Category: Religious Education (Catholic) 15

Meditation and Personal Covenant

1Corinthians 13

  1. Begin by praying for the Holy Spirit’s guidance as you determine God’s will for your life from this meditation on his word.
  2. Read Romans 12:1-3, 9-21. Read it several times until you are acquainted with its content. St. Paul here gives several things that a growing Christian ought to be and do.
  3. First of all, write your reaction to “getting advice” on how you should be developing as a Christian. How do you feel, and how do you handle “being told what to do”? (googledoc)
  4. Secondly, make a list of the different things Paul says a growing Christian should do. (googledoc)
  5. Now make this personal. Think about what you need to work on. Put Paul’s “advice” in terms of your own relationships with parents, friends. mothers, sisters, pastors, teachers, and any other of God’s people with whom you live and work. Go over your list in #4 with each of several people in mind.
  6. As you come to something that you need to work on, pray that God will give you the help you know you need. Talk to God as honestly and as sincerely as you would to any of your friends.
  7. Finally, write a letter to yourself (googledoc). Write about some of the things you’ve just prayed about and want to work on during the next four months.
  8. If you would like to spend more time by yourself in reflection and meditation, read Matthew 5 and 6.

1Corinthians 13 https://bible.oremus.org/?ql=510744781

Romans 12:1-3, 9-21 https://bible.oremus.org/?ql=510744565

Matthew 5 and 6 https://bible.oremus.org/?ql=510744626

RS 15: Awakenings Assignment

Directions: Answer the question below.  The page titled, Movie Assignment Rubric,  will be used to access this reflection.  It can be found on the left side (fifth from bottom) under pages.  When finished, print off your response and hand in or email it to Mr. S. Remember, Assignments are worth much more than reflection questions.

Introduction: An American bioethicist argues that patients diagnosed to be in a permanent vegetative state (PVS)  should NOT be kept alive.   [To see the article, click on Bioethicist argument]   Dr. Malcolm Sayer’s post-encephalic, catatonic patients  seem to fit the definition of PVS, therefore some people (like the American bioethicist) might argue that euthanasia should be practiced on these patients because they are no longer human beings.

The Statement:

Christian Churches, especially the Catholic Church, would argue, Euthanasia should NOT be used on Dr. Malcolm Sayer’s post-encephalic, catatonic patients because these people are still human beings?

The Question:  Do you agree with the statement above?  Why or why not?

Write a response (at least one typewritten page) answering the above question.  You MUST support your answer using examples from the movie, Awakenings.  Be as specific as possible when describing the scene or person in the movie.  You must use at least three of  Catholic catechism’s seven traits of human beings in your response.

  • Humans are created in the image and likeness of God.
  • Humans are called to happiness and holiness.
  • Humans are rational and free.
  • Humans are moral beings.
  • Humans have passions or feelings.
  • Humans are blessed with a conscience.
  • Humans are able to sin.

You may draw upon other explanations of what a human being is discussed in class to support your argument.

RS 15: Awakenings Reflection #1

Directions: Answer ONE the question below.  The page titled, Reflection Rubric,  will be used to access this reflection.  It can be found on the left side (third from top) under pages. When finished, print off your response and hand in or email it to Mr. S.  Use the following information in your response.

Catholic catechism provide seven answers:

  • Humans are created in the image and likeness of God.
  • Humans are called to happiness and holiness.
  • Humans are rational and free.
  • Humans are moral beings.
  • Humans have passions or feelings.
  • Humans are blessed with a conscience.
  • Humans are able to sin.

1.   Just after Dr. Malcolm Sayer got his job at the chronic hospital, he was taken on a tour of the facility.  During that tour, the following conversation occurred:

Dr. Sayer:             “Excuse me.  What are all these people waiting for?

Guide:                   “They’re not”

Dr. Sayer:             “How are they supposed to get well?”

Guide:                  “They’re not.  They’re chronic.  We call this place the garden.  All we do  is feed and water.”

What does this conversation tell you about the view of the patients in the chronic hospital?  Does the hospital staff see these patients as human?  Explain, using one or more of the statements in the Catholic catechism, if the catatonic patients are human or not.

OR

2.  Dr. Sayer discusses his post-encephalic, catatonic patients with a doctor who once treated them.  The retired doctor describe these patients as, “insubstantial as ghosts”, “children who fell asleep” and as “people who were once normal but are now elsewhere”. Leonard’s mother when describing her son’s progression said, “He never spoke again.  It was like he disappeared”.  Were these people dead (not in a physical sense)?  Explain.  If these patients seem “dead”, then are these patients  human?  Explain using one or more of the statements in the Catholic catechism.

Religous Studies: The Human Experience Reflection #2

Directions: Answer the question below.  The page titled, Reflection Rubric,  will be used to access this reflection.  It can be found on the left side (third from top) under pages. When finished, print off your response and hand in or email it to Mr. S.

Experience II:  The abandoned children of Peru

Anna Halpine, World Youth Alliance stated, “In the West today, many young people do not have a meaning and purpose to their life. They’re looking to say, does my life matter? Do I have a unique contribution to make… In the developing countries, this is much more clear…for them it…[is a] a need to survive…to get an education…a job because someone needs me…when you recognize that you have a real mission, an indispensable contribution to make, then you embrace life, you celebrate life in a completely different way”.

Questions: Have people, especially young people, in the Western World lost their way? In other words, have they lost their sense of purpose and as a result no longer live life fully and joyfully? Provide reasons for your answer. Could it be true that people in the third world (e.g. Africa) really do embrace life more fully and celebrate life more than us in the 1st world?  It states in John 10:10b, “I [Jesus] came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”  What is it about Jesus and/or his message that might allow people to live life fully and joyfully? If you are not familiar with some of Jesus’ messages, click the link, Jesus’ message of love.  Could love (in this case agape love) bring joy and fulfillment? Always justify your answers with examples, supporting quotes, etc.

