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Engaging Faith

Practical Lesson Ideas and Activities for Catholic Educators
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A Week for Angels

There are two Catholic feasts honoring angels at the end of this month and the beginning of October. The first, on September 29, is the feast of the Archangels. These are the only named angels in all of Scripture; they are Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. Raphael is mentioned in the book of Tobit as an aide to Tobiah, the son of Tobit, as he retrieves a fish that will heal his father’s blindness. Gabriel is the angel in Luke 1:26 who announces to Mary that she will be the Mother of God’s Son. September 29 was originally the sole feast of St. Michael, for it was on this day that a Mass and church in Rome was first dedicated to him. Michael is cited most often in the books of Daniel and Revelation as a defender against evil.Remind your students about angels and what the Church believes about them. Angels are spiritual beings who were created by God prior to the creation of the universe. Though without bodies, angels have free will and a naturally superior intellect to humans. The word angel means “messenger.” As in the examples from Scripture, the angels prayerfully watch over people. In the New Testament angels assisted Jesus and his disciples. God made angels joyful and good, but some angels turned away from God and were banished to hell. Satan, also known as Lucifer, is believed to be one of the “bad angels.” The bad angels, or devils, are able to tempt us to sin. In the same way, good angels personally watch out for us. Since about the third century, the Church has maintained, though not officially, that all baptized have guardian angels. The feast of Guardian Angels is on October 2. The existence of angels recalls for us the creedal statement we pray each Sunday at Mass: “We believe in what is seen and unseen.” Angels are part of God’s unseen creation whose vocation is to serve God’s will. St. Michael the Archangel Prayer St. Michael is especially called upon to defend us against evil and evil spirits. The following prayer is addressed to him:Holy Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle.Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;And do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God,Thrust into hell Satan and all wicked spiritsWho wander through the world for the ruin of souls. Angels Lesson Ideas Read Revelation 12, which tells in figurative language the battle between evil, represented by the dragon, and God’s people. Note the reference to Michael and his angels in Revelation 12:7. Cover in more detail the Church’s teaching on the existence of angels from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 328–336. Call on two students to volunteer for an improvisation. One person takes the role of the guardian angel for the other. The two dialogue with one another, asking questions about each other’s actions, behaviors, and goals. Have the students write letters to their guardian angels, querying them about their purpose. Pray with the angels using other traditional prayers.

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Basil Moreau Essay Contest A Great Success!

  It’s Friday, 3:42 EST, and there are 257 essays “Basil Moreau: Engaging, Minds, Hearts, and Hands for Faith” neatly stacked on my shelf. The essays have all been written by Catholic high school students in honor of Blessed Basil Moreau’s beatification on September 15 at Le Mans, France. Fr. Moreau was the founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross which sponsors Ave Maria Press. At this point, I’ve only glanced at their content, but from what I have read I’m much impressed. The mission of our religious education publishing is founded in the educational vision of Basil Moreau that pointed to a holistic learning approach in which “students try their learning in the world and so make prayers of their education.” The deadline for the scholarship essay contest is now only a few minutes away. I notice 15 more essays waiting to be opened in e-mails. To all the students who wrote essays and to their teachers who encouraged them—thank you very much! We will announce the scholarship winner at our annual Day of Enrichment for High School Theology Teachers at Notre Dame on October 3. In the meantime, here on the campus of Notre Dame, as we wind up the week, we look across the street and see the throngs of football fans gathered for tomorrow’s game with Michigan State. With the essay contest nearly complete, maybe I can ask you and Bl. Basil for one more favor: a few touchdowns for the Fighting Irish! Thanks again.

