CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING
What is Catholic Social Teaching?
"Love your neighbour as yourself" (Mark 12:31)
Jesus’ instruction to "love your neighbour as yourself" (Mark 12:31) is at the heart of how Catholics believe they should participate in their community and the wider world.
Catholic Social Teaching in 3 minutes- CAFOD. Click link below
Catholic Social Teaching (CST) is rooted in Scripture, formed by the wisdom of Church leaders, and influenced by grassroots movements. It is our moral compass, guiding us on how to live out our faith in the world.
Our faith calls us to love God and to love our neighbours in every situation, especially our sisters and brothers living in poverty. Following in the footsteps of Christ, we hope to make present in our unjust and broken world, the justice, love and peace of God.
St Joseph's Catholic Social Teaching Plan
Religious Education
Our school follows the curriculum strategy – Learning and Growing as the People of God - provided by the Archdiocese of Birmingham for teaching RE in a Catholic primary school.
Please click on the links below to access each class’ syllabus.
In addition to the diocesan strategy we have dedicated themed weeks for example a multi faith week which seeks to support the children in learning about other faiths.
YEAR 1
- Unit A - Creation
- Unit B - Families and Celebrations
- Unit C - Prayer
- Unit D - Advent
- Unit E - Christmas
- Unit F - Jesus Teacher and Healer
- Unit G - Forgiveness
- Unit H - Lent
- Unit I - Holy Week
- Unit J - Easter
- Unit K - Pentecost
- Unit L - Sharing Jesus' Life
- Unit M - Following Jesus Today
YEAR 2
- Unit A - Old Testament Stories
- Unit B - Sharing in the Life of Jesus
- Unit C - Advent
- Unit D - Christmas
- Unit E - Parables Miracles
- Unit F - Special Celebrations
- Unit G - Lent
- Unit H - Holy Week
- Unit I - Easter
- Unit J - Pentecost
- Unit K - Our Church
- Unit L - The Mass
Year 3
- Unit A - Belonging
- Unit B - Reconciliation
- Unit C - Advent
- Unit D - Christmas
- Unit E - We Listen to God's Word at Mass
- Unit F - Lent
- Unit G - Prayer
- Unit H - Holy Week
- Unit I - Easter
- Unit J - The Eucharist is a Thanksgiving to God
- Unit K - Pentecost
Year 4
- Unit A - Creation
- Unit B - Jesus Teaches Us How to Pray
- Unit C - Advent
- Unit D - Christmas
- Unit E - Jesus Light of the World
- Unit F - Old Testament: Moses - King David
- Unit G - Lent
- Unit H - Holy Week
- Unit I - Easter
- Unit J - Pentecost
- Unit K - Sharing in the Life of Christ
- Unit L - Special Roles and Responsibilities
Year 5
- Unit A - Creation
- Unit B - Miracles and the Sacrament of the Sick
- Unit C - Advent
- Unit D - Christmas
- Unit E - Baptism
- Unit F - Parables and Sayings of Jesus
- Unit G - Lent
- Unit H - Holy Week
- Unit I - Easter
- Unit J - Pentecost
- Unit K - The Work of the Apostles
- Unit L - Marriage and Holy Orders
Year 6
- Unit A - The Story of the People of God
- Unit B - Followers of Christ
- Unit C - Advent
- Unit D - Christmas
- Unit E - Baptism and Confirmation
- Unit F - Lent
- Unit G - Prayers
- Unit H - Holy Week
- Unit I - Easter
- Unit J - Pentecost
- Unit K - Belonging to the Church Community
- Unit L - Celebrating the Life of Mary and the Saints
St Joseph’s we are growing to be…
Pupils at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School are growing to be... |
Schools in the Archdiocese of Birmingham help their pupils grow... |
Grateful for their own gifts, for the gift of other people, and for the blessings of each day; and generous with their gifts, now and in the future. |
By encouraging them to know and be grateful for all their gifts, developing them to the full so that they can be generous in the service of others. |
Attentive to their experience and to their vocation; and discerning about the choices they make and the effects of those choices. |
By promoting the practice of attentive reflection and discerning decision making: in teaching, in the examen, prayer and retreats; and through the practice and example of school leaders and staff. |
Compassionate towards others, near and far, especially the less fortunate; and loving by their just actions and forgiving words. |
By being compassionate and loving in the way pupils are treated, especially when a pupil is in trouble; and by opening pupils' eyes to those who suffer poverty, injustice or violence. |
Faith-filled in their beliefs and hopeful for the future. |
By passing on the living and faith-filled tradition of Jesus Christ; by having persevering faith in the pupils, and by encouraging them in turn, to have faith and hope in themselves and others. |
Eloquent and truthful in what they say of themselves, the relations between people, and the world. |
By developing an eloquent language which pupils can use to understand and articulate their emotions, beliefs, and questions, encouraged by the example of their teachers to be truthful in the way they represent themselves and speak about the world. |
Learned, finding God in all things; and wise in the ways they use their learning for the common good. |
By the breadth and depth of the curriculum; by excellence of teaching, and the creation of opportunities to become more learned and wise. |
Curious about everything; and active in their engagement with the world, changing what they can for the better. |
By leading pupils to be curious about the universe and all human activity, and to take increasing responsibility for their own learning, and by providing opportunities for them to be active in the life of the school, the Church, and the wider community. |
Intentional in the way they live and use the resources of the earth, guided by conscience; and prophetic in the example they set to others. |
By being a school community which is intentional in its way of proceeding to build-up quality of life; and which is prophetic in the way it offers an alternative vision of education and the human person rooted in the gospel. |
This half term (Autumn 1) we are focussing on being Curious & Active
Pupils are growing to be...
Pupils are growing to be curious about everything; and active in their engagement with the world, changing what they can for the better.
