This Is Our Faith

His Eminence Cardinal Keith Patrick O'Brien and children from St. Ninian's Primary School, Livingston at the Archdiocesan launch of the new syllabus for religious education in Catholic Schools in Scotland, entitled 'This Is Our Faith'. This historic syllabus received 'recognitio' from the Holy See on the 4th August 2011. It will now become the definitive text upon which all religious education will be based. (Photo courtesy of Paul McSherry)

The Archdiocesan Launch of the National Syllabus for Religious Education was held in the Gillis Centre on Wednesday 18th January 2012. It was a momentous occasion which marked many years of intensive work on the part of the Catholic Education Service and all those delegated to work on the production of such a historic document. As Bishop Devine, President of the Commission states in the foreword to the document, ‘It is the first Religious Education Syllabus which has originated fully in Scotland….. and is also the first document of the Bishops Conference of Scotland to have been awarded the decree of ‘Recognitio’ by the Holy See.

The text has been examined, as required, by both the Congregation for Clergy and the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the decree granted means that the Catholic Church in Scotland now has a syllabus which can be used with the firm assurance that it is robust and will meet the distinctive needs of Scottish young people for many years to come. It will serve our schools and parish communities excellently as we work together in the transmission of the faith.

The Launch was attended by representatives from local schools, Michael McGrath (Scottish Catholic Education Service), diocesan clergy and other invited guests. 

Schools in the Archdiocese of St. Andrews and Edinburgh have already begun to implement the syllabus with hundreds of teachers having attended training on its implementation over recent years. Introductory information sessions have also been offered to clergy, while parish catechists are being trained using the framework of the Strands of Faith from the new Syllabus as a foundation.

Brid O’ Brien the director of the Archdiocesan Religious Education Office will be happy to provide any other information pertaining to this project. Brid can be contacted at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Details concerning purchase of the Syllabus can be obtained directly from the website of the Scottish Catholic Education Service (SCES). You'll find this link on our links page under Education.

Photos courtesy of Paul McSherry