Stage One

 

 

WE BELIEVE in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

* God made everything.  

* God made me.

* I am special.

* Jesus is my friend and teacher.

 

WE BELONG to one, holy, catholic and apostolic church

* My family loves and cares for me.

* My family is part of God's family.

* The people at church belong to God’s family.

* We go to Church to thank God for all we have.

 

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

* Everything we have is a gift from God.

* We should take care of the things we have.

* We should take care of God's world.

* We should be nice to other people because they are also God's people.

* We should do what our parents and teachers tell us to do.

* We make God happy when we work and play well.

* We can pray by using our own words or by using the following gestures and prayers: the Sign of

     the Cross, Grace Before Meals.

•   •   •

 

Stage Two

 

WE BELIEVE in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

* The Bible is God’s special book.

* God is the Creator who is like a loving parent.

* God made each person special and unique.

* God loves us even when we make mistakes.

* Jesus is a friend and teacher; he shows us what God is like and how much God loves us.

 

WE BELONG to one, holy, catholic and apostolic church.

* We call Jesus, Mary, and Joseph the Holy Family.

* Mary is the Mother of Jesus.

* The Church is God’s family.

* The Church Year celebrates the life of Jesus. It also includes special days to honour Mary and other

     holy people.

 

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

* Animals and plants are part of God’s creation, we should care for them and not hurt them.

* We learn about God and God’s creation from our own families.

* Our bodies help us experience and appreciate God’s wonderful creation.

* We should respect and love all God’s people.

* There is a difference between right and wrong; we should try not to do things that are wrong.

* Prayer is a special way we talk to God.

* Playing, singing, working, and quiet time can be part of our prayer.

* Being a boy or girl is a gift from God.

* We should take care of our body.

* It is good to think about the wonders of God’s creation.

* We can pray by using our own words or by using the following gestures and prayers: the Sign of

     the Cross, Grace Before Meals, Our Father/The Lord's Prayer, Hail Mary.

•   •   •

 

Stage three

WE BELIEVE in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

* The Bible is God’s holy book; it tells us about God’s love for the human race.

* God created human beings in God's image and likeness.

* God wants everyone know, love and serve him and be happy forever in heaven.

* The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are all part of God.

* Jesus is God’s Son; he is our brother and friend.

* Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to help us live the way Jesus did.

 

WE BELONG to one, holy, catholic and apostolic church.

* Mary is the Mother of Jesus; she is also our spiritual mother.

* Saints are holy people who loved God very much and are with God in heaven.

* Angels are God’s special messengers; they guard and protect us.

* The Church is a community (or family) of God’s people.

* The Church is also a special building in which God’s family prays and worships God.

* We show our respect for God and God's people by folding our hands, making the Sign of the

     Cross, bowing and kneeling (genuflecting), listening and singing when we are in church.

* The Church Year celebrates the life of Jesus. It also includes special days to honour Mary and other

     holy people.

* God shares his life with us in the Sacrament of Baptism; we become members of the God's family,

     the Church, by our baptism.

* Holy water is a reminder of one’s baptism.

 

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

* Being a good steward means respecting and caring for God's creation. God's creation includes

     the animals and plants, the resources of the earth, and all human beings.

* We need to respect and love other people, even if they are different from us.

* There are good and bad ways to show and receive love.

* We should think about what it means to be a child of God.

* Our families are the first place where we learn to love God and pray to God.

* "Spontaneous prayer" is using our own thoughts and words to pray to God.

* We can pray by using our own words (spontaneous prayer), by using prayers or rituals we learn

     from our families, and by using the following gestures and prayers: Grace After Meals, the Glory

     Be, a Morning Prayer, Angel of God.

•   •   •

 

Stage Four

WE BELIEVE in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

* The Bible is made up of two parts: the Old Testament and the New Testament.

* God’s creation (the world) is filled with signs of God’s goodness and love.

* Jesus is the Son of God. He became human so that we could know God how much God loves us.

* Jesus lived and died for the sins of everyone.

* Jesus used parables to tell us about God and the way God wants us to live.

* Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to help us make good decisions and to live the way Jesus did.

* We call the power to live the way God wants us to live grace.

 

WE BELONG to one, holy, catholic and apostolic church.

* Mary is the Mother of Jesus; she is also called the Mother of the Church, and is the greatest of all

* The Church is the family of God's people; it is the Body of Christ on earth.

* The Church remembers and celebrates the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus throughout the

     Church Year and at every Mass.

* The Sabbath is a special day to worship God. Catholics celebrate the Sabbath by going to Mass

     on Saturday night or Sunday.

* The Church honours Mary and the saints throughout the Church Year.

 

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

* Being a good steward means using one’s talents and gifts to serve God and help others.

* We learn about God’s great love and forgiveness in our families.

