A Fertile Heart - Year 1 (S) by fertileheart.org.uk

Key Stage 1 Year 1

A Fertile Heart Receiving & Giving Creative Love

Love is creative. To have a fertile heart is to love, grow and make a positive difference.

A Fertile Heart Receiving & Giving Creative Love

Children have a natural desire to love. They have a longing to make a difference. They love growing. A Fertile Heart helps them understand that these desires are all connected. God’s first words to us were, “Be fertile!” And the whole of the Bible teaches us that we are fertile through healthy, loving relationships – with God and each other. Learning to authentically and appropriately receive and give love leads to us having fertile hearts. Using the concept ‘fertile’ helps the children see the similarity between plants growing through fertile soil, sun and water, and us growing through a caring environment, love and truth.

Key Stage 1: Year 1

A Fertile Heart | Receiving & Giving Creative Love Panda Press Publishing would like to thank the following contributors to A Fertile Heart: Kathryn Lycett, John Cook, Mary Dickenson, Maryanne Dowle, Bernadette Eakin, Christopher Hancox, Louise Kirk, Gavin McAleer and Rebecca Surman Thanks also to Dr Charlie O’Donnell, Joe Smiles, Michael H. Barton, Mary Flynn, Rev Dr Stephen Morgan and Fr Wayne Coughlin for their kind support. ISBN: 978-0-9930555-8-4 A Fertile Heart KS1 - Year 1 Scripture quotations taken from various authorised translations. Every effort has been made to locate copyright holders and to obtain permission to reproduce sources. For those sources where it has been difficult to trace the originator of the work, we would welcome further information. If any copyright holder would like us to make an amendment, please inform us and we will update our information during the next reprint. All images and illustrations used under licence. Design © 2021 Panda Press Publishing Limited Illustrations and Images: Shutterstock All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the Publisher who can be contacted at hello@fertileheart.org.uk British Library Catalogue Publication Data. A catalogue record for this publication is available from the British Library. Printed and bound in the UK and published under licence by Panda Press Publishing Ltd, 1 Newcastle Street, Stone, Staffordshire, ST15 8JU Company Number 11786188 Printed, bound and distributed in Australia by Createl Publishing, 98 Logistics Street, Keilor Park, Victoria 3042, t: 03 9336 0800, f: 03 9336 0900, www.createl.com.au Keep in touch Facebook @afertileheart Linkedin.com/company/a-fertile-heart Twitter @afertileheart visit A Fertile Heart at www.fertileheart.org.uk Version 7, September 2021

Imprimatur:

Nihil Obstat for KS2, 3 & 4: Reverend Jonathan Veasey. Bernard Longley, Archbishop of Birmingham, 30th November 2020.

A Fertile Heart | Receiving & Giving Creative Love

04/07/2018

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/Coat_of_arms_of_George_Stack.svg

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Foreword His Grace George Stack, Archbishop of Cardiff Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel “The Glory of God is humanity fully alive”. Thus wrote St. Irenaeus in the 3rd century. His words remain true to this day. They mean that God is the creator of the gift of life. In that gift, each human person receives a share in His own creative love. His revelation in life and love, as well as through creation, is pure gift. This is the ‘grace’ of which we speak, in order that “we may have life and have it to the full” (Gospel of St. John 10:10). This truth lies at the heart of the Gospel. It is what it means to be truly human. The gift of life is bestowed by God in order that we may flourish and thrive. We do this in the first place simply by living with gratitude. We do it by responding to His love in a life of joyful communion with Him. We express it by actively engaging in the good of others so that mutual ‘flourishing’ may take place. The more we give, the more we receive. The ‘Gospel of Life’ outlined above is, indeed, ‘Good News’. It is revealed in every aspect of human nature and creation itself. This is the life-giving teaching we seek to hand on to our children who are “the messages we send to tomorrow”. The Rite of Baptism reminds us that parents are the first and best teachers of their children. The Catholic school exists primarily to educate children to receive and respond to God’s love for each one of them and for all. Our schools are designed to help parents fulfil their God given task of caring for their children in the school of love. The Catholic school is not just a place for professional education – existing for improvement in learning - important though that is. It is a place of formation, a place in which ‘lessons for life’ are imparted, received and shared. The whole school community teaches and learns these lessons in a truly Catholic environment. Human relationships are obviously at the heart of life and flourishing. We are made to relate to each other, body, mind and spirit. The physical, emotional and spiritual reality of our being are part and parcel of the ‘holy trinity’ of each one of us. Thus affective sexuality education is a crucial part of human formation. A Fertile Heart is the culmination of several years work of dedicated individuals [teachers, theologians, education advisers and parents] from within the dioceses of Birmingham, Cardiff, Clifton, Arundel and Brighton and Shrewsbury. They have worked tirelessly to create a resource which puts the human person and the flourishing of our pupils at the heart of the Catholic school. It is offered as an important aid to pupils, parents, teachers, governors and clergy to remind us all that “We are God’s work of art, created in Christ Jesus to live the good life as from the beginning God had meant us to live it” (Ephesians 2:10).

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A Fertile Heart | Receiving & Giving Creative Love

Introduction Welcome! It’s such a privilege to help a young child grow in understanding anything; doubly so when it means them understanding themselves. We are all created in love, to live and grow - but maybe that’s particularly obvious though the wonder of a child’s eyes. Content In Reception, we focused on being loved, happy, beautiful children of God - whom God calls to grow in body, mind and heart, and invites us to cooperate in this. Year 1 is structured by the Hail Mary separated into three parts: helping us to receive God’s love so that we can love ourselves, each other and the whole human family, respectively. Through the Annunciation, backed up by the parable of the Good Shepherd, we deepen the children’s understanding of God’s personal love for them, encouraging them both to see their gifts as an expression of that love, and to give God thanks by courageously using them to help others. All this helps them understand that everyone is special - we are all important because we are all loved, all belong and all have something to offer. The Visitation, supported by the story of Zacchaeus, helps the children see that being loved by God helps us love ourselves, and both of these help us love each other, with God’s love. We think through the many people who help them grow, and the small ways they can help others. The parable of the Forgiving Father/Prodigal Son helps the children see the whole of humanity as God’s forgiven family, encouraging them to love everyone as brothers and sisters in Jesus. Finally, the Last Supper helps the children understand that they are on a journey from now to heaven - a journey we are all on together. This sensitively brings up the subject of dying in the context of meeting Jesus face to face, and how all this is connected with the Mass and loving service. It also opens up some very simple lessons on safeguarding. Lessons 1f1 and 1f2 are the deepest lessons of the year. The great strength of all this is that it communicates - in a joyful, life-giving way - the truth behind healthy living and good relationships and firmly links it all to our faith, so that the children don’t only learn the externals of good practice, but gradually understand and own the reasons behind it. Structure and Methodology The general structure of the year is 6 modules - perhaps one every half term - each with three lessons. Each module focuses on a Bible story, with a modern story to help us understand its truth. Please, as a school, buy these contemporary books - the course is impoverished without them, and the authors etc. have a right to just remuneration. Each lesson has an Introduction, a Respond and Teach element - as reflective Circle Time, example activities and a mission. There is a lot of music used - normally two songs per lesson, sometimes repeated - that helps immerse the children in the beauty and joy of the message. All lessons can easily be delivered in smaller chunks to suit your class and timetable. After a lot of reflection and discussion, we decided to write down nearly every word of the lessons. There are several reasons for this: to save you the spade work; because we found it easier to write down a set of questions and answers than try and explain in abstract what they are trying to achieve; and because doing it this way really allows the important strands of A Fertile Heart to be gradually built up. We hope the fuller text gives you confidence in the lessons, and allows you to focus on what you do best - teach the children! Included in this, we haven’t added so many ‘mindmap’ and ‘discuss’ pointers as in Reception modules, due to space - trusting that you know the best way to make the lessons dynamic and interactive. We are firm believers that you are the best resource you have in the classroom and we want our course and colourful powerpoints to help you as much as possible. Truth and Love We are in a culture where many of our children do not experience the traditional family structure. This is important to acknowledge, while still presenting Jesus’ vision of what family is called to be. As well as this, many of our children sadly carry wounds that need great sensitivity. We have tried to allow these truths to shape how we communicate Christ’s life-giving message of love, without it preventing us talking of God as Father, family life, forgiveness, trust, etc. - in a spirit of equality, tolerance, compassion and dignity. We can only help you in this with our words and prayers; you are the one who will best know how to deal with anything that arises. Sensitive issues need to be dealt with sensitively, not ignored. The RHE themes at the start of each module relate to England and Wales CES’s given themes, based on Department for Education guidance and agreed with them. A Fertile Heart is so called, because we all long to be fertile in the deepest sense - to grow, to help others grow, to make a difference: and ultimately it is love that achieves this. So we invite you to add your fertile heart to ours, and to Jesus’ and Mary’s - so that we can all help our children’s fertile hearts grow too.

Modern Texts Rachel Bright - The Lion Inside Publisher - Scholastic Press ISBN-13: 9780545873505 Max Lucado - The Boy and the Ocean Publisher - Crossway ISBN-13: 9781433539312 Max Lucado - Just In Case You Ever Wonder Publisher - Crossway ISBN-13: 9780718075385 Max Lucado - The Tallest of Smalls Publisher - Thomas Nelson ISBN-13: 9781400315147 A A Milne - Winnie the Pooh has Lunch with Rabbit Publisher - Heinemann Young Books ISBN-13: 9781855914315 Judith Kerr - The Tiger Who Came to Tea Publisher - Harper Collins Childrens ISBN-13: 9780007215997

A Fertile Heart | Receiving & Giving Creative Love

Year 1 Modules 1-6

Contents: Year 1 Year 1 is structured by the Hail Mary separated into three parts: helping us to receive God’s love so that we can love ourselves, each other and the whole human family, respectively. This will reinforce this important prayer for the children, but also, hopefully enrich the prayer for them every time they pray it. 1) The Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38): ‘Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.’ The story of how Mary came to be fruitful with Jesus is central to our faith. It shows God’s personal love for Mary, her receiving that love and her responding to it - and what amazing things can occur when this happens. It is the same for us. The story also highlights that we don’t have to be big, important or famous to make a real difference; I can make a difference simply by being me. Humbly trusting God gives me the courage to be me, and to use my gifts for God and others. 2) The Lost Sheep (Luke 15:1-7): This story deepens the children’s knowing God’s personal love for each of us, no matter how ‘small’ we think we are. The logic of leaving the 1 for the sake of the 99 is not the logic of the Good Shepherd, God the Father, or any loving parent. The beauty and wonder of creation also communicates God’s love for me. Knowing this love will help me when I feel ‘lost’ in different ways. It helps me know I’m special as I am - and so is everyone else, which takes away prejudice and helps us encourage each other instead. 3) The Visitation (Luke 1:39-56): ‘Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.’ Mary has just become the mother of God, but this doesn’t make her self-important - exactly the opposite, she immediately helps her pregnant, older cousin. This story focuses on simple acts of kindness; doing what we can, not what we can’t. It highlights the mystery and beauty of new life, and the importance of being thankful, especially to God. It helps the children see that often God loves us through others, and can love others through them so we can all help feed each other’s body, mind and heart. 4) Jesus and Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10): Zacchaeus is small, and has done wrong, but Jesus still cares for him and talks to him, which helps him repent, believe in himself and do good. Likewise, Jesus loving us when we feel unloved, or have been mean, helps us to love ourselves as we are, be resilient and kind. We think of simple concrete ways in which we can help Jesus care for our body, mind and heart. Knowing we are loved helps us think about ourselves less, and so be free to think about others more: helping us to share, be kind and be inclusive. This makes everyone happier. 5) The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32): ‘Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners.’ Through the parable of the Forgiving Father we focus on two truths that unite us: we are all God’s family and we are all forgiven. Being able to say sorry together helps us live as God’s forgiven family. We explore how working together, patience and not holding grudges unites us as friends and family. This leads us to think of all the people who help the community be one family - and help the children see that, even now, they can play their part in this, and even more so as they grow. We focus on our local community and on church, but mention our country and the whole human family too. 6) The Last Supper (Luke 22:14-23): ‘… now, and at the hour of our death.’ Life only really makes sense as a journey to heaven - a journey of growing in love. Jesus washing his disciples’ feet, and giving them his Body and Blood, at the Last Supper, helps us understand the Mass as uniting us in that journey of love with Jesus - and uniting now with heaven. We are called to feed others as he feeds us, so that we can all be united now and in heaven. Jesus helping Peter to grow, after he failed him, is sensitively used to teach the children that the one who is guiding us to heaven is the one who will meet us face to face when we die, so there is nothing to be afraid of. We explore the importance of ‘now’, and the need to be generous and open to surprises - though we also include some gentle safeguarding too. We finish the year by committing ourselves to helping build God’s kingdom of love and to the Hail Mary.

