Religious Education
Through St Michael’s School Religious Education programme, children grow in knowledge of the Catholic faith and experience an invitation to deepen their relationship with God and to be active members of their faith community.
The development of children’s faith (beliefs, attitudes, knowledge, and participation in parish life) is primarily the responsibility of parents and carers. The school supports parents and carers in their role by providing the Religious Education programme.
The programme adopted by St Michael’s is the Brisbane Diocesan Religious Education Guidelines, which is formally taught from Prep to Year 6.
Parents are very welcome to be a part of the Religious Education programme in the school. There are a number of ways this can be done:
- Talking to your children about what they are learning in class
- Attending class and school liturgies and celebrations
- Talking to teachers at parent-teacher interviews about your child’s progress in Religious Education.
Formal reporting on your child’s progress in Religious Education is based on knowledge, skills and understanding of content taught.
Our community is made up of a wide variety of faiths and beliefs. It is through our shared dialogue that our own faith is nourished and deepened. We encourage our students and parents to share with us understandings of their own personal faith backgrounds and traditions. This sharing will help develop students’ understanding and appreciation of the global community and increase their capacity to be active and informed citizens, working together to build a harmonious community.
Liturgies
Liturgies and Eucharistic Liturgies are advertised through the school newsletter. It is our expectation and a condition of enrolment that all students fully participate in all activities. Parents and friends are warmly invited to share in these celebrations.
Prayer
The development of the value of prayer is an important part of educating young Christian people. This is easier to achieve when children experience prayer in the home environment as well. Care is taken to ensure that children are encouraged and led to an appreciation and practice of prayer in such a way that they feel free to develop at their own rate and in their own particular way.
Within that general aim the school:
- Teaches the formal prayers of the Church
- Encourages informal prayer (spontaneous)
- Makes provision for the Sacrament of Reconciliation to be celebrated
- Provides a quiet time each day for children
- Provides a regular prayer time each day
Hymn Practice
Hymn practice is held occasionally. These practices provide our students with the necessary preparation for liturgies and school celebrations. Full participation in these is a school expectation. All students will be encouraged to be actively involved in the spiritual life of the school.
Sacramental Programme
Children are eligible for First Reconciliation, Confirmation and First Eucharist in Year 4. A Parish-based Sacramental programme is available to families. To enquire about the Sacramental Programme, please contact the Parish Secretary.
Social Action and Justice
Being made in the image and likeness of God, comes with the inherit rights and duties to ensure and preserve the dignity of all. Each year St Michael’s promotes empathy and solidarity by supporting various causes that promote the common good, help the poor, increase awareness and promote peace. Various causes that we have supported in the past include St Vincent de Paul Christmas Food Drive, Cancer Foundation, Leukemia Foundation, Caritas and Project Compassion, Catholic Missions and Socktober. As a school we cannot do everything, but we do try to support and promote those causes that connect with our community.
Stewardship
Our view of stewardship is that we are co-creators with God and, as stewards, we are charged with cultivating and caring for creation. In our responsibility as stewards of creation, together as one school community we care for our school environment, classrooms and spaces to reflect a sense of the sacredness of creation. We encourage our students to be active and productive participants in the life of society.
