Becoming+the+Best+Version+of+Yourself

Welcome to the home page for 6th, 7th, & 8th grade religion. On this site, students and parents will find helpful information on events, activities, and programs of junior high religion classes at St. Mary's School.

Why spend so much time and energy on religion at St. Mary's?

===//Every day, we (the Catholic Church) feed more people, house more people, clothe more people, care for more sick people, visit more prisoners, educate more students than any other institution on the planet. (Four Signs of a Dynamic Catholic, by Matthew Kelly).//===

We do all of this with just 7% of Catholics (called Dynamic Catholics) contributing 80% of the funds and volunteer hours necessary to do this!

What if 10% of students at St. Mary's became Dynamic Catholics? How many more hungry people could we feed? How many more people could we help with the love of Christ?

What about 33%? 50%? 75%? 100%? What changes would we witness in our communities and across the world if what the Church does now is accomplished by just 7% of the Catholic population?

Let's find out what would happen. Let's work together to develop the 4 Signs of a Dynamic Catholic in each other and in our children. In order to do my part in helping parents facilitate this, I have developed the following objectives for religion class:

__ Religion Class Mission Statement: __ To assist parents in helping their children to:
 * know, love, and be in relationship with Jesus Christ.
 * explore scripture and put its teachings into use in everyday life.
 * know, understand, and integrate Catholic Christian beliefs into their everyday life.
 * know many ways to worship God through full, active, and conscious participation in liturgy and sacraments.
 * love, forgive, and serve others as Jesus did.
 * identify needs in the community, develop plans to address those needs, and follow through on the plans in acts of charity and justice.
 * learn to pray the way Jesus did (both individually and communally).
 * experience life in a community that encourages personal spiritual growth, nurtures Christian virtues and values, develops the skills necessary to initiate and maintain meaningful relationships, supports family life, and promotes open discussions of faith in the world.
 * use the teachings of their faith to evaluate and make decisions about what they view, read, listen to, say, and participate in.
 * witness their faith to others through evangelization and the promotion of the common good, peace, justice, and the dignity of human life.

For more information on a specific aspect of the religion program- please click on the link below or on the right hand side of this web page. St. Mary's Junior High religion class activities are divided into the four characteristics that Dynamic Catholics possess, The 4 Signs of a Dynamic Catholic, by Matthew Kelly.
 * __ @Prayer __
 * __ Study __
 * __ Evangelization __
 * __ Generosity __

Mail to: __ csmith@stmarys-owatonna.org __

Air 1 Positive Alternative- Christian music

Lifeteen Teen Friendly Website for Catholic teens.

Renewing the Vision Read the USCCB's document on youth ministry- it will inspire!

Busted Halo Catholic website geared toward young adults.

Dynamic Catholic Be Bold. Be Catholic

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