following christ, faith and life series: grade 6 the …holyfamilyduxbury.org/media/1/grade 6...

Grade 6

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FOLLOWING CHRIST, Faith and Life Series: Grade 6 The Ten Commandments & The Order of the Mass LESSON #1 - Chapter 1 God Gives Us the Law Objective: The students will learn that God created the world to be good and orderly, and that he established the universal divine laws in his creation. He also made man with free will but also established divine and natural laws to govern His creation. Following these laws will keep us happy. The most important of these is to love God and our neighbors as ourselves. Open with a Prayer: Our Father, Hail Mary

Ice Breaker – Take As Much As You Want!

Before you begin your lesson, have a roll of toilet paper on hand! Explain to the

children that they will need this for the next activity. Tell students that you're going to

pass around the roll. Invite students to take as much as they want. One middle school

teacher invites students to "take as much as you need to complete the job." She doesn't

tell them what the job is though! After everyone has had a good laugh over the

amount of paper they took, explain how the game works.

For every piece of toilet paper the students ripped off, they must tell the class one

thing about themselves. Some realize they took quite a bit of toilet paper, but with a

little prompting and probing from the teacher, they will find things to share. As an

extra twist, you might have students say what their favorite thing about going to

religious education is when they get to the last piece. This activity provides a nice way

to find out about students' personalities, families, likes, and dislikes -- and the

students really love it!

Tell the students: Welcome them to their 6th grade class. Explain that this year they

are going to be focusing on the Ten Commandments, prayer, the Beatitudes, on the

Mass, and on the New Covenant established by Jesus Christ. Spend some time going

through the layout of their textbook with them and explain their workbooks and how

they will be used this year.

Teach: Ask students:

1. How can we tell that there is a Creator, who is God our Father? (everything

comes from something; if everything comes from something, there must have been a

first something which was not created from something else; something must have

started everything else moving; if everything has a design or order, there must be a

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designer or some great intelligence that ordered everything; the fact that we innately

know what’s right or wrong [fair or unfair] tells us there must be an organizer)

2. How do we know that God wants to be part of our lives? (we have the complete

story of God’s interaction with his chosen people throughout the Bible; in each

situation, God was there calling us back to him; each time we strayed, God gave us

another opportunity to return to him by creating a new covenant)

3. Has anyone ever heard the word “covenant” before? (Show of hands)

4. What do you think “covenant” means? (a covenant is a promise between God and

us, whereby we fulfill a commitment to God and he promises to respond to us in love)

5. What do you think is the most important thing that God would want from us?

(answers will vary; try to help them to understand that more than anything, God

wants us to love him and to want to be close to him)

Read Chapter 1, beginning with the top of page 13 continuing through the second

paragraph of “The Master Plan” section (finish with “but he also gave men [and

women] free will, allowing them to decide for themselves what they would do.”).

Teach: Ask students:

1. Who remembers the story of Adam & Eve? (allow one student to relate as much of

the story as they can or read the Bible to them, Genesis Chapter 3, verses 1-7 [Gen 3:1-

7])

2. What happened to Adam and Eve when God discovered that they had

disobeyed him? (he banished them from the perfect life they had in the Garden of

Eden, and told them they would now experience suffering and death)

3. God was angry, but did he abandon Adam and Eve? (no, he created a new

promise [covenant] when he told Adam & Eve that he would send a Redeemer for

humankind – he will strike at the snake’s head, ie., he will attack evil)

Tell the students: “But people still had a hard time obeying God, no matter how

many times God gave them second chances. Finally, God gave the people of Israel the

Ten Commandments through Moses, which became their rules to live by. When Jesus

came, he did not change the Ten Commandments; in fact he said he was not here to

change the Laws or what the prophets had said; he was here to fulfill all the promises

God had made to the people of Israel from the beginning.”

Read: Matthew Chapter 5, verses 17, 18, and 19 (Mt 5:17-19) out loud to the students.

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“The Ten Commandments can often be used as a way to reflect on your day, to make

sure you haven’t made an error in the way you’ve behaved during the day. They can

also be used before the Sacrament of Penance to help you remember those behaviors

you need to confess to Father.

“Let’s spend a few minutes at the end of this class, walking through our day,

reflecting on any of the things we might have done which were unkind, thoughtless,

or hurtful to others and to God.”

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An Examination of Conscience

1. First Commandment - I am the Lord your God; You shall have no other gods before me

Do you make unreasonable demands on your parents for clothes or money?

Do you skip church in order to watch a favorite TV show or attend a sports event

instead?

2. Second Commandment – Do not use the name of the Lord in vain.

Do you use language that you would never speak in front of your grandmother?

Is your language a reflection of a low opinion of others and insults?

3. Third Commandment - Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy

Do you skip Mass because few of your friends go to church or because you feel that the

gift of God’s presence should be as entertaining as MTV?

4. Fourth Commandment - Honor your father and your mother

Do you thank your parents for what they do for you?

Do you offer to help around the house?

Do you value your family members as much as you do your friends?

5. Fifth Commandment - You shall not kill

Do you value your life and that of others?

Do you respect all people, even those who are different from you, or are handicapped or

aged?

6. Sixth Commandment – Do not commit adultery

Do you use other people for your own selfish pleasure?

Do you lie to get others to act against their values?

7. Seventh Commandment – Do not steal

Do you cheat on tests or homework?

Do you ever shoplift or take things that don't belong to you?

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8. Eighth Commandment – Do not bear false witness

Do you gossip or pass on rumors that hurt other people?

Can you be trusted to keep a confidence?

Do you lie to protect your own ego, even if someone will be hurt?

9. Ninth Commandment – Do not envy your neighbor’s wife

Are you envious of others? Do you resent their popularity or success?

Do you treat members of the opposite gender with respect?

Have you ever done something to harm the relationship between two people?

10. Tenth Commandment – Do not envy your neighbor’s goods

Are you jealous if your friends have more than you do?

Do you complain to your parents that you want to have the same “stuff” that others of

your friends have?

Do you get jealous if one of your siblings wins a competition or receives something that

you don’t have?

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FOLLOWING CHRIST, Faith and Life Series: Grade 6 The Ten Commandments & The Order of the Mass LESSON #2 - Chapter 2 The First Commandment in Our Own Day Objective: The students will learn that the First Commandment teaches us that there is only one, true God. We should revere God and believe all that he has revealed to us; we should avoid engaging in superstitions, heresy (untrue teaching about God), and worshipping false idols. Open with a Prayer: Our Father, Hail Mary. Review with the students the Apostle Creed (found on pg 147, blue pages of their text books). Teach: “What is the opening line of the Lord’s Prayer? (Our Father who art in Heaven). Since we were very little, we have heard that God is our Father in Heaven. He is not some distant being who doesn’t pay attention to us; he always remains close to us, even when we fail to think of him or even if we chose to do something wrong – God still stays close to us. “Listen to the words of Psalm 139 from the Psalms of David in the Old Testament (you may also get Bibles from room 14 and ask the students to find it):”

O LORD, you have probed me, you know me:

2 2 you know when I sit and stand; you understand my thoughts from afar.

3

My travels and my rest you mark; with all my ways you are familiar.

4

Even before a word is on my tongue, LORD, you know it all.

5

Behind and before you encircle me and rest your hand upon me.

6

Such knowledge is beyond me, far too lofty for me to reach.

7

Where can I hide from your spirit? From your presence, where can I flee?

8

If I ascend to the heavens, you are there; if I lie down in Sheol, you are there too.

9 3 If I fly with the wings of dawn and alight beyond the sea,

10

Even there your hand will guide me, your right hand hold me fast.

11 4 If I say, "Surely darkness shall hide me, and night shall be my light" --

12

Darkness is not dark for you, and night shines as the day. Darkness and light are but

one.

http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/psalms/psalm139.htm#foot2



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13

You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother's womb.

14

I praise you, so wonderfully you made me; wonderful are your works! My very self you

knew;

15 5 my bones were not hidden from you, When I was being made in secret, fashioned as in

the depths of the earth.

16

Your eyes foresaw my actions; in your book all are written down; my days were

shaped, before one came to be.

17

How precious to me are your designs, O God; how vast the sum of them!

18

Were I to count, they would outnumber the sands; to finish, I would need eternity…

23

Probe me, God, know my heart; try me, know my concerns.

24 6 See if my way is crooked, then lead me in the ancient paths.

Ask students:

1. What are some of the lines or words from Psalm 139 that tell us how God feels

about us? (answers will vary; highlighted lines)

2. How can we know, aside from what our Faith tells us, that God exists? (include

beauty/balance of nature, the infinitesimal possibility that our complex earth could have

happened by chance, must have some intelligent designer or creator. Example, point out

that if we saw a beautiful painting on the wall, we would not say, “Isn’t it amazing that

those colors just jumped up on the canvass and happened to create a perfect painting of

Duxbury Beach?” ). F.Y.I. Some examples of knowing God from reason:

Argument from Design – that which has a design must have a designer. Ask students for examples of things which have been designed: painting, jewelry, clothing, design of human brain, design of world for human habitation. First-Cause Argument – that everything is dependent upon another (previous generation) for its existence. But there must be one who is independent = the first-cause. Ask for examples from second week: human beings must have parents, who have parents, who have parents, etc.; oak trees come from acorns which come from oak trees which come from acorns, etc.; but there must be something that came into existence independent of anything else and from which the rest of creation owes its existence – we can call this first thing God. Argument from Conscience – that everyone knows intuitively that he/she must do good things and avoid evil. It speaks to our general sense that things are either fair (or right) or unfair (or wrong). This sense of doing good comes from the source of all goodness – God.



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Pascal’s Wager - either God exists or He does not exist, and we must of necessity lay odds

for or against Him (using theories of probabilities):

If I wager for and God is = infinite gain; If I wager for and God is not = no loss; finite gain of having lived a “good” life; If I wager against and God is = infinite loss; If I wager against and God is not = neither loss nor gain; have not lived a “good”

life.

3. So, how does knowing about the existence of God change the way we should live?

Treat others? Take care of our world? (God’s profound love for us should be returned

from us through our showing love for others and for our actions/our responsibility toward

caring for our world - answers will vary)

4. When did God begin to exist? (God has no beginning and no end)

Emphasize: Help the students understand that God wants us to have a close relationship

with him. “He understands who we are; he knows we make mistakes sometimes and

choose to do the wrong thing, but he hopes that we will always turn back to him and say

we’re sorry. He always forgives.

The one thing he asks of us is that we honor and worship him above everything else. Let’s

read a story from scripture about a rich young man who wished to be a follower of Jesus:”

Read: Have student volunteers read Chapter 2, subsection “The Rich Young Man” (pg

18, student text) or you could go around the room allowing each student to read one

paragraph, or (this will get them if they’re not paying attention) have their names on

slips of paper and randomly select names for each line.

1. To help the children integrate what they have learned so far, ask the students,

“Why did the rich man turn away sadly?” (he was not able to love God more than he

loved his possessions)

2. Does that mean we can’t own possessions? (absolutely not! We can still own things,

but we shouldn’t ‘love’ them more than God; we should also be able to set them aside to

show God that we care more about him than about things we own)

3. Going to Mass every Sunday is one way we can show God we love him. What

might be some reasons someone would not go to Mass on Sunday? (answers will

vary; sports, TV show, too tired, etc.)

4. What are some of the things we can do if we have conflicts on Sunday mornings?

(answers will vary -- go on Saturday 5 pm Mass, ask for a ride from a friend who goes to

Holy Family, try changing the schedule of the conflict, pray for help)

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06608a.htm






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Emphasize: “Prayer is a very important part of our relationship with God, and there are

several different kinds of prayer, some of which you are already familiar with or may

already be participating in. Let’s turn to Chapter 3 to hear more about prayer.”

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THE APOSTLES’ CREED The Apostles’ Creed is the Church’s statement of beliefs. If you read the creed carefully, you can see that what it is really saying is that we believe in God, in His son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Spirit. It also says we believe in the holy Catholic Church, in the community of all saints, in the forgiveness of sins, and in eternal life with God in heaven. Most theologians agree that the creed was created within the first 100 to 200 years after Jesus’ death and resurrection. Over the years, the words have changed but only very slightly. Every Sunday at Mass, the entire congregation recites another version of the creed called The Nicene Creed. It is a little longer, but it is the same set of beliefs. I believe in God,

The Father Almighty,

Creator of heaven and earth;

And in Jesus Christ,

His only Son, Our Lord,

Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

Born of the Virgin Mary.

He suffered under Pontius Pilate,

Was crucified, died, and was buried.

He descended into Hell.

On the third day he rose again.

He ascended into heaven,

And is seated at the right hand of God,

The Father Almighty.

He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

The holy Catholic Church,

The communion of saints,

The forgiveness of sins,

The resurrection of the body,

And life everlasting.

Amen.

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Chapter 3 Prayer – Hidden Treasure Objective: The students will learn that prayer is part of the First Commandment and is another way we can show God how important he is in our lives. Prayer is a conversation with God; God always listens to our prayers. The students will learn some of the different kinds of prayer.

Read: Have student volunteers read Chapter 3, “introductory” paragraphs and

subsection “Our Need to Pray” (pg 21-22, student text) or you could go around the

room allowing each student to read one paragraph, or have their names on slips of

paper and randomly select names for each line (this will get them if they’re not paying

attention).

1. To help the children integrate what they have learned so far, ask the students, “So,

what is prayer?” (raising of heart and mind to God)

2. Does anyone remember the two kinds of prayer? (Mental and vocal)

3. What should we do if we just don’t feel like praying? (we should pray anyway as a

way to show God how much we love him)

4. What if we begin daydreaming and our minds begin to wander? (we should return

to prayer as soon as we realize we have become distracted)

5. What are some of the things we should say to God? Does God always hear our

prayers? (yes! – thank him for our blessings [Thanksgiving]; to ask for help in whatever

we need [Supplication]; to praise God [Adoration], to ask for forgiveness for our sins

[Contrition])

Read: Have student volunteers continue reading Chapter 3, subsection “Particular

Prayers” (pg 22-23, student text) in whichever way works best for your class:


“What is the name of the special prayers that all priests and other clergy are

required to pray each day? (the Liturgy of the Hours or Divine Office) Could we pray

it, too? (yes, we are invited to pray it as well – have the children turn to page 148, blue

pages of their text, and find the prayer called the Angelus. Read through the prayer with

you taking the part of the leader and the children taking the responses. Explain that this

was traditionally a prayer recited at noon by all Catholics. That is why our Holy Family

Church bells ring every day at noon.)

