You don’t see your students during summer vacation, but there are likely events for teens at local parishes that your students may benefit from. Just as important, you have students who would likely make excellent leaders of parish youth ministry programs.
Take some time to drop a note to local parish youth ministers and/or directors of religious education and do the following:
Inquire about summer events.
Ask how your former and future students might participate.
Provide the parish leaders with names and contact information of your students who may not be already enrolled in parish programming (if possible).
Share information about the course content your students covered this year with the parish leaders that they might enrich it in offerings over the summer.
Encourage parish leaders to send prospective students to visit your school. List yourself as a contact.
Recommend students who may be excellent members of a parish youth council or ministry team.
Design a handout with the following headings (the boldface words). The headings can be designed creatively on the page in different typefaces and fonts. Pass out a handout to each student and then read each of the sentence starters that go with the headings. Pause between sentence starters to allow the students to think of a memory and to write down a word, phrase, or symbol that reminds them of the memory.
My Success Stories
The first time I knew someone was very proud of me was . . .
My greatest accomplishment this school year was . . .
My most recent success is . . .
Learning the Hard Way
A lesson I had to learn the hard way was . . .
Childhood Favorites
As a kid, my favorite thing to do with my family was . . .
As I kid, my favorite outdoor place to play was . . .
Family Summer Fun
The best vacation experience I had was . . .
Grown-Up
I first realized I was no longer a child when . . .
You Are My Hero
My childhood hero was . . .
My hero today is . . .
Special Gift
The most special gift I ever received was . . .
God’s Presence
A time I recognized God’s presence in my life was . . .
Disappointed
The greatest disappointment I ‘ve ever had was . . .
After you have read the sentence starters and the students have marked their papers, ask them to pair with a partner for sharing. Read a category. Tell one person in each group to begin sharing, uninterrupted. Allow a few minutes and then call “time.” Tell the other person to share. Repeat the process for each category, alternating between the two partners to begin sharing.
At the end of the discussion, call on volunteers to share one interesting memory they heard from their partner. Alternatively, have each person write a short summary of the favorite memory they heard from their partner.
The Resurrection of Jesus is the central mystery of our faith. As St. Paul write, if we do not believe in the Resurrection wholeheartedly, then “empty is our preaching; empty to our faith” (1 Corinthians 15:14).
Divide the class into eight small groups. Have each of the groups recreate from memory some details of various Easter Gospel stories.
Each group should discuss all of these stories without looking up the references in the Bible. Share the following “headlines”:
“An Amazing Discovery at Sunrise” (Mark 16:1-14)
“An Earthquake, an Angel, and a Guard’s Tale (Matthew 18:1-15)
“Peter, John, and the Holy Shroud” (John 10:1-10)
“The Mysterious Gardener” (John 20:11-16)
“The Third Traveler on the Road to Emmaus” (Luke 24:36-49)
“Can a Ghost Eat Fish” (Luke 24:36-49)
“Thomas the Doubter” (John 20:19-20)
“Fish Fry on the Shore” (John 21:1-14)
Allow about fifteen minutes for the sharing. Then assign each group one of the passages to look up and read from the Bible. Have them discuss within their group any details that were left out or others that were shared incorrectly.
After a few minutes discussion, have one member from each group report on their assigned passage and add and correct some of the details they uncovered.
In connection with Divine Mercy Sunday, use the opportunity to explain the meaning and effects of indulgences.
An indulgence is the remission before God of the temporal punishment still due to sin that has already been forgiven. Temporal punishment refers to punishment that takes places in time on earth or in Purgatory and that has an end when the soul is purified and permitted into heaven. Oppositely, eternal punishment is due to unrepentant mortal sin. If a person does not repent before death of the mortal sin he has cut himself off from God’s grace for eternity. The two types of punishment are not a kind of vengeance from God, but are related to the very nature of sin. A conversion is necessary to remove the punishments due to sin.
There are two types of indulgences. Plenary indulgences remove all punishment for sin. Partial indulgences remove some of the punishment. Indulgences can be applied to the living and the dead; for example, you can pray and do penance for souls in Purgatory to help to lessen their suffering.
Divine Mercy Sunday is an opportunity for plenary indulgence. The usual conditions are as follows:
sacramental confession [according to previously issued norms, within about 20 days before or after]
Eucharistic communion [according to previously issued norms, preferably on the day, or the days before or after]
prayer for the intentions of Supreme Pontiff [certain prayers are not specified]
The specific conditions for this indulgence on Divine Mercy Sunday are:
in any church or chapel, in a spirit that is completely detached from the affection for a sin, even a venial sin, take part in the prayers and devotions held in honor of Divine Mercy
or, in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament exposed or reserved in the tabernacle, recite the Our Father and the Creed, adding a devout prayer to the merciful Lord Jesus (e.g. Merciful Jesus, I trust in you!”)
