Religious Education
Mrs Laura Gilbert, Pathways Middle Leader
Year 10 Religion and Ethics
In week one of this term, Year 10 Religion and Ethics students travelled to St Joseph's Catholic Church in Atherton to view the relic and Eucharistic miracles exhibition dedicated to St Carlo Acutis - the young Italian computer programmer recently canonised for his devotion to the Eucharist and his work cataloguing reported Eucharistic miracles from around the world before his death at just 15.
Students listened to a presentation about St Carlo’s life, explored displays of St Carlo’s Eucharistic miracle documentation, and had the opportunity to encounter a first-class relic, a piece of St Carlo’s pericardium. The visit sparked thoughtful discussion about sainthood, devotion, and what it might look like for a young person today to live out a strong conviction. It was also a great platform for discussions about ‘Sacred Stories’, the current unit of study in Religion and Ethics, as students considered why the Church continues to promote the stories of saintly lives and why Carlo himself was compelled to document miracle stories which continue to spark both curiosity and spiritual growth.
Year 11 Religion and Ethics and Study of Religion
Meanwhile, our Year 11 Religion and Ethics and Study of Religion students recently headed to Mareeba Mosque, where they were warmly welcomed by Imam Daimin Murat for a conversation about Islamic faith and ritual practice. Students had the opportunity to ask questions, observe the mosque's layout and features, and make comparisons between the Catholic and Islamic traditions.
Both excursions reflect what makes Religion and Ethics and Study of Religion such distinctive subjects - the chance for students to encounter faith traditions not just as content to be studied, but as living realities, held by real people and communities.
Laura Gilbert | Middle Leader Religious Education