Religion - 8th Grade

TASK OF CATECHESIS 1 – KNOWLEDGE OF THE FAITH: Students explore, profess and reflect on our Catholic faith, which is the content of God’s revelation found in Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition and lived out in the Creed and Church doctrine.

TASK OF CATECHESIS 2 – LITURGICAL EDUCATION: Students recognize the presence of Christ and enter into communion with Him through active, full and conscious participation in the Liturgical celebrations and Sacraments of the Church.

TASK OF CATECHESIS 3 – MORAL EDUCATION: Students develop a moral conscience that is informed by Church teachings and conformed to Christ, as modeled in a personal life of virtue and demonstrated in service of the Gospel’s demands for society

TASK OF CATECHESIS 4 – TEACHING TO PRAY: Students experience and engage in Catholic expressions of prayer to deepen their relationship with God and the Church.

TASK OF CATECHESIS 5: EDUCATION FOR COMMUNITY LIFE: Students study and participate in the life and mission of the church, the Body of Christ and the community of believers, as expressed in the Church’s origin, history, ecclesiology, the Communion of Saints and their family, the domestic church. 

TASK OF CATECHESIS 6: THE CHURCH’S MISSIONARY LIFE AND SERVICE: Students acquire and demonstrate skills to recognize their gifts from God and their vocation to share the good News of Jesus Christ in word and deed in the world.

REVELATION [36-141, 290-315, 325- 354] Scripture: Jn. 1:1-18 Gal. 3:23-29 Rom. 1:19-20 Eph. 1:7-10 

Sacred Scripture [101-141] Scripture: Mt. 13:44-46; 19:13-15; 25:31-46 

Salvation History [50-73] Scripture Acts 2:1-42 

Christology [74-100] Scripture Mt. 1:18-2:15; 13:3-9 Lk 1:26-38; 2:1-20; 2:41-52; 24:1-53 Mk.15:16 John 1:14 John 3:16-18 1 Cor. 15:3-6 Acts 1:6-12

TRINITY God the Father, Creator God the Son, Redeemer God the Holy Spirit, Sanctifier [249-324] Scripture Mt. 3:13-17 Acts 2:1-42 Ex. 3:1-17 

CREED [185-1065] Scripture: Heb. 2:4-14 

EUCHARIST Who, How, When, and Where the Mass is Celebrated [1135-1167, 1322- 1419] Scripture: Mt. 26:25-30 Mk. 14:12-26 Lk. 22:14-20 Jn. 6:32-58 Act 2:42-47 

CELELBRATION OF THE SEVEN SACRAMENTS [1210-1666] 

Sacraments of Initiation [966-977, 1212-1419] Scripture: Lk 3:21-23 Mk. 1:9-11 Mt. 3:13-17 Jn. 1:29-34; 3:5-8 2 Tim. 1:6 1 Jn. 2:20

Sacraments of Healing [979-987, 1420-1484] Scripture Mk. 2:1-12; 18:15-20 Lk. 7:36-50 Jn. 5:1-18 2 Cor. 1:21-22 

Sacraments at the Service of Communion [1533-1666] Scripture 1 Peter 2:9 Mk. 12:28-34 Act 6:1-6 

LITURGICAL RESOURCES

Liturgical Calendar [1163-1173] 

Liturgical Symbols and Sacramentals [1179-1199, 1667- 1679] 

Divine Office Liturgy of the Hours [1174-1178] Scripture: Psalms 8, 90 Lk. 1:68-79 (Canticle of Zechariah Lk 1:46-55 (Canticle of Mary, the Magnificat

Liturgical Rites: Weddings, [1621-1637] Funerals, [988-1029, 1680-1690] and Blessings [1671- 1673] 

THE HUMAN PERSON [1691-1876] Scripture Mt. 5:7 

Made in the Image of God – Foundation of Human Dignity [355-368,1004,1700- 1876] Scripture Gen. 1:27 Mt. 7:12; 10:24 

