ParableEducationGuide

Parable Education Guide
Education Supplement for the January/February 2016 issue of Parable
Welcome to the
Parable Education Guide
In the Parable Education Guide you will
find additional questions and
supplemental activities which
complement articles in the January/
February 2016 issue of Parable. Feel
free to reproduce this document for your
classroom and home. This Education
Guide was written by Rose McAvoy,
who taught in Catholic schools in New
Hampshire for seven years.
Volume 7, Issue 1
WHAT IS IN THIS ISSUE
OF PARABLE?
4 Bishop’s Message
New Hampshire’s Holy Doors
6 Heart to Heart
Be Still and Know that I am
God
7 On Call
Chaplains and Volunteers
8 The Prayer a Poem Can
Make
The Nativity of Christ
__________________________________________
Heart to Heart
Be Still and Know I am God (pgs. 6-7)
Discussion Questions:
 Why does Mae think that describing miracles and other signs of
God’s presence that she and her friends have experienced won’t help
Meghan know whether or not God is truly there?
 Where does Mae suggest Meghan look for God? Which well-known
figures does she cite in her recommendation?
 Have you ever tried to hear God’s voice? Have you tried using the
method that Mae recommends?
Do you have a question for Mae? Teacher s can have students submit
questions anonymously and choose one or two to send, or the class can
work together on a question they’d like to see addressed in an upcoming
issue.
Coloring Page: The mandala ar t for this issue was inspir ed by Psalm
46:12 “Be Still and Know that I am God.” Feel free to print off copies of
the coloring page, the last page of this Education Guide.
Visit catholicnh.org/download to:
 Learn about Psalm 46:12 and the rosary.
 Listen to an audio recording and pray the rosary with Bishop Libasci
while coloring the mandala.
 Download the activity guide for individuals, families and small
groups.
10 Dear Father Kerper
Can every sin be forgiven?
12 School Spotlight
Infant Jesus School, Nashua
14 Cover Story
Catholic Social Teaching
21 Catholic Charities Report
The Cycle of Life
22 Timeless Teachers
When a Child is Born
31 Mission Moment
Answering the Call to Care for
All of God’s Creation
30 Student Spotlight
The Prayer a Poem Can Make
The Nativity of Christ (pgs. 8-9)
Dear Father Kerper
Can every sin be forgiven? (pgs. 10-11)
Gary Bouchard starts by giving us some
important background information about the
poet Robert Southwell:
 What order of priests was he a part of?
 Why was it dangerous to be a Catholic priest
in England in the 16th century? What were
some of the things that Southwell and his
companion did to keep the faith alive at the
time?
 What role did Southwell see his poetry
playing in the propagation of the faith? Was
he successful?
 What fate befell Southwell as a result of his
work in England? Do you think you would
have the same courage as he did to spread
the truth of the Catholic faith in a country
where it was illegal and brutally punished?
Discussion Questions:
 Do you recall the announcement of Pope Francis
about the ability to forgive the sin of abortion in this
Year of Mercy?
 Were you confused by the announcement as well?
 What is your current understanding of mortal and
venial sin, and the priestly power of absolution?
 What is the only impediment to having a sin
forgiven in confession?
 Father Kerper clarifies that all priests can forgive
any sin, but what power is given only to bishops?
How does this relate to the issue of abortion?
 Why does automatic excommunication not come
with the sin of homicide?
 Why did the pope’s announcement not technically
affect Catholics in the United States?
 What is at the heart of the pope’s message about
abortion and confession?
Discuss the poem:
Provide a copy of Southwell’s poem to your
students to read and discuss together as a class.
Follow the guidelines below for your discussion.
First, have the students read the poem silently
to themselves. Second, read the poem out loud
with the class.
Then use the questions below, based on the
rest of Gary’s explanation of the poem, to go
through it together.
 What is the definition of a paradox? What
paradox does Southwell begin his first
stanza with? How does that set the reader up
for the theme of the entire poem?
 What does the poet say our response to the
gift of the Incarnation should be in stanza 2?
 Which adjectives describing us - the reader
or humanity in general - indicate that we are
not already in a mood to receive such a gift
properly?
The third stanza bears some repeated reading
and unraveling – what is the message here about
givers and gifts, as well as receivers? It would
help to go through each repetition of the word
and identify who is meant and what it signifies.
 What sacrament is the entire poem pointing
towards, made clear in the last stanza?
 How does Southwell connect that sacrament
to the Incarnation, and the nativity scene in
particular?
Cover Story
Catholic Social Teaching (pgs. 14-20)
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What are the four principles of Catholic social
teaching? Define each principle.
Why is it especially important to consider Catholic
social teaching during election season?
How does Sister Mary Rose Reddy live out the
principle of the dignity of the human person in her
life and vocation today? What issues other than
abortion, euthanasia, and suicide touch upon this
principle?
How does Stephen Burke show his commitment to
the principle of subsidiarity in his life? What is your
role in your local community, and what could you
do to become more involved?
How does Nicole Plourde serve the common good in
her work with Catholic Charities? How is
stewardship of the Earth a way of living up to the
principle of the common good? Why is it important
to treat workers fairly and with dignity?
Whom did Sister Jacqueline Verville decide needed
her help the most after she retired from teaching?
How does her work in service of this particular
community reflect the principle of subsidiarity?
In addition to the resources on catholicnh.com, see
additional teaching tools on the USCCB website:
usccb.org.