Morality & Chastity Curriculum

Faith and Morals

  1. Students will learn we are created in God's image; that is, from the moment of conception, a unique and unrepeatable human being comes into existence and immediately begins to develop. (CCC 2270)
  2. Students will learn that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit and we must treat them with respect.
  3. Students will learn how each Sacrament strengthens us to be who we are called to be.
  4. Students will learn that the grace of the Sacrament of Matrimony enables a man and woman to be capable of loving one another and their children as Christ loves us. (CCC 1601 ff)
  5. Students will learn God asks priests, religious and some single people to give up having a family of their own so they can serve the Church - to become spiritual mothers and fathers to others.
  6. Students will learn marriage is a vocation from God. God gives a husband and a wife the grace to help each other get to heaven and to bear and raise their children to be Christian men and women.
  7. Students will learn that in the Old Testament, the covenant between God and His people is often compared with the bond of love between a husband and wife.
  8. Students will learn the importance of keeping promises and that the bond between a Christian husband and wife is a living sign of the ever faithful love that Christ has for the Church. (CCC 1646, 1647)
  9. Students will learn that procreation refers to the privilege of cooperating with God in giving life to a new human person.
  10. Students will learn that although the father and the mother contribute equally to the life of the children, during the child's early years, God gives the mother a special role to nurture new life and the father a special role as the protector of the mother and child.
  11. Students will learn that they show their love for their parents and God by obeying them and that they should ask God to give them the grace to obey Him and their parents every day, even when they find it hard.
  12. Students will be able to identify with Jesus' compassion toward the sick, suffering, and dying.
  13. Students will learn about examples from the lives of Jesus, Mary and the saints related to family life.
  14. Students will increase their ability to examine their consciences daily in the light of their awareness of right and wrong, and how to grow toward a correct conscience that is neither lax nor scrupulous.
  15. Students will continue to have opportunities to prepare themselves for a worthy and fruitful reception of the Sacrament of Reconciliation .

Personal, Health, and Safety

  1. Students will be able to articulate the immorality of substance abuse (e.g., alcohol, drugs, inhalants, nicotine, food, etc.) and the risks involved in their use.
  2. Students will be introduced to the concept that the human person begins developing at conception within the womb of the mother and receives his/her genetic inheritance from the father and the mother. (CCC 2270)
  3. Students will learn about the stages of development of the unborn child.
  4. Students will recognize the importance of personal hygiene.
  5. Students will recognize the importance of developing their gifts and talents and good habits at this stage of life.
  6. Students will recognize dangerous or uncomfortable situations and learn how to avoid or get out of them.
  7. Students will learn baby-sitting skills and responsibilities.
  8. Students will know the reason for gender-separated classes for some topics.
    Students will have some classes/discussions that are gender-specific so that they will have an opportunity to learn and discuss the issues without embarrassment. The students will discuss the importance of being respectful about issues of sexuality.
  9. In gender-specific day-time classes, students will be taught that they are approaching an age where many physical changes will be taking place in their bodies and that they will learn how to deal with these changes as one part of their whole personhood. Information and invitations will be sent to parents three months in advance.*

*Note to Teacher: The informational letter/invitation will be prepared by the Catholic Morality and Chastity Education Program Committee.

Character, Family, and Social

  1. Students will learn the differences between human beings and other living creatures.
  2. Students will recognize the value and importance of each human person at each stage of life and that each human person has a diversity of gifts and talents to contribute to life.
  3. Students will be encouraged to investigate their own family's history and traditions.
  4. Students will recognize the importance of the family and the roles, duties, and responsibilities of each member.
  5. Students will learn about the importance of following established family rules for activities with friends.
  6. Students will learn to distinguish between a bad friendship and a good friendship and the importance of including others in their group.
  7. Students will learn the importance of their contributions in class, at school, and at home.
  8. Students will discuss the importance of developing good, lasting friendships which will help each of them to grow to a healthy maturity.
  9. Students will learn to distinguish between fact and fantasy and between negative and positive messages about human relationships on TV and other media (books, movies, magazines, newspapers, music, etc). (CCC 2496)
  10. Students will learn to say "no" to any risk behaviors or uncomfortable situations.
  11. Students will be able to suggest ways to deal with negative peer pressure.
  12. Students will learn what true friendship is and how friends can help one another (positive peer pressure).
  13. Students will learn elements of self-worth, fairness and justice, caring and compassion, social responsibility, personal integrity, pursuit of excellence and appropriate expression of rights and responsibilities.
  14. Students will learn practical applications of the cardinal virtues (prudence, justice, fortitude, temperance) and the theological virtues (faith, hope, charity). (CCC 1805, 1813)
  15. Students will learn the positive aspects of being "counter-cultural" in our Catholic faith, e.g.:
    • being for life, as opposed to "pro-choice"
    • doing what is right, as opposed to what "feels good"
    • not abusing alcohol, as opposed to "don't drink and drive" and other advertisement campaigns
    • living a Godly way of life, as opposed to living the "Hollywood" or "T.V." inspired lifestyle
    • carefully and considerately using God's resources, as opposed to engaging in "materialism" or consuming at will
    • reading and viewing healthy literature/movies, as opposed to violent, negative, destructive or "adult" materials.