2. “Does anyone know what the Rosary is? Have you ever prayed the rosary?”

(answers will vary)

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3. Can anyone tell us what the basic prayers of the rosary are? (Apostles’ Creed, the

Lord’s Prayer [Our Father], the Hail Mary, and the Glory Be)

Pass out the plastic rosaries and show the children the different parts of the rosary, and

which beads represent the different prayers. To help you out, I will have rosary

brochures to give the students. Also, use page 11 in their workbooks as a supplement if

you have time. Collect the rosaries when you have finished; the students should keep

the rosary brochures.

Give each student a rosary ring to keep before you say the closing prayer (we will

provide these for your students). They can be encouraged to keep them in their pockets,

key rings, or purses as a reminder to spend time in prayer every day.

Emphasize: “Prayers to God do not need to be complicated. They can be as simple as

‘Thank you, God (or Lord or Jesus)’ or as intricate as the Liturgy of the Hours or Divine

Office which priests and deacons say each day. The important thing is to find time every

day to have a conversation with God.”

Conclude with the Hail Mary and the Apostles’ Creed (pg 147, student text blue pages).

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FOLLOWING CHRIST, Faith and Life Series: Grade 6 The Ten Commandments & The Order of the Mass LESSON #3 - Chapter 4 (45 minutes) Saints – They Made the Most of It Objective: The students will learn that saints are our older brothers and sisters in faith who have passed on to eternal life with God. They loved God so much while they were here on earth that they have gone directly to heaven. They are part of the Communion of Saints and are our intercessors in prayer to God. (Tear out page 13 in the student workbooks and pass them out at the end of class to conclude their class time or to take home for fun if you do not have enough time) Open with a Prayer: Our Father, Hail Mary. Review with the students the Apostle Creed (found on pg 147, blue pages of their text books). Teach: “Today we are going to begin the class by learning about saints of the Catholic Church.

1. Does anyone know what a ‘saint’ is? (saints are the souls united forever with God in

heaven -- not the New Orleans Saints, winners of 2010 Super Bowl ).

2. Are saints angels? (no, they started out as people just like we are; they are part of the

Communion of Saints that we state our belief in in our Apostles’ Creed)

3. Who can be a saint? (any one of us; we are all called to love and follow God to become a

saint)

Let’s begin reading Chapter 4 to learn more about whom some of these saints are:”

Read: Have student volunteers read Chapter 4, (pg 25-28, student text) and all

subsections, or you could go around the room allowing each student to read one

paragraph or (this will get them if they’re not paying attention) have their names on

slips of paper and randomly select names for each line.


“What is the Church Victorious?” (the saints in heaven)

6. How do the saints in heaven help us? (they ‘intercede’ on our behalf by ‘speaking up’ to

God for us; we can ask them to be our intercessors in our own prayer to God.)

7. What’s a patron saint? (a saint for whom you were named; a saint whose ‘saint’s day’

you share – birthday)

Emphasize: “One of our most beloved and well-known saints is St. Francis of Assisi.

Does anyone know anything about St. Francis? (show of hands; call on some). Now, I’m

going to read you a story about St. Francis:”

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St. Francis of Assisi

Feastday: October 4

Patron and Animals, Merchants & Ecology

b.1181 d.1226

Founder of the Franciscan Order, born at Assisi, (Italy) in

Umbria, in 1181.

In 1182, Pietro Bernardone returned from a trip to

France to find out his wife had given birth to a son.

Far from being excited or apologetic because he'd

been gone, Pietro was furious because she'd had his

new son baptized Giovanni after John the Baptist.

The last thing Pietro wanted in his son was a man of

God -- he wanted a man of business, a cloth

merchant like he was, and he especially wanted a son

who would reflect his infatuation with France. So he

renamed his son Francesco -- which is the equivalent

of calling him Frenchman.

Francis enjoyed a very rich easy life growing up

because of his father's wealth and the permissiveness of the times. From the beginning

everyone -- and I mean everyone -- loved Francis. He was constantly happy,

charming, and a born leader. If he was picky, people excused him. If he was ill, people

took care of him. If he was so much of a dreamer he did poorly in school, no one

minded. In many ways he was too easy to like for his own good. No one tried to

control him or teach him.

As he grew up, Francis became the leader of a crowd of young people who spent their

nights in wild parties. He attracted to himself a whole retinue of young people

addicted to evil and accustomed to vice. Francis himself said, "I lived in sin" during

that time.

Francis fulfilled every hope of his father's -- even falling in love with France. He loved

the songs of France, the romance of France, and especially the free adventurous

troubadours of France who wandered through Europe. And despite his dreaming,

Francis was also good at business. But Francis wanted more…more than wealth. But

not holiness! Francis wanted to be a noble, a knight. Battle was the best place to win

http://www.catholic.org/saints/f_day/

http://www.catholic.org/saints/patron.php

http://www.catholic.org/encyclopedia/view.php?id=1167


http://www.catholic.org/bible/book.php?id=50









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the glory and prestige he longed for. He got his first chance when Assisi declared war

on their longtime enemy, the nearby town of Perugia.

Most of the troops from Assisi were butchered in the fight. Only those wealthy

enough to expect to be ransomed were taken prisoner. At last Francis was among the

nobility like he always wanted to be...but chained in a harsh, dark dungeon. All

accounts say that he never lost his happy manner in that horrible place. Finally, after a

year in the dungeon, he was ransomed. Strangely, the experience didn't seem to

change him. He gave himself to partying with as much joy and abandon as he had

before the battle.

The experience didn't change what he wanted from life either: Glory. Finally a call for

knights for the Fourth Crusade gave him a chance for his dream. But before he left

Francis had to have a suit of armor and a horse -- no problem for the son of a wealthy

father. And not just any suit of armor would do but one decorated with gold with a

magnificent cloak. Francis stated that he would return a prince.

But Francis never got farther than one day's ride from Assisi. There he had a dream in

which God told him he had it all wrong and told him to return home. And return

home he did. What must it have been like to return without ever making it to battle --

the boy who wanted nothing more than to be liked was humiliated, laughed at, called

a coward by the village and raged at by his father for the money wasted on armor.

Francis' conversion did not happen overnight. God had waited for him for twenty-five

years and now it was Francis' turn to wait. Francis started to spend more time in

prayer. He went off to a cave and wept for his sins. Sometimes God's grace

overwhelmed him with joy. But life couldn't just stop for God. There was a business to

run, customers to wait on.

One day while riding through the countryside, Francis, the man who loved beauty,

who was so picky about food, who hated deformity, came face to face with a leper.

Repelled by the appearance and the smell of the leper, Francis

nevertheless jumped down from his horse and kissed the hand of

the leper. When his kiss of peace was returned, Francis was filled

with joy. As he rode off, he turned around for a last wave, and

saw that the leper had disappeared. He always looked upon it as

a test from God...that he had passed.

His search for conversion led him to the ancient church at San

Damiano. While he was praying there, he heard Christ on the















http://www.catholic.org/clife/jesus

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crucifix speak to him, "Francis, repair my church." Francis assumed this meant church

with a small c -- the crumbling building he was in. Acting again in his impetuous way,

he took fabric from his father's shop and sold it to get money to repair the church.

Pietro, his father, saw this as an act of theft -- and put together with Francis'

cowardice, waste of money, and his growing disinterest in money made Francis seem

more like a madman than his son. Pietro dragged Francis before the bishop and in

front of the whole town demanded that Francis return the money and renounce all

rights as his heir.

The bishop was very kind to Francis; he told him to return the money and said God

would provide. That was all Francis needed to hear. He not only gave back the money

but stripped off all his clothes -- the clothes his father had given him -- until he was

wearing only a hair shirt. In front of the crowd that had gathered he said, "Pietro

Bernardone is no longer my father. From now on I can say with complete freedom,

'Our Father who art in heaven.'"

Francis went back to what he considered God's call. He begged for stones and rebuilt

the San Damiano church with his own hands, not realizing that it was the Church

with a capital C that God wanted repaired. Scandal and avarice were working on the

Church from the inside while outside heresies flourished by appealing to those

longing for something different or adventurous.

Soon Francis started to preach. (He was never a priest, though he was later ordained a

deacon under his protest.) Francis was not a reformer; he preached about returning to

God and obedience to the Church. Francis must have known about the decay in the

Church, but he always showed the Church and its people his utmost respect.

Slowly companions came to Francis, people who wanted to follow his life of sleeping

in the open, begging for garbage to eat...and loving God. With companions, Francis

knew he now had to have some kind of direction to this life so he opened the Bible in

three places. He read the command to the rich young man to sell all his goods and

give to the poor, the order to the apostles to take nothing on their journey, and the

demand to take up the cross daily. "Here is our rule," Francis said -- as simple, and as

seemingly impossible, as that. He was going to do what no one thought possible any

more -- live by the Gospel.

Francis never wanted to found a religious order -- this former knight thought that

sounded too military. He thought of what he was doing as expressing God's

brotherhood. His companions came from all walks of life, from fields and towns,

nobility and common people, universities, the Church, and the merchant class. Francis












http://www.catholic.org/bible




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practiced true equality by showing honor, respect, and love to every person whether

they were beggar or pope.

Francis' brotherhood included all of God's creation. Much has been written about

Francis' love of nature but his relationship was deeper than that. We call someone a

lover of nature if they spend their free time in the woods or admire its beauty. But

Francis really felt that nature, all God's creations, were part of his brotherhood. The

sparrow was as much his brother as the pope.

In one famous story, Francis preached to hundreds of birds about being thankful to

God for their wonderful clothes, for their independence, and for God's care. The story

tells us the birds stood still as he walked among him, only flying off when he said

they could leave.

Another famous story involves a wolf that had been eating human beings. Francis

intervened when the town wanted to kill the wolf and talked the wolf into never

killing again. The wolf became a pet of the townspeople who made sure that he

always had plenty to eat.

Following the Gospel literally, Francis and his companions went out to preach two by

two. At first, listeners were understandably hostile to these men in rags trying to talk

about God's love. People even ran from them for fear they'd catch this strange

madness! And they were right. Because soon these same people noticed that these

barefoot beggars wearing sacks seemed filled with constant joy. They celebrated life.

And people had to ask themselves: Could one own nothing and be happy? Soon those

who had met them with mud and rocks, greeted them with bells and smiles.

Francis did not try to abolish poverty, he tried to make it holy. When his friars met

someone poorer than they, they would eagerly rip off the sleeve of their habit to give

to the person. They worked for all necessities and only begged if they had to. But

Francis would not let them accept any money. He told them to treat coins as if they

were pebbles in the road. When the bishop showed horror at the friars' hard life,

Francis said, "If we had any possessions we should need weapons and laws to defend

them." Possessing something was the death of love for Francis. Also, Francis reasoned,

what could you do to a man who owns nothing? You can't starve a fasting man, you

can't steal from someone who has no money, you can't ruin someone who hates

prestige. They were truly free.

Francis was a man of action. His simplicity of life extended to ideas and deeds. If there

was a simple way, no matter how impossible it seemed, Francis would take it. So











http://www.catholic.org/clife/lent/abfast.php




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when Francis wanted approval for his brotherhood, he went straight to Rome to see

Pope Innocent III. You can imagine what the pope thought when this beggar

approached him! As a matter of fact he threw Francis out. But when he had a dream

that this tiny man in rags held up the tilting Lateran basilica, he quickly called Francis

back and gave him permission to preach.

Francis acted quickly because he acted from the heart; he didn't have time to put on a

role. Once he was so sick and exhausted, his companions borrowed a mule for him to

ride. When the man who owned the mule recognized Francis he said, "Try to be as

virtuous as everyone thinks you are because many have a lot of confidence in you."

Francis dropped off the mule and knelt before the man to thank him for his advice.

Another example of his directness came when he decided to go to Syria to convert the

Moslems while the Fifth Crusade was being fought. In the middle of a battle, Francis

decided to do the simplest thing and go straight to the sultan to make peace. When he

and his companion were captured, the real miracle was that they weren't killed.

Instead Francis was taken to the sultan who was charmed by Francis and his

preaching. He told Francis, "I would convert to your religion which is a beautiful one -

- but both of us would be murdered."

Francis did find persecution and martyrdom of a kind -- not among the Moslems, but

among his own brothers. When he returned to Italy, he came back to a brotherhood

that had grown to 5000 in ten years. Pressure came from outside to control this great

movement, to make them conform to the standards of others. His dream of radical

poverty was too harsh, people said. Francis responded, "Lord, didn't I tell you they

wouldn't trust you?"

He finally gave up authority in his order -- but he probably wasn't too upset about it.

Now he was just another brother, like he'd always wanted.

Francis' final years were filled with suffering as well as humiliation. Praying to share

in Christ's passion he had a vision received the stigmata, the marks of the nails and

the lance wound that Christ suffered, in his own body.

Years of poverty and wandering had made Francis ill. When he began to go blind, the

pope ordered that his eyes be operated on. This meant cauterizing his face with a hot

iron. Francis spoke to "Brother Fire": "Brother Fire, the Most High has made you

strong and beautiful and useful. Be courteous to me now in this hour, for I have

always loved you, and temper your heat so that I can endure it." And Francis reported

that Brother Fire had been so kind that he felt nothing at all.













http://www.catholic.org/clife/jesus


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How did Francis respond to blindness and suffering? That was when he wrote his

beautiful Canticle of the Sun that expresses his brotherhood with creation in praising

God.

