religion
June 14--
Students attended the end-of-year prayer service and Moving-up Ceremony.
June 13--
Students recited the prayers they learned this year so that I could update their prayer record card.
June 12--Field Day
June 11--
We had a classroom discussion about the many ways a priest serves the People of God.
Students wrote a letter of thanks to Fr. Milhton.
June 7--
We attended Mass and Graduation.
June 5--
We went to Adoration.
June 4--
We corrected the unit reviews for units 4 and 5 of Family Life.
June 3--
Students read aloud and discussed lesson 10 of Family Life.
They completed the worksheet reviewing units 4 and 5.
May 31--Feast: The Visitation
Students learned about today's feast: the Feast of the Visitation.
When the Angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she was to be the mother of the Savior Jesus, he also told Mary that her relative Elizabeth was also expecting a baby.
It was miraculous that Elizabeth was expecting a baby since she was too old to have children.
When Mary arrived and spoke a greeting to Elizabeth and Zechariah, the baby in Elizabeth's womb jumped for joy, for he recognized that the Savior Jesus Christ was present inside Mary's womb.
Elizabeth's and Zechariah's baby was John the Baptist.
Students reviewed the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary:
The Annunciation (when Gabriel announced to Mary that God wanted her to be the mother of his Son, the Savior Jesus Christ.
The Visitation (when Mary visited Elizabeth).
The Nativity (the birth of Jesus).
The Presentation in the Temple.
Finding Jesus in the Temple after three days lost.
We went to Mass.
Students sang the Regina Coeli to their grandparents then gave them an English translation line by line.
May 30--
Students read aloud and discussed lessons 8 and 9 of Family Life.
May 29--
Students read aloud and discussed lesson 7 of Family Life.
We went to Adoration.
May 28--
Students read aloud and discussed lessons 5 and 6 of Family Life.
They completed a worksheet for the end of unit 3.
May 24--
Students put p. 93 in their notebooks:
Gifts of the Holy Spirit:
wisdom
understanding
counsel
fortitude
knowledge
piety
fear of the Lord
Fruits of the Holy Spirit:
charity
joy
peace
patience
kindness
goodness
generosity
gentleness
faithfulness
modesty
self-control
chastity
We discussed the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and Fruits of the Holy Spirit.
We attended Mass.
May 23--
Students read aloud and discussed lesson 4 of Family Life, "Learning to Choose".
Students completed the unit 2 worksheet and discussed their answers with others.
May 22--
Students read aloud and discussed lesson 3 of Family Life, "Feelings".
May 21--
Students read the first two lessons of Family Life with Mr. Egan and completed the unit 1 worksheet.
May 20--
Students took a test today on the section of their notebook called Knowledge of the Faith.
May 17--
We went to Mass.
May 16--
Students began their gift project for graduates.
May 13--
Students made corrections on their Knowledge of the Faith practice test.
[Before Spring Break, students learned the Regina Coeli in Latin and have been singing it before lunch as is traditional during the Easter Season (in place of the Angelus). You should hear them. They sound lovely!]
May 10--
We attended Mass and May Crowning. Each student brought a flower for May Crowning.
May 9--
Students took a practice test for the Knowledge of the Faith section of their notebooks.
May 6--
Students finished worked on their study guide for Knowledge of the Faith;
We checked the study guides.
May 3--Feast: Sts. Philip and James
We discussed today's feast of the Apostles Sts. Philip and James, son of Alpheus.
We listed and discussed all Twelve Apostles.
We went to Mass.
Students continued working on their study guide for the Knowledge of the Faith section of their notebooks.
May 2--Memorial of St. Athanasius
Students began writing answers on a study guide for the "Knowledge of the Faith" section of their notebooks.
May 1--Memorial of St. Joseph the Worker
St. Joseph, the husband of Mary and foster father of Jesus is the model of a worker for us. He worked hard to care for his family. He is a model for us as we go about our work and dedicate our work to God.
April 30--
We discussed and reviewed the content of the section "Knowledge of the Faith" in their notebooks. Students have finished this section and are beginning to review for a test.
April 19--Good Friday.
Students attended Good Friday Tenebrae.
April 18--Holy Thursday
Students attended Holy Thursday Morning Prayer.
April 17--
Students finished writing p. 39 in their notebooks:
Characteristics of the Father: He is fully God, all-knowing, almighty, all-just, all-merciful, all-present.
Jesus His Son: Jesus is fully God; 10 points in the Apostles' Creed are about Jesus; we learn about Jesus in the Gospels; he performed miracles, forgave people, healed many, raised the dead, showed mercy, love, and kindness. He rose from the dead.
The Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is fully God, was promised by Jesus, came to the Apostles at Pentecost and gave them courage; offers us courage. Symbols of the Holy Spirit: fire, wind, dove; other names of the Holy Spirit: Paraclete, Advocate, Consoler. We receive the Holy Spirit at Baptism and Confirmation.
Students looked up verses in the Psalms and the books of the prophets--verses that were written hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus--to read prophecies about the Messiah that were fulfilled in the life of Jesus during Holy Week.
We went to Adoration.
April 16--
Students began writing p. 39 of their religion notebooks. They made one column each for the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They began writing characteristics associated with each Divine Person of the Holy Trinity. They will finish this page tomorrow.
April 15--
Students wrote p. 38 of their notebooks.
The Holy Trinity is the mystery of one God in three persons. The word mystery when used with religious matters means we cannot ever understand it fully. Tri = three, and unity = one. The word Trinity is made from these two roots because we have One God in three Persons.
Students drew a triangle in their notebook and labeled it. The Father is fully God. The Son Jesus Christ is fully God. The Holy Spirit is fully God. The Father is not the Son. The Son is not the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not the Father. Yet each is fully God and we have One God.
Students discussed how the substance H20 can help us understand how the Trinity could be. It does not help us fully understand, but it helps us understand some. H20 is one substance. Water is fully H20. Ice is fully H20. Steam is fully H20. Water, ice, and steam are each fully H20, but they differ from one another.
