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Engaging Faith

Practical Lesson Ideas and Activities for Catholic Educators
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Reflection on Driving While Drunk

With summer here, teens run the risk of many dangerous situations including the possibility they will drive or be in a car with someone who is impaired by alcohol. Use the occasion of summer to share with them the very meaningul poem below.   Party Poem I went to a party, Mom, I remembered what you said, You told me not to drink, Mom, so I drank soda instead, I felt really proud inside, Mom, the way you said I would, I didn’t drink and drive, Mom, even though others said I should. I know I did the right thing, Mom, I knew you’re always right, Now the party is finally ending, Mom, as everyone drives out of sight, As I got into my car, Mom, I know I’ll get home in one piece, Because of the way you raised me, Mom, as responsible and sweet. I started to drive away, Mom, but as I pulled onto the road The other car didn’t see me, Mom, and it hit me like a load. As I lie here on the pavement, Mom, I hear the policeman say The other guy is drunk, Mom, and I’m the one who’ll pay. I’m lying here dying, Mom, I wish you’d get here soon, How come this happened to me, Mom, my life burst like a balloon? There is blood all around me, Mom, most of it is mine, I hear the paramedic say, Mom, I’ll be dead in a short time. I just wanted to tell you, Mom, I swear I didn’t drink, It was the others, Mom, the others didn’t think. He didn’t know where he was going, Mom, he was probably at the same party as I, The only difference is, Mom, he drank and I will die. Why do people drink, Mom? It can ruin your whole life. I’m feeling sharp pains now, Mom, pains just like a knife. The guy who hit me is walking, Mom, I don’t think it’s fair, I'm lying here dying, Mom, while all he can do is stare. Tell my brothers not to cry, Mom, tell Daddy to be brave, And when I get to heaven, Mom, write “Daddy’s Girl” on my grave. Someone should have told him, Mom, not to drink and drive, If only they had talked to him, Mom, I would still be alive. My breath is getting shorter, Mom, I’m becoming very scared, Please don’t cry for me, Mom, because when I needed you, you were always there. I have one last question, Mom, before I say good-bye, I didn’t ever drink, Mom, so why am I to die? This is the end, Mom, I wish I could look you in the eye, To say these final words, Mom, I love you and good-bye.                                                       —Author Unknown  

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Bike Rally/Movie Event for Summer Fun

If you have occasion to work with teens in the summer through a parish-sponsored Youth Ministry program, here's an idea that works well with both younger and older adolescents.   Description This is a bike rally (not a race) in which teens follow a predetermined map to the homes of three or four parishioners (typically parents of teens in the group), where they can play a game and have a simple snack and drink. The final stop of the rally is at the local movie theatre where the teens take in an appropriate afternoon feature. Plan a map from your starting point at the parish in a logical order to each of the homes or parents or parishoners who have agreed to sponsor a stop along the way. Give each person a map and remind them to observe all biking safety rules. At each home, wait for everyone to catch up. Take a break with a short game or activity. (You will need to arrange for all game items to be at the homes prior to the rally.) Possible activity ideas might include: First Stop Play a series of the old Twister game. While some of the teens are playing, the others can enjoy a drink of lemonade. Second Stop Divide into two teams. Play a game where all can participate; for example, any form of a trivia quiz game. Third Stop Play a friendly game of "spin the bottle." Seat everyone in a circle. The two people the bottle points to exchange compliments with one another (not kisses!). Fourth Stop Get into the movie theme. Play a game of "movie charades" in which the teens act our famous movie titles or scenes and the rest of the group tries to guess the name of the movie. Movie Stop End the rally at the movie theatre. Make sure to lock the bikes. Then enjoy the movie. If your group is large enough, you may be able to quality for a group discount. After the movie, ride together back to the parish at a leisurely pace where parents can meet for pick up.

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Tips to Share with Your Graduates about College Orientation

