Religious Education Standards


The religion standards and benchmarks serve as guidelines for equipping the people and parishes for making Jesus Christ known and loved and for proclaiming the Gospel in this time and place. These standards draw together the magisterial teachings and directives related to catechesis, including the Catechism of the Catholic Church, General Directory for Catechesis, Our Hearts Are Burning Within Us, and the National Directory for Catechesis and best

practices of teaching and the human sciences. In particular, the standards are based on the six fundamental tasks of catechesis (knowledge of the faith, liturgical formation, moral education, teaching to pray, community life and missionary initiation). The benchmarks correspond to the knowledge,

skills and practices appropriate to the various developmental phases in relation to that desired in a mature adult Catholic. The standards and benchmarks, in conjunction with the other guidelines and resources offered through Catholic Education and Formation Ministries, provide a consistent framework for religious education and faith formation processes at the parishes and Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

 

Standard One—Promoting Knowledge of Faith

A. Know, love and be in relationship with Jesus.

B. Explore Scripture as Hearers and doers of the Word

C. Understand the major teaching of Catholicism.

D. Know the Church’s teaching on the dignity of the human person in its social doctrine, including respect-life teaching.

E. Learn the richness of the Church’s tradition and understand Church history.

F. Learn the meaning and practical relevance of current Church teachings as presented by the Pope, diocesan bishop, Vatican congregations, and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

 

Standard Two—Liturgical Education

A. Understand, live, and bear witness to the suffering death, and resurrections of Jesus, celebrated and communicated through sacramental life of the Church.

B. Understand church doctrine on the Eucharist and other Sacraments.

C. Acquire the spirituality, skills, and habits of full, conscious, and active participation in the liturgy.

D. Value the dignity and responsibility of Christian baptism

E. Understand the roles of the laity and ordained in liturgical celebrations.

F. Understand and participate in the Church’s daily prayer, Liturgy of the hours, and learn to pray the Psalms.

 

Standard Three—Moral Formation

A. Understand the “Great Commandment” of Jesus.

B. Understand the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes and moral teachings of the Church and live according to them.

C. Understand the dignity, destiny, freedom, and responsibility of each person.

D. Understand the meaning and nature of sin and the power of God’s grace to overcome it.

E. Learn how to acquire and follow a well-formed conscience

F. Promote the Gospel of Life so that respecting life from conception until natural death is honored in personal behavior, public policy, and I the expressed values and attitudes of our society.

G. Live a lifestyle reflecting scriptural values.

 

Standard Four—Teaching to Pray

A. Become familiar with the diverse forms and expressions of Christian prayer, with special attention to the Our Father, the prayer which Jesus taught his disciples and which is the model for all Christian prayer.

B. Experience and appreciate the richness of the Catholic tradition of mysticism and contemplation.

C. Develop a regular pattern of personal prayer and spiritual reflection, recognizing vocal prayer, meditation, and contemplative prayer as basic and fruitful practices in the life of a disciple of Jesus Christ.

D. Engage in shared prayer with others, especially family prayer, as well as at parish meetings and in small communities of faith.

E. Recognize and encourage practice of popular piety and devotion that help believers express and strengthen their faith in Jesus Christ.

 

Standard Five—Education for Community Life

A. Foster spiritual growth in community.

B. Cultivate human values and Christian virtues that foster growth in interpersonal relationships and in civic responsibility.

C. Nurture marriage and family life.

D. Share actively in the life and work of the parish, and foster the potential of small communities to deepen the faith relationships or members, to strengthen the bonds of communion with the parish, and to serve the Church’s mission in society.

E. Understand the Church’s teaching on the nature and mission of the Church, including an understanding of the Church’s authority and structures and of the rights and responsibilities of the Christian faithful.

F. Support the ecumenical  movement and promote the unity of God’s people as an important dimension of fidelity to the Gospel.

 

Standard Six—Missionary Initiation

A. Cultivate an evangelizing spirit among all the Faithful.

B. Respond to God’s call whether as a lay person, ordained, or vowed religious.

C. Encourage, motivate, and equip the faithful to speak to others about scripture, tradition, and teachings of the church.

D. Explore and promote the applications of the Church’s moral and social teachings.

E. Understand the importance of serving those in need, promoting the common good, and working for the transformation of society through personal and social action.

F. Appreciate the value of inter-religious dialogue and contacts

 

 

If you would like to see further breakdown by grade level of these standards, please feel free to call the Faith Formation Office.  651-257-0694 ext4.