Catholic Identity
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Spiritual Life The St. Mary Central Catholic High School Mission Statement challenges us to "Strengthen the body, Challenge the mind and Enrich the Spirit." Our Mission Statement guides us in our efforts to instill in all SCCS students a sound moral compass and the Catholic ethics and values that Jesus desires us all to have. The work of the school administration, faculty and students is performed for the greater glory of God and is reflected in all activities especially those dealing with our spiritual growth. St. Mary Central Catholic High School features a full range of activities designed to meet the challenges set forth in our Mission Statement and to develop the spiritual and moral leaders of the future. Celebration of Mass and Prayer Life St. Mary Central Catholic High School students attend mass at least once a week during the school year in our newly renovated Chapel. The Chapel is located in the Main Hall just outside the high school office. In addition to weekly class masses the Chapel is available before school for prayer and meditation. All-School masses are celebrated on Holy Days and also on special occasions such as during Catholic Schools Week and Senior Farewell week. Students at all levels help plan the masses and take part as readers, Eucharistic Ministers, ushers and musicians. Our high school athletic teams have special masses before their contests or attend masses as a team on Saturday afternoon before Saturday evening contests. Special prayer services are also held before Christmas and Easter, and May Crowning and special Reconciliation services are held twice a year. There is school wide prayer every morning as part of the morning announcements and many teachers pray as a class before instruction begins. Whenever a group leaves the school for state or national level competition the students gather to hold a prayer circle to offer a blessing for a safe and successful journey. Theology Classes All high school students are required to take four full credits of Theology, one class every year of their high school education at St. Mary. The Theology program is designed to lead our students through progressive levels of understanding of our Catholic faith and to develop a strong sense of values and ethics based on Christian morality. The courses include: Old and New Testament, Doctrine, Liturgy & Sacraments, Morality, Social Justice, Church History and Christian Lifestyles. Additional elective credit is available for: Life Issues in the Media, Prayer, Non-Christian Religions and Eschatology. The curriculum for Theology is aligned with that of the Diocese of Toledo. Two full-time faculty members comprise the Theology Department. All classes are academic and data on the strengths of our curriculum or areas for improvement are gathered using the Assessment of Catechesis test which is given to seniors each year. Service Activities Service to others and the community is emphasized as part of our school philosophy and is manifested in activities by our students in and out of school to promote the living of faith alongside the learning of faith. To help promote a spirit of giving and service to others high school students are required to perform five hours of legitimate community service each quarter. Local service clubs often request St. Mary Central Catholic High School students for assistance with projects. SCCS actively serves with Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America and the Erie County Chamber of Commerce as well as doing outreach in our own elementary and pre-schools. Clubs such as the National Honor Society and Key Club do service as part of their regular activities. Our choir and band perform at nursing homes and the Ohio Veterans Home. Each year our students adopt one or more families for Christmas and collections for various causes are a frequent reminder that our gifts are to be shared. Our students are also encouraged to find their own unique ways of contributing to our community. Continuing Opportunities At St. Mary Central Catholic High School, one’s spiritual growth is only limited by the bounds of their imagination. Our class Masses, organized prayer and worship, class retreats, academics, and required service activities form the core of our Catholic instruction. Along with those activities many of our students participate in extra faith sharing experiences such as the Right to Life March, TEC Retreats, parish activities, Life Teen, and Tri-Parish youth activities. Catholic Identity In October of 2005, St. Mary Central Catholic High School hosted an external visitation in order to validate its accreditation with the Ohio Catholic School Accrediting Association and the North Central Association of Schools. From the process our Catholic Identity Goal was formed. Our goal is that St. Mary High School “Students will demonstrate significant improvement in virtues, actions, and attitudes based upon Gospel Values.” To meet our goal we conduct a twice yearly survey on school climate. We are also committed to further programming to promote the living and active faith of our students. An emphasis on the diversity of the Catholic Church, on people to people relations and an anti-bullying focus are all part of the work to meet our goal. We are also working to establish a pall bearer program to provide this service to those who have no access in a time of great need |
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