Catholic Education - Elementary
Catholic Education in Hamilton-Wentworth enables all learners to realize the fullness of humanity of which Our Lord Jesus Christ is the model. Students regularly participate in liturgies, masses and the sacraments, and Catholic teachings and Gospel values are authentically integrated across all curriculum areas and throughout all aspects of school life.
Religious Education in the Elementary schools consists of Religion and Family Life programming.
Family Life: The Fully Alive Education Program
The Fully Alive Family Life Education program, sponsored by the Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario, was created to assist parents as the primary educators in the Christian formation of their children. The program encourages students to grow in Christian maturity as they discover the distinctively Catholic view of human life, sexuality, marriage and family.
On-line Parent Resources for each Grade are available at
http://acbo.on.ca/fully-alive/
Parent's Guide to Understanding Family Life Education in Catholic SchoolsKindergarten (JK/SK) - In God’s Image
The Program, sponsored by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, builds on the faith education that parents provide to their young children. The program activities nurture and celebrate the wonder of childhood as a gift and a reflection of the goodness and the beauty of God’s presence in the world.
Born of the Spirit Catechetical Program
Grade 1 – Growing in Faith, Growing in Christ
The Grade 1 Growing in Faith, Growing in Christ program follows the flow of the liturgical year, respecting the different seasons with all the moods and colours found in them.
The program is organized into the following five units:
Unit 1: I Am a Child of God
Unit 2: The Road to Bethlehem
Unit 3: My Life in Jesus
Unit 4: The Story of Lent and Easter
Unit 5: Jesus Is Always with Us
The program features a Student-Home website with videos, songs, bible stories, interactive activities and more – all designed for students and families to explore their faith together.
Log in at:
https://media.pearsoncanada.ca/intl/pec/school/ca_sch_religion_sso/
Please contact your child’s school for Username and Password.
Grade 2 – Growing in Faith, Growing in Christ
The Grade 2 Growing in Faith, Growing in Christ program follows the flow of the liturgical year, respecting the different seasons with all the moods and colours found in them.
The program is organized into the following five units:
Unit 1: We Belong to God’s Family
Unit 2: The Road to Bethlehem
Unit 3: Jesus Guides Us
Unit 4: The Story of Lent and Easter
Unit 5: We Are Blessed in Faith
The program features a Student-Home website with videos, songs, bible stories, interactive activities and more – all designed for students and families to explore their faith together.
Log in at:
https://media.pearsoncanada.ca/intl/pec/school/ca_sch_religion_sso/
Please contact your child’s school for Username and Password.
Grade 3 – Growing in Faith, Growing in Christ
The Grade 3 Growing in Faith, Growing in Christ program follows the flow of the liturgical year, respecting the different seasons with all the moods and colours found in them.
The program is organized into the following units:
Unit 1: Our Catholic Community
Unit 2: The Road to Bethlehem
Unit 3: Born of the Spirit
Unit 4: Our Lenten Journey
Unit 5: The Promise of the Holy Spirit
The program features a Student-Home website with videos, songs, bible stories, interactive activities and more – all designed for students and families to explore their faith together.
Log in at:
https://media.pearsoncanada.ca/intl/pec/school/ca_sch_religion_sso/
Please contact your child’s school for Username and Password.
Grade 4 – Growing in Faith, Growing in Christ
The Grade 4 Growing in Faith, Growing in Christ program follows the flow of the liturgical year, respecting the different seasons with all the moods and colours found in them.
The program is organized into the following units:
Unit 1: Called to Be One
Unit 2: A New Beginning
Unit 3: The Kingdom of God
Unit 4: New Life in Jesus
Unit 5: Building the Kingdom of God
The program features a Student-Home website with videos, songs, bible stories, interactive activities and more – all designed for students and families to explore their faith together.
Log in at:
https://media.pearsoncanada.ca/intl/pec/school/ca_sch_religion_sso/
Please contact your child’s school for Username and Password.
Grade 5 – Growing in Faith, Growing in Christ
The Grade 5 Growing in Faith, Growing in Christ program follows the flow of the liturgical year, respecting the different seasons with all the moods and colours found in them.
The program is organized into the following units:
Unit 1: The Gift of Our Faith
Unit 2: Called to Gather in Faith
Unit 3: Called to live a Moral Life
Unit 4: Celebrating the Paschal Mystery
Unit 5: Rooted in Dignity and Living Our Faith
The program features a Student-Home website with videos, songs, bible stories, interactive activities and more – all designed for students and families to explore their faith together.
Log in at:
https://media.pearsoncanada.ca/intl/pec/school/ca_sch_religion_sso/
Please contact your child’s school for Username and Password.
Grade 6 - Growing in Faith, Growing in Christ
The Grade 6 Growing in Faith, Growing in Christ program follows the flow of the liturgical year, respecting the different seasons with all the moods and colours found in them. The program is organized into the following units:
Unit 1: God Calls Us to Know Him
Unit 2: O Come, Divine Messiah
Unit 3: Answering God’s Call to Serve
Unit 4: Take Up Your Cross
Unit 5: Gather Us Together
The program features a Student-Home website with videos, songs, bible stories, interactive activities and more – all designed for students and families to explore their faith together.
Log in at:
https://media.pearsoncanada.ca/intl/pec/school/ca_sch_religion_sso/
Please contact your child’s school for Username and Password.
Grade 7 - Believe In Me
Students explore the teachings of the Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church to deepen their relationship with God in and through Christ in the context of a Spirit filled community.
