Requirements for St. Joseph's Junior High Religious Education Program 

In both 7th and 8th grade, students are expected to complete
two 6-class session programs.
~ For 7th grade: Jesus and the Gospel Message and Sacraments.
~ For 8th grade are: Church History and Morality.

All 7th and 8th graders are also required to complete
two 2-class or one 3 hour session:
~ For 7th grade are: Personal Growth and Human Sexuality.
~ For 8th grade are: Prayer and Relationships.

In addition 7th and 8th graders are required to attend
one Reconciliation Service and one Instructional Mass each year.

To apply for the Confirmation Program offered in 9th grade, a student must have completed all of these requirements.

PERSONAL GROWTH II: The Human Community

THEME: Developing relationships with others and God is essential to becoming our true selves.

OBJECTIVES:  To help the young adolescent understand the elements which are essential to developing positive relationships. To help the young adolescent understand that true community is built on honest, loving and respectful relationship.

CHURCH HISTORY: The Journey of the Catholic Church.

THEME:  Jesus’ life and mission continue through the Church, the community of believers called by God and empowered by the Spirit to be the sign of the Kingdom of God.

OBJECTIVES:  To deepen the young adolescent’s knowledge of the history of the Church. To lead the young adolescent to a fuller participation in the life and mission of the Church.

MORALITY:  The Journey in Christian Living.

THEME:  Through our relationship with Jesus, we grow in an ever-deepening awareness of who God is, who we are, and how God calls us to live. Catholic Christian morality gives direction to our response to God’s call.

OBJECTIVES: To help the young adolescent grow in an understanding of the moral responsibilities arising from one’s relationship with Jesus. To help the young adolescent understand what conscience is and how to form his or her conscience according to the Catholic faith. To help the young adolescent learn basic concepts of morality and develop skills for moral decision-making. To enable the young adolescent to recognize the role of the Spirit and the witness and guidance of the Catholic Christian community in moral living.

PRAYER: The Journey in Friendship with God

THEME:  Prayer is an expression of our awareness of and response to God’s presence, love, goodness, and saving power.

OBJECTIVES:  To assist the young adolescent to grow in a desire for and appreciation of prayer as essential to the Christian life. To help the young adolescent, through the presentation and experience of a variety of prayer forms, to develop the ability to pray.

RITE OF CHRISTIAN IINIATION FOR TEENS (RCIT): Presents the Fundamental Beliefs and Practices of the Catholic Faith.

THEME: To foster faith development.

OBJECTIVES: Knowledge of basic Catholic beliefs, which are Trinitarian, Christocentric, and Ecclesial. Identification with Jesus and the Church. Interaction with the Church community, Personal reflection and Prayer experiences.