Here is a video to share on Divine Mercy Sunday.
Here is a simple Lenten prayer service.
Have three Bibles (mark one at Matthew 91:27-30, the second at Mark 8:22-25, and the third at Luke 18:35:43). Choose three readers and hand each one of the Bibles.
Gather in a chapel if possible. The classroom will also work as a prayer setting.
Turn off the lights and darken the windows. Tell the students to close their eyes and sit quietly for a few minutes. Say:
Imagine that you are blind. Try to put yourself back into the time of Jesus and think what it would have been like to have him cure you of your blindness. Keep your eyes closed while you listen to three Gospel accounts of Jesus curing the blind man.
Call on the readers to read their passage one at a time. Allow some quiet time between each reading.
After all the readings are finished say:
Keep your eyes closed. Hear Jesus saying now in your heart, “What do you want me to do for you?” Answer him. What do you need from Jesus? Maybe you have a blindness that needs healing, a blindness that keeps you from believing and trusting in him, or from seeing your own goodness. Or from finding a way out of a problem you are entangled with. (Pause.)
In the reading from Mark’s Gospel, the blind man was brought to Jesus by his friends. Maybe you, too, have friends or family members who need Jesus to touch them. Maybe people you love are being blinded by anger, jealousy, selfishness, drugs, or some other problem. Bring them to Jesus. Ask him to touch the blind spot in their lives and heal them. (Pause.)
I will now walk around among you touch each of you with a healing touch of Jesus. When you have been touched, open your eyes while remaining quiet. (Walk among the group, prayerfully touching each person on the shoulder. As you do this play some meditative instrumental music.)
After the song, say:
In each of the Gospel stories, those who had been healed praised God for the new gift of sight.
Project the words from Psalm 100 so that the class can see them or duplicate them on handout and pray them together:
Sing to the Lord, all the world!
Worship the Lord with joy;
come before him with happy songs!
Acknowledge that the Lord is God.
He made us and we belong to him;
we are his people, we are his flock
Enter the Temple gates with thanksgiving;
go into his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him and praise him.
`` The Lord is good;
his love is eternal
and his faithfulness lasts forever.
Eleven Catholic colleges are in this year’s March Madness NCAA field of 68 men’s teams beginning play on Wednesday, March 16.
Enjoy having your students research information about these colleges as a way to spur interest in their applying to one or more of them!
WEST REGIONAL
Gonzaga University
Founded: 1887
Religious sponsorship: Society of Jesus (Jesuits)
Location: Spokane, Washington
Conference: West Coast
Seeding: 1
University of Notre Dame
Founded: 1842:
Religious sponsorship: Congregation of Holy Cross
Location: Notre Dame, Indiana
Conference: Atlantic Coast
Seeding: 11
EAST REGIONAL
Marquette University
Founded: 1861
Religious sponsorship: Society of Jesus (Jesuits)
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Conference: Big East
Seeding: 9
St. Mary’s College
Founded: 1863
Religious sponsorship: De La Salle Brothers
Location: Moraga, California
Conference West Coast
Seeding: 5
University of San Francisco
Founded: 1855
Religious sponsorship: Society of Jesus (Jesuits)
Location: San Francisco, California
Conference: West Coast
Seeding: 10
St. Peter’s University
Founded: 1872
Religious sponsorship: Society of Jesus (Jesuits)
Location: Jersey City, New Jersey
Conference: Metro Atlantic Athletic
Seeding: 15
SOUTH REGIONAL
Seton Hall University
Founded: 1865
Religious sponsorship: Archdiocese of Newark
Location: South Orange, New Jersey
Conference: Big East
Seeding: 8
Loyola University Chicago
Founded: 1870
Religious sponsorship: Society of Jesus (Jesuits)
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Conference: Missouri Valley
Seeding: 10
Villanova University
Founded: 1842
Religious sponsorship: Augustinians
Location: Villanova, Pennsylvania
Conference: Big East
Seeding: 2
MIDWEST REGION
Creighton University
Founded: 1878
Religious sponsorship: Society of Jesus (Jesuits)
Location: Omaha, Nebraska
Conference: Big East
Seeding: 9
Providence College
Founded: 1917
Religious sponsorship: Dominican Province of St. Joseph
Location: Providence, Rhode Island
Conference: Big East
Seeding: 4
Note: There are five Catholic colleges in this year’s Women’s Basketball tournament: DePaul, Creighton, Gonzaga, Villanova, and Notre Dame.
