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CHAPTER 6
CATHOLIC IDENTITY FACTOR
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Catholic Identity
I. Mission Statement and Philosophy Statement In fidelity to the truths of our Holy Catholic Church, the mission of Saint Augustine Academy is to assist parents in their duty of fostering within their children growth in the theological, intellectual and moral virtues. We strive in every task to inculcate in our students the profound insight of Saint Augustine: You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You. The educational philosophy of Saint Augustine Academy flows from the inherent worth and dignity of the human person: made in the image and likeness of God, redeemed and made holy by the Blood of Jesus Christ, called by Christ to witness to truth as salt and light (Mt 5:13-16), and destined for eternal life. The Academy is committed to the development of the whole person and aims at forming in the Christian those particular virtues which will enable him to live a new life in Christ and help him play faithfully his part in building up the Kingdom of God (The Catholic School, N. 36, The Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education, 1977). Our task is fundamentally a synthesis of culture and faith, and a synthesis of faith and life; the first is reached by integrating all the different aspects of human knowledge through the subjects taught, in the light of the Gospel; the second in the growth of the virtues characteristic of the Christian (ibid. N. 37). Discovery and awareness of truth lead man to the discovery of Truth itself (ibid. N. 41). II. Prayer and Sacraments Prayer permeates the school day. Faculty and Staff pray the Liturgy of the Hours many mornings. Each class begins and often ends with prayer. The student body prays at morning assembly. The Angelus/Regina Caeli is recited at lunch daily. We are privileged to gather for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass each Tuesday and First Friday. Confessions are heard before each Mass on Campus. Three/four times a year, on particular Marian Feasts, the student body gathers for the Rosary in the presence of

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our Eucharistic Lord exposed in the Monstrance, with a homily by a priest, and Benediction. Prayer begins our Staff and Parent meetings, family events, field trips, etc. In addition, teachers often stop class when a siren is heard passing on the street to pray for those in need of emergency aid and for the police or fire personnel who put their lives on the line to save the lives of others. After each Tuesday Mass, the students of three families are called forth and commissioned to pray with their families for an increase of holy and persevering vocations to the priesthood and religious life. An icon of Christ, prayer booklets, and informative DVDs are sent home with these families for this purpose. A schedule is sent home to alert parents to the program and to inform them of the date their family will receive the Vocation Icon. An examination of conscience and Act of Contrition concludes the school day. Instruction on the theology of all things liturgical and devotional takes place in every program of study, from the primary grades to high school. Private devotional prayer and prayerful reception of the sacraments are presented as indispensable to formation of an authentic Catholic spirituality. The Liturgical Calendar prompts the celebration of the chief mysteries of our Catholic Faith, giving rise to lessons and celebrations in the Sacred Seasons and on particular feast days. A knowledge and understanding of Salvation History as found in the Liturgy of the Word of God at Mass is studied by methods appropriate to each age level. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is studied as the fulfillment of the Promise of Redemption found in the Protoevangelium of Genesis 3:15, in the numerous Eucharistic prefigures found in the Old Testament, and in its sacrificial essence as the re-presentation of Calvary and Marriage Feast of the Lamb perpetuated under sacramental signs. In addition to instruction that aims to enable appropriate exercise of our common priesthood and foster interior participation, the students participate at Mass by serving as lectors and altar servers. The entire school (grades 4-12) forms the choir and they beautifully sing the parts of the Mass and traditional Catholic hymns. Please see Photo Album of Catholic Identity. III. Religion Curriculum