What does this mean?
Catholic schools help their pupils grow by leading pupils to be curious about the universe and all human activity, and to take increasing responsibility for their own learning,
and by providing opportunities for them to be active in the life of the school, the Church and the wider community.
At St. Joseph's Catholic Primary School, the children are taught traditional Catholic prayers in certain year groups. These prayers can be used at home to support parents in developing their children's knowledge of prayer and to continue to develop their children's understanding of what the words mean to us as Catholic Christians today.
Our School Prayer:
Bless our school,
let love live here
as we learn to inspire each other.
Guide us as we work together,
ready to care, respect and play.
Help us to love with our hearts, learn with our minds
and live peacefully as one family in Christ. Amen
Reception
Sign Of the Cross
In the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Grace Before Meals
Bless us, O God, as we sit together.
Bless the food we eat today.
Bless the hands that made the food.
Bless us, O God.
Amen.
Grace After Meals
Thank you, God, for the food we have eaten.
Thank you, God, for all our friends.
Thank you, God, for everything,
Thank you God.
Amen.
Morning Prayer
Father in heaven, you love me,
you are with me night and day.
I want to love you always
in all I do and say.
I’ll try to please you, Father,
bless me through the day.
Amen.
End of the day prayer
God our Father, I come to say
thank you for your love today.
Thank you for my family
and all the friends you give to me.
Guard me in the dark of night
and in the morning send your light.
Amen.
Hail Mary
Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee:
blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
Our Father
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.
Year 1
Act of Faith, Hope and Love
Jesus, I believe in you.
Jesus, I hope in you.
Jesus, I love you.
Glory Be
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
Prayer to the Guardian Angel
Angel of God, my guardian dear,
to whom God's love commits me here,
ever this day be at my side,
to light and guard, to rule and guide.
Amen.
Year 2
Act of Faith
My God, I believe in you
and all your Church teaches,
because you have said it
and your word is true.
Amen
Act of Hope
My God, I hope in you,
for grace and for glory,
because of your promises,
your mercy and power.
Amen.
Eternal Rest
Eternal rest give unto them, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon them.
May they rest in peace.
Amen.
Prayer for St.Francis of Assisi
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.
The Joyful Mysteries
Year 3
Act of Love
O my God, I love you with my whole heart
and above all things
because you are infinitely good and perfect,
and I love my neighbour as myself
for love of you.
Grant that I may love you more and more in this life,
and in the next for all eternity.
Amen.
Act of Sorrow
O my God, because you are so good.
I am very sorry that I have sinned against you,
and by the help of your grace
I will not sin again.
Amen.
The Angelus
The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary: and she conceived of the Holy Spirit.
Hail Mary… Holy Mary…
Behold the handmaid of the Lord: be it done to me according to your word.
Hail Mary… Holy Mary…
And the Word was made flesh: and dwelt among us
Hail Mary… Holy Mary…
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray:
Pour forth, we beseech you, O Lord,
your grace into our hearts,
that we to whom the incarnation of Christ, your Son,
was made known by the message of an angel,
may be brought by his passion and cross
to the glory of his resurrection,
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Luminous Mysteries
Year 4
Prayer of St.Richard of Chichester
Day by day,
O dear Lord,
three things I pray:
to see you more clearly,
love you more dearly,
follow you more nearly,
day by day,
by day, by day.
Amen.
The Memorare
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary,
that never was it known
that anyone who fled to your protection,
implored your help or sought your intercession,
was left unaided.
Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto you,
O Virgin of virgins, my Mother.
To you I come, before you I stand,
sinful and sorrowful;
O Mother of the Word Incarnate,
despise not my petitions, but in your mercy
hear and answer me.
Amen.
The Sorrowful Mysteries
Year 5
Regina Caeli
Queen of Heaven, rejoice. Alleluia!
For he whom you were made worthy to bear. Alleluia!
Has risen as he said. Alleluia!
Pray for us to our God. Alleluia!
Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary. Alleluia!
For the Lord has risen indeed. Alleluia!
Let us pray;
God, who through the resurrection of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,
has made glad the whole world, grant us, we pray,
that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, his mother,
we may attain the joys of everlasting life.
Through the same Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The Magnificat
My soul glorifies the Lord,
My spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour.
He looks on his servant in her loneliness;
henceforth all ages will call me blessed.
The Almighty works marvels for me.
Holy his name!
His mercy is from age to age,
on those who fear him.
He puts forth his arm in strength
and scatters the proud-hearted.
He casts the mighty from their thrones
and raises the lowly.
He fills the starving with good things,
sends the rich away empty.
He protects Israel, his servant,
remembering his mercy,
the mercy promised to our fathers,
to Abraham and his sons for ever. Amen
The Glorious Mysteries
Diocesan Prayer for Vocations
Lord Jesus, send labourers into your harvest.
Inspire, in the hearts of your people,
vocations to the priesthood and religious life.
Bless our families with a spirit of generosity.
May those whom you call to the priesthood and religious life
have the courage to give themselves to your Church
as co-operators in your work.
St. John Vianney: Pray for us
Year 6
Hail Holy Queen
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy;
Hail, our life, our sweetness and our hope!
To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve.
To thee do we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this valley of tears!
Turn, then, most gracious Advocate,
thine eyes of mercy toward us,
and after this, our exile,
show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving,
O sweet Virgin Mary.
Prayer to the Holy Spirit
O Come, Holy Spirit,
fill the hearts of your faithful,
and kindle in them the fire of your love.
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created.
And you shall renew the face of the earth.
O God, who has taught the hearts of the faithful
by the light of the Holy Spirit,
grant that by the gift of that same Spirit
we may be always truly wise
and ever rejoice in his consolation.
Amen.
The Stations of the Cross