Francis never recovered from this illness. He died on October 4, 1226 at the age of 45.

St. Francis is considered the founder of all Franciscan orders and the patron saint of

ecologists and merchants.

Ask: “What do you think about St. Francis and the life he chose?” (answers will vary)

Emphasize: “St. Francis of Assisi was really very radical; he gave up an easy life and all

his possessions, including his inheritance; he gave up status and risked being thought a

fool; and most importantly, he honored God in everything he did (pass out St. Francis of

Assisi prayer cards).

In this next chapter, we are going to learn about one of the ways to honor God through

following the Second of the Ten Commandments.”



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Chapter 5 The Holy Name (10-15 minutes) Objective: The students will learn that violating God’s name goes against the teaching of

the Second Commandment. They will also learn the importance of fulfilling vows or

promises.

Review the First Commandment: “You shall have no other Gods before me.”

And introduce the Second [which is the lesson for chapter 5]: “You shall not take the name

of the Lord your God in vain.”

Read: Have student volunteers read Chapter 5, skip the first “introductory”

paragraph and begin instead after the row of asterisks (pg 21-22, student text) or you

could go around the room allowing each student to read one paragraph, or have their

names on slips of paper and randomly select names for each line (this will get them if

they’re not paying attention).


“What does the Second Commandment say?” (we should not be disrespectful in

speaking God’s name [by extension: Jesus’, Mary’s and others saints’ names])

7. What are the two ways we can misuse God’s name? (blasphemy [verbal abuse or scorn

toward God] and swearing false oaths [calling on God as a witness when we know we are

lying])

8. Why do you think God would ask us not to misuse his name? (answers will vary)

9. What is a religious vow? (a solemn commitment for a religious reason)

10. What are the three things that many religious vows include? (poverty, chastity

[acting and dressing morally], and obedience)

Emphasize: “The most important thing to remember about the Second Commandment is

that we should honor God and express our love and appreciation for all God has given us.

One way to express our love and appreciation is to always be respectful when speaking

God’s name.”

“Let’s review the first and second commandments: The First Commandment is, ‘You shall

have no other Gods before me.’ And the Second Commandment is, ‘You shall not take the name

of the Lord your God in vain.’”


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FOLLOWING CHRIST, Faith and Life Series: Grade 6 The Ten Commandments & The Order of the Mass LESSON #4 - Chapter 6 (20 minutes) The Lord’s Day Objective: The students will learn that the Third Commandment sets aside the Lord’s Day [Sunday] for worship and rest. According to scripture, the last day of creation was set aside by God for rest. Christians worship and rest on Sunday rather than Saturday because Christ was resurrected on Sunday. (I will have copies of the liturgical calendars for Chapter 7 ready for your class) Open with a Prayer: Our Father, Hail Mary. Review with the students the Apostle Creed (found on pg 147, blue pages of their text books). Teach: “Today we are going to learn about the Third Commandment.


The Second Commandment: “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.”

And introduce the Third [which is the lesson for chapter 6]: “Remember the Sabbath Day, to

keep it Holy.”

1. What do you think the Third Commandment means? (answers may vary; Honor God

on Sundays and Holy Days through public worship).

2. Are there other ways to keep the Sabbath Holy besides going to church? (answers

will vary; being kind to brothers or sisters, helping mom and dad, praying together, having

family fun, etc.)

Let’s begin reading Chapter 6 to find out more about honoring God on the Sabbath [Sunday]:”

Read: Have student volunteers read the introductory paragraphs for Chapter 6, (pg

33, student text) to subsection “Making Sunday a Holy Day” [TEACHER’S NOTE: I

would suggest not reading this section, but instead use questions #4 & 5 below to cover the

same material], or you could go around the room allowing each student to read one

paragraph or have their names on slips of paper and randomly select names for each

line (this will get them if they’re not paying attention).


“Why is it important to go to church each week on Sunday or Saturday?”

(according to scripture [Genesis], God created the world in six days and set aside the

seventh as a day of rest and worship)

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4. Why do Christians worship on Sunday instead of Saturday [as in the Jewish faith]?

(Christ was resurrected on a Sunday, so each Sunday’s [or Saturday evening’s] Mass is a

remembrance of Christ’s resurrection.)

5. How many hours are there in a day? A week? In a typical week, how much time

does God ask us to devote to worship him? (24 hours/day; 168 hours/week; only one

hour per week)

6. What are some of the reasons we might miss going to church [you can write these

on the board]? (answers will vary; sickness, sports, too tired, no ride, visitors, beach,

shopping, parties)

7. Which of these reasons would be acceptable reason for not attending Mass on

Sunday morning or Saturday night? (go through each, erasing those which are not good

excuses, leaving those that are acceptable: sickness or no ride – emphasize that, until

recently, Sundays were kept as distinct from other days of the week: no shopping, all

businesses except hospitals, police, fire departments etc. were closed. There were no sport

activities scheduled until the afternoon.)

Read: Have student volunteers read subsections “Day of Rest” and “Holy Days of

Obligation” (pgs 35-36), using whichever method works best for your class. Then ask:

1. What are Holy Days of Obligation?” (special Holy Days set aside by the church for

worship)

2. Look at the yellow box on page 36. How many Days of Obligation are there in

America? (there are ten; four are celebrated on Sundays and the other six are celebrated on

the dates noted in the box; Read through and take note of the dates in the yellow box:

January 1 Solemnity of Mary - honors Mary, the Mother of God; The Solemnity of the

Ascension – honors Christ’s ascension into heaven following his death and resurrection

[40 days after Easter]; August 15 Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin

Mary – honors Mary’s ascension into heaven following her death; November 1

Solemnity of All Saints – honors all the saints in heaven; December 8 Solemnity of the

Immaculate Conception – honors Mary’s conception, free from sin in preparation of her

becoming the future mother of Jesus, the Son of God; December 25 the Nativity of Our

Lord, Jesus Christ – honors the birth of Jesus)

TEACHER’S NOTE: the other Holy Days of Obligation which have been moved to

Sunday celebrations are: the Epiphany, arrival of the Three Wise Men to the stable, 12

days following Christ’s birth; the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ, Corpus

Christi Sunday; the Feast of Saint Joseph, honors Joseph as the protector of Jesus; the

Feast of the Saints Peter and Paul, honors two Apostles of Jesus.

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Emphasize: “Each of these days are special occasions in the church which we celebrate

every year. The Catholic Church follows a calendar of special times and events that we

call the ‘Liturgical Calendar’. It is often seen as a circle because while some dates remain

the same every single year, other days and times can change from year to year depending

on the date for Easter.”

TEACHER’S NOTE: According to the Council of Nicaea (Ni-see-ah) in 325 AD, the church

decided that Easter (Christian Passover) should occur on the Sunday following the first full moon

(Jewish calendar 14 Nisan) after the spring equinox (when the sun passes the equator toward the

Northern hemisphere). This is why the date for Easter and the Liturgical calendar is different

every year.

“As we go through this next chapter, we are going to fill in our own Liturgical Calendars

with the proper colors for each church season and special feast days.”

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Chapter 7 The Cross and True Riches (40 minutes) Objective: The students will learn that giving up our time and talents for the benefit of

others is a good way to make our lives holy. There are special times during the Church’s

Liturgical Calendar that are set aside to help remind us to sacrifice our time or give up a

pleasure to help others. (Tear out page 28 in the student workbooks and pass them out at

the end of class to conclude their class time or to take home if you do not have enough

time)

Read: Have student volunteers begin reading Chapter 7, (pg 39-40, student text) in

whichever way works best for your class. Stop at subsection, “Fast and Abstinence”.

Tell the story of a man who prayed to Jesus telling him that his cross was too heavy. Jesus

heard his prayer and agreed to exchange his cross for another. The man entered a room, and

Jesus took his cross away. This man started looking at all the other crosses. Some were huge,

made of concrete, some were made of lead, others were covered with thorns, and some were too

awful even to view. Then, in the corner, this man saw a small cross; it looked light in

comparison with the others, and about his size. He went over, and could pick it up, and saw

that it was a good fit. He told Jesus that this was the cross that he wanted. It was, of course, the

cross he had originally carried.

Ask:


“What is our ‘daily cross’?” (it is all the things in our life which we dislike or that are

difficult for us to do; examples: being nice to an enemy, being sick, others?)

2. Can you think of a time that you had to give in or give up something because of

another person? (some sharing; prompt with situations: brother was sick so family could

not go to Six Flags, mom had new baby so could not drive you to friend’s house, family

could not go to Disney World because parent lost job)

3. How did you feel? (answers will vary)

4. How is God asking us to act when we are faced with a challenge or a

disappointment? (respond with love; accept situation without complaining)

5. What do you think would happen if you handled a difficult situation without

complaining? (answers will vary) How might other people in your family “see”

you differently? (answers will vary)

Read: Have student volunteers begin reading Chapter 7, (pg 40-41, student text) in

whichever way works best for your class through the end of the chapter.

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Hand out the copies of the Liturgical Calendar. Ask:

1. Which are the two penitential seasons? (Advent and Lent)

2. Find them on your calendar and color them in the color of penance, which is

purple (explain that in Advent [4 weeks] we are preparing ourselves for the birth of Jesus,

and in Lent [6 weeks] we are preparing ourselves for Jesus’ death and resurrection)

3. Find the two sections labeled Christmas Season and Easter Season and color them

white. (white represents purity and the celebration of Feast Days)

4. What is the time called that we are in right now? (Ordinary Time)

5. Find both sections called Ordinary Time and color them green. (explain that

Ordinary Time represents the time of Jesus’ teaching ministry)

6. Throughout the year, there are special times set aside to honor saints who were

martyred for their faith in Christ and a very special time set aside for Christ’s

death. These are colored red (so Palm Sunday, the celebration which begins Holy Week

and ends with Christ’s crucifixion, is red as are all dates associated with the martyrdom of

saints).

Emphasize: “Throughout the year, you will notice that the color of the priest’s vestments

as well as the altar cloths will change depending on which part of the Liturgical year we

are in. Advent begins the new Liturgical year which follows Christ’s life – his birth, his

ministry, his death and resurrection, the continuation of his ministry in Ordinary Time

until the following Advent, the beginning of a new Liturgical year.”

Let’s finish today by reviewing the first, second, and third commandments:

The First Commandment: “You shall have no other Gods before me.”


The Third Commandment: “Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it Holy.”


Grade 6

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FOLLOWING CHRIST, Faith and Life Series: Grade 6 The Ten Commandments & The Order of the Mass LESSON #5 - Chapter 8 (& 9) (40 minutes) In the Heart of the Family Citizenship – Rights and Duties Objective: The students will learn that the Fourth Commandment reminds us of the importance of honoring and respecting our parents. In addition, it teaches us that all legitimate and moral authority should be honored and respected, also. TEACHER’S NOTE: Chapter 9 addresses the immorality of abortion. However, this is a topic not everyone is comfortable addressing at this age. I have covered the problem of immoral government laws in the question following the reading of Chapter 8, which emphasizes that God’s laws have greater authority than government laws (second question #3). Open with a Prayer: Our Father, Hail Mary. Review with the students the Apostle Creed (found on pg 147, blue pages of their text books). Teach: “Today we are going to learn about the Fourth Commandment.




And Introduce the Fourth Commandment [which is the lesson for chapter 8]: “Honor your

Father and your Mother.”

1. What do you think the Fourth Commandment means? (answers may vary; Honor

and respect your parents)

2. What does it mean to “honor” your parents? (answers may vary; act respectful toward

them, obey them, willingly help them, speak respectfully about them, etc.)

3. Why do you think God is reminding us to honor and respect our mothers and

fathers? (answers may vary; they love us, they gave us life, they sacrifice their time and

money to provide for us, etc.)

Let’s begin reading Chapter 8 to find out more about the Fourth Commandment:”

Read: Have student volunteers read Chapter 8, (pg 43, student text) to the end in

whichever way works best for your class. Ask the students to close their books while

you discuss the following questions:


“What other authority must we respect according to the Fourth Commandment?”

(all other legitimate authority)

2. What do you think is meant by “legitimate” authority? Examples? (answers will

vary; school, government, church, police, etc.)

Grade 6

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3. Which authority do you think is greater, God’s or the government? (God’s moral

authority)

Read: Have student volunteers read text on St. Thomas More in the yellow box on

page 49 (Chapter 9) in the student text.

TEACHER’S NOTE: Background on St. Thomas More

"I die the king's good servant, but God's first."

Last words of Saint Thomas More

Died, Tower Hill (Tower of London), 6 July, 1535.

He was the son of John More, a prominent lawyer. As a boy he

served as a page in the household of Archbishop Morton. He

studied at Oxford University in England. In 1499 he

determined to become a monk and followed the discipline of

the Carthusian Order of Monks.

More's sense of obligation to active citizenship and statesmanship finally won out over his

monastic inclinations, although he remained dedicated to his Catholic faith. He entered the

parliament in 1504. In 1510, he was appointed undersheriff of London.

During the next decade, More attracted the attention of King Henry VIII. In 1518 he became a

member of the Privy Council; he was knighted in 1521. Two years later, More was made

Speaker of the House of Commons. As speaker of the House of Commons in 1523, More

helped establish the parliamentary privilege of free speech.

However, he refused to endorse King Henry VIII's plan to divorce his Catholic wife, Catherine

of Aragon (1527) and marry Ann Boleyn. In doing so, King Henry the VIII was separating

himself from the pope and the Roman Catholic Church, and establishing himself as the head

of the Church of England. His work in the law courts was exemplary, but he resigned in 1532,

citing ill health and feeling that he could not in good conscience serve a government that was

persecuting people for remaining faithful to the Catholic Church.

Two years later he was imprisoned in the Tower of London for refusing to denounce the pope

and acknowledge Henry VIII as supreme head of the Church of England. He was found guilty

of treason, on evidence that was probably falsified. He was beheaded on July 6, 1535, by

order of King Henry VIII. More was canonized in 1935.