God’s love makes me special Lesson Objectives Lesson 1: To know the story of the Annunciation. Lesson 2: To learn to trust in our God-given gifts. Lesson 3: To know that God’s love gives us the courage to use all our gifts.

Teacher Notes The Hail Mary guides the whole Y1 course: the first part, from the Annunciation, more focuses on our individual relationship with God; the second part, from the Visitation to Elizabeth, focuses more on our love of others, and the third part (the second half of the Hail Mary) focuses more on ‘the bigger picture’ - and so will be used to focus on our living in community (this is a less obvious link but helps the children see the connection). So, this module begins with the Hail Mary, gets the children to think about it, and then invites them to pray it with ‘Tomkin’ - and then we will use the short Tomkin clip to start each lesson with the prayer. We then explore the Annunciation story and draw out how Mary must have felt and how she was able to reply with such love. The story of The Lion Inside, by Rachel Bright, helps the children reflect on how Mary was able to show such courage, even though she felt very small and God was asking her something very big, because she knew she was completely loved by God and they too can be ‘lions inside’, courageous in love, through receiving all the love God has for them. Or, put another way, it’s okay to be a mouse, if I’m God’s mouse. The third lesson develops how courage helps our gifts to grow; it begins to explore how to respond to negative feelings and finishes with reflecting on the virtue of humility.

RHE themes Theme 1: Created and loved by God 1.1.1.2, 1.1.2.1, 1.1.3.2, 1.1.4.1, 1.1.4.2, 1.1.4.3, 1.1.4.4, 1.1.4.5 Theme 2: Created to love others 1.2.1.3, 1.2.3.7 Theme 3: Created to live in community 1.3.1.3, 1.3.2.1

Bible Text Luke 1: 26-38 - The Annunciation The children will hear the story of the Annunciation, when the Angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she was to be the mother of Jesus. They will hear of Mary’s reaction, culminating in her complete consent to God. Please ensure children know that angels are powerful messengers of God - very different to fairies.

Modern Text Rachel Bright - The Lion Inside Mouse feels tiny and forgotten, and decides that if he could only find his roar then things would be different. Instead, through his courage, he finds that he’s best being himself and when he is, he finds his own voice, makes friends, shares and is happy. We all have a lion and a mouse inside.

1a1

To know the story of the Annunciation

Introduction to the year

Lesson Objectives

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUw4tjsBCmg The Hail Mary Prayer (0:39). Then play the video back, stopping at each new picture. For each one, ask what story the picture reminds them of. 1st: The Annunciation, the Angel Gabriel appears to Mary and asks her to be the mother of Jesus. She greets her with the words: Hail (Mary), full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

“Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to your word.” Luke 1:38.

2nd: The Visitation, Mary visits Elizabeth, who is also going to have a baby - John the Baptist (Module 1c). Elizabeth says: blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb (Jesus). 3rd: The birth of Jesus - where Mary is first seen by the shepherds as the Mother of God. 4th: Mary in heaven - where she is able to ‘pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death’. 5th: Jesus and Mary in heaven - where we want to eventually be: Amen! Explain: The Hail Mary is going to help us all year to learn about being created and loved by God - and through that, help our growing to love God, each other and the whole human family. Introduction Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3K98p1qnznw Tomkin - The Hail Mary (0:36) and pray with him. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQuB5ETodY8 Finding Favor with God (4:29 of 4:51). (Sorry about the spelling!) Check understanding:

The Annunciation.

• What were Mary and Joseph going to do soon? They were going to be married. • What sort of people were Mary and Joseph? Kind, and trusting in God. • Whom did God send to Mary? The Angel Gabriel. • What very good news did Gabriel bring Mary? That God chose her to be the mother of his son. • Did you listen carefully: what titles did the Angel Gabriel give to this son? Son of God; Son of the Most High (which is God!). • Whom did Gabriel say was an important ancestor of Jesus? King David. Ancestor means a relative in the past. According to St Matthew, King David was the great-(x26)-granddad of Jesus (this could make a great counting exercise, here or later… or just be passed over…). His city was Bethlehem - and that is why Jesus was born there. • Mary couldn’t understand how she was going to have a baby when she wasn’t married: what did Gabriel say was going to happen? The Holy Spirit would come upon her, and the power of God will overshadow her. This means that Mary would be wrapped in God’s power. • What answer did Mary then give the angel? She chose to do what God wanted her to do. • What last thing did the angel tell her? That her relative Elizabeth was also going to have a baby, even though she was old.

Frightened by an angel.

Teacher note: There are two inaccuracies in the video. Firstly, Mary wasn’t afraid of Gabriel - in fact she is the only person in the Bible not to be afraid when an angel appears to them; she is troubled when she is greeted with an amazing title, ‘Hail, full of grace.’ Secondly, God didn’t tell Mary to visit Elizabeth - she did that of her own accord but it was something with which God would have been pleased.

Loved and favoured.

A Fertile Heart | Receiving & Giving Creative Love

To reinforce learning, now read out the story, either from a children’s Bible, or from the powerpoint. Respond and teach We recommend this as Circle Time: create atmosphere by playing any relaxing music just for as long as necessary, and make a prayer focus/table using objects such as a globe. Welcome God into the space in which you sit. Take time to listen and respond after each question – model being calm. • How do you think you’d feel if an angel suddenly appeared to you? Afraid? Excited? Startled? • Mary was the only person in the Bible who wasn’t afraid when an angel appeared to her - she trusted in God so much, that it didn’t worry her. • How did Mary feel when she heard the angel tell her she was very special? That’s when she was a bit worried - she was so humble that she preferred to think about how special God and everyone else was, rather than how special she was. • How do you think Mary felt when she heard she was chosen to be the mother of God’s son? Confused, proud/honoured, scared? • Why do you think Gabriel told Mary about Elizabeth having a baby? Both babies were miracles - so it helped Mary trust what Gabriel was saying. • The Angel Gabriel also said that “nothing is impossible to God.” What do you think this means? God can do anything. This should help Mary and us to trust him more. • Why do you think God chose Mary? There are two answers here: Because she was full of grace, trusted God, was loving - the sort of woman someone would want as the mother of their son. But God had helped her to be like this! And the deeper answer is simply, because he did - and we have to trust that he knows what he is doing. This is especially important when we are asking why God chose us for something. • What does Mary say in response to the angel? Yes. Why does she choose to say yes to being Jesus’ Mother? Because she trusts God, and wants to obey him. So, God chooses Mary, and then Mary chooses God - a circle of love.

Example Activities 1. Make a picture of the Angel Gabriel, using doilies for the wings. Add a speech bubble: “Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee.” 2. Make a peg doll of Mary and/or the Angel Gabriel to take home.

What the Catholic faith believes about Mary is based on what it believes about Christ, and what it teaches about Mary illumines in turn its faith in Christ. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 487.

Explain: the Angel Gabriel told Mary she enjoyed ‘God’s favour’ - when we pray the Hail Mary we say she is ‘full of grace’ - they mean the same thing. But what do they mean? Ask • Do your parents always love you? Yes. • Would they give you sweets if you had been naughty? No. • Do they sometimes reward you if you have been good? Yes. Maybe ask in what ways. They don’t love you more when you are being good - but it is easier to show you their love by rewarding you when you are. • Sometimes in class I trust one of you to do an important job for me: who am I likely to choose? Someone who is being sensible and caring? Or someone who is being silly and selfish? I still love you all, but I am going to choose the person who will do the important job well. It’s the same with God. Mary enjoying God’s favour doesn’t mean he loved her more than before, or more than anyone else - but it does mean that because she was such a good person, it was easier for him to show her favour. It was also easier to choose her with the most important job of them all - being the Mother of Jesus. So, remember, God always loves you completely - but when we are like Jesus and Mary it is easier for him to show us favour and to choose us to do important things for him. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4B1I3QK7-4 an angel came from heaven sing along (1:21 of 1:32).

Wanting to do God’s will.

Mission Every morning, as soon as you are awake, ask Mary to help you to do what God wants.

1a2

To have the courage to be us

Watch Tomkin - The Hail Mary (0:36) and pray with him.

Lesson Objectives Introduction

Read the story of The Lion Inside, by Rachel Bright, illustrated by Jim Field. Check comprehension by asking: • How did the other animals treat Mouse? They seemed to ignore him. • How do you think Mouse felt about that? Sad, unimportant, useless, etc. • Which animal do you think got noticed the most? Lion. • Why is Lion noticed much more than Mouse? He was bigger, louder, stronger. • Do you think this is a good thing? No - bigger, louder, and stronger aren’t always best especially louder! • What did Mouse think he needed, so as to be important and happy? A roar. • Who did he go to, to learn how to roar? Lion. • Was it easy to ask Lion? No, it took a lot of courage! • How did the big, loud, strong Lion react to Mouse talking to him? He was scared! He gave a big, loud squeak! • What happened next? Mouse and Lion became friends - a pair - and shared everything and were both happy. • Did Mouse feel small now? No. But had he learnt to roar? No. So was Mouse right in thinking he had to be like Lion to be important and happy? No. No, he had to be himself to be happy - but that took courage.

“By her motherhood, Mary shows us that humility and tenderness are not virtue of the weak but the strong.” Pope Francis

Respond and teach Circle Time: begin with relaxing music to help set the scene. Ask • Do you remember how Mouse felt at the beginning of the story? Ignored and forgotten because he was so tiny, and got trodden on, sat on and missed out. • Do we feel like that sometimes? Yes. How do we feel when we feel ignored and forgotten? Tiny, sad, and that we are missing out on things. • Are we always right, when we feel like this? No, sometimes others are unfair to us, but sometimes what we feel is wrong, and it’s just not my turn yet. • Do we sometimes get jealous of other people or what they have? Yes. Can you think of a time you wanted to have something someone else had? Mouse decided that if he had Lion’s roar he would be important, happy and everyone’s friend. • At the end of the story was Mouse important, happy and everyone’s friend? Yes. • Had he learnt to roar? No. • What had he shown he had got? Courage - in climbing the rock to talk to Lion. This led him, not to be like Lion as he planned, but to be himself! It was this that made him happy. And then he realised that he was important already. Explain: as you grow up, you can feel very small, and that can make you want to be like someone else - and even get jealous that you are not. But what all of us really need to be happy is the courage to grow into the person I am. • Who has done a jigsaw puzzle? Tell me what the pieces are like. (Get them to talk about the picture on the whole puzzle, and about corner pieces, edge pieces and middle pieces.) • Would the jigsaw work if every piece was an edge piece? No. Or a corner piece? No. Or if they all had the same part of the picture on them? No. No. And we are like God’s jigsaw - we work together well because we are different, in the way God has made us different. So, if I am the piece I should be, and you are the piece you should be, then the jigsaw will be beautiful. But if I try to be like you then we’ll have two pieces the same and a hole in the puzzle! Jesus tells us to have the courage to be who we are. He keeps telling us, “Do not be afraid.”

A Fertile Heart | Receiving & Giving Creative Love

Courage to find their voice.

Courageous mouse.

