Grade 7 – Curriculum

BOOK ONE – CHURCH AND SACRAMENTS

UNIT ONE – THE CHURCH

Chapter 1 – The Church: The People of God

· The Church in the divine plan of God

· The old and new Covenant

· Jesus, the new and everlasting Covenant

· The Communion of Saints

· Heaven, purgatory and hell

· Laypeople

· Ordained ministers

· Consecrated religious

· Pope and other bishops

· Naming of a pope

· Discerning one’s vocation

· Prayer for Vocations

Chapter 2 – The Church: The Body of Christ

· Church as a mystery

· Church as Body of Christ and the Temple of the Holy Spirit

· Marks of the Church

· Ecumenism

· Salvation outside the Church

· Apostolic succession

· Magisterium, obedience of faith, parish councils

· Being a responsible member of a group

Chapter 3 – Saint Paul the Apostle: A Scripture Story

· Missionary journeys of Paul the Apostle

· The missionary nature of the Church

· The missionary responsibilities of all the baptized

· Living the Gospel with zeal and optimism

Chapter 4 – The Church: A People of Prayer

· The Christian rhythm of prayer

· Liturgical seasons

· Liturgy of the Hours

· Vocal prayer

· Meditation

· Sources of Christian prayer

· Payer to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

· Personal and communal prayer

· Spending time with God

Chapter 5 – The Prayer of the Church

· Christian prayer as a covenant and communion

· Obstacles to prayer

· Models of prayer

· Abraham, Moses, David the prophets

· Mary

· The prayer of Jesus

· The liturgy of the Church

· Liturgy of the Hours, liturgical rites, local customs, singing and music

· Popular devotions

· Sacred images

UNIT TWO – WORSHIP AND SACRAMENTS

Chapter 6 – Give Thanks to God

· Worship of the Trinity

· Presence of Christ in the liturgy

· The work of the Holy Spirit in the liturgy

· Divine missions

· Paschal Mystery

· Seven sacraments

· Sacramental graces, rites, and common elements

· The liturgical year

· Sacramentals

· Recognizing God’s presence

Chapter 7 – Reborn of the Spirit: A Scripture Story

· Nicodemus, Jewish Sanhedrin, and Pharisees

· Torah

· Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus

· Gospel symbols of darkness and light

· Promise of eternal life

· Dealing with fears

Chapter 8 – Baptism and Confirmation

· Sacraments of Christian Initiation

· Christian initiation as a new beginning, a new birth

· Baptism: door to other sacraments, rite, infant Baptism, salvation of unbaptized children and adults, of non-Catholics, restored order of the celebration of the Sacraments of Christian Initiation

· Treating people with respect and hospitality

Chapter 9 – The Eucharist

· Eucharist as sacrament, memorial, sacrifice, Lord’s Supper, Holy Sacrifice, Sacrifice of Praise, Holy Communion, and Holy Mass

· Celebrating the Eucharist: the celebrant, Liturgy of the Word, Liturgy of the Eucharist, Communion Rite

· The real presence of Jesus

· Sacramental graces of the Eucharist

· The Blessed Sacrament

· Developing an attitude of gratitude

Chapter 10 – Jesus Feeds Five Thousand: A Scripture Story

· Symbolism of bread in Scripture: friendship, hospitality, divine Providence, manna

· Mark’s account of Jesus feeding five thousand

· John’s Bread of Life discourse

· Eucharist as Bread of Life

· Sharing our blessings

Chapter 11 – Anointing of the Sick and Reconciliation

· The Church as a sign and instrument of Jesus’ ministry of healing

· Sacraments of Healing

· Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick: rites and sacramental graces

· Sacrament of Reconciliation: conversion, essential elements and sacramental graces, seal of confession