Grade 6

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Emphasize: “This is a very sad story about St. Thomas More. St. Thomas More lived in

England hundreds of years ago during the times of powerful kings and queens who could

pass whatever laws they wanted. He was faced with a problem of having to choose

between following God’s laws and the King of England’s laws, which went against God’s

laws. He courageously chose to follow God’s laws, but was severely punished for

disobeying what the King of England wanted from him.

In our country, we have freedom of speech and of religion. We are allowed to worship in

whichever faith we wish, and can never be arrested for following our faith. The founders

of our country were Christians who believed in the Ten Commandments and the teaching

of Christ to love God and one another. However, they included in our Bill of Rights

freedom of government interference in every citizen’s practice of religion. England now

has the same protection to allow people to practice their religion freely.

Most of our laws in America are founded on God’s laws as the founders recognized the

importance of respecting the inherent dignity of each person as well as the rights and

property of others. As Christians, we are called upon to treat all people with equal

dignity and respect.

“In the Catholic Church, our pope and the other bishops prayerfully determine how to

help us best live out our lives as followers of Christ. The church has set out certain

guidelines according to God’s laws that help to show us the way to live as loving

members of the Body of Christ, helping each other when needed. In addition, Jesus

himself established the sacraments to provide the grace which gives us the strength to

follow Jesus’ path.”

Grade 6

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Chapter 10 Church Authority – Our Fathers in Faith (20 minutes) Objective: The students will learn that the pope and the bishops of the church have the

authority to set the rules and guidelines within the Catholic Church to ensure unity and

continuity within the church all over the world.

Read: Have student volunteers begin reading Chapter 10, (pg 51, student text)

subsection “The Vicar of Christ” only in whichever way works best for your class.

When they are finished, have them stand in a line and play the following game:

Variation of “Telephone” Game: Ask children to stand in one line. Give the first person

one sentence to pass along to the next person in line [ex., If you are going out in the rain,

you should always put on your boots and raincoat and carry an umbrella]. Allow each

person the authority to change one word in the sentence if they think the sentence would

be more interesting/fun with a new word. Each person should whisper the sentence

along to the next person in line, the last one would then say the sentence out loud.

Compare how different the final sentence is from the beginning sentence. How did it

change? Does it still make sense? What happens to the message when everyone has the

authority to change it, even just a little bit?

Ask:


“Why do you think it is important that our teachings about our faith be the same

today as they were when spoken by Jesus so many years ago?” (answers may vary;

we want to be sure we are following the same teachings and that it has not been changed to

suit someone else’s opinion or to suit some whim of the moment)

2. Who is the head of the Catholic Church? (Jesus Christ)

3. Who did Jesus give authority to be his first vicar, the pope? (St. Peter)

4. What do you think would happen if every priest had the authority to change

whatever he wanted to change in his own parish? (answers will vary; every Catholic

Church would be different – the Mass, the prayers, the teachings of the scripture, rules

governing the reception of the sacraments, etc.)

5. Why do you think we need to have one person as the Vicar of Christ or pope here

on Earth? (to keep the church unified and keep it from falling into chaos)

6. Who is our pope currently? (Pope Benedict XVI)

Emphasize: “The rules and guidelines of the Catholic Church are not intended to be

difficult; they are the church’s way of making sure that our lives are fulfilled by giving a

Grade 6

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map to avoid making mistakes, while giving us the best chance for happiness here on

earth. Then, the church wants to bring us ‘home’ to eternal life with God in heaven.”

Let’s finish today by reviewing the first, second, third, and fourth commandments:

The First Commandment: “You shall have no other Gods before me.”



The Fourth Commandment: “Honor your father and your Mother.”


Grade 6

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FOLLOWING CHRIST, Faith and Life Series: Grade 6 The Ten Commandments & The Order of the Mass LESSON #6 - Chapter 11 (15 minutes) Respect Life Objective: The students will learn that the Fifth Commandment reminds us that we may not take the life of another innocent human being. By extension, this includes “killing” the spirit of another through bullying and gossip. The love of Christ needs to be extended toward all. TEACHER’S NOTE: Chapters 11 and 12 discuss the immorality of directly taking innocent human life; however, it is also a great opportunity to emphasize other behaviors we engage in which wound the soul of another. The children know that taking another’s life is wrong, so instead I am focusing today’s lesson on the effect bullying and gossip, and the importance of forgiveness. Open with a Prayer: Our Father, Hail Mary. Review with the students the Apostle Creed (found on pg 147, blue pages of their text books). Teach: “Today we are going to learn about the Fifth Commandment.




The Fourth Commandment: “Honor your Father and your Mother.”

And Introduce the Fifth Commandment [which is the lesson for chapter 11]: “You shall

not kill.”

Introduce: “We all know that taking an innocent person’s life is wrong. Every society has

rules against the taking of another’s life. The Fifth Commandment clearly says, “You

shall not kill”, but the church also teaches us that there are special situations when taking

the life of another can be acceptable.”

4. Are there any situations that you can think of where taking another person’s life

might be allowed? (punishment for murder; a just war, self-defense)

“The church has set out very clear guidelines for each of these situations:

The death penalty should only be used when a society cannot ensure the safety of

its citizens through other means; for example, by using maximum security prisons.

The death penalty should be so rare as to be practically non-existent.

A just war has very clear boundaries to determine whether or not it is moral to go

to war; for example, 1) all other diplomatic or other actions need to have been tried

first, 2) it has to be in defense against an aggressive act, 3) the response cannot be

Grade 6

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beyond what would be a reasonable reaction to the aggression, 4) the war must

have a reasonable expectation for success.

Killing in Self-defense should only be used in situations of immediate and grave

danger to one’s life.

“Each of these situations can result in the taking of human life as the direct consequence

of aggressive actions on the part of another. None of these actions are desired; however,

in unusual situations, they may be necessary. In the final analysis, only God knows what is

within the hearts of each one of us, so we must do our best to honestly assess our own behaviors

and try to treat each other as Jesus would want us to.”

TEACHER’S NOTE: The purpose of going through all this is not to overwhelm the kids

with information, but rather to help them see that the Catholic Church takes this matter

very seriously and that it has prayerfully considered appropriate responses.

Grade 6

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Chapter 12

Charity toward All (45 minutes) Objective: The students will learn that the Fifth Commandment includes all our behavior

toward others. As followers of Christ, we are asked to behave with compassion and

forgiveness toward others.

Teach: “Have you ever had the experience of deliberately choosing to do something

wrong and had someone else get very mad at you? How did that make you feel? Did

you ever ask yourself why you chose to do something wrong? Were you angry? Scared?

Frightened? Feeling left out?

“Have you ever responded in anger by bullying or gossiping about another person? Did

you feel better or worse after making another person feel bad?

“How does it feel to know you have disappointed someone else? Your friend? Your

mom or dad? Your coach or teacher? How about disappointing God? Did you know

that when you hurt another, you also hurt God as well?

“Today, we are going to hear how God wishes us to treat others; you may have heard a

saying called the “Golden Rule” – that is, ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto

you’. In other words, treat other people with the same love and respect that you would

like them to show toward you. In his Great Commandment, Jesus said, ‘You shall love

your neighbor as yourself’, meaning that we should love other people and pray for their

health and happiness the same way we would for ourselves.”

Read: Have student volunteers begin reading Chapter 12, through the end of the

chapter (pg 57-59, student text) using whichever method works best for your class.


“How does God expect us to respond when we have been hurt by another?” (we

should not respond in anger, but rather continue to treat the other person with respect;

while we may not feel loving toward them, we should continue to respond in love).

2. What if someone seriously injured you or a member of your family? Do you think

you could forgive that person? (answers will vary)

Have the children close their books while you read them the following story about

forgiveness:

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Amish Grace and Forgiveness

October 2nd, 2006. It was a typical fall day. Birds could be heard in the distance and little

else, except maybe the clip-clop of a horse's hoofs and the rattling of a buggy heading

down a back country road. It's normally quiet and peaceful in the rolling Amish

farmlands of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

But that peace was shattered when the sound of gunfire was heard from inside an Amish

school. When local police broke into the one-room Amish schoolhouse they found 10

Amish girls ages 6-13 had been shot by Charles Carl Roberts IV, who had then committed

suicide.

The shooting took place at the West Nickel Mines Amish School, located about 12 miles

southeast of Lancaster City. Nickel Mines is just a crossroads within Bart Township, a

local municipality with a population of roughly 3,000 Amish and English (the Amish term

for the non-Amish).

The school was a typical Amish one-room school with a school bell on the roof, two

outhouses, a ball field, and an enclosed schoolyard. It was built in 1976. On the

blackboard was a sign with a teddy bear. The sign read "Visitors Bubble Up Our Days".

Twenty-six children, ages 6-13, from three different local Amish church districts attended

this school.

Charlie Roberts was a milk truck driver who serviced the local community, including the

farms of some of the victims' families. Nine years earlier his wife Amy gave birth to their

first child, a baby girl. However, the baby died after living only 20 minutes. Apparently

his daughter's death affected him greatly. He never forgave God for her death, and

eventually planned to get revenge.

On the morning of October 2nd Roberts said goodbye to two of his own children at the

school bus stop, then drove to the West Nickel Mines Amish School. When he walked in

the door, some of the children recognized him. That day the school had four adult visitors

- the teacher's mother, her sister, and two sisters-in-law. One of the women was pregnant.

When the young teacher saw his guns, she and her mother left the other adults with the

children and ran to a nearby house for help. A call was made to 911.

When the state police arrived, Roberts ordered them to leave the property or he would

shoot. He told the girls, "I'm going to make you pay for my daughter." One of the girls, 13-

year old Marian, said, "Shoot me first." Roberts began shooting each of the girls before

finally shooting himself. When the police broke in to the school, two of the girls, including

Marian, were dead. Naomi Rose died in the arms of a state trooper.

Emergency personnel arrived quickly, and helicopters flew the wounded to hospitals in

Lancaster, Hershey, Reading, and Delaware. Two sisters died later that night in two

different area hospitals. Amish parents tried to console themselves by saying the five girls

who had died were "safe in the arms of Jesus."

Grade 6

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Word about the shooting spread quickly throughout the Amish community. The shooting

was reported on local television stations, and was soon picked up by the national media.

Reporters, photographers, and video crews invaded this rural countryside to report this

story around the world. While the Amish community strives to avoid publicity, this tragic

event thrust their community in front of a worldwide audience.

In the midst of their grief over this shocking loss, the Amish community didn't cast blame,

they didn't point fingers, they didn't hold a press conference with attorneys at their sides.

Instead, they reached out with grace and compassion toward the killer's family.

The afternoon of the shooting an Amish grandfather of one of the girls who was killed

expressed forgiveness toward the killer, Charles Roberts. That same day Amish neighbors

visited the Roberts family to comfort them in their sorrow and pain.

Later that week the Roberts family was invited to the funeral of one of the Amish girls

who had been killed. And Amish mourners outnumbered the non-Amish at Charles

Roberts' funeral.

It's ironic that the killer was tormented for nine years by the pre-mature death of his

young daughter. He never forgave God for her death. Yet, after he cold-bloodedly shot 10

innocent Amish school girls, the Amish almost immediately forgave him and showed

compassion toward his family.

In a world at war and in a society that often points fingers and blames others, this reaction

was unheard of. Many reporters and interested followers of the story asked, "How could

they forgive such a terrible, unprovoked act of violence against innocent lives?"

The Amish culture closely follows the teachings of Jesus, who taught his followers to

forgive one another, to place the needs of others before themselves, and to rest in the

knowledge that God is still in control and can bring good out of any situation. Love and

compassion toward others is to be life's theme. Vengeance and revenge is to be left to

God.

All of Lancaster County mourns the loss of these young girls and the terrible effect this

has had on so many lives. They request prayers for the families of the children who died,

as well as those children and adults who have lived through this terrible ordeal.

They also ask your prayers for the wife and three young children of the man who

committed this senseless act. They, too, will have to live with this for the rest of their lives.

Ask: Have students take a piece of paper (3x5 card) and write down a time when

someone hurt them and they have had trouble forgiving that person (brother, sister,

friend, parents, teacher, coach, etc.). Then ask them to write down a time they did

something to hurt another person.

Grade 6

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Give them a few minutes to do this; these should not be shared! When they have finished,

have a basket ready for them to place their card. Pray the following prayer with them as

they begin to reflect:

Dear Jesus, you have listened patiently to my worries and have helped me to feel

better when I’ve been sad. Let me remember your loving presence when I am

having a hard time forgiving another person for an unkind word or action.

Lord Jesus, you have shown me how to act, what to say, what to do, and yet I

sometimes act in anger and find it difficult to forgive others as you so often have

forgiven me.

Help me to remember your unconditional love and forgiveness toward me whenever

I need a forgiving spirit toward another. Amen

Have all students recite the “Lord’s Prayer” together (“Our Father, who art in

Heaven…”).

Ask the students how they feel now that they have asked God’s help to forgive.

Encourage them to continue praying for help with forgiveness. Tell them they will have a

chance to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation as we get closer to Easter, but remind

them that they may receive this sacrament any Saturday afternoon before the 5:00 pm

Mass.

Grade 6

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FOLLOWING CHRIST, Faith and Life Series: Grade 6 The Ten Commandments & The Order of the Mass LESSON #7 - Chapter 13 (10 minutes) The Sacred Flame

Objective: The students will learn that all the Commandments from the Fourth Commandment through the Tenth have to do with loving our neighbors as ourselves [the first three commandments have to do with our proper relationship toward God]. TEACHER’S NOTE: These three chapters combine several Commandments, which they present out of order [bless their hearts]. I am going to try to make some sense of this for you and the children. Chapter 13 discusses adultery, which may be difficult to discuss in your classroom; we have a special program for chastity offered in a retreat format for seventh grade students. Chapters 14 and 15 are both good reminders about lying and respecting others’ possessions. Open with a Prayer: Our Father, Hail Mary. Review with the students the Apostle Creed (found on pg 147, blue pages of their text books). Teach: “Today we are going to learn about the rest of the Commandments which

continue to show us how we should behave toward others.




