He Is Risen
The angel said to the women, "Don't be afraid! I know you are looking for Jesus, who was nailed to a cross. He is not here! God has raised him to life, just as Jesus said he would" —Matthew 28:5-6
Engaging Faith
Practical Lesson Ideas and Activities for Catholic Educators
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Why Do They Call it Good Friday?
One of the most commonly asked questions by children as they grow in their faith is, "Why do they call Good Friday good if that is the day that Jesus died?" You may have wondered about this yourself. The answer is easily found in the Good Friday service. After the reading of the Passion from the Gospel of John and the prayer intentions for the needs of the entire world, the priest processes with the crucifix down the center aisle of the church, stopping three times and saying these words: "Behold the wood of the cross on which is hung our salvation." This day that is outwardly dark and dismal actually commemorates Christ's greatest gift to us: though innocent, he was willing to accept death so that we might be saved from the power of Satan and sin. Good Friday is good because it opens the possibility that we might live forever. Good Friday is the day that Christ died on the cross for the redemption of the world. Remind your students that redemptionmeans the act of recovering something that was lost. When Adam and Eve sinned, humankind was plunged into sinfulness and lost the chance for eternity. Jesus' death redeemed us from sin. On Good Friday, the Church does not celebrate Mass, the repetition of Christ's sacrifice. This is the only day of the year that this is true. Rather, a service is offered in three parts: the Scripture reading and prayer, the adoration of the cross, and the reception of Holy Communion. After the procession with the crucifix the congregation likewise processes forward and honors the crucifix by kissing the feet of Jesus or by reverently bowing before him on the cross. For communion, the consecrated bread that has been kept since the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord's Supper at the altar of repose is retrieved and shared. After the service the altar is stripped again, the tabernacle is left open, the sanctuary lights are snuffed out, and only the crucifix takes the place of honor in the center of the sanctuary. The congregation leaves the church in silence. Over the years many other popular devotions of Good Friday have developed. According to Church law, Good Friday is a day of fasting and abstinence. In Ireland, many people hold what is called a "black fast," taking only water or tea on that day. Christians who go to public school often request an exemption from school on Good Friday for religious reasons. In the Middle East, Christians often replace the traditional greeting of "Shalom" ("Peace be with you") because these were the words that Judas Iscariot used to betray Jesus. Instead, on Good Friday they greet each other with "the light of God be with your departed ones." A Meditation on Good Friday Linked here is a Good Friday meditation written by Focolare movement founder, Chiara Lubichhttp, who died last Friday. The meditation was written in the Jubilee Year 2000.
Catholic Colleges in March Madness: Part 2
Here's a re-do of a post we published last year during the all-encompassing NCAA Basketball tournament. Once again the NCAA men’s basketball tournament is upon us—commonly known as March Madness for the fact that one loss brings the end for each of the entries causing a madness to pull out a victory. You may have also noticed a “madness” among your students who are engaged in filling out brackets and circling winners for games leading up to the championship game on April 7. This post isn't meant to condone all the non-academic behavior that often leads to a lack of productivity at school and work, but only to draw a small lesson from it and have some fun that comes with college basketball. Of the sixty-five teams that began the tournament, eleven were Catholic colleges. If you aren’t ready to pull your hair out with all the talk of basketball, you could build on this current event and build a lesson around it. To start off simply, ask the students to circle the Catholic colleges on a printable bracket. The teams are: East Regional Mt. St. Mary's (if play-in winner) Notre Dame St. Joseph's Midwest Regional Villanova Siena Gonzaga Georgetown South Regional Marquette St. Mary's (CA) West Regional San Diego Xavier You could then have them do a rating of the Catholic teams (based on the seedings). It might look something like this: 1. Georgetown (2) 2. Xavier (3) 3. Notre Dame (5) 4. Marquette (6) 5. Gonzaga (7) 6. St. Mary's (CA) (10) 7. St. Joseph's (11) 8. Villanova (12) 9. Siena (13)/San Diego (13) 10. Mt. St. Mary's (16) After the games are played, see how the ratings check out. Also, hand out a blank map of the United States. See how many students can correctly place the Catholic college in the correct locations by state: Maryland Mt. St. Mary's Indiana Notre Dame Pennsylvania St. Joseph's Villanova New York Siena Washington Gonzaga District of Columbia Georgetown Wisconsin Marquette California St. Mary's San Diego Ohio Xavier Enough of the fun and games. You can also use the Catholic tournament teams as a starting point for several questions of interest or even for further research (now, that’s real madness!). Use the following trivial questions as discussion starters. Have your students develop some more: 1. Which of the Catholic colleges in the tournament are named after saints? (St. Thomas of Villanova, St. Francis Xavier, St. Aloysius Gonzaga, St. Mary, Notre Dame, St. Catherine of Siena, St. Diego de Alcalá ) 2. Which college was named for the French explorer who mapped the northern portion of the Mississippi River (Marquette) 4. Which are Jesuit colleges? (St. Joseph's, Gonzaga, Georgetown, Marquette, Xavier) 5. Which college is founded by the Franciscan friars? (Siena) Enjoy March Madness! No doubt your students will.Combat a lack of productivity at school or the workplace due to "the Tournament" by drawing these and other lesson from it and join in with some of the fun of college basketball.
