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Engaging Faith

Practical Lesson Ideas and Activities for Catholic Educators
Archived - September 2007
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You Are Invited to a Day of Enrichment!

For High School Theology Teachers at Notre Dame“Educating Minds, Hearts, and Hands”Saturday, Oct. 6th 8:30-4:00 pmUniversity of Notre DameFREE ADMISSION!Featuring:Sr. Angela Hallahan, Director of Religious Certification for High School Teachers of Religion,Archdiocese of Los Angeles “Come, Holy Spirit, Inspire Me to Teach!”A simple prayer, for sure. But understanding the power of the Spirit active in our lives allows us to awaken our God-given gifts for sharing the knowledge of our faith and witnessing God’s presence in our lives. Sr. Angela faces the challenges and rewards of ministering to hundreds of Catholic high school teachers over a vast landscape of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. She knows each by their names and their gifts and never fails to invigorate them by reminding them of the Holy Spirit’s presence in their lives.Refresh yourself in God's gift of the Holy Spirit and reflect with Sr. Angela on the many ways to share the Spirit's energy with your students.Breakout Sessions:Joseph Paprocki, Associate Director of Catechetical Services, Loyola Press “Is It True that Adam Lived to Be 930 Years Old? – The Catholic Approach to Scripture Interpretation”Our high school students need to know that everything in the Bible is true, though not necessarily fact! This workshop will help religion teachers to equip their students with a truly Catholic approach to the inerrancy of the Bible. Special emphasis will be given to showing the connections between the Old and New TestamentsMike Amodei, Executive Editor, Ave Maria Press“If Not Now, When?: The Importance of Offering Teenagers Remote Preparation for Christian Vocations”True, vocational commitments to marriage, priesthood, and religious life are made at later ages than ever before. But how else can young adult Catholics be expected to prepare for these vocations without some type of formal training? Mike Amodei will lead a discussion about why a Catholic high school religion course is the perfect time and place to broach the topic of permanent vocations.Ken Ogorek, Director of Catechesis, Archdiocese of IndianapolisWe Piloted the National Framework: And Thrived!The Diocese of Pittsburgh took the national framework for a test-drive starting in the Fall of 2005. Pittsburgh's catechetical director Ken Ogorek, now with the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, shares the successes and challenges of this implementation process. Suggestions will be offered for phasing in the framework at individual schools or diocese-wide. The National Framework will arrive soon; this session will help you better understand how your school can embrace it.Margaret Stuart, Religion Teacher, Seton-LaSalle High School, Diocese of Pittsburgh“There’s More to It Than Raking Leaves!”Have you noticed that it's no problem to get teenagers to serve at homeless shelter, collect clothing for a women's agency—or rake leaves for an older neighbor, but ask them to pray together, go on a weekend retreat, or make an effort to attend a weekday (or even Sunday) Mass, they may balk. There's plenty right with social justice and doing works of service as an element of Christian discipleship. This presentation explores how to incorporate prayer, personal reflection, retreats, and participation in the sacraments as equally important elements in growing in the Christian life.NEW THIS YEAR! - LESSON PLAN EXCHANGE!We are asking that each attendee bring one lesson plan printed out and copied for everyone attending. It can be from any religion class and on any topic. We’ll compile packets for everyone and you’ll leave the conference with a wealth of great ideas that can be taken back and used in all of your religion classes.For MORE INFORMATION and to REGISTER contact Karey Welde or Mike Amodei. We hope to see you at Notre Dame on Saturday, October 6!

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A Week for Angels

There are two Catholic feasts honoring angels at the end of this month and the beginning of October. The first, on September 29, is the feast of the Archangels. These are the only named angels in all of Scripture; they are Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. Raphael is mentioned in the book of Tobit as an aide to Tobiah, the son of Tobit, as he retrieves a fish that will heal his father’s blindness. Gabriel is the angel in Luke 1:26 who announces to Mary that she will be the Mother of God’s Son. September 29 was originally the sole feast of St. Michael, for it was on this day that a Mass and church in Rome was first dedicated to him. Michael is cited most often in the books of Daniel and Revelation as a defender against evil.Remind your students about angels and what the Church believes about them. Angels are spiritual beings who were created by God prior to the creation of the universe. Though without bodies, angels have free will and a naturally superior intellect to humans. The word angel means “messenger.” As in the examples from Scripture, the angels prayerfully watch over people. In the New Testament angels assisted Jesus and his disciples. God made angels joyful and good, but some angels turned away from God and were banished to hell. Satan, also known as Lucifer, is believed to be one of the “bad angels.” The bad angels, or devils, are able to tempt us to sin. In the same way, good angels personally watch out for us. Since about the third century, the Church has maintained, though not officially, that all baptized have guardian angels. The feast of Guardian Angels is on October 2. The existence of angels recalls for us the creedal statement we pray each Sunday at Mass: “We believe in what is seen and unseen.” Angels are part of God’s unseen creation whose vocation is to serve God’s will. St. Michael the Archangel Prayer St. Michael is especially called upon to defend us against evil and evil spirits. The following prayer is addressed to him:Holy Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle.Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;And do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God,Thrust into hell Satan and all wicked spiritsWho wander through the world for the ruin of souls. Angels Lesson Ideas Read Revelation 12, which tells in figurative language the battle between evil, represented by the dragon, and God’s people. Note the reference to Michael and his angels in Revelation 12:7. Cover in more detail the Church’s teaching on the existence of angels from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 328–336. Call on two students to volunteer for an improvisation. One person takes the role of the guardian angel for the other. The two dialogue with one another, asking questions about each other’s actions, behaviors, and goals. Have the students write letters to their guardian angels, querying them about their purpose. Pray with the angels using other traditional prayers.

