Religion Department
As disciples of Jesus Christ, we in the St. Francis High School Religion Department are called to continue His mission in the Church by proclaiming the Gospel to our students. Rooted in the Roman Catholic tradition and the charism of St. Francis of Assisi, the department seeks to make the Reign of God present through the cultivation of faith among our students. By following the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB) standards and the religious traditions of the Catholic faith, our students are challenged by the Franciscan values and charism, and they are mindful of an intellectual tradition that emphasizes reverence for creation, compassion, and peacemaking. Working with the office of Pastoral Ministry, we hope to evangelize our students with the Gospel in order to send them forth as disciples of Jesus Christ into the world.
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Credit: 1 units
Eligible Grade Level: 10
Prerequisite: None
The purpose of this course is to help students understand all that God has done through Jesus and through the Church. During Semester 1, the students will discover how God wants us to share eternal happiness, which is accomplished through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Students will realize that they share in this redemption and be challenged to integrate this into their everyday lives. During Semester 2, they will discover that the Church was founded by Christ through the Apostles and is sustained by him through the Holy Spirit. The students will come to know that the Church is the living Body of Christ today. This Body has both divine and human elements, and the students will identify themselves as a part of the Body of Christ.
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Credit: .5 units
Prerequisite: None
This course is devoted to exploring the history of Christianity and discovering how our heritage of faith is lived from day to day. The Christian faith has always challenged its adherents to live lives of integrity and fidelity to the Gospel call of Jesus Christ. The course focuses on this struggle for integrity by examining the major events and movements of our faith, from its origins to the present day. With research into the past and extensive discussion of the issues facing the church today, we will work to gain insight about how we might live our faith more fully in the future.
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Credit: .5 units
Prerequisite: None
This course explores the Franciscan Intellectual Tradition in light of our journey of faith, identifying who we are, and the challenge of becoming all we are meant to be in Jesus Christ. In the tradition of Saints Francis and Clare of Assisi and other spiritual classics and saints, and in light of scripture, Roman Catholic theology and Christian tradition, students will critically reflect on the implications of a life lived in relationship with Christ. By understanding our horizons and perspectives as young adults, the students will be challenged to think in new ways about faith.
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Credit: 1 units
Eligible Grade Level: 9
Prerequisite: None
The purpose of this course is to give students a foundational understanding of God’s Revelation to humanity. During Semester 1, students will gain general knowledge and appreciation of Sacred Scriptures, becoming familiar with the major sections of the Bible and the books included in each section. Particular attention will be given to the stories of the Old Testament, and the many ways that God’s call and promise is revealed in these texts. During Semester 2, students will be introduced to the mystery of Jesus Christ, God’s ultimate Revelation to humanity. Particular attention will be given to the Gospels, learning about who Jesus is and about who He calls them to be.
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Credit: 1.0 unit
Eligible Grade Level: 11
Prerequisite: None
The purpose of this course is to help students understand what it means to live a life of holiness. During Semester 1, students will learn that they can encounter Christ today in a full and real way through the sacraments, and especially through the Eucharist. Students will examine each of the sacraments in detail and discover how they may encounter God through the sacramentality of life. During Semester 2, students will learn how they might live fully according to God’s plan revealed through Christ. Students will learn the moral concepts and precepts that shape our character and the way we live and behave as Disciples of Christ.
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Credit: .5 units
Prerequisite: None
Based on a Franciscan approach this course explores peace and justice principles of the Church. Using the prayer of St. Francis as a model, this course will challenge students to consider how peace and justice teachings, rooted in Scripture, apply in the world today. While exploring Catholic Social Teaching, students will be asked to examine the Church’s perspective and response to justice issues that affect the modern world. Taking into consideration prayer, Scripture, Catholic Social Teaching and Franciscan theology, students will critically reflect, respond and apply the principles taught in class to their own lives and worldviews.
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Credit: .5 units
Prerequisite: Overall GPA of 3.5 by the end of semester 1 of junior year, consent of the instructor.
This course responds to the Vatican II document “Declaration on the Relation of the church with non-Christian Religions” (Nostra Aetate) calling for a mutual understanding between Catholics and other religious traditions. In this course, the student will develop an understanding and appreciation of the religions Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, and Islam. The student will investigate each religion’s founder, basic history, beliefs, actions, sacred places and times. The student will also recognize the need for better understanding and dialogue between faith traditions, and they will be equipped to foster relationships and appreciation with those who express faith in a different manner.