* Sin is a bad word, thought, or action that we do on purpose. Sins are bad because they hurt other

     people or ourselves, or because they harm our relationship with God and others.

* A conscience is like an inner voice that helps us know what is right or wrong.

* The Ten Commandments are God’s laws; they tell how to love God, other people and ourselves.

* God forgives our sins through Baptism, the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the Eucharist.

* The Mass is also called the Eucharist; Eucharist means giving thanks.

* The two main parts of the Mass are the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

* Catholics believe that Jesus is truly present in the bread and wine which is blessed at Mass. We

     say the bread and wine become Jesus’ Body and Blood.

* We call the Body and Blood of Jesus Holy Communion.

* There are certain rules for receiving Holy Communion.

* Family relationships and friendships need to include listening, sharing, forgiveness and trust.

* Following good health and safety rules helps us provide for the goodness of our body and spirit.

* It is important to remember God’s forgiveness and our need for God's love, forgiveness and grace.

* We can pray by using our own words (spontaneous prayer), by using prayers or rituals we learn

     from our families, and by praying the Act of Sorrow (or Act of Contrition)

* We should learn and follow: the Ten Commandments and the rules for receiving Holy Communion

•   •   •

 

Stage Five

WE BELIEVE in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

* The Holy Trinity is God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit— three persons in one

* Some ways we express our belief in the Holy Trinity are the Sign of the Cross and the Apostles’

* Jesus was fully human and fully divine.

* Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to help us make good decisions and to live the way Jesus did.

* The followers of Jesus received the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.

* The gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, good judgment, courage, knowledge, piety

     and fear (or awe) of the Lord.

 

WE BELONG to one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.

* Catholics in the Americas honour Our Lady of Guadalupe as their special saint.

* The first Christians were followers of Jesus; they formed the earliest Christian communities—the

* The Christian Church is one, holy, catholic and apostolic.

* Christians call Sunday The Lord’s Day. We celebrate Jesus' Resurrection every Sunday.

* Sunday is a holy day of obligation for Catholics. According to Church law, Catholics must attend

     Mass on Saturday evening or Sunday.

* The Catholic Church has other holy days of obligation; Catholics are obliged by Church law to

     attend Mass on these days.

* The Church Year consists of the seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter and Ordinary Time.

     It also includes special feast days in honour of Mary and the saints.

* The people of God are also called the Communion of Saints; this includes God's people who are

     living and those who have died.

* The Pope is the Bishop of Rome and the pastor of the whole Catholic Church.

* A parish is a specific gathering place for Catholics; Catholics belong to a parish faith community

     where they worship, learn and practice their faith under the leadership of a priest (the "pastor")

     appointed by the bishop.

* Families are called "the domestic church" or "the church in the home" because we first learn how

     to live our faith in our families.

 

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

* Being a good steward means sharing one’s time, talents and treasures with the Church and with

     God's people.

* Grace is God’s life; it is a participation in the life of the Holy Trinity.

* Sacraments are visible signs that celebrate God’s life.

* Everyone is called to serve God and others through Baptism.

* Married people are called by Marriage to serve God by raising a family.

* Single people are called to serve God and others by being single or joining a religious community.

* Bishops, priests and deacons are called and ordained to lead the church and serve God's people

     by the Sacrament of Holy Orders.

* Jesus summarized the Ten Commandments with his Great Commandment: to love God and to love others as we love ourselves.

* There are different kinds of prayers; prayers of praise and blessing, petition, thanksgiving and

     sorrow (contrition).

* The Psalms are special prayers or songs written long ago.

* Boys and girls are equal partners in God’s plan for creation.

* Human beings grow and develop at different rates and in different ways; this is part of God's plan.

* It is important to think about what it means to be a member of the Catholic Church.

* We should learn and pray: the Apostles Creed and the Rosary

* We should learn and follow: the Great Commandment and the Liturgical Year

•   •   •

 

Stage Six

WE BELIEVE in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

* God’s everlasting love is revealed in the Old and New Testaments of the Bible.

* God gave human beings the special gift of free will, which means we can choose to do what is right or wrong.

* God responded to the sin of the first humans with mercy and forgiveness.

* A covenant is a special agreement or pledge. God made a covenant of love with Noah, Abraham,

     Moses and to all people.

* The Beatitudes describe how to live the way Jesus lived. Jesus taught us the Beatitudes and

     showed us how to live them.

* Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to help, guide and inspire us.

 

WE BELONG to one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.

* The Catholic Church is a community of God’s people; Catholic Christians profess certain beliefs

     and have certain responsibilities that are different from other Christians.

* The Church is a visible sign of the kingdom of God.

* Catholics have a responsibility to bring the light of Christ to everyone and to be a servant to the

* The work of the Church is to show love, peace and justice in the world.

* Mary is a special model of holiness.

