This introductory course provides seventh grade students with a foundation for understanding Catholicism and Ursuline spirituality, while also emphasizing growth in the skills of reading, writing, and conversation. Through the lens of personal and communal experience, students will explore the fundamentals of the Catholic faith. This includes, but is not limited to: Natural and Divine Revelation, the Holy Trinity, Scripture, discipleship, the Church, faith, sin, and grace. Students will learn a common vocabulary in Christian theology that will provide the foundation for their future theology courses as they examine how God manifests love in the world and invites participation in His creation. A section of the course will be devoted to learning the history of St. Angela Merici and the Ursuline Sisters as well as discovering how the story of St. Angela intersects with their own lives within Ursuline Academy and its community. (Grade 7)

Theology 8, “Living Out the Sacraments,” examines the seven sacraments that encompass the life and grace-filled foundation of the Catholic faith.  This year-long survey course will help eighth grade students understand that they can encounter Christ today in a full and real way through the sacraments, especially the Eucharist.  Students will study each sacrament in detail, from their biblical institutions to their role in the liturgy, as well as their role in the everyday.  Students will learn how all seven sacraments relate to one another while remaining distinct.  In addition, the doctrines of the Church concerning the seven sacraments will receive an in-depth consideration.  The eighth grade curriculum also includes a program on sex education and Christian values.  As students grow in awareness of their own sexuality, they will learn the Catholic perspective on sex via the church doctrine of Theology of the Body. (Grade 8)

In this Scripture course, ninth grade students will encounter the Bible from various perspectives: historical, cultural, theological, and personal.  In doing so, it will provide a basic understanding of practical, foundational uses of the Bible.  Students will be encouraged to develop a reverent appreciation of Scripture as the source of the great heroic stories, wisdom, and revelation of the Judeo-Christian tradition.  This course will also seek to develop an awareness of the integral connection and common messages of the two testaments.  Finally, students will learn to apply Scripture to their daily lives and personal faith journeys. Throughout the course, students will have many opportunities to develop skills such as critical thinking, coherent writing, presentation skills, and creative expression. (Grade 9)

During sophomore year, students will study the long and storied history of the Church. The year begins where the previous year ended, with Pentecost and the establishment of Christian communities described in Acts of the Apostles. The purpose of the course is to explore how the Church has worked diligently to fulfill its mission to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to the whole world. Students will come to understand that the Church continues to be guided by the Holy Spirit even and especially through difficult times.  Students will study key periods of Church history as well as councils, saints and the development of doctrine to discover how the Church discerns what it means to be faithful disciples of Jesus and to be the People of God. (Grade 10)

In junior year, the curriculum is split into two discrete courses. In the first semester, students come to understand the Christian vision of ethical decision-making with Jesus as the model of full humanness in a one semester course entitled “Christian Morality.”  Through a study of virtues, the nature of sin, human relationships, and a moral decision-making process, students arrive at a solid foundation for making moral decisions in light of Gospel values, Catholic Church teachings and contemporary understandings of human nature, legitimate authority, and conscience.  Students will be challenged to examine their own choices in light of Catholic teachings.

The second half of the Junior curriculum applies this learning in a wider context, as we live out our call “to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8, NRSV) in a one semester course dedicated to “Social Justice.” Students will learn that Christ's concern for others, especially the poor and needy, is present today in the Church's social teaching and mission, which includes recognizing and analyzing some of the injustices in our midst. Topics include, but are not limited to, war, violence, poverty, immigration, governmental systems, environmental sustainability, economic responsibility, discrimination. Through a rigorous study of these issues, students will discover how to analyze causes of injustice in light of Catholic faith, tradition and response. Students will be encouraged to recognize ways in which they can more deeply internalize God’s call to live a life committed to justice and loving service to others, especially in solidarity for and with the poor and those in need.  (Grade 11)

There are four potential paths from which Seniors may choose in their final year of Theology. The first three include one semester of World Religions followed by a choice of Peer Ministry, Challenges of Faith, or Spiritual Women for the second semester. The fourth path is a year-long course called Catholic Entrepreneurship Design Experience.

In the first semester of this senior course, students will study World Religions. Students will explore several religions from around the world such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism. Students will examine the beliefs, rituals, sacred places, and history of these religions. Beginning with the Catholic Church’s teaching that spiritual truths can be found in non-Catholic churches and religions, this course will help students see the ways that other systems of belief or practice are both different from and similar to the Catholic faith.