Students attended a Rice Bowl presentation put on by 7th and 8th grade students.
April 12--
We participated in Mass.
We participated in Stations of the Cross.
April 11--
I had to leave school unexpectedly. Students reviewed p. 67 of their notebooks, and Dr. Matthews led class for me. She led students in our continued discussion about the Holy Triduum. Today's discussion was about Good Friday and Easter.
April 10--
Students continued their discussion about Holy Thursday.
We went to Adoration.
April 9--
Students put notes about the Triduum on p. 67 of their notebooks and continued discussion about Holy Week.
April 8--
Students began learning about the four main liturgies of Holy Week.
Palm Sunday, also called Passion Sunday--the main focus is Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem and his Passion and death.
The Holy Triduum (Triduum means "three days".)
Holy Thursday--The main focus is the Last Supper and Jesus' time in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Good Friday--The main focus is the crucifixion of Jesus.
Easter--The main focus is the Resurrection of Jesus.
April 5--
We reviewed the Seven Capital Sins, defined them, and noted the virtue that is the opposite of each one:
Seven Capital Sins: pride, covetousness, envy, anger, gluttony, lust, sloth.
the seven virtues that are their opposites are humility, generosity, satisfaction and gratitude, patience, temperance, respect, and industriousness (hard-working).
We attended Mass.
We prayed the Stations of the Cross.
April 4--
Lesson: the Holy Trinity
Our understanding of the Holy Trinity come from the Bible and Church Tradition, but the word Trinity is not in the Bible. These are the main points from our discussion.
Trinity means one God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The Father is fully God.
Jesus his Son is fully God.
The Holy Spirit is fully God.
The Father is not the Son; the Son is not the Holy Spirit, and the Father is not the Holy Spirit.
Each person of the Trinity is fully God and distinct from the other two.
We had a discussion about how this could be. God made a substance for us that can help us see how this can be. It is not a perfect analogy, but it can help us understand how such a mystery as the Trinity can be true.
The substance H2O is water, but we also know it as ice and as steam sometimes.
Water is not the same as ice, though they are the same substance.
Ice is not the same as steam, though they are the same substance.
Steam is not the same as water, though they are the same substance.
Water, ice, and steam are all fully H20, but they are distinct from one another.
April 3--
We went to Adoration.
We attended a presentation by seventh- and eighth-graders about CRS and their work in Uganda.
April 2--
Students put notes on p. 34 of their notebooks:
New Covenant:
God told Jeremiah that he was going to make a New Covenant with is people.
Jesus told his disciples he established the New Covenant. His sacrificial death and Resurrection for our salvation is the New Covenant.
Jesus said at the Last Supper, "This cup is the New Covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you."
Students wrote p. 35 of their notebooks:
The New Covenant is a Covenant based on Love. Our obligation in the New Covenant is to
Love God,
love our neighbor as ourselves, and
love others the way Jesus loves us.
April 1--
Students had a pizza and salad lunch to celebrate hard work in the month of March. We started early so that we could have an unhurried lunch. They also watched Veggie Tales, "Are You My Neighbor".
March 29--
We reviewed the Capital Sins;
We attended Mass.
March 28--
Students wrote p. 16 of their notebooks:
Seven Capital Sins--all sins come from these
Pride--thinking one is so great and so cool without looking at one's own shortcomings or giving credit to God and others.
Covetousness--disordered desire for pleasure or stuff.
Envy--resentment or sadness at what others have.
Anger--can led to sins.
gluttony--eating or drinking too much.
lust--disordered desire to break the sixth or ninth commandment.
sloth--laziness
March 27--
Students wrote p. 33 in their notebooks:
We were wondering yesterday how God's promise to David could be fulfilled since there were no more kings and no kingdom.
Luke 1:37 says Joseph was a descendant of David, so Joseph's family were descendants of David, including Jesus.
Luke 1:33-34 says the Angel Gabriel told Mary that God would give Jesus the throne of David. This does not mean the actual throne. It is symbolic of being the king.
Luke 1:33-34 also says the kingdom of Jesus would have no end. Many people in the time of Jesus thought he came to make the Romans go away so Israel could rule themselves again. But Jesus' kingdom is really heaven. There is no end to Jesus' kingdom.
So, the answer to our question from yesterday about the promise God made to David about a descendant of his ruling a kingdom that never ends: Jesus is that promised descendant.
March 26--
Students finished writing p. 31 about the topic of covenants:
Moses--God made a covenant promising to protect his chosen people. His people promised to keep the Ten Commandments.
David--God promised David that his descendant would rule as king and that kingdom would last forever.
Now David's son Solomon was king after him. Solomon's reign was a time of peace, and Solomon built the Temple in Jerusalem. But after Solomon died, the kingdom was split in two with one son ruling part and another son ruling the other part. Eventually, those kingdoms were taken over by other nations, and there has not been a king in Israel since. So, what could God have meant about David having a descendant be king whose kingdom will never end?
March 25--Solemnity: The Annunciation
Students put a list of the Books of the Bible in their notebooks on p. 28.
We had a lesson about the Annunciation. This feast is celebrated nine months before Christmas Day. In this feast we celebrate the Angel Gabriel announcing to Mary that God had chosen her to be the mother of His Son.
March 22--
We attended Mass.
March 21--
Students began p. 31 of their notebooks:
A covenant is a solemn promise between God and people. It involves mutual commitments.
God made a covenant with Noah. He promised to never again destroy the earth with a flood. He sent a rainbow as a sign of this promise (Genesis 9).
God made a covenant with Abraham, promising Abraham he would have descendants as numerous as the stars. (Genesis 17:1-4)
March 20--
Students prayed the rosary today. Each decade of the rosary was led by a different student.
