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Engaging Faith

Practical Lesson Ideas and Activities for Catholic Educators
Archived - April 2018

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Called to Pray in the Month of May

Coming soon from Ave Maria Press is Called to Pray: Daily Prayers for Catholic Schools, a collection of prayers complied by Bishop McNamara High School teacher Justin McClain for teachers or their designated student leaders to read during a class period or over a school intercom system. The prayers are organized by school events, feast days, and solemnities over an academic year calendar. Here are three sample prayers for Called to Pray for you to share with your students during the month of May. Prayer for the Solemnity of Pentecost Father God, today we ask the Holy Spirit to descend upon this Catholic school community, just as he did in the Upper Room at Pentecost, and to remain with us, not only now and throughout the conclusion of this school year, but throughout our lives. Please fill the hearts of the students in this school, so that they can spread Christ’s Good News no matter where they find themselves, whether within this school or beyond. We ask this in the name of the same Christ the Lord. Amen. Prayer before Prom Dear Lord, as we approach the end of this academic year, we prepare for the festivities that come with it. May the time spent together at prom be an occasion not just for fun, but also for reflection on all for which we are grateful within our school community. Help our students to make good decisions and to act only according to Christian principles, thus representing our community well. We ask this, as we do all things, in your holy name. Amen. Prayer for Memorial Day Heavenly Father, we take the time today to remember those men and women in uniform who have gone before us. We express our deepest gratitude for their bravery and sacrifice. Encourage us to remain thankful, and please inspire the students of this Catholic school community to work for peace around the world, especially in the midst of armed conflicts and other types of discord. We ask this in the name of Christ the Lord. Amen.   Make sure to order a copy of Called to Pray: Daily Prayers for Catholic Schools, so your copy arrives just in time for the fall term.

A Prayer of Gratefulness

This prayer which popped up on social media recently is a wonderful way to associate things many people in the Western world connect with drudgery with a moment of gratefulness through prayer. Share this list and format with your students. Ask them to write five to ten more examples in the same format. Gather a list together and pray a prayer of gratefulness from it with the entire class.

Pope Francis and the Call to Holiness in Today’s World

Pope Francis released a new apostolic exhortation, Gaudete et Esultate (Rejoice and Be Glad) with details on how to follow the Beatitudes by being of service to the marginalized, poor, and migrants. The pope equates defense of people on the fringes of society with defense of the unborn who are threatened with abortion. The exhortation has many insights for everyone to live a holy life though Pope Francis begins by writing that this is a “modest goal is to repropose the call to holiness in a practical way for our own time, with all its risks, challenges and opportunities. “ In Chapter 1, he writes of following the practical examples of holiness left by the saints. He sites, in particular, Bl. Maria Gabriella Sagjeddp who spent fifteen months of her life devoted to praying for Christian unity. He also cited the “genius of women” and the “feminine style of holiness” by mentioning the examples of St. Hildegard of Bingen, St. Bridget, St. Catherine of Siena, St. Teresa of Avila and St. Thérèse of Lisieux. Holiness must be lived “in the present moment,” stated Pope Francis and in community with others, not in isolation. Pope Francis points out that “when Cardinal François-Xavier Nguyên van Thuân was imprisoned, he refused to waste time waiting for the day he would be set free. Instead, he chose ‘to live the present moment, filling it to the brim with love’. He decided: ‘I will seize the occasions that present themselves every day; I will accomplish ordinary actions in an extraordinary way.’” Chapter 3 of Gaudete et Esultate is perhaps of most relevance to your students, all Catholics, and all people.  Holiness comes only in being rooted in the Lord. Jesus explained with great simplicity what it means to be holy when he gave us the Beatitudes (cf. Mt 5:3-12; Lk 6:20-23). The Beatitudes are like a Christian’s identity card.”  The pope offers practical reflections and applications for how to practice the Beatitudes. The subheading of this part of the chapter is “Going Against the Flow.” Consider having your students read paragraphs 65-94 and write a summary of Pope Francis’ teachings on each of the Beatitudes.