Grade 12 Religious Education Program on Understanding of Moral Living to be Launched

Monday, May 17 2004

(CCCB-Ottawa) A new and innovative religious education program that invites young Catholics to arrive at a moral view of the world through the eyes of their Catholic faith will be launched this summer by the National Office of Religious Education (NORE) of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB).

The program, entitled In Search of the Good: A Catholic Understanding of Moral Living, aims to assist young men and women to understand themselves as moral persons living the way of Christ through an examination of ethical theories, the revelation of sacred Scriptures, and the experience and teaching of the Catholic Church.

Moral principles derived from three great philosophers introduce this text, followed by three chapters on the mystery of revelation. In this way the foundation of Catholic moral teaching, namely, reason informed by faith, is clearly established for the 12 chapters that follow.

Bishop Richard J. Grecco, chairman of the CCCB’s Episcopal Commission for Christian Education, says: “This book is about the human quest for happiness and was inspired by the Holy Father’s message at World Youth Day 2002 in Toronto. It will equip young Catholics to enter the workforce or graduate studies, aware that their culture is pluralistic and secular, yet confident in and ready to respond to the power of God’s grace to lead them to their true fulfillment.”

Key features of the program include strong connections with the students’ daily lives, exploration of religious experience, expression and diversity, implications for Christian moral behaviour and an exploration of who we are as Church.

While developed as a Grade 12 resource, it is also a valuable tool for discussion by youth groups.

The student text features “Focus your learning” questions, key terms and definitions, a well-developed presentation of content, guiding questions, stories, biographies of key ethical thinkers, colourful graphics and photographs, and chapter summaries and reviews.

The teacher’s manual includes background notes for teachers, creative teaching and assessment strategies and an overview of the content. It also provides numerous questions to encourage student understanding. Altogether, the program provides a comprehensive introduction to ethics and morality in the Catholic tradition.

A preview of the new program and ordering information is available online at www.cccb.ca. The student text and teacher’s manual will be available this summer.