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Catechist Handout

Week: 16

February, 24th 2019

Women in the Church

CATECHIST NOTES

For many Catholics Mary is seen an image, a symbol, an idea – not a person. How does this poor Jewish woman become central to both the Christian and Islamic faiths?

The point of this session is to introduce our students to the historical Mary and fill in the large gaps in our understanding of Mary as a person.

There is a great deal of diversity in the way Christians understand Mary. Non-Catholics often misunderstand Catholic beliefs about Mary. It is important for Catholics teens to understand what Catholics believe

about Mary why we believe these

things and how these beliefs

came to be and evolved over time.

BACKGROUND MATERIAL

Mary Mother of Jesus Documentary pt 1 - YouTube - This is an interesting perspective drawing on multiple theological perspectives and informed by both historical and archeological studies.

Mary & the Saints | Catholics Come Home – short basic article on Catholic doctrines about Mary.

OBJECTIVES

1. Affirm that women have been an important part of God’s plan for humanity from the very beginning.

2. The evidence of women’s role in God’s plan lies in the many women who appear in Scripture (both Old & New Testament).

3. For Christians the most important woman in scripture is Mary of Nazareth.

Clarify for teens what Catholics believe about Mary

4. Introduce the role of women as leaders and teachers through Church history

5. Explore how the role of women in the Church changed over time? Discuss how the teens view the role of women in the Church today?

6. Explore how women are essential in our community at Holy Family

OVERVIEW

1. 4:00-5:00 Teen Mass in the Church 2. 5- 5:15pm - Hospitality in the Narthex

3. 5:15-5:45 pm - Large Group/attendance in Church

a. Large Group Presentation in the Church by Dr. Peg

1. Women in the Scripture - brief slide presentation

2. Teens will fill in the box in the lower right hand corner of TH1

3. Mary in 2 minutes – Busted Halo (video clip)

4. Brief description of Catholic beliefs (doctrines) about Mary and how they differ from other Christian Churches

a. Mary, Mother of God, b. Immaculate Conception – conceived without sin c. Mary, ever Virgin d. Mary as Model Disciple e. Mary as Mother of the Church f. The Assumption of Mary, body and soul, into heaven.

5. Catholics do not worship Mary and the saints, Catholics venerate (honor) Mary and the saints.

6. Different cultures and different historical periods have advanced different images of Mary that are helpful to in that culture at that time in expressing our fundamental beliefs about Mary

Aflame with the

Holy

Spirit

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4. 5:55- 7:00pm Small Group Lesson Plan

LESSON COMPONENTS A. Community Building

B. Catholic Teaching/Insight (done in large group)

C. Scripture & Prayer

D. Shared experiences by adults and teens

E. Putting Faith Into Action

F. Announcements

Community Building Activity (5-6 minutes)

Eye Contact

This trust exercise requires no special equipment, just an even number of participants and a timer. Making eye contact is sometimes difficult for people, as it requires a certain amount of trust and respect. Some people avoid it, while others simply aren’t very good at it; they make look away often or appear awkward or uncomfortable, sometimes fidgeting with other objects. This exercise, though simple, can help group members become more comfortable and trusting of each other through the practicing of eye contact. For this activity, have people group into pairs and stand facing each other. The idea is to have them stare into their partner’s eyes for at least 60 seconds. Neither participant should be wearing glasses or sunglasses of any kind. There may be some giggles at first, as it can feel somewhat awkward during the first try, but as participants get the hang of it, it should become easier for them to make eye contact for prolonged amounts of time. If there is time have the pairs change up once.

Connection to the Lesson 1. Building trust within the group – making and KEEPING eye contact is and intimate act 2. Sometimes we need to look closely to see and understand the truth of our teachings and traditions and arrive at new perspectives.

Catholic Teaching/Insight- done in large group presentation

Review the teachings presented during the Large Group

(Powerpoint slides available on the CATECHIST PLACE website with

the lesson plan)

What are the authoritative sources for the Catholic understanding of Mary (scripture & tradition)

Was any of the material new to you?

