Holy Spirit
Religious Education
Catechism Instruction: Elementary (k-6)
Curriculum
Second Grade
Theme: My heavenly Father wants me to be pure of heart and free from sin (e.g., through Confession) so that I can be a close friend of Jesus (e.g., in Communion).
Catechesis for the Sacrament of Penance is to precede First Communion and must be kept distinct by a clear and unhurried separation. This is to be done so that the specific identity of each sacrament is apparent and so that, before receiving First Communion, the child will be familiar with the Revised Rite of Reconciliation and will be at ease with the reception of the sacrament. The Sacrament of Penance is to be celebrated prior to the reception of First Communion. (From Sharing the Light of Faith, National Catechetical Directory for Catholics in the United States, 126, p. 73.) In keeping with the instruction of the National Catechetical Directory, catechesis for the Sacrament of Penance and the reception of this Sacrament precedes catechesis for and reception of First Eucharist. (Refer also to Diocesan Policy on Penance, IV, A.) Preparation for these sacraments is a focal point of the Second Grade Program. This preparation always includes the parents, who have the primary responsibility for the education of their children.
Doctrine
At the end of Second Grade, students will demonstrate the following:
1. Know that Jesus is God’s Son, who became man, and who came to earth for all people. (Salvation).
(CCC 443-444, 571, 724, 733)
2. Understand Jesus’ obedience to the Father as a sign and model of our life. (Vocations)
(CCC 615, 915, 1900, 2242)
3. Recognize:
Mary as Jesus’ mother and our mother.
Joseph as the husband of Mary and the foster father of Jesus.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph are called the Holy Family.
(CCC 495, 564, 963)
4. Know that Jesus suffered, died on the cross and rose on Easter Sunday. (Redemption) Know that Jesus did this to save us from our sins and death.
(CCC 612, 619, 627, 629, 639-646)
5. Know that when Jesus ascended to His Father, He sent the Holy Spirit to be with us always. (Pentecost) (Sanctification)
(CCC 690, 730, 733-737, 767, 2003)
6. Recognize the many gifts that Jesus gives us: a sharing in God’s life though Baptism; His forgiveness of our sins in the Sacrament of Penance; His Body and His Blood in the Eucharist. (Grace)
(CCC 1084-1087, 1115-1116; Baptism: 1262-1265; Recociliation: 1442, 1444; Eucharist: 1340-1341, 1373-1378)
7. Know that Jesus is still present among us, specifically in God’s Word, in the Church, in the person of the priest, and especially in the Eucharist.
(CCC 662, 947, 1069, 1084-1085, 1088, 1340-1341, 1373-1378)
8. Know that at Mass we listen to God’s Word, offer ourselves with Jesus to the Father, and receive Jesus in Communion. (Worship)
(CCC 1069-1071, 1099-1101, 1330, 1346, 1362, 1364, 2177)
9. Understand that Holy Communion (the Eucharist) is the special Food that is Jesus. He comes to us so that we might grow more like Him.
(CCC 1329, 1357-1358, 1375-1377)
10. Know that only a bishop and a priest can consecrate bread and wine so that it becomes the Body and the Blood of Jesus.
(CCC 1142, 1144, 1348, 1581, 1587, 1592)
11. Understand that Jesus gave Himself in the Eucharist at the Last Supper.
(CCC 610)
12. Know Jesus’ two-fold Law of Love; to love God and to love others as one’s self.
(CCC 1823-1825, 1844, 1970, 2196)
13. Understand the Commandments in a positive way. They show us how to love God and others. Realize that the Holy Spirit strengthens us to do this. (Moral training)
(CCC 1724, 2060-2062, 2067, 2074)
14. Know that sin is a break in our relationship with God.
(CCC 386, 1487, 1850)
15. Realize that when we are sorry and seek God’s forgiveness through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, God forgives us. We hope in God.
(CCC 1422-1424, 1430-1433, 1446, 1448)
16. Know that Jesus gave the priest the power to forgive sin in the Sacrament of Penance.
(CCC 1446-1448)
17. Recognize the Church as the family of God; Baptism as the way to new life in God’s family.
(CCC 781, 804, 1213, 1267, 1655, 1658)
18. Review our belief in God the Father, in God the Son, and in God the Holy Spirit who is with us and in us. (Trinity)
(CCC 238, 240, 243-248, 262-263)
Scripture
Be familiar with passages and stories from Scripture, specifically:
1. Passover - Ex. 12
2. Quail and Manna in the Desert - Ex. 16
3. Jesus’ hidden life at Nazareth - Luke 2:40 and Finding in the Temple - Lk. 2:41-52
4. The Garden of Eden - Gen. 3
5. The Golden Calf - Ex. 32
6. Accounts of the Last Supper - Mt. 26:26-30; Mk. 14:22-26; Lk. 22:7-20; Jn. 22:7-20 Melchizedek Offering Bread and Wine - Gen. 14:18-20; Heb. 7:1-10
7. Death and Resurrection of Jesus - Lk. 23:44-56; 24:1-8; Jn. 20:1-17
8. Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes - Mk. 8:1-10
9. The Good Shepherd - Jn. 10:11-15; Ps. 23; Story of Zacchaeus - Lk. 19:1-10; Parables of the Prodigal Son, Lost Coin, Lost Sheep - Lk. 15
