Catechist and Teachers:: Video Study Guide

Segment One:

Faith First Interviews: Showing Our Faith
Approximately 7 minutes.

Text reference:
Chapters 10, 12, and 15.

Background:
In these snapshot interviews, young adults talk about the various ways faith makes a difference in their lives. The comments touch upon many dimensions of faith, including making sound decisions, getting involved in community service, and treating other people considerately. The fast flow of interview comments will stimulate lively discussion on living a life of faith.

Discussion:

What are some ways that you make faith an important part of your everyday life?
Comment on this statement: "You receive more by giving."
What is the meaning of the popular expression "Get a life"? Does saying this to someone imply that something is missing in that person's life? That something needs to be added to that person's life?
Comment on this statement: "Forgiveness is the key to action and freedom."
Set the scene. Create a mood of relaxation, perhaps by encouraging everyone to sit comfortably on the floor. Play appropriate soft, peaceful background music. Have the students close their eyes. Ask them to immerse themselves in the story as you prayerfully read Matthew 11: 28-30. Ask: What can we learn from Jesus about how to make our burdens light? How does Jesus help us find rest? How do you find rest when you are burdened? Do you consider Jesus a gentle teacher? Explain.
How do you express thanks and gratitude to God for your gifts and talents? Why are prayers of gratitude so important in living a life of faith?
Comment on this statement: "God is my strength and my support." How do you show your need for God in difficult times? In good times?
Remind everyone that God wants us to ask him questions. In fact, asking God questions can help us grow in faith and trust. Emphasize that "Why?" is one of the most pertinent questions anyone can ask because it stems from an inquisitive mind. Conclude with this question: What are some questions you ask God?
What is the meaning of this quote: "Those who are generous are blessed"?
Set the scene: Read "The Calming of a Storm at Sea" (Mark 4: 35-41). If possible, have the students role-play the story as you read it. Encourage everyone to imaginatively enter into the full drama of the story. Emphasize that the disciples are terrified; however, Jesus is able to sleep through the storm. Ask What are some "storms" in your life in which Jesus asks you, "Do you not yet have faith?" What and whom do you rely on to calm the "storms" in your life? What are some spiritual tips you give to friends to help them calm the "storms" in their lives?

Segment Two:

The Visual Bible™: The Story of Pentecost
Approximately 8 minutes.

Text reference:
Chapters 15 and 21.

Bible reference:
On-location reenactment of Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 2.

Background:
Surrounded by darkness, Father Timothy reminds us that we desperately seek light when we feel alone and isolated and afraid. Darkness causes us to stumble and fall and to desperately seek the light. Before the Pentecost event, the disciples felt alone and confused and afraid. After Pentecost, the disciples were a community. They had a purpose and a mission. They had the courage to proclaim the Gospel. It is for this reason that we pray, "Come, Holy Spirit!"

More Background:
Pentecost is the birthday of the Church. The story of Pentecost is so familiar that it's easy to miss its true significance. The disciples are huddled together in fear. Suddenly a rush of wind fills the room. Tongues of fire rest upon each of the disciples. Immediately they are filled with the Holy Spirit.

Discussion:

Tertullian (160-225), a prolific writer in the early Church observed that Pentecost was not just a single day. He considered the fifty days from Easter to Pentecost the "most joyful span of time." Why is Pentecost such a joyful celebration by the Church?
Set the scene: Have the students imagine that someone in class has just made this straight-out statement: "I don't believe the Holy Spirit is real." Ask: How do you respond to this statement? What do the realities of wind and fire tell us about the reality of the Holy Spirit? What can you say about the work of the Holy Spirit, enlightening our hearts and minds so we can grow in wisdom and grace and love?
What happened at Pentecost? What do these events mean?
How is the Holy Spirit present in your life today? What is the best way for you to be open to the Spirit?
If time allows, touch upon the sacrament of Confirmation (refer to Chapter 5). Point out that the sacrament of Confirmation seals, or completes, Baptism. At Confirmation, the Holy Spirit strengthens us to courageously proclaim Jesus to others. Quickly review the gifts of the Holy Spirit:
- Wisdom—- the gift to evaluate life in relation to God
- Understanding—- the gift to see the deeper meaning of life
- Knowledge—- the gift to appreciate God's greatness
- Counsel—- the gift of being open to the Holy Spirit
- Piety—- the gift to be attuned to God in prayer and worship
- Fortitude—- the gift of courage so we can overcome fear and carry out our part in God's plan
- Fear of the Lord—- the gift to deeply and genuinely love God

Segment Three:

Social Action: Death Penalty
Approximately 17 minutes.