Did the explanations presented make sense to you?

Do you still have questions about the teachings presented?

Did it make you think of Mary in a new or more nuanced way?

CATECHIST NOTES

Catechism of the Catholic Church - PART 1 SECTION 2 CHAPTER 3 ... – statement of official teaching.

Mary in the Catechism: The Four Marian Dogmas - Amazing Catechists – short article written for catechists

What About the Virgin Mary? (A Brief Catechism About Mary) – outlines the basic Catholic understanding of Mary and addresses challenges raised by other Christian sects about Catholic beliefs regarding Mary.

Mary of Nazareth: Friend of God and Prophet https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2000/06/17/mary-nazareth-friend-god-and-prophet insightful short article; theologically accurate, accessible for non-scholars At the beginning of small group make sure each teen has their Bible, TH and a pen or pencil. NOTE: The material presented in the large group is at the end of the TH, just as a reference. If you do not feel you can respond to a teen’s difficulty with one of the Marian doctrines tell them you will have a response for them next time.

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SCRIPTURE (15-20) A. Direct your teens to look up Galatians 3:27-28. Explain to them this

was an early formula used in instructing new Christians and was often incorporated into the early Baptismal liturgies. Have them mark this passage in their CYB (highlight, underline, make a margin note…).

B. Use the discussion questions provided on TH p.2. There are probably more than you need so choose the best for your group, but make sure you get to the last two.

SHARED EXPERIENCES BY ADULTS AND TEENS – (25-30 minutes)

Women in the Church

A. Have each group member share the biblical woman they thought of during large group and wrote down in the box on TH1

B. Have you or one of your peers share about a woman whose faith has made a difference in your life. Be sure to give concrete examples to show how that woman has influenced you specifically in terms of your faith. It can be a canonized saint or a woman you know/knew personally, living or deceased.

C. Ask your teens to think of a woman they know who has influenced their faith. If they are comfortable have them share their story with the group.

D. Some examples of women are in the TH pp. 2-3 to give them some suggestions.

PRAYER (5 min) A Prayer For The Times: Litany of Women for the Church | HuffPost

Complete copy on TH p. 4

Introduction (said in your own words)

Tonight for prayer we will pray a litany. A litany, which, in its original Greek

means a "supplication" or "petition," is used for a wide range of liturgical

occasions as well as group or private prayer. Litanies can be spoken or sung.

They use a call and response pattern - the leader of prayer reads the petitions

and the group responds with a simple phrase like Pray for us; Have mercy on us;

Hear Us, O Lord… This response serves as a mantra. The repetition creates a

rhythm which helps our minds focus. Litanies are generally structured around a

theme. There are literally hundreds of litanies available and faith communities

are still creating new litanies. The one we pray this evening focuses on women.

Putting Faith Into Action (5 minutes)

Have each teen fill in two of the What Have I Learned boxes on p. TH4

CATECHIST NOTES

Remember ‘active reading’ will increase participation in discussions. Don’t let teens drift off just because they are not reading the passage.

Mary becomes a model for us only if we can connect to her – if our experiences resonate with hers.

You have more discussion questions than you need. Pick and choose.

Using a litany Make sure you read over the litany before class. Feel free to only use some of the petitions . You can also add to the litany. Perhaps you want to use the beginning two paragraphs, the first 5 petitions and add the names of the biblical women significant for your teens (seethe box on TH p.1). Perhaps you use the opening paragraphs and have the teens call out the names of women whose faith has influenced them. Litanies are designed to be flexible. If your teens like this prayer form, there are other litanies you can use or construct in future classes. ANNOUNCMENTS

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LESSON PREPARATION NOTES:

Is there something I want to pick up or go over from last week’s class?

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My community building activity this week will be

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What parts of the lesson will the Peer Ministers lead/facilitate?

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Do I need anything from the Faith Office prior to class?

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Other________________________________________________________________

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CATECHIST NOTES

CATECHIST NOTES

Things I will need for class this

week:

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The Key Ideas/Objectives for

this week are

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Things I need to consult Mel

about

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