Catholic Formation
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In all aspects of our relationship with our students, we strive to evangelize our students with the Good News of Jesus Christ. This includes helping form the intellect through academic excellence, forming the will through Catholic morality, and forming the heart through prayer and service.
At St. Peter Catholic School, students are encouraged to live their faith journey to the fullest. We are a Catholic school and embrace education that develops the mind, body and spirit. The study of religion and moral issues is appropriate for the students, especially, as they prepare themselves for adulthood and responsibilities in a complex world. The student body consists of both Catholic students and students of other faiths. For Catholic students, the beliefs and practices of the Catholic church are reinforced. Catholic students also receive instruction and preparation for the sacraments of First Reconciliation, First Eucharist, and Confirmation. First Reconciliation and First Eucharist are completed in 2nd grade while Confirmation is in 8th grade. Students of other denominations are comfortable within our halls to share their own faith and ask questions. Prayer services and masses at St. Peter Catholic Church offer opportunities to worship God, facilitate spiritual growth, and provide meaningful, age-appropriate messages that relate faith to life. While the Mass is a Catholic celebration, it is truly an exciting opportunity for the entire student body and faculty to gather as one to share their love for Jesus. Parents and guests are always welcome to attend school masses and prayer services. Prayer is an integral part of daily life at St. Peter and we strive to make every event a faith-filled event. Religious Instruction Religion is seen as an integral part of each school day. There is a daily period for formal religious instruction. Teachers, staff members and children are encouraged to pray and read the Bible often. Classes and experiences are designed to increase students’ understanding of the sacraments, particularly Reconciliation and Eucharist. Eucharistic liturgies are planned and celebrated so that the school community can better understand and participate in the Eucharist. Classroom prayer times are at the beginning and end of the day and before lunch. Teachers plan these prayer experiences carefully so that children are exposed to a variety of prayer styles. Care is taken to create an atmosphere in the classroom conducive to prayer. Traditional devotions including, but not limited to; weekly Mass, the Rosary, Stations of the Cross, Adoration and May Crowning are part of the religion program. No principal, teacher, staff member or student will be exempted from participation in religious observances that are deemed part of the school program. |
DID YOU KNOW? We Enter a Catholic Church with Respect and Reverance
We enter the church with reverence because we are entering a sacred space. 1. Dip your fingers into the holy water and make a cross over yourself and say: In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This gesture reminds us of our baptism and our promise to know Him (the head), to love Him (the heart) and to serve him (each shoulder). 2. We approach the pew, bow down on one knee, and greet Jesus present in the Tabernacle. The tabernacle keeps some of the Eucharistic bread left over from our celebration to take to the sick and elderly. This bow is called a genuflection. The Liturgy of the Word
"In the celebration of the liturgy, Sacred Scripture is extremely important. From it come the lessons that are read and explained in the homily and the psalms that are sung." CC1100 The First Reading is from the Old Testament. These are the Scriptures Jesus heard when he worshiped God during his earthly life. They are the stories of God's chosen people, the Jews. The Psalms both nourished and expressed the prayer of the People of God gathered during the great feasts at Jerusalem and each Sabbath in the synagogues. (CC 2586) The psalms teach us to fix our hope in God. (CC 2657) The Second Reading is usally taken from one of the letters written by the apostles to the earliest Christians. These epistles are part of the New Testament. We stand and sing a Gospel Acclamation. Alleluia means "praise God" in Hebrew, the ancient language of the Jewish people. During Lent, there are no alleluias at Mass and the words of the Gospel Acclamation are Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory. We stand for the reading of the Gospel. The Gospels tell us who Jesus is, and what He said and did during His life on earth. The Gospel is also called the "good news" or the "message" of Jesus Christ. The priest or deacon will help us understand what God is saying to us through these readings. In his homily, he helps us understand how we can live what we have heard more faithfully. |