March 19 is the Feast Day of St. Joseph, the husband of Mary and the foster father of Jesus.
Whereas 2021 was the “Year of Devotion” our honor paid to St. Joseph does not end. Pope Francis said of St. Joseph (and Mary):
He was the husband. And Mary certainly never said to Joseph: “I am God’s mom, you are God’s employee.” Instead, she said: “You are my husband, I am a virgin (Joseph is too) , but you are my husband.” She was subordinate to her husband, as the culture of her time would have it. She prepared his meals, talked with him, together spoke about the Son, they shared the anguish when the Child, at age twelve, remained behind in Jerusalem, the anguish of a husband and wife, the anguish of parents. Normality in virginity. And she listened to Joseph made the big decisions, which was normal for a time. Joseph received messages from God in his dreams. She is the one full of grace, he is the just man, the man observant of the Word of God. A beautiful couple. (from Ave Maria: The Mystery of a Most Beloved Prayer by Pope Francis).
Share the Pope’s words with your students Use one of these assignments on St. Joseph or create your own:
Read the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1:1-17. Research the answer to this question: “Why did Jesus ancestry trace to Joseph, his foster father, and not Mary his natural mother?”
Read Matthew 1:18-25. Why is this passage called the “Annunciation to Joseph”? How does it compare to the Annunciation to Mary in Luke 1:26-38,
Write a prayer to St. Joseph, asking for his intercession in family life.
Draw a portrait of the Holy Family.
Answer: "When is a time you followed a dream?"
Lou Holtz, the Hall of Fame former Notre Dame football coach, has written a book, A Lifetime of Love: A Game Plan for Marriage and Family Life, filled with loving stories about his fifty-nine year marriage to his wife, Beth, who passed away in 2020. In narrative form, there is practical advice that students in a high school Marriage or Vocations course could benefit from.
One of the practical suggestions could be applied directly to your students. The Holtz’s would designate one day per month in honor of one of their four children. They called it “Praise Day.” Each member of the family would go around the dinner table sharing one specific statement of praise for the person being honored. They would also give that person a small homemade gift.
Consider breaking up your class into groups of four or five students. Have each person write praise notes for the other people in the group. The notes should be specific such as “I admire the way you take care of your younger siblings” or “You are so kind to underclassmen. I saw you help a freshman with directions to Room 33 the other day.”
After the notes have been written, have the students distribute them around the group. The last minutes of the activity should be reserved for quiet reading of the notes with no further discussion.
Below is an excerpt from A Lifetime of Love, describing “Praise Day” in the Holtz household by Coach Holtz and his adult children.
No matter your profession, any parent will experience ups and downs in raising their children. Children themselves, especially today, face several cruelties that can bring them down. One of the most important things we discovered as parents was that we had to be able to lift our children up when things weren’t going particularly well. Consequently, we came up the idea of holding a “Praise Day” for a child who was discouraged, had a setback, or needed a lift. A couple of days in advance, we would designate an entire day of the week in that child’s honor. We didn’t do anything fancy. We let the child pick out the menu for dinner. After we ate, each sibling and then my wife and I would take turns saying nothing but positive things about the child being uplifted. The comments had to be positive, and they had to be sincere. I felt that really did an awful lot to help our children’s self-image, particularly when they were down. Also, whenever one of our children had a birthday, we also gave a small present to the other children because we wanted them to look forward to their sibling’s birthdays as well as their own.
Luanne: When it was my turn for Praise Day, I always chose steak.
Liz: And Skip always liked spaghetti. But no matter what we ate we had to go around the table and say something nice about the person whose night it was.
Kevin: I remember we had to say two positive things. No negatives. Sometimes we had trouble coming up with two!
Skip: The comments had to be sincere, and we also had to give a gift.
Luanne: We’d get a couple of small gifts.
Liz: They weren’t expensive, but they meant a lot.
Skip: It was a neat thing. I remember getting homemade things. Liz would draw a picture for me.
Liz: It was like having a birthday every six weeks.
Skip: Praise Day was a day when we knew we were appreciated by the family.
Kevin: It really made us feel needed and loved. I don’t know any other families that did something like that. Maybe more should.
Liz: After Mike and I got married, my parents gave us a special red plate. We use that red plate when our three children are together with us. Everyone has to go around the table and say something positive about the person who has the red plate. Over the years a lot of love has been shared over the red plate.
