Catholic identity – The way in which the Gospel of Jesus is given living expression in each school community. A contemporary Catholic identity develops from the encounter between faith, life and culture and the celebration of all three in ritual.
Catholic imagination – A viewpoint that God is present in the whole of creation and in human beings, each of which are channels and sources of God’s grace.
Catholic Tradition – The lived practice of Catholics down through each generation, responding to Christ’s invitation, under the impulse of the Holy Spirit, making the Gospel come alive in unfolding human history. It includes prayer, liturgy and the celebration of the Eucharist, preaching, teaching and the love of God and neighbour as expressed in dedicated service to others.
Dialogue – Requires that we offer ourselves in ways that can be grasped and received by the people with whom we are talking. It is not merely a matter of putting oneself forward and successfully asserting one’s own point of view, but being transformed into a communion in which we do not remain what we were.
Discernment – A process for decision-making that recognises God’s will in our lives and aligning our choices accordingly.
Encounter – A relational, dialogical experience where each other reveals the presence of Christ. Encounter requires openness to transformation, a search for truth, and a willingness to build genuine relationships with God and others.
Human dignity – A belief that human beings, created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27), have by their very existence an inherent worth, distinction and interconnection.
Sacramentality – An understanding that our experience of God can be mediated through the ordinary, including our culture and all of creation.
Sacraments – Ritualised moments of encounter with God, given to us by Jesus Christ. In Catholicism, there are seven such rituals that are called the sacraments. The Eucharist is the source and summit of the seven sacraments.
Sacred texts – Texts which religious traditions consider to be central to their religious practice or set of beliefs. The Bible is foundational for Catholic Christians, encompassing the sacred writings of the Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures) and the New Testament (Christian Scriptures).