From the REC
First Reading: Exodus 24:3-8; Covenant between God and the Israelites is sealed in blood.
Second Reading: Hebrews 9:11-15; The blood of Christ purifies us.
Gospel: Mark 14:12-16, 22-26; Jesus took bread, broke it and shared it.
Celebrating being Marist - Champagnat Day
Our Marist Characteristics.
All Marist schools live out these five characteristics: In the Way of Mary, Presence, Simplicity, Love of work and Family spirit.
As we lead up to Champagnat Day, each week Monday Moring Prayer and Reflection has focused on each of these. These characteristics inform us about ‘how and why we do things around here’
You may be wondering what these characteristics mean.
The Five Characteristics of being a Marist:
- PRESENCE
We care for young people
We are attentive and welcoming
We earn the trust of others and we foster openness - SIMPLICITY
We are genuine and straightforward
We say what we believe and show it
We are honest before God and ourselves
We seek humility and modesty, ‘to do good quietly’
We use simplicity in our teaching - FAMILY SPIRIT
We relate to each other and to young people in our care as the members of a loving family
We undertake to build community
We share life’s successes and failures
We set clear standards of honesty, mutual respect and tolerance
We believe in each student’s innate goodness, not confusing the person with their actions
We give preferential attention to those whose needs are greatest
We encourage leadership based on collaboration and shared responsibility - LOVE OF WORK
We are people of work, ready to ‘roll up our sleeves’
We work with total confidence in God
We are generous of heart, constant and persevering in our daily work
We encourage our students to discover the dignity of work, a source of self- fulfilment
We view work as a way to bring purpose and meaning to life
We seek to develop strong character and resilience, balanced moral conscience and solid values
We foster motivation and teamwork
- IN THE WAY OF MARY
We see Mary as a perfect model of the Marist educator – as an exemplar of the Christian life, as mother, as one who praised God
We see Mary as a woman on a journey of Faith
We believe Mary had a difficult life and had ‘dust on her feet’
We consciously bring a Marial dimension to our teaching by prayer, imitating Mary’s tenderness, strength and constancy of faith
All of these help us to "make Jesus known and loved".
Last week, I included the Religious Education Strand Statements. This week, I am including the new unit overviews.
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Year 7 Affirming Human Dignity |
Scripture teaches that we are all made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:27). This belief informs much of the Catholic Church’s social and moral teaching and shapes our understanding of human relationships. In this unit students will be encouraged to deepen their understanding of the human person; the inherent dignity and equality of all people and Christian moral decision making. |
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Year 8 Alive in Christ |
Every baptised person has an ongoing responsibility to follow Jesus’ way of life in their thoughts, words and actions. In this unit students will investigate the counter-cultural nature of Jesus’ ministry and how his actions reflect the love of God. They will reflect upon the call to be an authentic witness to a life of faith. |
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Year 9 Biblical Writing |
In this unit students will explore the Bible as the unfolding story of our relationship with God by examining the Bible as a collection of sacred books which contain the truth of God’s revelation as written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. They will become familiar with a range of literary forms in both the Old and New Testaments. Students will read passages in the contexts in which they were written, explaining their features and purpose to interpret the whole message of the Scriptures with a view to its heart and mystery. |
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Year 10 Ecumenism and Interfaith Dialogue
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Though all religions seek to understand and make sense of the world and our place in it, they each have a distinct set of beliefs and practices that help their believers to do so. This unit allows students to explore the emergence of diverse expressions that exist within Christianity and the beliefs and practices of the Abrahamic traditions. Students will also be encouraged to develop an appreciation of the importance of ecumenical and interfaith dialogue as ways for religious believers to work together in promoting understanding and acceptance. |