Religion Department
The Religion Department of the Academy of Notre Dame fosters faith development and critical thinking through a seven-year curriculum that challenges, inspires and educates each student in the foundational elements of the Catholic tradition.
Course content is aligned with the eight religious education domains identified by the National Catholic Education Association: God, Church, Worship, Sacraments, Scripture, Morality, Religious Terms and Christian Hope.
(For more information on these categories and elements associated with each, click here.)
The department supports the Respect Life Club which promotes a consistent ethic of life by addressing all human life issues; abortion, chastity, euthanasia, persons with disabilities, the elderly, and the poor, through education and formation. The club spreads the Gospel of Life.
Junior School
Grade 6
An Introduction to the Hebrew Scriptures
Texts: Christ Jesus, The Way (Grade 6) (Benziger); The Breakthrough Bible for Young Catholics (St. Mary’s Press)
Instructor: Mrs. Jeanne Bernacki
In this course we trace God’s relationship to the people of Israel and to the Christian church. We’ll begin with Abraham and continue studying the major personalities of the Old Testament, examining God’s loving efforts to reach out continually to his people. Special attention is given to the roots of Christianity in the Hebrew Scriptures.
Also, this course will cover the sacrament of Confirmation and preparation for it. Students receiving the sacrament must work in conjunction with their parish program. Click here for pictures from the class retreat.
Grade 7
Jesus/Sacraments
Text: Christ Jesus, The Way Grade 7 (Benziger)
Instructor: Mrs. Jeanne Bernacki or Mrs. Bridget Bonner
This course is an exploration of the meaning, message and person of Jesus as present to us in the 21 st century. The student is led through the primary elements of what Christianity is all about, including faith, the Kingdom of God, the person of Jesus, Christian life and the sacraments. Scripture, tradition and contemporary awareness of these realities are sources for this exploration, and each student will be encouraged to see Jesus as important for her own life.
Grade 8
A Study of Church and Morality
Text: The Church Through History (Harcourt Religion Publishers)
Instructor: Mrs. Bridget Bonner
The eighth-grade course is a survey of the important developments, events, and people that have shaped the Church throughout its two thousand-year history. The course examines the life of the Church as Jesus’ community and various challenges experienced by the Church in the past and present.
High School
Grade 9
Introduction to Catholicism
Text: Understanding Catholic Christianity (Thomas Zanzig and Barbara Allaire. St. Mary’s Press) Instructor: Mrs. Josephine Gandolfo
Introduction to Catholicism is a survey of the concepts and beliefs that are central to membership in the Catholic Faith Community. Emphasis is placed on the definition of terms and clarification of doctrine and students are encouraged to personally engage in the careful consideration of basic faith issues such as the nature of God’s existence, the significance of the Incarnation, and the connection between our beliefs and our behavior. In addition, the life and charism of St. Julie Billiart will be incorporated into this course.
Grade 10
Introduction to the Bible
Texts: The Catholic Youth Bible (St. Mary’s Press); Inherit the Wind (Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee. Random House)
Instructor: Mrs. Ellen Hildenbrand
This course will examine sacred scriptures in light of modern Catholic biblical scholarship. Through a study of the Torah, historical books, the Prophets and Wisdom literature, the students will develop analytical skills essential for a deeper understanding of the scriptures. The course also includes extensive exploration of the Gospels, Acts and the New Testament Letters and their role in the formation of the Church. Throughout the course, students will be encouraged to reflect on the meaning and message of scripture in their own lives as they grow in faith and understanding.
Grade 11
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Catholic Morality
Texts: Introduction to Catholic Ethics (Longtin and Peach. NCEA); The Death of Innocents (Sr. Helen Prejean. Random House); Shadowlands (William Nicholson. Penguin Books); Compendium: The Catechism of the Catholic Church (USCCB); God Is Love (Deus Caritas Est) (Pope Benedict XVI. USCCB)
Instructor: Mrs. Norma DaCrema
Students begin the course by mastering the essential terminology of moral decision-making within the Catholic faith and in the context of the ethical foundations of other faiths and philosophies. Then, and for most of the year, students will apply these principles as they navigate the moral terrain of the 21 st century. Topics covered include sexuality, bioethics, capital punishment, social justice and stewardship. Assignments during the year, including a research paper, will reflect the scope and multidimensionality of being Roman Catholic today, including its political, social and ethical responsibilities, as well as the intellectual responsibility that comes with exercising each of these.
Grade 12
Senior Religion Seminar
Texts: Celebrating Sacraments (Stoutzenberger); Women of Mercy (Kathy Coffey); Becoming Who You Are (James Martin, SJ)
Instructor: Mrs. Susan Woehlcke
Conducted in a traditional seminar style, this course will explore the history, meaning and ritual of the seven sacraments after first defining the elements of a sacrament and the sacramental nature of the Catholic Imagination. During the second semester, students will research and present to the class the stories of women who have contributed to the growth and development of the human community through their commitment to a Christian lifestyle. Finally, based on what she has learned from both her own research and the presentations of her classmates, each student will formulate her own mission statement, one that is reflective of the values and concerns evidenced in the lives of those women studied in the course and also reflective of the concepts learned throughout her four years of high school religious studies at the Academy of Notre Dame.
Helpful links:
For more information on the Religion Department at NDA, contact Mrs. Bridget Bonner, Department Chair.
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