Through the RE curriculum and the school retreat program, our young people cover the following topics:
- Citizens of Heaven- S3 students learn about the meaning of the kingdom of God and what it means to pray ‘Thy Kingdom Come’ in relation to our own lives. Pupils consider the vocation of the baptised to be salt and light and learn how the Beatitudes exemplify how we can be happy by living in communion with God.
- Belief on God- Beginning with evaluating the values of secularism and humanism, pupils analyse the classical philosophical arguments for the existence of God.
- Discipleship- Pupils build on the philosophy learned in topic 1 by studying the lives of the saints and the calling of the apostles. Pupils discover what it means to be a follower of God revealed in the person of Jesus.
- Sacraments of Healing- building on learning about the sacraments of initiation in S1, pupils deepen their understanding of the sacraments of penance and anointing of the sick.
- October Devotions- The Holy Rosary
- The Papacy ‘On this Rock’- focus on the four marks of the Church, the Deposit of Faith, Sacred Scripture and Tradition and the Papacy. Pupils also study the life, ministry and martyrdom of St Peter, the first Pope.
- Holy Souls Insert- Including November Service
- Advent- In order to understand the significance of the incarnation, the young people engage in research on the Abrahamic, Noaic and Mosaic Covenants, tracking the features of Sacrifice, Promises and Signs. Pupils then apply these to the New and Eternal Covenant in order to understand the significance of Jesus’ earthly mission. Pupils also revise the features of the sacred liturgy during the Advent season.
- Christmas- Pupils research and present on the major feasts of Christmastide.
- Kingdom of God (RBV4)- Building on learning about the kingdom of God in the life of the individual, pupils learn about the building of the Kingdom of God in society, Catholic Social Teaching and the Social Reign of Christ the King. By considering the nature and ethics of charity, pupils have the opportunity to achieve the SQA Religion Belief and Values Certificate, Level 4.
- Sikhism- Pupils learn about the key beliefs and practices of Sikhism and compare and contrast them to Catholicism.
- Ash Wednesday and Lent inserts- Stations of the Cross and Triduum Retreat
- The Passion of Christ- this unit enables pupils to build on their understanding of Jesus as the Messiah and his mission or redemption. They will work together to match Old Testament prophesies concerning the suffering and death of the Messiah with their fulfillment in the Gospels. Pupils have the opportunity to respond to what they have learned in times of prayer.
- The Resurrection- Pupils examine reasons to believe in the bodily resurrection of Jesus and the events which surround it in the Gospels. There is an opportunity to reflect on the road to Emmaus and how we too experience Jesus in the ‘breaking of bread’- the Holy Eucharist.
- Imitating the Immaculate Heart of Mary- a deeper look at devotion to Mary through looking at our School Patron- the Immaculate Heart. Pupils learn about the role of Our Lady in the Church, the Liturgy and devotions and engage in May devotions during class.
- Called to Love- God’s plan for human relationships.
More information about the content of the course can be viewed in the S3 RE PLP May 2021
Young people develop their skills for life, learning and work through their experience of the RE curriculum as well as experiencing opportunities for personal and spiritual growth and formation. Pupils are expected to put their faith learning into practice by participating in the liturgical and charitable life of the school.