Our Ancestors of Faith
With the Easter Vigil approaching, point out to your students how the nine Scripture readings recount the story of our salvation and help us to remember our ancestors of faith who at once prefigured Jesus Christ, Our Savior.Also, consider this activity to help the students recall their own Baptism and their own faith ancestors. Suggest the following:Activity Suggestions Locate the baptismal records of your grandparents by contacting (via Internet, mail, or phone) the parish where they were baptized. Record information like date, place, name, and godparents. Write a report on how the Christian faith originally came to the nation(s) of your ancestors. Write a short essay or produce an audio or video presentation that shares what you learned about God and faith from one of your relatives. Trace your family’s history on an ancestry site on the World Wide Web. Develop a display with religious artifacts that are important to your family. Tell why they are so. Arrange for a relative to tell his or her “story of faith” in a presentation to your classmates. Resource LinksProvide the following website addresses that may help the students in research information about their families: ancestry.comonegreatfamilytree.comgenealogy.com
Teacher Luncheon at L.A. Religious Ed Congress!
For the second year in a row, Ave Maria Press sponsored an appreciation luncheon for Catholic high school religion teachers attending the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress in Anaheim. Over 100 teachers and several special guests attended the event on Friday, February 29, held at the Anaheim Marriott.Sr. Angela Hallahan, C.H.F., Secondary School Religion Coordinator in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, welcomed teachers and offered praise and support for their ongoing ministry.Her message was echoed by Most Reverend Gerald Wilkerson, auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles and great supporter of Catholic education.The featured after-lunch speaker was Derrick Mayes, former standout wide receiver for the University of Notre Dame, Green Bay Packers, and Seattle Seahawks. Mayes' mother is a thirty-year veteran teacher and administrator In Indianapolis. He told of her influence and that of other teachers, coaches, and mentors along the way who helped him reach his goal of playing football in the NFL and then readjusting his goals for business and family success.Teacher-attendees were given a selection of complimentary books and gifts. of Kathryn Guerrero of Alverno High School in Sierra Madre won a complete set of 50 textbooks to use in her classroom.The afternoon concluded with an optional roundtable discussion on issues related to teaching religion in Catholic High Schools. Among the topics discussed was the new National Curriculum Framework recently approved by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.Look for opportunities for similar fellowship and sharing in your diocese. For more information contact Karey Welde.
New Trends in Religious Vocations
The excellent website Vocation Match, a service that seeks to pair those discerning Catholic religious vocations with various religious communities and other opportunities recently completed a survey on current vocational trends.Among the findings:• There has been a 62 percent increase in the number of inquiries into religious life.• There is a 30 percent increase in the number of people in the first stages of formation.• The majority of people considering religious life are under the age of 30.• There is an increased interest in inquirers who would like to wear a religious habit as an expression of the countercultural appeal of religious life.• Personal contact with a religious priest, sister, or brother is the most helpful source for those needing vocational information.Take some time to explore the complete results of the survey.Christian DiscernmentHelp your students to cultivate a spirit of Christian discernment. Begin by using the following reflection from Marriage and Holy Orders: Your Call to Love and Serve. Discernment is the ability to chart a godly course through the maze of choices and options that confront us on our journey. Saint Paul put it this way: We do not cease praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his [God’s] will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding to live in a manner worthy of the Lord, so as to be fully pleasing, in every good work bearing fruit and growing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with every power, in accord with his glorious might, for all endurance and patience, with joy giving thanks to the Father, who has made you fit to share in the inheritance of the holy ones in light (Colossians 1:9-12).Put simply, Christian discernment is a prayerful pondering or deliberation of the many options available to you in life. Christian discernment means striving to see things from God’s point of view. Steps toward Discernment1. Name the problem/decision to be made. (What’s happening here?)2. Name and claim responsibility for how you feel about the problem/decision. (How do I feel about it?)3. Through prayerful reflection, examine alternatives. (What is God inviting me to do?) 4. Make and carry out the best possible decision. (Do it!) 5. Evaluate the action and its consequences. (Was this the decision I could make?)