March 19--Solemnity of St. Joseph We will pray the rosary tomorrow. Students should make sure their rosary is with them in school tomorrow.
Student learned about St. Joseph:
He was the husband of Mary and the foster father of Jesus;
He did all that God asked him to do to keep Jesus and Mary safe.
Students wrote p. 29 in their religion notebooks:
A creed is a profession of faith.
The word creed comes from the Latin word credo which means "I believe".
Two main creeds we use:
The Apostles' Creed is a summary of what the Apostles taught. It has 12 articles or main points of belief. We use the Apostles' Creed at Baptisms, Confirmations, and when we pray the Rosary.
The Nicene Creed is the longer one we profess at Mass. It was written later and has more detail.
March 18--
Students learned about St. Patrick.
St. Patrick was born in Britain and raised Catholic. When he was a boy he was kidnapped and taken to the island of Ireland and sold as a slave. For many years he worked as a slave in Ireland, where the people had never heard of Jesus Christ. He finally escaped and got a ride on a ship back to Britain. His family was overjoyed at his safe return. After some time, Patrick decided he wanted to go back to Ireland and teach the people about Jesus. He studied to be a priest and was ordained. Before he went to Ireland as a missionary, he was made a bishop. In Ireland he taught the Catholic Faith to the Irish people. Soon all the people in that land became followers of Jesus. Many hundreds of years later, many Irish people came to the United States because there was not enough food in Ireland. The Irish people are grateful to St. Patrick for bringing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to their ancestors.
March 14--
Students completed the next piece of the school Lenten bulletin board. Each piece focuses on the Lenten practices of praying, fasting, and giving.
March 13--
Students reviewed for their test then took their test about liturgy.
March 12--Use the study guide or notebook to prepare for a test on the Liturgical Education of their notebooks.
Students completed a study guide for the Liturgical Education section of their notebook.
We corrected the study guide.
March 11--
Students reviewed the Liturgical Education section of their notebooks.
We discussed Lent, the time of preparation for the celebration of the Passion, death, and Resurrection of Jesus;
we discussed the Lenten practices of praying, fasting, and giving, and students gave examples of what they are doing for Lent;
we completed one of the puzzle pieces for our school Lenten bulletin board.
March 8--
Students went to Adoration.
March 7--
Students wrote p. 27 of their notebooks:
God revealed Himself fully by sending His Divine Son Jesus Christ as our Redeemer.
John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life."
1 John 4:9 says, "In this way the love of God was revealed to us: God sent His only son into the world so that we might have life through Him."
March 6--Ash Wednesday
Students discussed the purpose of ashes on Ash Wednesday.
We attended Ash Wednesday Mass.
March 5--
3rd:
read and discussed a Sacraments matching page, highlighting key words in the description of each Sacrament;
completed the worksheet matching independently.
4th:
Students were on a field trip to Mercer Slough.
March 4--
Students began a new section in their notebooks: Knowledge of the Faith
Students wrote p. 26 of their notebooks:
How do we learn about God?
We learn about God from Scripture and Tradition.
Scripture: the 73 books of the Bible are inspired by the Holy Spirit. This means the Holy Spirit helped the human authors to write the Truth God wants us to know using their own words and writing styles.
Tradition: the living transmission of the Gospel in the Church. Jesus taught his Gospel message to the Apostles. They became the first bishops. They taught what Jesus taught to new bishops who taught new bishops, all the way to our own time. This is what the Church calls Tradition.
March 1--
Students reviewed the Liturgical Calendar:
Advent Season
Christmas Season
Ordinary Time (called ordinary time because the Sundays are named with ordinal numbers)
Lent--(begins next Wednesday, Ash Wednesday)
Easter Season
Ordinary Time
We attended Mass.
February 28--
Students reviewed the Sacrament of Confirmation. I attended Confirmation yesterday at Holy Cross and shared with students about that.
February 27--
Students reviewed the Seven Sacraments;
discussed the meaning of The Nicene Creed line by line.
February 22--Feast: the Chair of St. Peter
Students had a lesson about the Chair of St. Peter. The Gospel of Matthew recounts how Jesus appointed Peter as head of His Church. Now we call the head of the Church the pope. The pope is the Bishop of Rome. One function of a bishop is to act as a teacher to Catholics in his diocese. Each bishop has a parish church in his diocese called a cathedral. It is called a cathedral because the special chair of the bishop is called a cathedra, a Greek word meaning chair. The chair represents the teaching authority of the bishop. So, the Chair of Peter--the special chair in the cathedral church in Rome, represents the teaching authority of the pope and the Catholic Church. Today's feast is not for a piece of furniture but what that chair represents: the teaching authority Jesus gave to the apostles, to Peter, and to their successors.
We went to Mass.
We went to Adoration.
February 11--Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes; Snow day! Read below for optional practice.
Can you remember the seven Sacraments in their three categories? Tell someone at home what you remember. Scroll down to January 23 to see if you were correct. Practiced until you know them.
Can you name the four main parts of the Mass? Check November 26 below to see if you were correct.
Here is a link to a short video about how Mary, the mother of Jesus, appeared to a 14-year-old girl in France named Bernadette. Get your parent's permission before watching anything online. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrRTtrwlFjw
February 8--
We went to Mass.
Students delivered our packet of letters of gratitude to Fr. Mihlton.
February 1--
We went to Mass.
We went to Adoration.
January 31--
Students learned about St. John Bosco, an Italian priest who served the needs of the poorest boys in his city by educating them and finding them food and places to live.
Students reviewed the Liturgical Education section of their notebooks and suggested questions for the upcoming test on Liturgy.
January 30--
Students completed a Sacraments worksheet.
January 25--Feast: The Conversion of St. Paul
Students learned about the Conversion of St. Paul and
took a quiz about the Conversion of St. Paul.
We attended Mass.
January 24--
Students began writing p. 53 of their notebooks.
