Service and Catholic Social Teachings – Catechist Lesson Plan

FLAME Lesson Week 5

October 25, 2015

OBJECTIVES For our teens to understand the difference between charity and social justice

For our teens to grow in understanding of Catholic Social Teachings and how participating in society through

service is connected to discipleship

For our teens to reflect upon the service they have done with the aim to continuing it in the future

For our teens to study scripture in the light of how we serve others, especially the least of us

For our teens and adults to continue our goal in Teen Faith to grow better disciples of Jesus Christ

OVERVIEW

I. 4:00-5:10pm- Teen Mass

II. 5:10-5:20pm - Hospitality in the Narthex

III. 5:20-5:30 - Large Group/attendance in Church

IV. 5:30- 7:00pm Small Group Lesson Plan o The lesson’s activities include the 6 components that should be in every faith lesson:

o Community Building

o Scripture

o Shared experiences by adults and teens

o Catholic Theology and learning

o I learned statements

o Putting our faith in action or lived experience.

o Please work through the lesson, choosing the activities you feel will best connect with your group.

o Stop by 645 to cover the remaining items:

o I Learned Allow time to share what the teens have learned. There is always a spot on the handout for the teens to write this portion of the lesson. This can be done verbally as well. It is important for you to be able to assess if the teens in your group are meeting the objectives of the lessons. Peer Ministers can be utilized here to help you make sure teens are engaged and learning. Encourage students to take packets home and share with their parents or families

o Social Action and Challenges for the week (Lived Experience) Discuss ways to put the ideas from tonight into action

o Closing Prayer & Dismissal: Ask group members to share personal intentions. End with your covenant prayer if you didn’t start with it.

Background for Catechists and Peers

Catholic Social Teaching:

Catholic social teaching is the body of doctrine developed by the Catholic Church on matters of social justice, involving issues of poverty and wealth, economics, social organization and the role of the state.

We can trace the beginnings of Catholic social teaching back to 1891 when Pope Leo XIII wrote the Encyclical Rerum Novarum. In this document, Pope Leo set out some basic guiding principles and Christian values that should influence the way societies and countries operate. It talked about the right, for example, to work, to own private property, to receive a just wage, and to organize into workers’ associations.

SEVEN THEMES OF CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING FROM THE US CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS

The Church's social teaching is a rich treasure of wisdom about building a just society and living lives of holiness amidst the challenges of modern society. Modern Catholic social teaching has been articulated through a tradition of papal, conciliar, and episcopal documents. The depth and richness of this tradition can be understood best through a direct reading of these documents. In these brief reflections, we highlight several of the key themes that are at the heart of our Catholic social tradition.

1. Life and Dignity of the Human Person

The Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society. This belief is the foundation of all the principles of our social teaching. In our society, human life is under direct attack from abortion and euthanasia. The value of human life is being threatened by cloning, embryonic stem cell research, and the use of the death penalty. The intentional targeting of civilians in war or terrorist attacks is always wrong. Catholic teaching also calls on us to work to avoid war. Nations must protect the right to life by finding increasingly effective ways to prevent conflicts and resolve them by peaceful means. We believe that every person is precious, that people are more important than things, and that the measure of every institution is whether it threatens or enhances the life and dignity of the human person.

2. Call to Family, Community, and Participation

The person is not only sacred but also social. How we organize our society -- in economics and politics, in law and policy -- directly affects human dignity and the capacity of individuals to grow in community. Marriage and the family are the central social institutions that must be supported and strengthened, not undermined. We believe people have a right and a duty to participate in society, seeking together the common good and well-being of all, especially the poor and vulnerable.

3. Rights and Responsibilities

The Catholic tradition teaches that human dignity can be protected and a healthy community can be achieved only if human rights are protected and responsibilities are met. Therefore, every person has a fundamental right to life and a right to those things required for human decency. Corresponding to these rights are duties and responsibilities--to one another, to our families, and to the larger society.

4. Option for the Poor and Vulnerable

A basic moral test is how our most vulnerable members are faring. In a society marred by deepening divisions between rich and poor, our tradition recalls the story of the Last Judgment (Mt 25:31-46) and instructs us to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first.

5. The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers

The economy must serve people, not the other way around. Work is more than a way to make a living; it is a form of continuing participation in God’s creation. If the dignity of work is to be protected, then the basic rights of workers must be respected--the right to productive work, to decent and fair wages, to the organization and joining of unions, to private property, and to economic initiative.

6. Solidarity We are one human family whatever our national, racial, ethnic, economic, and ideological differences. We are our brothers and sisters keepers, wherever they may be. Loving our neighbor has global dimensions in a shrinking world. At the core of the virtue of solidarity is the pursuit of justice and peace. Pope Paul VI taught that if you want peace, work for justice. The Gospel calls us to be peacemakers. Our love for all our sisters and brothers demands that we promote peace in a world surrounded by violence and conflict.

7. Care for God's Creation

We show our respect for the Creator by our stewardship of creation. Care for the earth is not just an Earth Day slogan; it is a requirement of our faith. We are called to protect people and the planet, living our faith in relationship with all of God’s creation. This environmental challenge has fundamental moral and ethical dimensions that cannot be ignored.

