Religious Studies Department

 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you.”  - Matthew 28:19-20

In general, the Religion Curriculum has two goals.  The first is similar to what the rest of the TMP curriculum seeks to accomplish.   The Religion Program  strives to prepare a student for further religious studies, if such classes are desired and available in college.  The second goal, is that our Religion Program would prepare students to be active parishioners, and give them the needed skills and knowledge to pass the Catholic Faith on to their children, and ultimately reach faith’s goal: Eternal Salvation. 

Mrs. Judy Schuler instructs the Freshman and Junior religion courses. She sponsors the yearly "Walk For Life" trip to Washington D.C. each January.  She can also take on any student group in a mean game of slip and slide kickball.

Fr. Fred instructs the Sophomore and Senior religion courses. He teachers full time at TMP-Marian, as well as serving as pastor at the Catholic Campus Center at Fort Hays State University. He has written and published workbooks for the religion textbook series used within the department. When he is not working or writing you might catch him looking up into the heavens with his telescope.

The Curriculum

Freshman Year

Introduction to Catholicism*.  Topics covered include Prayer, the way God reveals Himself to us through the Old and New Testaments as well as the lived experience of the Church (Sacred Tradition), the 10 Commandments, the 7 Sacraments (a chapter of the book is dedicated to each of the 7 Sacraments and the 10 Commandments), Christian Freedom, the Beatitudes,  and the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Sophomore Year 

Understanding the Scriptures*.  Under the general heading of covenant, the Old and New Testaments are explained.  Much of the course is dedicated to reading the Bible itself, as well as studying background information about the Bible in the textbook.  The over all goal of the year is to give the student a sufficient grounding in Scripture to give the readings at Mass more meaning, as well as to make the student more confident to read the Word of God on his/her own in order to grow closer to God.

Junior Year 

The History of the Church*.  It is impossible to study the rise of Western Civilization without appreciating the role that the Catholic Church played in it.  This ambitious study clearly presents the History of the Church from the time of Pentecost to the present.  The greatest of the Church’s triumphs to the darkest of tragedies are recounted so that the student knows where we have been and can better see where we are going.

Senior Year Part I 

Our Moral Life in Christ *.  This study draws heavily upon the Bible, ancient Christian teaching and tradition, The Catechism of the Catholic Church, and the teachings of Pope John Paul II to lay out the answer to the question: “If God loved me so much as to send His Son to die for my sins, how should I respond?”  While the rules and laws of the moral life are clearly explained, they are taught in the light of the Christian who wants to respond to God out of love, which is the way that God wants us to respond.

Senior Year Part II 

The Gospel of St. John.  Part of the goal of the Religion Department is to prepare the student for further theological and religious studies after high school.  Since St. John’s Gospel is so different from Sts. Matthew, Mark, and Luke both in language and theology, all post-secondary religious studies departments in Catholic colleges and universities and seminaries treat it as a distinct topic.  While the student will have been introduced to the Gospels in the Sophomore year, approximately the last quarter of the Senior year will be dedicated to the study of the Fourth Gospel.  The text for this study is The Gospel of St. John from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible as well as The Divine Presence of Jesus: Meditation and Commentary on the Gospel of St. John, by Fr. Alfred McBride.  The text is accompanied by a comprehensive set of study notes.

Leadership and Spirituality 

This course content will focus on development of leadership skills with emphasis on the role of leader being servant.  Students will develop these skills by taking an active role in service projects, coordination efforts, volunteer recruitment, and by participation as leaders in actual projects.  This course may be repeated once for an additional ½ credit.

Students in Introduction to Catholicism may be required to read two books on the lives of Saints.