Curriculum

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, in their document Renewing the Vision: A Framework for Catholic Youth Ministry, outlines three important goals for the formation of young people. While there are so many good curriculums out there for high school youth, it's nearly impossible for a single program to address the unique needs of every parish communtiy in working towards these goals. For this reason, St. Thomas More has chosen to develop a diverse curriculum, pulling material from a variety of different sources, and allowing catechists to choose what works best for their unique group of young people. Under the careful guidance of our Faith Development Team, we've curated resources for our catechists from curriculums such as Chosen, LifeTeen, Decision Point, and many more!

This curriculum is designed to provide the essential intellectual and spiritual catechesis that is critical to Sacramental Preparation. The goal of this kind of catechesis is to bring about a personal encounter with Jesus.  It is teaching for conversion. The final result is not a classroom full of smart students, but a peer group full of followers of Christ.  Each lesson  has been carefully designed with this aim in mind.

Below, you'll find a list of topics covered in our Confirmation and Sacramental Preparation programs:

First Year Confirmation Preparation

• The person of Jesus Christ
• The Church - why be Catholic?
• The Holy Spirit
• The Trinity
• Sacraments of Initiation
• Sacraments of Healing
• The 4 Last Things - What happens when we die?
• Sexuality and Healthy Relationships
• Revelation: Scripture and Tradition
• The Old Testament
• The Gospel's and Paul's Letters
• Conscience, Virtue, and Sin

• Community and Belonging
• Faith and Science
• The Saints
• Vocation and Calling
• Consistent Life Ethics
• Prayer
• Catholic Social Teaching
• The Dignity of the Person
• The Virgin Mary
• Suffering and the Problem of Evil
• Faith, Mental Health, and Addiction
• Participation and Engagement in a faith community