Made for Happiness with God, Beatitudes [1218-1229, 1716- 1717] Scripture Gen. 12:1-9; 15:1-21; 22:1-8; 37:1-36; 45:1-28; 6:9-9:17 Dan. 6:1-23 Mt. 5:3-10 Lk. 6:20-26

Human Freedom and Conscience Formation [1030-1037, 1730- 1802] Scripture Mt. 5:1-12 Mk. 2:1-12; 4:1-20 Rm. 2:12-15

Covenant and the Ten Commandments [2052-2557] Scripture Ex. 19:16-20:17; 24:1-12 Mt. 22:34-40 Mk. 12:28-34 

Virtues – Cardinal and Theological [1803-1845, 2656- 2662] Scripture Lk. 15:11-32 Ph. 4:8 1 Cor. 13:1-13 

THE HUMAN COMMUNITY [1877-1948, 2204- 2213] 

Personal and Social Sin [1846-1876] Scripture Ps. 9 Mt. 13:50 Lk. 10:25-37 Jn. 4:5-42 

Catholic Social Teachings – Consistent Ethic of Life, Love of Neighbor, and Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy [2419-2449] Scripture Ex. 22:20-26 Mt. 25:31-46 Lk. 4:1-22 

UNIVERSAL CALL TO PRAYER, IMPORTANCE OF PRAYER [2558-2758] Scripture Mt. 6:9-13; 11:25-26; 14:23 Mk. 1:35 Lk. 6:12; 22:41-44 Jn. 17:1-26 

FORMS OF PRAYER (Blessing, Adoration Petition, Intercession Thanksgiving, Praise) [2623-2649] 

EXPRESSIONS OF PRAYER (vocal, meditation, contemplation, personal and shared) [2700-2724] 

OUR FATHER: A Summary of the Gospel [2746-2865] Scripture Mt. 6:5-15 

DEVOTIONAL PRACTICES (e.g. rosary, stations of the cross, novenas) [1200-1209, 1674-1679, 2683-2696] 

PRAYERS WE KNOW BY HEART, EXPERIENCE AND SHARE AT MASS 

THE CHURCH IN GOD’S PLAN [748-780 Church History [758-780] Scripture Epistles Acts 2:1-42 

People of God [781-786] Scripture Acts 10:34-35 1 Pet. 2:9 1 Jn. 3:3-5 1 Cor. 11:25 

MODELS OF THE CHURCH: [781-810] 

Body of Christ [787-796] Scripture Mk 1:16-20; 3:13-19 Mt. 13:10-17; 28:20 Lk. 10:17-20; 22:28-30 Jn. 6:56; 14:18; 15:4-5 Acts 2:33 

Temple of the Holy Spirit [797-801] Scripture Eph. 1:4; 2:21-23;5:25- 27 Mt. 19:6 2:Cor 6:16; 1 Cor 3:16- 17 

THE MYSTERY AND MARKS OF THE CHURCH: ONE, HOLY, CATHOLIC AND APOSTOLIC [811-870] Scripture Mt. 16: 13-20 

CHRIST’S FAITHFUL – HEIRARCHY, LAITY, CONSECRATED LIFE: [871-945] 

Church Order: The Hierarchy - Magisterium and Infallibiilty [874-896] 

The Laity: Rights and Responsibilities [897-913, 2041] 

The Domestic Church [1655-58, 1666, 2204- 2257, 2685] 

The Universal Call to Holiness [2013-2014,2028,2813] Scripture Mt. 5:48 2 Tim. 4: 1-8 Rm. 8: 28-30 

Vocation: Marriage, Priesthood and the Religious Life [914-933] Scripture Mt. 9:10-13 Mk. 1:16-20 Jn 1:35-51 2 Cor. 4:4 

COMMUNION OF SAINTS [946-962] Scripture Mt 25:31-46 

MARY AS MODEL OF CHURCH [148-149, 963-975, 2673-2682] Scripture Lk 1:26-38; 39-45; 46-55 Mt. 1:18-2:15 Jn. 19:25-27 

BAPTISMAL CALL AND DISCIPLESHIP (the mandate to go forth) [816,849] Scripture Mt. 5:11-12; 28:16-20 Lk. 11:1 Jn. 13:15 

CALL TO STEWARDSHIP AND SERVICE: Catholic social teaching about the common good [2419-2422] 

CALL TO ECUMENISM, INTERFAITH DIALOGUE AND THE NEW EVANGELIZATION [848-849,927- 933,905,2044,2472]

Trace God’s revelation over time and human history as the foundation of our faith as Christians.