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The Didache Series (Midwest Theological Forum, Woodridge, Illinois, 2005) forms the core of the course of study for the high school. This series has been approved by the USCCB. As the Didache of the first century relied heavily upon the teaching of the Apostles, the Didache Series relies heavily on Sacred Scripture, the Fathers of the Church, the lives of the saints, the teaching of Vatican II, and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Theology 9/10 uses Introduction to the Catholic Church and Understanding the Scriptures in alternate years. Theology 11/12 uses Moral Theology and Church History in alternate years. Teachers supplement the texts with papal encyclicals, such as Ecclesia de Eucharistia, Evangelium Vitae, and Rosarium Virginis Mariae, and readings such as Mere Christianity (C.S. Lewis), Apologetics (James Burnham), This Tremendous Lover (Eugene Boylan), and Leisure, the Basis of Culture (Joseph Pieper). The Ignatius Press Faith and Life Series forms the core of the K-8 course of studies. The universal call to holiness, the life of virtue, and formation of conscience are major themes, studied directly or implicitly, in every religion class throughout the school. It is our aim to promote a greater love and understanding of God and His will for us, to enable an intellectual grasp of Catholic Truth appropriate to each level of spiritual development, and to encourage a better formed and informed Catholic conscience from which can stem the free and mature response of each student in the practice of our Catholic Faith. Please see copies of student texts. IV. Certification of Religion Teachers As Saint Augustine Academy has not sought to seek WCEA certification until this year, the faculty has not participated in the Archdiocesan procedures for catechetical certification. Our Theology teachers, however, are well-formed in the Faith. The teacher of all high school theology classes this year has a BA in Liberal Arts from Thomas Aquinas College (Santa Paula) and a BA in Philosophy from the Pontifical University Regina Apostolorum in Rome and was a seminarian with the Legionaries

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of Christ for nine years. The teacher of 9/10 Scripture (last year and next year) has been a consecrated religious, with concomitant prayer and study, for forty years. All of our Catholic teachers (94% of our staff) are strongly committed and informed in matters of faith, those who teach Theology as well as those who teach other subjects. Matters of faith are frequent topics at staff meetings and subjects of conversation between staff members. Religiously formative articles are frequently disseminated among the faculty and discussed. The Superintendent of Secondary Schools for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, a delegate of the Archbishop, has commended Saint Augustine Academy for its fidelity to the Teaching Church. Our Headmaster attended the Faculty Faith Formation Day for teachers of high school for our Archdiocesan Region in October, 2011, and the entire Saint Augustine Faculty will attend this event in coming years. Please see the individual synopses of the teachers for details of integration of faith into the curriculum.

V. Maintenance of Active Partnership with Parents Parents are the primary teachers of their children. For the most part, the students of Saint Augustine Academy come from homes where the Catholic Faith is taught and lived and taken seriously. With rare exception, our students come from homes with intact sacramental marriages and numerous siblings. The parents of our school are well aware of the secular nature of our current society and have taken steps to nurture a culture of faith in the home and to protect their children from harmful secular influences. As a consequence, the students of Saint Augustine Academy have not lost the innocence or joy of childhood. They have not been hardened by the culture that surrounds them. This home life has infused Saint Augustine Academy with a precious and treasured climate of faith.

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Every teacher on the staff strives to support the heroic efforts of the parents of our students, as set forth in our mission statement. Teaching materials and methods are chosen that will complement that which is taught in the home. Films are edited or rejected if content is deemed harmful to young souls. Parents and teachers work together for the good of the student, both in the realm of academic achievement and of Christian comportment. Parent/Teacher conferences provide the opportunity to discuss the spiritual growth and development of our students. Conferences are scheduled after the first and third quarters, but interaction by phone or in person takes place whenever the need presents itself. Parents and Teachers socialize together at school events and elsewhere. The union of school and family is strong at Saint Augustine Academy. Please see Parent Questionaire on the religious nature of our school.

VI.

Christian Service The Caritas Discipleship Handbook describes the philosophy and requirements of service for high school students at Saint Augustine Academy. It is the aim of the program to inspire in our students the life-long habit of supporting and/or initiating acts of generosity, stemming from love for God and a Eucharistic spirituality. Ten hours of documented service are required for freshmen, fifteen for sophomores and juniors, and ten for seniors. Though eighty hours of Christian service are required for Catholic high school students in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, a fifty hour minimum is required of Saint Augustine Academy high school students with the hope that our students will freely do more than the minimum. To that end, we offer a variety of awards to encourage a more virtuous and vigorous trend in goal-setting. Also to that end, each student will be assigned a faculty mentor. Short mentor-student conferences take place at least once a month to monitor progress and allay any tendency to procrastinate. Service documentation is submitted to this faculty member. The 2011-2012 term is the inaugural year for our service program. In prior years, service requirements were very informal.

