Religion in the Classroom

In the Religion department at De La Salle College, the Religion program is a tool for evangelization of the young delivered in the context of an academically rigorous program.

In the Junior school (gr.5-8) students will have a full Religion period every day as a part of their core classes. In this program they will study the Creed, the Sacraments, Prayer, the Church, and end with a thorough introductory study of the Scriptures in gr.8.

In the Upper School, religion is a full credit course in each of the 4 years. Each year has a different focus (Introduction to Catholicism, Morality, Church History, and Philosophy) so that by the end of their 4 years, student ought to have a clear understanding of the path to salvation in the Catholic Tradition.

Students will encounter faculty that take the faith seriously and will be given an opportunity to engage the world with a Catholic worldview, while developing a basic theological competence of the Catholic tradition and their relationship with God. It is our hope that students will be given an opportunity to nurture their faith and reason to perceive the truth of God, themselves, others, and the world.

Junior School

Students in grades 5-8 receive religious instruction every day. In grades 5-7, students use the “Faith and Life” series to examine foundational aspects of the Catholic Tradition. Students in grade 8 follow the Didache Series which takes a more mature look into the Catholic Faith.

Grade 5

In grade 5, students become familiar with the Apostles Creed, and the Call to Holiness for all Christian.

Grade 6

In grade 6, students become familiar with the Old Testament – specifically the story of Moses and the 10 Commandments as well as a journey through the New Testament with a focus on the Beatitudes and the Passion Of Jesus Christ. There is also an in depth study of the Holy Mass.

Grade 7

In grade 7, students take a deeper dive into the Old Testament learning about the main historical figures in our Salvation History as pointing towards the Incarnation of the Messiah. The course also includes learning about the Church and the Sacraments.

Grade 8

In grade 8 students take a look at the Scriptures as a whole moving from the Old to the New Testaments.

Senior School

Grade 9

Grade 9 is a major entry year at De La Salle, therefore, students are reintroduced to a foundational course that offers a wholesome overview of Catholic faith. Students will get introduced to the life and work of St. John Baptiste de La Salle, and get a strong catechesis on the Trinity, the Paschal Mystery, the Church, and the Sacraments.

Grade 10

In grade 10 students will develop an understanding of the principles of Catholic morality in the context of a vital and loving relationship with the Triune God, in the communion of the Church. Students will learn the fundamentals of Catholic moral theology with specific reference to the sanctity and dignity of the human person, human freedom, sin, participation in the moral law and the life of grace.

Grade 11

In grade 11, students will take the year to familiarize themselves with the History of the Catholic Church right from the very beginning through to the Enlightenment period. This course enables students to discover the traditions, beliefs and historical development of the Roman Catholic Church.

Grade 12

In their final year, grade 12, students will complete a university preparatory course in philosophy. Defined broadly, philosophy is the use of human reason to understand—in the deepest and widest sense—ourselves, others, and reality; and act in accordance with this understanding. It seeks to discern the basic structure of all that is, and lay bare the ultimate causes of reality. It evaluates the presuppositions of other disciplines, including the natural and social sciences. It attempts to answer the most fundamental questions, e.g., Are truth, goodness, and beauty relative? What constitutes human flourishing? Is there such a thing as the soul? Why is there something rather than nothing? Does God exist? It is nothing less than the love of wisdom achievable through reason.

This course will focus on the Catholic philosophical tradition. This does not mean that other philosophical traditions will be ignored, but it does mean that special attention will be given to the Aristotelian-Thomistic tradition, and it also means that special attention will be given to the relationship between faith and reason. We will therefore follow St. Anselm’s fides quaerens intellectum (faith seeking understanding), all the while acknowledging the legitimate autonomy of philosophy, a work of reason through and through.

Retreats

As per past years, each grade will be scheduled to attend a retreat during the school year. This year, we are introducing a new retreat program theme called, The Hero’s Journey. This concept is a common story structure (twelve stages) that screenwriters use to share the story of the hero – a character who is called out of their ordinary world to go on an adventure, complete a mission, and return home transformed. This formula is very similar to God’s calling and purpose for each of us in our own lives. We are all called to live a “Hero’s Journey.”

Retreat Program

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Religion in the Classroom

Our Religious Program

Junior School

Junior School

Grade 5

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Grade 8

Senior School

Grade 9

Grade 10

Grade 11

Grade 12

Retreats

Spark the Spirit