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Engaging Faith

Practical Lesson Ideas and Activities for Catholic Educators
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Congregation of Holy Cross Celebrates 175 Years!

Today is the 175th anniversary of the Congregation of Holy Cross. Ave Maria Press, one of the Congregation's sponsored ministries, joins in celebration. One of the unique features of the Congregation of Holy Cross was its co-mingling of religious priests and religious brothers. Eventually religious sisters joined in this partnership. The Congregation of Holy Cross has from its founding focused on religious education. Our efforts at Ave Maria Press are part of its continuing commitment in this area. We support and strive to make complete the words of the Congregation of Holy Cross founder, Blessed Basil Moreau: I have always understood the education of youth to be the formation of the hearts of young people and the development of a positive response toward religion within them. I have always been convinced that the first duty of any teacher is to produce Christians: Society has a greater need for people of values than it has for scholars. Knowledge itself does not bring about positive values, but positive values to influence knowledge and put it to a good use. If there ever existed a time when this type of education should be an influence in the lives of young people, it is certainly now—at a time when worldly and unchristian values seem to produce such confusion for the young. Christian education alone can influence the evil that we all experience in today's world. Christian education alone can return people to the belief in the practice of Christianity by inspiring values in the coming generations. — Bl. Basil Moreau, 1856  

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What Are We Giving Up This Lent? What about Distractions?

In the spirit of “giving up” something for Lent, consider encouraging teens to give up some of their distractions? With their busy lives, teens have no shortage of distractions. You know the list: Twitter, Facebook, texting, not to mention drama with classmates, parents, and employers, along with stress from tests, sports, and work. There is no way teens can give up all of those distractions during Lent, but even trying to limit a few would be helpful. Ask questions like the ones below to help your students to consider ways to to that. Questions for Giving Things Up During Lent Is God calling you to spend your time a different way? Where have you needed “more time?” Has it been with God, with family, with friends, or has it been alone time? What are the non-optional (school, homework, job, chores, family events) and optional (free time) activities in your life? How can you spend more time alone, with God, or with others if you shifted how you used your free time? Technology During Lent Of course technology is the major distraction for teens (and adults too!). Tell the students that they do not necessarily have to give up technology completely but rather discipline themselves by trying one or more of the following ideas: Turn off your cell phone for a period of time every night with your family. Check Facebook or other social networks before you start your homework and afterward rather than throughout your work time. Turn music off sometimes: in the car, at home, walking or jogging. Perhaps you could turn on Christian music instead. Is doing homework with the TV on lengthening the time it takes to get it done? You may find some time there. For anyone, being available for God, loved ones, friends, and themselves is a valuable gift that may become clear with fewer distractions!

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New Documentary and Study Guide on Óscar Romero

Coming in March, Ave Maria Press will be distributing a new, highly acclaimed 88-minute documentary, Monseñor: The Last Journey of Óscar Romero, covering the time of Romero's installation as Archbishop of San Salvador in February, 1977 to his martyrdom on March 24, 1980. In 1997 Romero's cause for beatification and canonization was opened and Pope John Paul II bestowed the title Servant of God on him. The documentary, produced by the Kellogg Institute at the University of Notre Dame, will be delivered as a DVD and sell for $27.95. In addition, Ave Maria Press will offer a free 38-page Study Guide to accompany the film. The Study Guide facilitates a one-week mini-unit devoted to the study of Óscar Romero through viewing of the Romero film, student research, and discussion. The five-day plan involves an introduction to the life of Archbishop Romero (Monday), viewing the film and discussing its key topics (Tuesday-Thursday), and a synopsis of the material through the sharing of student reports and projects (Friday). The Study Guide is delivered in an electronic format, designed in full color, and is suitable for printing. Student handouts with writing space to jot responses to particular questions are included. Several links to other print and film resources offering background and enrichment to the issue are also included. This one-week mini-unit is a perfect way to incorporate a strand of social justice in virtually any course in your theology curriculum. A Study Guide listing of glossary terms and references to the Ave Maria Press textbook Catholic Social Teaching: Learning and Living Justice are provided. Also, all high school theology teachers are invited to a special screening of the documentary at the annual Romero Days sponsored by the Kellogg Institute and held at Notre Dame on Tuesday, March 27 beginning with two workshops at 4:15 pm. This event is free with a registration. Please contact Mike Amodei at mamodei@nd.edu to reserve a place!

