Faith Education

Religious Education and Personal Development

The Religion Department of Marist College Emerald endeavours to enrich our student’s lives by educating them about our Catholic Faith using the qualities Jesus and St Marcellin Champagnat taught us. By broadening our student’s minds and spirituality we aim to develop good Christians and good citizens.

​Our College welcomes students of other faith denominations but is proudly a College based on Catholicity.  All students of the College are expected to be active participants and respectful attendees within our Religious Education classes. In Years 7 to 10, students will study Religious Education. In Years 11 and 12, students may choose from Study of Religion (ATAR eligible subject exploring the major religions of the world) or Religion and Ethics (Applied Subject).

​Learning about religion promotes the holistic development of the students with an emphasis on the spiritual, moral, intellectual, social, emotional and aesthetic dimensions of life.   It can help students, whatever their individual religious beliefs and backgrounds, to develop their knowledge, understanding, values and skills thereby assisting them to participate effectively in Australian society.  

Aims

This curriculum is designed so that students have opportunities to develop:

• a personal relationship with Jesus Christ
• understanding and appreciation of the religious beliefs, values and practices of Christianity and the ways that Catholics live these out 
• respect and appreciation for the religious beliefs, attitudes and values of others
• age-appropriate skills to research, discuss, reflect on and critique religion in an informed, intelligent and sensitive manner

Content Strands

The Religion Curriculum is organised under the interrelated Content Strands of Beliefs, Sacraments, Morality and Prayer.​

• Beliefs – Faith Professed
•  I Believe– We believe
• God , Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit 

Sacraments – Faith Celebrated 

•  Sacramentality
•  Sacraments of the Church

Morality – Faith Lived 

•  Life in the Spirit
•  Life in Community
•  The Ten Commandments

Prayer – Faith Prayed 

• Prayer in the Christian Life
• The Lord’s Prayer:  “Our Father”

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Personal and Social Development Education

​“Young people are human; their problems and needs are human problems and needs. They seek, consciously or otherwise, personal human development; they want to grow, as much as possible, to the fullness of their possibilities”   (Continuing the Journey, 2001, p.6).

Personal and Social Development Education at Marist College Emerald is a fundamental part of the holistic education offered at this College.  The broad areas of physical self, sexual self, emotional self, spiritual self and social self are explored in a number of different ways in number of different subject areas from Years 7 to 10. Underpinning this programme are the Gospel Values of justice, truth, a commitment to community, faith, service, servant leadership, forgiveness, peace, hope, charity, reverence, a sense of wonder, dignity, endurance, compassion and joy.

With this framework in mind, this program will lead our students to be at peace with themselves, enhance their sense of self-esteem and inner security, grow in tolerance and self-respect for all other persons and build a positive relationship with their God.