OBJECTIVES OF THE COURSE

            The objectives of the course are: 

1.     To develop the pupil in all aspects (spiritual, intellectual, moral, physical, and social) so that the pupil may be prepared for what he will be in life so as to gain his eternal salvation.

a.    Spiritual formation is provided via catechetical instruction using Catholic manuals imbued with Catholic doctrines and morals.  Further, spiritual formation is given by Catholic practices of prayer, attendance at Holy Mass, and the use of the Sacrament of Penance.

b.    Intellectual formation is given by a Classical and Catholic curriculum “enabling the pupil to think in an orderly fashion and to speak as clearly as he thinks”. (Pope Pius XII)

c.    Moral formation is a consequence of catechetical instruction, as virtues and values follow upon the sound teaching of the Catholic Church.

d.    Physical formation will provide coordination and proper health of body for the pupil, as well as proper manners and etiquette.

e.    Social formation will orientate the pupils toward proper interaction with each other and Society, and will produce good citizens and leaders for future Filipino society.

2.     To develop the pupil’s potential through instruction, information, and direction in conjunction with his temperament and capabilities.

3.     To cultivate the pupil in all aspects to produce a thinking, discerning, judging, and responsible individual equipped to make good decisions.

SPIRITUAL FORMATION

             The Catholic Church since its institution by Our Lord Jesus Christ has sanctified its members through the Sacraments.  The prayer life of the Church is to be the prayer life at Our Lady of Victories Catholic School. The School finds in the traditional liturgy of the Church the privileged source of supernatural life and of real piety. For this reason, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is offered daily in the Tridentine Rite. Likewise the pupils have a regularly scheduled time for the Sacrament of Penance. In addition, other devotions, such as recitation of the rosary, will foster greater love of God in the heart of the pupils.

            All pupils receive Catholic instruction as part of the curriculum. Children are prepared for the reception of the Sacraments, the boys are taught to serve Mass and all pupils are taught to sing the hymns and the prayers of the Mass.

INTELLECTUAL FORMATION

            Through formal, systematic, whole-class teaching, pupils are expected to achieve a high academic standard. All learning areas are taught in harmony with the Faith, for it is impossible for faith and reason to be at variance with each other. The school aims to improve the child’s powers of reasoning which will preserve the intellect from error and enrich it with true knowledge.

            The curriculum is broad-based and balanced. It enables each of our pupils to meet or surpass the learning competencies prescribed by the Department of Education for Pre-elementary and Elementary Courses in a Catholic environment which has man’s true nature and end in view.

            Elective learning areas such as English Literature, History/Geography, and Classical Latin complement the curriculum.

MORAL FORMATION 

            Education is more than the mere imparting of facts; it also consists in the instilling of virtues. Through the school’s teaching, the examples of teachers and fellow pupils and the Sacraments of the Church, the child learns the practice of virtue and that his Catholic Faith is an integral part of every day life. Self-control, good manners, and disciplined behavior are instilled with a view to developing the child’s character and sense of moral responsibility. As a small school, we are able to create a family atmosphere in which the children are cared for in a friendly yet disciplined setting.

 PHYSICAL FORMATION

            Physical exercise and organized sports are seen as an essential part of education. They instill a sense of discipline, develop a child’s coordination, serve as a means of releasing energy in a constructive manner and are an aid to health.

SOCIAL FORMATION

            Man, by his nature and by the conditions of his existence is called to live in society. Thus, any true formation must take into account man as a social being. A good Catholic, “precisely because of his Catholic principles, makes the better citizen, attached to his country, and loyally submissive to constituted civil authority in every legitimate form of government.” (Pope Pius XI: Divini Illius Magistri)

            The school endeavors to impart a social formation to the pupils that enables them to resist the exaggerated individualism of today. In truth, as Pope Pius XI reminds us, children “enter into and become part of civil society, not directly by themselves, but through the family in which they were born.” Thus, it is essential that the home and school work together, endeavoring to aid the development of good relations and associations with others and working to distance the child from those influences which may be unchristian or corrupting. The importance of the home environment with regard to religious practice, order and discipline, entertainment, dress, and music cannot be overemphasized. The media, especially the television, can cause considerable harm. All parents will therefore need to show their commitment to the school’s policies on these matters as a necessary condition of obtaining/retaining a place for their child at the school. Guiding the pupils carefully in their reading, spare-time activities, and social contacts is the important responsibility of every parent and teacher:

“More than ever nowadays an extended and careful vigilance is necessary, inasmuch as the dangers of moral and religious shipwreck are greater for inexperienced youth…This necessary vigilance does not demand that young people be removed from the society in which they must live and save their souls, but that today more than ever, they should be forewarned and forearmed as Christians against the seductions and the errors of the world.” (Pope Pius XI: Divini Illius Magistri)

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