* The Church Year celebrates Jesus as Saviour of the world. It also honours Mary and all the saints,

     living and dead.

 

WE RESPOND as disciples of Christ helping to build the Kingdom.

* Being a good steward means that we respect all forms of life, especially human life, from birth to

* We learn how to live a moral life from our families and from the Church.

* The Ten Commandments, the Great Commandment, the Beatitudes and the teachings of the

     Church help us form and use our conscience.

* Personal and social sin weakens or destroys our relationship with God and others. Very serious

     sins are called mortal sins; less serious sins are called venial sins.

* Jesus gave the Church the power to forgive sin; Catholics celebrate God's forgiveness in a special

     way through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

* The Church has laws that help us strengthen our relationship with God and the Church community; these laws are called "Precepts of the Church."

* Sunday is a holy day of obligation; that means Catholics are required by Church law to attend

     Mass and refrain from unnecessary work.

* The Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy are ways we can show love for others, especially those

     in need.

* Virtues are good habits which help us live as God wants us to live.

* We call Faith, Hope and Charity (or Love) the "theological virtues;" we call Prudence, Justice,

     Fortitude and Temperance the "cardinal virtues."

* We should show respect and care for the ways our bodies grow and work; we should show this

     same respect and care for other people's bodies.

* We should protect and nurture God’s gift of life from the beginning of life to the end.

* It is important to think about what it means to live a moral life according to the way God wants us to live.

* We should learn and pray: the Jesus Prayer, the Acts of Faith, Hope and Love and the Mysteries

     of the Rosary.

* We should learn: the Seven Sacraments and the Beatitudes.

•   •   •

 

Stage Seven

WE BELIEVE in 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

* 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 BELONG to 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 RESPOND 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 recognise 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.

•   •   •

 

Stage Eight

WE BELIEVE in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

* Revelation is the knowledge we have about God and how God wants us to live; Scripture and

     Tradition together form one source of God’s revelation.

* God's infinite love, care, justice and goodness for all people is expressed through the covenant; a

     covenant is a holy commitment or promise between God and his people.

* Jesus, is called the Messiah (which means "Anointed One") because he came to fulfil the old

     covenant and establish a new covenant.

* Jesus described the Kingdom of God as living of peace, justice and love.

* Jesus will come again at the end of time to judge the living and the dead.

* The bible was written by human authors who were inspired by the Holy Spirit to tell the truth that

     God wanted to reveal.

* There are 46 books in the Old Testament (called the Hebrew Scriptures) and 27 books in the New

     Testament (called the Christian Scriptures).

* The Holy Spirit continues to inspire and guide God’s people.

 

WE BELONG to one, holy, catholic and apostolic church.

* Abraham is called the "father of faith;" he is a model of faith for all of us.

* The prophets are called to speak about God’s covenant and to call people back into faithful living

     according to the covenant with God.

* Christianity has its roots in the Jewish religious faith of Jesus and the cultural/historical world of

* Mary is the perfect model of faith because she said yes to being the Mother of Jesus.

* The four authors of the Gospels are also called evangelists; they are Mark, Matthew, Luke and

* The Gospels have a special place of honour because they tell about what Jesus said and did.

* The Acts of the Apostles tells of the coming of the Holy Spirit and about how Christians lived in the

     years after Jesus’ Resurrection and Ascension.

* The Letters tell about the first Christian communities and what they believed; many of the letters

     were written by Paul.

* The Church Year celebrates the story of salvation as it fulfilled in the life, death, resurrection and

     ascension of Jesus; it also honours Mary and the saints with special feast days.

* Catholic Christians celebrate the Lord's Day by participating in the Mass or Eucharist; the

     Eucharist is considered the centre of our Christian life.

 

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

* Good stewardship means showing respect for the dignity of the human person and the responsible

     use of the Earth's resources.

* Everyone who is baptized is called to be a saint; they are called "temples of the Holy Spirit".

* Everyone who is baptized shares in the the priesthood of Christ; we are called to be priests,

     prophets and kings--holy teachers and servants.

* We can participate in the life of the parish community in many ways.

* Jesus tells us how to be happy and have eternal life with God in the Beatitudes.

* Being a disciple of Christ means we are called to serve our families, community and Church.

* Social justice is a responsibility of all followers of Christ.

* Every person goes through various stages of life and each stage brings new changes and

     challenges; this is part of God's plan.

* Our sexuality is a gift from God; sexuality includes/affects our physical, intellectual, emotional,

     social and spiritual development.

* It is important to think about what it means to be on the journey to the Kingdom of God (which

     Christians sometimes call heaven).

* We should learn and read the four Gospels.

* We should learn and use: the Fruits of the Holy Spirit and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit

* We should learn and practice: the Corporal Works of Mercy, the Spiritual Works of Mercy, the

     Fruits of the Holy Spirit, the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and the Golden Rule.

•   •   •