Vestments:
alb--the word means white. This is the white robe worn by a priest, deacon, or altar server. It is a reminder of one's baptismal garment and a symbol of the person's baptism.
January 23--
Students practiced naming the seven Sacraments in the three categories:
Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist;
Sacraments of Healing: Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick;
Sacraments at the Service of Communion: Holy Orders and Holy Matrimony.
January 22--
Students put a chart on p. 63 of their notebooks:
A Sacrament is an outward sign given by Jesus to give us grace.
Baptism:
outward sign: pouring of water and the words of Baptism
given by Jesus: Matthew 28:19
grace we receive: forgiveness of Original Sin and all sins; belonging to the Church, becoming children of God.
Confirmation:
outward sign: Chrism oil and the words of Confirmation, "Be Sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit."
given by Jesus: John 20:22 and Acts 8:14-17; 19:6.
grace we receive: the fullness of the Holy Spirit and the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Eucharist:
outward sign: the bread and the wine; the words of Consecration, "This is my body; this is my blood."
given by Jesus: at the Last Supper, Luke 22: 19-20.
grace we receive: we receive Jesus, his Body and Blood, in Holy Communion.
Reconciliation:
outward sign: confession of sins; laying on of hands and the Prayer of Absolution said by the priest;
given by Jesus: John 20:23; Matthew 18:18;
grace we receive: forgiveness of sins and strength to avoid those sins.
Anointing of the Sick:
outward sign: oil of the sick; anointing of the person's head and hands; prayer;
given by Jesus: Mark 6:13; James 5:14-15;
grace we receive: forgiveness of sins; courage, sometimes healing.
Holy Orders:
outward sign: laying on of hands by the Bishop
given by Jesus: Luke 22:19;
grace received: strength and wisdom to be a good and holy deacon, priest, or bishop.
Holy Matrimony:
outward sign: the rings and the vows;
given by Jesus: Mark 10:7-9
grace we receive: strength to keep the vows well.
January 18--
Lesson: the difference between Mass and Communion Service.
Mass:
celebrated by a priest,
has Liturgy of the Word and Liturgy of the Eucharist,
has the Consecration during the Eucharistic Prayer when the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus,
has Holy Communion when the people can receive the Body and Blood of Christ.
Communion Service:
celebrated by a deacon, a religious sister [nun] or brother, or a lay person because a priest is not available,
still has the Liturgy of the Word
does not have the Eucharistic Prayer or the Consecration (because there is no priest to do it),
still has Holy Communion when the people can receive the Body and Blood of Christ.
So, if there is not a priest or Mass or the Consecration, how can people receive Holy Communion? They can if there are enough consecrated hosts in the Tabernacle. Some time before, when a priest did say Mass, he consecrated extra hosts and put them in the Tabernacle. These hosts, which are the Body and Blood of Jesus, can be used at a Communion Service.
We went to Communion Service. (Fr. Dalton is sick.)
We went to Adoration.
January 14--
Students reviewed the three-part definition of Sacrament: 1)an outward sign 2) given by Jesus 3) to give us grace.
Students identified the outward signs of the Sacraments of Initiation:
Baptism: pouring of water, the words "I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit".
Confirmation: sacred Chrism and words "Be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit"
Eucharist: the bread and wine and the words of Jesus, "This is my Body....this is my Blood".
Most students in this class went with Mrs. Bartelheimer to participate in Altar Server training.
January 11--
We went to Mass.
January 9--
On p. 58, students wrote the correct name of the Sacrament for each line drawing in their notebook.
January 8--
Students worked on pages 58 and 59 in their religion notebooks by matching line drawings depicting each sacrament to the group in which that sacrament belongs:
Sacraments of Initiation are Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist;
Sacraments of Healing are Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick;
Sacraments at the Service of Communion are Holy Orders and Matrimony.
January 7--
Students listened to a book which tells the story of Epiphany, the feast of the Magi who followed a star to find the newborn king of the Jews, Jesus.
Students began writing p. 59 in their notebooks:
A Sacrament is an outward sign, given by Jesus, to give us grace. Students are to learn this three part definition. Later, we will discuss how each sacrament is an outward sign, how it was given by Jesus, and what grace we receive with each sacrament.
January 4--Memorial, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
Students learned about St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. She was born in 1774 and grew up in New York State. She married William Seton, but he died just a few years after; they had five children. Elizabeth became Catholic and started Catholic schools and a religious order of teaching sisters to teach in those schools. She is the first American-born person to be canonized a saint.
We went to Mass.
January 3, 2019
Students began learning two new prayers: "Prayer for Generosity" by St. Ignatius of Loyola and "The Nicene Creed".
December 14--
We reviewed the main characters we hear about during Advent:
Mary--the mother of Jesus.
Joseph--the foster father (or adoptive father) of Jesus. (God the Father is the father of Jesus).
Gabriel--the archangel who appeared to Mary to tell her God wanted her to be the mother of His son Jesus.
Zechariah--the father of John the Baptist and husband of Elizabeth. The angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah to tell him his wife Elizabeth would have a son even though she was very old and had never had a child before.
Elizabeth--a relative of Mary; she conceived a son though she was old and had been childless.
John the Baptist--the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth. He told people to prepare the way for the Messiah Jesus.
Isaiah--he was a prophet who lived a few hundred years before Jesus. He said the Messiah would be born of a young virgin.
Micah--he was a prophet who lived a few hundred years before Jesus. He said the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.
We attended Mass.
December 13--
Students finished writing p. 55 in their notebooks.
corporal--a square cloth on which the paten and chalice sit during the Eucharistic Prayer.
purificator--the cloth used to wipe the side of the chalice.
December 12--Feast, Our Lady of Guadalupe
Students listened to the account about our Lady of Guadalupe's appearance to Juan Diego in Mexico in 1531.
We went to Adoration.
