Religious Education

Time allocations for the Religious Education programme are as set down by the New Zealand Catholic Bishops’ Conference:

 Years 1 & 2         1 hour 40 minutes per week        5 x20 minutes

Years 3 & 4         1 hour 40 minutes                         5 x 20 or 4×25 minutes

Years 5 & 6         2 hours                                          4 x 30

In addition to teaching the content of the RE programme, teachers at Marist Catholic School develop in their classrooms a sense of God and the Jesus and Mary, through daily classroom prayer, participation on Masses, assemblies and liturgical celebrations.

Family Whānau Book 

This book is now available online at www.faithalive.org.nz. All families are expected to read and use the Family Whānau book which provides information to support the Religious Education programme in the home. The Principal and Director of Religious Studies send home reminders via the school newsletter when new strands are being started.

Student Religious Education Book

These books will provide an important link between the home and the school. They are sent home regularly and parents are encouraged to discuss the learning activities with the children and to write a comment at the end of each strand. The books are given high priority in terms of presentation, quality of work, quality of teacher monitoring and home/school links. 

Curriculum Content

The expected learning in Religious Education is spread through six Learning Strands and four Learning Modules.  These contain the basic content areas to be covered in Religious Education.

The Learning Strands

All the Learning Strands are connected and they are designed to increase systematically the students’ knowledge and skills in Religious Education and to help them develop Christian attitudes and values.

 There are six Learning Strands:

GOD – TE ATUA – I0 MATUA KORE JESUS CHRIST – HEHU KARAITI

Year 1     God is Creator

Year 2    Our Gracious

Year 3    God is Present in the World

Year 4    God is Love

Year 5   God is Faithful

Year 6   Who is God?

Year 1     Jesus – My Friend

Year 2    Jesus Showed his Love in Different Ways

Year 3    Jesus Gives himself in the Eucharist

Year 4  Jesus Came to Show People How to Live and Lead them to God

Year 5   The Life of Jesus

Year 6   Jesus – the Fullness of God’s Revelation

THE HOLY SPIRIT – TE WAIRUA TAPU

CHURCH – Community of Disciples -TE WHANAU A TE KARAITI

Year 1   God the Holy Spirit

Year 2   The Holy Spirit in people’s lives

Year 3   The Fruits of the Holy Spirit

Year 4   Pentecost

Year 5   Titles and Symbols of the Holy Spirit

Year 6   Baptism and the Holy Spirit

Year 1   Belonging

Year 2 Gathering, Celebrating, Living, God’s Presence

Year 3   Called to be Like Jesus

Year 4   Called to Service

Year 5   The Church Celebrates

Year 6   The Church as a Pilgrim People

SACRAMENT – HAKARAMETA

COMMUNION OF SAINTS – TE KOTAHITANGA O TE HUNGA TAPU

Year 1   Holiness

Year 2   Welcome

Year 3   Forgiveness 

Year 4   Food for Life

Year 5   Healing

Year 6   Confirmed in the Spirit

Year 1     Mary

Year 2    Saints and Inspiring People

Year 3   Life, Death and Christian Hope

Year 4   Choices

Year 5   Saints and Inspiring People

Year 6   Mary

 The Learning Modules

These Modules are used at the appropriate times of the year and are essential learning material.

The Learning Modules are:

 THE LITURGICAL YEAR– TE TAU ME ONA RITENGA TAPU

The Liturgical Seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent, Holy Week, Easter and important feast days of the Liturgical Calendar.

 PRAYER – TE KARAKIA

§         Introducing Children to Prayer

§         Traditional and Devotional Prayer

§         Imaginative Prayer and Meditation

 SACRAMENTAL CELEBRATIONS – NGA RITENGA HAKARAMETA

This Module is a resource used to support the Sacramental Preparation in the Parish.

 MYSELF AND OTHERS – KO AU KO, RATOU

This Module is a resource used in conjunction with the Health Curriculum when teaching Strands A, B and D.  This Module helps to teach the Health Curriculum from a Catholic perspective.