Religious Education Program

The Canadian catechetical program builds in stages on the essential childhood education in faith that families provide.  The various levels of the program seek to provide a progressive and systematic presentation of the faith.  They are an initiation into a lifetime of growing in faith.

The CDSBEO Religious Education Program begins in Kindergarten with the “In God’s Image” unit. This curriculum:

• Affirms the child in all areas of his or her growth, and celebrates the wonder of child-hood as a trace of God;
• Uses the metaphor “a trace of God” to express how the activities, growth and very being of the child are gifts and reminders of God; and
• Nurtures the faith of  learners as they discover themselves in the traces of the goodness and the beauty of God.

In grades 1 through 3, students participate in the Growing in Faith, Growing in Christ program. Students in grades 4 through 6 continue to participate in the Born in the Spirit program. The programs are approved by the Episcopal Commission for Christian Education, Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.

In grades 7 to 9, the catechetical programs of the “We Are Strong Together” series have been written and produced by the National Office of Religious Education of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. The programs are approved by the Episcopal Commission for Christian Education, Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.

For secondary students, the major areas of study in Religious Education courses are organized into five strands, which are integrated in a variety of teaching strategies:

• Sacred Scripture
• Profession of Faith
• Christian Moral Development
• Prayer / Sacramental Life
• Family Life Education

 

For a complete description and overview of the Religious Education program by grade, please view the Scope and Sequence documents posted on this page under Resource Downloads.