“Spiritual Growth/Lent”

Catechist Summary * Slides * Final Interviews this Monday

Gathering (5 min)

students can sign up for roles in the Confirmation Masses — who would like to read aloud; to carry the gifts or flowers up to the altar; to gather the collection money in baskets, etc.

Opening Prayer (5 min)

Prayer of St. Richard of Chichester

Thanks be to you, my Lord Jesus Christ, for all the benefits you have given me, for all the pains and insults you have borne for me.
O most merciful redeemer, friend and brother, may I know you more clearly, love you more dearly, and follow you more nearly, day by day. Amen.

Lent: A Time for Spiritual Growth (10 min)

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJBMw2pQZiA

ALTERNATE VIDEO, in case the one above ceases to work in the week leading up to Ash Wednesday (as happened last year at this time):

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9rM5VOqndg

During Lent, we seek unity with Christ through personal sacrifice. Lenten sacrifice in the spirit of Jesus, as our Lenten discipline as disciples of Jesus, should be about giving up something you need in order to benefit another person (like Jesus giving his life for us on the cross), not just giving up something you enjoy but shouldn’t have because it’s bad for you (candy, cartoons, coffee). Lenten sacrifices are not the same as New Year’s Resolutions! Consider this short video’s example of a sacrifice (no spoken dialogue, so watch closely to follow along):

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-LK_MyvnLA

This year, as a sign of our growing spiritual maturity, let’s stretch beyond the things we have done as children during Lent! Take on something extra (daily prayer, service, Scripture reading, spiritual journaling). If you do choose to make giving something up a part of your Lenten discipline, consider how you can give up a related thing you need (like the money or time spent on that thing) to benefit someone else (through charitable donation, service, or prayer for the needs of the world).

We can join our parish to use CRS Rice Bowl as a tool for our for prayer, fasting & almsgiving this Lent. This is a way to help the victims of the wars in Ukraine and Gaza as well as others in need around the world, including victims of natural disasters, war, and climate change.

Breakout Activity at Tables: My Lenten Sacrifices (10 min)

Students write on the side of their CRS Rice Bowl bank what they are sacrificing for Lent. Groups should also look at the calendar and recipes from the booklet inside the bank.

Track B students, who are covering this part of the session actually within the season of Lent, can together read/do the activity in the calendar booklet for the day on which they are having class. (Wednesday 3/5 suggests the prayer from the side of the bank or the end of the calendar “Jesus, Bread of Life, as we encounter you…,” while Thursday 3/6 has a quote from Pope Saint John Paul II.)

Invitation to Spiritual Growth (5 min)

Think back to “Is Your Faith Still in Kindergarten?” video & SMART goals from last Fall. We hope you’ve been growing while preparing for Confirmation!

At the time, we set goals (where we want to go) but didn’t look closely at where we were already (where we started). This would never work in navigating on Google Maps or Waze, where you need a clear starting location to get directions! Maybe we are used to our phones automatically detecting this for us. So let’s start making plans for growth by taking a look at where we are now.

Breakout Activity at Tables: Spiritual Life Snapshot (15 min)

Tree parts worksheet for each student to complete a spiritual life tree

Discernment: Inviting God into Making Decisions (10 min)

Discernment brings your faith into your decision-making, including God as part of the process. It is part of using the Gifts of the Spirit, including Wisdom (seeing the real value of things), Understanding (realizing how God is speaking to us through Scripture) and Counsel (giving and receiving good advice).

Everyday Discernment video (Catholic Central)

(Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQH018oSp6M)
Note: “Ace of Base” is a pop group from the 1990s known for their song “I Saw the Sign”. This is only important for understanding the joke in the initial scene which is briefly called back to later in the video.

The key questions to ask in discernment or prayerful decision-making are:

What do my Catholic morals say about this?
How would it impact me and those around me?
What is my motivation?
Or, as your Inner Father Jason speaking in your conscience might put it, Will it help me to grow closer to Jesus?

St. Ignatius of Loyola thought of this process as “discernment of spirits”, as forces of consolation vs. forces of desolation in your decisions. But this is more than just feeling happy or sad about something, becoming a carefree flowerchild or an intense goth. Do your decisions put you on an upward trajectory of growing closer to God, or on a downward path of separating yourself from God?

There is also a difference between guilt (over an action) vs. shame (a feeling about your self-worth). Guilt can be healthy and lead us to make wiser decisions in the future. Shame is taking our mistakes too much to heart and allowing those mistakes to define us.

Areas for Spiritual Growth (10-20 min)

Confirmation is like making the school basketball team. Making the team is an achievement, but it still requires investment of practice time, teamwork with others and your continued effort to be successful and make a difference in your life! If the Holy Spirit is your head coach, what coaching or skills will you need moving forward?

In your groups, read and discuss p. 75-76 in the Confirmed in the Spirit textbook, sections “Ready to Witness” and “A Plan for Spiritual Growth” with its 5 subheadings Eucharist, Reconciliation, Prayer, Works of Charity, and Community.

Scripture for Spiritual Growth (20 min)

Each table/group chooses a passage as assigned in the chart on the question sheet, which now includes the topic Justice as well as the 5 covered by pp. 75-76 in the textbook.

BLUE Table (Mrs. Stella Peters): Community
GREEN Table (Ms. Rachel Hohner): Justice
ORANGE Table (sub for Mr. Joe Rosales): Eucharist
PURPLE Table (Mrs. Melissa Richlen): Prayer
RED Table (Ms. Leticia Solache): Works of Charity
YELLOW Table (sub for Ms. Isabel López): Reconciliation

Discuss how the passage invites and encourages spiritual growth, and shows us ways to grow closer to Jesus. The final question should be answered individually on paper after discussing in group

Homework, Reminders and Closing Prayer (5 min)

Reminders:

Next class also split
- Track A Monday 3/10 6:45 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Mission Hall
- Track B Wednesday-Thursday 3/12-3/13 in 8th Grade Religion class
if you missed the Retreat last Friday 2/28, please go to parish confessions 9am-10am @ Queen of Angels Church on some Saturday in March (before Confirmation day)!
Apparel for Candidates & Sponsors at the Confirmation Mass
- dress nicely (not too casual, ripped or dirty), modestly (not too revealing or flashy) and appropriately for church (no inappropriate graphics or slogans)
  - Women: nice dress, or blouse with dressy slacks or skirt; low heels or flats recommended
  - Men: button-down shirt with collar & tie; nice sweater, vest, sport or suit jacket recommended
  - All: NO gym shoes, jeans, or hoodies
- You are NOT expected to wear white or put on a graduation gown over your clothes.
application for Fr. Jim Kaczorowski Loving Service Award handed out at retreat, due Friday 4/4 (right before Confirmation Mass!)

Homework:

Homework: read/do textbook pp. 75-76, journal pp. 43 & 63

Closing Prayer (from back cover of textbook)

O Lord, may I feel your strength and love each day of my life. Let me know your guiding presence so that I can grow into the fullest person I am called to be. Increase in me the fruits of your Holy Spirit. May your peace and light accompany me and guide me. Let me realize how deeply loved and precious I am in your eyes. Amen.