Discussion-Oriented
62 results
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Friendship and Forgiveness Prayer Space
An activity, including a discussion and a craft, on forgiving friends and family members, based on The Catholic Children’s Bible featured story “Jesus Teaches Us to Forgive”, Matthew 18:21–35.
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The Consequences of Moral Decisions
This handout examines how actions, attitudes, and decisions affect ourselves and the people around us
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Cases to Examine: Is This Euthanasia?
This handout provides three situations for students to read and evaluate. Students must decide if the story shows an example of Euthanasia.
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Symbol Interviews
A series of interview questions that students can ask married couples about symbols and marriage.
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Remembering My Confirmation
A worksheet where students are asked to interview several adults about their Confirmation experiences.
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Three Renewal Movements
Work with your group to complete the section of this handout that corresponds to your assigned topic.
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Creating a Promotional Brochure
Your group has been assigned to create a brochure about one of the two major religious orders to emerge during the Catholic Reformation: the Jesuits or the Carmelites. Imagine that you are members of this new religious order during the …
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Exploring Religious Orders and Congregations
A research assignment worksheet done in pairs to find important information about different religious orders.
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The Sacrament of Holy Orders Graphic Organizer
A worksheet completed in groups about the symbolic words and actions that take place during the Rite of Ordination, as well as their meaning and effect.
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The Threefold Ministry of a Bishop
This resource is a group activity worksheet that has students list examples of the Bishop’s roles in the areas of teaching, governing, and sanctifying.
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Marriage in the New Testament
A discussion-oriented worksheet on marriage in the New Testament.
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Marriage in the Old Testament
An activity that takes a look at marriage in the Old Testament.
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Why Sacramental Marriage?
A series of short questions on Sacramental Marriage to discuss with a group, or personally respond to.
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A Preassessment of My Knowledge of the Sacraments of Holy Orders and Matrimony
The leader’s copy of several preassessment questions and answers used to gauge students’ knowledge of the Sacraments of Holy Orders and Matrimony.
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If I Ruled the World
A worksheet that asks students to think about how they would solve different social justice issues if they ruled the world.
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Introspect and Interview
A worksheet on introspect and knowledge gained from interviews on important life issues including abortion, in vitro fertilization, stem-cell research, euthanasia, the death penalty, and immigration.
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Life in the Holy Spirit
A number of real-world scenarios that deal with the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit and the fruits of the Holy Spirit.
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The Meaning of Redemption (II)
A set of discussion questions centered around the meaning of Redemption: a matter of unconditional love, from "The Sacraments: Encounters with Christ."
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Sacramental Symbols in Scripture
A listing of scripture passages and complementary discussion questions from “The Sacraments: Encounters with Christ.”
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Preassessment
The Leader’s Guide for a preassessment of students’ knowledge of the Sacraments.
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Story Critique
Guidelines for critiquing “What is My Story?” from “The Sacraments: Encounters with Christ.”
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What Is My Story?
An activity based on reflecting on moments in your life in which you faced a significant challenge, from “The Sacraments: Encounters with Christ.”
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Using the Card Deal Method
An instructional guide for using the card deal method, from "Christian Morality: Our Response to God's Love."
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Red Card Green Card Process
The red card, green card process enables you to take a quick agree-or-disagree opinion poll to initiate discussion on a particular unit topic.
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Scripture Readings for Celebrating the Rite of Marriage
A list of Scripture readings that can be included in celebrating the Rite of Marriage, from "Christian Morality: Our Response to God's Love."
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Jigsaw Analysis of Primary Source Readings
A group activity dealing with the concept of human sexuality, from "Christian Morality: Our Response to God's Love."
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Unit 6 Preassessment Questions
A preassessment for Unit 6 of "Christian Morality: Our Response to God's Love."
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Martyrs in the Twentieth Century
A group discussion sheet on martyrs in the twentieth century, from "Christian Morality: Our Response to God's Love."
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Public Life and Faithful Citizenship
Group discussion questions, based on a reading assignment, on public life and faithful citizenship, from "Christian Morality: Our Response to God's Love."
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What is a Sin against the First and Second Commandment
A small group activity on sins against the first and second commandment, from "Christian Morality: Our Response to God's Love."
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Psalms of Praise
An activity dealing with the Psalms of Praise, from "Christian Morality: Our Response to God's Love."
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Determing the Elements of Human Acts
A worksheet on determining the elements of human acts from "Christian Morality: Our Response to God's Love."
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Survey Summary Life in Christ
A survey summary for "Christian Morality: Our Response to God's Love."
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Finding Salt and Light for the World
This worksheet is part of the Living in Christ Series. It helps students reflect on various gifts, skills and virtues they might posesses in order to discern specific ministries they might be good at.
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The Prodigal Son A Story of Conversion
This worksheet is part of the Living in Christ Series. Students can reflect on and answer questions about the conversion of the Prodigal Son.