Example Activities 1. Draw a picture of a time when you had to be a brave mouse (Dentist, doctor’s, first day in new class/school, asking to play in someone else’s game, etc.) 2. Get every child to choose an animal, and in turn say, “I’m happy being a N, so long as I’m God’s N.” Use class microphone, or other means, to record them. Being brave. Courage Explain: So, courage is important in us growing, and being ourselves. It is about being brave. But what is courage? • Would it be brave to step into the road without looking both ways? No! It would be very silly and get you very hurt. • Is it brave to go to the dentist to keep your teeth healthy? Yes. We know this is good for us - but it is a bit scary. • Is it brave to let the nurse or doctor give you injections you need? Yes. Again, we know this is good for us - but it is a bit scary. So, being brave is about doing the right thing even if it is a bit scary. We are called to be courageous in love. • Can you remember what Mouse and Lion both learnt at the end of the story? That we all have a mouse and a lion inside us. This is important! We don’t become happy or brave by becoming a lion - we become happy and brave by not being frightened that sometimes I am a mouse! So, if I have to have an injection, just because I’m an adult doesn’t mean I feel like a lion about it - but it doesn’t worry me that I feel like a mouse about it. That’s okay. Courage doesn’t mean I don’t feel scared - it means I might feel scared, but I still do it.

3. Get the children to turn to each other in pairs and repeat their line, “I’m happy being a N, so long as I’m God’s N. ”Then have the other child respond, “I’m glad you’re God’s N.”

The shepherds were terrified, but the angel said, “Do not be afraid. Look, I bring you news of great joy, a joy to be shared by the whole people.” Luke 2:9-10

Two important points to finish with! Firstly, sadly we sometimes meet people who are bullies - people who always try to be the lion and tell you that you are a mouse. That can really hurt us. So, it is important to remember that bullies are just mice who are too scared to be mice and so try and tell everyone they are lions. But we know better now! So, don’t believe anyone who acts like they are a lion and you are only a mouse. And most important of all, it is only okay to be a mouse because we are all loved and protected by God. Mary knew this completely. That’s why she wasn’t scared by an angel - and angels are much more powerful than lions! Mary teaches us that what is important is that we belong to God our loving Father. It’s better to be God’s mouse, than my own lion! I’m only happy being a lion if I’m God’s lion. And I’m happy being a mouse if I’m God’s mouse.

Mission Make sure no one in class feels tiny and left out.

Mary knew she was a child of God the Father - which helped her be brave and happy. She didn’t have to be a lion, because she already knew she was loved by God. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgAy-jydfN8 We are Children of God Monica Scott (2:22 they should have already heard this in Reception).

1a3

To know that God’s love gives us the courage to use all our gifts

Watch Tomkin - The Hail Mary (0:36) and pray with him.

Lesson Objectives Introduction

Recap both The Lion Inside and, more importantly, the Annunciation. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PW-Pzi5Gs7g The Annunciation to Mary (3:27). Explain: We have heard two stories - the real one about Mary, and a pretend one about Mouse and Lion - and they both teach us important things. We learn from Mary that we are all chosen by God, all called by him - he calls us by our name: how lovely is that?!

“The Lord continues to seek hearts like that of Mary, disposed to believe even in very extraordinary conditions.” Pope Francis

We have learnt that we can feel too small to want to try new things - but knowing we are loved helps us to be brave: we are all big in God’s eyes. An important part of growing is using our gifts. Respond and teach Circle Time: begin with relaxing music to help set the scene. Ask • Can you think of a time when you were scared to use a gift you have? E.g.: singing in a concert; speaking in a class assembly; taking a dance exam; trying for a swimming certificate, etc. • What are we frightened of? Failing - getting it wrong, doing it badly. • If Mouse had learnt to roar rather than squeak, do you think he wouldn’t have been scared again? He still would have been scared - but this time of roaring badly, rather than squeaking badly! It would be like having a different part in the assembly. Our fears aren’t really connected with our gifts - but with us, so ‘changing’ our gifts doesn’t change our fear. Explain: You have been chosen by God. He gave Mary the gift of being a good mother - and then asked her to be the mother of Jesus. He has given you gifts - and also asks you to use them to be his special sister or brother - and to help everyone else grow too.

Mary’s humble trust in God.

Part of being brave is understanding our feelings. • What different feelings do we have? Happy, sad, scared, brave, excited, bored, angry, peaceful, etc. We have all sorts of feelings! We can feel we like or dislike different things. Some of our feelings make it easier for us to make good choices; some of them make it harder for us to make good choices. • Which ones make it easier for us to make good choices? Happy, brave, peaceful, loved, caring, helpful, etc. • Which ones make it harder for us to make good choices? Sad, scared, angry, impatient, grumpy, sulking, etc. The more we understand these feelings, the more we can still make good choices, even when it is hard. Talking about our feelings can sometimes help us. Listening and thinking can also help us still make good choices. • Can you think of a time when your feelings ‘told’ you to eat the cake, sweets, icecream, but you listened, or thought, and realised it was kinder to share? When we are like this, we grow! Explain: When we know we are chosen by God, our gifts are free to grow. When we know the gifts he has given us are the right gifts for us, our gifts are free to grow. When we can stand up to our unhelpful feelings, our gifts are free to grow. When we are brave in doing what is right, our gifts are free to grow.

A Fertile Heart | Receiving & Giving Creative Love

The courage to soar.

Botticelli’s The Annunciation.

When we choose God, and complete the ‘circle of love’, our gifts are free to grow.

Example Activities 1. Each child to make a ‘circle of love’ crown, and on it write: “God loves me. God chooses me. I love God. I choose God.” (We were envisaging a simple band of card, which they can then decorate and take home.) 2. Help the children, in groups, to write a thank you prayer for their gifts and the gifts of all their group.

Circle of love. Humility An important quality of Mary was humility. When someone has humility, we say they are ‘humble’. • Is it better to think about ‘me’ or think about ‘us’? Us. Yes: humility is thinking about us. • Does ‘showing off’ make us happy? No. • Does belonging make us happy - to our family, to our parish, to our school, and class? Yes. Humility thinks belonging is more important than showing off. • Is it better to do something for God or for myself? For God. Humility points to God, not to me - and completes the ‘circle of love’. Mary always thinks about ‘us’ not herself; she never shows off, but always belongs; she always points to God, not herself. She is always humble and happy. She shows us how humility helps us be happy and grow. Remember, it’s God’s love that makes me special.

“But the LORD said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7 God rejects Jesse’s older, stronger sons, and chooses little David to be king, instead, when he grows up.

Watch and sing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_g76phMf5E A Gift to You (Everything I Am) with lyrics (2:50 - again, they should have heard this in Reception.)

Mission Be humble for today.

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A Fertile Heart | Receiving & Giving Creative Love

God’s love is all I need Lesson Objectives Lesson 1: To know the parable of the Lost Sheep. Lesson 2: To know that creation tells us how much God loves us. Lesson 3: To know that God’s love guides all our growth.

Teacher Notes Continuing with our focus on Created and Loved by God, we use Jesus’ parable of the lost sheep to help the children reflect on God’s individual love for them. We then use the story of The Boy and the Ocean, by Max Lucado to further reflect on the limitlessness of God’s love for each of us - hoping the children, like the boy in the story, really allow this truth to enter their soul. In lesson 3 we further explore how knowing God’s love for me helps me to cooperate in my growth - in every way - by helping me know that I belong and that I am special. We, too, can encourage each other in love, and thereby help each other grow.

RHE themes Theme 1: Created and loved by God 1.1.1.3, 1.1.1.4, 1.1.2.1, 1.1.1.2, 1.1.3.1, 1.1.3.2, 1.1.3.4, 1.1.4.1, 1.1.4.2, 1.1.4.3, 1.1.4.4 Theme 2: Created to love others 1.2.1.2, 1.2.1.3, 1.2.2.1, 1.2.2.4, 1.2.2.5, 1.2.3.2 Theme 3: Created to live in community 1.3.2.2, 1.3.3.1, 1.3.3.2

Bible Text Luke 15:1-7 - The Parable of the Lost Sheep The children will discover in Jesus’ parable of the Lost Sheep, an expression of the neverending love of God for each of us. Jesus is our Good Shepherd who not only feeds and protects us, but also comes after us when we go astray. His example encourages all of us to care for each other with the same love.

Modern Text Max Lucado - The Boy and the Ocean Just how wide, how deep, and how tall is the love of God really? From the mysteries of the unending ocean to the towering heights of the mountains, this story takes one little boy on a journey of new discoveries and adventures in thanksgiving for the wonders of God’s Love. God’s infinite love is expressed through the beauty and magnificence of His Creation.

1b1 To know the parable of the Lost Sheep

This lesson uses three videos to tell the story, which makes the lesson longer - but Objectives itLesson helps the children know the story, understand it, and then see it from both the shepherd’s and the sheep’s experience of it. Explain: We’ve been learning about God’s love for us, through the story of Mary becoming the mother of Jesus. In this story we heard Gabriel say, “Hail (Mary), full of grace, the Lord is with thee” - which, as we know is the first part of the Hail Mary. Let’s keep that in mind as we learn even more about how much God loves us. Let’s start by praying the Hail Mary.

“Rejoice with me, I have found my sheep that was lost.” Luke 15:6

Watch: Tomkin - The Hail Mary (0:36) and pray with him. Introduction Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OD-bTuVk2Tw&t=190s The Lost Sheep (3:10-4:22). Check understanding. The following questions may help: • How many sheep did the shepherd have? 100. • What did he discover one evening? That one was missing! • How do you think he felt? Panicked, worried, frightened? • What two things did he do? He made sure the 99 sheep were safe, and he went out looking for the lost sheep. • When he found the lost sheep, how did he feel? Very happy! • How did he get the sheep home? He carried it on his shoulders, all the way home. • What did he then do with his friends? He celebrated with them because he was so happy to get the sheep back. • Who is our Good Shepherd? Jesus. • What does the story teach us? That God loves each one of us by our name - he cares for everyone - and that he is extra happy when we are back safe. • What does it teach us about us? That we should care for everyone too every single other person. We may like some people more, but we should love everyone the same. Respond and teach Explain: We are now going to watch another video of the same story, but it will help us think more about the shepherd. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cw8TBmb4ir4 ‘The Lost Sheep’ (4:27). Maybe start with a counting exercise appropriate to the class - asking them to imagine being the shepherd... Ask • The shepherd looked after his sheep day and night: what different things did he do for them? He made sure they had food to eat, and water to drink; he kept wild animals away and kept them safe at night. What a good shepherd! • What did he feel when he found, one evening, that he only had 99 sheep? Worried. Yes: worried for himself or for the sheep? The lost sheep. • What did he not worry about - things about himself that could have made him act differently? Being hungry, his feet hurting, it being dark, being tired. • What might he have thought about having 99 sheep safe? That 99 sheep being safe out of 100 wasn’t bad - and that he shouldn’t worry about the other one. None of these things were important to him. • Why not? Because he was thinking about the lost sheep, whether it was safe, and how it must be feeling - and not about himself. • What difficulties did he have, looking for the sheep? He hurt his foot on rocks that he couldn’t see because it was dark; he got scratched by prickly bushes. • Did this stop him at all? No! Why not? Because he was thinking about the lost sheep, whether it was safe, and how it must be feeling - and not about himself. He found the sheep, and carried it home, even though the sheep was heavy.

A Fertile Heart | Receiving & Giving Creative Love

Jesus the Good Shepherd.

Lost and scared sheep.

• Why didn’t he tell the sheep off for getting lost, and let it walk home itself? Because he was thinking about the sheep, and how it must be feeling and not about himself. • Who is our Good Shepherd? Jesus. We are his sheep. He loves everyone, feeds and protects everyone, he always takes good care of us. And he is slowly leading us all to our home - heaven - just like the shepherd in the story did with the lost sheep. • How does he want us to treat each other? He wants us to care for each other for everyone, especially those who are feeling ‘lost’ or lonely. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tp4gnjyUmak The Lord is my Shepherd with Lyrics (1:21).

