A Mercy School.

Religious Education at St Aloysius College support the full flourishing of all learners as spiritual and religious, physical and cognitive, social and emotional beings. The Religious Education Curriculum sits within the context of the Education Framework for the Archdiocese of Melbourne and as a Catholic School, we take seriously the mission of the Church to engage with the message of the Gospel and Catholic Tradition in all its wisdom, complexity and challenge.

Years 7-9
Years 10-12

Years 7-9

In following the learning structure set out by the Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS), the content of the learning in the framework is organised through five areas:

  • Scripture and Jesus
  • Church and Community
  • God, Religion and Life
  • Prayer, Liturgy and Sacrament
  • Morality and Justice

Students develop their interpretative skills, considering literary structures of Scripture passages and the impact of settings, styles and viewpoints of authors and audience in both old and new testaments. They develop appreciation of the Word as means of encounter with Jesus Christ. They explore the history of the Church and the development of its distinctive ideas, teachings and practices, as well as the charisms of the saints. They extend their knowledge of religious diversity, identifying the particularity of the Catholic Tradition in the Australian context. They expand their experiences of personal and communal prayer and the variety of spiritual devotions in both the Catholic and other traditions, including appreciation of religious art and music throughout history. They focus on deepening understanding of Eucharist and its centrality to the Catholic Tradition. They deepen understanding of Catholic social teaching and its application to both personal and global issues, including sexuality, equity and ecology, developing skills of discernment, which reflect self-respect and respect for the other.

Years 10-12

In Year 10, students undertake Unit 1 of the VCE subject; Texts and Traditions. Here they identify the influence of the Bible and other sacred texts on the lives of believers and continue to appreciate the relationship Christians have with the Bible. Students explore the importance of texts at the source of a tradition and how their meaning for the earlier and continuing tradition might be found and described.

In Year 11, students undertake Unit 2 of the VCE subject; Religion and Society. In this area of study students are introduced to the nature of ethical decision-making in societies where multiple worldviews coexist. They continue to develop moral maturity and the skills of dealing with complexity and ambiguity in both personal and political decisions. Students explore concepts that underpin ethical decision-making and influences on practical moral judgment.

In Year 12, students undertake a school based program, where they explore aspect of the Catholic faith and how it relates to the world and on their lives. They consider the diversity of religious traditions and their impact on Australian society. Through the exploration of art and film students explore and develop explore their spirituality and the role of various forms of prayer and contemplation in their life. They reflect on their own role in, and commitment to, the local and global Church or other faith traditions.