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Human Rights Update: Older Inmates Challenge Prison System

Many U.S. prisoners are aging, yet correctional facilities are not set up for some of the older prisoners’ needs. This issue touches on a number of areas of Catholic social teaching: the preferential option for the poor and vulnerable; the right to life (sufficient medical care); and the nature of penal system in the United States. Those who planned prisons and their rules and procedures, did so with younger, more able-bodied prisoners in mind. Older inmates have a difficult time walking a long way to the dining room, climbing onto a top bunk, and so on. Medical costs can be staggering. In Georgia, inmates aged 65 and older had an average yearly medical cost of $8,565, compared to the $961 average for inmates under 65. From their study of prisons, Human Rights Watch made these recommendations: Review sentencing and release policies to determine which could be modified to reduce the aging population without compromising safety. Create plans for the current and projected populations of older prisoners in terms of housing, medical care, and programs. Modify prison rules that impose unnecessary hardship on older inmates. Your students may be interested in creating and discussing questions related to this issue. Can prison officials ignore the reality of life in prison for older inmates? Why or why not? If judges lessen sentences for older inmates who are unable to threaten the public, where will these inmates go? If they do not have families, will the penal system cover their needs? We do not necessarily associate “care” with prisoners who have long or life-long sentences. Could the nature of prisons change if “care” becomes important for some prisoners? To explore this issue further, see “US: Number of Aging Prisoners Soaring: Corrections Officials Ill-Prepared to Run Geriatric Facilities,” on the Human Rights Watch website. This web page also contains a link to the full report.

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Activities to Help Students Prepare for Lent

The season of Lent always come so fast! Before we can really get the Christmas season out of our minds, it's time to begin our Lenten fasts. We're probably all a little guilty of waiting to the last minute to declare our Lenten commitments for the year. Prepare your students for Lent and Ash Wednesday by getting them to think about their Lenten commitments ahead of time.   Lenten Preparation Activities Reflect on Fasting, Prayer, and Almsgiving The three pillars of Lent are fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. These critical practices during Lent are taken from the traditional Ash Wednesday reading from Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18. Give the students some time to reflect on the ways in which they can live out these practices during Lent. Brainstorm as a group the many different ways teenagers can practice fasting, prayer, and almsgiving in a special way. Create Lenten Journals One way to track progress during Lent is to use a Lenten journal. These journals could be created in class or purchased at a store. To create Lenten journals in class: Take ten sheets of notebook paper and fold them in half. Place the ten sheets inside a folded piece of printer paper that will act as the cover. Staple the booklet together at the middle of the page. Label the top of each sheet with each of the forty days of Lent (excluding Sundays). Decorate the covers. Students can update these journals each day of Lent either in the classroom or at home. You can also have the students journal responses to the many Lenten guided reflections here at the Engaging Faith blog: The Transfiguration Anointing at Bethany Jesus Washes His Disciples' Feet Peter Denies Jesus Parable of the Prodigal Son Integrate and Introduce Some Technology Encourage students to use technology to set reminders for themselves about living up to their Lenten commitments. Discuss the different ways that they remember to do things: checklists, calendars, planners, emails, to do lists, smart phones etc. For example, they might set a reminder (or an alarm) on their phones to remind them of their Lenten committment or add a reminder in their digital calendars. They could also use services like 21 Habit (and add a challenge twice!) or Gonna Try to set reminders for themselves as motivation to carry out their new habits (or break habits). Another option might be to explore goal-setting software or apps like 42 Goals. The options are pretty limitless, but make sure the students think through a reminder system in preparation for Lent. May God strengthen us all this Lent!

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The Goal Is Heaven!