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Music and Liturgy
This activity is part of the Living in Christ Series. Students can reflect on various songs and pieces of music in the liturgy to come to a greater understanding.
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Reflections on Suffering
This activity is part of the Living in Christ Series. Students can reflect on their experiences of and response to suffering through this series of though-provoking questions.
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Common Beliefs about Suffering
This activity allows students to reflect on a series of questions about human suffering and God's participation in it. They can agree or disagree with various statements of commonly held beliefs about suffering.
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Why We Go to Mass Reflection and Discussion Questions
This activity is part of the Living in Christ Series. Students are asked to reflect on and discuss the significance of the Mass through these questions.
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Redemptive Love in The Spitfire Grill
This worksheet is part of the Living in Christ Series. Students can answer questions about the themes and characters in the movie, "The Spitfire Grill".
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Symbols of Baptism
This activity is part of the Living in Christ Series. It invites students to reflect on the significance of key symbols used in baptism.
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The Baptism of Jesus
This activity is part of the Living in Christ Series. Students can read the account of Jesus' baptism and answer questions about it.
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Interview Questions about Your Baptism
This activity is part of the Living in Christ Series. Students ask the provided to questions to adults who can tell them about the details of that student's baptism. A reflection on the significance of the sacrament is done at …
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Using the Lectionary to Understand How God’s Ancient Promises Are Fulfilled in Jesus
This activity is part of the Living in Christ Series. Students can use this handout to explore some Old Testament prophecies that find their fulfillment in Jesus Christ.
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Redemptive Love: Simon Birch
This activity is part of the Living in Christ Series. Students watching the movie "Simon Birch" can use this handout to follow along and reflect on major themes in the film.
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Where Have Jesus, Mary, the Apostles, Disciples, and Others Modeled the Ways to Discipleship?
This activity is part of the Living in Christ Series. Students are asked to reflect on the discipleship modeled by Jesus, Mary, the Apostles, and others.
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Leadership Statements
This worksheet is part of the Living in Christ Series. It includes several statesments about leadership in the Bible, including who's called, what skills are necessary, and what it takes to be a good leader.
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Word-Association Exercise: Afterlife
(30 minutes) Prior to this exercise, have the all participants (including the facilitator) bring to the session a personal symbol. This symbol should be an object from among the participant's personal belongings that acts as a reminder of a much …
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Who Does the Movie Say Killed Jesus?
Much of the controversy about The Passion of the Christ centers around one question: Who killed Jesus? The Anti-Defamation League feels the movie lays the blame at the feet of the Jews. Mel Gibson, the movie's director, producer and cowriter, …
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January 22: Saying Yes to Life
Preparation Bring in pictures of fetal development. 1. Present a scenario in which a girl like those in your group experiences a crisis pregnancy. Then list on the board a number of options, such as these: She can keep the …
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A New Rock: Adaptations for Home Use
These activities are easily adapted for family members at home. When gathered for a meal, or for the specific purpose of these activities, family members can do one activity, a couple, or all of them, depending on the amount of time …
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Frequently Asked Questions About the Pope
What is the pope? The pope is the bishop of the Church of Rome, Italy. Because of the importance of Rome, Tradition recognizes the pope as the supreme pastor of all Christians. Why is the Church of Rome so important? …
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The Color Purple
A CAUTIONARY NOTE: One of the criticisms of The Color Purple is that it depicts the men in the story as primarily abusive. Also, this movie is PG-13, mostly because of the violence and strong language. We recommend the movie …
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Sacraments Outside the Box
I'm sure that one of the first things you did when you returned to school in September was to check your faculty mailbox. Most schools have a bank of neatly labeled cubbyholes. Get an image in your mind's eye: some …
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Six Ways to be Truly Catholic
I always thought that I would have made a great archbishop in Salzburg during the time of Mozart. But instead I'm the archbishop of Milwaukee in the time of rock 'n' roll. That's the way life turns out. We live …
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Using Literature in Theology Classes
Editor's note: The author of our feature article, Kathleen Hodapp, was one of the participants in last summer's workshop "The Catholic High School As Faith Community," held here in Winona, Minnesota, as well as on the East Coast and the …
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Expect Much, Praise Much, Be Present to Them
Course materials, such as the high school religion textbooks and teacher's manuals published by Saint Mary's Press, are a significant ingredient in the education of our young people. But we all know that the most important factor in a student's …
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Kinds of Relationships
Margaret Kueberth, a religion teacher at the Catholic High School of Baltimore, passed on two of her exercises that can be used in a sexuality or lifestyles course. The first exercise, which can be made into a handout, serves as …
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The Mirror Has Two Faces
We live in a culture obsessed with sex, and our students soak up that message in music, television, and film. I am astounded at how explicit the sexual dynamics, innuendo, and situations in typical teen dramas (witness "Dawsons Creek," "Felicity," …