You will be returning to school following Thanksgiving to a new Church Year! Help your students to welcome Advent as a season of hope in the coming of the Lord. Share the following quotations that express the hopeful expectations of some Christian saints. Then have the students write a short essay or journal entry on what they are hopeful for in this new year
"The time will come when there shall be one flock and one shepherd, one faith and one clear knowledge of God." (St. Birgitta of Sweden)
"God is so good and merciful, that to obtain Heaven it is sufficient to ask it of him from our hearts." (St. Benedict Joesph Labre)
"Let the world indulge in its madness, for it cannot endure and passes like a shadow. It is growing old, and I think is in its last decrepit stage. But we, buried deep in the wounds of Christ, why should we be dismayed." (St. Peter Canisius)
"Hope always draws the soul from the beauty that is seen to what is beyond, always kindles the desire for the hidden through what is perceived" (St. Gregory of Nyssa)
"If Christ is with us, who is against us? You can fight with confidence when you are sure of victory. With Christ and for Christ victory is certain." (St. Bernard)
Ave Maria Press recently hosted its Fourth Annual Teacher Enrichment Day at Notre Dame. The teachers in attendance participated in a lesson plan exchange. Periodically we will be highlighting some of those lessons on the Engaging Faith blog.Directions:Use the New American Bible and your common sense to complete this worksheet. Read the cited passages to aid you in filling in the blanks.TransubstantiationNot all Christians believe in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. However, Christians universally accepted this belief until the sixteenth century when John Calvin challenged it. The theological term that describes this way Christ is really present in the consecrated bread and wine is transubstantiation. This belief says that the substance of bread is changed into the Lord's Body, and the substance of wine into his Blood. The "appearances" (sometimes called "accidents") of bread and wine including the shape, color, weight, and taste remain those of bread and wine. This reality is only recognizable through the eyes of faith. Catholic teaching on the Eucharist emphasizes the strength and inspiration we receive from Jesus' Real Presence—this food nourishes us for our journey through life. At Mass we eat the Body of Christ to become the Body of Christ; to be Christ's presence in the world today. Is this belief supported by Scripture?Biblical Foundations of the Real Presence1. Let's begin by looking at the most ancient account of Jesus' words at the Last Supper. This is found in 1 Corinthians 11:23-26. Write the passage here:2. At this meal, in keeping with the Jewish meal ritual, Jesus blessed a loaf of bread, broke it, and gave it to the Apostles who were at table with him. But at this Seder Meal Jesus added something that was not part of the traditional ritual. Read Mark 14:22-24. Verse 24 is the critical verse. Write it here:3. The question remains: did Jesus want his words to be taken symbolically or literally? Let's depart from that question for a moment to look at two other says of Jesus. A. In John 10:7 Jesus refers to himself in the image of a _[gate]___. B. In John 15:1 Jesus refers to himself as a __[true vine]__.Did Jesus literally mean that he is a hinge and latch? Or that he is a growing plant? Of course not. The point here is that we have to take Jesus on his own terms: What did he wish to communicate? So did Jesus mean that the bread and wine truly become his Body and Blood? Other biblical passages help to answer the question.4. Read John 6:35-40. Write verse 35:5. Did the people listening to Jesus that day take him literally? The answer is "yes." What were the Jews quarreling about in verse 52? [That Jesus said he was giving them his flesh to eat.]The fact is, everyone listening to Jesus speak that day took him literally. In the cases of the gate and the vine people aren't asking questions like: "How can this man be made of wood?" or "How can he claim to be a plant?"6. In other situations where the meaning of Jesus' words were misunderstood he cleared up the confusion. Read John 4:32-34. Here the disciples are confused about what Jesus means by the word "____" and Jesus clarifies for them that he means the work of his Father.7. St. Paul likewise emphasizes the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Read 1 Corinthians 11:27-29. Write the verse here:If the Eucharist is merely a symbol of the Lord's Body and Blood, then Paul's words make no sense. How can one "eat and drink judgment on himself" if what is being ate and drank is only a symbol? Paul's words only make sense if the bread and wine have become the real Body and Blood of Christ. Did the first Christians believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist? The answer is also "yes." The Real Presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist was a doctrine believed and taught unanimously by the Church since the time of Christ. The "literal" sense of the Eucharist was the only sense that early Christians understood. Also, recall St. Paul's comments in number 7 above. Proof is also in the writings of the Church Fathers and in the ancient Sacred Tradition.8. Let's look at one more passage: John 6:51-57. It is a significant passage in determining the meaning of Jesus' words at the Last Supper. Read and write the passage below. A. verse 53: B. verse 54: C. verse 55: D. verse 56: E. verse 57:9. See how people reacted to Jesus' words just a few verses later. Read John 6:60-66. A. What did "many disciples" say about Jesus words? (see verse 60) [That his words were "hard."] B. In verse 66 we learn that from this time on: [Many of Jesus' disciples left him.] C. Now recall the example of John 4:32-34 (number 6 above) when Jesus cleared up confusion about what he meant by the word "food." Does Jesus attempt to clarify his words here? Does he say anything like, "Oh, wait a minute, don't go away. I don't mean these words literally, only symbolically!"
