Religion

Formation for Life

Religious Education is foundational to all learning at the College. Our school is Catholic and the school community is committed to the positive values of a believing people. Knowledge of the world illumined by the light of faith is a basic principle of our school philosophy, as the college motto sates ‘Scientia cum Religione’. [Religion and Knowledge united]. Religious Education strives to relate all learning to the Gospel of Jesus so that students develop sensitivity to each other, expressed in service and social justice. The worth and dignity of each person are recognised in the responsibility each has to one another. The Religious Studies Department seeks to mentor students in their faith, providing opportunities for knowledge about the Christian story within the context of the Catholic tradition and the Religious Sisters of Charity.

Ignatian Spirituality – Our approach to living our Christian faith

Every religious Order has to choose a way of life that reflects how they come to find God in all things. When Mary Aikenhead established the Sisters of Charity in Ireland in 1815 she was inspired by the Spirituality of St Ignatius Loyola. This spirituality is a way of ‘seeking and finding God in all things’ and knowing when one is moving toward God or away from God. Students at St Vincent’s are encouraged to find God through experience, reflection and action.

Faith in Action-Community Outreach

Every student at the College will be involved in our social justice program and is a requirement for graduation. The aim of the program is to promote awareness and action as fundamental to the expression of the core Christian values of justice, peace and compassion within the tradition of the Sisters of Charity.

The program is structured according to the curriculum stages: 4, 5, 6 so that students can grow in understanding and experience towards a personal and independent acceptance of this Gospel imperative.

Students must complete a Social Justice Project for Stage 4 [Years 7/8] and Stage 5 [Years 9/10]. These projects are research tasks with a local focus in Stage 4 and a national or international focus in Stage 5 and have curriculum links.

In addition to this, 25 hours of mandatory community outreach is to completed and recorded in the Social Justice Journal over the four years with a minimum of 10 hours required in Stage 4 and 15 hours in Stage 5. This will be formally acknowledged through the College reports.

There is no mandatory community service for the Senior years as it is expected that students will assume a leadership role in the College Community with regard to Social Justice and participate willingly in number of activities within and beyond the College. To reinforce the significance of Social Justice in the life of contemporary Christians, senior students are required to write a philosophical paper on the principles of Catholic Teaching in this area. The best paper will be acknowledged at the Year 12 Graduation.

Curriculum

Religious Education programs follow the rationale, aims, objectives and outcomes of the Sydney Archdiocese Religious Education program, Faithful to God, Faithful to People. Essentially students build on their previous religious education and realise the expectations of what being a follower of Jesus Christ entails. Students complete a range of common and class assessment tasks and experience various methods of prayer.

In Years 11 and 12 students undertake the Studies of Religion [1 and 2 Unit] Higher School Certificate course as mandated by the NSW Board of Studies.

The Preliminary Course in Year 11 is a foundational study of World Religions, Religion in Australian Society pre 1945 and Religions of Ancient Origin. Students develop research, literacy and organisational skills.

The Higher School Certificate Course in Year 12 is a consolidation and extension of the Preliminary course. Students study specific aspects of Religious Traditions, Religion in Australia post 1945, Religion and Peace and Religion and Non-Religion.

Following the Liturgical and School Calendar students celebrate being Catholic. Communal experiences of prayer and Eucharist are essential and formative experiences for our students. All students are encouraged to be involved, and many demonstrate leadership at these special occasions.

Students in Years 7-10 attend a Reflection Day. The day explores a Christian theme, appropriate to each year level. Students have the opportunity ‘to be together’ as a year group to form and consolidate friendships.

Senior students attend over night retreats, which provides space for reflection in their lives. Students are challenged to deepen their understanding of themselves in relationship to their family, peers and their God.