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The Holy Cross

The beatification of Holy Cross Father Basil A. Moreau this week coincides with the Feast of the Holy Cross on September 14. It is believed that the Feast of the Holy Cross has its origins to the year 355 when the Emperor Constantine dedicated the Church of the Holy Sepulcher over the site at Golgotha where Jesus died. Reportedly, Constantine’s mother, St. Helena, had traveled to Golgotha and found not only Christ’s cross, but those of the two thieves crucified next to him. The three crosses were then taken to the house of a dying woman where the true cross of Christ restored her to health. By 346 the relics of the cross discovered by St. Helena were on their way to different parts of the world. Part of the cross was placed in a statue of Constantine in the newly built city of Constantinople. More of the cross was subdivided and placed in church altars. (It used to be required that each altar have a holy relic, for example, the bones of a saint of martyr. Nowadays this is not a requirement as altars are seen to be dedicated to God alone. However, many church altars still have relics.) Crucifixion by cross was more violent than any form of capital punishment our society uses today. Actually, at the time of Jesus, the Romans had two forms of crucifixion. Roman citizens were beheaded. Foreigners like Jesus were forced to carry a single crossbeam outside the walls of the city to a place called Golgotha (Skull Place) where the upright posts remained permanently fixed. Many times the weight of the crossbeam would kill the person; in Jesus’ case he was so weakened by the beatings and abuse he had absorbed that another man, Simon of Cyrene, was permitted to help him carry it. Once hung or tied on the cross, Roman soldiers would often break the legs of the condemned. This did not happen to Jesus. Sometimes a soldier would lance the person’s side to hasten death. In Jesus’ case, when his side was lanced—and water flowed out with blood—he was already dead. Only John’s Gospel mentions that Jesus was nailed to the cross. This practice, too, is confirmed by archaeological finds. It seems the Romans had refined this torture so that the cross included a small seat, called the seidle, where the accused could support just one buttock while spikes were driven through his hands and feet. The torture was unbearable. Besides the obvious pain, insects were attracted to the open wounds, and Jesus would have been unable to shoo them away. The cross is a great paradox, or contradiction, because out of this misery of death is new life for all who are baptized and believe in Christ. As St. Paul wrote: “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." (1 Cor 1:18) Discussion Questions What do you think was the worst pain that Jesus experienced? What would you say to a convicted murderer to convince him of the dignity of human life? Explain why the Holy Cross is a great paradox. Assignments   Read and report on the life of St. Helena. Search for quotations on the meaning of the cross for Christian life. Record these quotations in a prayer journal. Read Pope John Paul II’s encyclical “The Gospel of Life” (especially no. 56). Outline the Church’s position on capital punishment.   Don’t forget the Basil Moreau Essay Contest with a $500 Scholarship prize. Deadline is Friday September 21!

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Remembering Mother Teresa

The tenth anniversary of the death of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta is this week. Mother Teresa has been in the news recently with the publication of some of her private letters and a Time magazine cover story that revealed a life typical of most saints, one filled with much darkness as it progressed in the light of Christ. No one, not even in the secular media, can ever doubt Mother Teresa’s service to the “least brothers and sisters” of this world. She spent a majority of her life caring for the “poorest of the poor.” She spoke many times of the importance of love and family, of accepting the gift of life, and of learning many lessons from the poor. One of her favorite stories was of a man she and her sisters picked up from the street drain, half eaten by worms. When they brought him to their home, the man said, “I have lived like an animal in the street, but am going to die as an angel: loved and cared for.” Mother Teresa was honored many times in her life. In 1979 she won the Nobel Peace Prize. In 1992 she was asked to come to New York to be presented with $100, 000 for her work by a Catholic organization. The occasion was a fancy formal dinner where filet mignon would be served. Mother Teresa accepted the check. Next she scolded the crowed for their extravagance, telling them that before she came it took her three hours to scrape the maggots from a dying man’s body. Then she left without eating. A few days later, she received another $100,000 donation, equal to the cost of the banquet. What was so attractive about Mother Teresa to many people was that she “walked the talk.” For example, visitors to her chapel in Calcutta would notice that the lights were turned off during all parts of the Mass except when there was a reading. “No money that is given to the poor should be wasted on our electricity. We use only what we absolutely need,” she explained. Her life was an answer to the challenge extended by Jesus that whatever is done for the hungry, the thirsty, the lonely, and the naked was done for him. As Mother Teresa explained: At the end of life we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received how much money we have made how many great things we have done. We will be judged by “I was hungry and you gave me to eat I was naked and you clothed me I was homeless and you took me in.”   Discussion Questions   When have you felt “called” by God to do something for him or for people in need? Do you think Mother Teresa was right or wrong for refusing to eat at the banquet with the people who honored her? Explain. Who are people at your school or in your community who need to have someone reach out to them because of their material or spiritual needs? What could you do for these people. Assignments   Read Matthew 25:31–45. Have the students suggest people who fit into the categories of “least brothers and sisters” in their school, local community, and world at large. Assign a report on the progress of Blessed Teresa’s cause for sainthood.

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More on Moreau Beatification/Essay Contest

On September 15, Fr. Basil A. Moreau, founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross, will be beatified near his hometown of Le Mans, France.If you scroll below, you will find more information on this event along with encouragement for your students to enter an essay contest on Fr. Moreau’s educational mission with the chance to win a $500 scholarship.The recent edition of St. Anthony Messenger includes a detailed article on the life of Fr. Moreaeu.The Brothers of Holy Cross based in Sherman Oaks, California, also offer a website of “Moreau Moments” to help celebrate Basil Moreau’s beatification. Gleaned from the site are these words of advice from Fr. Moreau to teachers on the way to teach for success:To teach with success, teachers must know good methods, be skillful in applying those methods, have clear ideas, be able to define exactly, and possess language that is easily understood and correct. All of these skills are acquired and perfected only through study. I think we must assume that good teachers are not content simply with obtaining a degree or a credential to show their capabilities, but that they also try to increase their knowledge even further by studying as much as they can. In this way teachers are able to meet the qualifications required of them.

