Catechesis: Grades 4 – 6

WE ENCOUNTER God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 

• The Holy Trinity is a communion of three “persons.” 
• God is revealed to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, or as the Creator, the Redeemer and the Sanctifier. 
• Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the greatest sacrament, or sign, of God’s love. 
• We call Jesus suffering, death, resurrection and ascension the “Paschal Mystery;” the Paschal Mystery shows us that there is life after death, and offers us eternal hope. 
• The Holy Spirit gives life and inspiration to the Church and its members. 
• Wind, breath and fire are some of the most common symbols of the Holy Spirit. 

WE ARE FORMED  in one, holy, catholic and apostolic church. 

• Christians express our belief in the Holy Trinity in the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed. 
• The Immaculate Conception and the Assumption are two important Catholic beliefs and feasts about Mary. 
• The liturgical year of the Church celebrates the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus. 
• The sanctoral year of the Church celebrates Mary and the saints. 
• Holy water, medals and blessings are sacred signs; the Catholic Church calls them sacramentals.  
• A good Christian family is a sign of God’s grace; that is why we call the family “the domestic  Church” or “the church in the home.” 

WE LIVE as disciples of Christ helping to build the Kingdom of God. 

• Showing respect for and enjoyment of God’s creation is a part of good stewardship. 
• Sacraments are visible signs that celebrate God’s grace. 
• The Catholic Church has seven sacraments. 
• The Sacraments of Initiation are Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. 
• The Sacraments of Healing are Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick. 
• The Sacraments of Service are Holy Orders and Matrimony. 
• Forming our conscience is a life-long responsibility. 
• The Paschal Mystery is celebrated in the sacraments, particularly in the Eucharist; the Eucharist is called the source and summit of Catholic life. 
• The Paschal Mystery can also be experienced in the daily happenings of our lives. 
• Baptized members of the Church can participate in different liturgical and ministerial roles. 
• We should show reverence in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. 
• We should protect our body, mind and spirit; to do so, we should be able to recognize situations or people who can harm us. 
• We can learn positive ways to handle negative peer pressure and stress. 
• It is important to think more about what it means to live a “sacramental life.” 
• We should learn and pray: the Stations of the Cross, the Memorare and the Hail, Holy Queen Prayer 
• We should learn the Precepts of the Church and the parts of the Mass.