This summary should only be a starting point for those interested in Catholic social teaching. A full understanding can only be achieved by reading the papal, conciliar, and episcopal documents that make up this rich tradition. For a copy of the complete text of S ha r in g C at h o l ic Soc ia l

Te ach in g : Ch a l le n g es a nd D i r ec t io ns (No. 5-281) and other social teaching documents, call 800-235-8722. Copyright 2005, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Washington, D.C. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any

means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright holder.Publication No. 5-315 USCCB Communications

Washington, D.C. ISBN 1-57455-315-11 Paul VI, For the Celebration of the Day Of Peace (Rome: January 1, 1972). Text is drawn from Sh ar i ng C at ho l ic So c ia l Te a ch in g: Ch al l en ge s a nd Di re ct io ns (Washington, DC: USCCB, 1998) and F a i t h f u l C i t iz e nsh ip : A Ca th o l ic Ca l l t o

Po l i t ic a l R esp o ns ib i l i t y (Washington, DC: USCCB, 2003).

The Difference between Charity and Justice:

Charity Justice

Charity = social service. Charity

provides direct services like food,

clothing, shelter.

Justice = social change. Justice

promotes social change in

institutions or political structures.

Charity responds to immediate

needs.

Justice responds to long-term

needs.

Charity is directed at the effects of

injustice, its symptoms. Charity

addresses problems that already

exist. Otherwise put: LOVE MOPS

UP.

Justice is directed at the root

causes of social problems. Justice

addresses the underlying structures

or causes of these problems.

Otherwise put: JUSTICE TRIES

TO MAKE SURE THE MESS

ISN'T MADE TO BEGIN WITH.

Charity is private, individual acts. Justice is public, collective actions.

Examples of charity: homeless

shelters, food shelves, clothing

drives, emergency services.

Examples of justice: legislative

advocacy, changing policies and

practices, political action.

Biblical justice:

Throughout the Old Testament, references are made to taking care of the most vulnerable populations of the time: the orphans, the widows, the poor, the ill, the stranger (immigrant). We are also called to help the vulnerable of today’s world.

For more information, check out this article: http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/2010/summer/biblicaljustice.html

Community Building

Copy Cat Game:

To play this game, have one person be the Looker and a different person the Leader. While the game is being set up, the Looker stands outside the room. When the Looker is outside, a Leader is chosen from the rest of the group. The group sits in a circle and follows the actions of the Leader and try to not make it obvious who they are looking at. Actions could be patting hands on your head, rubbing your stomach, clapping—anything that is repetitive and easy to switch. Group members must pay attention to the Leader, because the action could change! The Looker enters into the room and tries to guess who the Leader is based on where people are looking or who they are following. Generally, the Looker can have 2-3 guesses to find the Leader. If the Looker gets it in that many guesses they win! To play again, choose a new Looker and Leader and start all over.

Connection to the lesson:

Sometimes there are currents or themes that we can’t immediately see

Sitting together to play can represent our connectivity as a community

Small Group Sharing Review the different aspects of Catholic social teaching (above)

o What does each aspect mean? How can we define each theme? o What do these themes have to do with us as individuals? o How are we called to fulfill the traditions of Catholic social teaching?

Optional Activity Show your class this video about a young life guard who was fired from his job for breaking a policy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zy0rQAEy9dc

Read James 2: 14-18 (on teen hand out)

Discussion Questions 1. Was what Tomas did right or wrong? Why? 2. Why do you think he made the choice he did? 3. What connection can we make from James 2 to this video? 4. What theme of Catholic social teaching does this example relate to? Why? 5. Would you have made the same choice?

Small Group Exercises Social Justice versus Charity

o Have the teens read out “The Two Feet of Love in Action” o Discuss what makes these two aspects of service different from one another

Try to add to the examples on each foot o Split the teens into pairs or have them work individually on The Two Feet of Service and

Justice chart, filling out examples of charity and social justice in the appropriate column o Have the teens share what they wrote—record answers if you want! o Discussion Questions

Is one ‘foot’ more important than the other? Were any of these examples more difficult than the other? How did you distinguish charity from social justice? Have you ever participated in charity? Social Justice? How could you do charity? How could you become involved in social justice?

Discussion of the ‘hot’ topics of the day o Let the kids read through the quotes and ask for any responses, favorites, etc. o Give an overview of the three topics (information found on Wikipedia):

Black Lives Matter: The Black Lives Matter movement campaigns against police brutality in the United States against African-Americans. The group received fresh impetus from the 2014 deaths of two unarmed African Americans. Several media organizations have referred to it as "a new civil rights movement." However, several conservative pundits have labeled the movement a "hate group."

Syrian Refugee Crisis: More than four million refugees of the Syrian Civil War have left the country during the course of the war. Most of them fled to neighboring Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, and Iraq, while thousands also ended up in more distant countries of the Caucasus, the Persian Gulf, North Africa and Europe. As of February 2015, Turkey has become the world's biggest refugee hosting country with 2.1 million Syrian refugees and had spent more than US$6 billion on direct assistance to refugees.

Global Climate Change: Possible societal responses to global warming include mitigation by emissions reduction, adaptation to its effects, building systems resilient to its effects, and possible future climate engineering. Most countries are parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), whose ultimate objective is to prevent dangerous anthropogenic climate change. The UNFCCC have adopted a range of policies designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to assist in adaptation to global warming. Parties to the UNFCCC have agreed that deep cuts in emissions are required.

o Split the teens up into three different topic groups, each discussing a different issue. Have the teens discuss what they think the Catholic social teachings call us to do in these situations. Have the teens think about what they, as teens, can do to create change in today’s world—specifically what acts of charity and social justice.

----- Please remember to dismiss class at 7:00PM only ----- Do not dismiss students earlier.

Catechist Checklist – Please fill out and turn in at the end of the night

We covered (check the ones covered):

□ Scripture □ Shared experience □ Catholic Theology

□ I learned □ Faith in Action □ handed out and used lesson sheets

Name a success with my group’s faith formation:

Biggest challenge with my group this week:

Feedback on lesson plan and handouts:

Name: