Faith Formation

“I by my works, will show you my faith.”
~James 2:18

Weekly mass, daily prayer, and sacramental preparation form the centerpiece of our students' educational experience.

I know that St. James School was the right choice when I go into my 13- year old child's room and find a rosary tucked inside her hand at night. I am comforted in knowing that the faith- based support structure from St. James School is there in her hand for the years ahead.

Anonymous SJS Parent

At St. James School, religion is just not another class; it is woven into the fabric of the school. The cognitive, social, emotional, and spiritual development of each child takes a primary role both in and out of the classroom. We design our curriculum and teaching methods to ensure an immersive experience that not only teaches the textbook message but also encourages the practical application of Catholicism into everyday decisions.

Our faith ministry provides our students with:

• Opportunities to develop moral and spiritual values, ethical standards of conduct, and basic integrity
• A nurturing guidance toward a relationship with Jesus. No matter how much our children know about their faith, it is meaningless without the relationship that is begun with the decision made by our parents at Baptism and continues through the years with sacraments and prayer
• An increased awareness and compassion for others through the concept of selfless service, including the understanding that our faith makes requirements upon us for the care of others inside our families, our schools, our communities and the world at large
• The ability to reflect on the Catholic faith and use moral values to prioritize thoughts and guide the individual decision-making process
• The ability to articulate a Catholic world-view and how it affects our understanding of the world around us
• The ability to discern and interpret the meaning of messages conveyed by others through the prism of our faith teachings

We carry out this ministry not just by teaching faith as an intellectual or academic exercise, but by giving students the means and opportunities to apply their faith both inside the framework of the Eucharist and in their everyday lives.

The primary means we use to achieve our goal is by interweaving faith into our classroom discussions. For example, an eighth grade history segment on slavery is discussed by students in its historical context as well as through lens of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. This approach not only brings societal values to bear on critical historical and contemporary issues, but also allows us to link the eternal moral values of Christ and his teachings to lessons learned in history, science, social studies and other areas.

We also work to foster the students' feeling of involvement in the Eucharist during weekly, all-school liturgies. Throughout the year, each grade is given several opportunities to prepare the mass, including developing the theme and reading the first reading and the petitions. The themes, readings, and petitions are developed in conjunction with the children's religious education curriculum to once again bridge classroom learning to the church experience.

Further fostering an active life in faith, younger students are paired with older students as 'Prayer Buddies' and 'Friends in Faith'. Through formal exercises and informal activites, programs, younger students learn how to model their behavior on that of the older students, while the older students have the chance to enhance their sense of responsibility, leadership, and ownership of their faith.