Spiritual Formation

Faith development of students requires a partnership between Home and School. It is therefore very important that families understand the philosophy of our spiritual care of students. We have far more understanding now than we had, say thirty years ago, of the stages of faith development and how it partners intellectual and emotional development. Teenage years are a very important time of spiritual development.

Our spiritual care of students aims to help students to discover their own talents and abilities, to grow in self-knowledge and self-awareness as part of their own search for their own Truth. During teenage years, young people move from a literal, uncritical acceptance of Faith to a questioning of everything; during teenage years a person begins to form her own views of the world and her own personal philosophy of life. Teenage years are a time of questioning, exploring and establishing one’s own identity and exploring one’s own sense of meaning. Everything we do in Sancta Maria is aimed at supporting that questioning and exploration.

For exploration of the spiritual in our lives, particular supports are the Religious Education Programme, daily prayer and the Chaplaincy service. An appropriate and well-designed Religious Education Programme is implemented in each Year Group. The Programme aims to develop knowledge of religious traditions, to develop and support Faith and to develop an awareness of morality and social justice. To give students opportunities to celebrate the Liturgy, the College Chaplain and the Religious Education teachers arrange Masses, Reconciliation Services, Retreats. Staff and Students support projects and collections for charity, including a project for street children in Kenya. A small group of teachers and students travel to Kenya on a biennial basis.