Religious Studies: The Human Experience Assignment

Directions: Answer the questions below.  The page titled, Movie Assignment Rubric,  will be used to access this reflection.  It can be found on the left side (fifth from bottom) under pages.  When finished, print off your response and hand in or email it to Mr. S. Remember, Assignments are worth much more than reflection questions.

Read the following quotes, then answer the question(s) that follow

Jeffrey Azize, the younger of the two brothers, when referring to the homeless people of New York City, asks, “What keeps them going?  Why is it that they wake up every day?  What is their reason for living? “

The New York homeless African American says, “I’m homeless and I’m happy”.

Dr. William B. Hurlbut M.D. stated, “No matter how bad off a person is…for every body their life was a treasure for them…life is worth living because it just is.  It’s not the nature of life to be despairing.  Its the nature of life is to be hopeful”

Mama Terri, Permanent volunteer Children’s Home said, “And the joy of living, this is what the kids have… because they want to live, so they don’t mind how painful it is”.

Mama Terri  also stated, “Its not what we gave them [the abandoned children].  Its what they gave us.  Because they gave us the reason to live”.

The lepers of Ghana experienced their families abandoning them , and thus consequently were forced to live away from others in a colony.  Yet they were happy.  They were happy that the “band” of brothers came.  One of the lepers even exclaimed, “We are happy people!”

Questions: 1)  How do you explain the happiness of these people?  2)  Why are people (homeless of NYC, abandoned children of Peru and Lepers of Ghana) that you would expect to be depressed and wanting to give up on life, happy?  Perhaps the article Being Happy: Secrets of Happy People might be helpful in answering this question.  3)  What did the band of brothers discover about the human experience? 4)  What do you think is the central message of this movie?

Religious Studies: The Human Experience Reflection #1

Directions: Answer ONE of questions below.  The page titled, Reflection Rubric,  will be used to access this reflection.  It can be found on the left side (third from top) under pages. When finished, print off your response and hand in or email it to Mr. S.

Experience I:  Homeless people of New York City

Jeffrey Azize said, “Everyone lives differently.  When you go somewhere out of your own comfort zone; out of your own realm, and you enter someone else’s; that’s learning”.  In other words, Jeff is saying the same thing as the proverb, “Never judge a man until you’ve walked a mile [1.6 km] in his shoes.”

In John 8:12-15 it says, Again Jesus spoke to them saying, ‘I am the light of the world…you judge by human standards; I judge no one.'”  In Matthew 7:1-2 it says, Do not judge so that you may not be judged.  For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get.” 

Questions: Is Jesus, in scripture, saying the same thing as Jeffery?  Explain why or why not. Christian Slater, an actor, says, “Good judgement comes from experience. Sometimes, experience comes from bad judgement”.  Jeffry in the movie exemplifies Slater’s quote.  Explain how Jeffry and his brother’s experience as a homeless people provides evidence that Slater’s quote is true.

You may want to read these texts in context to help you with your response.  The Oremus Bible Browser will aid you in doing this.

OR

Jeffrey Azize stated: “You become more humble… you can feel the humility that the homeless people go through. And I don’t know. It’s different… my whole heart feels different.

In Matthew 18.4, it says, “Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”  In Colossians 3:12-17, it is written, “As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.”  You may want to read these texts in context to help you with your response.

Questions:  What does it mean to be humble or have humility?  Explain why  humility would be one of the qualities of holiness?  How is it possible for a person to have humility in our 21st century world when our society teaches us to be competitive; encouraging us to be number 1? 

RS World Religions Research Project

Religion 15:  Western World Religions:  Christianity, Islam & Judaism

Religion 25:  Eastern World Religions:  Hinduism or Buddhism

Religion 35:  Eastern World Religions:  Confucianism, Taoism & Sikhism

Objectives:

  1. To explore the great world religions .
  2. To produce a visual creation to relay information about a world religion.
  3. To discover common elements between the world religions.

Part 1: RESEARCH    Each pair will be assigned one of the  world religions (RS 15: Christianity, Judaism, & Islam; RS 25: Buddhism & Hinduism, RS 35:  Confucianism, Taoism & Sikhism) to research.  Completing the Research Info Chart will do this. REMEMBER, the chart also includes a timeline.   To download a digital version of this chart, use the following chart: research_info_chart

World Religions Information

Keep in mind that these sites contain general information about the world religions.  For example, it discusses Christianity’s basics beliefs.  There may be differences between the different traditions of Christians such as between the Catholic and Anglican Church.

Comparison Chart (Has a good comparision table.  You need to input the names of the religions you wish to compare)

World Religions map

Major Religions of the World (Select the religion you are researching using the links on the left hand side of the web page)

For Grade 10s, here another site related to the Islam (Muslim) faithThe Muslim experience in Canada

There is also the textbook in the classroom.

Using “Google” will also locate many useful sites.  Be sure to critique the site to determine if it contains credible information.  There are also numerous resources in the library.

Be sure to keep a record of the sites (URLs) and books used for the research so it can be recorded in your bibliography.  To site resources properly, go to How to site references.

Part II:  VISUAL CREATION   Create a poster or power point presentation, using no more than ten words or phrases, that shows others what is important within your assigned religion.

For looking up bible verse, this link  might be helpful.

oremus Bible Browser (just put in your scripture request e.g. 1 John 3:6-8 and up pops the text)

The rubric used for this assignment:

World Religions Project Rubric