December 11--
Students began writing p. 55 in their notebooks:
Sacred vessels
paten--a dish for the bread that becomes the Body of Christ
chalice--a cup that holds the wine that becomes the Blood of Christ
ciborium--a vessel which holds extra consecrated hosts (The Body of Christ). It is kept in the Tabernacle.
December 10--
Students wrote p. 51 of their notebooks:
Concluding Rites
Blessing--the Sign of the Cross
Dismissal--We are sent on our mission.
We reviewed the four main parts of the Mass.
Students wrote p. 57 of their notebooks:
Liturgical Colors
red--Palm Sunday, Good Friday, Pentecost, feasts of Martyrs.
purple--Advent and Lent; (the color for funerals could be purple).
white--Christmas Season, Easter Season, feasts of Mary, the angels, and the saints (who are not martyrs); usually the color at funerals.
rose--3rd Sunday of Advent; 4th Sunday of Lent.
December 7--
We discussed the main characters we hear about or hear from during Advent:
Mary--the mother of Jesus.
Joseph--the foster father (or adoptive father) of Jesus. (God the Father is the father of Jesus).
Gabriel--the archangel who appeared to Mary to tell her God wanted her to be the mother of His son Jesus.
Zechariah--the father of John the Baptist and husband of Elizabeth. The angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah to tell him his wife Elizabeth would have a son even though she was very old and had never had a child before.
Elizabeth--a relative of Mary; she conceived a son though she was old and had been childless.
John the Baptist--the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth. He told people to prepare the way for the Messiah Jesus.
Isaiah--he was a prophet who lived a few hundred years before Jesus. He said the Messiah would be born of a young virgin.
Micah--he was a prophet who lived a few hundred years before Jesus. He said the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.
We attended Mass.
December 6--Memorial of St. Nicholas
Students learned about St. Nicholas, who was a bishop in Asia Minor (present-day Turkey). It is told that he generously gave to people in need.
December 5--
Students wrote p. 49 of their notebooks:
Liturgy of the Eucharist
Offertory (Preparation of the Gifts)
Holy, Holy, Holy (Santus)
Eucharistic Prayer
the main event of the Eucharistic Prayer is the Consecration, when the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus.
The Lord's Prayer
The Sign of Peace
Lamb of God
"Lord, I am not worthy...
Holy Communion--we receive the Body and Blood of Jesus
Prayer after Communion
We went to Adoration.
December 4--
Students continued writing in their notebooks on p. 65:
Ordinary time--the weeks in Ordinary Time are named with Ordinal Numbers, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. That is why it is called "Ordinary" Time. This is the time that is not a particular season or special feast day.
The Season of Lent
begins Ash Wednesday
lasts about 40 days
has six Sundays.
Holy week included Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter.
Easter Season is a season for celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus. It is 50 days long.
Pentecost is a day dedicating to remembering when God the Holy Spirit came upon the Apostles.
Ordinary Time continues to the end of the Liturgical Year. (The next year begins again with Advent.)
December 3--Memorial of St. Francis Xavier
Students learned about the life of St. Francis Xavier;
performed a skit about St. Francis Xavier;
wrote a paragraph about St. Francis Xavier;
began p. 65 in notebook:
Liturgical Calendar
Advent --Starts four Sundays before Christmas; Advent means "coming". Advent is a time to celebrate Jesus coming to us when he was born in Bethlehem and to prepare for his Second Coming at the end of time.
Christmas Season begins Christmas Day, December 25. The season of Christmas includes Christmas Day, the Feast of the Holy Family, the Solemnity of Mary on January 1, Epiphany [the celebration of the Magi bringing gifts to Jesus, and the Baptism of the Lord.
November 30--Feast of St. Andrew
We attended Mass.
We had a short lesson about St. Andrew.
He was one of the twelve apostles.
He was one of the first two disciples of Jesus. It was St. Andrew who brought his brother St. Peter to Jesus. (John 1:40-41.)
We discussed the seasons of Advent and Christmas and what marks each of those seasons. Advent begins this Saturday evening.
November 29--
Students completed p. 47 in their notebooks: the Liturgy of the Word.
the First reading is from the Old Testament except during the Easter Season when it is taken from Acts of the Apostles.
the Responsorial Psalm is usually from the book of Psalms. A psalm is a prayer for singing. The Responsorial Psalm is chosen to be a response to the First Reading.
the Second Reading is taken from one of the New Testament letters. During Easter it is taken from the Book of Revelation.
the Gospel is the main event in the Liturgy of the Word. We signify its importance by doing a few special things:
We stand.
We sing Alleluia (except during Lent).
There is a procession with the Book of the Gospels.
There are Candle Bearers leading the procession and standing by when the Gospel is proclaimed.
We make a cross on our forehead, lips, and heart while we say silently, "May the Gospel be in my mind, on my lips, and in my heart".
the Homily
the Creed (Profession of Faith)
the Prayers of the Faithful.
November 28--
We went to Adoration.
November 27--
Students completed p. 45 in their notebooks:
Introductory Rites
Entrance
Sign of the Cross
Greeting
Penitential Rite (I confess...)
Kyrie Eleison (Lord, have Mercy)
Gloria
Opening Prayer
November 26--
Students made p. 41 in their notebooks a title page for the section called "Liturgical Education". Liturgy = public worship. So, is Mass liturgy? Yes, because Mass is public worship. Is a Baptism liturgy? Yes, it is public worship. Is praying in your room at night before going to sleep liturgy? No, because it is not public prayer.
p. 43 of the notebook:
The Mass has four parts:
Introductory Rites
Liturgy of the Word
Liturgy of the Eucharist
Concluding Rites
Liturgy of the Word and Liturgy of the Eucharist are the two main parts of Mass.
November 20--
We practiced excellent behavior in the chapel for when we next go to Adoration in the chapel.
We went to Adoration in the main church in front of the Tabernacle.
November 16--
Students learned and practiced singing the song "Give Thanks", which was one of the songs we sang at Mass.
We attended Mass.
