To Know Worship and Love: Year 7

With age appropriate language, the author, Dr Richard Rymarz, helps students take what he calls “a closer look” at their Faith. This is exemplified in the opening chapter, Exploring the Bible, which begins with an Indigenous Australian theme. Chapters 2 and 3 present the Old Testament and the New Testament. This overview approach then changes to four focused chapters on the Old Testament: What the Old Testament Tells us About God, The Story of Abraham and Joseph and the Story of Moses and the Covenant. Chapter 7, The Historical Books presents the history of Israel: the Kings, the Temple and the Exile.

School and Church Communities, chapter 8, includes an overview and revision of key Catholic beliefs, including devotion to Mary and the saints. Chapter 9, Caring for Creaton, begins with the Genesis creation stories to provide a basis for a Christian understanding of ecology.

Chapter 10, reflects part IV of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, on different forms and styles of prayer, appropriately adapted for the 12 year old, and concludes with timely guidance on how to use the rosary.

Liturgical and sacramental catechesis and religious education needs to be more precise at this stage, when the young person is interested in details. Chapter 11 presents a historical explanation of the Mass, Celebrating the Eucharist. Church history is introduced here and will reappear in the other high school texts. A Closer Look at the Celebration of the Eucharist, chapter 12, focuses on the shape of the liturgy and various liturgical signs and symbols: vessels, vestments, lights etc. which are of interest to young people at this age level. Sacred time unfolds in The Liturgical Year, chapter 13, which is followed by chapters that offer detailed studies of the three major seasons, Advent, Lent and Easter, developing further was taught at primary levels. The Easter ceremonies are explained in chapter 16 and related to the Gospel events and the Paschal Mystery of Christ our Redeemer.

This Year 7 text concludes with two important ethical chapters: 17, on the golden rule and what conscience is, and 18, on sin, formation of conscience and conscientious decision-making. During puberty such moral formation is essential. However, the text for Year 7 does not include anything specific on sexuality. At this stage “clear and delicate” sexual information based on Catholic values should be provided by the parents, prudently supported by the Catholic school or CCD.

The appendices include a short Glossary, two “Time Lines”, Our Prayers and Summaries of Christian Teaching (as in the Primary Texts), and two pages on how to go to confession and how to receive the Eucharist,