Welcome back to school! Consider using this prayer (from the Diocese of Orange) as a prayer to recite each day or once a week in class. We pray that we will come to know and love Jesus Christ in a personal way. We pray that we will grow in maturity as missionary disciples of Christ. We pray that we will become actively engaged in the mission of the Church, joyfully using our gifts to share the Good News, building up the Kingdom of God. Amen.
Chapter Assignments in the Encountering Jesus series are a popular feature! Students are given the choice of three assignments at the beginning of the study of a chapter with the expectation they will be able to complete the assignment within eight to ten days, prior to the time of the chapter assessment. Projects vary by type and learning styles. Each comes with a grading rubric.Listed below are three assignments from Chapter 5, "Challenges to Marriage and Family Life" in a new textbook Your Christian Vocation available now at the Ave Maria Press website.Also, don't forget to signup and use all of the classroom resources for this new text. 1. Research and Report Choose one of the following topics, and research relevant information to supporting its position: Married couples who follow the teachings of Humanae Vitae have happier and more satisfying marriages. The benefits and blessings of a large family strongly outweigh its challenges. Because of Christ and the founding of the Church, women are given more esteem and value in married life than ever before. Divorced Catholics have served the Church well in ministry. Write a five-hundred-word position paper supporting one of these positions. Cite specific evidence and examples to support your claims. 2. Novena for Married Couples Create a novena for of married couples. Novena comes from the Latin word for “nine”; it is a prayer that takes place over nine days. Use the following sample day as your template for designing the remaining eight days of your “Novena for Married Couples”: Day 1 Copy a Scripture reflection on marriage. Home and possessions are an inheritance from parents, but a prudent wife is from the Lord (Prv 19:14). Write a two-sentence reflection on the passage. Common sense, wisdom, and prudence are marks of family life. Domestic happiness depends on these gifts that spouses share with one another much more than on any material possessions that they might acquire. Choose and name a married saint. Write a prayer to this saint on behalf of healthy marriages. St. Monica (332–387) St. Monica, you suffered through the debilitating effects of emotional abuse in your marriage, only to witness the conversions of your husband and your son, St. Augustine. Pray for married couples to persevere in faith that they too might be unified in seeking the Lord. We ask this in Christ’s name. Amen. 3. Finding Solutions to the Challenges of Married Life Interview seven to ten married people (individually, not as couples). Ask each person to name four of the greatest challenges married couples face in today’s culture. Create a chart or graphic organizer to list each of the challenges they name. In an accompanying column or space, offer your own comments (at least two paragraphs per comment) on the challenges mentioned and on possible solutions in light of the Church’s teaching on marriage you learned in Chapters 3, 4, and 5.
In celebration of two December Marian feasts (the Immaculate Conception and Our Lady of Guadalupe), listed below are seven assignment ideas. 1. Create a visual presentation on how the Blessed Mother has been portrayed in art through the ages. Include at least twenty pictures in your presentation. 2. Research and report on one of the famous apparitions of Mary. Examples include Guadalupe, Lourdes, or Fatima.. 3. Write your own Litany to the Blessed Mother. For inspiration, refer to several popular litanies. Litany of Loreto: Litany of Mary of Nazareth Litany of Our Lady of Lourdes: 4. Research and report on Mary as the first disciple. See, for example, "Mary, the First Disciple." 5. Create a booklet with pictures to illustrate any ten mysteries of the Rosary. 6. Research and report on five feast days of the Blessed Mother. 7. Read paragraphs 40–42, the Conclusion of Pope Benedict XVI’s Encyclical Letter Deus Caritas Est (God Is Love). Report on five interesting things he says about the Blessed Mother. Locate articles about the encyclical by conducting an Internet search of the English or Latin title.