The Fourth Commandment: “Honor your Father and your Mother.”

The Fifth Commandment “You shall not kill.”

And Introduce the Sixth through the Tenth Commandments [which are the lessons

for chapters 13-15]:

The Sixth Commandment: “You shall not commit adultery.”

The Seventh Commandment: “You shall not steal.”

The Eighth Commandment: “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”

The Ninth Commandment “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.”

The Tenth Commandment “You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.”

Introduce: “Human beings are born with a clear sense of right and wrong, of what is

fair and unfair. Even if no one ever taught you, it would feel wrong to you if someone

just walked over and snatched your lunch right out of your hands. Or if another

person who is not a member of your family just decided to move in with your family

without being invited; maybe they decided they liked your house better, or they

wanted to have your stuff – one day you came home from shopping and another

family had just moved right into your house!

Grade 6

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“Most of us would be more than a little surprised, probably shocked, if that actually

happened; in fact, most of us would ask the uninvited ‘guests’ to leave, politely at first

– more emphatically if they refused – because we know it’s just not okay to take

someone else’s belongings.

Each of the Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth Commandments reminds us that

we should treat one another the same way we would like to be treated in return and

that, by extension, it is wrong to ‘steal’ anything away from another person. Whether

it is their possessions, or their reputation, or even someone they love.”

Grade 6

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Chapters 14 & 15

Ownership (45-50 minutes) Backed by Truth – LESSONS 1, 2 & 3, KCS Objective: The students will learn that lying and stealing can be more than just words or

actions against another. It can also include failing to behave toward another in a way that

would fulfill Christ’s commandment to love others as ourselves.

Read: Ask students to open their text books to Chapter 14, (page 65). Have student

volunteers begin reading the entire chapter (pg 65-68, student text) continuing on

through Chapter 15 (pg 69-71) as well. This is quite a bit of reading, but after this, the

remainder of the class will be taken up with group activities.

Emphasize: “We know that God expects us to be kind toward each other because

each one of us is a child of God and we are all beloved by him. He wants the very best

for each one of us, so he is counting on us to be his voice in the world. He asks us to

make sure that our own actions show this great love that God has for each one of us.

Knowing this, think about the situations on this handout, discuss each of them in your

group, and write down your group’s decision for each situation.”

(on next page; copies will be ready for your class – give them only 10 minutes to do

this, otherwise they could get off task.

If you think they will not be able to get through every question, assign different

questions to each small group.

Touch base with each discussion group to hear how their discussion is going. Gently

guide them back to the questions if necessary) – LESSONS 1, 2 & 3, KCS

Grade 6

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Name: ____________________________________________________________________

In groups of three or four, discuss the following situations. Write your decision on this

sheet of paper. Think carefully about whether your answers reflect the teachings of the

last Commandments, to love one another as ourselves, and to always treat others with

respect and dignity.

Be prepared to share your answers with your class.

1. You have just heard the most outrageous secret from one of your friends. Revealing

this secret to others could really embarrass this girl, maybe even damage her

reputation, so you shouldn’t tell; on the other hand, there was that time she told

everyone that you still sleep with your favorite blanket – even though she promised

she wouldn’t breathe a word. It would be great to pay her back! What should you do?

It would be okay to tell just one really trusted friend, wouldn’t it?

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

2. Last month, a new kid named Mike moved into your neighborhood. Mike has a huge

house with a swimming pool, an Xbox 360 and lots of cool games, a media room, huge

screen TV, a pool table, and just about everything else you can think of. His family

must be loaded because they take him to all kinds of super places, and because he’s an

only child, he’s told you that his parents often let him bring a friend along. In fact, the

next trip they are going on, in a couple weeks, is out to a dude ranch in Arizona, and

Mike said his parents have already told him that you can come along.

The only catch is that it’s your old, best buddy’s birthday the same week and you

already said you would come to his party. But, hey, it’s probably just a stupid party

with balloons and pizza; and anyway, Mike will understand – after all, he’s always

been your friend and he’ll have other birthdays. What should you do? Wouldn’t be

okay to just make up a small lie and say you “forgot” that Mike had already asked you

to go?

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Grade 6

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3. One of your sixth grade buddies has had a best friend, Kyle, from his neighborhood,

practically from the time he was born. Although their birthdays are only three months

apart, to the exact day, Kyle ended up being in the class behind the rest of you. Still, it

has never mattered! Kyle’s a great pitcher and a good kid to be around. The two

neighborhood families have been so close over the years that they all take vacations

together, renting a cottage by Sebago Lake in Maine every year for the last ten

summers.

Now, you and your buddy are going into the sixth grade at the middle school and it

just doesn’t seem right that he should still hang around with a kid from elementary

school. Maybe you could kind of make fun of Kyle and remind him he’s still in

elementary school. Maybe you could just sort of “forget” to include him. Maybe if

Kyle is out of the picture, your buddy would spend more time with you instead of

with a fifth grade “baby”.

Wouldn’t that really be okay? After all, he’s not the same age as the rest of you.

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

4. You and a group of friends decide to spend the day together and to see a movie. You

got permission from your parents after discussing with them the friends you would be

going with, the movie you would be watching, and the place you would be having

lunch before the movie. This is a big deal, but your parents have emphasized that you

have proven to them that you can be trusted, because you have always been honest

with them in the past.

When you meet up with your friends, you find out that everyone else has decided not

to see the movie had originally been agreed on, but instead have chosen something

restricted. Everyone is looking at you to see what your reaction will be.

No one’s hurt, right? And, anyway, what’s the problem with watching whatever you

want? Your parents would never know which movie you saw.

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Grade 6

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Have class return to full class discussion. Take some time to go through each

situation with the entire class, helping them to understand the reasons each situation

should be handled the right way in accordance with the Ten Commandments.

Emphasize the importance of maintaining the dignity of each person in the scenario –

even those who are trying to do something unkind toward another.

Review with the students some examples of ways they can stand up to peer pressure.

Include in your discussion some other difficult, dangerous, or even illegal situations

they may be faced with as they spend more time on their own in public places.

Use Transparency from LESSON #2, KCS, to reinforce the lesson

Handouts: “Safety in Public Places” – LESSON #1, KCS

“Five Ways to Refuse” - LESSON #2, KCS

Teach: “I am sure each of you can think of other situations like these. We are all

faced with similar dilemmas, and sometimes we make mistakes, get caught up, and

treat someone else unkindly. It is part of our imperfect human nature.

The most important thing to do is to apologize as soon as you can and then do

whatever you can to fix the mistake. If you left someone out, apologize and invite

them if it’s not too late, or plan something else special with that person as soon as you

can. If you gossiped or said something unkind, apologize and make sure everyone

you told knows you should never have said that.

It’s hard and embarrassing, but so worth it! AND, it will probably make you stop and

think before you ever treat another person unkindly again.

If someone has intentionally harmed you through their words, through bullying, or by

unwanted touch, be sure to remove yourself from the situation immediately and find

a trusted adult to tell. God wants you to be safe and protected!

And remember, you are all so beloved by God; nothing you ever do can change that!”

Have all students conclude by reciting the “Lord’s Prayer” together.

Grade 6

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FOLLOWING CHRIST, Faith and Life Series: Grade 6 The Ten Commandments & The Order of the Mass LESSON #8 – Christmas Supplement (30 minutes) Angels We Have Heard on High Objective: The students will learn that God sent his only son, Jesus Christ, to provide a way to salvation and eternal life with the Father. He chose to come as an infant, to experience fully our human natures while still being fully divine as the Son of God. Open with Prayer: Our Father, Hail Mary. Recite the Apostle Creed with the students (found on pg 147, blue pages of their text books). Read the chapter entitled Angels We Have Heard on High (pg 135, in the supplement section of their text books). This is a familiar story, of course, but explains additional information about the Incarnation and the “hypostatic union” of Jesus having both human and divine natures. Ask:


“Why do you think God chose to come as a tiny baby?” (answers may vary;

because Jesus felt all the same things we do, it helps us to follow his example and learn

the best way to be a son or daughter of God)

2. What made Mary different from all others? (she was born without original sin [the

Immaculate Conception] so as to be a perfect vessel for the Son of God)

3. Who were the first people to hear about Jesus’ birth in the stable? (the shepherds)

4. Why do you think God’s angels told the shepherds first and not all the richest,

most important people in town? (answers will vary; Jesus was born in a humble

way and for all people, not just the rich; in fact, he always had a special place in his

heart for those in need, reminded us to always care for the poorest of the poor.)

5. Did Jesus switch back and forth between being divine sometimes and being

human other times? (no, he was always fully human and fully divine [hypostatic

union] – this is one of the great mysteries of the Christian faith)

Tell the students: “We are now going to watch a Christmas story.”

Grade 6

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FOLLOWING CHRIST, Faith and Life Series: Grade 6 The Ten Commandments & The Order of the Mass LESSON #9 - Chapter 16 The Beatitudes Objective: The students will learn that Jesus taught the Beatitudes as a way to help his followers learn how to live the Law of God (Ten Commandments) with their hearts. Each blessing of the Beatitudes comes with a promise. (Tear out page 64 in the student workbooks and pass them out at the end of class to conclude their class time or to take home for fun if you do not have enough time) Open with Prayer: Our Father, Hail Mary. Recite the Apostle Creed with the students (found on pg 147, blue pages of their text books). Teach: “Over the past weeks we have discussed each of the Ten Commandments

from the Old Testament which were given to Moses during the time of the Exodus

from Egypt (review Ten Commandments). For the rest of the year, we are going to

learn about Jesus and his ministry here on earth.

“When God came to us in the form of a man, Jesus Christ, his purpose was to provide

a way for our salvation and to teach us how to live with each other as part of God’s

family. Jesus’ teachings did not change any of the lessons from the Old Testament (Mt

5:17-19 – from Lesson #1), but they did enhance them and deepen our understanding

of what it means to be a child of God. One of the most important teachings Jesus gave

is called the Beatitudes, from the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of St. Matthew

(Mt 5:1-12). The word ‘beatitude’ means a blessing.” (you might want to have the

students locate the scripture in the Bible)

Read Chapter 16, beginning with the introductory paragraphs (pg 73, student text)

through the first Beatitude under the subsection “The Beatitudes” section stop after

the two-paragraph explanation and add the following reflection (continue through the

Eight Beatitudes in the same fashion):

Teach:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”(Mt 5:3).

(St. Maximillian Kolbe, offered his life in exchange for another prison at Auschwicz)

Reflect: What are the things you own that are you really attached to? Would you be

able to give up these possessions to help another? How about giving of your time?

Grade 6

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“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted”(Mt 5:4).

(remind children of the story of the Amish children and the faith of their parents, pg

34-35 in teacher’s lesson plans)

Reflect: What has made you sad in the past? Have you been able to ask for God’s

help?

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth”(Mt 5:5).

(Mother Teresa of Calcutta, and her work with the dying in India)

Reflect: When have you put yourself “above” others? How does it make you feel

when someone else puts you down? What is the better way to respond?

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied”(Mt 5:6).

(St. Ignatius of Loyola, defender of the Catholic Faith at a time when the Church was

falling into error)

Reflect: When have you been called upon to defend your Catholic faith? How do you

respond when you hear others make fun of those who attend church [TV, movies,

friends]?

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy”(Mt 5:7).

(story of Julie Welch, pg 1221 Youth Bible – died in Oklahoma City bombing; father

subsequently worked against the death penalty for those men who were responsible

for the bombing)

Reflect: Who are your enemies, those who hurt you, leave you out, or put you down?

Have you been revengeful? Have you asked God to help you forgive them?

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God”(Mt 5:8).

(St. Therese, the Little Flower, who devoted herself to serve others in love)

Reflect: What are the gifts and talents that God has given you? Have you asked God

to show you what he would like you to do with your gifts?

Grade 6

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“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God”(Mt 5:9).

(Pope John Paul II, travelled the world to bring Christ’s love to others; met with

Jewish leaders to extend hand of friendship)

Reflect: Have you ever been in a situation when two of your buddies do not get along

with each other? What do you think causes rivalries between people? What can you

do to help?

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of

heaven; Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil

against you falsely on my account”(Mt 5:10-11).

Reflect: Think of those who heroically witness to their faith. How about those who

risk ridicule to publically give God credit for helping them succeed? How many ball

players have you seen point up to the sky after a goal or homerun or cross themselves

before they perform? How many of them give “the glory” to God or to Jesus Christ?

Do you ever publically witnessed to God?

Wesley Sneijder, a member of the Netherland’s World Cup Soccer team, just recently came into the

Catholic Church and is very devoted to the Rosary, which he wears in public. The major influence in

the athlete’s conversion was his Catholic bride-to-be, a Dutch actress, Yolanthe Cabau, who gave him

the rosary he wears; but he also was moved by the good Catholic example of his teammate, Javier

Zanetti. The Dutch team beat Uruguay to advance to the World Cup final against Spain. Sneijder

scored the winning goal in Holland’s defeat of Brazil in the quarter finals.

Soccer player Wayne Rooney’s recent comment that he wears rosary beads during soccer practice

because he is Catholic has piqued the interest of sports enthusiasts who hope to hear more about his

faith.

Rooney, who is a striker for England’s national team in the World Cup, was at a Wednesday conference

with English journalists when a reporter asked about the rosary beads he wears around his neck during

soccer practices. According to the Mirror sports columnist John Cross, Rooney looked surprised and

said “I've been wearing them four years now and you don't usually watch training. Obviously I can't

wear them in games."

Asked why he wears them, the sportsman replied “It’s my religion.”

An FA press officer then stepped in and said, “We don’t do religion.”

Cross said it was “a shame” that the comment was interrupted, declaring that the fact Rooney is

religious is of great consequence and interest. He noted that other players such as Jermain Defoe and

Kolo Toure have spoken about their faith.

