Virtues in Practice

Forming Saints Through the Virtues

Virtues in Practice is a faith formation program developed by the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia to help children grow in holiness by imitating Jesus Christ and the saints. Through the study and practice of virtue, students learn to integrate faith into daily life and develop habits that lead to authentic freedom, character, and Christian discipleship.

Used in Catholic schools, parish programs, and homes, Virtues in Practice provides a practical and engaging framework for helping children grow in wisdom, virtue, and love of God.

How the Program Works

Virtues in Practice is designed for children in Pre-K through Grade 8 and follows a three-year cycle centered on the theological virtues:

Year I: Faith
Year II: Hope
Year III: Charity

Each month, students focus on a particular virtue and learn from the example of saintly men and women who lived that virtue in an extraordinary way. By studying the saints and applying these lessons in everyday life, children are encouraged to become joyful witnesses to Christ in their families, schools, and communities.

The program is designed so that an entire school studies the same virtue each month, fostering a shared culture of virtue and providing opportunities for collaboration among teachers, students, and parents.

Why Virtues Matter

The mission of Catholic education is not only to impart knowledge but also to form the human person in wisdom and holiness. Virtues in Practice helps students grow in the habits that support lifelong faith, strong character, healthy relationships, and service to others.

By connecting virtue formation with the lives of the saints, the program encourages children to recognize that holiness is both attainable and joyful.

Free Resources

Aquinas College is pleased to make Virtues in Practice resources available free of charge to schools, parishes, and families.

Getting Started
Program Overview
Teacher/Parent Guide
Teacher/Parent Guide in Spanish

Year I: Year of Faith
FAITH PK-K Workbook
FAITH Gr. 1-2 Workbook
FAITH Gr. 3-5 Workbook
FAITH Gr. 6-8 Workbook

Year II: Year of Hope
HOPE Gr. PK-K Workbook
HOPE Gr. 1-2 Workbook
HOPE Gr. 3-5 Workbook
HOPE Gr. 6-8 Workbook

Year III: Year of Charity
CHARITY PK-K Workbook
CHARITY Gr. 1-2 Workbook
CHARITY Gr. 3-5 Workbook
CHARITY Gr. 6-8 Workbook

Additional Resources:

Saint Joseph Resource Created for the Year of St. Joseph, this booklet provides prayers, artwork, scripture, reflections, and activities that can be adapted for a class’s study of this important saint.
Black History Month Resource Highlighting the role of African American Catholics in the United States, this resource aims to aid teachers and catechists in planning activities and/or content.
Saints Posters Created in 2020 to help schools celebrate All Saints Day throughout the entire month of November, this resource contains posters about many of the saints studied in the Virtues in Practice Program.

Bring Virtues in Practice to Your School

Aquinas College and the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia offer workshops and in-service opportunities to help schools, parishes, and educators successfully implement the Virtues in Practice program.

Whether you are introducing the program for the first time or seeking to deepen its impact within your community, we are happy to assist with training and implementation.

Virtues in Practice Workshop Request Form

Instagram
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Name*
First Last
Email*
Enter Email Confirm Email
Phone
Group for which the workshop will be offered:*
Location of event (name of building, street address, room number, etc):*
City, State*
Requested date of event (List three options):*
Approximate size of group:
Primary contact for this workshop (Include the name, mobile phone number and email address of the primary contact if different than above):
Please confirm that you are aware of the following requests:*
- I wish to have a live, digital webinar for my school in the amount of $450 payable to Aquinas College.
- I wish to have an in-person workshop and my host institution will be responsible for covering the costs of travel and overnight accommodations, in addition to a stipend in the amount of $750 payable to Aquinas College.
- I understand that acceptable accommodations include a hotel or retreat facility with a private bathroom.
Check one option:*
- It is recommended to fly to the airport to come to our location. Please book a coach class ticket and we will reimburse.
- It is recommended to drive to our location. We will reimburse at the federal mileage rate for business use.
- We are having a virtual event and will no have travel expenses.
Name of airport:*
Questions/Comments:
Email

An Outreach Ministry of Aquinas College

Virtues in Practice is one of the many ways Aquinas College serves the Church through education, formation, and evangelization. By supporting teachers, catechists, parents, and school leaders in the work of forming young people, the program extends the mission of Aquinas far beyond the classroom and helps cultivate a culture of faith, virtue, and holiness for future generations.