10. Jesus is still with us - Mt. 28:20
11. Baptism accounts in Acts - Acts 2:37-41; 10:44-48
12. Recognize the readings at Mass as the Word of God.
Prayer and Worship
During the Second Grade year the child will:
1. Recite with reverence the following formal prayers:
Sign of the Cross
Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be
Angel of God
Blessing before Meals
Morning Offering
Act of Contrition
Words of Prayer: Alleluia; Holy, holy, holy; Glory to God; Amen, Thank you God; I love you God; For my family, Lord hear our prayer
Prayer in the morning and evening
Understand a genuflection before the Blessed Sacrament as a prayer of reverence
2. Experience prayer in a spontaneous way; as silent time; with Scripture; with song, gesture and movement, and visits to the Blessed Sacrament.
3. Understand and be familiar with four reasons for praying: to praise God, to thank God, to ask God for requests and to say “I’m sorry.”
4. Participate in formal and informal prayers and celebrations.
5. Have begun a habit of personal prayer, encouraged by consistent classroom experiences of prayer.
6. Know that the Holy Spirit helps us to pray.
7. Participate actively in mind, heart and actions in the Sunday Liturgy.
8. Recognize the difference between ordinary bread and the Eucharist.
9. Participate in paraliturgies of forgiveness/reconciliation; celebrating Baptism.
10. Be familiar with and experience individual reception of the Sacrament of Penance. (Rite I).
11. Experience communal celebration and personal reception of the Sacrament of Penance. (Rite II)
12. Know the steps in the Rite of Reconciliation:
Confessing our sins - CCC 1448
Accepting a penance - CCC 1448
Praying an Act of Contrition - CCC 1451
Receiving absolution - CCC 1449
Practice of penance - CCC 1494
13. Have a cursory understanding of the parts of the Mass:
• The gathering in which we come together to pray as one family - CCC 1348
• The readings through which we listen to God’s Word - CCC 1349
• The presentation and preparation of the gifts in which we get ready to thank God and offer ourselves with Jesus to the Father - CCC 1350
• The Eucharistic Prayer in which, at the consecration the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus - CCC 1352-1353
• The Lord’s Prayer (Our Father) sums up the Church in prayer and prepares us for the banquet reception in heaven - CCC 2770
• The reception of Communion in which we receive Jesus - CCC 1331, 1355
• The dismissal in which we are blessed to go out and help others - CCC 1332, 1397
14. Describe something of the significance of Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Holy Week, Easter and Pentecost through verbal and/or artistic forms of creative expressions.
15. Point out certain objects in the church, such as: altar, tabernacle, crucifix, Baptismal font, holy water font, Stations of the Cross, Confessional/Reconciliation Room, stole, Mass vestments.
16. Be aware that the Bible is the book of God’s Word and has a special place in church, in the classroom and at home.
Moral Development
The child will:
1. Recognize signs of God’s love in his/her life and in the world around.
2. Know that family and friends are a way of knowing God’s love.
3. Know that basically, we are a holy people.
4. Know that we have a tendency to weakness because of original sin.
5. Understand a simple version of the Ten Commandments. (see Prayers section)
6. Know that there are good actions and bad actions. (Moral training)
7. Be aware of the need to forgive and/or ask forgiveness. (Moral training)
8. Identify and talk about reasons for sorrow and signs of forgiveness.
9. Know that the Holy Spirit helps us to make good choices as we follow Jesus.
10. Participate in skits and games to distinguish between sin, temptation and mistake.
11. Respect all human life which is created in God’s image from the unborn to the elderly. (Respect Life)
12. Relate the care of all living things to God’s care for us.
13. Participate in a service program which includes discussion and follow-up.
14. Enjoy the stories of the saints and also of good modern-day Christians as models of living the Gospel values.
For example:
St. Tarcisius, an altar boy
St. Pius X, a pope who wanted children to receive Eucharist
Cure de Ars: St. John Vianney, a priest who was famous for the Sacrament of Penance
St. Theresa of Lisieux
15. Pray to know if God calls the child to be a priest or a religious brother/sister.
Glossary
At the end of this grade level, students should know the following:
Archangels absolution altar
Baptism Blessed Sacrament Body of Christ
brother commandment Communion
confession confessional conscience
contrition crucifix Easter Sunday
Epiphany examination of conscience Eucharist
faith forgiveness Good Friday
grace god-parent Holy Thursday
Holy Week heaven hell
hope Host Last Supper
priest parable patron saint
penance Pentecost Resurrection
Reconciliation Sacrament of the Eucharist Sacrament of Penance
sin: original and actual (i.e., venial and mortal) stole
sister tabernacle temptation
Trinity vestments