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An Elementary Catechetical Program

education.crs.org©2017 Catholic Relief Services. All Rights Reserved. 17US104

Parent Gathering

Opening Prayer “Train the young in the way they should go; even when old,

they will not swerve from it.” —Proverbs 22:6

Lord, we humbly come before You, as imperfect parents, to ask for Your wisdom, guidance and courage.

That we may be a reflection of You to our children.

That we may not only teach our children about You with mere words, but with action and conviction.

Your word promises us that if we raise our children in the faith, that when they grow they will not depart from it.

We ask that Your Holy Spirit lead us in this time of fellowship and community.

Help us to learn more about the wonderful world You’ve given us, and how to care for its resources to the best of our abilities.

Teach us so that we may teach our children.

Amen.

Let us pray together the words that Jesus taught us: Our Father…

And to you, Holy Mother Mary, we ask you to pray for us and for our families: Hail Mary…

Glory be to the Father…

Amen!

Reflection Read sections 27-31 “The Issue of Water” from the Pope Francis’ encyclical letter Laudato Si’.

http://education.crs.org


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The Issue of WaterPope Francis. 2015. Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home [Encyclical].

27. Other indicators of the present situation have to do with the depletion of natural resources. We all know that it is not possible to sustain the present level of consumption in developed countries and wealthier sectors of society, where the habit of wasting and discarding has reached unprecedented levels. The exploitation of the planet has already exceeded acceptable limits and we still have not solved the problem of poverty.

28. Fresh drinking water is an issue of primary importance, since it is indispensable for human life and for supporting terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Sources of fresh water are necessary for health care, agriculture and industry. Water supplies used to be relatively constant, but now in many places demand exceeds the sustainable supply, with dramatic consequences in the short and long term. Large cities dependent on significant supplies of water have experienced periods of shortage, and at critical moments these have not always been administered with sufficient oversight and impartiality. Water poverty especially affects Africa where large sectors of the population have no access to safe drinking water or experience droughts which impede agricultural production. Some countries have areas rich in water while others endure drastic scarcity.

29. One particularly serious problem is the quality of water available to the poor. Every day, unsafe water results in many deaths and the spread of water-related diseases, including those caused by microorganisms and chemical substances. Dysentery and cholera, linked to inadequate hygiene and water supplies, are a significant cause of suffering and of infant mortality. Underground water sources in many places are threatened by the pollution produced in certain mining, farming and industrial activities, especially in countries lacking adequate regulation or controls. It is not only a question of industrial waste. Detergents and chemical products, commonly used in many places of the world, continue to pour into our rivers, lakes and seas.

30. Even as the quality of available water is constantly diminishing, in some places there is a growing tendency, despite its scarcity, to privatize this resource, turning it into a commodity subject to the laws of the market. Yet access to safe drinkable water is a basic and universal human right, since it is essential to human survival and, as such, is a condition for the exercise of other human rights. Our world has a grave social debt towards the poor who lack access to drinking water, because they are denied the right to a life consistent with their inalienable dignity. This debt can be paid partly by an increase in funding to provide clean water and sanitary services among the poor. But water continues to be wasted, not only in the developed world but also in developing countries which possess it in abundance. This shows that the problem of water is partly an educational and cultural issue, since there is little awareness of the seriousness of such behavior within a context of great inequality.

31. Greater scarcity of water will lead to an increase in the cost of food and the various products which depend on its use. Some studies warn that an acute water shortage may occur within a few decades unless urgent action is taken. The environmental repercussions could affect billions of people; it is also conceivable that the control of water by large multinational businesses may become a major source of conflict in this century.



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Reflection QuestionsAsk participants to reflect on the questions below; after a few minutes, ask them to share their thoughts with the person next to them.

• As a child, what were you taught about water?

• Did you or your own parents struggle with finding clean water? What was that like?

• What are you teaching your own children about water?

Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the ChurchCittà del Vaticano: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2004.

Read sections 484-485 from the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church.

484. The principle of the universal destination of goods also applies naturally to water, considered in the Sacred Scriptures as a symbol of purification (cf. Ps 51:4; Jn 13:8) and of life (cf. Jn 3:5; Gal 3:27). “As a gift from God, water is a vital element essential to survival; thus, everyone has a right to it”. Satisfying the needs of all, especially of those who live in poverty, must guide the use of water and the services connected with it. Inadequate access to safe drinking water affects the well-being of a huge number of people and is often the cause of disease, suffering, conflicts, poverty and even death. For a suitable solution to this problem, it “must be set in context in order to establish moral criteria based precisely on the value of life and the respect for the rights and dignity of all human beings”.

485. By its very nature water cannot be treated as just another commodity among many, and it must be used rationally and in solidarity with others. The distribution of water is traditionally among the responsibilities that fall to public agencies, since water is considered a public good. If water distribution is entrusted to the private sector it should still be considered a public good. The right to water, as all human rights, finds its basis in human dignity and not in any kind of merely quantitative assessment that considers water as a merely economic good. Without water, life is threatened. Therefore, the right to safe drinking water is a universal and inalienable right.