Catholic evangelist Justin Fatica of Hard As Nails Ministry tells thousands of teens to never forget that their goal is Heaven: "Our time on earth is temporary and fleeting. Just imagine how your life on earth will be measured to your life in eternity—truly a drop in the bucket in comparison!" Consequently, Justin reminds teens to live each day as if it could be their last and gives them some suggestions for what they can do to develop a plan to live as committed Catholics for Christ in his best-selling book Win It All. Here is a checklist of his "Steps to Winning it All": Recognize Your Importance Write letters of affirmation. Create an intercessory prayer list. Pray the Five-Minute Daily Prayer (see page 00). Discover Your Mission in Life Write your personal mission statement. Pray once a week with two or more people. Find a spiritual mentor to help you begin to discern your vocation. Make Your Mess Your Message Write a letter about the lessons you have learned from your messes. Seek forgiveness from someone you have caused pain. Make a commitment to go to confession at least once a month. Keep Your Passion Find a particular service project to be involved with. Be passionate about your life story and share it with others. Pick one sin that is giving you a hard time and eliminate it. Remain Fearless Write down five personal fears and share them with your mentor. Take a stand for a person in your life who is being dissed. Encourage one person who intimidates you. Commit to Loving Reserve time for prayer and adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. Spend at least five minutes daily listening to God speak to you. Name your enemies and then pray for them. Never Give Up Watch a movie with a positive, inspiring message. Call on those who have encouraged your faith and thank them. Begin each day with Christ by praying the Morning Offering. Live Every Day as If It Were Your Last Recite the Mary the Mother of God Surrender Prayer daily. Meditate with the crucifix on Christ’s love for you. Set a regular day from Monday to Friday to go to Mass.

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Update on Religious Liberty: The Supreme Court Upholds “Ministerial Exception”

Perhaps you have told your students that the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops recently created an Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty. In his testimony before the Judiciary Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives, Subcommittee on the Constitution, Chairman, Bishop William E. Lori of Bridgeport, CT cited several reasons why the bishops’ conference assembled this committee. In August 2011, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued regulations that mandate the coverage of contraception and sterilization in almost all private health insurance plans. In May 2011, HHS added a new requirement for government contracts for services to victims of human trafficking and unaccompanied minor refugees. This prevented the USCCB’s Migration and Refugee Services (MRS) from continued participation in the program because it cannot provide abortion and contraception, the new requirements. The State Department’s U.S. Agency for International Development has recently been requiring that contractors (such as Catholic Relief Services) distribute condoms and other forms of contraception in their relief and development programs. The federal Department of Justice (DOJ) has increased its attack of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), calling it an act of bigotry. The DOJ is undermining the “ministerial exception” through attacking it directly. At the state levels, “same-sex marriage” is threatening adoption and foster care administered by Catholic Charities and similar agencies. Regarding the attack on ministerial exception, on January 11, 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court Justices ruled unanimously in favor of the Hosanna-Tabor Lutheran Church over the plaintiff who filed a claim under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This is the first time that the Supreme Court has ruled on this First Amendment issue. “Ministerial exception” takes the courts out of intervening in employment matters when doing so would require them to assess the performance of religious employees who carry out religious functions such as preaching or leading worship. Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. wrote for the court, “The interest of society in the enforcement of employment discrimination statutes is undoubtedly important. But so too is the interest of religious groups in choosing who will preach their beliefs, teach their faith, and carry out their mission.” (Pew Forum) The U.S. bishops see this as a victory for religious freedom though there remains much work to be done.

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The Latest "Why I Hate Religion But Love Jesus" Video

The video "Why I Hate Religion But Love Jesus", posted yesterday on YouTube had about one million views after 24 hours and thousands of Facebook shares. The poem, spoken by an older teen, pokes at the hypocrisy of religion while maintaining that Jesus had no use for religion during his time on earth and would not feel at home in organized religion today. The message brings up some other typical criticisms of religion (e.g., why are there ornate church buildings when the money can be used for the poor?). Check out the video yourself. If possible, show it to your teens, listen to their reactions, and have them develop a response. A Scripture passage to begin with might be Matthew 16:18-19. You might also want to check out these "Catholic FAQs" from the text Catholic Essentials. All the questions and answers were approved by the USCCB Subcommittee on Catechesis and found in conformity with the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Good luck!

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