Example Activities 1. Storyboard - retelling the story with pictures and a simple caption for each picture. 2. Make a collage of the lost sheep using cotton wool, felt etc.

We now move on to seeing the same story from the sheep’s point of view. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXAmdcAPpRs The Parable of the Lost Sheep (to 2:58). Move to Circle Time to reflect on it. Use relaxing music to help transition. Ask • Was this the same story as the other two? Yes. But it was also quite different wasn’t it? • What made it different? We saw the story from the point of the sheep that got lost. That’s an important thing for us to learn - the same events can be very different for different people in them. That is true of stories, but also all the things that happen to us during the day. • So, let’s think about the story from the point of the sheep. Did the sheep try and get lost? No. Was the sheep being naughty? No. • What was the sheep doing then? Just enjoying itself… and not thinking. Without knowing it, the sheep got separated from the others. • What then happened quickly? It got dark. • How did the sheep feel alone in the dark woods? Scared etc. • What do you think it was scared of? Wild animals, the dark, the unknown… • What would have added to the sheep’s fear? Any noise, shadows, feeling more lost. • Was the sheep’s fear real or not? The sheep was right to be a bit afraid of the unknown and the dark, but there weren’t actually any wild animals around to hurt it. • What did happen instead? It fell down a cliff, and just managed to hold onto a branch. That must have been very scary - and real! • What happened just before the sheep fell? The shepherd caught him with his crook. (Explain ‘crook’ if necessary.) • How would the sheep have felt then? Relieved! Safe, happy. • Going back to the Good Shepherd, do you remember why he didn’t think about how he was feeling or the difficulties of looking for the sheep? Because he knew how the sheep would have been feeling - afraid and lost. • Would the sheep have known how the shepherd would have been feeling? Maybe not as much. • What can we learn from this? It is important to learn to understand how the other person is feeling. God is very good at this, and so can always care for us. He asks us to try to learn to do the same, so that we can care for each other even more. Explain: We’ve learnt a lot today! About how Jesus is our Good Shepherd, who will always look after us. And how he always understands how we are feeling, which means he can care for us even better. And how he asks us to care for each other too for every other person.

The Church… is also the flock of which God himself foretold that he would be the shepherd, and whose sheep, even though governed by human shepherds, are unfailingly nourished and led by Christ himself, the Good Shepherd and Prince of Shepherds, who gave his life for his sheep. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 754.

Mission Enjoy being Jesus’ sheep.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGPQX3vQtU8 The Baa Baa Song (2:05) to finish on a fun, light note.

1b2 To know that creation tells us how much God loves us

Watch: Tomkin - The Hail Mary (0:36) and pray with him.

Lesson Objectives Introduction

Ask the children to close their eyes and imagine that they are sitting on a beach, staring out to sea, listening to the crashing waves and seagulls flying overhead. We offer some seaside sounds to bring the children’s imaginations to life ( https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=g-4jywjdiy0 Sounds of the Seaside 1:11). Ask the children how they feel and what they can see and hear as they watch the sea. Make reference to the size of the ocean and the distant horizon that feels so far away.

“The Lord who gives the sun to shine by day, who sets in order the moon and stars to shine by night, who stirs the sea so that its waves roar - the Lord of Hosts is His name.” Jeremiah 31:15

Beauty of creation and Creator. Read The Boy and the Ocean, by Max Lucado, illustrated by T. Lively Fluharty. Then ask the following questions: • How do you think the boy felt when he woke up to the view of the huge ocean? Is this similar to your thoughts/feelings when we imagined being on a beach? • Later, how do you think the boy felt as the waves covered his feet and splashed against him? • What fascinated the boy most about the ocean? He couldn’t see the end of it. • There is no end to the ocean, and there is no end to God’s love. What does this tell you about God’s love? It’s always here, it’s always deep. It never ends. God’s love is special. • What does this tell you about yourself? You are so special - and loved by God, without end, as you.

God’s creation.

He enjoyed the ocean more because he shared it with his mother. • What do you think makes the mountains so exciting and special? • How might the little boy have felt when his father took him to explore the mountains? • What fascinated the boy most about the mountains? He couldn’t see the end of them. In what ways are the mountains like God’s love? It’s always here. It’s always big (and tall). It never ends. God’s love is special. He enjoyed the mountains more because he shared them with his father. • Why is the night sky so interesting to look at? What makes it so special? • What fascinated the boy most about the night sky? It didn’t end. • What did the night sky teach the boy about God’s love? It’s always here. It’s always big. It never ends. God’s love is special. • Why did the boy, his mother and father smile as they experienced the ocean, mountains and night sky? It all made them feel loved by God.

A Fertile Heart | Receiving & Giving Creative Love

Jesus the Good Shepherd.

Example Activities 1. Take a simple walk outside, if possible, and discover the beauty and wonder of nature together. 2. In small groups, use percussion instruments to evoke the ocean, the mountains and the sky. Share ideas with the class.

Sharing wonder as family.

Respond and teach Circle Time. Begin with relaxing music to help set the scene. There are only two points to make in this time: the beauty and wonder of nature and how that reflects the beauty and wonder of God and his love for us. Feel free to lead the reflection in any way you want - but the following may help: • What do you like about nature, and why? I’ll start us off (then say one thing you like about nature and why!). • Who made all of nature? God. So he must be very beautiful and wonderful. If you make a card for Mummy, or draw a picture for Daddy, no matter how beautiful it is, they will love you more than the card - because you made it for them. And we’re the same with God - no matter how much we love nature, we will always love God more because he made it for us. To enjoy and look after. • What do you like about the sea and the beach? • How do you feel when you see mountains? • What do you wonder about when you look up at the night sky? And it is all even more amazing when we share them together - like the boy did with his mummy and daddy. Explain: remember, Mary knew how much God loved her, and the Angel Gabriel reminded her that nothing is impossible to God. The big Universe of nature reminds us of both these things. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SHhpBVuxl0 My God is so great (1:14).

3. Create artwork to convey the meaning of the story: the height, depth, breadth etc. of God’s love. Children to label their artwork with words to describe God’s love e.g. ’God’s love is…’

How wonderful is the certainty that each human life is not adrift in the midst of hopeless chaos, in a world ruled by pure chance or endlessly recurring cycles! The Creator can say to each one of us: “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you” (Jer 1:5). We were conceived in the heart of God, and for this reason “each of us is the result of a thought of God. Each of us is willed, each of us is loved, each of us is necessary” Pope Francis, Laudato Si

Mission Share with your family the beauty and wonder of creation. 21

1b3 To know that God’s love guides all our growth

Watch: Tomkin - The Hail Mary (0:36) and pray with him.

Lesson Objectives Introduction

Recap - watch: The Lost Sheep (3:10-4:22). Recap - watch: My God is so great (1:14).

“I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me.” John 10:14

God guides all our growth.

God-given differences are special.

Respond and teach As the third lesson, the Introduction is shorter and the Respond & Teach, Circle Time, longer. Circle Time. Use relaxing music to set the scene. Ask: • What sort of things make us physically different to each other? Hair, eye colour, skin colour, taller/shorter,boy/girl, etc. • What differences are there between boys and girls? (There may be silly answers here, or embarrassing ones, but the important thing is for them to simply hear the question.) • Do any of these differences bother us? The probable answer will be ‘no’. Difference doesn’t normally bother us - but being the only one who is different can do: if I’m the only one who is small, or a girl, or white. • Why are we sometimes worried if we are the only one like this? We can feel we are the odd one out - and then we can start feeling alone, or even that we are worse than all the others. But we are all physically different - and we know that that is okay. We are different in all sorts of other ways too. Quietly put your hand up if you like strawberries; apples; swimming; running; watching tennis; watching football. (Hopefully there will be some, but not all, hands that go up for each of these.) Ask: can any of you think of anything you like that you don’t think anyone else likes? (The only point of these questions is to learn that we all have different likes and dislikes.) Explain: In general, it’s okay that we have different likes and dislikes - because we are different. We might feel a bit nervous if we like something that no one else does - we might feel like keeping that a secret, because we don’t want to be the ‘odd one out’.

A Fertile Heart | Receiving & Giving Creative Love

Encouraging others.

We have all got different gifts as well: some of us might be better at sums, others at writing or spelling, others at dance, gymnastics or sport. What we have learnt today is that we don’t mind being different, but we don’t want to be alone; we often don’t want to be the odd one out. So, what helps us, more than anything, to feel happy about being different but not feel alone?.... Love. Especially God’s love. God’s love makes us feel that we belong AND that we are special. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JL36Pq3Ra4o I Am Special – Yes I Am (1:51 - the children will have heard this in Reception). Encouraging Ask: What does courage mean? To be brave, even if we feel a bit scared. Yes, and ‘en-courage’ means to help someone have courage. To encourage each other is being very helpful - it helps the other person grow. Explain: God’s love encouraged Mary to say ‘yes’ to the Angel Gabriel. We shall see next lesson how Mary encouraged her relative Elizabeth to say ‘yes’ to God too, simply by visiting her. The Good Shepherd encouraged the lost sheep, by loving him enough to go and find him and bring him back safely. Ask: how do you think the other 99 sheep would have felt, seeing the Shepherd do this?

Example Activities 1. Children to curl up into a ball, making themselves as tiny as possible - and then gradually uncurl, stand up, and stretch out -as an expression of them growing. (As in Rc1). Do a voice-over, asking them to imagine God’s love shining on them, the ocean telling them of God’s love, then the mountains, then the night sky, then their family, teachers, parish, and then each other - all encouraging them to grow and grow. Suggested music: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=jKlX2NgM3Ro Morning from Peer Gynt by Grieg (stop it at 1:58). 2. Each table is given an ‘encouraging star’ and if anyone sees someone on the table do something well, or who simply needs encouraging, then anyone on that table can present that child with the star for them to keep near them, until it is passed on to another child.

They would have been encouraged, knowing that he would have done the same for them just like when you see me being kind to someone in class when they need help, you will feel encouraged when you know that I would have done the same for you. The ocean, the mountains and the night sky all encouraged the boy to feel loved by God’s ‘big’ love that never ends and is so special. His mummy and daddy encouraged him to know this by sharing their love of the ocean, mountains and night sky with him. Ask: who else encourages you to say yes to God, to do your best and to not be afraid? Family, people at school, in the parish, friends etc. What sort of things can we do to encourage each other? Be kind, especially when someone is feeling a bit lonely or scared; ask them to join in with you, or ask if you can join in with them; a smile or a hug; be happy when someone has done something well in class. Do you remember what made the Good Shepherd so loving? He knew how the lost sheep was feeling.

I am your Good Shepherd.

So, when we aren’t sure what to do, we could start by asking ourselves how we think the other person is feeling. (We’re not expecting miracles here! Just sowing a few seeds…)

Mission

But we can only do all this, because God has loved us first!

Next time you are feeling afraid, remember how much God loves you.

Watch: The Lord is my Shepherd with Lyrics (1:21).

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A Fertile Heart | Receiving & Giving Creative Love

I am called to give God’s love to others Lesson Objectives Lesson 1: To know the story of the Visitation. Lesson 2: To understand who gives God’s love to me. Lesson 3: To understand that my love can help others grow.

Teacher Notes In the next two modules we focus more on ‘created to love others’ - especially through the example of Mary visiting Elizabeth at the Visitation. Therefore we will also focus on the second part of the Hail Mary: ‘Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus’. (Your school may be more used to using ‘you’ and ‘your’.) We continue to pray the Hail Mary at the beginning of every lesson. In lesson 1 we focus on the Visitation, including Mary’s song of joy and praise to God - the Magnificat. That helps the children further know about God - and share Mary’s joy in having an ‘almighty Father’. In lesson 2, with the help of Max Lucado’s Just In Case You Ever Wonder, we explore how others love us with God’s love - in the story it is mummy. This helps the children understand that love helps their heart grow - and God often loves us through other people. In lesson 3, we then move to helping the children understand that John and Jesus were able to love and help, even when they were tiny and inside their mums - and so the children can show God’s love for others - and even help their hearts grow - even though they are small and young. We look at some simple examples of this.