Define faith as a gift we receive from God through the Church that helps us to believe in and respond to God’s on-going revelation. 

Describe how faith is both a personal relationship with God and a free assent to the truth God has revealed. 

Experience how God’s revelation includes the Natural Law, which is written in the hearts of every person and helps us discern good and evil as disciples of Jesus Christ. 

Understand that revelation ended with the death of the last apostle, but continues to be transmitted through Apostolic Tradition. 

Understand how the Bible came to be written from the oral tradition to the canon of Scripture. 

Describe the connection between Scripture and Tradition and the true faith we find in both that make up a single deposit of the Word of God. 

Explain the role of the Holy Spirit in the writing and preaching of Sacred Scripture. 

Describe how Catholics read the Bible within the living Tradition of the Church. 

Demonstrate an understanding of Salvation History and identify how the Acts of the Apostles, the epistles, and our lives today are a continuation of Salvation History. 

Explain the importance of Pentecost in the history of the Church. 

List and explain the ways the Church continues to teach as Jesus did. 

Use the Gospels to understand Jesus’ ministry as one who teaches, forgives, and heals in the name of the Father. 

Explain the concept and importance of the Incarnation, the Paschal Mystery, the Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus Christ.

Describe how, inspired by the Holy Spirit, the Church continues the mission of Jesus and continues showing God’s everlasting love through living out the Paschal Mystery. 

Describe the Trinity as a complete unity without confusing the persons or dividing the substance of God. 

Recall that the divine persons are relative to one another, and that each is wholly and entirely God. 

Describe how God the Father sent the Son, Jesus, to redeem us and how the grace of the Holy Spirit continues to give us new life. 

Describe how God is both transcendent (beyond our understanding) and immanent (existing within) illustrated by the Old Testament passage of Moses and the Burning Bush. 

Explore how the Holy Spirit continues to strengthen and animate the Church. 

List the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, the purpose of each gift, and identify outward expressions of those gifts. 

Identify the special charisms of the Church she receives from the Holy Spirit to accomplish its work. 

Demonstrate the ability to individually pray the Nicene and Apostles Creeds as statements of belief.

Explain the purpose of the Nicene Creed in the Mass. 

Recognize the Nicene Creed came from early Church Ecumenical Councils. 

Recall and demonstrate the meaning of full, active and conscious participation in the liturgy. 

Articulate how Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith. 

Describe all of the parts of the Mass and the role of the assembly. 

Describe how liturgy expresses diversity and maintains unity today. 

Explain the concept of transubstantiation. 

List ways to more fully participate in the sacramental life of the Church.

Articulate how the Sacraments strengthen their relationships with God and the faith community and benefit both the individual and the community. 

Recall the matter, form, symbols and effects for each of the seven sacraments. 

Research and explain how the Church has been the custodian of sacraments. 

Identify the importance of Baptism as the entryway to life as a Christian. 

Explain how participation in the Eucharist allows us to be given nourishment by Jesus to live out our call to be disciples. 

Describe a Eucharistic community as one in which its members seek to be nourished by Jesus and realize they are sent to serve. 

Associate the Sacrament of Confirmation with the Pentecost story. 

Prepare for and participate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and explain the importance of this sacrament throughout life. 

Observe and reflect on the Sacrament of Healing (Anointing). 

Explain the connection between the Sacrament of Holy Orders and apostolic succession.

