The Religious Education Curriculum is based on the Diocese of Sale Education program called “To Live In Christ Jesus”. The Curriculum is structured around a Year level descriptor, level content descriptors and achievement standards. The Years 7-10 Curriculum comprises of four strands and four lenses.
Strands
The Strands are the four areas through which content is learned and Religious Education is shared and understood. The Strands are divided into four learning areas:
1. Triune God,
2. Life and Mission of Jesus,
3. A Sacramental Church, and
4. Christian Life and Catholic Social Teaching.
Lenses
The Lenses are the illuminating perspectives through which we view the Strands. The Lenses are also bodies of knowledge divided into four learning areas:
1. Scripture,
2. Tradition,
3. Christian Prayer and Liturgy, and
4. Religion and Society.
Although the Strands and Lenses appear to be separate and distinct, they are woven together intricately. As the curriculum is taught, the interconnections between the Strands and Lenses will be recognised and developed.
Growth in religious understanding and faith occurs throughout life. The Catholic school, through its defining culture, its curriculum and its classroom-based religious education programs, plays an important formative role in support of families in the religious education of those to whom it ministers. It is a place of testimony and acceptance, where faith and spiritual accompaniment are provided to young people. It is also a place where the sacramental and dialogical approach to the teaching of religious education promotes a recontextualising school environment. This environment may challenge people to give shape to their personal identity in conversation with others, against the background of the Catholic Tradition.
While religious education teachers give explicit Christian witness to, and invite students into engaged learning about, the Christian message, they cannot presuppose faith in their students. Teachers invite students to consider the religious dimensions of reality, including one’s own existence, foster an understanding of the biblical narratives, the insights and challenge of the Gospel, and provide an experience of and reflection on the Christian worldview as it is expressed in Catholic Tradition.
All students in Years 7-9 complete five Religious Education classes per cycle. Years 10-12 complete 4 classes per cycle. During the post compulsory years of VCE students must complete Units 1 and 2 of Religion and Society. These units are entirely assessed at the College during scheduled class time.
Units 3 and 4 of Religion and Society are also offered for students wishing to further their breadth of Religious instruction and theological development.
The College offers a Catholic Schools Youth Ministry Program at Years 10, 11 and 12. This program is an alternative program to the core Religious Education program. It aims to help students:
- Develop and sustain a personal living relationship with Jesus and a strong Catholic identity through on-going formation, discipleship and participation in the life of the Church.
- Commit to sharing the Gospel of Christ in a school setting.
- Develop peer faith formation programs,
- Build bonds of communication and foster solidarity amongst other Catholic Colleges leaving Year 12 post-school Youth Ministry Formation courses.
Students participate in the College Retreat Program as outlined below:
- Year 10 – One day Retreat at the start of the Year 10 Camp Program.
- Year 11 – Two day out of College Retreat “Walking the Same Road” facilitated by The Passionist Retreat Team.
- Year 12 – Three day out of College Retreat “Leadership and Legacy” facilitated by The Passionist Retreat