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Basil Moreau Essay Contest A Great Success!

  It’s Friday, 3:42 EST, and there are 257 essays “Basil Moreau: Engaging, Minds, Hearts, and Hands for Faith” neatly stacked on my shelf. The essays have all been written by Catholic high school students in honor of Blessed Basil Moreau’s beatification on September 15 at Le Mans, France. Fr. Moreau was the founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross which sponsors Ave Maria Press. At this point, I’ve only glanced at their content, but from what I have read I’m much impressed. The mission of our religious education publishing is founded in the educational vision of Basil Moreau that pointed to a holistic learning approach in which “students try their learning in the world and so make prayers of their education.” The deadline for the scholarship essay contest is now only a few minutes away. I notice 15 more essays waiting to be opened in e-mails. To all the students who wrote essays and to their teachers who encouraged them—thank you very much! We will announce the scholarship winner at our annual Day of Enrichment for High School Theology Teachers at Notre Dame on October 3. In the meantime, here on the campus of Notre Dame, as we wind up the week, we look across the street and see the throngs of football fans gathered for tomorrow’s game with Michigan State. With the essay contest nearly complete, maybe I can ask you and Bl. Basil for one more favor: a few touchdowns for the Fighting Irish! Thanks again.

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The Holy Cross

The beatification of Holy Cross Father Basil A. Moreau this week coincides with the Feast of the Holy Cross on September 14. It is believed that the Feast of the Holy Cross has its origins to the year 355 when the Emperor Constantine dedicated the Church of the Holy Sepulcher over the site at Golgotha where Jesus died. Reportedly, Constantine’s mother, St. Helena, had traveled to Golgotha and found not only Christ’s cross, but those of the two thieves crucified next to him. The three crosses were then taken to the house of a dying woman where the true cross of Christ restored her to health. By 346 the relics of the cross discovered by St. Helena were on their way to different parts of the world. Part of the cross was placed in a statue of Constantine in the newly built city of Constantinople. More of the cross was subdivided and placed in church altars. (It used to be required that each altar have a holy relic, for example, the bones of a saint of martyr. Nowadays this is not a requirement as altars are seen to be dedicated to God alone. However, many church altars still have relics.) Crucifixion by cross was more violent than any form of capital punishment our society uses today. Actually, at the time of Jesus, the Romans had two forms of crucifixion. Roman citizens were beheaded. Foreigners like Jesus were forced to carry a single crossbeam outside the walls of the city to a place called Golgotha (Skull Place) where the upright posts remained permanently fixed. Many times the weight of the crossbeam would kill the person; in Jesus’ case he was so weakened by the beatings and abuse he had absorbed that another man, Simon of Cyrene, was permitted to help him carry it. Once hung or tied on the cross, Roman soldiers would often break the legs of the condemned. This did not happen to Jesus. Sometimes a soldier would lance the person’s side to hasten death. In Jesus’ case, when his side was lanced—and water flowed out with blood—he was already dead. Only John’s Gospel mentions that Jesus was nailed to the cross. This practice, too, is confirmed by archaeological finds. It seems the Romans had refined this torture so that the cross included a small seat, called the seidle, where the accused could support just one buttock while spikes were driven through his hands and feet. The torture was unbearable. Besides the obvious pain, insects were attracted to the open wounds, and Jesus would have been unable to shoo them away. The cross is a great paradox, or contradiction, because out of this misery of death is new life for all who are baptized and believe in Christ. As St. Paul wrote: “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." (1 Cor 1:18) Discussion Questions What do you think was the worst pain that Jesus experienced? What would you say to a convicted murderer to convince him of the dignity of human life? Explain why the Holy Cross is a great paradox. Assignments   Read and report on the life of St. Helena. Search for quotations on the meaning of the cross for Christian life. Record these quotations in a prayer journal. Read Pope John Paul II’s encyclical “The Gospel of Life” (especially no. 56). Outline the Church’s position on capital punishment.   Don’t forget the Basil Moreau Essay Contest with a $500 Scholarship prize. Deadline is Friday September 21!