RHE themes Theme 1: Created and loved by God 1.1.1.1, 1.1.1.2, 1.1.1.3, 1.1.2.1, 1.1.2.2, 1.1.2.3, 1.1.3.2, 1.1.5.1 Theme 2: Created to love others 1.2.1.2, 1.2.1.3, 1.2.1.4, 1.2.1.5, 1.2.2.1, 1.2.2.2, 1.2.2.4, 12.2.5, 1.2.3.2, 1.2.3.3, 1.2.3.4, 1.2.3.5 Theme 3: Created to live in community 1.3.1.1, 1.3.3.1, 1.3.3.2

Bible Text Luke 1:39-56 - The Visitation Mary receives love from God, and immediately gives love to another - going on a long journey to help Elizabeth. A beautiful thing happens when she arrives - John, inside Elizabeth, jumps for joy at Jesus’ presence - and Elizabeth is filled with that joy, and then Mary is. Mary then sings a song of joy and praise to God.

Modern Text Max Lucado - Just in case you ever wonder This is a lovely story told by a mum to her child about how special they are because God made them, and how they have been entrusted to her by God to help them grow by protecting them, helping them and loving them - and always will.

1c1

To know the story of the Visitation

Explain: We have been learning how God loves us and guides our growth. Lesson Objectives In these lessons we are going to learn how other people help him in this, and how we can too. We will start with the story of Mary visiting Elizabeth, which we call ‘the Visitation’. It is from this story we get the second part of the Hail Mary: ‘Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus’. Let’s start by praying the Hail Mary. Watch: Tomkin - The Hail Mary (0:36) and pray with him. Introduction Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAQb9LT5RNQ&t=20s Mary Visits Elizabeth (from 0:20 to 2:58 of 3:45). Teacher note: we use a simpler version of the story here, which doesn’t actually include the words of the Hail Mary (‘Blessed… Jesus.’). The video we use as a recap in lesson 3 does. Perhaps, show the video, then watch it again in two parts to help understanding, particularly as it goes quickly.

“This is the secret of every Christian: God is in our midst as a powerful Saviour. Our certainty of this enables us, like Mary, to sing and exult with joy.” Pope Francis

Replay video from 0:20 to 1:36 or read story from your children’s Bible (Lk. 1:39-56). Ask: • What was happening to both Mary and Elizabeth? They were both going to have a baby - a special baby. • What did Mary do when she found out Elizabeth was going to have a baby? She went to visit her. It was a long way. • Why did she visit Elizabeth? To help her - and encourage her. • What did the baby inside Elizabeth do when Elizabeth heard Mary say hello? He leaped inside her. • What then happened to Elizabeth? What was she filled with? The Holy Spirit! She knew this because she was filled with a deep sense of God’s love for her. • Do you sometimes feel like you could burst because you are so happy at being alive? That’s what being filled with the Holy Spirit feels like. • So, how did being ‘filled with the Holy Spirit’ make Elizabeth feel? Very happy - joyful - ready to burst! • What did Elizabeth say about Mary and Jesus? She said they were ‘blessed’. It means God was looking after them in a special way, protecting them and helping them to be like him. (When you learnt about God creating Adam and Eve, God blessed them - protecting them and helping them to be like him.) • Why did Elizabeth say Mary was blessed? Because Mary believed everything God told her. • Why did Elizabeth feel she was special? Because she was visited by ‘the mother of my Lord’. Visiting people makes them feel special. • How did Mary feel after all this? She was bursting with joy too. In fact, she started singing! We often start singing when we’re happy don’t we? We will return to Mary’s song later, but for now, let’s do an activity to help us remember the story.

Mary visits Elizabeth.

Activity (role play). Explain: Mary’s song was of thankfulness. When God helps us grow and fills us with love, we say he saves us - he gives us ‘salvation’. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SIhhVVP7yM&t=1149s Thank you, Lord in Walking with Me (from 19:09 - 20:19). I believe in God, the Father almighty.

A Fertile Heart | Receiving & Giving Creative Love

Respond and teach Explain: Let’s listen to what Mary sang about. Let’s listen out for the important words we’ve thought about before: humble; favour; blessed; happy. Replay first video from 1:36 - 2:58 or read out Mary’s Magnificat from your children’s Bible. Circle Time: use relaxing music to help set the scene. Ask: • What is Mary’s song all about? How great God is. • How does God’s greatness make Mary feel? Happy. • What did Mary say God’s arms are like? Mighty! That means God is stronger than anyone. Mary described how God acts - how he shows his love: let’s think about what sort of things God does: • Who is he especially kind to? Those who follow him. • What does he do to people who don’t seem important? He makes kings of ordinary people, he helps the poor and feeds the hungry. • What does he do to people who seem important and don’t do good? He takes their crowns off them, and leaves the rich with nothing. • What did Mary say God was especially good at doing? Keeping his promises. God doesn’t make promises he can’t keep - and neither should we. Explain: Mary knew that God was mighty - we even say he is ‘almighty’ because he is ‘all mighty’. She also knew that he loved her like a loving Father. No wonder she was happy! She knew that God was her ‘almighty Father’! She also knew that Jesus was going to make it that God was everyone’s almighty Father. She wanted everyone to know this so that they could be as happy as she was. • How could she help everyone know that God was their almighty Father? Well, how can I help you know that God is your almighty Father? I can tell you and I can love you with God’s love. • And how can your family help you know that God is your almighty Father? They can tell you and they can love you with God’s love - whoever your family is. • And how can Fr N (the parish priest) help you know that God is your almighty Father? He can tell you and he can love you with God’s love. This is just what Mary did. • What did Mary ‘say’ in today’s story, about God’s love? She sang her song of joy. • And what did Mary do? She visited Elizabeth - and she stayed with her to help her have her baby, John. When we are kind and helpful, we are not just showing people we love them, we are showing them that God loves them too. Explain: It all starts with us all being thankful to God for loving us. Let’s finish by singing our song again.

Example Activity 1. In groups, act out the Visitation. Although only Elizabeth and Mary speak, there can be Zaccariah Elizabeth’s husband - and others can be friends in the village. Remember the following: Mary arrives from a long journey and says ‘hello’; Elizabeth is very happy to see her and tells her; She also tells Mary about her baby, John, leaping inside her She tells Mary how special she is; Mary starts singing about God’s love.

Elizabeth gave a cry of joy and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Why am I so favoured, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” Luke 1:42b-43

Watch: Thank you, Lord in Walking with Me (from 19:09 - 20:19).

Mission Sing the song we have learnt, for your family this evening. Maybe even teach them it!

1c2

To understand who gives God’s love to me

In preparation for the ‘mission’ send a class text to parents telling them that the Lesson children are Objectives learning about how they have grown since being a baby, and asking them to show pictures of them as a baby, and growing up - especially if they have a picture of them newly born. Tell them that the children have been learning that love makes them grow - and ask them to reinforce that message by telling their child that God’s love helps them grow - and he often shows that love through them, as parents and family. End by asking them to bring a picture of their child as a baby, to school - to help make a display. Explain: Last lesson, we heard Elizabeth tell Mary, “Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus”. Let’s start by praying those words in the Hail Mary. Watch: Tomkin - The Hail Mary (0:36) and pray with him.

“Beloved, let us love one another, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” 1 John 4:7

Introduction Read Just In Case You Ever Wonder by Max Lucado. Check understanding - these questions may help: (Obviously the children come from very different families, and some of these questions can raise difficulties - but so does not raising them: we trust you to know best how to handle any sensitive situations.) • Who decided to make you? God. • What else did he make? The stars, canyons (valleys), trees, the sun and moon. • What three things did he especially make about you? Your eyes, your mouth and your laugh. • What do these do? Your eyes twinkle, your mouth smiles, your laugh giggles! • Who was made like you in all the whole wide world? No-one! You are very special, you are made by God unlike anyone else - we say you are unique. • Which family did God choose for you? Your family. • How does your family help you? They keep you warm and safe, help you have fun, and most of all, teach you about heaven. • How did mummy know that God had given her someone wonderful? When she first saw you with your eyes closed, your hands clenched in two little fists and your cheeks puffy and round. • But you’ve grown since then: what can you now do that you couldn’t? Walk and run; play and talk; eat and sing and look at books. • So what has changed? You have! You’ve grown. • But what has not changed? Your family’s love for you. • What was mummy always able to do? Protect her child when they were scared, or when they were sad with friends, or sad about school. • What can your family most help you know about? God’s love for you, and heaven. • What is heaven like? A place with no tears, no monsters and no mean people; no goodbyes; no being hungry or cold or sick or afraid; with lots of wonderful hugs from God and everyone who loves you. Explain: So, our story reminds us that God loves us as his children - and he shows that love through our family and all those who love us - and when we know we are loved, heaven isn’t so far away!

Loving you with God’s love.

Sharing a story of God’s love.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgAy-jydfN8 We are Children of GodMonica Scott (2:22 - they should recognise this from Reception).

Helping you to grow.

A Fertile Heart | Receiving & Giving Creative Love

Respond and teach

Example Activity

Circle Time - use relaxing music to help set the scene. Ask • Who likes to grow? Me! • Can you remember what things the child in the story could do that they couldn’t do before? Walk and run; play and talk; eat and sing and look at books. All ways of growing! • Who most helped you learn to walk? Mummy, Daddy etc. • Who most helped you learn to talk? Mummy, Daddy etc. • Who helps you to learn to read? Daddy, Mummy etc. And who else? You (Me) - your teachers. • And who helps you to know about heaven? Mummy, Daddy, you and Fr. N, and others. • Do other people help you grow - with learning to dance, or do gymnastics, or swimming etc.? • Why do we help you to grow? Because we love you - and love always helps the other person grow. • So, remind me, who made you? God. • This is a hard one - why do you think God made you? To grow to be like him, and be happy with him for ever. • And who loves you the most? God. And remember, love makes you grow. • So, who makes you grow the most? God. But he didn’t teach you to walk, or talk, or read! • So, is it God who makes you grow, or your family, and me and all the people who help you?... It’s both. It’s all of us! Only God can create you, and only God can truly make you grow, but he often does it through other people - we help him. Do you remember last year we talked about needing food to grow - but we said we need three ‘types’ of food: normal food for our bodies to grow; truth for our minds to grow; and love for our hearts to grow. So, when we love you, we are not just showing you our love, we are showing you God’s love.

1. Get each child to draw a picture of themselves. Later make a display of these pictures paired up with the photo of them as a baby that their parents will - hopefully - bring in. (Also, think of a plan b for any child whose parent doesn’t bring a picture in!)

The child’s upbringing, taken as a whole, should include the contribution of both parents: the maternal and paternal contribution. In any event, the mother’s contribution is decisive in laying the foundation for a new human personality. St John Paul II, Mulieris Dignitatem 18

And when we teach you, we are not just giving you our truth, we are giving you God’s truth - especially when we teach you about Jesus, and love, and heaven. And when Mummy feeds you, she is showing you how much she and God love you as well! That makes food extra yummy! So, like we learnt in Reception (Re3) we can say together: Jesus feeds my body, mind and heart (putting hands on tummy, head and heart as they say it). We can also say together: Mummy feeds my body, mind and heart (with the same actions) - and then with Daddy/my teacher/etc. We can also say together: Through Mummy, Jesus feeds my body, mind and heart (again with the same actions) - and then with Daddy/my teacher/etc.

Mission Ask your family about what you were like as a baby. (Explain about the text their parents have been sent - and about the photo and the display that will be made.)

Explain: We’re all growing - and love to us is like sunshine to plants it helps us grow! Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hohD7WSRxIs Grow Mooseclumps (2:46 - the children will have heard this in Reception.)