The following is an exerpt from Ready for College: Everything You Need to Know by Michael Pennock. Share the information with your graduating seniors (and juniors too as a preview). You may wish to adapt the presentation to fit with particular colleges in your area and others your students have applied to and been accepted at. Colleges vary greatly on how they handle freshman orientation. Some colleges hold a grand orientation week or long weekend for all freshmen (and oftentimes their parents, too) before the term begins. Other colleges have groups of freshman come in for two or three days throughout the summer for orientation and registration. Still others handle parts of the orientation through snail mail or over the Internet with campus meetings taking place at a later date. Typically, freshmen orientation sessions are designed to help you: learn what the college expects of you both in and out of the classroom; become familiar with the college campus and its many offerings; meet other new students; take placement exams; meet with academic advisors to learn about your major if you have chosen one; take care of college business like financial aid, health forms, ID cards, etc.; register for courses for the fall term. Orientations can be intense days of meetings and tours. They typically involve many icebreakers and socials and immerse you into what your particular college has to offer. Online orientation is also becoming increasingly more common. College allows students to take placement exams, download vaccination forms, buy books, check out dorm rooms, and meet roommates online. This book is geared for success during your first semester, so a very strong recommendation is for you to pick an early orientation session if you are given that choice. More importantly, register for courses as soon as you are able to. The advantage here is for you to have the pick of the courses you want and need before any of them close. Choosing classes can be challenging for first-time college students who are not aware of the difficulty of certain professors or specific courses. Here are some other important tips that have helped my own children and many of my former students: Ask around among upper class students about the professors of the courses you are considering. What is required of a particular course? How does the professor rate as a lecturer? When in doubt, it is always best to choose recommended profs over courses that “seem” appealing. Register for an extra course with the full intention of dropping the one you like least sometime in the first or second week of the semester. It is always easier to drop a course (even if you are charged a fee) than to add one after the term begins. Don't overload with hours your first semester in college. Fifteen or sixteen credit hours are plenty. Many colleges require one of your courses to be a Freshmen Seminar. This makes choosing a little easier. Also, balancing one reading intensive course with a math or a science course is also a wise choice. Generally you should not take more than one lab course your first semester. Most colleges require a core of courses for all undergrads, regardless of major. Other courses are prerequisites that you may have to take depending upon your high-school program, SAT or ACT scores, or placement exams. Besides your required Freshmen Seminar, it is probably a good idea to register for a couple of your core courses your first semester. Sample a variety of subject areas. Distribute your choices between one tough course, one easy course, and one or two moderately difficult ones based on your interests and skills. Core courses can serve as a foundation on which to build, especially if you have yet to choose a major. If a particular core area is one that you hate, or have had a tough time with in high school, don't take it first semester. You need a successful first year. By waiting, you'll have time to check out an ideal prof to get you through the “dreaded” requirement. Suggestion: Consider taking this difficult requirement at a community college and have the credit transferred to your college’s program. Depending on your work schedule the summer before you go off to college, you might consider taking it then. If you are fortunate enough to enter college with considerable advanced placement credit, don’t overload on upper division courses your first semester. You need to have some experience with courses at your college before you jump into a bunch of advanced courses. Even the brightest students need time to adjust to full-time college life. Decide if you learn best in the morning or afternoon. This is not an automatic decision. Even though you may believe you learn better later in the day, studies have proven that learners retain knowledge best in morning hours. Besides, coming from high school, you are used to being in class in the morning. However, true night owls should probably not sign up for 8:00 a.m. classes. Pick courses accordingly. You might even consider taking an evening course that meets once a week. This will free some study time during the day. My son took this advice and found that his professor was more understanding about course requirements for students who enroll in evening classes since some of them have day jobs. Choose a schedule that eliminates down time. Better to have three courses in the morning than one at 8:00 a.m., another at noon, and a third at 4:00 p.m. The all-too-human tendency with a schedule like that would be to waste time waiting around for class. Sometime in the pre-orientation period before arrival on campus, you will be asked about roommate preferences. Many colleges use computer programs to match roommates according to personality traits, work habits, preferences for food and music, sleep patterns, noise tolerance, and other qualities like how much closeness potential roommates desire in each other. Be honest in what you report about your likes and dislikes. It might help save trouble later. For example, if second-hand smoke causes you problems, you should make sure to indicate a preference for a non-smoking roommate, even if the college outlaws dorm-room smoking. Remember that you want a successful start to your academic career. Tip: Choose a quiet, substance-free dorm that reserves many hours in a day for study. You can always visit rowdier friends on their turf and preserve your room for the relatively quiet retreat for study and sleep that you want it to be. Think of your freshmen orientation experience as a golden opportunity to make friends. Research has shown that the most important survival tip for freshmen year is to have a reliable friend. So, during orientation, make a point to meet new classmates. Break out of the temptation of just hanging with high-school friends. Participate in the icebreakers and planned activities, even if some of them seem pointless. Concentrate on learning and remembering names of people you meet. Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself to new people. Share something about yourself and then take it from there. Also, avoid typical high school behaviors because of aloofness or trying to “act cool.” Finally, your orientation days are a good time to get to know the campus and where some of your classes might meet. Secure a good campus map and get familiar with it. Check the college website before orientation and locate several buildings you definitely want to visit when on campus for orientation.