Understand that priests promise to be celibate to give themselves fully to God and to be of service to God’s people. 

Recall and understand that Catholic marriages are called to witness to the Trinitarian love of Christ. 

Describe the liturgical year and know the purpose, sequence and significance of the seasons and colors. 

Differentiate between the solemnity, feasts and memorials in the Liturgical Calendar. 

Understand that memorials recognize the lives of saints in the Liturgical Calendar. 

Identify aspects of an appropriate liturgical environment. 

Identify the symbols and sacramentals in the parish church and associate them with parts of the Eucharist and other sacraments. 

Use sacramentals to enrich prayer life. 

Experience and leading the Liturgy of the Hours using Shorter Christian Prayer format for morning prayer, lauds or evening prayer, vespers. 

Explain the importance of the Liturgy of the Hours for the Catholic Church and for all Christians. 

Antiphonally, pray the Psalms from the Liturgy of the Hours including those learned in previous grades and Psalm 90. Reflect on the Canticle of Mary, the Magnificat within the Liturgy of the Hours. 

Attend, reflect and describe various liturgies in the Church: funeral, weddings, ordination, dedications, and benediction. 

Show familiarity with leading prayer using the Book of Blessings. 

Articulate how God made each of us with the desire and capacity to respond to the gift of faith. 

Describe how faith helps me to face the hardships of suffering, disappointment and tragedy. 

Recall authentic human love is to will the good of the other. 

Describe the Natural Law as it relates to moral development. 

Explain how God calls each to act in a loving way toward one another, and know what it means to be a “Child of God’. 

Explain how saints model the authentic love to will the good of the other. 

Articulate why all life is deserving of reverence and demonstrate an understanding of the church’s stance on the sanctity of life, and how this is consistent with scripture and tradition (right to life, human dignity, preferential option for the poor.) 

Describe how the Church’s opposition to abortion and capital punishment is consistent with the belief that all life is sacred. 

Recall that God made human beings with freedom to act responsibly when confronted with moral choices. 

Articulate how happiness is found in serving others in the name of Christ and how the Beatitudes challenge and show us the path to authentic happiness. 

Identify and describe how conscience is a function of reason that allows one to be responsible for one’s actions. 

Reflect upon life and describe the need for healing. 

Define sin as turning away from God and reconciliation as turning back to God.

Describe consequences of positive and negative behaviors/actions and how sin affects the whole community. 

Describe the moral and natural law that is written and engraved in the soul of every man; it is human reason telling Him to do good and avoid evil. 

List, and define each of the seven capital sins and how the Cardinal and Theological Virtues strengthen us to avoid these sins. 

Prepare for, participate in, and reflect on the Sacrament of Penance/Reconciliation. 

Describe free will and the corresponding responsibilities to choose wisely and to form our conscience throughout our lives. 

Review and identify a moral decision-making process which includes reflection on faith, law, context and self/others. 

Review and list the Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy as ways to form conscience. 

Make connections with the Beatitudes and Ten Commandments, explain the moral guidance given by God through Moses and Jesus, and how this can be lived out in our lives.

Understand and explain the Ten Commandments as the moral law that was given to Israel. 

Formulate a moral code for life based on the teachings of Jesus, the Commandments, and the teachings of the Church. 

Demonstrate virtuous living as a way to opening to God’s grace.

Identify a virtue you strive to live out in daily life and explain how this virtue helps you grow as a person.

Identify a saint who exemplifies a specific virtue. 

Explain in your own words the importance of common good within our world.

Identify and articulate the morality of human (personal) acts and how both venial and mortal sin can result in social sin. 

Give examples from Church history of how sin separates us from God’s promise of salvation and reconciliation brings us back. 

Explain how sin separate us from a good relationship with God, and inhibits us from responding to the call of salvation by God through Jesus. 

Associate and explain the terms “cleansing” with purgatory and “self-exclusion” with hell. 

Give examples of the special place of human beings as stewards of God’s creation. 

Explain how their creation in God’s image underlies Catholic Social Teaching (innate dignity of all humans.) 