1c3

To understand that my love can help others grow

Explain: In the Visitation story we saw how Mary helped Elizabeth grow, by loving Lesson Objectives her. But she wasn’t the only one. So did Jesus and John - even as babies! Let’s start by praying the Hail Mary, including those words of Elizabeth. Watch: Tomkin - The Hail Mary (0:36) and pray with him. Introduction Recap watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tmkp1zPnfw Mary Visits Elizabeth (3:21). Recap lesson 2. Maybe refer to the display from the lesson, to help recall. Do you remember the story from last lesson? It helped us realise that God made each of us very special - each of us with our own twinkle in our eyes, and our own smile, and our own giggle. He loves us into life, and his love helps us grow. And he asks people to help him, by loving us also - especially our family. So, when someone loves you, they are showing you their love, and showing you God’s love.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you came to birth I consecrated you; I appointed you prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5

Explain: In the Visitation, Mary helped Elizabeth. Ask • How did she help her? By sharing her joy in God’s love, and by visiting her, and helping her have her baby. But she wasn’t the only person who helped her. • Who else in the story did? You’ll have to think hard to get this one. Her baby - John. • What did he do? He leaped inside her at Jesus’ coming - and this filled her with joy - and let her know just how special her two visitors were. Wow! He was only a tiny baby inside his mummy, and he was able to help her! • And who had helped him? Jesus! And he was even tinier! When Mary arrived with Jesus inside her it led to John jumping for joy. Something very special happened at that moment. We have talked about your Baptism haven’t we? (Okay, it was in Reception.) Well, this moment was a little bit like John’s Baptism even before he was born! Explain: We can learn two very important lessons from this. Firstly, we are never too young or too small to love people, and to help them - even to help them grow! Secondly, when John had grown up, he was called John the Baptist. Why? Because he baptised Jesus as an adult, in the river. So, when Jesus was about 2 weeks old inside Mary, he sort of baptised John, and 30 years later, John baptised Jesus! And from that we learn that often in our lives, we get chances to help people who helped us - or to help people in the same way people helped us. Teacher note: Theologically, when John leaped for joy he was freed from Original Sin, but didn’t become a child of God, like we do in Baptism. And when Jesus was baptised by John, he was already God’s only begotten Son, and was free from Original Sin or indeed any sin - so his Baptism wasn’t quite the same as ours either. It’s important to point this out to you, just in case you have any concerns - but we hope you can see why we are not going into this with the children!

Jesus and John shared joy inside their mothers.

Your love helps others grow.

Respond and teach Circle Time: use relaxing music to help set the scene. Explain: So, what we learn from John and Jesus is that we can always love people - no matter how small we are, no matter how young we are. And remember, when we love people, we aren’t just showing them our love, we are showing them God’s love too. And God’s love helps people grow. So, even now, you can help people grow! Wow! How special are you?! May all babies share joy and hope with their parents. 30

A Fertile Heart | Receiving & Giving Creative Love

Example Activities 1. Colour in first downloadable template - of John and Jesus as babies and as adults. Underneath the pictures write ‘Jesus helps John.’ and then ‘John helps Jesus.’

We can show God’s love, even when we are small. Ask • So, in what ways can you love your Mummy and Daddy? Being helpful when they ask you; playing nicely; not sulking; giving them a hug, etc. • And in what ways can you love any brothers and sisters you have? Playing nicely; not calling them names or being mean to them; not thinking it’s unfair if they get something nice, etc. • In what way can you love your teacher? Being helpful in class; always saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’; doing your best work, quietly; helping to tidy away at playtime, etc. • In what way can you love others in class? Not falling out; being able to say sorry when you’ve hurt someone; include them in your playground games, etc. And never forget, you can love any of us just by smiling. Remember, in all of this, you are not feeding people to grow in their bodies; you are loving them to grow in their heart. You are being God’s loving helper. Do you remember Mary’s song? She told us that God has a special love for the poor, and the hungry, and those who need help the most. Always remember that, and as you get older you will find ways to help the poor, and the hungry, and those who need help the most - and when you do, you will really be children of God! Let’s end by thanking God for Jesus inside his mummy - who brought joy to everyone. And by thanking God for John inside his mummy - who brought joy to Elizabeth. And for every child inside their mummy - that they bring joy and hope to their mummy and daddy too. Explain: So, when we are helpful and kind, we show each other that God loves them and we love them, and that stops us being sad - and that’s the way it should be!

2. Using second downloadable template, draw four pictures of ways you can love others - and help their hearts grow. (The first template offered is divided into four with captions under each correlating to questions in Circle Time. We offer a simpler template divided into four, for you to write captions for any children whose family situation would mean a different caption is more appropriate.)

Following Christ and united with him, Christians can strive to be “imitators of God as beloved children, and walk in love”. The Holy Spirit… enlightens and strengthens us to live as “children of light” through “all that is good and right and true.” Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1694-1695 (see Eph. 5:1-9).

Watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SIhhVVP7yM&t=1637s (and maybe learn): God loves you in Walking with Jesus (27:17 - 28:54).

Mission This evening, show God’s love to every one of your family.

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Loving myself helps me love you. Lesson Objectives Lesson 1: To know the story of Jesus and Zacchaeus. Lesson 2: To love myself because God loves me. Lesson 3: To understand that loving myself helps me love you.

Teacher Notes Module 1d continues to move from helping the children know they are loved, to helping them understand that knowing they are loved helps them love themselves and love others. From last lesson’s focus on the smallness of Jesus and John in the womb, we move to the smallness of Zacchaeus - and to the Too Smalls of Stiltsville - the link being that smallness - or any physical attribute - is no bar to being ourselves, being loved and being loving. The story of Zacchaeus also draws out that Jesus loving us when others don’t and/or when we’ve been mean gives us both a resilience and an impetus to be good. In the second lesson, we see how being loved by Jesus helps us to love ourselves as we are - and just as Jesus cares for our body, mind and heart, so we should care for all three too - thinking of simple concrete examples of how the children can do this. The third lesson then helps them realise that if they know they are loved, they will think about themselves less, and so be free to think about others more: helping us to share, be kind and be inclusive. This makes everyone happier.

RHE themes Theme 1: Created and loved by God 1.1.1.1, 1.1.2.1, 1.1.2.2, 1.1.3.1, 1.1.3.5, 1.1.3.6, 1.1.4.4 Theme 2: Created to love others 1.2.1.1, 1.2.1.2, 1.2.1.4, 1.2.1.6, 1.2.2.1, 1.2.2.3, 1.2.2.4, 1.2.2.5, 1.2.3.1, 1.2.3.4, 1.2.3.5, 1.2.3.6, 1.2.3.7, 1.2.3.8, 1.2.4.2 Theme 3: Created to live in community 1.3.1.1, 1.3.1.3, 1.3.2.2, 1.3.2.3, 1.3.3.2, 1.3.3.5

Bible Text Luke 19:1-10 - Jesus and Zacchaeus This story is about Zacchaeus, a tax collector from Jericho, who wants to meet Jesus. He has cheated people out of money, and he is small - but neither of these stop him seeing Jesus. Jesus greets him as a friend and eats with him in his house. Being so loved leads to Zacchaeus repenting of his meanness and promising to be kind and just from then on.

Modern Text Max Lucado - The Tallest of Smalls Stiltsville is full of tall people on stilts and the Too Smalls who aren’t. Everyone thinks the tall people are more important, and Ollie, like all the small people, wants to be like them. One day he gets his stilts, but they are not all they are cracked up to be. He falls flat on his face, but is picked up by Jesus who reminds Ollie that he is loved as he is - no-one is ‘too small’.

1d1 To know the story of Jesus and Zacchaeus

Explain: Mary and Elizabeth, and especially baby Jesus and John, taught us that no Lesson matter how Objectives small we are, we are loved and can love. Believing this makes us ‘blessed’ and joyful - happy. Elizabeth could see that God especially blessed Jesus and Mary, and we remember that every time we pray the Hail Mary. Let’s do that now. Watch: Tomkin - The Hail Mary (0:36) and pray with him. Introduction Explain: We are going to hear a story today about a man called Zacchaeus. He lived in a city called Jericho, and wanted to meet Jesus. But he had two problems: he had been mean to others and he was a bit small. Let’s listen to what happens. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BjtbJFz2ug Zacchaeus (1:54). Check understanding. The following questions may help. Ask • Where did Zacchaeus live? Jericho. • What was his job? A tax collector. Taxes are money people have to pay to the rulers of the country. In Jesus’ time, people had to pay taxes to the Romans. But they got local people to collect the money. Zacchaeus was one of these people. • Was Zacchaeus poor or rich? Rich! He would charge the people their tax for the Romans, but then add some on for himself! That was a bad thing to do! • What did the people think of Zacchaeus? They didn’t like him. • What did they say he was? A liar and a cheat. • What did they say when they saw him? Boo! • One day, Jesus was visiting, and Zacchaeus wanted to see him. What was his problem? He was very short. • How did he solve his problem? He climbed a tree, a sycamore tree - so that he could see Jesus. • What might he have been afraid of as well? That Jesus might say ‘boo’ to him as well - and not like him. • What did Jesus say to him when he saw him? “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down. I must stay at your house today.” • What did the people in the crowd then do? They grumbled - they thought it was unfair that Jesus wasn’t booing at Zacchaeus, and instead was being so nice to him. • How did Zacchaeus feel? He was surprised and very happy! • What did he say to Jesus? “I will give half my money to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone, I will pay them back four times more.” Maybe get the children to count to four to back up ‘four times more’. • Jesus did stay at Zacchaeus’ house and ate with him. What did he say to Zacchaeus? Today, salvation has come to this house.” He also said that Zacchaeus belonged to God’s family, and that Jesus had come to find the lost and bring them back home safely (just like the Good Shepherd).

Jesus looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come down. Hurry, because I am to stay at your house today.” Zacchaeus said, “Look sir, I am going to give half my property to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody I will pay him back four times the amount.” Luke 19: 5, 8

Jesus and Zacchaeus.

Explain: We have talked before about growing on the outside - our bodies - and growing on the inside - our mind and heart. Zacchaeus had two problems didn’t he? One ‘on the outside’ and one ‘on the inside’: on the outside, he thought he was too small; on the inside, he had been mean and cheated people of their money. Sometimes it can be hard feeling small, but it is even harder thinking that people don’t like us. This song tells us of Zacchaeus’ bigger problem. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhNLJXmU90Y Nobody liked Zacchaeus (2:27).

A Fertile Heart | Receiving & Giving Creative Love

Feeling others don’t like me.

Respond and teach

Example Activities

Circle Time: use relaxing music to help set the scene. Ask • Sometimes we can feel not liked - maybe not as bad as Zacchaeus, but still we can feel not liked: is that a nice feeling? No. No. Sometimes the other person isn’t happy with me because I’ve been mean. Sometimes they may think I’ve been mean, and I haven’t. Sometimes it’s they who are being mean. But whatever the reason, it’s not nice feeling not liked. • Does Jesus love us when we feel not liked? Yes. Does Jesus love us when others are mean to us? Yes. • Does Jesus love us when others think we have been mean? Yes. Does Jesus love us when we have been mean? Yes. Even then he still loves us - not because we’ve been mean, but even though we’ve been mean. • Can you remember what Jesus called Zacchaeus when he met him? Friend. And then he called him by his name - Zacchaeus. • Where did Jesus and Zacchaeus then go? To Zacchaeus’ house. (Although this isn’t shown in the video, Jesus just says it.) • Do we spend time or go round to visit people we like or people we don’t like? Those we like. So Jesus going round to Zacchaeus’ home shows how special Jesus still thought Zacchaeus was. • And then what did Zacchaeus do? He realised he had been mean to people and promised never to be mean again. Explain: This is very important for us to remember: Jesus always loves us. Let’s say that together: Jesus always loves us. Even if we feel sad: Jesus always loves us. Even if we feel not liked: Jesus always loves us. Even if others have been mean to us: Jesus always loves us. Even if we have been mean to others: Jesus always loves us. Yes, and when we can still remember that Jesus loves us it help us love ourselves and want, even more, to be good. • Remember Zacchaeus’ other ‘problem’? He thought he was too short. • Did being small stop him seeing Jesus? No. Or stop Jesus loving him? No. Or stop Zacchaeus loving others? No. • So was being small really a problem? No! There is nothing about our bodies, our ‘outside’ that stops us being loved, or stops us loving - so we don’t have to worry about such things: you are special just as you are. You are loved just as you are.

