The following
web sites are worth exploring and contain resources that
you might find useful in your teaching ministry.
Web Site
Reviews
Molokai - the story of Fr Damien - this is a new WebQuest produced
by FaithCentral . Students are invited to view the movie “Molokai
– The Story of Fr Damien” and use the resources provided
to:
* Describe the life of a leper on Molokai. Design a timeline
of Fr Damien’s life.
* Draw a diagram of the process the Catholic Church follows
before naming someone as a saint.
* Design a poster symbolising Fr Damien’s life.
* Write a letter to the Pope about the canonization of Fr. Damien.
This is a beautifully set up WebQuest. As I went through it,
I could not but think how exciting it would be to teach this
unit and how fascinating it would be for the students.
"He didn't chase the snakes out of Ireland and he may
never have plucked a shamrock to teach the mystery of the
Trinity. Yet St. Patrick well deserves to be honored by the
people of Ireland—and by downtrodden and excluded people
everywhere."
May
the road rise up to meet you;
May the wind be always at your back,
The sun shine warm upon your face,
The rain fall soft upon your fields,
And until we meet again
May God hold you
in
the hollow of his hand.
St.
Patrick's Blessing
Youth
Update - Archive - Over 50 Youth Updates are available in
this archive. These bulletins are written for teens and topics
cover a broad range of themes related to the Catholic faith.
The
Center for Liturgy Sunday - This is part of the Saint Louis
University web site. "These pages, unlike most other web
pages, presume that the user will want to slow down, to contemplate
slowly and humanly the mysteries of the coming Sunday's Mass.
By doing this they would be ready to join the assembly in communal
prayer." The site offers:
Prayer about Sunday's Readings
Spirituality of Sunday's Mass
Information about the Readings
Musical Ideas for Sunday
A recent addition to the site is for students and provides
a wealth of resources to help them learn more about the liturgy.
Catholic
Religious Education Consultants of Ontario (CRECO) (no longer
available) -- This site was recommended by Fr Joseph Lee, Saint
Mark's College - Bosco Campus, Port Pirie SA , Australia. Fr.
Lee wrote: "It has extensively written programs, documented
for Canadian or rather Ontario specifications. Some of their
tables I found useful, eg. summary of main changes in the history
of the seven sacraments. Sometimes it links to worksheets."
If you did through the the various units of the grades 9 and
10 programs (under Religious Education course profiles for secondary
schools), you will find a number of interesting activities,
charts, evaluation rubrics, bibliographies, etc.
The web site also provides an extensive and useful listing
of links with annotations of sites of Interest to Religious
Educators.
(This site is unfortunately no longer available)
Faith-Quest:
The Land Where Jesus Walked Audience: RCIA participants, Junior and Senior High School
Students, and those who would like to take a virtual pilgrimage
to the Holy Land. Overview: Faith Quest offers an exciting way to explore
and deepen a Catholic's faith. This interactive web-based activity
opens up the opportunity for inquiring learners to virtually
visit a religious site like the Holy Land or to broaden personal
understanding and background regarding theological terms and
historical movements, e.g., the history of spirituality or the
organization of the Vatican.
The
Virtual Learning Community for Faith Formation (VLCFF) is
a growing initiative to offer adult religious education and
faith formation anytime and anywhere via the Internet. The goal
is to support the church's professional ministry of religious
education and faith formation in cyberspace.
Baptism of Jesus
The Rosary of Light: Internet Resources on the Baptism
of Jesus
Links
to images of the Baptism of Jesus - Over 50 links to pages
containing paintings of great masters and contemporary artists
who have explored the theme of the Baptism of our Lord..
www.word-sunday.com
has commentaries on the story of the Baptism of our Lord in
Matthew and Mark, one for adults and one for children. The latter
uses stories to explain the meaning of the texts. Good resources.
Here
are a few brief excerpts from various resources available on the
Internet on the Baptism of Jesus. You can read the rest of the
articles by clicking on the links provided.
"Note that Jesus does not contradict John when he says, “I
should be baptized by you!” In a very real way, John was
right. However, Jesus only says, “Give in for now.”
Jesus had a bigger plan in mind, and he was asking John to co-operate
by laying aside his own way of thinking “for now.” Does
God ever ask you to “give in” on smaller issues?"
- Exploring the Sunday and Holy Day Readings - The Baptism of
the Lord (Feast) from the William H. Sadlier, Inc.web site.
"The fact of Jesus' baptism has been a christological and
theological issue to be reckoned with almost since it happened.
After all, why would Jesus, who was sinless, participate in a
rite for sinners? Also, why would Jesus, the Messiah and clearly
superior to John the Baptist, submit to the authority of John?"