Understand meaning of stewardship and how one acts as a “steward” of God’s creation in caring for and sharing of personal belongings, classroom, school building, and parish grounds. 

Know and explain how to incorporate the seven principles of Catholic Social Teachings into our lives.

Recognize how the Church continues to work toward understanding the issues and problems of today in light of the Church’s Social Teachings. 

Identify and research persons/groups that have influenced society/culture for the good throughout Church history. 

Participate in service projects and offer reflections on how serving others continues in building the Kingdom of God on earth. 

Apply the principles of the right to life and the dignity of the human person to the formation of a moral conscience. 

Explain how the social teachings of the Church help them to understand the biblical message of God’s saving love. 

Explain causes of vulnerability (age, race, disability, etc.) and ways that we can act morally in situations where vulnerable people are present. 

Explain how Catholics are called to protect and promote the dignity of all human life. 

Apply the concept of the dignity of the worker to the moral mandate to work for the benefit of the community. 

Identify holy people from Scripture, and reflect on their lives using the model of encounter, disturbance and response. (Resource: Maryknoll Missionaries) 

Identify Catholic Social Teaching as beginning with Pope Leo XIII in his encyclical Rerum Novarum. 

Describe how prayer leads to an honest and intentional response to our lives. 

Discover and share sources for prayer. 

Show understanding that prayer is a way of life. 

Articulate how all prayer forms helps us lead holy lives through blessing, adoration, petition, intercessions, thanksgiving and praise.

Attend and reflect on one of the following: Benediction; Stations of the Cross; adoration. 

Write prayers demonstrating the six forms of prayer. 

State how we use the prayers of the saints to help us pray. 

Identify the diversity and development of prayer expressions within the Church.

Explore, experience and reflect on the various expressions of prayer: vocal, meditative and contemplative. 

Identify how the Church’s tradition of prayer at daily intervals was meant to remind Christians that all time is holy. 

Pray using the Examen. 

Identify the four movements of Lectio Divina

Explain why the Our Father is the model of all prayer for us and summarizes our Catholic Christian faith. 

Participate in variety of traditional devotions. 

Pray a variety of prayers associated with different saints. 

Understand the role of the Liturgy of the Hours in the monastic life. 

Articulate all the mysteries of the Rosary.

Identify the connection between St. Dominic and the Rosary

Pray the rosary.

Participate and/or lead the Liturgy of the Hours. 

Understand how icons can assist us with prayer.

Prayers By Heart 

Prayers to Experience 

Prayers to Recite and Lead: 

Shared at Mass - Mass Responses 

Give examples of how the Church continues to teach as Jesus did and recognize how each person helps shape Church history. 

Know the story of Pentecost and how the Church began in the Old Testament and New Testament. 

Create a timeline the early period of the Church from 30 CE to 313 CE, the role of the deacons, Roman persecutions, move from Jewish to Gentile membership, the contributions of the early fathers, and the importance of councils. 

Demonstrate a basic understanding of Church history through an overview of Early Church Acts; Council of Jerusalem; Paul’s Journeys’ growth and change through the ages. 

Know that the Acts of the Apostles give insight into the early Church, and identify the differences between the ministry of Peter and Paul. 

Show familiarity with the geography and cities of middle eastern world and Rome. 

Explore the role of the Pope in leading the Church. 

Explain how the councils were occasions for renewal in the Church. 

Explore moments of transition in the life of the Church to include: 1054 Schism; Avignon Papacy; Mendicant Orders; Reformation; Infallible Statements of the Church. 

Show understanding of the causes of the Reformation, the rise of Protestantism and the Counter-Reformation of the Catholic Church to begin the inner work of reform begun in the Council of Trent in the age of reform from 1517 to 1891 CE. 

Know and understand the importance of the sixteen documents from the Vatican Council II. 

Explore the role of Religious Orders through the ages: Hermits, Monks, Monastics, Mendicants, and Missionaries. 

