Our Faith
Evangelisation
The Church’s basic task is to call all to enter into ever-deepening relationship with God by repenting and believing in Jesus Christ and the Good News he proclaimed.
The two basic elements of the evangelisation process are; Christian Witness, reflecting a Christ-like presence and love to others and the Ministry of the Word, proclaiming the Good News in the same ways as Jesus did.
Church communities evangelise in different ways. Catholic schools do so by:
- striving continually to be good schools;
- teaching students to integrate faith, culture and life.
There are nine learning areas in the curriculum of Catholic schools in Western Australia. The first is Religious Education. (Mandate 61)
Religious Education aims to share the Catholic faith by promoting knowledge and understanding of the Gospel, as it is handed on by the Catholic Church, and of how those who follow Christ are called to live this Gospel.
Mary MacKillop Catholic Community Primary School follows the units of work set out by the Catholic Education Office of Western Australia and mandated by the Bishops of Western Australia. These units allow the students to achieve the following outcomes:
- Discovering God: Students understand that people come to discover God through experiences in creation.
- Drawing on Human Experience: Students understand the content of the Christian message and its significance by relating it to examples drawn from human experience.
- Knowing Jesus: Students know the person of Jesus, the model for living out the Christian mission in the world.
- Living like Jesus: Students understand that Catholics are empowered to live like Jesus the Saviour as they draw on the power of God’s Spirit.
- Catholic Practices: Students demonstrate the skills necessary in order to read and apply Scripture to life and to participate in Catholic ritual and prayer.
The Units of Work being taught follow the needs of students as perceived by teachers. The units relating to Sacraments are generally taught at the same time that the relevant classes are being prepared.
Students in Years 3 and 5 annually participate in ‘The Bishop’s Religious Literacy Assessment’.
There is an emphasis on prayer within the classroom, wider school community and students regularly participate in school and class liturgical celebrations.
View the full Evangelisation Plan
Sacramental Programme
‘Parents share the Faith, the school educates about the Faith and the Parish celebrates the Faith’.
As part of our parish, the sacramental programme begins with a parish Sacramental meeting where parents enrol their children. Prior to each Sacrament, families are asked to attend commitment masses where the parents and children making their Confirmation, First Eucharist and Penance (Reconciliation) are asked to make a commitment to preparing fully for the relevant Sacrament. Along with this commitment, going to mass regularly and family prayer are also beneficial.
Teachers then cover the relevant ‘units of work’, organise preparation days and assist with parent/candidate workshops. They communicate with parents about the programme and assist the parish to organise the Sacramental celebration.