__ (yes/no)10. How can we "know" the reality of Jesus Real Presence in the Eucharist? Ultimately, we can only know it through the eyes of [faith]__. Ultimately, like our belief in the existence of love, and our Catholic beliefs in the divinity of Jesus, the Resurrection of Jesus, and the Trinity, the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist is a [mystery]___; something so packed with meaning we can never fully understand it. (Hint: if you are stumped for answers, check elsewhere on this worksheet.)Many Christians speak of the need for a personal relationship with the Lord. What more personal relationship is there than to be nourished by the Body and Blood of Jesus in love and devotion. And, since the Eucharist takes place in the context of a community meal, we are also united with our brothers and sisters of faith. To make the presence of Jesus only a symbolic one is, therefore, to strip the Eucharistic celebration of its true meaning.This lesson was submitted by Tom Dlugosz of Marian High School in Mishawaka, Indiana.
To help mark the Year of St. Paul, help your students learn more about the life and ministry of St. Paul by performing pantomimes on key Scripture scenes. Divide the class into small groups. Tell the groups to read together their suggested Scripture passage and then choose roles for their pantomime. Remind them that to pantomime a scene means to act it out without speaking. Everyone in the group should have a role. Listed below are the six scenes and notes for directionScene 1: Martyrdom of StephenRead: Acts 7:54-60Characters: Choose one person to be Stephen. The others are his persecutors. One of the persecutors is Saul.Pantomime: The persecutors visibly grind their teeth in anger against Stephen. Stephen looks to Heaven as if entranced by a vision. The persecutors cover their ears, rush towards him, and throw him down. They start to throw stones (wadded up paper) at him but their burdensome coats prevent good throws. The persecutors take off their coats (sweaters, jackets) and lay them at the feet of Saul. Then they continue their throws. Stephen kneels in prayer as if crying out to God for help before collapsing in death.Scene 2: Saul's Conversion and BaptismRead: Acts 9:1-19Characters: Saul, high priest, Ananias, a minister of Baptism, and the traveling companions of Saul. One person can hold the flashlight to represent the vision Saul had of Jesus.Pantomime: The high priest sends Saul on his way to persecute Christians. Saul and traveling companions march in single file on stage. The light from the flashlight blinds Saul and he falls to the ground. The traveling companions stand around him with their hands over their mouths, as if speechless. Saul gets up, acting blind, and is led by his companions to a corner of the stage. In a separate corner of the stage, Ananias lays on the ground as if sleeping. The person holding the flashlight shines it in Ananias's eyes, waking him up. Ananias tosses and turns before proceeding to the area where Saul is. Ananias puts his hands on Saul's forehead and immediately Saul can see. Ananias leads Saul to the minister of Baptism, who dips Saul backwards three times as if being immersed in water.Scene 3: Saul Visits JerusalemRead: Acts 9:23-30Characters: Saul, disciples who help Saul, disciples who are afraid of Saul, Barnabas, enemies of Saul.Pantomime: Depict enemies of Saul guarding the front of the stage to represent their guarding of the gates of Jerusalem. Show the disciples who help Saul boosting him on one person's back (like leap frog) as Saul sneaks quietly to the rear of the stage out of sight of the enemies. Saul creeps to a meeting with the disciples who are afraid. He offers a warm greeting, but they cringes at meeting with him. Barnabas puts his arm around Saul and shares positive testimony about Saul to those who are afraid. Saul and all of the disciples then move freely around the stage, as if preaching the Good News. Saul stops to debate