Trace the history of the Catholic faith in Florida, and know the history of one’s parish, recognizing how each person helps shape Church history. 

Identify holy men and women of the Church through the ages who have demonstrated concern for the poor and marginalized and in turn acted as Christ and made an impact for the good. 

Identify the responsibility of the Body of Christ to work for the Kingdom of God on Earth throughout history, today, and in the future. 

Appreciate the benefits of chastity/chaste lives with maintaining our bodies as Temples of the Holy Spirit. 

Recall and describe the four marks of the Church: one, holy, catholic, apostolic. 

Understand that catholic (lower case “c”) means universal and is identified with the world-wide Church, which includes many cultures and ethnic groups. 

Explain the four marks of the Church and how they move us towards the universal call to salvation

Identify the names and roles of leadership in the Church moving from the Pope to the Pastor. 

Define the magisterium. 

Explain the function of Papal Encyclicals, Pastoral Letters and the Catholic Catechism as vehicles for the unity of the Church. 

Name the Precepts of the Church and identify ways that the precepts strengthen the Church to live out a Christian life as God’s people (priest, prophet and king.) 

Locate and cite passages in the Bible that show us how we are to live as Disciples of Christ. 

Cite and associate references in Paul Letters emphasizing the importance of family and the definition of domestic church. 

Identify and describe the qualities of holy men and women in Scripture and throughout Church history and describe ways we can live out these qualities in our own lives. 

Recognize that all are called by God to be Saints. 

Know that we are called to participate in the life of the Church and discern how God helps us to know our vocation (discernment). 

Apply the concept of being made in God’s image to the response to God’s call through vocation. 

Identify ways that we can act now and could act in the future as Christ would act with an impact on the good of all God’s people. 

Tell the story, identify qualities and celebrate the feast day of the parish patron saint. 

Celebrate devotional days in honor of Mary. 

Recognize and identify the Mary as the Mother of the Church and our mother. 

Recognize symbols of Mary in art from around the world. 

Discuss Mary as she is portrayed in the Magnificat. 

Articulate that at Baptism we receive a special call from the Holy Spirit to proclaim, witness, and serve the Church and the world given our unique gifts. 

Recognize charisms come through the grace of the Holy Spirit to be used for the building of the Church. 

Explain how humans have been called by God to be stewards of all of God’s creation. 

Explain the stewardship equation – receive / cultivate / share / return. 

Articulate an understanding of the Rites of the Catholic Church as an expression of unity and diversity. 

Describe the difference between ecumenical dialogue and inter-religious dialogue. 

Describe how ecumenism and dialogue are evangelizing works of the Church in the task of creating unity and peace in the world. 

Recall and understand the implications for your own life that Jesus commanded the disciples to “go and make disciples of all nations.” 

Understand and explain why Christians pray and work for Christian unity and the need to respect people of all faiths. 

Be able to distinguish their Catholic Christian faith from other Christian faiths. 

Show understanding of one’s beliefs through the profession of one’s faith.

Recognize the New Evangelization calls each of us to deepen our faith, believe in the Gospel message and go forth to proclaim the Gospel. 

Vocation Prayer

Glorious Mysteries

Review of all prayers by hear

Silent Prayer

Meditation

Lectio Divina

Rosary

Stations of the Cross

The Examen

Prayers of blessing, adoration, praise, intercession, thanksgiving, petition

One or more decades of the Rosary

Our Father

Hail mary

Invitatory, Psalm(s) antiphonal style and Doxology – Psalm 90 and Canticle of Mary the Magnificat (Lk 1:46-55) from Liturgy of the Hours

Spontaneous Prayer using “You, Who, Do Through” sequence

Sign of the Cross

And with your spirit

Confiteor

Alleluia

Responses after Scripture: Readings and Gospel 

Preface Dialogue

Sanctus

The Mystery of Faith

Sign of Peace

Agnus Dei / Behold the Lamb of God

Amen

Creed (Nicene and / or Apostles)

invitation to Prayer