Catechism in Anchorage's Catholic High Schools - Solid Pedagogical Methods

The Catholic Anchor has a great article about the Catechism occurring in the two main Catholic schools in Anchorage. Although, they are the only Catholic High Schools in Anchorage, they both seem to have solid foundations. The article: "Sparking a Religious Flame" does a good job of explaining how well, and how important proper Catechesis is for the faithful, especially instituting such knowledge in our children.

Here is an excerpt from the article, about Holy Rosary Academy [emphasis & comments]:

Holy Rosary Academy draws teen into the faith using some of the most fascinating and little understood aspects of Catholic history — along with current Catholic culture on campus.


This semester, the senior theology class is studying the so-called “black marks” against the Catholic Church. That means the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, Pope Pius XII during the Jewish Holocaust, slavery and Galileo.


It’s a course that students had input in developing, explained Wassell.


As with many of the school’s other classes, the students use primary sources — like transcripts from Inquisition trials and letters written back home by crusaders in Jerusalem. [This is a pedagogical method that will serve them to really learn, as opposed to simply reading regurgitated thoughts from others. A model that will serve them well in college.]


In the fall semester, seniors take Biblical Apologetics — examining “every major doctrine of the church and lots of minor, almost inconsequential things like ashes, statues and incense,” Wassell said. [Learning to DEFEND the Faith.]


Several years ago, another “extremely successful” religion-related class that intrigued students was one on heresies. For their exam, students watched a 30-minute episode of the television show, “Star Trek” and identified as many heresies as they could. One student found nearly 30 heresies displayed in the popular show.


But beyond the class subjects, themselves, Wassell sees the school’s milieu is sparking fascination for the faith.


“I think that their interest comes from being immersed in this environment which is permeated with Catholicism,” he said. “When you’re attempting to build the virtues, then all teachers and all students quickly realize there’s something more here than academics that’s different from the rest of the world.” [HRA gets it: The Church is COUNTER Cultural!!]


Plus teachers at Holy Rosary employ the classical, Socratic instructional method, which helps to “stimulate wonder in the child, wonder about the universe, wonder about every subject,” Wassell noted. [THIS IS HUGE! The Socratic pedagogical [instructional] method is used by classical law schools to teach analytical minds. This makes the student LEARN AND THINK not just memorize.]


Add to the mix the “visible” examples of “strong, practicing Catholics,” he said, and Catholicism is “magnetically attractive.” [See also: "We Must Seek the Sacred"]

~ ~ ~

At Holy Rosary, Wassell said he takes a different approach — one that doesn’t “mix the culture with the sacred.” [HOMERUN!! again they get it... We must seek the Sacred & that the Church is Counter-Cultural!]


In the class setting, Wassell advocates for straight catechesis — starting with the “simple, first” questions of the old Catholic Catechism, “Who made you?” and why. They are questions, he said, everyone has in every age. “Human nature doesn’t change,” he observed

Clearly Holy Rosary Academy is hitting the ball out of the park in terms of their religious education. I am more and more impressed with this school the more I learn. Lumen Christi is on the same track as well, just taking a little different approach. Lumen Christi is under the auspice of the Archdiocese so they are a little more moderate in their overall approach. Holy Rosary Academy is independent, and therefore attract more orthodox Catholics, who are looking for a more intense and in depth Catechetical curriculum.

Here are the respective Religious Education Curriculum:

Holy Rosary Academy -Theology:

After the catechesis in the Elementary School, students are well prepared to study the logic of the Faith. The cohesion and order of the elements of the Faith is an important focus in High School Theology.

Bible History

The History of the Church – Sacraments

Creed – Old Testament

Ethics – New Testament

Sacraments & Prayer

Apologetics & Social Justice

G. K. Chesterton and the fullness of Catholicism

Eastern Christianity (Eastern Catholic & Orthodox) (JPII Orientale Lumen )

~ ~ ~

Lumen Christi - Religious Curriculum

Morning prayer by students by PA

Each class begins with a morning prayer

Mass on Wednesdays and First Friday

Grade 7: The life of Grace

Grade 8: Our Life in church

Grade 9: Introduction to Catholicism

Grade 10: Old and New Testament

Grade 11: Morals and Ethics

Grade 12: Catholic Church History

Overall, these schools seem to get it. Straight-forward Catechism that doesn't "mix the culture with the sacred." I think this is vitally important. Parishes, especially in places like Alaska, too often try and water-down and "culture-ize" there Catechesis in a hopes of "sparking a fascination with the faith." Clearly, HRA and LC are taking the opposite approach. Instead of speaking in idioms or cultural metaphors, they attempt to fascinate the kids with the FAITH ITSELF.

A few final thoughts. First, I hope that other areas aside from Anchorage can get some Catholic schools Parents and Parishes need to BUY into this idea. The school doesn't need to be diocesan, nothing against the Archdiocese, it just makes the process more difficult. The Diocese needs to adhere to a lot of regulations, because of their position, this means red-tape and difficulty. Clearly HRA is doing an excellent job surviving outside the auspice of the AOA. More "traditional/orthodox" parents, need to be the ones willing to join this endeavor. Because Alaska has such good Home-Schooling laws, more orthodox Catholic home-schooling families may not understand or even see the benefits of a private school. There are tons to list, not to mention the communal aspect which is so central to our faith. Private schools create strong Catholic Communities and strong Catholics.

Second, I hope that Parish directors, Catechism leaders, and other folks responsible for the Catechesis in our parishes read this article and pick up on the pedagogical methods employed. Socratic method, straight catechism, the sacred without the culture, just to name a few. Our Catechism for our kids and for ourselves needs to improve, and it needs to improve soon. This is a method that works... we should implement it everywhere. Let's throw out the watered-down Catechetical models we are currently using, the culturally immersed and theologically vacant curriculum dont work. They don't "fascinate" and they don't "inspire." The Catholic Church is under-going a "reform of the reform" around the world... let's not have Alaska lag behind the times. We should be on the "Frontier" of the Faith!