1. Recreate the story of Zacchaeus using role play. 2. Hot seat Zacchaeus. 3. Write a postcard from Zacchaeus to Jesus saying ‘thank you’ for visiting him.

For Zacchaeus, it must have been a stunning experience to hear himself called by his name, a name which many of his townsmen spoke with contempt. Now he hears it spoken in a tone of tenderness, expressing not just trust but familiarity, insistent friendship. Pope St John Paul II

Explain: We can see a pattern. Earlier we saw how God loved Mary, and then she loved Elizabeth. Here we see how Jesus loved Zacchaeus, and then Zacchaeus loved others. If we let God love us, we will then love others. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxe9jO0scgA Zacchaeus Was a Wee Little Man (1:02) as a fun recap.

Jesus always loves us.

Mission Next time that you are mean, remember that Jesus still loves you and helps you be good instead.

1d2 To love myself because God loves me

Explain: God showed Mary he loved her and so she knew she was blessed. Of all the Lesson reasons she Objectives could have loved herself, the best one was that God loved her. Let’s pray the Hail Mary, asking that we may always know that we are loved and blessed by God. Watch: Tomkin - The Hail Mary (0:36) and pray with him. Introduction Explain: Last lesson we learnt from the story of Jesus and Zacchaeus that being small, or feeling not liked, or even being mean, doesn’t stop Jesus loving us - and knowing that makes us happy and more loving. Read The Tallest of Smalls by Max Lucado. Check understanding. The following questions may help.

“Truly I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than any of them; for these have all put in money they could spare, but she in her poverty has put in all she had to live on.” Luke 21: 3, 4

Ask: • What two types of people are there in Stiltsville? Tall people - on stilts - and small people. • At the start of the story who does everyone think is more important? The tall people on the stilts. • What do the small people think about themselves? That they are ‘the less and the least, the shy and the shier, the not-cools and have-nots who want to go higher’. • Are they happy being small? No, they think only the tall people on stilts are important, and want to be like them. • What happens to Ollie one day? He gets given some stilts. Yes, and he thinks he will now be important. • But what happens? Lots of birds land on him. • And then, what even worse happens? He falls over - because he couldn’t balance on long stilts. • He was very upset - then who helped him? Jesus. • What did Jesus tell him? That he was ‘precious my Ollie, not too short or too small. I made you, remember; you’re mine after all.’ • What did Ollie learn from this? That he was happier being himself. That Jesus loved him as himself. That it wasn’t being small that was the problem - that it was him thinking he was too small that had been his problem. • Could he change being small? No. Could he change thinking he was too small? Yes, and Jesus’ love helped him do that. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Sa-DxClTXw Jesus Loves Me (1:40). Respond and teach Circle Time: use relaxing music to help set the scene. Explain: So, we know from Mary, from Zacchaeus and even from our story of Ollie, just how important it is to know that Jesus loves us. When we know that, we can be as happy as Mary, and as loving as Mary. Zacchaeus shows us how knowing we are loved by Jesus can stop us being mean. Ollie shows us that knowing we are loved by Jesus can stop us wishing we were different from who we are.

Being loved makes me happy and loving.

So, hands up who knows Jesus loves them. (Hopefully all of them!) And, hands up who loves themselves. (Likewise!) There are lots of reasons why we should love ourselves - but the most important one is that Jesus loves me. All the other reasons might go away - but that one never will. Remember, Jesus loves us so he helps our bodies grow, our minds grow and our hearts grow. So, if we love ourselves, we should want to help our bodies grow and be healthy, our minds grow and our hearts grow. Loving myself helps me care for myself. 36

A Fertile Heart | Receiving & Giving Creative Love

Example Activity 1. Using downloadable template, draw an example above each of the three captions: ‘loving myself by caring for my body/mind/heart’.

Family Bible stories.

So, we know that (say together with actions - touching tummy, head and then heart): ‘Jesus feeds my body, mind and heart’. Now we can also say: ‘I can help Jesus feed my body, mind and heart’. Ask: • How can we help keep our body healthy so it can grow? What can we do about food? Eat healthy food: fruit and vegetables etc. Drink water, not just fizzy drinks. • How can we help stay healthy every day? Have exercise, play sport, get plenty of fresh air, don’t watch too much TV. • How can we keep our teeth healthy? We can brush them properly morning and night. • How can we keep our body clean and healthy? Washing and showering when we should. • How can we help our minds to grow? Do we learn more from reading or playing TV games? Reading - so perhaps we could read more and play electronic games less. • What about in class - how can we help our minds grow? Listening carefully, and trying our best. • And what about in prayer and at Mass? We can know our Bible stories and really try when we are praying. • And is it healthier to lie or tell the truth? Tell the truth - So we should always be honest, and never lie. • How can we help our hearts grow? How can we receive more love from our family? Spend more time with them, help in the house. When we let Jesus love us, and so love ourselves, we can also be better at not letting others be unkind to us. Firstly, we won’t believe others when they say unkind things, and we will be strong enough to tell a grown-up if anyone keeps being unkind to us - whoever they are. (This is just preparing the foundation for dealing with bullying and even with safeguarding, next year.)

“Physical healing is a gift, physical health is a gift that we must safeguard, but the Lord teaches us that we must safeguard the health of our hearts - our spiritual health - as well.” Pope Francis

Mission Ask someone at home to read you a Bible story.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SIhhVVP7yM&t=210s Jesus loves me (3:30-5:56 The first song is a recap of the earlier one - which you can always repeat instead, with actions - the second one is a simple one which the children can count to.)

1d3 To understand that loving myself helps me love you

Explain: Mary knew she was blessed. This didn’t make her selfish, but meant she didn’t Lesson Objectives have to worry about herself - and so was free to love others more. Let’s pray to her for help in being like her. Watch: Tomkin - The Hail Mary (0:36) and pray with him. Introduction Explain: We first learnt about Jesus and Zacchaeus - and how Jesus loving Zacchaeus helped him love himself and then to love others. Recap - watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uL6FuAE2r4 Zacchaeus a tax collector (1:44 - same story, different video!) Recap - explain: The we learnt from the small people of Stiltsville, that Jesus loves us as we are and that we don’t have to worry about what we look like or what some people think of us - because Jesus loves us as we are - and this makes us happy, and want to be good.

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” Philippians 2:3-4

Do you remember the song we learnt? Watch: Jesus Loves Me (1:40) and join in the actions. Respond and teach Circle Time: use relaxing music to help set the scene. • Who is really good at thinking? Probably lots of ‘me’s. • How many things can you think about at the same time? Let’s think of some examples. • If I start asking you to add up 3+2, who could do that? Probably lots of ‘me’s. • What might happen though if the head teacher/TA brought in a big chocolate cake as I was asking you? You’d probably get distracted from counting! • Why? Because you’d be thinking about the chocolate cake. • If I asked you to spell ‘cake’, who could do that? Probably lots of ‘me’s. • What might happen though if a wasp was buzzing around the classroom? You’d probably get distracted from spelling! • Why? Because you’d be thinking about the wasp and its sting. • So, what have we learnt from these examples: how many things can we think about at the same time? One. • So, what about if I asked you to be kind to someone else in the class: who could do that? Hopefully, lots of ‘me’s. • What might happen if someone was being mean to you at the same time? You’d probably get distracted from being kind. • Why? Because you’d be thinking about how hurt you felt, because of that person. This is important: I can only really think about you or me, about how you are feeling or about how I am feeling. • So, what did we say happens when I know God loves me? I find it easier to love me too, and to feel special. • And what happens when I love myself and know I am special? I don’t have to think about me so much - I know I’m safe in God’s hands. • So who can I think about more? You! Because I’m only good at thinking about one thing at a time! • Is it loving to share sweets or toys, or selfish? Loving. • Does thinking about the other person more and yourself less make it easier or harder to share things? Easier. So, does it make it easier or harder to love? Easier. • Is it loving or selfish to be kind even when the other person has called you names? Loving. • Does thinking about them more and yourself less make it easier or harder to still be kind? Easier. So, does it make it easier or harder to love? Easier. • Is it loving to ask someone to join in your game? Loving.

A Fertile Heart | Receiving & Giving Creative Love

Loving me, loving you! (aha!)

We can only think of one thing at a time…

Sharing toys!

Example Activities 1. Role play in small groups receiving God’s love and sharing it with others. (E.g. a scene where someone wants to play in their game, and they are going to say no, but then Jesus ‘walks in’ and loves them, and they are able to let the other join in.)

Loved. Loving. Happy. • Does thinking about them more and yourself less make it easier or harder to invite them? Easier. So, does it make it easier or harder to love? Easier. Jesus sort of makes a deal with us! He says, “I love you so much that I’ll think about you - so that you can be free to think about others and love them”! That’s much better than all of us thinking about ourselves! It makes us all happy! Explain: When we do this, we don’t just give our love to others, we give God’s love to them - St Francis called it being a ‘channel’ of God’s love because a channel helps something flow from one place to another - or one person to another. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mT8bybL_DqY Make Me A Channel Of Your Peace (this lasts for 4:26, but feel free to stop it at say, 2:10, or wherever else you think best.)

2. Ask the children to sit with their arms folded, and not smiling. Pass a cuddly heart or equivalent to a child, who then passes it on to another. When they receive a heart they smile; when they pass it on, they do a ‘double thumbs up’. Add a second or third heart to the mix if it helps. Receive the hearts back from the last children, when everyone should be happy having received and given love. 3. Each child has a strip of paper, on which they write one way they are going to love, and then decorate. Each strip is then used to make a link in a class ‘kindness chain’.

“Let us always meet each other with a smile, for the smile is the beginning of love.” Mother Teresa (St Teresa of Calcutta)

Mission Pass on a smile and a double thumbs up to all your family.

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A Fertile Heart | Receiving & Giving Creative Love

We are God’s forgiven family. Lesson Objectives Lesson 1: To know the story of the forgiving Father. Lesson 2: To know that family and friends help each other. Lesson 3: To know we are part of the Church and the world.

Teacher Notes The last two modules of Y1 move the children towards thinking about being created to live in community. We do this by developing their understanding of family and of friends, and then opening this up to understanding that we are called to be part of the wider human family. Continuing with using the Hail Mary to give shape to the whole year, we now use the second half of the prayer: Module e focuses on, “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners” and Module f focuses on “now and at the hour of death. Amen.” Lesson 1e1 uses the story of the Prodigal Son here to focus on two important factors that unite us - being God’s family, with Mary as our mother - and all being forgiven (hence the module’s title). Lesson 2 uses the story of A. A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh has lunch with Rabbit to explore how working together, patience and not holding grudges unite us as friends and family. Lesson 3 uses these to develop the idea that we are called to play our part in the wider community - focusing more on our local community and on Church, but mentioning our country and the whole human family too.

RHE themes Theme 1: Created and loved by God 1.1.1.2, 1.1.1.3, 1.1.1.4, 1.1.2.2, 1.1.2.3, 1.1.3.5, 1.1.4.5 Theme 2: Created to love others 1.2.1.1, 1.2.1.2, 1.2.1.4, 1.2.2.1, 1.2.2.3, 1.2.2.5, 1.2.3.2, 1.2.3.4, 1.2.3.6 Theme 3: Created to live in community1.3.1.1, 1.2.1.2, 1.3.2.1, 1.3.3.1, 1.3.3.2, 1.3.3.5.