This program, sponsored by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, is based on the first part of the Apostles' Creed. Each statement of the Creed is examined in light of the experiences and day-to-day challenges students experience in striving to live as members of the Spirit-filled community we call the Church. Year 7 seeks to help students grow in Christian maturity through discussion of issues they face as young members of the Church, led through the witness and guidance of the teacher.
Grade 8 - Stand By Me
Students explore the teachings of the Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church to deepen and explore their relationship with God, Jesus, and the community of the Holy Spirit.
This program, sponsored by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, continues with the second part of the Apostles' Creed (We believe in the Holy Spirit...). Again, students are invited to examine what it means to live a maturing faith as captured in the second half of the Creed with discussion, reflection on what the Church teaches, prayer and connecting with one's own parish. As is the case with all our religious education programs, the faith life of the teacher will do much to make students' experience of this course meaningful.
Byzantine Catholic Religion Program
Religious Education consists of Religion and Family Life programming. The God With Us Catechetical program, approved and recommended by the Byzantine Catholic Bishops, is taught to students from Junior Kindergarten to Grade Eight. The program encourages students to identify with their heritage as Eastern Christians as they grow in their relationship with Christ.
Catholic Education - Secondary
At the Secondary level, Religion and Family Life Education are integrated into the Religious Studies courses at each grade level. In Grades Nine and Ten, Religion is offered only at the Open level, but in Grades Eleven and Twelve, students can choose to study at either the Open or the Academic level. The Grade Eleven World Religions course, at either level, fulfills the graduation requirement for a Senior Social Science credit, and the Academic level Grade Twelve (HRT 4M) course can be counted as one of the six courses necessary for admission to university.
Grade 9 - Discipleship and Culture (Open Religion - HRE 101)
Course Description:
This course engages students in the examination of the Christian narrative as revealed in Sacred Scripture. Students are invited to a deeper understanding of both the joy and the demands of living out the call to discipleship as it is described in the Scriptures. Students explore discipleship as encountered in the Sacred Tradition of the Church (Sacraments, Liturgical Year and Church Teaching and Law), as part of their ongoing personal growth and faith understanding. Students explore Catholic rituals, teaching, practice, morals and values, and virtues to facilitate a healthy and covenantal relationship with self, God and with others. Using theological reflection, they are challenged to explore the connections and disconnections of ethical concepts (euthanasia, abortion, sexuality, etc.) between the Church and contemporary culture. The course focuses on encouraging students to know and love by following in the footsteps of Jesus. As they learn of his words and deeds, they discover the importance of prayerfully serving the community to bring about the Reign of God.
Pre-requisite: None
Grade 10 - Christ and Culture (Open Religion - HRE 201)
Course Description:
This course both invites and challenges the adolescent to personalize the Gospel values and social justice principles that guide Catholics in understanding their role in shaping culture as disciples of Jesus. Students will explore such foundational topics as: what it means to be human, created in God’s image, what is culture, Christ and culture, living together in solidarity, social justice, prayer and sacrament, friendship and intimacy. Connections between the living Church and contemporary culture are explored in terms of what it means to be a responsible Christian adolescent in a secularized, pluralistic world.
Pre-requisite: None
Grade 11 - Faith and Culture: World Religion (Open Religion - HRF 301)
Course Description:
This course engages students in the examination of world religions, particularly Judaism, Christianity and Islam, First Nations, Métis and Inuit Spiritualties’, and locally appropriate religious tradition(s), if suitable. This is a survey course that will help students understand the basic similarities and differences between the religious traditions so they can interact with others with acceptance and familiarity. Ontario is a multi-faith global community. Students will deepen their understanding of the various faith traditions in their local community and around the world.
Pre-requisite: None
Grade 11 - Faith and Culture: World Religions (University / College - HRT 3M1)
Course Description:
This course engages students in the examination of world religions, particularly Judaism, Christianity, Islam and the First Nations, Métis and Inuit Spiritualities and a locally appropriate religious tradition. This is a survey course that will help students understand the basic similarities and differences between the religious traditions so they can interact with others with acceptance and familiarity. We live in a multi-faith global community. With the knowledge of this course, students ought to be able to understand more clearly the world’s religious affairs.
Prerequisite: Grade 10, Religious Education, HRE 2O or Grade 10 English, Academic or Grade 10 English, Applied
Grade 12 - Church and Culture (Open Religion - HRE 401)
Course Description:
This course has the aim of assisting students in understanding themselves as moral persons living the way of Christ through an examination of the revelation of sacred Scripture, and the experience and teaching of the Catholic Church. It engages students in critical reflection on significant contemporary moral and ethical issues in light of Scripture, Church teaching, and their own experiences (i.e., Theological Reflection). Social and ecological justice issues are explored along with a study of topics that focus on Christian mercy and forgiveness. The graces and challenges of every day human living, understanding who we are, what we are called to be, and living in relationships, including marriage, and family life are explored from a Catholic perspective. Students are challenged to adopt the Christian stance in the political world.
Pre-requisite: none
Grade 12 - Church and Culture (University / College - HRE 4M1 )
Course Description:
This course enables students to deepen their understanding of how the Church engages contemporary culture with faith and reason, in pursuit of love, justice, and the common good. Students will have opportunity to learn how living the Baptismal vocation to a virtuous life, filled with the joy of the Gospel and nurtured by the sacraments, can transform them and society from within, allowing God to reign in human hearts. Students will also refine research and inquiry skills.
Pre-requisite: HRE 3M or any university or university/college preparation course in social sciences and humanities, English, or Canadian and World Studies