Mrs. Maura Grochocinski, Junior High Religion

I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving holiday.  Before leaving for the Thanksgiving break, we discussed the importance of eliminating some of the distractions from our life that prevent us from having an awareness and appreciation of the blessing we have. Our students are blessed with parents who show support spiritually, emotionally, academically, and financially. We need to make the time to say "thank you" for the gifts that we sometimes take for granted.

Our eighth graders will be taking their high school entrance exams this upcoming Saturday, please keep them in your prayers, praying that they remain calm and confident in their academic abilities.

***7th Grade Religion***

This week we are beginning Chapter 5 in our Blest Are We book. This chapter discusses the Kingdom of God.  We will be discussing the meaning, the growth, and the value of creating the Kingdom of God here on earth. This chapter focuses on our responsibility to reach out to all people, especially to those who are less fortunate than we, demonstrating love, compassion, and mercy.  We will also be discussing the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.

***All students should continue to work on their FIVE hours of required service for this second trimester.

***8th Grade Religion***

This week we will be discussing the Cardinal and Theological virtues.  We will be discussing how we use these virtues in our daily lives and how we see others in our lives, who we admire, also demonstrating these virtues. Incorporating these virtues into our every day lives helps us to be our best selves as we begin our Confirmation preparation.

***All students should continue to work on their EIGHT hours of required service for this second trimester.

Report cards will be distributed on Wednesday of this week.  As we begin this second trimester, may we embrace those strengths which help us to succeed and eliminate those distractions or habits that prevent us from being our best.  Looking forward to a successful 2nd trimester! 

***7th Grade Religion***

"Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin."~Mother Teresa

This week we will be doing review exercises for chapter 4, reviewing the temptations of Jesus in the desert, the personal temptations we face in our every day lives, and honoring the life of Mother Teresa and her ability to put her prayer into action.  The chapter 4 test is scheduled for Friday of this week.

***All students should be working on the FIVE hours of required service for this second trimester.

***8th Grade Religion***

This week we will be discussing chapter 7 in our Morality book.  This chapter discusses the importance of family life.  Family members are those who accept us, love us, and forgive us no matter what, simply because we belong to them and they belong to us.  We will be discussing the values and virtues learned at home and how we carry those values and virtues with us as we go out into society to become a part of a larger community.  The chapter 7 test is scheduled for Friday of this week.

***All students should be working on the EIGHT hours of required service for this second trimester.

This Friday will mark the final day of the first trimester.  Now that we are acclimated to the routine and academic expectations of the Jr. High, it's a good time to reflect back and think about those habits and actions that were rewarding to us for this first trimester, as well as those things that we may want to change and improve upon to be stronger in the upcoming second trimester. 

On Friday, November 9th, at 1:15, SJF students and staff will gather in church to honor our Veterans at a special Veteran's Day prayer service.  All are welcome to attend.

***7th Grade Religion***

This week we will be discussing the life and accomplishments of Mother Teresa.  We will talk about her ability to put prayer into action and how she modeled Jesus' teachings by dedicating her life to helping the poor, sick, and dying.   We will also be discussing how we can put our "prayers into action".

***All completed service logs for the first trimester will be due Wednesday of this week.  

***8th Grade Religion***

We have completed our unit on the history of the Church and will now be looking at the Nicene Creed which was composed in the fourth century.  The creed was composed to validate and confirm our Christian beliefs.  We will be discussing the changes made to the language of the Creed in recent years and the reasons for the changes.  After this discussion, the eighth graders will be writing a narrative of their own beliefs of God the Father, Jesus the Son, the Holy Spirit, the Church, and life thereafter.

***All completed service logs for the 1st trimester will be due Wednesday of this week.