Sister Ruth. What a woman. May she rest in the eternal glory of our heavenly Father.
Sister Ruth led me into the Catholic Church when I was five years old, alongside my mom who worked as her assistant in St. Ann’s religious education office for years.
Aside from dishing out her famous hugs, which were simultaneously strangulating and softhearted, she ran a wonderfully organized curriculum for our parish’s kids and catechists. She made sure everyone worked together, shared stories, stayed true to the teachings of the Church, and used their creativity to communicate those teachings.
It’s no wonder so many of my peers who went through her curriculum are still active in their faith. Just this past Christmas, I ran into a number of them after Mass while visiting home. They now have families and are transmitting the faith to the next generation.
Sister Ruth’s work lives on.
If someone were to dissect why her curriculum (and every successful Catholic curriculum) works, they would find four essential elements.
The 4 Essential Elements Every Catholic Curriculum Needs
- Mutually Benefitting
Sister Ruth believed that children’s growth should naturally lead to parents’ growth, and parents’ growth should naturally lead to children’ s growth.
The Catechism touches on this synergistic relationship in CCC 2226, “Parents have the mission of teaching their children to pray and to discover their vocation as children of God.” It continues in the next paragraph, “Children in turn contribute to the growth in holiness of their parents” (CCC 2227).
Put simply, everyone helps everyone. A strong Catholic curriculum allows for everyone to learn together and to ultimately grow closer to God together.
2. Rooted in Story
Sister Ruth began every class with a story. She wanted to spark our imaginations and keep us engaged.
The Catholic philosopher, Alasdair MacIntyre once said, “Man is essentially a storytelling animal…” Stories are unique to us. They make us us! They speak to our humanity in a uniquely personal way, helping truths captivate our minds and penetrate our hearts.
Any good Catholic curriculum embraces this core quality, making the faith come alive through good storytelling.
3. Faithful
There’s no point in a Catholic curriculum that doesn’t adhere to the teachings of the Church. Otherwise, it’s not Catholic!
Sister Ruth made sure we stayed faithful to Christ’s Bride, and she leaned on both Scripture and the Tradition of the Church to accomplish this. As a result, kids who went through her program understood that Scripture and Tradition always work together, never at odds.
As CCC 80 teaches us, “Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture, then, are bound closely together, and communicate one with the other.”
4. Relatable
Kids don’t want to be talked down to. They also don’t want to be spoken to in a way that goes over their head. The right tone is crucial.
Not below. Not above. Just right.
Sister Ruth had a special knack for making us feel seen. We never felt belittled or overlooked. We also felt free to be kids.
Unfortunately, Sister Ruth is no longer with us. However, I believe that the next great religious education program has arrived. Ascension’s new Pillars of Faith is designed to extend beyond the classroom and into the home, inviting students, educators, and families into a shared and lasting encounter with Jesus.
This multimedia curriculum pairs with a set of Bibles and Catechisms uniquely adapted for children in K-8, introducing them to the complete story of salvation and the foundations of our Faith. It also uses fun, interactive videos that follow a narrative throughline. Heavily rooted in Scripture and Tradition and guided by the Handbook on the Catechetical Accompaniment Process from the USCCB, Pillars of Faith uses age-appropriate language and approachable teaching to help the young not only learn the Faith, but to live it fully and share it with others.
Schools, parishes and homeschool groups can sign up now at ascensionpress.com/PillarsofFaith if they are interested in a Spring 2026 preview of the K–2 curriculum and its companion Bible and Catechism for use in the 2026–2027 school year.
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Image: Photo by Greg Rosenke on Unsplash