Text reference:
Chapter 21.

Background:
This multi-faceted video offers four interviews with people who are directly connected with capital punishment. The interviews are incorporated into all five sections of the video:

Law.
Trial.
Reconciliation.
What Can You Do?
We Are All Children of God.

The interviews feature: Attorney Susan Karamanian, who explains the legal process regarding capital offenses; Bill Pelke, president and cofounder of Journey of Hope, whose grandmother was killed by four high school girls while stealing her car and $10.00; George White, chairman and CEO of Journey of Hope, who himself faced the death penalty when he was falsely accused of murdering his wife (the verdict was later overturned); Sister Helen Prejean, Nobel Prize Winner Nominee, whose best-selling book (and popular movie) "Dead Man Walking" offers a close-up view of her ministry with prisoners on death row, with family members of murdered victims, and with prison guards.

Discussion:

Describe the overall tone of this video in terms of the morality of the death penalty.
Which of the interviews touched you most deeply? Explain.
What is the Old Testament meaning of "[Y]ou shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe" (Exodus 21: 23)? What is the New Testament meaning of "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on [your] right cheek, turn the other one to him as well" (Matthew 5:38-39)?
Discuss these comments made by Sister Helen Prejean: "Love is stronger than hate. Compassion is stronger than vengeance."
Replay the opening meditation when the discussion process has ended. Ask: What changes, if any, regarding how you feel about the death penalty are the result of viewing and discussing this video segment?
The U.S. bishops have written a statement about the death penalty. They see the death penalty as perpetuating a cycle of violence. Do you agree? Explain.
Pope John Paul II has spoken against the "culture of death" that is prevalent throughout the world. What is your explanation of the "culture of death" in our society?
What are some ways you can speak out against the "culture of death" and speak out for the Gospel of life?
Research project: Have the students gather information about the impact the death penalty has on reducing the number of violent crimes.
Explain as fully as you can what it means to be pro-life.

Segment Four:

Real Life Interviews: Story of Faith
Approximately 15 minutes.

Text reference:
Chapters 8, 10, 14, 15, 16, and 18.

Background:
The Oklahoma City bombing is among the worst terrorist attacks on U.S. soil. It happened on April 19, 1995. In this interview, Bud Welch talks about his anger, hate, and need for revenge during the weeks after the bombing. Since then he has worked for forgiveness and healing and strongly opposes the death penalty. His daughter Julie was one of the 169 people killed by the bomb blast. Julie was 23 years old, very talented, and keenly interested in using those talents to serve others. She had a vision of the way things should be and did something about making the vision come true. Sister Helen Prejean, who ministers with death-row inmates, provides additional interview comments. Mr. Welch and Sister Helen oppose the death penalty, as did Julie.

Discussion:

What do you most admire about Mr. Welch? What do you most admire about Sister Helen Prejean? What do you most admire about Julie Welch?
What is the role of media in reporting national tragedies such as the Oklahoma City bombing?
The Book of Job focuses on the problem of suffering of the innocent. Job is a good person; yet, he suffers in many ways. He finally acknowledges that God's ways are not our ways. He deals with his sufferings with a new sense of humility and a deeper trust in God. Ask: How do your experiences of suffering help you grow in humility and a deeper trust of God?
What are some examples of how Jesus helped specific people through their suffering?
Comment on this statement: "We live in the most violent period of history."
Explain what it means to be pro-life. Does choosing life mean rejecting all forms of violence? Explain.
Read aloud the first two verses of the Prayer of Saint Francis "Lord, make me an instrument of your peace; Where there is hatred let me sow love." Ask for examples of the difference between actions of love and actions of hate. What are some things that prevent us from being kind and considerate? Ask: What are some ways we can help others and ourselves overcome hatred and violence?
What is your definition of mercy? How does God show us how to be merciful?
What is your definition of revenge? How does God help us to overcome the all too common motivation "to get even"?
Some experts claim that violence grows to the extent that we neglect the most basic work of love, which is the work of communication. Do you agree with this theory? What do you consider the five most important rules for good communication?

Segment Five:

Moral Dilemma: The Party
Approximately 5 minutes.

Text reference:
Chapter 19.

Background:
The scene is the school cafeteria. Michelle and Stacy are at one of the tables. Michelle asks several of her friends about their plans for the weekend. Stacy has a babysitting job. All of Michelle's other friends have something planned. In a desperate move, she tells her friends that her parents are out of town. The news travels fast and before long a beer bash is materializing. The party is soon out of control, and the house is trashed. Mr. Holmes, Michelle's neighbor, threatens to call the police because of the noise and rowdiness. And Michelle's friends are eager to flee the "scene of the crime."