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Please see the Caritas Discipleship Handbook.

VII. Presence of Traditional Catholic Signs, Sacramentals, and Rituals The Campus grounds and classrooms abound in visible signs of our Catholic Faith and provide a Catholic atmosphere integral to our mission as a school. Every classroom has a crucifix and a statue to Mary. A large statue of our patron, the Doctor of Grace, is located in Saint Augustine Hall. Additional images relating to our Catholic Faith are found in the classrooms and hallways. The classrooms are named after the saints: Saints Augustine, Cecilia, Therese of Lisieux, Francis of Assisi, Albert the Great, Catherine of Siena, Thomas Aquinas and Our Lady of Guadalupe each have their respective Halls. Bulletin boards in the classrooms and hallways often have religious themes. Shrines to Mary, the Mother of God, are in the grass area near the classrooms and in the courtyard. Tissue stained glass windows made in art class grace the sanctuary during Mass and aid in the transformation of classroom to chapel, profane space to sacred space. In addition to holy images in theology texts, students use Catholic texts for history and spelling and are supplied a student planner with Catholic information and images. In addition to the prayer life detailed above, three or four Marian/Eucharistic Processions a year provide opportunities for growth in devotion to Mary, always subordinate to her Divine Son. The Rosary and Eucharistic Adoration outside of Mass foster devotion during the Mass. Basic prayers and ejaculations are taught and prayed with the students. The Triumph of the Holy Cross presents the opportunity for students to venerate the Cross with a devout kiss. October is dedicated to Mary, Queen of the Holy Rosary and presents the opportunity to study the twenty mysteries. May too is Marys month. November is remembered as the Month of the Holy Souls. The Three Kings gift exchange celebrates Epiphany as we return to school following Christmas vacation. Scapulars, religious medals, and holy cards are often given to students. Food drives are executed during Advent/Lent. Stations of the Cross are prayed in common during Lent, and traditional Lenten sacrifices are encouraged. Christmas and Spring Concerts are filled with traditional Catholic hymns of faith.

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The beauty of sacred music lifts the heart and soul to God and gives delight to singer and listener alike. Saint Patricks Day warrants special celebration as well. Opportunities to witness to the sanctity of all human life by marching in public are well attended by our students. The January 22 anniversary of the Supreme Court decision of Roe v. Wade occasions the walk from the Government Center to the abortion clinic on Ralston and Good Friday presents the opportunity to walk five miles from Sacred Heart Church to the same abortion clinic. A significant number of students have attended the pro life march and events in San Luis Obispo and San Francisco. Please see Photo Album of Catholic Identity. VIII. Integration of Catholic World View into All Areas of Curriculum All school personnel are actively engaged in bringing the Good News of Jesus into the total educational experience of students enrolled at Saint Augustine Academy. The motivation and ability to integrate the truths of the Catholic Faith into the various subject areas stems first of all from the personal dedication and lived faith experience of each teacher. The headmaster, in the interview phase of teacher recruitment, winnows out applicants who are deficient in understanding of or commitment to Catholic Faith and values. Authentic conviction that what the Church teaches is true leads to authentic witness before our students. The renewal of the Church is also achieved through the witness offered by the lives of believers . . .
(Porta Fidei, Benedict XVI, 11 October 2011, n. 6, http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/motu_proprio/documents/hf_ben-xvi_motu-proprio_20111011_portafidei_en.html).

Knowledge of faith opens a door into the fullness of the saving mystery revealed by God (ibid. n. 10). Knowledge of the fundamental content of Catholic Faith as professed in the Credo of the People of God (ibid. n. 4) and treated systematically in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (ibid. n. 11), allows the teacher to connect concepts in the various subject areas to concepts of Catholic doctrine and morality. Whether history, literature, science, math, or language, a link to Catholic truth exists

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because God is the Lord of history and of the created world. Truth cannot contradict truth. Please see the individual synopses of the teachers for details of integration of faith into the curriculum.

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