As a Catholic School our mission focuses on:
- The development and experience of personal faith by being a community which celebrates its Catholic heritage through Scripture, Sacraments and Prayer.
- Keeping our Catholic identity – faith, hope and love – alive through a belief in God with respect for the dignity of every person, responding to the call of stewardship for all creation.
- Living out the values of social justice by service to the wider community, especially those in greater need, promoting the development of self-worth and human dignity among children, family and staff.
- Working together to build positive and harmonious relationships in an environment that fosters mutual respect and cooperation, providing an environment of challenge and support in which all are encouraged to reach their full potential through meaningful experiences and critical reflection.
- Ensuring staff are supported and provided with opportunities to develop their professional expertise.
- Creating and maintaining a welcoming community that fosters a sense of belonging and promotes positive communication that is informative, open and honest.
- Providing pastoral outreach through care and support for all community members, especially those in need. Celebrating our achievements, creating and maintaining collaborative teamwork between family, parish and school and respecting the values and needs of all people.
Family prayer and attendance at Sunday Mass and other Parish liturgies help children in their faith development.
Being a Catholic school, Religious Education is our first learning area and underpins all curriculum content. The school’s Religious Education program is a systemic and sequenced program of helping children relate the Catholic faith with their daily lives.
‘Religious Education in a Catholic school has its own specific purposes within a sound general education. Religious education focuses attention on the religious and moral development of all students within the framework of the Catholic tradition. Religious Education is one means of empowering students in their quest for God.’ (A Statement on Religious Education for Catholic schools- Brisbane Catholic Education)
Formal Religious Education lessons are held regularly. They are aimed at helping students to come to a sound understanding of God, the Holy Spirit and the Person of Jesus Christ. They also aim to give students knowledge of the Church’s traditions and teachings. Neither the Religious Education program nor the school as a whole can be expected to give faith to students. Nor is it likely the school can successfully influence a child to a life based on faith if the child’s home is not providing a similar influence.
In accordance with Diocesan Policy, St Therese’s follows the Brisbane Religious Education Guidelines. Teachers use these to plan and develop units which aim to meet the requirements of individual classes.
Prayer Life
At the centre of the Catholic community is the celebration of the Eucharist. It is from the Eucharist that we remember the life and message of Jesus, which nourishes the way in which each Christian lives this out in their own life.
Therefore, the development of the value of prayer is an important part of educating young Christian people. This is easier to achieve when children experience prayer in the home environment as well. Care is taken to ensure that children will be encouraged and led to an appreciation and practice of prayer in such a way that they feel free to develop at their own rate and in their own way.
Within that general aim the school:
- Teaches the formal prayers of the Church
- Encourages informal prayer (spontaneous)
- Makes provision for the Sacrament of Reconciliation to be celebrated
- Provides a quiet time each day for children
- Provides a regular prayer time each day
- Gives the example of staff praying together
- Ensures it prays for particular people or for particular events
- Follows a planned sequential program of formal Religious Education
- Sees Religion as part of every facet of school life
- Provides opportunities for whole school Masses and Liturgies
Hymn Practice
Hymn practice is held on a regular basis. These practices provide our students with the necessary preparation for liturgies and school celebrations. Full participation in these is a school expectation.
All students will be encouraged to be actively involved in the spiritual life of the school.
Liturgy / Worship
Liturgies are advertised through the school newsletter. It is our expectation and a condition of enrolment that all students fully participate in all activities. All parents and friends are warmly invited to share in these celebrations.
Sacraments
Parents of baptised students of the Catholic faith will be offered the opportunity to prepare their child/ren for the sacraments of Reconciliation (Year 3) and First Eucharist (Year 4), and Confirmation (Year 4) through parish-based programs at appropriate times during the school year. Parents will be notified of when these sacraments will occur via a letter as well as being advertised through our weekly newsletter and the Sunday Mass bulletin.