Reflection QuestionsAsk participants to reflect on the following questions; after a few minutes, ask them to share with the person next to them.

• What do you do at home to save water? Is there anything you will now start to do?

• What will you do with your family or community in order to raise awareness about the sanctity of water?

• How will you partner with CRS in their efforts to help the poor around the world have access to safe, drinkable water?



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Reflection SongYouTube video/song is available at youtu.be/OwXhHGXejs4; if possible, show a slideshow with images of nature instead of the video.

Brother Sun, Sister Moon – St. Francis of Assisi, by Donovan P. Leitch

Brother Sun and Sister Moon

I seldom see you seldom hear your tune

Preoccupied with selfish misery

Brother Wind and Sister Air

Open my eyes to visions pure and fair

That I may see the glory around me.

I am God’s creature, of Him I am part

I feel His love awakening my heart.


I now do see you, I can hear your tune

So much in love with all that I survey.

Reflection QuestionsLet us take some time to reread the words of this song and reflect upon them. Think about what this song is speaking to you. Take a moment to answer these questions to the best of your ability. Remember to be honest, as humans we may sometimes make assumptions. God can only meet us where we are, not where we think we are.

• Do I find time in my day to appreciate and reflect on the wonders of God? (Job 12:7-10)

• Am I a witness of peace and of God’s wonder before my family?

• Can my family and friends see my love and respect for God’s creation and creatures?

• What have I learned from the Water Is Life lessons that I shared with my child(ren)?

• How will I commit to care for God’s creation? What sacrifices and changes will I make?



http://youtu.be/OwXhHGXejs4

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Closing Prayer: “A Christian Prayer in Union with Creation” by the Holy Father, Pope Francis

Father, we praise you with all your creatures.

They came forth from your all-powerful hand; they are yours, filled with your presence and your tender love.

Praise be to you! Son of God, Jesus, through you all things were made. You were formed in the womb of Mary our Mother, you became part of this earth, and you gazed upon this world with human eyes. Today you are alive in every creature in your risen glory.

Praise be to you! Holy Spirit, by your light you guide this world toward the Father’s love and accompany creation as it groans in travail. You also dwell in our hearts and you inspire us to do what is good.

Praise be to you! Triune Lord, wondrous community of infinite love, teach us to contemplate you in the beauty of the universe, for all things speak of you. Awaken our praise and thankfulness for every being that you have made. Give us the grace to feel profoundly joined to everything that is.

God of love, show us our place in this world as channels of your love for all the creatures of this earth, for not one of them is forgotten in your sight. Enlighten those who possess power and money that they may avoid the sin of indifference, that they may love the common good, advance the weak, and care for this world in which we live. The poor and the earth are crying out. O Lord, seize us with your power and light, help us to protect all life, to prepare for a better future, for the coming of your Kingdom of justice, peace, love and beauty. Praise be to you!

Amen.

—Given by Pope Francis in Rome at Saint Peter’s on 24 May, the Solemnity of Pentecost, in the year 2015.

End with a Sign of Peace.



Handout1 of 4


Parent Gathering Handout

Opening Prayer “Train the young in the way they should go; even when old,

they will not swerve from it.” —Proverbs 22:6

Lord, we humbly come before You, as imperfect parents, to ask for Your wisdom, guidance and courage.

That we may be a reflection of You to our children.

That we may not only teach our children about You with mere words, but with action and conviction.

Your word promises us that if we raise our children in the faith, that when they grow they will not depart from it.

We ask that Your Holy Spirit lead us in this time of fellowship and community.

Help us to learn more about the wonderful world You’ve given us, and how to care for its resources to the best of our abilities.

Teach us so that we may teach our children.

Amen.

Let us pray together the words that Jesus taught us: Our Father…

And to you, Holy Mother Mary, we ask you to pray for us and for our families: Hail Mary…

Glory be to the Father…

Amen!

ReflectionThe Issue of Water

Pope Francis. 2015. Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home [Encyclical]

27. Other indicators of the present situation have to do with the depletion of natural resources. We all know that it is not possible to sustain the present level of consumption in developed countries and wealthier sectors of society, where the habit of wasting and discarding has reached unprecedented levels. The exploitation of the planet has already exceeded acceptable limits and we still have not solved the problem of poverty.

28. Fresh drinking water is an issue of primary importance, since it is indispensable for human life and for supporting terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Sources of fresh water are necessary for health care, agriculture and industry. Water supplies used to be relatively constant, but now in many places demand exceeds the sustainable supply, with dramatic consequences in the short and long term. Large cities dependent



Handout2 of 4


on significant supplies of water have experienced periods of shortage, and at critical moments these have not always been administered with sufficient oversight and impartiality. Water poverty especially affects Africa where large sectors of the population have no access to safe drinking water or experience droughts which impede agricultural production. Some countries have areas rich in water while others endure drastic scarcity.

29. One particularly serious problem is the quality of water available to the poor. Every day, unsafe water results in many deaths and the spread of water-related diseases, including those caused by microorganisms and chemical substances. Dysentery and cholera, linked to inadequate hygiene and water supplies, are a significant cause of suffering and of infant mortality. Underground water sources in many places are threatened by the pollution produced in certain mining, farming and industrial activities, especially in countries lacking adequate regulation or controls. It is not only a question of industrial waste. Detergents and chemical products, commonly used in many places of the world, continue to pour into our rivers, lakes and seas.