again with some of the enemies.Scene 4: Paul's First Missionary JourneyRead: Acts 13:4-5; 44-47; 18:1-11Characters: Paul, Barnabas, Jewish people in synagogue, Gentiles on street corner.Pantomime: The scene is meant to represent a main occurrence in all of Paul's missionary efforts. It explains how Paul became known as the Apostles to the Gentiles. Depict Jewish people at prayer in a synagogue. Paul and Barnabas enter their space and visibly exhort the Good News about Jesus. The Jewish people ask them to leave. Paul and Barnabas then encounter Gentiles (depict doing common activities like tossing a ball or selling merchandise) on a "street corner." Paul and Barnabas find that the Gentiles are very attentive listeners of the Good News.Scene 5: Paul's Imprisonment at PhilippiRead: Acts 16:16-34Characters: Paul, Silas, slave fortune-teller, slave's owners, Roman authorities, jailers, a person holding a flashlight.Pantomime: Paul and Silas walk around the stage with hands extended, pausing occasionally as if preaching the Good News. All the while the fortune-teller and her slave owners follows the two. Depict her as if she is rubbing a crystal ball. Suddenly, Paul turns around and the fortune-teller kneels. Paul waves his hands over her to remove her evil spirit. The fortune-teller runs off praising God. The slave owners complain to the Roman authorities about what has happened. The Roman authorities take Paul and Silas by the arms and throw them in jail (perhaps behind a chair or desk). Jailer pace back and forth guarding Paul and Silas. Simulate an earthquake by shaking your arms and legs and moving the chair or desk away from Paul and Silas. The jailers flee but Paul and Silas do not leave the jail area. The flashlight holder shines the light in the eyes of the jailer. Paul and Silas begin to preach the Good News (hold up Bibles) to the jailers who have returned. The jailers act as if they are opening a cell with a key and release Paul and Silas.Scene 6: Paul in RomeRead: Acts 27;28:11-30Characters: Paul, other prisoners, sailor, jailers in Rome, citizens of RomePantomime: Depict Paul and other prisoners as if on a boat with one sailor in front. Chairs could be set up in rows two across to represent the boat. Simulate a storm and a shipwreck (chairs falling over). Skip to a scene in Rome where Paul is led by jailers into a jail cell. Paul can move as if hand and legs are loosely shackled. Show jailer allowing Paul to leave "cell," move freely around the stage (though still shackled), and preaching the Good News to the citizens of Rome.After the students have had a chance to practice, announce each scene. Have the students do the pantomime. Then have them read or paraphrase the Scripture passage they were depicting.
In the spirit of the month of All Saints, help your students to increase their devotion to the saints by developing a relationship with a particular saint—a patron saint. This exercise will help them to choose a patron saint.
Exercise
Write your first and middle names here:_____.
Using a Catholic encyclopedia, or a book of saints, or an Internet site, list as many saints as you can find that share one of your names.
Write your birthday and the date of your Baptism here:___.
List those saints whose feast day is one of the dates written above.
List as many hobbies or regular activities as you can think of that are important to you here:_________.
Find out if there are patron saints for those hobbies or activities. List them here.
Now read the short biographies of the saints you have listed above, until you find a story that inspires you. Write that saint’s name here:___.
Begin your research into this saint’s life by finding the following information:
Date and place of birth:
Lifelong Catholic or convert?:
Date and circumstance of death:
Best known for:
Virtues exhibited by this saint:
Temptations or struggles faced by this saint:
(This activity was taken from the Our Catholic Faith Teacher's Wraparound Edition.)