Note: A dilemma is a situation that involves a choice between equally unsatisfactory alternatives.

Discussion:

Michelle's situation: Michelle admits she blew it. She betrayed her mother's trust. Michelle feels that if she asks her friends to leave, they will consider her a loser. She isn't even sure how she got into this mess. Ask: What should Michelle do?
Eric's situation: Eric doesn't want to risk getting kicked off the football team and possibly losing a college scholarship. He's convinced that if the cops come, he will be busted. Ask: What should Eric do?
Eric's girlfriend's situation: She realizes that Eric is Michelle's best friend, but she also wants to go home. She adds another serious point to the whole episode and "hopes all these drunks are not driving home." Ask: What needs to be done to assure that everyone gets home safely? What needs to be done to assure that future parties never get out of control?
Stacy's situation: Stacy is genuinely distressed. She wants Jason to take her home right now. She wants to avoid giving her parents any reason to ask where she has been. Ask: What should Stacy do? Jason's situation: Jason likes to party but realizes this party is out of control. Michelle is one of his best friends, but he does not want to be thrown out of school in his senior year. What should Jason do?

Segment Six:

The Visual Bible™: Selections from the Passion Narratives
Approximately 18 minutes.

Text reference:
Chapters 3 and 7.

Bible reference:
On-location reenactment of the Passion narrative of Matthew.

Background:
Father Timothy explains that the Passion narrative is the most important story in all four Gospels. The Passion narrative tells us that God loves us beyond all measure. This is revealed to us in the suffering and death of Jesus.

Discussion:

Which is the greatest of the sufferings that Jesus had to endure? Physical pain? Betrayal by friends? Feeling abandoned? Being ridiculed?
What is the meaning of these events in the Passion narrative? Darkness at midday? Earthquakes?
What command did Jesus give to his disciples 2,000 years ago? How do you respond to that command today?
Set the scene: A terrible disaster is in the news. A record storm has devastated a large area. The loss of human life is staggering. The property damage and human suffering cannot be fully estimated. Start the class by asking for prayer intentions for all families who have suffered so much. After the prayers, say something about the mystery of suffering. Note that suffering cannot be explained. No one likes it, and no one wants it. Jesus often reached out to people who were suffering. Ask: What did Jesus teach about suffering and the value that can come from it?
Distribute Bibles to everyone. Have the students look up all four Passion narratives (Matthew 26-27, Mark 14-15, Luke 22-23, John 18-19) and have them discuss the following:
- Why did the authorities reject Jesus?
- Why did Judas betray Jesus?
- Why did the disciples desert Jesus in his hour of greatest need?
- What do the Passion narratives teach us about suffering and death?
- What is the victory of the cross?
Why is the death and suffering of Jesus on the cross such an important symbol of Christianity?
How does Easter change Good Friday?
What did the post-resurrection words of Jesus, "Do not be afraid," mean to his disciples? What do they mean to you?
How does celebrating the Easter Triduum help you remember Jesus' love and share it with others?
Set the scene: Have the students imagine they are in a famous art museum. The gallery they are in features several masterpiece paintings of the death and resurrection of Jesus. While they are in the gallery, the guide tells them that they really need to step back from the paintings to appreciate the full sweep of what each artist is trying to express about the love that Jesus has for all people. Ask: What can we learn about the love we receive and the love we give by stepping back in time and taking a long-term look at our lives? What can we learn about love in the hour-by-hour flow of what's going on in our lives right now? What is the difference between stepping back in time and looking at the power of love over our entire family history and taking a close-up look at love as it touches our lives right here, right now? What is the difference between looking at the events of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection as they happened two thousand years ago and looking at those same events as if they are happening right now and showing us about God's hand in our lives right now?

Segment Seven:

The Visual Bible™: Saul's Conversion
Approximately 7 minutes.

Text reference:
Chapters 4 and 13.

Bible reference:
On-location reenactment of Acts of the Apostles 9:1-27.

Background:
Father Timothy begins this segment by recalling that as a boy he was small for his age. He had problems with bullies. The story of Saul begins with Saul persecuting the followers of Jesus. He was a bully and thought he knew everything about God. But Saul (or Saint Paul, as he became known) learned a lesson: Things are not always the way they seem. Saul was able to change the way he looked at the world. He changed his beliefs. He gave up everything and became an ardent follower of Jesus. Sometimes we have to learn the same lesson that Paul learned. We have to open our hearts and minds to Jesus—and learn new things so we can follow Jesus the way Saint Paul followed Jesus.

