Welcome to Middle School Religion

Mrs. Barbara Manley
Religion Grades 5-8
Discovering and celebrating the joy of the Gospel together!


September 20, 2018 

Happy Fall, Y'all!     I personally cannot wait for the cooler weather, pumpkin-spice everything, and the smell of leaves! I've enjoyed the sun and heat, but I'm definitely ready for sweater weather on a daily basis.

All of the Middle School classes will be focusing on a particular virtue (good habit) each month during the school year.
​September's virtue is "FAITH": the habit of believing all that God has revealed.Depending on their grade, the students have read about a few saints who are examples of inspiring faith (St. Peter, St. Jerome, St. Augustine). We learned how they came to their faith, and how they have helped others to believe, as well. We're following the "Virtues in Practice" curriculum developed by the Dominican Sisters of Saint Cecilia in Nashville. Each month will feature a different virtue, a different saint, and a set of activities families can engage in to promote and reinforce that virtue.
PARENTS: You are instrumental in helping your child to grow a strong and vibrant faith and develop a virtuous lifestyle. You can download a complete Parent Guide for "Virtues in Practice" (featuring the home/family activities) via this link:
                                https://www.nashvilledominican.org



October 2, 2018

During our Religion classes  this month we will be discussing the following:
1. October's Virtue is "reverence".  Reverence is showing deep respect for God and for the things of God. Always speaking the names of God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the Virgin Mary with respect, genuflecting before the tabernacle when we enter the church, carefully handling a Bible and putting it in a place of honor, and using a rosary for prayer rather than as a piece of jewelry- these are all examples of showing reverence.
The saints we will be studying that are examples of this virtue are St. Tarcissus and St. Margaret Clitherow.
Students will be bringing home a packet this week to work on at home during the month...they we will due on October 23 in class.
2. Grade 5: This week we will be talking about "the human condition" and trying to understand how God created us in His own image to be good, but that we are also capable of doing evil. We will be discussing racism as a social justice issue.
3. Grade 6: Today and yesterday the students have been using their powers of concentration, focus and prayerfulness to create "illuminated Scripture pages". We learned that before the invention of the printing press, very few people had personal access to the Bible. We learned that monks and nuns dedicated their lives to copy the Bible by hand, so that more people could read it, and that the pages of their Bibles often were decorated with colorful images. This made the Bible more interesting to look at, and made the stories come alive for those who could not read! The students' efforts will be displayed in the hall outside of our classroom.
4. Grade 7: We began reading the Gospel of Mark and keeping a reading log to summarize the main points of what we read. Mark's The first of the Gospels to be written, Mark is a fast read...Jesus is always on the move in this Gospel. We're going to try to read through all 4 Gospels this year to be able to piece together a full picture of Jesus.
5. Grade 8 students have been learning about the beginning of the Christian Church, and how the Holy Spirit rained down on the disciples at Pentecost to give them the inspiration and encouragement needed to continue the saving mission of Christ. 

OCTOBER 8, 2018

All students in Grades 6-8 will be participating in the 2018 Maryknoll Magazine Essay Contest. The theme this year is "Love In Action". Students are asked to write a 500-750 word essay describing an instance when they witnessed someone performing an act of kindness, and explaining how what they saw inspired them to do the same. 

The First Prize winner will receive $1000.00.  (An information sheet was given to the students in class today. Please refer to it for more detailed information.)

Rough drafts of the students' essays are due in class on Monday, 10/22. After I check them over and return them, students will have until Friday, November 8 to make their revisions and turn in their good copies.  I will be mailing all entries on Monday,  November 11 to Maryknoll Magazine.

This assignment will count as a major test/project grade for Religion class.

NOVEMBER 2, 2018       ALL SOULS' DAY

Today we remember and pray for all of those members of our faith family who have died. We recall that we, the living, are connected as a body of believers with those who are in Heaven, and also with the souls in Purgatory. "Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon them, May the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, Rest in Peace. Amen."

The 6th,7th and 8th Graders had an opportunity to practice their leadership skills this morning by helping to led the entire school in prayer. All of our Southtowns Catholic students gathered in the gym to pray the  "Living Rosary" as a culmination of our Red Ribbon Week activities. The 7th Graders carried the cross and candles as they moved around the circle of students, and lifted a candle to mark the recitation of each Mystery. The 6th and 8th Graders led the recitation of the Rosary prayers.

All of the students in Grades 5-8 completed a project to learn more about the saints in preparation for All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day.
The work of the 7th and 8th Graders is on display this weekend in the Gathering Space. When you come to Mass, please stop by and have a look. Next week, we'll be sharing the 5th and 6th Graders' work.

NOTE to all  6th, 7th and 8th Grade students: I am available after school next Monday-Thursday until 4pm to help with final copies of your Maryknoll essays. The final copies must be typed (double-spaced, no larger than a 12 font) and turned in by Monday, November 12 so I can mail them before the 11/16 postmark deadline.)
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