Grade 6

- 47 -

“It's interesting to me and I find it a shame that the topic was cut off before it could be explored,” the

Mirror columnist wrote. “We live in an openly multi-cultural society, and yet it seems at times we're

afraid to actually discuss those cultures in the open.”

Rooney displayed his rosary beads before the national anthems prior to the England-U.S. match.

Fr. Edward Quinn, Rooney’s parish priest in Liverpool, presided over his marriage to Coleen

McLoughlin. He told the Times, “When I presided over Wayne and Coleen’s wedding in Italy, all of the

guests received a set of rosary beads, so it is clearly a symbol which means a lot to them.”

American Catholic soccer stars Antonio Soave, of Catholic Athletes for Christ (he was coaching the

University of Steubenville team in recent years) and Chase Hilgenbrinck would be impressed. Illinois

native Hilgenbrinck played four years for Chile before signing with the New England Revolution in

2008. After playing just one year with the Revolution, Chase chose to pursue another vocation, the

priesthood. After the season ended he entered Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md.

In an interview with the Boston Herald, Hilgenbrinck said, “After years of discernment, I feel strongly

that the Lord has called me to become a priest in the Catholic Church. Playing professional soccer has

been my passion for a long time and I feel blessed to have successfully lived out this dream. My passion

now is to do the will of God, which is wanting only what He wants for me. Though I will miss the

game of soccer, I know that I am moving on to something much greater.”

“I felt called to something greater,” Hilgenbrinck added. “At one time I thought that call might be

professional soccer. In the past few years, I found my soul is hungry for something else. I discerned,

through prayer, it was calling me to the Catholic Church. I do not want this call to pass me by.”

“It’s not that I’m ready to leave soccer. I still have a great passion for the game. I wouldn’t leave the

game for just any other job. I’m moving on for the Lord. I want to do the will of the Lord, I want to do

what he wants for me, not what I want to do for myself.”

Read Continue Chapter 16 to the end, (pg 74-75).

Tell the students: “The Beatitudes are a beautiful reminder of how we can live in the

way Jesus taught us to live. Let’s continue to look for examples of others who have

the courage to publically witness to our Catholic faith. Let us also be open to ways in

which we can be a witness to others.

“Please bow your heads while I read this closing prayer to you.”

(next page)

Grade 6

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Closing Prayer

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Jesus, give us the wisdom and courage to be poor in spirit. . .

in a world that glorifies power and fame.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Give us the wisdom and courage to mourn. . . because we

know you are with us always.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Give us the wisdom and courage to remain meek. . . and

to be mindful of the truth that all we have and all we accomplish comes through you.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Give us the wisdom and courage to always do what is right. . .

even when what is right is not what is popular or easy.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Give us the wisdom and courage to be merciful. . . even

when it is very difficult to forgive.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Give us the wisdom and courage to be pure of heart. . . even

when we feel overwhelmed by jealousy or a thirst for power or popularity.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Give us the wisdom and courage to be peacemakers. . . in a

world torn apart by violence.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my

account.

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven.12

Jesus, give us the wisdom and courage to remain strong when people make fun of us because we love you and follow you. . .may we never forget that our reward in heaven is great!

Amen.

Grade 6

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FOLLOWING CHRIST, Faith and Life Series: Grade 6 The Ten Commandments & The Order of the Mass LESSON #10 - Chapter 17 (45 minutes) At the Last Supper

Objective: The students will learn that Jesus gives us his body and blood in the

Eucharist which he instituted at the Last Supper, the celebration of the Jewish

Passover Meal. He foreshadowed the Eucharist by multiplying the loaves and fishes

in the feeding of the five thousand. Jesus is the “Passover Lamb”, an innocent,

unblemished sacrifice made on the cross for our salvation.

TEACHER’S NOTE: These three chapters discuss the sacred, mystical nature of the

Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, with Chapter 17 providing some historical background for

the institution of the Mass at the Last Supper (Christ’s Passover Meal). Chapters 18

& 19 discuss what our appropriate attitude should be during the celebration of the

Mass and will be combined for the second part of the lesson.

Open with a Prayer: Our Father, Hail Mary. Recite with the students the Apostle

Creed (found on pg 147, blue pages of their text books).

Introduce: “Today we are going to begin our study of the parts of the Mass. Each

part has a special importance and several have their roots in Jewish traditions. Jesus

instituted the Mass at the Last Supper, at the time he was celebrating the Jewish feast

of the Passover. In order for you to appreciate what Jesus was trying to help his

disciples to understand, you need to know something of the Old Testament traditions

upon which Jesus based his teachings.

“Jesus had been raised as an Observant Jew, meaning that Mary and Joseph taught

Jesus all the Jewish traditions of their faith. The Holy Family (Mary, Joseph, and

Jesus) followed those traditions exactly the way they were taught in the Torah, the

Jewish scriptures which we call the Old Testament (or the Old Covenant) today.

“Jesus would have been taught all about God’s Covenant (promise) with Adam and

Eve in the Garden of Eden, with Noah and the Great Flood, with Abraham and Isaac,

and with Moses and the Jewish Exodus from Egypt. He knew about the stories and

Psalms of David and how God made a Covenant with David, promising a savior from

the family of David. Jesus would have celebrated all the Jewish feast days like Rosh

Hashanah (Anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve), Yom Kippur (Day of

Atonement - Penance), Chanukah (Festival of Lights), and the Passover (Flight from

Egypt).

Grade 6

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“All of Jesus’ teachings fulfill or complete the teachings and prophecies of the Old

Testament. Jesus is, in fact, the fulfillment of all God’s words in the Old Testament.

That is why the opening of St. John’s Gospel begins with ‘In the beginning was the

Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…’. And that is why Jesus

is often referred to as “The Word”.

One teaching from the Old Testament which modern Jews no longer practice was the

sacrifice of different animals for the forgiveness of sins. This was part of their

Covenant with God. If a Hebrew in ancient times sinned against God by breaking one

of the Ten Commandments, he would have to take a perfect dove, calf, or lamb

(depending on the nature of the sin and/or the wealth of the man), and kill it in a

certain way as a sacrifice to God for the sin. This was the only way a person could

‘make up’ for having offended God; however, it never completely renewed the broken

relationship with God. The ancient Hebrews, therefore, were never completely

reconciled with God.

“The night before Jesus died on the cross, he celebrated the Jewish feast of the

Passover Supper (the Seder) with his apostles. The Passover Supper brings back to

the present the night the Hebrews (Jewish people) were delivered from slavery in

Egypt (teachers should read through pages B-16 through B-20 in the Appendix section

of the teacher’s guide in preparation – Seder Meal for students planned for Monday,

February 7th).

“At the Passover supper, Jesus made a new and final covenant with all his people; he

knew he that soon he would be the perfect ‘Passover Lamb’ given in sacrifice for the

salvation of all human beings – the sacrifice that would free us all from the bondage

of sinful behavior and earn for us a place in heaven, once and for all. We could now

be perfectly reconciled with God. This is why Jesus is also referred to as ‘the Lamb of

God’”

“Let’s begin reading Chapter 17 to learn about Jesus’ Last Supper and the New

Covenant Jesus made for the salvation of all people.”

Read: Ask students to open their text books to Chapter 17, (page 79). Have student

volunteers begin reading the entire chapter (pg 79-82, student text). This is quite a bit

of reading, but it is a wonderful overview of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

Ask:


“What were the ancient Hebrews told to do with the sacrificial lamb on the

night of the Passover?” (they should sacrifice a perfect lamb and sprinkle the blood

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over the door frame of their home so that the Angel of Death would ‘passover’ their

home and not kill their first-born son; this would allow them to be freed from the

bondage of slavery).

2. How is Jesus like that ancient sacrificial lamb of the Jews during the Passover?

(he was sacrificed on the cross and his blood was shed so that we would be reconciled to

God and freed from the bondage of sin)

Teachers: Read the following portion of Eucharistic Prayer III out loud; ask the

children to listen carefully to the words, noting the references made to Christ’s

sacrifice, the New Covenant, and the salvation now offered to all through Christ’s

sacrifice:

And so, Father, we bring you these gifts. We ask you to make them holy by the power of your

Spirit, that they may become the body + and blood of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, at

whose command we celebrate this Eucharist.

On the night he was betrayed, he took bread and gave you thanks and praise. He broke the

bread, gave it to his disciples, and said:

Take this, all of you, and eat it:

this is my body which will be given up for you.

When supper was ended, he took the cup. Again he gave you thanks and praise, gave the cup to

his disciples, and said:

Take this, all of you, and drink from it:

this is the cup of my blood, the blood of the new and everlasting covenant. It will be shed for

you and for all so that sins may be forgiven. Do this in memory of me.

Father, calling to mind the death your Son endured for our salvation, his glorious resurrection

and ascension into heaven, and ready to greet him when he comes again, we offer you in

thanksgiving this holy and living sacrifice.

Look with favor on your Church's offering, and see the Victim whose death has reconciled us

to yourself. Grant that we, who are nourished by his body and blood, may be filled with his

Holy Spirit, and become one body, one spirit in Christ.

Emphasize: Participating in the Holy Eucharist brings us all together as part of the

whole Body of Christ. It unites us to Christ and in Christ’s love.

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Chapter 18 & 19

The Living Sacrifice (15 minutes) The Feast of God

Objective: The students will learn that the Mass is Jesus’ gift to the church and is the

most perfect form of prayer. The Mass is a share in the one true sacrifice of Jesus on

the cross, made present by the power of Jesus, who acts through the priest, and offers

himself in the Eucharist (tear out page 73 in student workbooks to be completed at the

end of class or taken home for fun).

Teach: “The Holy Eucharist or Holy Mass is the most perfect prayer we can offer to

God through Jesus Christ. Jesus has given us this means of participating in his one

perfect sacrifice for our salvation.

The Mass memorializes Jesus’ death on the cross, but most importantly, it continues

Jesus’ sacrifice throughout time and space. We celebrate the Holy Eucharist in union

with the entire community of believers, including the angels and saints in heaven.

Every single moment throughout the day and around the world, the Holy Sacrifice of

the Mass is being celebrated. It will be celebrated continuously for all eternity.”

Read: Ask students to open their text books to Chapter 18, (page 84-85). Have

student volunteers begin reading after the #1 on page 84. Before reading, explain to

the students that there are four purposes or reasons for celebrating the Mass.

After reading:

Emphasize (excerpts from Chapter 19): “This is no ordinary, casual celebration like a

birthday party or big family meal. This is a sacred celebration; it is holy. It is time

consecrated to God, dedicated to him, and set aside for God alone. Therefore, we

should approach this celebration with an attitude of profound respect. We should

express reverence by our attitude and our actions: through proper attire, by silence, by

genuflection, by prayerfulness. The mysteries that we celebrate are worthy of our

deepest awe.”

Read: “Table of the Lord” subsection Chapter 19, (pg 87-88).

Review: Teacher’s guide, pages B-5 and B-6 – Vessels and other items used at Mass. It

would be GREAT to take them upstairs to see these items, if time allows!

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Conclude the lesson with circle prayer; invite students to offer their own intentions –

often you’ll have to lead it off. It also helps to have something they pass (like a small

crucifix) to give each one the opportunity to offer a special intention or pass. Finish

with the Lord’s Prayer (“Our Father, who art in Heaven…”).

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FOLLOWING CHRIST, Faith and Life Series: Grade 6 The Ten Commandments & The Order of the Mass LESSON #11 - Chapter 20 (30 minutes) Promise and Fulfillment

Objective: The students will learn that Christ is really, truly present in the Eucharist, and that the Eucharist provides real nourishment for our souls. They will learn that when we approach to receive the Eucharist, we should not be aware of having committed any grave sins. The Holy Eucharist is the source of all grace. Open with a Prayer: Our Father, Hail Mary. Review with the students the Apostle Creed (found on pg 147, blue pages of their text books). Introduce: “Jesus calls himself the ‘bread of life’ (John 6:35). We know that some type

of bread is part of the basic diet of almost every culture. Thus, in a symbolic way,

Jesus is telling us that he is part of the basic diet for spiritual life. And just as bread is

shared and valued in every culture, Jesus shares himself with all people who are

willing to believe.

“The teaching about the actual presence of Christ in the Eucharist – body, blood, soul,

and divinity – is central to our faith as Catholics. We believe that Christ is really, truly

with us; that he is present to us when we celebrate the Holy Eucharist together.”

Read: Have student volunteers begin reading Chapter 20, through to the end of the



“Some of Jesus’ followers had difficulty believing his teaching on the Body and

Blood of Christ. Many of them walked away. How do you think you would have

responded if you were part of the crowd that heard Jesus’ words that day [review

Jn 6:54-55]?” (answers will vary; try to guide the conversation to their understanding of

the actual presence of Christ in the Eucharist [Transubstantiation]).

2. Why do you think it was hard for some people to hear Jesus’ teaching on his actual

presence in the Eucharist? (answers will vary)

“There are many stories of individuals who have actually seen the real presence of

Christ in the Eucharist. One of the most famous is the Eucharistic Miracle at the

Church of St. Legontian in the small town of Lanciano, Italy.

A Basilian monk, wise in the ways of the world, but not in the ways of faith, was having a

trying time with his belief in the real presence of Our Lord Jesus in the Eucharist. He prayed

constantly for relief from his doubts.

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One morning, while he was having a strong attack of doubt, he began the Consecration of

the Mass for the people of the town. What he saw as he consecrated the bread and wine shocked

him. He stood for a long time with his back to the people, and then slowly turned around to

them.

He said; "O fortunate witnesses to whom the Blessed God, to confound my disbelief, has

wished to reveal Himself in this Most Blessed Sacrament and to render Himself visible to our

eyes.

“Come, brethren, and marvel at our God so close to us. Behold the Flesh and Blood of our

most beloved Christ." The host had turned into Flesh. The wine had turned into Blood.

The people, having witnessed the miracle for themselves, began asking for forgiveness,

crying for mercy, and confessing their sins, declaring themselves unworthy to witness such a

miracle. Still others went down on their knees in respect, and thanksgiving for the gift the Lord

had bestowed on them.