November 15--memorial, St. Albert the Great, bishop and scientist
Our scholars took a test on the Moral Education section of their notebooks.
November 14--Homework: review study guide for test on Moral Education section of your notebook.
Students reviewed the Moral Education section of their notebooks to prepare for tomorrow's test.
November 13--memorial, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini
We reviewed all the pages of the Moral Education section of their notebooks; their test on this section will be Thursday.
Students learned about St. Frances Cabrini and how she demonstrated the Corporal Works of Mercy and Spiritual Works of Mercy in her life.
She was born in Italy and wanted to be a missionary to China.
She was encouraged to become a missionary to the United State.
She brought religious sisters to the United States to begin schools, hospitals, and orphanages throughout the United States and in South America.
November 9--Feast of the Dedication of the Cathedral of St. John Lateran
Lesson: Cathedral of St. John Lateran--
St. John Lateran is the Cathedral of Rome. It is named after two Sts. John: St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist (who wrote the Gospel of John).
This Cathedral is the Cathedral of the Bishop of Rome. The dedication of this Cathedral is special because the Bishop of Rome is the first among bishops, the Pope. St. John Lateran is the Pope's Cathedral.
The word "cathedral" comes from the Greek word cathedra which means chair. Each cathedral has the bishop's chair, a symbol of his authority to teach.
Students attended Mass.
We went to Adoration.
November 8--
Students recited the Ten Commandments.
Turkey Trot was in this time slot.
November 7--
Students attended a Veteran's Day assembly.
Their test will be next week instead of tomorrow.
November 6--
Students continued to review material in preparation for their upcoming test on the "Moral Education" section of their notebooks.
November 5--
Students reviewed material from the "Moral Education" section of their notebooks with me to prepare for a test Thursday.
Students practiced the Ten Commandments with a partner then all together.
November 2--All Souls' Day.
We went to church for a commemoration of All Souls' Day in the Mexican tradition, the Day of the Dead.
We did a craft, ate traditional Mexican breads and drank hot chocolate in our family groupings.
November 1--Solemnity: All Saints' Day
Students attended Mass for the Holy Day of Obligation.
lesson, p. 95 in notebooks:
Saint: A person who, after life on earth, enjoys eternal life with God in heaven. A person who has gone to heaven.
All Saints' Day: The feast for every saint in heaven, those we know and all those we don't know. This is the feast day for all our ancestors and loved ones who have died and gone to heaven.
Communion of Saints: the unity of all followers of Jesus: those on earth, those in purgatory, and those in heaven.
Purgatory: a time of final cleansing before entrance into heaven. Those in purgatory will go to heaven when they are perfectly purified.
All Souls' Day: A day dedicated to praying for souls in purgatory. Our prayers can help them during their time of purification.
October 31--
Students reviewed the moral education section of their notebooks.
We prayed the rosary together. A different student led each decade of the rosary.
October 30--Students were gone all morning on a field trip.
October 29--
Students completed p. 81 in spelling notebooks, the rosary;
students learned about praying the rosary;
students each received a rosary that is theirs to keep. They may take it home, but it must be in school each day. (They may keep it in their backpacks or their storage cubby at school.) We will pray the rosary together Wednesday.
October 26--
We went to Mass.
We practiced singing the "Cardinal Virtues Song".
October 24--
Each year students in Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Seattle do safe environment lessons in October and March. We did the October lessons today. There is a separate age-appropriate lesson for third and fourth graders. Third grade did lesson 1, Touching Safety Rules, and fourth grade did lesson 3, Boundaries: You have Rights!.
October 22--optional memorial of St. John Paul II.
notebook p. 19
Natural law-- the truth about good and evil is written on the heart of every person and is understood by reason.
Conscience--the interior voice through which God urges us to do good and avoid evil.
Examination of Conscience--prayerful consideration of my thoughts, words, deeds, and omissions. How have I been doing as a follower of Jesus?
Consider the Ten Commandments
Gospel passages such as the Sermon on the Mount
Other New Testament passages
1 Corinthians 12-13
Galatians 5
Ephesians 4-6
Colossians 3:8-9
Colossians 3:12-15
October 19--memorial of the North American Martyrs
Students learned about the North American Martyrs, Jesuit priests Jesuit lay brothers who came to the Native peoples of this continent as missionaries. Eight of them were martyred between 1642 and 1649. You can read more here:
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/the-north-american-martyrs-25
We went to Mass.
October 18--Feast of St. Luke
Students learned about St. Luke then wrote a paragraph about him.
October 17--
p. 17 in notebook: Steps for Going to Confession
Before I go, I do an examination of conscience. This means I prayerfully review my thoughts, words, deeds, and omissions and decide what I need to confess.
When I enter the confessional, also called Reconciliation room, the priest will greet me.
I say the sign of the cross and say, "Bless me Father, for I have sinned. My last confession was ________________ (and I say when my last confession was.)
I confess my sins.
The priest talks to me and gives me a penance. A penance is something he gives me to do. It may be a prayer to say or a deed to do.
I say the Act of Contrition. (This can be found on this website at the page "prayers we know".)
The priest prays the Prayer of Absolution over me. Jesus forgives my sins and gives me grace to be stronger next time in resisting temptation.
Praise and dismissal.
(I go and do the penance the priest gave me.)
We went to Adoration.
October 16--
Students finished listing virtues in their notebooks.
Students took turns sharing which virtue they are working on strengthening in their own lives.
October 15--memorial, St. Teresa of Avila
We reviewed the definition of virtue: a habit of doing good.
We discussed how each virtue depends upon one or more of the Cardinal Virtues. For example, to have courage, you must rely upon self-control and even justice. To have patience, you must reply upon prudence, fortitude, and temperance.
pp. 22-23: students wrote some virtues in their notebooks.
some virtues: kindness, helpfulness, fairness, gratitude, love, charity, caring, graciousness, prayerfulness, forgiveness, apologizing, honesty, peacefulness, respect, gentleness, faithfulness, cleanliness, persistence, joy, courage, generosity, cheerfulness, understanding, compassion, friendliness, honor, humility, industry [hard work], modesty, patience, reliability, responsibility, reverence.
