St. Stephen Catholic Church, Valrico, FL

Welcome to the EDGE!

What is ACRE?

ACRE (Assessment of Catholic Religious Education) is an assessment tool, formed by the National Catholic Education Association (NCEA). Evaluating the status of a Religious Education program requires that educators in faith be attuned to the mission, goals and strategies inherent to the delivery of sound catechesis. Such an evaluation also calls for a thorough review of the religious curriculum, teaching methods, instructional approaches and available resources allocated to accomplish the mission. ACRE gives a picture of the basic faith knowledge and religious perceptions of students at the fifth and eighth grade age and stage of development. With these data, faith education leaders and participants can explore areas of strength as well as areas that need additional attention. Using such an assessment annually allows us to identify the trajectory of our faith education efforts and track improvements as goals and strategies are changed or refined.

The ACRE assessment was developed following content specifications based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Because it is built around the core essentials of the faith, ACRE is an evaluative instrument that can be used by everyone regardless of the religion textbook used (provided the series is in conformity with the Office for Catechism at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops). The six fundamental tasks of catechesis help us to know, to celebrate and to contemplate the mysteries of Christ: (1) knowledge of our faith, (2) liturgical educations, (3) moral formation, (4) knowing how to pray, (5) knowing how to live as a Christian community, and (6) knowing what evangelization means. Part 1 of ACRE contains the Faith Knowledge questions; Part 2 is a survey of students’ personal beliefs, attitudes, practices and perceptions. Each assessment was designed and developed with the specific grade of the student in mind.

The results are not used to measure the success or failure of a particular student, teacher/catechist, or religious textbook series. No single evaluative paper and pencil instrument can measure a person’s love of God or faith. However, especially in the formative years, knowing where one stands in relation to knowledge of the faith and faith awareness can help engender a desire to know more about God and the Church. The goal of Religious Education is to foster a relationship with Jesus that leads to maturity in faith. Such maturity will only be achieved through a life-long pursuit of prayerful faith formation based on the realization that “the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Romans 5:5).

While the goal of Religious Education is growth in faith, a reality that cannot be strictly measured, it does involve instruction and learning, which can be measured and evaluated. Learning objectives for a Religion program are usually stated in the teacher Manuals, Scope and Sequence charts, and Curriculum Standards provided by the diocese. These specifications detail the material that students should have an opportunity to learn and be expected to know, and which are measured by ACRE.

For more details, please call the Religious Education Office @ 671-4434

ACRE Review Questions

1. This hymn of praise is sung at Mass to thank God for his mercy: ___ (The Gloria)

2. Jesus taught us to pray the ___ (Our Father, or Lord’s Prayer).

3. To tell our sins to a priest in Reconciliation is to ___ (confess). Is an accident a sin?

(No, sin is willfully dong what we know is wrong. An accident is a mistake)

4. A cross that has the figure of the body of Jesus on it is called a ___ (crucifix).

5. The library of the written Word of God is the ___ (Bible).

6. We believe that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the ___ (Trinity), with the

Father and the Son as the other two persons.

7. Everything that God has made is ___ (creation). Are we responsible for caring for it?

8. Charitable deeds by which we help others are: ___ (Works of Mercy – Corporal & Spiritual)

9. ___ (Bethlehem)is the town where Jesus was born.

10. The ___ (Gospels) tell us about the life and work of Jesus.

11. A statement of our Catholic beliefs is called ___ (creed).

12. Forgiveness the priest speaks in the name of God is called ___ (absolution).

13. ___ (Ascension) is the return of Jesus to God in heaven.

14. We say Mary is the ___ (mother) of the Church.

15. ___ (contrition)is the sorrow we feel when we have done something wrong.

16. A prayer or good deed that is given to us by the priest in the Sacrament of

Reconciliation is called a ___ (penance).

17. The Holy Spirit came to the disciples on ___ (Pentecost), to continue to be

present in the Church.

18. The Prodigal Son is a story Jesus told about a father who was happy when his lost

son returned home. This story is one of many ___ (parables) Jesus told to teach a lesson.

19. A serious sin is a ___ (mortal) sin. A less serious sin is a ___ (venial) sin.

20. On Easter Sunday we celebrate Jesus’ ___ (resurrection), or rising from death. The

“passing over’ of Jesus from death into a new and glorious life is known as ___

(the Paschal Mystery).

21. We associate water with baptism. We use ___ (oil), or chrism, for Confirmation.

22. The 8 ways Jesus gave us in which God wants us to live are the ___ (Beatitudes).

23. These 14 things help us to reflect on Jesus’ suffering and death: ___ (Stations of the

Cross)

24. Prayer-songs in the Old Testament are called ___ (psalms).

25. The cycle of seasons and feasts that make up the Church’s year: ___ (liturgical year)

26. Do the Old or New Testament stories tell us about Mary, Joseph and Jesus? (New)

27. Advent prepares us for ___ (Christmas). Lent prepares us for ___ (Easter).

28. We honor ___ (Mary) because she was chosen to bring Jesus into the world.

29. What are the 3 Sacraments of Initiation? ___ (Baptism, Eucharist, & Confirmation)

30. What is our final reward for living as faithful followers of Jesus? ___ (heaven)

31. The first 4 books of the New Testament are the ___ (Gospels).

32. If you say or do something contrary to God’s law you commit ___ (sin).

33. The sacrament in which a man is consecrated to serve the Church as bishop, priest,

or deacon is called ___ (Holy Orders).

34. ___ (John the Baptist)was the first to baptize people and to tell them to be sorry for

their sins.

35. The four evangelists who wrote the Gospels are: ___ (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John).

36. In this parable that Jesus told, the kind man who helped the man who was beaten

and left along the road was the: ___ (Good Samaritan).

37. ___ (Jerusalem) is the holiest city of the Jewish people where Jesus often visited.

38. People whose love for God is stronger than anything else are called ___ (saints).

39. A pastor is in charge of a parish; a ___ (bishop) is in charge of a diocese. The ___

(Pope) is the leader of the Catholic Church.

40. A ___ (covenant) is the solemn agreement between God and Moses & the Israelites.

41. When we worship, we give thanks and praise to ___ (God) by our words and actions

42. We celebrate the ___ (Assumption), when Mary is taken body and soul into Heaven.

43. There are different types of prayer. Ones where we pray for our community and the

world are called ___ (petitions or intercessions).

44. The sacrament in which we receive the Body and Blood of Christ is ___ (Eucharist or

Holy Communion).

45. ___ (Incarnation) is when Jesus became human.

46. Catholics say this prayer as a devotion to Mary. The 4 Mysteries recall Jesus’ life.

(Rosary) What are the 4 Mysteries? (Joyful, Sorrowful, Luminous, & Glorious)

47. Sacraments are supernatural gifts that give us God’s ___ (grace).

48. There are 10 Commandments. The first 3 area about loving God. The other 7 are

about loving ___ (others). Name three of them. (Honor your father & mother, not

kill, not commit adultery, not steal, not lie, not covet neighbor’s wife or things)

49. Mary was born without original sin. We call this the ___ (Immaculate Conception).

50. God sent his Son, Jesus, to save us. Jesus became one of us. He is true God and true

Man. This is called ___ (Divine Revelation).

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