For the fifth year, The Catholic High School Honor Roll, an independent project of the Acton Institute, an international research and educational organization, recently announced its best 50 secondary schools. This year nearly 300 of the approximately 1,300 Catholic high schools completed the three detailed surveys that measure a school's adherence to the Church's educational mission. Each school also receives an evaluation to see how it compares to other schools nationwide.The best schools demonstrate a balanced excellence, which includes an active Catholic culture, sound college preparation and integration of Church teaching in all departments. These schools also display sound moral, catechetical and civic formation that prepares students for vocations in the world as political, religious, scientific, and business leaders .Here is a list of the top fifty schools. Other category leaders in academics, Catholic identity, and civic education are were also named.The news of Catholic High Schools being chosen for this honor is circulating through local and national media. Here is one story from the Indianpolis Star on the success of St. Theodore Guerin High School in Nobelsville, Indiana. Please feel free to use the comment section below to link other news stories as they appear on schools in your area.Congratulations to all!ArkansasHoly Rosary AcademyCaliforniaJ. Serra Catholic High SchoolSaint Augustine AcademySaint Joseph AcademySaint Michael's Prepatory SchoolColoradoBishop Machebeuf Catholic High SchoolDelawareSaint Thomas More Preparatory SchoolSalesianum SchoolFloridaArchbishop Edward A. McCarthy High SchoolBelen Jesuit Preparatory SchoolChristopher Columbus Catholic High SchoolGeorgiaHoly Spirit Preparatory SchoolPinecrest AcademyIllinoisBrother Rice High SchoolNorthridge Preparatory School for BoysThe Willows AcademyIndianaSaint Joseph's High SchoolSaint Theodore Guerin High SchoolKentuckyHoly Angels AcademyMassachusettsTrivium SchoolMarylandMount de Sales AcademyMichiganCatholic Central High SchoolFather Gabriel Richard High SchoolLake Michigan Catholic High SchoolNotre Dame Preparatory SchoolSaint Francis High SchoolWest Catholic High SchoolMinnesotaProvidence AcademyMissouriGateway AcademyNotre Dame Regional High SchoolNorth CarolinaSaint Thomas More AcademyNew YorkAll Hallows High SchoolCathedral Preparatory SeminaryThe Montfort AcademyOhioCardinal Stritch High SchoolPennsylvaniaAquinas AcademySaint Joseph High SchoolSouth CarolinaSaint Joseph's Catholic SchoolSouth DakotaO'Gorman High SchoolTennesseeKnoxville Catholic High SchoolSaint Cecilia AcademyTexasAntonian College Preparatory High SchoolBishop Thomas K. Gorman Catholic SchoolSaint Thomas High SchoolStrake Jesuit College PreparatoryThe Atonement AcademyThe Highlands SchoolWisconsinAquinas High SchoolMcDonell Central Catholic High SchoolXavier High School
Last week's National Symposium on Adolescent Catechesis was a series of fruitful presentations and discussions on the topic with catechetical leaders from a variety of perspectives (e.g., bishops, diocesan, academics, schools, parish, parents, publishers). In his presentation "Adolescent Catechesis: Where Are We Now and Going" Dr. Thomas Groome presented a map for forging ahead in this area. A main focus of his presentation was the need for a both/and approach to catechesis. Among the points Groome made:
In sum, catechsis is constituted by "transmission of the Gospelmessage and experience of Christian life" (GDC #87). There is a need to receive, deepen, and apass on the Gospel faith andto experience Christian living. Both kerygmatic and experiential.
Literacy in Catholic faith should be both informative and performative. It requires both instruction and practice (especially of justice and compassion).
In pedagogy the Church also urges the both/and approaches. This means that pedagogies that are both inductive—from life to Faith and deductive—from Faith to life must be utilized.
A pedagogy that is both experiential and kerygmatic must promote "a correct correlation and interaction between profound human experiences and the revealed message" (GDC #153).
Groome summarized such pedagogy as "enabling people to bring their lives to their Faith and their Faith to their lives, with the intent of lived Catholic Faith; life to Faith to life.
Reflection
How does the "both/and" approach apply to your role in catechesis?
What opportunites are you offering your students that are both informative and performative?
How are the life experiences of your students incorporated to lessons of faith?
In the Fall Issue of the Engaging Mind, Hearts, and Hands newsletter, two articles were shared about the challenges of adolescent evangelization and catechesis especially in the venue of parish programs. Two perspectives are presented below.
