Graduation Requirements
Four credits of Religion
| Grade 9 | Grade 10 | Grade 11 | Grade 12 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Understanding Catholic Christianity/Liturgy and Sacraments | Sacred Scripture | Morality and Vocations | World Religion and Church History |
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Archdiocese Religion Graded Course of Study
Courses
Freshmen
Understanding Catholic Christianity/Liturgy and Sacraments
Academic Pathway: All
Term: Year-long course
Credit: 1 full religion credit
This course will help students have a greater understanding of the Catholic Christian faith by learning and empathizing with the Sacred Scripture and Tradition of the Trinity, the Paschal Mystery, the Liturgy, and the Sacraments. The first semester will be an Introduction to Catholic Christianity, followed by a semester on Liturgy and Sacraments. In the first semester, students will understand the Trinity as a communion of persons that explains our creation, salvation, and sanctification, while also examining the foundation of the Catholic Church. In the second semester, students will focus on the Mass and the 7 Sacraments, which will help them live out their calling from Christ to a Holy life.
Sophomore
Sacred Scripture
Academic Pathway: All
Term: Year-long course
Credit: 1 full religion credit
This course will help students to confidently articulate the history of God’s people from the creation of the world to the death of the last apostle as recorded in the Scriptures. Students will analyze the role of the Bible in Divine Revelation and learn to connect the teachings of the Catholic Church to their Scriptural foundations. Finally, students will infer that both Scripture and Church teaching are God’s personal revelation of Himself to us, and they will have opportunities to respond to that revelation by developing a personal relationship with Him through Jesus Christ.
Junior
Morality and Vocations
Academic Pathway: All
Term: Year-long course
Credit: 1 full religion credit
Juniors will take 1 semester each of Catholic Morality and Vocations. In the semester focused on Catholic Morality, students will learn about the Catholic understanding of the human person, created and loved by God and exemplified in Jesus Christ, which grounds the Catholic vision of morality. Students will be challenged to reflect on what it means to be created in the image of God, and what true happiness and holiness are. Together, we will explore and reflect upon a variety of moral issues confronting us and our global society. Students will be encouraged to discern how they can follow God’s will by choosing good, avoiding evil, and applying the themes of Catholic Social Teaching to these issues in order to respond more fully to God’s love in how we live our lives.
In the Vocations semester, students will understand the Universal Call to Holiness and its relevance for Christian living. The course will include themes such as aligning ourselves with God’s Will through discernment; exploring the Vocations of Consecrated Life, Single Life, Marriage, and Holy Orders; and understanding how each Vocation serves the Mission of the Church and the Kingdom of God. Students will also engage in theological and personal reflection on their own gifts to explore each possible vocation, with special attention to living a life of personal holiness and service to the people of God in accordance with their gifts.
Senior
World Religion and Church History
Academic Pathway: All
Term: Year-long course
Credit: 1 full religion credit
Church History: Students will examine the development of Christ's mission on earth after his death and resurrection. Starting with Pentecost and ending with Vatican II, students will be exposed to historical events/entities such as the Holy Roman Empire, various church councils, the Protestant Reformation, early Christian persecution, and the development of churches and ministries around the world.
Interreligious and Ecumenical studies: Students will study the “Discovery” and development of religions around the world. From ancient paganism to the three Abrahamic religions, students will find where each religion is practiced in the world around them, examine the major beliefs and practices of those religions, and study the variations of Christianity found within other denominations before relating them to the fullness of the Catholic Church.