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Remembering Mother Teresa

The tenth anniversary of the death of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta is this week. Mother Teresa has been in the news recently with the publication of some of her private letters and a Time magazine cover story that revealed a life typical of most saints, one filled with much darkness as it progressed in the light of Christ. No one, not even in the secular media, can ever doubt Mother Teresa’s service to the “least brothers and sisters” of this world. She spent a majority of her life caring for the “poorest of the poor.” She spoke many times of the importance of love and family, of accepting the gift of life, and of learning many lessons from the poor. One of her favorite stories was of a man she and her sisters picked up from the street drain, half eaten by worms. When they brought him to their home, the man said, “I have lived like an animal in the street, but am going to die as an angel: loved and cared for.” Mother Teresa was honored many times in her life. In 1979 she won the Nobel Peace Prize. In 1992 she was asked to come to New York to be presented with $100, 000 for her work by a Catholic organization. The occasion was a fancy formal dinner where filet mignon would be served. Mother Teresa accepted the check. Next she scolded the crowed for their extravagance, telling them that before she came it took her three hours to scrape the maggots from a dying man’s body. Then she left without eating. A few days later, she received another $100,000 donation, equal to the cost of the banquet. What was so attractive about Mother Teresa to many people was that she “walked the talk.” For example, visitors to her chapel in Calcutta would notice that the lights were turned off during all parts of the Mass except when there was a reading. “No money that is given to the poor should be wasted on our electricity. We use only what we absolutely need,” she explained. Her life was an answer to the challenge extended by Jesus that whatever is done for the hungry, the thirsty, the lonely, and the naked was done for him. As Mother Teresa explained: At the end of life we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received how much money we have made how many great things we have done. We will be judged by “I was hungry and you gave me to eat I was naked and you clothed me I was homeless and you took me in.”   Discussion Questions   When have you felt “called” by God to do something for him or for people in need? Do you think Mother Teresa was right or wrong for refusing to eat at the banquet with the people who honored her? Explain. Who are people at your school or in your community who need to have someone reach out to them because of their material or spiritual needs? What could you do for these people. Assignments   Read Matthew 25:31–45. Have the students suggest people who fit into the categories of “least brothers and sisters” in their school, local community, and world at large. Assign a report on the progress of Blessed Teresa’s cause for sainthood.

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More on Moreau Beatification/Essay Contest

On September 15, Fr. Basil A. Moreau, founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross, will be beatified near his hometown of Le Mans, France.If you scroll below, you will find more information on this event along with encouragement for your students to enter an essay contest on Fr. Moreau’s educational mission with the chance to win a $500 scholarship.The recent edition of St. Anthony Messenger includes a detailed article on the life of Fr. Moreaeu.The Brothers of Holy Cross based in Sherman Oaks, California, also offer a website of “Moreau Moments” to help celebrate Basil Moreau’s beatification. Gleaned from the site are these words of advice from Fr. Moreau to teachers on the way to teach for success:To teach with success, teachers must know good methods, be skillful in applying those methods, have clear ideas, be able to define exactly, and possess language that is easily understood and correct. All of these skills are acquired and perfected only through study. I think we must assume that good teachers are not content simply with obtaining a degree or a credential to show their capabilities, but that they also try to increase their knowledge even further by studying as much as they can. In this way teachers are able to meet the qualifications required of them.

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Five Precepts of the Church: An Introduction

Here’s a lesson plan that can be used to help students learn and identify with the precepts of the Church. Grade level: 9 - 11 Subjects: Catholicism, Christian Lifestyles Purpose: The following lesson can help students enter into their Christian identity and get to know the precepts of the Catholic Church. It can also help them reflect on their own ways of living out their faith on a day to day basis. Objective: The students will examine the five precepts of the Catholic Church and understand how they can incorporate them into their daily life. Directions: Have the students write down the precepts so they have them to work with. Then have the students identify the ones they feel other youth would have trouble living. Ask them to share their thoughts on why they would have trouble. This can lead to a helpful guided discussion about what it means to be a Christian. The next task takes the students a step deeper, if some are willing to participate. Ask the students to identify and then share about the precepts they feel they haven’t lived or can’t live. Use this opportunity to discuss the reasons why. Here could be your chance to bring other key concepts into the discussion. Often it’s enough to have one person speak and the dialogue will trigger other thoughts and comments. Feel free to let them voice their criticisms and worries as well. This helps them identify the obstacles they may have to living out their faith. You may then want to address a particular obstacle to guide them. Lastly, have the students choose and write down two or three they would like to work on and improve on. For each one they choose have them write down a few steps they can take to achieve this. Hopefully this will become a “project” they want to take seriously and throw themselves into. Follow up: At a later date ask them about their progress regarding the precepts they have chosen.

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