the dead saying, “I will be with you until the end of time” (Matthew 28:20). MJR stresses that Jesus’ Spirit lives in our hearts ‘in the now’. The ‘Spirit of Jesus’ is a scriptural phrasing (Acts 16:7) that begins to engage young people in the mysteries of the Trinity (God is a loving unity of Creator, Saviour and Spirit) and of Christ’s incarnation (God became human in Jesus and God wills that all humans flourish).

MJR @ Yidarra invites students, parents and teachers to be aware of and grateful for God’s loving presence in their daily lives. MJR’s main aim is to get us ‘switched on to God’s presence’ by reflecting on our lives each day to see where God has been in our experiences.

Another focus is not to leave Jesus as merely a person in history, but to emphasise that Jesus Christ is a mystery with us now. We live ‘in the now’ and we will always have ‘the now’. MJR demonstrates a strong connection to many Catholic spiritualties, such as the Ignatian and Franciscan traditions, particularly with aspects such as the imitation of Christ, respect for others and for creation, and reviewing the events in our lives. The Sacrament of the Present Moment is a central theme. Through emphasis on simple and memorable prompts such as WEST (Welcoming, Encouraging, Sorry and Thanks), MJR inspires positivity and gratitude. Welcoming, Encouraging, Sorry and Thanks (WEST) also makes reference to the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, Reconciliation and the Eucharist.

Parish Based School Supported Sacramental Program

Children participate in Sacramental programs in Year 3 (Penance), Year 4 (Eucharist) and Year 6 (Confirmation). Parents are an integral part of this preparation and are encouraged to assist the class teacher in any way they can. Parent information sessions are held as part of the preparation for each sacrament and parents are strongly encouraged to attend.

For more information regarding the Parish Sacramental program please contact St Thomas More Parish 9310 1747.