· Forgiving and healing

Chapter 12 – Matrimony and Holy Orders

· Church as a sign and instrument of Jesus’ ministry

· Essential qualities of marriage

· Sacrament of Matrimony

· Marriage promises

· Divorce and remarriage

· Annulment

· Common priesthood of the faithful: ordained or ministerial priesthood

· Sacrament of Holy Orders: bishops, priests, deacons

· Rite of ordination of priests

· The Christian family

· Love begins at home

BOOK TWO – MYSTERY OF GOD

PART ONE – THE REVELATION OF GOD

Chapter 1 – We Believe

· The quest for God

· Natural knowledge of God

· Saint Augustine of Hippo and Saint Albert the Great

· Faith and reason

· Divine Revelation

· The gift or faith, faith seeking understanding, mysteries of faith, atheism, agnosticism, secularism, secular humanism

· Getting in touch with God

Chapter 2 – The Word of God

· Inspiration of the Bible

· The Canon of Sacred Scripture

· Oral tradition

· Literary genre in the Bible

· The covenant with Noah, with Abraham, and Moses

· The land of Abraham

· Promise of a new covenant

· Sacred Tradition

· Communication skills

Chapter 3 – The Man Born Blind: A Scripture Story

· The fourth Gospel: Saint John the Apostle and Evangelist

· Book of Signs

· Miracles

· Jesus’ healing the man born blind

· Faith in Jesus

· Initiation into the Catholic Church

· Overcoming obstacles to seeing with eyes of faith

Chapter 4 – The Mystery of Creation

· Attributes of God: Almighty, Creator, One, Eternal, Truth, All-Present, Love

· The biblical accounts of creation of humans, spiritual soul

· Original justice

· Original sin

· Jesus the new Adam

· Saint Teresa of Avila

· Building healthy relationships

Chapter 5 – God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

· The mystery of God

· The Holy Trinity

· Saint Athanasius and the First Council of Nicea

· Nature and person

· The work of the Trinity

· Attribution and the divine missions: creation, salvation, and sanctification

· The Christian family

· Balancing relationships within the family

PART TWO – THE GIFT OF SALVATION

Chapter 6 – Jesus Christ, the Son of God –

· Blessed Mary, Ever-Virgin

· Immaculate Conception

· Mary, Mother of God

· The Incarnation: Jesus, true God and true man

· Infancy Narratives

· Public ministry of Jesus

· Ecumenical councils of the Catholic Church

· Symbols of Jesus Christ

· Respecting and accepting differences

Chapter 7 – The Transfiguration of Jesus: A Scripture Story

· Mountains in Sacred Scripture

· The Jewish feast of Tabernacle

· The Transfiguration, Moses and the prophet Elijah, Jesus the fulfillment of the Law and Prophets, Jesus the suffering Messiah

· Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

· Seeing with eyes of faith

Chapter 8 – The Suffering Servant: A Scripture Story

· Isaiah the Prophet

· The Book of the Prophet Isaiah

· The servant songs, the Servant of YHWH, the suffering Servant,

· The major and minor prophets

· Jesus the sinless, suffering servant

· The suffering Church

· Archbishop Helder Camare

· Dealing with loss

Chapter 9 – Jesus’ Passion and Death

· The origin and problem of evil: original justice, original sin

· Jesus the New Adam

· Jesus’ death and descent to the dead

· Stations of the Cross

· Moving from sadness to hope

Chapter 10 – Jesus’ Resurrection and Ascension

· The Resurrection

· The Ascension

· Life after death, particular judgment, Last Judgment, heaven, purgatory, hell

· Saint Philip Neri

· Persevering in living the Gospel

Chapter 11 – A Resurrection Story: A Scripture Story

· Resurrection stories: pattern, audience, setting, faith testimonies

· Saint Thomas the Apostle

· Appearance of Risen Jesus at Sea of Tiberias

· Symbolism of the number 7, light and darkness, the breaking of Bread

· Stained-glass windows

· Faith sharing

Chapter 12 – The Holy Spirit, the Sanctifier

· The Holy Spirit in the Old Covenant, in the Gospels, in the work of Christ, in the life of the Church

· The Advocate

· Charisms and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit

· Christian art

· Living the Gifts of the Holy Spirit