Faith and Values

Letter from Bishop Murray

Dear Parents,

Catholic education is a primary mission of the Church. Religious education is how we pass our Catholic heritage from one generation to the next. Nowhere is that more evident than in our Catholic schools.

Catholic schools remain an important mission of our Church, our parishes and of me, personally. Catholic schools accomplish what no other schools can. They teach the Catholic faith to our children in the most effective way through integration into each subject area. Students receive daily instruction and are challenged to practice their faith in the school environment. Catholic schools build upon the religious education that begins in the home. Catholic schools develop hearts as well as minds through Gospel values, character formation and Catholic faith experiences.

Catholic Schools of Greater Kalamazoo will continue to proclaim the vision of Jesus and the mission of the Catholic Church through an unparalleled school system that nurtures an attitude of life-long learning, commitment and service to our church and civic community. I encourage you to discover what the Catholic Schools of Greater Kalamazoo or a Catholic school near you can do for your children.

With my prayers for you, your family, and our Catholic community, I remain,

James A. Murray
Bishop of Kalamazoo

Catholic Diocese of Kalamazoo Religion Curriculum

The Religion Curriculum contains clear expectations for religious education achievement standards as well as specific Catholic doctrine relating to each standard. Faith in the Catholic tradition is formed primarily in the family, and Catholic schools and parish religious education programs support families by providing programs of systematic catechesis.

The religious education achievement standards, developed around the four pillars of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, are the same for each grade. These standards provide the instructional framework for the content of our faith:

1. Present an understanding of the human need for God based on revelation and faith.
2. Read, understand, interpret and apply Scripture to life.
3. Illustrate a basic understanding of doctrine and dogma in light of the Creed.
4. Recognize the Trinity as God.
5. Illustrate a basic understanding of Church.
6. Demonstrate an appreciation for faith community as the primary way we come to know God.
7. Exercise responsible stewardship for the gift of creation.
8. Demonstrate the importance of sacraments, with an emphasis on the centrality of the Eucharist, in the life of Catholics.
9. Examine a variety of Christian vocations as a response to the Baptismal call.
10. Acknowledge and affirm the dignity of the human person and community.
11. Apply Catholic principles to interpersonal relations.
12. Know, critique and apply social justice principles to personal and societal situations.
13. Engage in services to the community (e.g., family, parish, local, national and global) in response to the Gospel call.
14. Develop a moral conscience informed by Church teachings.
15. Know and participate in the Catholic tradition of prayer.
    

Liturgy

• Hackett Catholic Central High School
  Mass is celebrated daily at 7:20 a.m. in the chapel. All-school Mass is celebrated monthly and on holy days.

• St. Augustine
  Students at St. Augustine School worship together at weekly Mass every Thursday morning at 8:45 a.m. Weeks which include a holy day of obligation or other special event may have a different schedule.

• St. Monica
  Students at St. Monica School attend Mass each Friday at 8 a.m. Weeks which include a holy day of obligation or other special event will have a different schedule.

Service and Stewardship
Service projects vary by school and may include Loaves and Fishes, the Giving Tree Project, Red Cross Blood Drives, gifts and letters to parish shut-ins, landscaping and ground clean-up, Ministry with Community, the clothing drives, and visits to Dillon Hall, Fontbonne Manor and other nursing home facilities.

Students at Hackett Catholic Central High School are required to complete 80 hours of service over the course of their four years. In addition, many of the extra-curricular clubs and organizations have a service component as part of their charters.

Mission Statement
In partnership with parents, we provide the Kalamazoo-area community a Catholic faith-based education that focuses on high achievement, a caring environment and responsible sharing of time, talent and treasure.

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