October 11--
Students took their Ten Commandments quiz.
October 10--Homework: finish memorizing the Ten Commandments; there is a quiz tomorrow.
We went to Adoration.
We discussed the meaning of the Corporal Works of Mercy and the Spiritual Works of Mercy.
Students planned and acted out skits to demonstrate some of the Spiritual Works of Mercy.
Students wrote on p. 21 of religion notebook:
A virtue is a habit of doing good.
There are four Cardinal Virtues. These are key or hinge virtues. All other virtues depend upon the Cardinal Virtues.
Cardinal Virtues
Prudence--thinking before acting.
Justice--fairness to God and neighbor
Fortitude--strength through difficulty
Temperance--self-control
Students began learning a song to help them remember the Cardinal Virtues.
Many students took their Ten Commandments quiz today.
I am the Lord your God; you shall not have strange gods before me.
Do not take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain.
Remember to keep holy the Lord's Day.
Honor your father and mother.
You shall not kill.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
You shall not covet your neighbor's wife.
You shall not covet your neighbor's goods.
October 9--Homework: study the Ten Commandments for a quiz on Thursday.
Students reviewed the Ten Commandments, reciting them aloud.
Students took a quiz on the Prayer of St. Richard.
p. 14 of notebook
Corporal Works of Mercy
Feed the Hungry
Give drink to the thirsty.
Clothe the naked.
Shelter the homeless.
Visit the sick.
Visit the imprisoned.
Bury the Dead
Spiritual Works of Mercy
Instruct the ignorant.
Counsel the doubtful.
Admonish sinners.
Bear wrongs patiently.
Forgive injuries.
Comfort the sorrowful.
Pray for the living and the dead.
p. 15 of notebook:
the meaning of some of the Spiritual Works of Mercy
Instruct the ignorant means to help a person when he or she does not understand something, especially in our faith.
Counsel the doubtful means to give advice to people who are unsure about the right thing to do. Advise people to make choices that would please God.
Admonish sinners means when someone is making bad choices, encourage them to make choices that please God.
Bear wrongs patiently. Bear means to carry. Be patient with people who do wrong to you. It might help to remember that I am not perfect and no one else is either.
October 8--
Students practiced reciting the Ten Commandments using the Method of Loci strategy they learned September 26.
We discussed the life of St. Francis of Assisi, whose feast was last week.
Students practiced giving the definition of a sin.
October 5--Students attended Mass.
October 4--Memorial of St. Francis of Assisi
Students continued writing on p. 13.
Mortal sin--a grave (very serious) sin. This kind of sin destroys our relationship with God,
Venial sin--a less serious sin.
What is the remedy if we sin? The Sacrament of Reconciliation (confession) frees us from sins committed after Baptism. We are healed by forgiveness from Jesus.
We had a discussion about Adam and Eve, their sin, and the results.
On p. 12 students drew Adam and Eve before their first sin and after. Before, they had grace, the life of God in their souls. By their sin (Original Sin), they lost that grace, the life of God in their souls.
October 3--
MAP testing.
We went to Adoration.
October 2--Students had a guest presenter who taught them about the management of garbage and recycling.
October 1--
Students wrote two definitions in their religion notebook on p. 13.
Sin--a deliberate thought, word, deed, or omission that is against God's law.
Original Sin--the sin of the first humans which lost original holiness for us. That holiness is restored to us in Baptism.
Students reviewed the Ten Commandments.
September 28--
Students attended Mass this morning.
Students reviewed the Ten Commandments.
September 27--
I read aloud "The Tale of Tobias", a children's book which tells the book of Tobit from the Old Testament. In this book students learned about the role the archangel Raphael played in helping Tobit, his son Tobias, and their family.
Students suggested notes for use in a paragraph about the archangel Raphael.
Students began writing a paragraph about St. Raphael.
September 26--
Students finished memorizing the Ten Commandments using the strategy "method of loci".
I am the Lord your God; you shall not have strange gods before me.
Do not take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain.
Remember to keep holy the Lord's Day.
Honor your father and mother.
You shall not kill.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
You shall not covet your neighbor's wife.
You shall not covet your neighbor's goods.
September 25--
On p. 11 in their notebooks, students drew the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments as they are depicted in traditional Catholic art, with the first three commandments on the left and the other seven on the right. We read and discussed Matthew22:36-40 in which someone asked Jesus, in an effort to trick him, what the greatest commandment is. Jesus answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
When Jesus gave this reply, he was saying all the commandments are important.
The first part of his answer refers to the first three commandments about loving God. The words Jesus said are from the Old Testament, Deuteronomy 6:5
The second part of his answer refers to the last seven commandments about loving others. The words Jesus said are also from the Old Testament, Leviticus 19:18.
Students memorized the first five commandments using a memory strategy called the method of loci.
September 24--
Students put the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes on p. 10 in their notebooks.
We discussed the Ten Commandments and commandments 1-3 in detail. Students will be expected to memorize the Ten Commandments in order.
September 21--Feast of St. Matthew
Students learned about St. Matthew. St. Matthew was a tax collector. Israel, the land of the Jewish people was under the rule of the Roman Empire. This upset the Jewish people that they did not govern themselves. The Roman Emperor collected taxes from the Jews and used Jews to do the job of collecting taxes. The tax collecting Jews were considered traitors by other Jews. When Jesus saw Matthew, he said to him, "Follow me". Matthew left his post and became a follower of Jesus and an Apostle. St. Matthew wrote one of the Gospels.
We attended Mass.