- Feast of the Baptism of The Lord. - Saint
Charles Borromeo Catholic Church of Picayune, MSA (pdf format).
"So
as to be available more to the graces of the readings and the
Eucharist, we might imagine Jesus standing knee-deep in the Jordan
River, clothes dripping and his face turned up towards the sky.
John the Baptist is ahead of Jesus standing on the bank and he
too seems to be listening to something up there." Daily Reflections
- Feast of the Baptism of the Lord by Larry Gillick, S.J. -
"Our Lord voluntarily submitted himself to the baptism of
St. John, intended for sinners, in order to "fulfil all righteousness."
Jesus' gesture is a manifestation of his self-emptying. The Spirit
who had hovered over the waters of the first creation descended
then on the Christ as a prelude of the new creation, and the Father
revealed Jesus as his "beloved Son." - CCC
#1224, see also #1123-1225
and #535
536.
" Tennyson writes: "I am part of all that I have met.
. ." When Jesus was baptized in the Jordan he plunged into
our humanity. Jesus was a part of all that he met, experiencing
a powerful solidarity with all humankind. Jesus was not aloof,
holding himself immune to the ambiguities of life. John the Baptist
objected to the request that Jesus be baptized by him. But the
Lord held firm and the baptism was accomplished. Humanity has
never been the same." - Respond
to what the Lord is asking - Baptism leads to holiness, community
and service, giving and hope by Bishop Robert Morneau
Upcoming Conferences& Forums
The 100th Annual NCEA Convention and Exposition - Let the
Centennial Begin! - April 22-25, 2003 - St. Louis, Missouri
11th Annual NPCD National Convocation - April 22-25, 2003 - Adam's
Mark Hotel, St. Louis, Missouri
your special
event news and we will post it here.
"Women's Voices Speaking Justice" is the theme of the
Women's Research Forum, a program of the Commission on Women
of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. The Commission,
in collaboration with the College of St. Catherine and the University
of St. Thomas, will sponsor the second biennial Women's Research
Forum on Saturday, April 5, at the University of St. Thomas St.
Paul campus. Keynote speaker is Margaret O'Brien Steinfels, recently
retired editor of Commonweal Magazine. Topics for discussion include
Revisiting the Health Care Issue; Domestic Violence; Perspective,
Pay and Policy: Valuing Women's Work; Vital Aging; Welfare and Housing,
and Women in Prison. Cost of the day ($45, $55 after March 15) includes
materials, continental breakfast and lunch; cost for students is
just $15. Contact Mary Treacy, Commission on Women, Archdiocese
of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, 651 291 4495 or commissiononwomen@archspm.org.
Request for Assistance
Help if you can! I'm a part time music teacher ... The principal
wants me to write a year end production to her theme "A Walk
With God". Do you know of any religious children's' musicals
I could buy that might fit this theme or close to it. Any help
would be appreciated. - Scott Reed - email: sreed@wheelingsymphony.org
Catholic Humour
Where is God!?
A desperate young mother had two incorrigible boys. Having exhausted
all suggestions for controlling the little hellions, she tried
one last approach: she took them to the meanest preacher in town
for a lecture.
First the older boy was admitted into the stern minister's study.
Glaring at the boy from behind the desk, the preacher waited
a few moments, then challenged the boy: "Young man, where
is God?"
The boy was stunned to silence.
The preacher rose part way out of his chair and repeated the
question: "I asked you, Where Is God?"
The boy began to quake with dread .... this was no ordinary lecture
for being bad!
Stepping around from behind the desk, the impassioned preacher
now shouted his question, "WHERE IS GOD!?"
At this, the boy leaped from his chair and bolted out the door,
running headlong into his little brother.
"What's wrong? What's the matter?" his brother asked.
........."It's awful! The church has LOST GOD and they're
BLAMING US!
Children's Letters to God
Dear GOD,
I love animals. My goal is to be like Noah and have two of each
in my room.
-Patrick
Dear GOD,
In school they told us what You do. Who does it when You are on
vacation?
-Jacqueline
Dear GOD,
I read the Bible. What does begat mean? Nobody will tell me.
Love, Alison
Dear GOD,
Did you mean for the giraffe to look like that or was it an accident?
-Christina
Dear GOD,
Instead of letting people die and having to make new ones, why
don't You just keep the ones You have now?
-Patrick
Dear GOD,
I went to this wedding and they kissed right in church. Is that
okay?
-Neil
More Letters of Children to God
---From
Catholic Jokes
Courtesy of CatholicSites.com
Comments. Suggestions. Submit resources., or information.
Write Gilles Côté Gilles Côté
Molokai - the story of Fr Damien - this is a new WebQuest produced
by FaithCentral . Students are invited to view the movie “Molokai
– The Story of Fr Damien” and use the resources provided
to:
