Come and See

Catholic schools are guided in all they do by an important and coherent vision of education. This vision is based on the truth revealed by God about ourselves, our life together in community and our ultimate destiny with God. This gives rise to an educational endeavor centered on the person Jesus Christ, who is our Way, Truth and Life.

(Joint pastoral letter on Catholic Education:, Bishops’ Conference, September 2007)

In Holy Name Catholic Primary School, we teach the Religious Education Programme – Come and See.

Each topic is split up into four weeks and is split up into three areas:

Explore

This will take one week of Religious Education time to complete.

The teacher helps the children to begin to look at and focus on the experience within their own lives – concerning themselves, their relationships and their world. In this way the children are led to a deeper understanding, clearer vision and the discovery of significance and value of the experiential events of everyday life.

This will involve:

  • exploring experiences through story, music, drama, dance, art, etc
  • investigation
  • story telling
  • consideration of the big questions
  • discussion
  • becoming aware of the questions raised
  • reflecting on significance of these

Reveal

This will take two weeks of Religious Education time to complete.

Reveal is the heart of the process. The teacher and the children together discover the Christian understanding of the mystery of the Trinity; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They explore the mystery of human life as revealed in the person, life and gospel of Jesus Christ Christians. It will involve learning about Scripture, the teaching of the Church, prayers, rites, psalms, hymns and other expressions of Christian faith and the lives of outstanding Christians.

The process of delivery will involve:

  • meeting new knowledge of religious education;
  • developing an understanding of this new knowledge;
  • reflecting on the wonder of the mystery;
  • gathering information and collecting facts connected with this knowledge;
  • researching, collating and classifying;
  • becoming aware of the questions raised;
  • working with problems and grappling with puzzling experiences;
  • exploring experiences through story, music, drama, dance, art;
  • exploring what leads to understanding and meaning;
  • asking questions and discussing;
  • exploring in creative and practical ways through drama, writing, poetry, song, dance, music, ICT and service of others;
  • making links between Christian understanding and the shared life experience;
  • valuing life experience;
  • acknowledging and respecting difference(s);
  • being open to new

Respond

This will take one week of Religious Education to time to complete.

Remember is the first part of this section. The children will respond by remembering and celebrating all that they have learnt. This new understanding will enable them to make a personal response in their daily lives. This part begins by reflecting on what the children wonder about. This is followed by providing the opportunity for the children to remember what they have understood and learnt.

This may be done through:

  • creating a quiet, prayerful atmosphere for reflection
  • looking at and thinking about the work done
  • drawing attention to different aspects of this work
  • sharing thoughts and

Rejoice is the second part of the section. There will be the opportunity to plan and take part in a celebration. It will be essential to involve the children in the choice of material to be used in the celebration. The headings below, which are in every topic, offers guidance as to the content of the celebration.

GATHER            - Consider how the children will begin the celebration.

WORD–LISTEN - To some scripture read or enacted

RESPONSE         -    How will the children respond to all they have heard?

GOING FORTH  -    How will the children take away the message?

Renew the teacher helps each child to make an individual response, to hold on to and make their own, what they have understood of the topic. In this part, the children will think about how they can apply their learning to their lives.