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Born of the Spirit: School Edition |
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Overview
Grades 1 - 10
Published by the Catholic Conference of Bishops - Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
The Born of the Spirit series provides a post - baptismal catechesis that initiates children and youth into deeper faith: to live out the faith in community, and to build a stronger desire towards experiencing the ways of prayer and the Scriptures.
Born of the Spirit resources are available in three editions: school, parish and home.
SCHOOL EDITION is to be used by Catholic Schools in religious education programs. It consists of catechist's manual with 30 themes, student's book and a music cassette/CD.
Primary Cycle (Cycle One)
The Primary Cycle is about our belief in God. To glimpse God we look at Jesus the Word, who became flesh, lived among us. We experience God’s love in and through the Christian community where the Holy Spirit of God is the force and the breath of these experiences.
The Primary Cycle is about BELONGING.
Early Childhood: CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD
This resource is rooted in creation of the earth and in the incarnation of Jesus Christ. The metaphor used throughout is the resource is "a trace of God." The aim of the resource is to celebrate the wonder of childhood as a trace of God. The resource honors the four to five year old child religious way of being in the world by nurturing the child's ability to play, to be creative, to wonder.
Year One: WE BELONG TO GOD
Symbol - Circle of Friends |
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Invited by Jesus to belong to God the Father
The aim of Year I is to deepen the child's experience of belonging to God by growing in friendship with the Lord Jesus, who, in the power of the Holy Spirit, shows us the creative, forgiving, caring, love of God.
The content of Year I is the story of God told through the Good News of Jesus the Son in the power of the Holy Spirit.
The central symbol of Year I is the circle of friends.
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Year Two: WE BELONG TO THE LORD JESUS
Symbol - Eucharist |
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Called by the Lord Jesus to break bread together
The aim of Year II is to deepen the child's experience of belonging to God by growing in friendship with the Lord Jesus, who, in the power of the Holy Spirit, shows us the creative, forgiving, caring love of God, especially when we gather with the Christian community to celebrate the Eucharist.
The content of Year II is the mystery of Jesus who invites us to deepen our friendship with him and who, through the power of the Holy Spirit, draws us into the very life of God by giving himself to us in the Eucharist.
The central symbol of Year II is the cup and plate.
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Year 3: IN THE SPIRIT WE BELONG
Symbol - Tent |
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Gathered in unity to be the people of God
The aim of Year III is to deepen the child's experience of belonging to God through the community of the followers of Jesus gathered in the Spirit.
The content of Year III is about the Holy Spirit active in the Church and in the creation to fulfill God's dream to gather all people.
The central symbol of Year III is the tent of meeting.
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Intermediate Cycle
The Intermediate Cycle is centred on the knowledge of God’s unconditional love for us as revealed in Jesus Christ and handed on in the Church; the Church’s lived experience and faith in Jesus; the Church as a gathering of people of all nations, witnessing to the faith in and through the Spirit of God. The Kingdom of God experiences growth by our acceptance and receiving of the gift of the word, by our participation in the actions of the Church, by our desire and action to become disciples of the Risen Jesus.
Year 4: COME AND SEE
Symbol - Bible |
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Knowing Jesus through those closest to Him
The aim of Year IV is to meet the Lord Jesus through the living experience of the gospel witnesses and explore what it means for us to be a disciple and friend of Jesus today.
The content of Year IV is about Jesus Christ as proclaimed in the Church through the scriptures by the power of the Holy Spirit.
The central symbol of Year IV is the tree stump.
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Year 5: MAY WE BE ONE
Symbol - Rock |
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Being one with the Lord, who lives in the Church
The aim of Year V is to explore what the Church does as it gives witness to Jesus in the Spirit.
The content of Year V is the Church as sacrament. It presents the Church as the community of God's people where the Lord Jesus Christ is visible active and present in the power of the Holy Spirit.
The central symbol of Year V is the class rock.
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Year 6: YOU SHALL BE MY WITNESSES
Symbol - Lantern |
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Witnessing to God's Spirit in the World
The aim of Year VI is to explore how young Christians, rooted in the Christian tradition, are witnesses of God's justice and love.
The content of Year VI is the moral life of young Christians.
The central symbol of Year VI is the lamp.
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The Transient Cycle - The Creed
The Transition is based on characteristics of the Creed. The core of our Christian faith is the mystery of God’s relationship with us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Because of the Trinity, nothing exists without being in relationship. No article of the Creed stands on its own. The Creed affirms the whole story of salvation.
The three years of this cycle assist young believers to nurture their relationship with God in and through Jesus Christ in the context of Christian community. There are multiple opportunities for the young Christian to focus on life questions, experiences and issues of the young adolescent’s transition years.
For each year in the Transition Cycel, the resource manual offers two formats:
2 hour session or a 1 hour session (condensed version) retreat format, 4- 6 hour session. Could be used once a month
Year 7: BELIEVE IN ME
Symbol - Creed |
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The general aim of Year VII is to assist young believers in nurturing their relationship with God, through Jesus Christ and in the context of their being part of a Spirit filled community. The "faith summary" of the Apostles Creed and its use is an encouragement given to young believers to participate in the Church. Young people will apply concepts they have learned from the Creed to situations that are familiar to them.
The resource is based on the following:
- Part I of the Creed - God the Father
- Part II of the Creed - Jesus Christ
The two persons of the Creed / Trinity are seen through the scriptures and the Church year.
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Year 8: STAND BY ME
Symbol - Creed |
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The aim of Year VIII is to deepen the opportunity for the young believers to expand their sense of the social dimension of Church and to feel a sense of belonging through the common beliefs that bind us together. The community of young believers is assisted to put their faith into words that resonate with the experience and level of development.
The resource is based on Part II of the Creed - the Holy Spirit. The third person of the Creed / Trinity is seen through the Church, through the seven sacraments and commandments.
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Year 9: BE WITH ME
Symbol - Jesus Teacher |
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Year 9 invites the young believers to examine the attitudes and actions which characterize the Christian life, using the Beatitudes as a touchstone.
The aim of Year 9 is to build upon the two previous years that centered on the Apostles Creed examining the attitudes, and virtues which must be cultivated if the profession of faith is to have last meaning impact on the students' lives. A catechesis of the beatitudes is central since they sum up the way of Christ.
The resource is based upon Part 3 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church - "Life in Christ" providing an overview and experience of:
- the Beatitudes
- three theological virtues (faith, hope and love)
- other virtues drawn from the Beatitudes and the Ten Commandments
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