A Lesson on the Evangelical Counsels
Objective: Students will spend time learning the meaning of the evangelical counsels and the impact they can have on society if lived or not lived. They will then identify how others live them and discover ways to put them into practice in their everyday lives. Procedure: 1) Give the students the three evangelical counsels: poverty, chastity and obedience, and the definition of each. Read over them together in class. 2) For each counsel, have the students make a list of ways how they may see lifestyles in society that contradict these counsels. Have them give examples wherever they can. The following examples may help if they are at a loss: • For poverty – consumerism • For chastity – intimate relationships between boyfriend and girlfriend • For obedience – disobeying parents 3) Take time to discuss the ideas they come up with being careful to define any terms that might seem new or unclear. They may want to debate the ideas in class. This can be good if done in a respectable manner and for a limited period of time. 4) Next have them brainstorm about what can happen if the counsels are not lived in society and the repercussions. They should write down their ideas. Discuss their ideas and any foreseeable consequences. 5) Next have them write down how they can live each counsel in their own everyday life. This should be very concrete with specific examples. If time permits have them share them out loud with the class. Media Probe 1) Have the students identify a billboard which is in contrast to one of the counsels. Let them re-create the billboard with a message more in line with that counsel. 2) Have the students identify a song is in contrast to one of the counsels. Let them re-write the song with lyrics more in line with that counsel. This can lead into a wonderful discussion about the effects of media in our culture.
Laetare Sunday
Have your students imagine themselves in a line-up prior to gym class. The teacher is really frightening, walking back and forth before everyone while marking down the grades of those not wearing the right color socks or those not standing in their assigned place. The scene is very dismal. Then, suddenly, from in the back someone begins to giggle softly. The giffling increases to full-scale laughter among everyone in that area. Soon enough the entire class is bent over laughing hysterically. then, surprise of surprise, even the mean gym teacher joins in. A dark and dreary time has been transformed to one of fun and joy. A similar transformation takes place right in the middle of Lent. On the fourth Sunday of Lent the previously dreary church sanctuary may be decorated with flowers, and more upbeat music may be played. The priest may wear rose-colored vestments instead of the purple penitential ones. Why the change? This midpoint of Lent is known as Laetare Sunday. Latare is a Latin word that means "rejoice." The reason for the rejoicing is that on this Sunday or shortly after those preparing for Baptism at the Easter Vigil receive the sacred text of the Apostles' Creed for the first time. The reception of the Creed by the catechumens signifies that the time of their full membership into the community of the Church is near. For this reason, the Church an hardly contain its joy on Laetare Sunday. In previous centuries, as a symbol of this joy, the Pope would carry a golden rose in his right hand when leaving Mass. Later, the golden rose consisted of a cluster of roses made of pure gold that the popes would bless and then give to cities, churches, or shrines ad a memento. In England, a tradition around Laetare Sunday had the boys and girls who lived away at school returning home to their "mother church" wehre they had been baptized, bringing with them gifts to place at the altar. Adult children would visit their own mothers on this day. For this reason, Laetare Sunday also became known as "Mothering Sunday". Soon after the catechumens receive the Creed, they also are given the text of the Our Father. These ceremonies are for those catechumens who have dutifully completed the long preparation process-today called either the catechumenate or Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults—and have passed the tests and scutinies of faith. While the catechumens currently are able to remain at Mass only until after the homily, on the night of the Easter Vigil they will be welcomed into full communion with the Church, receiving the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist. Then they will be able to stay for the entire Mass. Laetare Sunday is celebrated in anticipation of that occasion. Additional Lessons * Have the students memorize the Apostle's Creed, and cover in more detail the meaning of each creedal statement. * Review the signs and rituals of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist as Sacraments of Initiation. * Explain the stages of the catechumenate: inquiry, catechumenate, enlightenment, and mystagory. Discussion Questions 1. When was a time when you experienced joy or happiness in an otherwise dreary or sad situation? 2. What is a creedal statement that you have a question about or trouble understanding? 3. If you could give the catechumens from your parish one piece of advice about belonging to your parish, what would it be? Projects Have the students write welcome notes to the catechumens at their school or parish or a nearby parish. Arrange for the notes to be delivered to them after the Easter Vigil. Collect real flowers or spray artifical flowers with gold. Have the students give them to catechumens at a nearby parish after they are dismissed from the liturgy on Laetare Sunday.
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