Faith Formation

The goal of Saint Mark School is to provide instruction and experience in the Catholic faith so that the graduate of Saint Mark will have:

learned God's message as proclaimed by the Church;
realized Jesus' presence in prayer and worship;
experience community by witnessing to Jesus through word and deed among classmates and the larger community;
learned the essentials of Catholic doctrine.

Objectives

will have planned and participated in prayer services and liturgies;
will have learned formal prayer and grown accustomed to praying spontaneously;
will have learned the principal teachings of the Church as taught by Scripture and tradition;
will understand and be able to explain the life of Jesus and His part in God's plan for salvation;
will have participated in social action projects;
will have prepared for and received the Sacraments of Reconciliation, Eucharist and Confirmation;
will have learned the elements of appropriate behavior in Church - reverence, prayer, posture, genuflection, silence and the like; and
will have learned about and learned to appreciate other Christian and non-Christian faiths.

To achieve the above, the following tools are used and experiences planned:

Class: Religion is taught every day by classroom teachers. The religion period is given prime time in the daily schedule.
Evaluation: A comprehensive examination on these teachings will be given at the end of eighth grade. The Religious Education Outcomes Inventory published by the National Catholic Education Association is the tool that is used. A passing grade is required for graduation.
Sacraments: Reconciliation preparation and reception in second grade with study of the Sacrament in all grades following. First Holy Communion is received in second grade and Confirmation in eighth grade.
Prayer: Growth in holiness depends largely on prayers. A child should learn his first prayers at home. Morning and night prayers, grace before and after meals, and the observance of the feasts and seasons of the Church year are important parts of family life. Teachers pray with their students at the beginning and close of each day. Grace is prayed before and after lunch. Formal prayers are assigned for memorizing and understanding according to the student’s grade level. Spontaneous prayer is also taught and encouraged during the day.

Mass: Parents have an obligation, not only to insure the fact that a child attends Mass, but also that he grows in understanding and participation in Mass. The school supplements this training, but no amount of training in school can supplant the example of regular family participation. Monthly Confession and frequent reception of Holy Communion should be encouraged both at home and school. Parents of non-Catholic students also have an obligation to insure the fact that their child attends their church on Sunday. Students will attend 8 AM Mass twice per week. All students will attend Mass on holydays of obligation and various feast days throughout the year.