Directions: There are six traditional forms of prayer that can be prayed spontaneously or formally. Each type of prayer has examples in Scripture. Review the definition of each prayer form. Then use the information to see you can identify the prayer form in each Scripture passage. Some of the passages may include more than one form. In honor of Thanksgiving, one passage is listed in full below: We give thanks to God always for all of you, remembering you in our prayers, unceasingly calling to mind your work of faith and labor of love and endurance in hope of our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father, knowing, brothers and sisters loved by God, how you were chosen. —1 Thessalonians 1:2-4 Blessing is the basic movement of Christian prayer. You bless God for having blessed you. Psalm 107:1 Prayer of adoration is a basic response to God, your acknowledgment that God is Creator. Psalm 144:1–5 Prayers of petition are prayers of asking: for forgiveness and for all the things you need. 1 Timothy 2:1–4 Intercessions are prayers of petition in which you ask for things on behalf of others. 1 John 5:14–15 Prayers of thanksgiving are expressions of gratitude to God for every good thing. 1 Peter 1:3–5 Praise is the form of prayer that gives glory to God for his own sake. Luke 18:1–5 Ephesians 1:3–14 1 Corinthians 8:6 1 Thessalonians 1:2–4 Colossians 1:9–12
Please consider this important initiative from Justin McClain, Catholic author and Theology teacher at Bishop McNamara High School in Forestville, Maryland.
One of our authors recently submitted a puzzle to go in the appendix of a new edition of The Old Testament: Our Call to Faith and Justice, due for release in the summer of 2020. However, we are having trouble solving the puzzle. Maybe you and your students can give it a crack. The first winner to email me all of the correct steps (mamodei@nd.edu) will win a $25 gift certificate from Ave Maria Press. Puzzle See home many steps it takes you to change from M-O-S-E-S to J-E-S-U-S by changing only one letter at a time. The catch is that you must create a new word each time you change a letter (e.g., MOSES to ROSES). Remember, you must send ALL the correct steps! Hope you have better luck than we have had here! The puzzle was solve by several students and teachers! The winner is Here’s a solution from Andy C, a 10th grader at Cretin-Derham Hall High School in St. Paul, MN via his teacher Melissa Bauer. Thanks to all!
Lead your students on a guided tour of several places in and around a church, chapel, and/or school that have sacred importance to the prayer life of your community. Examples The altar (and altar relic). Explain that the altar of a church should be located in a central space where it attracts the focus of prayer. Explain the traditional association between martyrs and saints and Catholic altars. For many years it was required that the relics of a saint or martyr be placed in the altar stone. If the altar at your church or chapel has a relic tell something about it and show where it is placed. A grotto or statue of the Blessed Mother. Tell its history and note its dedication plaque. Also, explain that older churches have side altars since more than one Mass were often celebrated at the same time. The statue of the church or school’s patron. Prepare a short biography of the person to share when the group has gathered near the statue. The bell tower. Recall the traditional ringing of the bells three times a day to announce the Angelus. Explain and share the Angelus prayer. If your school or church does have a bell tower, consider having the students climb into the loft. A news rack in the foyer of the church or school. Point out the various types of spiritual readings included and any other prayer cards. Also, show announcements for forming prayer groups like Scripture students and the like. The Blessed Sacrament. Pause and kneel with the group before the Blessed Sacrament. Point out the sanctuary lights, indicating Christ’s presence. Explain something of the history and practice of Benediction, a short ceremony from the fifteenth century in which the Eucharist, in the form of a large consecrated host, is venerated.
With the World Series being played this month, take a bit of class time to share something of the life of Vin Scully, the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodger announcer for 67 years, from 1950 to 2016. Vin is noted for several great calls in World Series history, including: Don Larsen’s perfect game for the Yankees in the 1956 World Series, the only perfect game in World Series history. Kirk Gibson’s thrilling game 1 home run for the Dodgers over the Athletics in 1988. The Met’s come-from-behind win over the Red Sox in 1986. Vin is also a devout Catholic. After sharing something of Vin’s life, pray a decade of the Rosary led by Vin Scully who has recorded his recitation of the Rosary in connection with Immaculate Heart Radio.October is the month of the Rosary.