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Listening to the Voices of Women Entering Religious Life

“American Women, American Nuns” is an audio recording with quality reflections about different dimensions of American women in religious life. WBUR interviewed four young women May 27, 2014 who are discerning religious life or who are in formation. The total interview runs forty-six minutes. You might begin the audio in a class session and assign the rest for homework.These are the participants. Sr. Colleen Gibson is 28 years old and graduated at the top of her class at Fairfield University. She is in formation with the Sisters of St. Joseph. Danielle Gagnon is a graduate of Assumption College and discerning her call to religious life with the Sisters of Mercy. Sr. Josephine Garrett graduated from the University of Dallas and is in formation with the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth. Sr. Patricia Dowling is a vocation director with the Sisters of the Bon Secours Follow-up Questions These are some questions that you can ask your students to respond to during the interview or afterwards. Sr. Colleen Gibson talked about her parents’ response to her interest in religious life. What were some of the issues that concerned her parents? How did Sr. Colleen ultimately interpret her parents’ concerns? How have Danielle Gagnon’s friends who have a more secular orientation reacted to her discernment process? What are some interesting parts of Sr. Josephine Garrett’s story? In particular, what role did her choice of college have in shaping her future? What is Sr. Pat’s role as a vocation director in helping young women discern religious life? How do women often find her congregation? What might be some issues that would prevent a woman from entering religious life? The father who has two children entering religious life suggested that discernment is really for all people no matter what walk of life they take. What is your opinion of his statement? How do these women understand their roles as “women in the Church” in the sense that women in the Catholic Church do not have the same authority as men? What is one way that the sisters as young women have responded to the number of aging sisters in their religious communities? Sr, Josephine wears a habit but Sr. Colleen does not. What do each of them like about their own way of dressing as a sister?

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Summary of Pope Francis' Visit to the Holy Land

Pope Francis historic visit to the Holy Land is over. The Catholic bishops of the region have prepared and maintained a webpage with images, articles, and video of the trip. Included in this detailed reference is an article of other papal visists to the Holy Land. Among the many other items to share with your students is the official anthem of the Pope's visit, written by a group of Holy Land musicians. The English refrain and lyrics are below: In the footsteps of Francis Refrain: With you we go onward as witnesses to Christ Spreading the light of the Word in the footsteps of Francis 1. With you we go like Mary with the light of the Nativity We keep the covenant that we gained in the water of baptism And the Cross of our Redeemer, its power, protects us We carry it and go forward, good news for the enslaved. 2. With you we seek the face of the Redeemer in every human being We plant love that blossoms into joy, we witness to faith And the Church of our Redeemer invigorates us with her sacraments We are nourished by them and we go forward immersed in safety 3. With you we vest the cloak of mercy among all creatures We become apostles of peace among the nations of the earth The Gospel of our Redeemer, its light guides us We live by it and go forward calling for amity. 4. With you we raise our prayer from the land of holiness We pray for the East in pain, lost on its way The love of our Redeemer preserves us and enriches us We clothe ourselves in it and go forward on the path of deliverance. 5. With you we sing the resurrection and proclaim life Bearing witness to Peter meeting his brother once again Jesus our Redeemer commands us to unity Let’s listen and go forward, our goal to gratify Him.

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Prayer for Pope Francis’ Trip to the Middle East

From May 24 – 26, Pope Francis will be visiting Jordan, Palestine, and Israel. Father Rifat Bader who is organizing the trip, wrote this prayer in honor of the visit. Pray for the Holy Father's safety, the people of the Holy Land, and the success of his trip.   Heavenly Father, you never tire of being compassionate and loving, the successor of St. Peter, His Holiness Pope Francis, plans to visit the Holy Land sanctified by your Son’s birth, baptism, teaching, death and resurrection, be with him, sanctify and bless him, spread the mantle of your kindness over every stage of his pilgrimage among us, that one may we see in him a believing pilgrim, a wise teacher, and a humble leader Lord Jesus Christ, as you prayed for the unity of your Church, saying, “may they all be one”, make the meeting in Jerusalem between the Holy Father and the Ecumenical Patriarch an incentive to increase our efforts for the unity of your children, Make the encounter of the Pope with the political authorities fruitful for justice and peace, protect all the residents of this land and the adherents of the religions of the Middle East, so that they may be in harmony, dialogue and cooperation for the achievement of full citizenship Good Shepherd, whose image Pope Francis carries on his pectoral cross, walking in the spirit of humility with which you have graced him: deepen within us the awareness of our Christian identity, that as true disciples, we may bear witness to your Good News and your resurrection in our churches, our society, and all the world, especially by serving the sick, the poor and the refugees. Bless, Lord Most Holy, this fourth papal visit to our Holy Land, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, all the saints of the Holy Land, and the two new saints, John Paul II and John XXIII, Amen.