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Five Precepts of the Church: An Introduction

Here’s a lesson plan that can be used to help students learn and identify with the precepts of the Church. Grade level: 9 - 11 Subjects: Catholicism, Christian Lifestyles Purpose: The following lesson can help students enter into their Christian identity and get to know the precepts of the Catholic Church. It can also help them reflect on their own ways of living out their faith on a day to day basis. Objective: The students will examine the five precepts of the Catholic Church and understand how they can incorporate them into their daily life. Directions: Have the students write down the precepts so they have them to work with. Then have the students identify the ones they feel other youth would have trouble living. Ask them to share their thoughts on why they would have trouble. This can lead to a helpful guided discussion about what it means to be a Christian. The next task takes the students a step deeper, if some are willing to participate. Ask the students to identify and then share about the precepts they feel they haven’t lived or can’t live. Use this opportunity to discuss the reasons why. Here could be your chance to bring other key concepts into the discussion. Often it’s enough to have one person speak and the dialogue will trigger other thoughts and comments. Feel free to let them voice their criticisms and worries as well. This helps them identify the obstacles they may have to living out their faith. You may then want to address a particular obstacle to guide them. Lastly, have the students choose and write down two or three they would like to work on and improve on. For each one they choose have them write down a few steps they can take to achieve this. Hopefully this will become a “project” they want to take seriously and throw themselves into. Follow up: At a later date ask them about their progress regarding the precepts they have chosen.

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Welcoming the Contributions of Teacher/Bloggers

I don’t want the summer to pass without a formal welcome and introduction of Mike Morse as an Engaging Faith blogger.Mike’s contributions thus far (and hopefully through the school year) are most valuable because he is in the classroom day to day.Mike will soon begin his sixteenth year of teaching in a career that spans from the East Coast to his current position at Bishop Conaty Loretto High School in Los Angeles. Mike teaches courses in Christian Lifestyles, Catholic Morality, and Catholic Christianity and World Religions. Mike has also been a Youth Minister and has taken groups of teens to World Youth Days in Italy, Canada, and the U.S.We certainly are happy Mike has chosen to contribute to this blog.We have greater hopes for the Engaging Faith blog as it approaches its one-year anniversary. Very soon, we will be tagging each entry with headings that reflect the courses being taught in high school religion curriculums. We also hope to continue to offer other entries that help teachers connect current events with their courses of study and daily lessons.We hope that this blog will be a prime source for teachers to turn to supplement their lessons plans with creative ideas shared by their colleagues. These entries will likewise supplement the growing collection of on-line resources offered on the Religious Education portion of the Ave Maria Press website . . . all free of charge.Mike is the first of what we hope will be more teachers who choose to blog with us. We also use teachers as writers of our online and published resources. (And we pay writers for those projects!). Participating as a blogger is a good start to share your original lesson ideas with a larger audience while also taking a first step into the world of publishing.The process for getting started is a simple one: contact me and then open up a gmail account. All blog entries can be composed in a word format. It really is easy. And fun!We hope you’ll think of joining us and sharing your lessons and experiences.

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Forgiveness… even when it’s hard!

The topic of love was the main point of a lesson with my juniors one day. They were quite inquisitive about the various types of love expressed by the Greek terms such as eros, phila and agape. Then we moved on to the way we experience love for others. Here I made it a point to leave room for them to think, provoked perhaps by some of my questions regarding their memories of family and friends. They cherished the moments shared with the closest ones in their lives and the love they had for each person. Next was love for enemies, forgiveness. Here we hit a roadblock. I knew it would be a sensitive issue but I felt the need to face it. After I mentioned a few familiar figures in our recent past who may be remembered in a negative way, the majority of the kids agreed that love for enemies is asking too much. My students couldn’t imagine a love for people who committed such terrible crimes. A recent tragedy that came to the forefront was the Virginia Tech incident. We spoke about what happened and the man responsible for the act but again forgiveness wasn’t an option. Later we read the words of a young person in a Living City magazine article written about the event: “There is Jesus in everyone, and despite the fact that (he) killed numerous people, we have to forgive him and keep loving everyone unconditionally.” We then turned to Jesus’ experience and words: “forgive them Father for they do not know what they do.” We discussed how Jesus loved to the end and wants us to do likewise. Slowly, they became somewhat convinced that they too could maybe have a similar love. Their response to similar topics in the past was “well, we’re not Jesus”, but by discussing and working through it, a light began to shine in the darkness. They started to see that just maybe they can forgive. Seeing their change of heart, and what it was costing, made a huge impression on me. A prayer by Celeste   “Lord, can you fix my eyesight like you did for the blind man? I want to see with your eyes those who are teased for being different at school. I want to see with your eyes the homeless person on a park bench. I want to see more than people who think that being thinner or stronger makes you more loveable. I want to see more than people who look at wealth and think that’s what life is all about. Help me to see with your eyes, Lord! Blind me to the way the world sees so that I won’t give in to judging people on their looks or skin color or possessions or personality.”

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