Discussion:

Paul is the perfect example of what it means to be a missionary. He was able to spread Christianity to Jews because he was a Jew himself. He also had great success spreading Christianity to Gentiles because he was born a Roman citizen. Ask: Why were Paul's missionary journeys so effective? Is it necessary to travel long distances in order to be a missionary? How can you be an effective missionary in your parish?
Why did Saul (Paul) first travel to Damascus?
Set the scene: Many of Paul's epistles focused on particular issues that were very important for the emerging Church. Ask: What topics would you write about in a letter to your pastor and to your bishop to make the local church more vital and vigorous?
Set the scene: In addition to being a widely traveled missionary throughout the Greek-Roman world, Paul obtained his livelihood as a tent-maker and leather worker. He also made his apostolic presence known to the many early Christian communities by writing epistles to them. Ask: What unique and versatile skills do you have and use to spread Christianity?
Set the scene: Paul's message to the emerging Church was quite clear: Love as Jesus loved. Distribute Bibles to the students and have them refer to I Corinthians 13:4-7. Ask: In your own words and for each of these statements, explain what Paul means when he says, "Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, [love] is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."
Set the scene: Like Saint Paul, Pope John Paul II is a widely-traveled missionary. He has visited over 110 countries during his papacy and is especially popular with youth. In fact, papal youth rallies, which always attract vast and cheering crowds, are scheduled every other year. Again and again at these rallies, the pope encourages young people to grow in the gift of service and compassion. Ask: What do Saint Paul and Pope John Paul II teach us about making the Church a community of love?
Paul's dynamic leadership in the early Church is a remarkable story of energy and vision. Ask: Who are the dynamic leaders of today's Church? What message and vision do you offer to today's Church?
Set the scene: The feast of the Conversion of Paul is celebrated on January 25. On this day we recall Paul's remarkable missionary zeal. He crossed the Roman Empire four times to spread the Good News to the ancient world. Ask: What are some imaginative ways to spread the Good News throughout today's world?
Set the scene: Ironically, during his historic visit to Cuba on January 25, 1998 (the feast of Paul's Conversion), the liturgy was celebrated in Cuba's Plaza of the Revolution. The pope commented, "From Saul to Saint Paul. Ah, now that is a real revolution." Ask: What do these words of Pope John Paul II mean?
What is the most important lesson you have learned from Saint Paul's life?

Segment Eight:

Prayer: 1 Corinthians 13
Approximately 5 minutes.

Text reference:
Chapters 10, 12, and 13. Also serves as ideal resource for classroom and retreat prayer experiences.

Background:
Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. His entire ministry was dedicated to showing us how to love God, our neighbor, and ourselves. The writings of Saint Paul are unique in their dynamic power. We especially see this in his two letters to the Corinthians. The purpose of both letters was to bring the Corinthian community back to its roots. Paul founded the Church in Corinth in the year 51. Within five years, church life was divided—faction against faction. If anything, Paul was practical. Corinthians 13 is his attempt to spell out the meaning of Jesus' original message in very practical terms. Paul's message of love echoes the message of Jesus: Love never fails.

Discussion:

What is love? Do you agree with Paul that "love never fails"? Explain.
What is the opposite of love?
What is the difference between selfishness and caring less about yourself than others?
On a scale of 1 to 10 (1 = low, 10 = high) rank your general level of generosity, patience, jealousy, pride, and quick temper. Discuss each quality.
Set the scene: Review above "Background" paragraph. Emphasize why Paul wrote I Corinthians. Now have the class imagine a group of friends who got along very well. They helped one another through tough times and were happy to share in one another's successes and accomplishments. For some reason there is a change in the cohesiveness of the group. They just don't seem to care about one another any longer. You are disappointed by these developments and decide to write a letter to each person in the group. What will you say in that letter about these three points?
- The previous closeness of the group
- The qualities that unified the group
- Why those qualities are lacking now
Why is a good sense of humor such an important part of love?
Set the scene: Have the class imagine that a wedding is taking place. At the end of the ceremony the bride and groom read together 1 Corinthians 13. Ask: Why do you think they selected this reading for their wedding ceremony?
What is your favorite popular song about love? Explain. Do you think there are some popular songs that demean love? Explain.
Discuss this statement: "If we live a life of love, the world will become a garden where all kinds of flowers can bloom and grow."
It has been said that love is the only gift that keeps on giving. Give an example of how the gift of love keeps on giving.