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Divergent in the Classroom

Veronica Roth’s trilogy, beginning with the book and movie Divergent, has been a recent hit with teens. Sixteen-year-old Tris and eighteen-year-old “Four” live in the remnants of Chicago, an area ravaged by war, surrounded by a guarded fence. Their society is divided into five factions: Abnegation, Erudite, Amity, Candor, and Dauntless. At age sixteen, citizens are tested and decide whether or not they would like to stay in the faction of their family of origin or whether they would like to join a different faction. Some citizens are “homeless” or “factionless,” literally and figuratively if they have failed their faction’s initiation, if the faction expelled them, or if they left it voluntarily. The “divergent” are citizens whose minds are most flexible and could live in more than one faction. This last group is the target of Jeanine whose declared purpose is to create peace in the city. The divergent are more difficult to control and thus pose a challenge to her desire to be completely in charge. Tris and Four are divergent and fight against this woman’s attempt to wipe them out and their home faction of Abnegation.   Theology Connections/Assignments While this book and movie have many interesting angles, these are some more closely related to theology. 1. Each of the factions was created in order to combat a human characteristic that contributed to the war that almost completely destroyed Chicago. Abnegation or selflessness is a response to selfishness such as vanity, greed and envy. These people served others and led the city. Erudite or knowledgeable is a response to ignorance. People from this faction were teachers and scholars. Amity or peaceful is a response to violence and aggression. These people grew food for the city. Candor or truthfulness is a response to deceit. People from this faction served in the legal field. Dauntless or fearlessness is a response to cowardice. The Dauntless provide protection from the outside world and within the city Ask students, in small groups, to take the seven deadly or capital sins and create factions to combat them, defining the virtue that counteracts the vice and the role of each group in a small society. Christianity encourages growth in virtue. How does the approach from Divergent resemble and differ from the Christian approach? Ask small groups to take one of the capital sins and match it to a Divergent faction. If some do not fit, ask students to create additional factions to supplement the Divergent five.   2. While there is some mention of religion here and there in the book, it is not a major topic. Tris’s father explains that focusing on those who believe versus those who do not simply causes further division. Where in the book/movie do students see behavior that is typically religious? How might a shared faith have united the different factions?   3. Jeanine justifies killing some citizens in order to gain control over the majority of the people so that there will be peace. Do modern nations use this rationale in warfare? Can controlled people really have peace?   Summary You may have noticed that the heroine of the story is named Beatrice (Tris) and that the factions focus on a virtue that counteracts a vice is somewhat like Dante’s Purgatorio. Delving a bit into the way that Dante envisions Purgatory as a place that undoes vices through virtue might interest the students and provoke interesting conversation. If you worked on the seven deadly sins then this would be an interesting follow-up

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St. John Paul II: A Five-Day Mini Unit

As part of the celebration of the canonizations of Pope John Paul II (and Pope John XXIII), Ave Maria Press is offering St. John Paul II: A Five-Day Mini Unit, a supplementary resource designed to celebrate the life of Karol Wotyla, the beloved pope whose nearly twenty-seven year papacy that transitioned the world from the twentieth to twenty-first century. More information on ordering this timely resource can be found here. The mini-unit includes five 50-minute lesson plans. The lessons include suggestions for the viewing of short films, readings, and discussions around the life of St. John Paul II. The 5-Day Mini Unit is most appropriate as a series of ancillary lessons that are part of any theology course in a Catholic high school setting. St. John Paul II: A Five-Day Mini Unit is also adaptable to parish youth ministry. The basic lesson plan for each of the five days is organized around: · An opening discussion · An opportunity for a teacher-led presentation and/or class reading on the main topic · Short video presentations that support the topic · A handout synopsis of the material St. John Paul II Mini Unit Overview The scope and sequence of the St. John Paul II: A Five-Day Mini Unit is as follows: Day 1: What Makes a Saint? This lesson provides an introduction to the mini-unit and a synopsis of the Church’s canonization process. It focuses on the canonization of St. John Paul II, including two miracles credited to his intercession. It addresses the virtue of Christian holiness. Note: Time is reserved in the Day 1 lesson for the students to choose or be assigned one of three assignments that will be due on Day 5. Day 2: The Early Life of St. John Paul II This lessons explores some key events in the life of Karol Wotyla and, in reflection, examines the signs of holiness that mark the early years of his saintly life. Day 3: The Papacy of St. John Paul II The papacy of St. John Paul II was known for miles traveled, examples of prayer and forgiveness, taking a pivotal role in the fall of communism, and special attention to the youth of the world. Several suggested videos help to support these main ideas. Day 4: The Teachings of St. John Paul II This lesson presents a sampling of some of the main teachings themes of St. John Paul II's papacy, including the centrality of Christ, the value and dignity of the human person, the Church as sacrament of salvation, and the universal call to holiness, the mark of sainthood. Students read and share samples of St. John Paul II’s writings as part of this lesson. Day 5: Topic Review, Assessment, and Application In the final lesson, there is opportunity for the students to share the results of their completed assignments, to review and recall information on the life, papacy, and teachings of St. John Paul II, and to name ways to apply the virtue of holiness to their own lives.

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