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Spiritual Life Religious Education Program Religious Education permeates every facet of school life at Ursuline High School, and all programs, courses and activities flow from and are rooted in the context of a Catholic community of faith. We invite others who do not share our Catholic heritage to become part of our community, and we respect the rich traditions and the energizing diversity that result from their presence. Ursuline High School is foremost a Catholic school operated by the Diocese of Youngstown and supported by the Catholic community of the Mahoning Valley, and the religious education of each student in the Catholic tradition is the primary mission of the school. The Religious Education Department of Ursuline High School achieves the goals of this mission through the Proclamation of the Word, the Building of Community, and the Call to Christian Service. Proclamation of the Word Ursuline High School shares in the mission of the Church by proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ. The Ursuline community is devoted to the spiritual growth of young adults through formal instructional programs as well as through experiential activities leading to faith formation. The curriculum of the Religious Education Department includes coursework in the areas of Catholic Christianity, Scripture, Morality, Social Justice, World Religions, Roman Catholic Chrurch History, and Contemporary Issues. The students of Ursuline High School receive many opportunities to befriend children, the elderly, the poor and the dispossessed. The Proclamation of the Word, who is Jesus, enables the students to grow to a greater awareness of themselves and others. Building Community  Community-building embraces all of the curricular and extra-curricular programs so that students are provided with a faith context within which to grow, learn and develop. The Ursuline Community seeks to reinforce Christian values as the basis for decision-making and as the model for personal relationships. The celebration of the Liturgy is central to this community. Our identity as a faith community is most visible on those occasions when we gather for worship and communal prayer. Above all else, respect for one another is the guiding principle for our interactions: respect for our differences in race, gender, creed and nationality; respect for our various gifts, talents and abilities; and respect for one another’s ideas and beliefs. The community of adults and young adults, staff and students, work together, energize one another, and through these personal relationships grow to become who we have been called to be by our Creator. Serving Others The dimension of service is a direct result of the love we have for ourselves and others, and the realization that all we have is a gift from God. The opportunities to share this love are numerous - through work with the elderly, young children, and persons with special needs. The service programs demonstrate the willingness of students to share their time and talents with others. Special projects undertaken during the school year include support of the local food bank, Beatitude House, and Angela's Place, food collection and the delivery of food baskets at Christmas to families in need, recycling projects, Christmas caroling at hospitals and nursing homes, activities for pre-school children, the Wake-A-Thon for the Homeless, and visiting the sick and elderly. The Ursuline Community makes visible Christ’s message, "When you have done this for the least of my sisters and brothers, you have done it to Me." (Matt. 25:40) Worship and Prayer  The school day begins by recalling God’s presence in our midst through Morning Prayer. Throughout the remainder of the school day, all classes commence with a prayer or reflection. All students and faculty are invited and encouraged to attend morning Liturgy which is celebrated Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday at 7:20 a.m. in the Father Daniel M. Venglarik Chapel. Students are encouraged and given the opportunity to plan and develop liturgical and prayer services as part of their formal religious education classes and by The Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered to all students during the Seasons of Advent and Lent. |
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