30. Even as the quality of available water is constantly diminishing, in some places there is a growing tendency, despite its scarcity, to privatize this resource, turning it into a commodity subject to the laws of the market. Yet access to safe drinkable water is a basic and universal human right, since it is essential to human survival and, as such, is a condition for the exercise of other human rights. Our world has a grave social debt towards the poor who lack access to drinking water, because they are denied the right to a life consistent with their inalienable dignity. This debt can be paid partly by an increase in funding to provide clean water and sanitary services among the poor. But water continues to be wasted, not only in the developed world but also in developing countries which possess it in abundance. This shows that the problem of water is partly an educational and cultural issue, since there is little awareness of the seriousness of such behavior within a context of great inequality.

31. Greater scarcity of water will lead to an increase in the cost of food and the various products which depend on its use. Some studies warn that an acute water shortage may occur within a few decades unless urgent action is taken. The environmental repercussions could affect billions of people; it is also conceivable that the control of water by large multinational businesses may become a major source of conflict in this century.

Reflection Questions

• As a child, what were you taught about water?

• Did you or your own parents struggle with finding clean water? What was that like?

• What are you teaching your own children about water?

Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the ChurchCittà del Vaticano: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2004.

484. The principle of the universal destination of goods also applies naturally to water, considered in the Sacred Scriptures as a symbol of purification



Handout3 of 4


(cf. Ps 51:4; Jn 13:8) and of life (cf. Jn 3:5; Gal 3:27). “As a gift from God, water is a vital element essential to survival; thus, everyone has a right to it”. Satisfying the needs of all, especially of those who live in poverty, must guide the use of water and the services connected with it. Inadequate access to safe drinking water affects the well-being of a huge number of people and is often the cause of disease, suffering, conflicts, poverty and even death. For a suitable solution to this problem, it “must be set in context in order to establish moral criteria based precisely on the value of life and the respect for the rights and dignity of all human beings”.

485. By its very nature water cannot be treated as just another commodity among many, and it must be used rationally and in solidarity with others. The distribution of water is traditionally among the responsibilities that fall to public agencies, since water is considered a public good. If water distribution is entrusted to the private sector it should still be considered a public good. The right to water, as all human rights, finds its basis in human dignity and not in any kind of merely quantitative assessment that considers water as a merely economic good. Without water, life is threatened. Therefore, the right to safe drinking water is a universal and inalienable right.


• What do you do at home to save water? Is there anything you will now start to do?

• What will you do with your family or community in order to raise awareness about the sanctity of water?

• How will you partner with CRS in their efforts to help the poor around the world have access to safe, drinkable water?

Reflection SongBrother Sun, Sister Moon – St. Francis of Assisi, by Donovan P. Leitch


I seldom see you seldom hear your tune

Preoccupied with selfish misery

Brother Wind and Sister Air

Open my eyes to visions pure and fair

That I may see the glory around me.

I am God’s creature, of Him I am part

I feel His love awakening my heart.


I now do see you, I can hear your tune

So much in love with all that I survey.



Handout4 of 4



• Do I find time in my day to appreciate and reflect on the wonders of God? (Job 12:7-10)

• Am I a witness of peace and of God’s wonder before my family?

• Can my family and friends see my love and respect for God’s creation and creatures?

• What have I learned from the Water is Life lessons that I shared with my child(ren)?

• How will I commit to care for God’s creation? What sacrifices and changes will I make?

Closing Prayer“A Christian Prayer in Union with Creation” by the Holy Father, Pope Francis

Father, we praise you with all your creatures.

They came forth from your all-powerful hand; they are yours, filled with your presence and your tender love.

Praise be to you! Son of God, Jesus, through you all things were made. You were formed in the womb of Mary our Mother, you became part of this earth, and you gazed upon this world with human eyes. Today you are alive in every creature in your risen glory.

Praise be to you! Holy Spirit, by your light you guide this world toward the Father’s love and accompany creation as it groans in travail. You also dwell in our hearts and you inspire us to do what is good.

Praise be to you! Triune Lord, wondrous community of infinite love, teach us to contemplate you in the beauty of the universe, for all things speak of you. Awaken our praise and thankfulness for every being that you have made. Give us the grace to feel profoundly joined to everything that is.

God of love, show us our place in this world as channels of your love for all the creatures of this earth, for not one of them is forgotten in your sight. Enlighten those who possess power and money that they may avoid the sin of indifference, that they may love the common good, advance the weak, and care for this world in which we live. The poor and the earth are crying out. O Lord, seize us with your power and light, help us to protect all life, to prepare for a better future, for the coming of your Kingdom of justice, peace, love and beauty. Praise be to you!

Amen.

—Given by Pope Francis in Rome at Saint Peter’s on 24 May, the Solemnity of Pentecost, in the year 2015.

Sign of Peace.



opening prayer - crs educationghs.crs.org/sites/default/files/lfc parent info night_web_17us104...

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