On
Tuesday evening I attended the launch of This Is Our Faith at St Paul's RC Academy.This Is Our Faith, the
new syllabus for Catholic religious education in Scotland, now governs the
teaching of religious education in Scotland's Catholic schools. This launch
engaged, Teachers, pupils and parents from every Roman Catholic School in the
Diocese of Dunkeld along with parish Priests.
This Is
Our Faith is the first religious education syllabus to be originated wholly
in Scotland and designed to meet the needs of young people in Scotland. The
Holy See's granting of the Decree of Recognitio is a rare and momentous
achievement and pays testimony to the great efforts of so many people who have
contributed to the development of the new syllabus.
This is Our Faith is the document which:
- is the
official guidance which governs the teaching of religious education in
Catholic schools in Scotland
- deals with the
nature of the Catholic school, the purpose of religious education, the
role of the teacher, the 8 Strands of Faith and the 'core learning' in
faith which young people are expected to experience from P1 through to S3
- will help
parents, teachers, catechists and clergy to ensure that young people can:
- develop their
knowledge and understanding of Catholic faith
- nurture
respect for other Christian traditions and world faiths
- experience
opportunities for spiritual growth
- acquire the
skills of reflection, discernment and moral decision-making
- commit to
beliefs, values and actions in a positive response to God’s invitation to
faith.
I think This Is Our Faith is an impressive document which
will not only have an important role in our Catholic Schools but also provide
inspirational resources for teaching and learning for all teachers of Religious
and Moral Education (RME).
