Rationale:
What is the sacrament of Reconciliation?
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is one of the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church. It is one of the two Sacraments of Healing. According to Vatican documents, Christ instilled the Sacrament of Reconciliation for those members of the Church who have fallen into sin and in such a way lost their baptismal grace (Vatican II, 2000).
In the sacrament of Reconciliation we celebrate our reconciliation with God, with ourselves, with each other and with the universe.
Reconciliation is a sacrament that involves the participant confessing their sins and admitting to any wrongdoings occurring after Baptism. The individual must ask the Priest for forgiveness in order to help to repair their relationship with God and with oneself. After the individual has confessed their sins, they are then pardoned by God's mercy and reconciled with the Church (Catholic Church, 1994).
The sacrament has four elements, three on the part of the penitent (contrition, confession and satisfaction) and one on the part of the minister of the sacrament (absolution).
It is important that within the Sacrament of Reconciliation that God remains to the child as a loving God and that the process of reconciliation is seen as an opportunity to strengthen their relationship with God (Catholic Australia, n.d.).
In the sacrament of Reconciliation we celebrate our reconciliation with God, with ourselves, with each other and with the universe.
Reconciliation is a sacrament that involves the participant confessing their sins and admitting to any wrongdoings occurring after Baptism. The individual must ask the Priest for forgiveness in order to help to repair their relationship with God and with oneself. After the individual has confessed their sins, they are then pardoned by God's mercy and reconciled with the Church (Catholic Church, 1994).
The sacrament has four elements, three on the part of the penitent (contrition, confession and satisfaction) and one on the part of the minister of the sacrament (absolution).
It is important that within the Sacrament of Reconciliation that God remains to the child as a loving God and that the process of reconciliation is seen as an opportunity to strengthen their relationship with God (Catholic Australia, n.d.).
Why must we teach the sacrament of Reconciliation in the Curriculum?
Through teaching students about the sacrament of Reconciliation, they will gain an ability to consider their own actions in terms of whether or not they are appropriate. Students will be required to learn ways in which they can show that they are sorry and ways that they can make things right after they have committed a sin.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation relates to educational theorists such as Kohlberg with his theory of Moral Development. As teachers, we have a major role in shaping the students moral development. Whenman, despite using the role of catechists in adherents lives, supports the role of the educator in fulfiling God's plan and developing a stronger relationship with Christ (Whenman, 2009). One of the four tasks of Catechesis also includes moral formation, that is an adherence to Christ and living in model of his values and attitudes as reflected in the Gospels (Whenman, 2009). While addressing the notion of forgiveness the teacher needs to model the image of Christ as an example, information is useless unless it is related to the real-life context for students.
A great part of teaching this sacrament is the concept of self forgiveness, that is, teaching the ability to take away feelings of guilt and come to a feeling of peace through repentance with oneself. Students learn that everybody sins, whether this is seen and understood in a religious sense or even at a simple day to day level for those students that may not be Catholic. Inclusion in the curriculum also allows teachers to further develop students ability to have a greater understanding in why they are confessing, and what to confess as they grow as Catholic participants.
Through teaching the sacrament of Penance/Reconciliation in the curriculum, students will develop knowledge in regards to their relationship with God, and hopefully teach students about the ways in which they can build and maintain their relationship through repentance.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation relates to educational theorists such as Kohlberg with his theory of Moral Development. As teachers, we have a major role in shaping the students moral development. Whenman, despite using the role of catechists in adherents lives, supports the role of the educator in fulfiling God's plan and developing a stronger relationship with Christ (Whenman, 2009). One of the four tasks of Catechesis also includes moral formation, that is an adherence to Christ and living in model of his values and attitudes as reflected in the Gospels (Whenman, 2009). While addressing the notion of forgiveness the teacher needs to model the image of Christ as an example, information is useless unless it is related to the real-life context for students.
A great part of teaching this sacrament is the concept of self forgiveness, that is, teaching the ability to take away feelings of guilt and come to a feeling of peace through repentance with oneself. Students learn that everybody sins, whether this is seen and understood in a religious sense or even at a simple day to day level for those students that may not be Catholic. Inclusion in the curriculum also allows teachers to further develop students ability to have a greater understanding in why they are confessing, and what to confess as they grow as Catholic participants.
Through teaching the sacrament of Penance/Reconciliation in the curriculum, students will develop knowledge in regards to their relationship with God, and hopefully teach students about the ways in which they can build and maintain their relationship through repentance.