In the second semester, students will take the Peer Ministry course.  Grounded in the ministerial teachings of Saint Angela Merici, students will examine what it means to be an Ursuline companion on the journey of faith development and exploration with their peers. Throughout the year, students will experience living out the Gospel message through ministerial service to the Ursuline community. Students will explore peer ministry on a personal level as well as being part of a peer ministry team through education in Saint Angela’s Spirituality and the Ursuline mission, the concept of discipleship, and other areas of theology. Students will learn the application of evangelization, explore various methods of prayer, meditation, and reflection, and study different types of ministry. Students will learn the ins and outs of ministry on-the-ground and be tasked with writing witness talks, giving meditations and reflections, and executing prayer services. In addition, students will assume responsibility for class retreats, liturgy, and communal prayer services. In this capacity, the peer minister will be called upon to share her faith in a variety of ways and will grow more comfortable doing so in various group settings and with diverse age groups. Additional work both before and after school, as well as occasional weekends, may also be required for the successful completion of this course.  (Grade 12)

In the first semester of this senior course, students will study World Religions. Students will explore several religions from around the world such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism. Students will examine the beliefs, rituals, sacred places, and history of these religions. Beginning with the Catholic Church’s teaching that spiritual truths can be found in non-Catholic churches and religions, this course will help students see the ways that other systems of belief or practice are both different from and similar to the Catholic faith.

In the second semester, students will take the Challenges of Faith course. This course will encourage students to stretch their minds to think more philosophically and theologically through a critical consideration of many of the basic existential problems with which adults struggle, with particular attention given to those involving religious and spiritual faith: What is faith? How do I know I have faith? What can we say about the existence and the nature of God?  Why is there suffering? How am I to respond to my neighbor?  Students will explore various perspectives on these existential questions, reflecting on them in an open and honest way in conversation with their own experience and thinking. Through this process, students will come to understand the role that formation of a strong Christian character plays in the transformation to which we are called as disciples of Christ, a life of Christian integrity.  (Grade 12)

In the first semester of this senior course, students will study World Religions. Students will explore several religions from around the world such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism. Students will examine the beliefs, rituals, sacred places, and history of these religions. Beginning with the Catholic Church’s teaching that spiritual truths can be found in non-Catholic churches and religions, this course will help students see the ways that other systems of belief or practice are both different from and similar to the Catholic faith.

In the second semester, students will take the Spiritual Women course in which they will examine the lives and ministries of several outstanding, yet very different, Catholic women who have lived the Gospel message with exceptional strength, courage, sacrifice, and love. Through biography and spiritual writings, we will consider the unique contribution and the tremendous impact these generous women have had on the world, both past and present. Students will also consider how these women can be role models in their own lives. Those studied will include women such as Saint Hildegard of Bingen, Saint Therese of Lisieux, Dorothy Day, Saint Teresa of Calcutta, Immaculee Ilibagiza, and Sister Dorothy Kazel. (Grade 12)

In this year-long course, students will have the opportunity to continue their theological exploration of the themes of living a virtuous life, incorporating Catholic Social Teaching into how they interact with others, and discerning God’s will and universal call to holiness. This course will focus on discerning why God made each person unique, called to bring those unique gifts and talents into the world. Students will explore these themes through investigation of “principled entrepreneurship”, that is, how faith should influence the work people do in the world. Throughout this course students will discover, embrace, and live out their unique calling by developing an entrepreneurial mindset and spirit.

This class will challenge students to be introspective, open to sharing with classmates, think creatively, problem solve, and integrate Catholic theology into their work - examining their lives in the light of Christ. Unique, perspective-shifting projects and activities predominate which demand that students reach a new level of self-awareness, understand big concepts of personal vocation and entrepreneurship, and take definite action towards creating true and lasting value in their lives. Entrepreneurship is an open invitation to serve others. An entrepreneur learns how to mobilize and activate resources to achieve the purpose of improving the lives of others by offering goods that are truly good and services that truly serve … much like a well ordered, virtuous life.

This is a unique theology class offered by Ursuline. Students enrolled in this class have the option to earn college credits from the Catholic University of America. (Grade 12)