All spread the story throughout the town and surrounding villages.

TEACHER’S NOTE: This consecrated host is still on display to this day in the small town of

Lanciano, Italy. In addition, there are over 120 different Eucharistic Miracles which can be

viewed on the 160 panels of the Vatican International Exhibition of the Eucharistic Miracles

of the World.

Should it come up, several explanations of the Protestant understanding of the Eucharist are

in the Teacher’s Guide, page 241.

Teach: “Hearing stories like this might help a person accept Jesus’ teaching of his

actual presence in the Eucharist, and certainly those who have visited some of these

sites and seen the miraculous Eucharist have had their faith strengthened; but most of

us have not seen these miracles so must depend on faith.

Accepting the truth of Christ’s actual presence in the Eucharist – Body, Blood, Soul,

and Divinity – is a difficult hurdle for some people. And although some of you may

be struggling with this right now, there are many of us who know with absolute

certainty that Christ is really, truly present – Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity – in the

Eucharist we receive every time we go to Mass. I believe that and so do many others

sitting in the pews every Sunday. That is why it is so important that we receive the

Eucharist with respect and reverence, even if we are struggling to understand this

teaching.

Let me try to help you understand: Imagine that you and a good buddy are talking

on the phone one day and it is absolutely POURING outside. It is raining so hard that

you and your friend are concerned that your soccer tournament may be cancelled.

Suddenly, you realize that the rain has stopped, and even better, that the sun has

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begun to shine brightly through the clouds. In fact, the sun is shining so brightly that

a rainbow has appeared – the most perfect, double rainbow you have ever seen. You

exclaim to your friend on the phone, “Wow, it’s stopped raining and look at that

awesome rainbow in the sky!!”

Your friend, who lives on the other side of town, rushes to the window only to find

that it is still raining at his or her house and there is NO rainbow in sight. Now the

question here is, “Is there a rainbow or isn’t there?” You can see it very clearly, but

your friend who is standing in a completely different place cannot see any rainbow. Is

it there or not?

Is Christ really, truly present in the Eucharist or not? Yes, he is! But, maybe right now

you are not standing in a place where you can see this; but believe me, there are others

who absolutely do see the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. If you are

struggling, don’t worry; Jesus understands that this is a hard teaching. Keep praying

and continue going to Mass to receive Christ in the Eucharist.”

NOTE: Remind the children how to receive properly, small bow before receiving,

place raised hands left over right, take Eucharist with right hand and consume

immediately.

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Chapter 21

New Life (30 minutes) Objective: The students will learn that after his death on the cross, Jesus rose from the

dead. He appeared to the Apostles in the upper room and breathed on them, giving them

the gift of the Holy Spirit. For forty days after his resurrection, Jesus continued to teach

them how to fulfill his mission here on earth. Following his Ascension into Heaven, he

sent the Holy Spirit as a helper for all believers.

Teach: “Jesus’ presence in the Holy Eucharist was the most important gift he left for us,

his followers. But there was another gift Jesus left for us, a gift that allows us to continue

his mission here on earth – the Gift of the Holy Spirit.”



3. How do you imagine the Holy Spirit looks? (answers will vary).

4. How can the Holy Spirit ‘speak’ to us? (answers will vary; through others, a sense or a

feeling which prompts us to act, through prayer, just knowing what is the ‘right’ thing to

do)

5. Why did Jesus leave us the Holy Spirit? (to help us carry out his mission)

6. At which of the seven sacraments does the Holy Spirit come to us in a very special

way? (although the Holy Spirit is always present to us, we receive the spirit in a special

way at our Confirmations; at that time we receive the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit:

Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Right Counsel, Fortitude, Piety, and Awe of the

Lord)

Activity: Challenge the children to come up with a good way to remember the Seven

Gifts of the Holy Spirit.



crucifix) to give each one the opportunity to offer a special intention or pass.

Finish with the Lord’s Prayer (“Our Father, who art in Heaven…”).

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FOLLOWING CHRIST, Faith and Life Series: Grade 6 The Ten Commandments & The Order of the Mass LESSON #12 - Chapter 22 (40 minutes) Come into the Lord’s Presence Singing for Joy

Objective: The students will learn the Introductory Rites of the Mass. They will learn that the priest enters the church with an entrance antiphon or hymn and begins our worship with the sign of the cross. They will learn about the Greeting, the Penitential Rite including the Kyrie Eleison, the Gloria, and the opening prayer (Collect). These parts of the Mass are called the Introductory Rites. Open with a Prayer: Our Father, Hail Mary. Review with the students the Apostle Creed (found on pg 147, blue pages of their text books). Pass out the Order of the Mass booklets to each child. It might be a good idea to have their names already written on the inside of the cover. They will keep these eventually, but only after we have concluded the lessons on the Liturgy (this week and next week). Introduce: “The Catholic Church has a universal form of worship called the Liturgy

which means ‘Work of the People’. Many Protestant denominations do not have a

form to their worship. Some may sing hymns followed by scripture readings which

the pastor will speak on followed by more hymns and more scripture readings.

Others have some of the same forms of our Liturgy, but do not share the fullness of

our Mass. Each part of our Mass has some historical tie to Jewish traditions, or was

instituted directly by Christ, himself, in fulfillment of Old Testament prophesies.

“Today we are going to begin our study of our form of worship with the Introductory

Rite (Chapter 22) and the Liturgy of the Word (Chapter 23).”


chapter (pg 97-99, student text):

Tear out pages 87/ 88 in their workbooks. To help the children integrate what they are

learning, stop at the point when a particular part of the Mass is taught in the book and

enrich the lesson by having the students fill in the appropriate blanks on their workbook

pages as you read the prayers slowly to them.

Ask them to also find the right place in their Mass booklets while you read:

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The Introductory Rite:

Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy

Spirit. Amen. [Practice the appropriate gesture with them, also.]

(Latin: In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sacncti. Amen)

Confiteor (Prayer of Confession): I confess to almighty God, and to you, my

brothers and sisters, that I have sinned through my own fault in my thoughts and

in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do; and I ask blessed

Mary, ever virgin, all the angels and saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to

pray for me to the Lord Our God.

FYI - New Version as of Advent 2011: I confess to almighty God, and to you, my

brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned in my thoughts and in my words, in

what I have done and in what I have failed to do; through my fault, through my

fault, through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary, ever virgin, all

the angels and saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord

Our God.

Kyrie Eleison: Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

(Greek: Kyrie, eleison. Christe, eleison. Kyrie, eleison.)

Gloria: Glory to God in the highest and peace to his people on earth; Lord God,

heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we

praise you for your glory. Lord Jesus Christ, only son of the Father, Lord God,

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: have mercy on us; you are

seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer. For you alone are the

Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with

the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen

FYI - New Version as of Advent 2011: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth

peace to people of good will. We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we

glorify you, we give thanks for your great glory, Lord God, heavenly King, O God,

almighty Father. Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son, Lord God, Lamb of God,

Son of the Father, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us; you are

seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. For you alone are the



NOTE: Remind the students of the Liturgical calendar, and that the opening prayer or

Collect (pronounced cah’ lect - with the emphasis on the first syllable) changes with

the Liturgical seasons and feast days.

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The Introductory Rite Handout:

Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy

Spirit. Amen.

(Latin: In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sacncti. Amen)

Confiteor (Prayer of Confession): I confess to almighty God, and to you, my

brothers and sisters, that I have sinned through my own fault in my thoughts and

in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do; and I ask blessed

Mary, ever virgin, all the angels and saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to

pray for me to the Lord Our God. (to be memorized)

New Version as of Advent 2011: I confess to almighty God, and to you, my

brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned in my thoughts and in my words, in

what I have done and in what I have failed to do; through my fault, through my

fault, through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary, ever virgin, all

the angels and saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord

Our God.

Kyrie Eleison: Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

(Greek: Kyrie, eleison. Christe, eleison. Kyrie, eleison.)

Gloria: Glory to God in the highest and peace to his people on earth; Lord God,

heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we

praise you for your glory. Lord Jesus Christ, only son of the Father, Lord God,

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: have mercy on us; you are

seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer. For you alone are the


the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen (to be memorized)

New Version as of Advent 2011: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace

to people of good will. We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify

you, we give thanks for your great glory, Lord God, heavenly King, O God,

almighty Father. Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son, Lord God, Lamb of God,

Son of the Father, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us; you are

seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. For you alone are the



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Chapter 23

Speak Lord, Your Servant is Listening (20 minutes) Objective: The students will learn that after the Introductory Rite, the Mass continues

with the Liturgy of the Word. The Liturgy of the Word includes the scripture readings,

the homily, the Creed, and the Prayers of the Faithful.

Teach: “Following the Introductory Rite, the Mass continues with the Liturgy of the

Word. Remember from several lessons ago when we learned that Jesus is often referred

to as the Word of God because he is the incarnation and fulfillment of everything that God

has ever said to humankind. In our Mass, the Liturgy of the Word includes readings from

the Bible, both Old and New Testament, to give us the opportunity every week to hear

God’s Words in scripture.”



7. How many scripture readings do we hear on Sunday morning? (one Old Testament,

one psalm, one Epistle [letter from an Apostle], one New Testament Gospel reading – four

in all).

8. Who can read the Old Testament, Psalm, and Epistle? (lectors [parishioners not

ordained] are allowed to read these)

9. Who can read the Gospel? (only those ordained – deacons, priests)

10. What is the Homily? (the priest encourages us to follow the words from scripture and

helps show us ways to put into action the word of God)

11. What is the Creed? (statement of our beliefs as Catholic Christians)

12. What are the Prayers of the Faithful? (prayers of petition for members of our Catholic

family throughout the world: generally, one for the Pope, Bishops, leaders of Church; one

for government leaders; for peace; for those who are sick or have died; for those struggling

[unemployment, addiction], for personal intentions, etc.) We always conclude each

petition with a response like, “Lord, hear our prayer”.

Activity: Remind students that our circle prayers are also prayers of petition, just like

the Prayers of the Faithful. Have groups of two or three make up their own Prayers of

the Faithful. Assign each group one particular prayer so you don’t get 10 prayers for

world peace! Make sure the prayers are thoughtful and do not trivialize the activity.

Use these prayers as their circle prayer.

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COLLECT THE ORDER OF THE MASS BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEK’S LESSON!





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FOLLOWING CHRIST, Faith and Life Series: Grade 6 The Ten Commandments & The Order of the Mass LESSON #13 - Chapter 24 (40 minutes) Lift up the Cup of Salvation

Objective: Objective: The students will learn that after the Introductory Rite, and the Liturgy of the Word, the Mass continues with the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The Liturgy of the Eucharist includes all parts of the Offertory and the Eucharistic Prayer. Open with a Prayer: Our Father, Hail Mary. Review with the students the Apostle Creed (found on pg 147, blue pages of their text books). Introduce: “Last week we learned about two parts of the Catholic Church Liturgy…

1. Does anyone remember what the first part is called? (Introductory Rite)

2. And what are the parts of the Introductory Rite? – if you can’t remember the

name, just describe it. (Entrance Antiphon or Hymn; Greeting - the sign of the cross;

Penitential Rite – recite ‘I confess to almighty God, and to you, my brothers and

sisters…’ with students; the Gloria – recite ‘Glory to God in the highest and peace to

his people on earth…’ with the students; Opening Prayer)

3. What is the second part of the Mass that we learned about last week? (The

Liturgy of the Word)

4. And what are the parts of the Liturgy of the Word? – if you can’t remember the

name, just describe it. (First Reading – usually Old Testament; Responsorial Psalm;

Second Reading – usually from Letters [Epistles] written by Apostles; The Gospel –

New Testament Reading; the Homily; the Profession of Faith –recite Apostles’ Creed;

Prayers of the Faithful – the Prayers of Petition they wrote last week)

“Today, we are going to continue learning about the parts of the Mass which follow

the Introductory Rite and the Liturgy of the Word. The first is the Liturgy of the

Eucharist which includes offertory and the special prayers that prepare the Gifts of

Bread and Wine for the Holy Eucharist. These are the Holiest parts of the Mass, when

the priest consecrates the bread and wine to change them into the Body and Blood of

Christ. It is especially important to contemplate what is actually happening on the

altar and to appreciate the Gift of Christ which we are about to receive. This is also

why we kneel throughout the Eucharistic Prayers.

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chapter (pg 103-105, student text):

Liturgy of the Eucharist:

Offertory -

Preparation of the Altar: The altar is set to receive the gifts of bread and wine

from the people of the congregation; it is similar to the table upon which Jewish

families would celebrate their weekly Sabbath Meal (Shabbat).

Preparation and the Offering of the Gifts: The gifts are brought forward,

handed to the priest, and placed on the altar. The priest acknowledges the

goodness of God and the blessing that these gifts are to us and to the church.

Following the Blessing, the priest asks the congregation to join in offering the

gifts to God.

The wording of these prayers is very similar to the words that are used during

Shabbat (the Sabbath) and in the Seder Meal during the Jewish celebration of

the Passover:

Blessing the Wine at Shabbat and Passover: A kiddish cup is filled to the rim

(to represent being filled with joy) with kosher wine or grape juice, and the

blessing over the wine is recited. This blessing is called Kiddush, which means

sanctification. Wine is poured into a silver cup, blessed, and thus sanctified:

Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, Creator of the fruit

of the vine.

Another action of the Jewish Shabbat and Passover meal is breaking the matzo

(the unleavened bread). The leader lifts up the matzo and says:

Blessed are art Thou, Lord, our God, king of the universe who brings forth

bread from the earth.

Washing of the Hands: Signifies the great care and purity with which we

should approach the altar. The ritualistic washing of hands is also part of

Jewish tradition.

Prayers over the Gifts: These begin with the responses, “The Lord be with

you; And also with you; Lift up your hearts; We lift them up to the Lord; Let us give

thanks to the Lord our God; It is right to give him thanks and praise.