September 20--Students began and finished page 9 in their notebooks:
When the Ten Commandments are depicted in traditional Catholic art, they are shown with the first three on the left stone tablet and the last seven on the right tablet. This is because the first three concern our relationship with God and the next seven concern our relationships with others. The main theme of the first three is "Love God". The main theme of the other seven is "love others".
The Ten Commandments are for our good and happiness.
God, who made us, knows what is good for us.
Following the Ten Commandments leads to true happiness.
Students named St. Ignatius as one example of someone who at first did not live by the Ten Commandments but, after a conversion experience, began to follow the Commandments. He and others have taught us the truth that living by the Ten Commandments is what brings true joy, happiness, and satisfaction.
September 19--Students finished page 7 in their notebooks:
How do we serve God?
We serve God by keeping his Commandments and by loving others.
We began a class discussion about the Ten Commandments which we will continue tomorrow.
We went to Adoration.
September 18--
Saint: a saint is someone who has gone to heaven after his or her life on earth. We do not know all the saints. Many of our ancestors may be saints. We do know the names of some of the saints. St. Robert Bellarmine lived in Italy in the 1500's. He was a teacher, a priest, and a cardinal. He taught the Catholic faith in a way that helped people understand it. He belonged to the order of priests started by St. Ignatius, the Jesuits. He was a teacher to young St. Aloysius Gonzaga. In addition to being a saint, he is named a Doctor of the Church. This means his writings and teaching explain the faith well so that people understand the Catholic faith better and grow closer to God.
p. 5 in the notebook: title page for the section called Moral Education. "Moral" refers to the goodness or evil of our actions.
p. 7 in the notebook: Why did God make us? He made us to know, love, and serve him and to be happy with him in heaven. How do we serve God? (We will continued this page tomorrow.)
There are four categories of celebrations: solemnities, feasts, memorials, and optional memorials. Solemnities are the highest level of celebration. Saints' days are typically memorials or optional memorials.
September 17--memorial of St. Robert Bellarmine
In this time slot I showed students how to place a Scholastic book order if they wish to do so. I also showed them our classroom website and how to find homework and spelling words. Tomorrow we will discuss St. Robert Bellarmine, whose memorial is today, and students will begin the first section of their religion notebook, Moral Education.
September 14--Feast: Exaltation of the Cross
We discussed the meaning of today's feast, the Exaltation of the Cross. We remember at this feast the sacrifice Jesus made in dying on the cross for our salvation. Here you can read more about this feast: https://www.franciscanmedia.org/exaltation-of-the-holy-cross/
We attended Mass.
September 13--We completed the third and last Sacred Story lesson; this lesson was about meditation. Meditation is an expression of prayer during which we quietly continue our relationship with God, speaking from our heart and listening in the sacred silence.
September 12--
Students completed a worksheet about the life of St. Ignatius of Loyola.
We went to Adoration.
September 11--Homework: if your child was absent today, please read and review with him or her the policies regarding rainy day recess and bathroom usage in the Parent Student Handbook. You can find it at this link: https://smpschool.org/handbooks
Sacred Story lesson 2: Students created and performed five skits to teach about our right relationship with things. These skits showed the right and wrong way to keep the seventh Commandment, "You shall not steal" and the tenth Commandment, "You shall not covet your neighbor's goods."
I read the student handbook page about rainy day recess and about bathroom use, and we discussed these rules.
September 10--Students read a paragraph about St. Peter Claver, colored the picture, and put it on p. 103 in their notebooks.
St. Peter Claver was a Jesuit priest who went to South America as a missionary. There he served slaves who had been brought from Africa. He took care of them, and he taught them about Jesus. Many of them became Christians because of the loving care, example, and teaching of St Peter Claver. He knew slavery was wrong, but he did not have the power to end slavery. He did have the power to show love and care to the slaves. St. Peter called himself the slave of the slaves. St. Peter Claver's feast day was yesterday, September 9.
We had a class discussion about St. Peter Claver.
September 7--
religion notebooks p. 91
The Holy Spirit is God.
The Holy Spirit came to the Apostles at Pentecost.
We receive the Holy Spirit at Baptism and more fully at Confirmation.
We had a classroom discussion about the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has given us gifts: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. We discussed the meaning of these gifts.
Students and teachers attended the Mass of the Holy Spirit. Many Catholic schools begin each new school year with the Mass of the Holy Spirit. At Mass today we prayed especially for our students, teachers, and parishioners, that the gifts of the Holy Spirit may be active in our lives as we seek to learn and to grow in virtue.
We continued reading and discussing the Power Point presentation about the life of St. Ignatius.
Students finished (mostly) their bulletin board about the life of St. Ignatius.
September 6--Sacred Story lesson one: Students read the first half of a PowerPoint presentation about the life of St. Ignatius of Loyola. They will be creating a bulletin board presentation about St. Ignatius. They divided up the jobs for this bulletin board and began working on their individual contributions. Those who did not have a job today will get a job tomorrow.
September 5--students wrote six definitions in p. 83 of their religion notebooks. Students also went as a class to Adoration. This is what they wrote on p. 83:
adoration: the worship we owe God alone because God is our Creator and Lord.
Adoration: the act of going to Church to worship Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
Blessed Sacrament: a name given to the Holy Eucharist. Jesus is present in the Blessed Sacrament.
Tabernacle: a special box in a Catholic church where the consecrated Eucharist is kept.
Monstrance: a special vessel for putting the Blessed Sacrament on display for Adoration.
Benediction: the blessing given to the people by a priest or deacon using the Blessed Sacrament.
September 4--Homework: finish numbering the pages in your religion notebook. Remember, the left hand pages are even numbers and the right hand pages are odd numbers. Use pencil, and put the numbers in the top outside corner.
Students began numbering the pages of their religion notebooks.
We practiced and prayed the Prayer of St. Richard, which we will pray when we go to Adoration.
We learned and practiced the song we will sing when we go to Adoration.
We practiced and prayed the Angelus, which we will pray daily before going to lunch.