By Bryan Reising Director of Religious Education and Adult Faith Formation Diocese of New Ulm, Minnesota In 2007, 672,426 students attended Catholic high schools across the United States. In that same year, 732,917 public school students received religious education at some level. With 67,515,016 Catholics in the United States and around 20,000,000 more inactive Catholics, there are many more public school teens receiving no catechetical formation. How many receive no formation? According to the Census Bureau, there are about 33 million high school age students in the United States (public schools, charter schools, parochial schools, private schools, home schools, and dropouts). Catholics in general make up about 24% of the total population of the United States. This adds up to about 7.900,000 teens who are Catholic. According to this calculation, that means nearly 6,500,000 Catholic teens are receiving no faith formation at all! What can we do? How can we reach these teens and their parents? It is hopeful that in the years to come, more people will lend their expertise and creativity so that Catholic parishes can share the faith, invite more to the faith, and involve more with sharing the faith! In addition, parishes and dioceses need intentional planning for missionary outreach. In the meantime, here are some resources that may help: Evangelization Resources • Cultivation Ministries: This organization, headed by Frank Mercadante, helps to form youth ministry teams to reach out to more youth and to effectively minister to them. • Systematic Integral New Evangelization (SINE): This resource founded by the late Fr. Alfonso Navarro, MSpSC helps parishes and even entire dioceses to become more evangelizing. This is an excellent site to study ways to evangelize the Spanish-speaking teens. • LifeTeen: Life Teen is centered in the Eucharist. This popular program also features suggestions for catechetical sessions to be held after Sunday evening Mass. • TEC (Teens or Together Encounter Christ) is a weekend retreat experience for older adolescents and young adults designed to facilitate an experience Christ and his Paschal Mystery. • NET Ministries (National Evangelization Teams) is groups of young people who give retreats and portray the Gospel message through drama and music. They travel to many parishes and dioceses around the country. • RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adultis a process with roots in the early Church and made new again because of the Second Vatican Council. It is a process for those who are called to become Catholics culminating in the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil. • Home Visitation: This is a ministry that more and more Catholic parishes are using to reach out to the lost, the Catholics we miss, and those without a church home. It also builds up ecumenical relations. The Diocese of Wheeling, West Virginia produced an excellent film: “Home Visitation: Building Relationships, Building the Kingdom” Don’t forget to use all of the media—print and otherwise—to get out the Word of God: newspapers, letters, mailings, phone calls, radio, billboards, television, the internet, text messaging, pod casting, and more ways in the future. Special mention in this area is directed to agencies that are providing beautiful and meaningful commercials to those Catholics we miss. The students in Catholic high schools usually receive five days a week of catechetical instruction. The public high school students receive catechetical formation from once a week during the school year to once a month if at all. There is real question about when and if publishers will provide materials that address the new doctrinal guidelines approved by the United States Bishops but that are also geared especially for teens in parish programs (see accompanying article). What can a parish do? The resources listed above are helpful and many publishers, including Ave Maria Press , do provide resources especially for the parish market. But we need more especially designed materials. I believe the potential for adolescent catechesis is great when considering those who do not go to Catholic high schools. For publishers, youth ministers, catechists, and parents, it takes a real commitment to ensure that the faith is being past on in an adequate manner. I believe there is a need to create curriculum that can be used in traditional and intergenerational religious education settings. I believe there is a need for catechist friendly manuals in order to help the catechist make the most out of teaching the faith. I believe parents need to have the tools for family activities to engage their teenage children with the faith. I believe community building and faith-building activities for and with youth can be useful when they are just hanging out. In addition, online resources and DVDs can be of service as more and more teens rely on technology for information. How about a Catholic Wikipedia? Let us continue the conversations and create new resources to reach out to our youth and provide good catechetical experiences!
What Publishers Can Do to Enhance Catechesis for Non Catholic School Teens
In various conversations throughout the course of the year, mainly with diocesan religious education leaders, we are often asked “what new catechetical programs we have in the pipeline for parish teens.” The question is a tricky one, especially with the inclusion of the word program in the question. In the mid 1990s Ave Maria Press published such a program, Developing Faith. It was intended as a catechetical centerpiece for parish youth ministry and a compliment to Confirmation preparation processes. It was created as twelve eight-week courses, complete with “Participant Books” for the teens and “Director’s Manuals” for the parish leaders. In the years Developing Faith was on the market, our research found fewer and fewer parishes that 1) employed trained youth ministers and 2) included a comprehensive catechetical component to their youth offerings. Many parishes had no youth program whatsoever. As Church leaders from many arenas (bishops, diocesan, scholarly, parish, publishers) undertake a serious discussion this coming week of the issue of Adolescent Catechesis, Ave Maria Press is committed to participating to the dialogue, assimilating the results, and readying to produce materials that will reach the many teens cited in the article by Bryan Reising. To this end, Ave Maria Press is publishing Catholic Essentials: An Overview of the Faith in 2009. It is outlined and written based on the Doctrinal Elements of a Curriculum Framework For the Development of Catechetical Materials For Young People pf High School Age produced and approved by the United States Catholic Bishops in 2007. Designed as a handbook for teens who attend both Catholic and non-Catholic high schools, it is accompanied by a manual with lessons for that also function for both schools and parish programs. Also, currently, on the Ave Maria Press website are specially designed lessons that distill current textbooks—all in conformity with the Catechism of the Catholic Church—for use in parish programs. Many of these lessons include references to current issues and contemporary news articles that allow catechists and youth ministers to develop lessons that are both engaging and comprehensive. Visit the Ave Maria Press Religious Education website and search for “Parish Religious Education Adaptations” (for example) under the links for each subject area/text.