Following these responses, the priest will pray the appropriate ‘preface’ for this

particular Mass.

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Eucharistic Prayer (holiest part of the Mass)-

Sanctus: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are

full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the

name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

Invocation of the Holy Spirit (Epiclesis): “Let your spirit come down upon these

gifts to make them Holy so that they may become for us the Body and Blood (sign of the

cross over the bread and wine) of our Lord, Jesus Christ.”

Consecration: “This is my Body which will be given up for you…this is the cup of

my Blood, the blood of the new and everlasting covenant.” The bread and wine

become the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ at this point

[Transubstantiation].

Offering to the Father: “In memory of his death and resurrection, we offer you,

Father, this life-giving bread, this saving cup. We thank you for counting us worthy to

stand in your presence and serve you. May all of us who share in the Body and Blood

of Christ be brought together in unity by the Holy Spirit.”

Doxology: “Through him, with him, in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory

and honor is yours, almighty Father, forever and ever.”

TEACHER’S NOTE: Show the students the different Eucharistic Prayers in their

Mass booklets; have them find the wording for each part of the Eucharistic Prayer

(Sanctus, Invocation, Consecration, Offering to Father, Doxology). What changes? What

stays the same?

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Chapter 25

Come to the Table of the Lord (20 minutes) Objective: The students will learn that after the Introductory Rite, and the Liturgy of the

Word, and the Liturgy of the Eucharist, the Mass continues with the Communion Rite and

the Concluding Rite. The Communion Rite includes the Lord’s Prayer, Rite of Peace,

Breaking of the Bread, Lamb of God (Agnus Dei), Communion of the Priest, Communion

Antiphon, Communion of the People, and the Prayer after Communion. The Concluding

Rite includes the Final Blessing and Closing Hymn.

Teach: “Following the Liturgy of the Eucharist, the Mass continues with the Communion

Rite and the Concluding Rite. Remember from several lessons ago when we learned that

Jesus is often referred to as the Word of God because he is the incarnation and fulfillment of

everything that God has ever said to humankind. In our Mass, the Liturgy of the Word

includes readings from the Bible, both Old and New Testament, to give us the

opportunity every week to hear God’s Words in scripture.”



1. Why do you think it is important to remain quiet during this part of the Mass?

(reverence and respect for the actual presence of Christ and for what he sacrificed for our

salvation).

2. Why do we bow before we receive the Body and Blood of Christ? (to show

reverence)

3. What do we mean when we say ‘Amen’ after receiving Christ in the Eucharist?

(we are agreeing to the doctrines of the Catholic Church, most specifically to the teaching of

Christ’s actual presence in the Eucharist)

4. What if we do not take the chalice – are we ‘missing’ part of Christ? (no – Christ is

fully present, body, blood, soul, and divinity, when one receives either or both the Body and

the Blood)

5. Why do some people receive the Eucharist on the tongue rather than take it in the

hand? (some people do not want to touch the Body of Christ with their hands; either way

is acceptable)

COLLECT THE ORDER OF THE MASS BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEK’S LESSON!





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FOLLOWING CHRIST, Faith and Life Series: Grade 6

The Ten Commandments & The Order of the Mass LESSON #14 - Chapter 26 & 27 (60 minutes) Preparing Our Hearts for Jesus Come Lord Jesus

Objective: The students will learn that we must be properly prepared to receive Holy Communion by following Jesus example at the Last Supper. Jesus washed the feet of the Apostles, showing us the importance of being cleansed/pure both interiorly and exteriorly before receiving Communion. Open with a Prayer: Our Father, Hail Mary. Review with the students the Apostle Creed (found on pg 147, blue pages of their text books). Introduce: “At the Last Supper, Jesus’ Passover meal, Jesus continued to teach the

Apostles to prepare them to carry on his mission here on earth. One of the first things

Jesus did after they had gathered in the upper room was to wash the Apostles’ feet.

By doing this, Jesus was emphasizing the importance of being prepared to share in

Communion with each other. Our hearts as well as our own selves should ‘clean’.

“Let’s open our Bibles to John, Chapter 13, and read verses 1 through 15 [Jn 13:1-15]

together.”

Read: Have student volunteers begin reading John, Chapter 13, verses 1-15 [you can

go around the table and ask each child to read one verse, or whatever you feel will

work best for your class] :

Ask:

1. Why do you think Jesus wanted to wash the Apostles’ feet? (answers will vary).

2. Why do you think Peter told Jesus that he could never wash his feet? (answers will

vary)

3. What did Jesus mean by saying that ‘not all of you are clean’? (he knew that Judas

had a guilty conscience because he had already betrayed Jesus to the Romans)

4. What do you think Jesus meant when he instructed the Apostles to ‘wash one

another’s feet? (to serve one another in humility)

5. Who remembers at which Mass the priest washes parishioners’ feet in the same

way Jesus washed the Apostles’ feet? (Holy Thursday Mass)

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6. Why do you think the priest does that? (to show all of us that his ministry is one of

humble service to others)

Teach: “Shortly, we will be celebrating Easter, the most holy time of the year for

Christians. Between PALM SUNDAY and EASTER, we celebrate the TRIDUUM which

includes HOLY THURSDAY, GOOD FRIDAY and the EASTER VIGIL.

“Holy Thursday is the most profound of all religious observances with the exception of

the Easter Vigil. It celebrates both the institution by Christ himself of the Eucharist and of

the institution of the ordained priesthood. In his last supper with the disciples, a

celebration of Passover, Jesus is the self-offered Passover Lamb, and every ordained priest

to this day presents this same sacrifice, by Christ's authority and command, in exactly the

same way. The Last Supper was also Christ's farewell to His assembled disciples, some of

whom would betray, desert or deny Him before the sun rose again.

“On Holy Thursday there is a special Mass in Cathedral Churches, attended by as many

priests of the diocese as can attend, because it is a solemn observance of Christ's

institution of the priesthood. At this 'Chrism Mass' [celebrated in Boston on the Tuesday

before Holy Thursday], the bishop blesses the Oil of Chrism used for Baptism and

Confirmation. The bishop may wash the feet of twelve of the priests, to symbolize Christ's

washing the feet of his Apostles, the first priests.

“The Holy Thursday liturgy, celebrated in the evening because the Jewish celebration of

Passover began at sundown, also shows both the worth God gives to the humility of

service, and the need for cleansing with water (a symbol of baptism) in Jesus' washing the

feet of His disciples, and in the priest's stripping and washing of the altar.

“Immediately following the Holy Thursday Mass, the Holy Eucharist is carried in

procession to the Altar of Repose, where it will remain 'entombed' until the communion

service on Good Friday.

Throughout the night,

parishioners participate in the

Adoration of the Blessed

Sacrament, just as the disciples

stayed with the Lord during His

agony in the Garden before the

betrayal by Judas. No Mass will

be celebrated again in the

Church until the Saturday

evening Easter Vigil proclaims

the Resurrection.

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“For many centuries, the Last Supper of Our Lord has inspired great works of art and

literature, such as the painting found on page 81 of your text book and, of course,

Leonardo da Vinci’s ever popular Last Supper in the 16th century.”

Read: Have student volunteers begin reading Chapter 26 and 27, through the end of

the chapters (pg 111-115, student text – actually only 3 pages of text) using whichever

method works best for your class.

1. Open your Missals to page 45. Who can find the place titled, “Private Preparation

of the Priest? (show of hands)

2. What should we be doing while the priest is preparing himself for Communion?

(we should also be praying and preparing ourselves to receive Christ in the Eucharist)

3. Turn to page 46 in your Missals. Find the place where Catholics are instructed.

What should Catholics do to prepare themselves for receiving the Holy Eucharist?

(bottom of page 46 – receive devoutly and frequently, be free from grave sin [lying,

stealing], fast for one hour [only those over the age of 18]) Turn to page 151, blue pages

of their text books.

Help them find and recite the Anima Christi, which is a traditional prayer before

Communion.

4. Why are people from other faith traditions not invited to receive the Body of

Christ? (by receiving the Body of Christ and saying ‘Amen’, we are affirming that we are

in union with the Catholic Church and all her teachings, especially that of the real presence

of Christ in the Eucharist. A person whose faith is not in union with the Catholic Church

and does not follow the same teaching in their faith cannot participate by saying ‘Amen’ to

the real presence of Christ found in the Holy Eucharist)

TEACHER’S NOTE: This is a difficult teaching for many and may even seem unkind

to some. Those who are non-Catholics are always welcome to receive a blessing and

are certainly not barred from attending church. As a former Episcopalian who

attended Mass with the family for 16 years prior to my conversion, I can honestly say

that attending Mass (even though I could not receive) was a beautiful experience and

certainly aided in my decision to “come home” to the Catholic Faith!




Finish with the Lord’s Prayer (“Our Father, who art in Heaven…”). COLLECT THE

ORDER OF THE MASS BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEK’S LESSON!

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FOLLOWING CHRIST, Faith and Life Series: Grade 6 The Ten Commandments & The Order of the Mass LESSON #15 - Chapter 28 His Abiding Presence Objective: The students will learn that Transubstantiation is the change from Bread and Wine to the Body and Blood of Christ. They will also learn that Jesus is reserved (the consecrated Body of Christ) in the Tabernacle, which is why we genuflect before the Tabernacle. (Tear out page 110 in the student workbooks and pass them out before you go upstairs to the church) Open with Prayer: Our Father, Hail Mary. Recite the Apostle Creed with the students (found on pg 147, blue pages of their text books). Recite also the prayers from the Mass (Gloria and the Penance Prayer) found in the Order of the Mass books. THE STUDENTS WILL TAKE HOME THEIR ORDER OF THE MASS BOOKS FOLLOWING THIS LESSON. Teach: “Over the past weeks we have learned about the Order of the Mass and about

the different prayers in each part of the Mass. Today we are going to learn about the

Blessed Sacrament and Eucharistic Adoration.

Read: Chapter 28 (pg 118-119, student text) asking for student volunteers. Give the

students page 110 from their workbooks and ask them to work together in groups of

two or three to answer the questions. Then, using your teacher’s guide, go through

each question, making sure they understand about the Blessed Sacrament reserved in

the Tabernacle.

Activity: Take the students upstairs to the church (unless there is something else

going on in the church) with their Mass booklets. Gather them before the Tabernacle;

have them genuflect in front of the Tabernacle reminding them that this is where Jesus

is present whenever the red candle is lit. Ask them to quietly file into a pew and kneel

together in silent prayer. Explain to them that they are going to review and practice

the proper way to receive Christ in the Eucharist.

All sixth grade classes are going to be gathering in the church. Deacon Art will lead

the group in Eucharistic Adoration.

Once they have all had a chance to practice receiving both the Body and the Blood;

finish with the Lord’s Prayer (“Our Father, who art in Heaven…”) while kneeling back in

the pews.

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Remind them that we will have Penance next week and that they should leave the church

respectfully, genuflecting once more in front of the Tabernacle as they leave their pews.

MAKE SURE THEY TAKE THEIR ORDER OF THE MASS MISSALS WITH THEM!

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FOLLOWING CHRIST, Faith and Life Series: Grade 6

LESSON #17

Vestments, Altar Vessels, and the Liturgical Calendar

Objective: The students will learn the central seasons and feasts of the Liturgical year, the

liturgical colors of the year, and to understand the liturgical year as the story of salvation. The

students will also learn the names of the priest’s vestments and the altar vessels.

Open with Prayer: Our Father, Hail Mary. Recite the Apostle Creed with the students

(found on pg 147, blue pages of their text books).

Teach: “During the second half of the year, we have learned a great deal about Christ’s

sacrifice for us, the Eucharist, and about the Mass. Let’s review a little bit before we cover

our last lesson for the year.

1. When did Christ institute the Holy Eucharist for us? (at the Last Supper)

2. What was Christ teaching the Apostles about how they needed to live their own

lives as followers of him? (that they must be willing to serve and even to sacrifice

themselves for others)

3. Why did Christ offer himself up to die on the cross for us? (for our salvation and

forgiveness of sins, and to show how much God loves us)

4. What are the words the priest needs to say during the Liturgy of the Eucharist in

order to change the bread and wine into the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of

Christ? (This is my Body which will be given up for you…this is the cup of my Blood, the

blood of the new and everlasting covenant)

5. What is the word that is used to describe this change? (Transubstantiation)

6. Is Christ really, truly present Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity in the consecrated

host? (yes!)

7. Is Christ really, truly present Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity from the consecrated

wine? (yes!)

SECTION 1: Liturgical Calendars

“Earlier in the year, we also talked about the Liturgical Calendar. Let’s review the

calendar by hearing again about the different seasons of the year. As we go through this

review, see if you can remember which season we are currently in (Lent - purple).”

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Liturgical Calendar of the Catholic Church

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Read: the information on the Liturgical year found on pages B-8 through B-10 in the

appendix of the teacher’s guide. This section of the teacher’s guide provides an excellent

explanation of the Liturgical Calendar which will help you to “walk” the students

through the year while they color in the appropriate seasons. See if they can remember

the colors from earlier in the year before you read the sections.

There is also a small section on the liturgical colors found on page 142 of their text books

which you could also use to supplement this part of the lesson.

Ask the students to identify the liturgical season we are currently in.

SECTION 2: Vestments and Altar Vessels:

Read: After you have completed the Liturgical Calendar, ask the students to keep their

texts closed while you read from their textbooks (page 141) Liturgical Colors and Vestments.

Read ONLY the descriptions of the items on the handout from their textbooks and have

them color in the appropriate picture based on the description you read. See how many

they can correctly identify (for fun)!

Remind the students: next week is their final class. They will be beginning their studies

for Confirmation next year in grade 7 (Pre-Confirmation classes grades 7 & 8), so it will be

very important to attend each lesson over the next four years while they prepare to

receive the Sacrament of Confirmation.

They will have a short, open-book “quizlette” next week which they can complete in class,

working with groups.





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Grade 6

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following christ, faith and life series: grade 6 the …holyfamilyduxbury.org/media/1/grade 6...

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