Bible Text Luke 15:11-32 - The Prodigal Son This parable of Jesus is surely one of his most famous - as it speaks so beautifully of the Father’s love for each of us, in a way that is so accessible. In focusing on the younger son, the children will learn that, despite our tendency to make wrong choices and to be greedy and selfish, the Father’s love for us is unconditional and infinite. (The Prodigal Son is the normal name of the parable, but we have focused on God’s love by calling it the forgiving Father.)

Modern Text A. A. Milne - Winnie the Pooh has Lunch with Rabbit In this simple story of the much loved bear and his friends, Winnie the Pooh gets stuck because of his greediness. Fortunately, with patience, forgiveness and a lot of help from his friends, he is freed.

1e1

To know the story of the forgiving Father

Explain: We have been learning, through the Hail Mary, how, like Mary, we are loved Lesson by God and Objectives special - and that knowing this helps us love ourselves and love others. Since God is our Father and Mary is our mother, then we are all part of one family God’s family. That means we have a lot in common. There is one other thing we have in common - we have all been forgiven by God! This is a special sign of his love for us. Let’s start by praying the Hail Mary, and especially pray the words, “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners”. Watch: Tomkin - The Hail Mary (0:36) and pray with him. Introduction Explain: We are going to hear a story that Jesus told - and it’s all about being one family, and about forgiveness. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bB1efgjLDGY The Naughty Son (3:44). Check understanding. The following questions may help. Ask: • What did the son not like? His father’s rules. • What did he decide to do? Leave home. • What did he ask his father for? His share of his father’s money. • What did he do with all his money? He did whatever he wanted, and had lots of parties with his new friends. • What happened when he ran out of money? His friends weren’t his friends any more, and he had nowhere to live and was hungry. • Were they real friends then? No - they only liked his parties, instead of liking him. • When he was lonely and sad and hungry what was the only job he could find? Feeding the pigs on a pig farm. • What would that be like? Yuck! Filthy and smelly and horrible. What was the worst bit of the whole story? He was so hungry he wanted to eat the pig food! Double yuck! • What did he then remember? How much his father loved him, all the blessings he had received, and that no one went hungry in his father’s house - not even the servants. • What did he decide to do? Go home and say sorry to dad. • How did his father feel when he saw his son returning? He was so happy! • The son tried to say he didn’t deserve to be a son any more, but what did his father do? He dressed him in the best clothes and shoes, and prepared the best food for a welcome home party. • Was the Father angry? No. Had the father stopped loving his son? No. Jesus tells us that God is like this with us: • Will God ever get angry with us? No. Will he ever stop loving us? No. • What do we have to do to be forgiven by God? Be truly sorry. • And what is the difference between being sorry and being truly sorry? Being sorry is saying sorry, being truly sorry is when we really mean it too.

“Bring the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the calf we have been fattening and kill it; we will celebrate by having a feast, because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life; he was lost and is found.” Luke 15: 22-24

Left feeding the pigs.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wttuxd4F7WE Father, I have sinned (Prodigal Son) By Fr. Eugene O’Reilly, C.SsR (4:05). Respond and teach Circle Time: use relaxing music to help set the scene. Ask: Do you remember last lesson - we learnt that each of us can only think about me or you at any one time: if I think just about me then I am more likely to be selfish and mean; if I am think about you, I am more likely to be kind and thoughtful. • Who was the son thinking of at the start of the story? Himself. • Was it mean to ask his father for money so that he could leave home? Yes. • Do you think he was trying to be mean to his father? No, probably not - he just wasn’t thinking about his father, he was thinking just about himself.

A Fertile Heart | Receiving & Giving Creative Love

Father missing his child.

Example Activity 1. Get the children to hold up their one hand at ‘face height’. Then with the index finger of their other hand, get them to touch each of the five fingers in turn. Then as they do get them to say a word for each finger: We family.

are

God’s

forgiven

Repeat as necessary for it to sink in. “We are God’s forgiven family” That’s important because sometimes we can be mean to people and we aren’t trying to be mean, we are just thinking about ourselves - but the other person still gets hurt. • How do you think the father felt when his son decided he’d rather have fun than belong to his family? Sad, hurt. • But who did he keep thinking of, all the time his son was away? His son. Yes, and remember because he was thinking of his son, he was more able to be kind. • What two things were important for the family to be whole again? The son’s being truly sorry, and the father being forgiving. Yes, so there are some things that are really important for us to grow and be happy: one is knowing that belonging is more important than just having fun; another is knowing that we are all one family under God; and another is that we are all forgiven. When we all know we are forgiven, it gets rid of a lot of silliness! • If we are all one family, who is our Father? God. • And who is our mother? Mary. We can also say that the Church is our mother. Mary and the Church work together, loving us as our mum. • And who is your brother? (Every boy in the class.) What about all the boys in the world we can’t see? Yes, they’re our brothers as well. So, belonging to God’s family means we have to care for the brothers we can see, and the ones we can’t. • And who is your sister? (Every girl in the class.) What about all the girls in the world we can’t see? Yes, they’re our sisters as well. So, belonging to God’s family means we have to care for the sisters we can see, and the ones we can’t. Explain: We will all find it easier to love each other if we remember that we all belong to each other, we all belong to God, and we have all been forgiven. Do you remember the words of the Hail Mary we were especially thinking about today? Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners.

“God is joyful! And what is the joy of God? The joy of God is forgiving! ...it is the joy of a father welcoming home the son who was lost… who has come home. Here is the entire Gospel!” Pope Francis

Mission Teach your family our five finger sentence.

When we pray, “Holy Mary, Mother of God” we are remembering that we are part of God’s family. And when we pray, “pray for us sinners” we are asking for God’s forgiveness - and being thankful for being forgiven. So praying the Hail Mary helps us remember that we are God’s forgiven family! Activity, then explain: Remembering all this will help us all be kind and loving to everyone. So, if you are finding it hard to be kind to someone, what can you do? Yes - say/do the five finger sentence. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_S8ZoEtKv4U God’s Family (2:12) for a fun finish. 43

1e2

To know that family and friends help each other

Explain: In the Hail Mary, we have been thinking of how Mary loves us and helps us to Lesson Objectives grow, even when we have done wrong. We should also love and help each other, even when the other has done wrong to us. Let’s start by praying the Hail Mary.

“Be merciful just as your Father is merciful.”

Watch: Tomkin - The Hail Mary (0:36) and pray with him.

Luke 6:36

Introduction Read Winnie the Pooh has Lunch with Rabbit, by A. A. Milne. Check understanding - these questions may help. Ask • Who did Winnie the Pooh visit for lunch in our story? Rabbit. • What is Winnie the Pooh’s favourite food? Honey. • What did he do at lunch? He ate, and ate, and ate, and ate. • Oh dear! When it was time to go, what happened? He got stuck leaving Rabbit’s house. • Who did Winnie the Pooh blame for him getting stuck? Rabbit - for not having a proper front door. • Whose fault was it really? Winnie the Pooh’s. Why? Because he had eaten so much. So he was stuck tight in the entrance to Rabbit’s house - not good for him; not good for Rabbit! • What did Roo do to help make Winnie the Pooh feel better? Gave him some flowers. •Was that kind and thoughtful? Yes. • What did Rabbit and Winnie the Pooh both have to be, before things could get better? Patient! • Then, one morning, what happened? Winnie the Pooh started to budge. • So Rabbit got some friends to help: who did he get? Christopher Robin, Kanga and Eeyore. • What did they do, while Rabbit pushed? They all pulled and pulled Winnie the Pooh out of the hole. • Suddenly, he popped out - where did he land? In a bees’ nest, in a tree! But that’s another story!

Friends help each other.

Explain: The story tells us that Rabbit, Christopher Robin, Kanga, Roo, Eeyore and Winnie the Pooh were friends because they did things together and cared for each other - like us! Friends make us happy. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lldmkrJXQ-E&t=9s The More We Get Together (3:45).

Winnie the Pooh and his helpful friends.

Respond and teach Circle Time: use relaxing music to help set the scene. Ask • Let’s think what we can learn from our story today: why did Rabbit invite Winnie for lunch? Because it is nice to do things together - especially to eat together! • Who was Winnie the Pooh thinking about when he ate, and ate and ate? Himself. Yes - he wasn’t thinking about Rabbit much at all! And, once again, things went wrong because someone was only thinking about themselves. • What happened because he ate so much? He got bigger, and so got stuck in the entrance to Rabbit’s house. • Did Winnie the Pooh plan this? No - but our choices and our actions have consequences - even ones we don’t plan. • What do you think would have happened if everyone had pushed Winnie the Pooh straight away? They might have hurt him. • What did Rabbit do instead? He waited until Winnie the Pooh budged a bit - he waited until he was able to help. • What did Roo do? He tried to make Winnie feel better (by giving flowers), while he was stuck and having to wait.

A Fertile Heart | Receiving & Giving Creative Love

Mum loves her children playing nicely.

Example Activity 1. We are happy clapping together and singing together!

Clapping out the syllables of our name.

• What did everyone do, when Winnie the Pooh started to budge? Pull and push. • What would have happened if only one of them had pulled? Probably nothing - they wouldn’t have been strong enough. Yes, it needed all the friends to help. • What would have happened if they had told Winnie the Pooh it was his fault and so they weren’t going to help? He’d probably still be stuck to this day! Yes, forgiveness means still helping people, even if they caused the mess. Explain: Mary is the mother of all of us. And mums love it when their children play nicely together, and help each other, and think of each other. So, she invites us not just to be friends with a few children in class, but with everyone in class. She even asks us to be friends not just with the people we can see, but with the people we can’t. Remember Jesus feeds our body, our mind and our heart. And if we are all one family, we should help him. There are some children in the world who go hungry - and we should all try and help them have food. We should all feed each other’s minds by always being honest, and never lying. We can all feed each other’s hearts by loving everybody.

Get the children to go to another child with whom they don’t often mix and facing each other say their name, and then both children say that name and clap the syllables out, then the other child says their name and they do the same. Get them to repeat a couple of times with other children. Then return to places to smile and sing the echo together of https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=tBc62XFhFkc Hail Mary Echo Song (1:53).

“God’s patience with us is that of a father and a mother together.” Pope Francis

Mission Look out at playtime for someone you can help.

So, earlier (1c2) we learnt to say: Jesus feeds my body, mind and heart (putting hands on tummy, head and heart as they say it). And that we can say together: Mummy feeds my body, mind and heart (with the same actions) - and then with Daddy/my teacher/etc. And that we can say together: Through Mummy, Jesus feeds my body, mind and heart (again with the same actions) - and then with Daddy/my teacher/etc. But now, we can also say: I can feed your body, mind and heart (with actions). And: Through me, Jesus feeds your body, mind and heart. And remember what Rabbit taught us! We show our love by doing things together, by forgiving and by being patient.

1e3

To know we are part of the Church and the world

Explain: We’ve been learning how we are all one family, how Jesus wants us all to be Lesson friends. MaryObjectives helps us - even when we’ve done wrong. She wants us to be one happy Church, one happy human family. Let’s start by praying the Hail Mary. Watch: Tomkin - The Hail Mary (0:36) and pray with him. Introduction Recap : Last lesson, we heard the story of Winnie the Pooh going to Rabbit’s house for lunch. Do you remember what happened? Yes, he got stuck in the entrance because he’d eaten so much honey. But thankfully his friends helped him out. We learnt from the story that we need to be friends to everyone: by being patient, forgiving and doing things together.

“Now Christ’s body is yourselves, each of you with a part to play in the whole.” 1 Corinthians 12:27

Explain: we also learnt from Jesus that we are more than just friends, we are family God’s forgiven family. Recap - watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5foyGLdyGM 72 The Lost Son (1:39). (The older son is mentioned briefly in this video - but in neither video is his part focused on, allowing us to keep the story simple.) Activity: get the children to repeat their ’We are sentence, with their fingers.

God’s

forgiven

family’

So, God wants us to be one family - where we can spend time together, share, and all grow in love. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nABos6Dh-F8 Welcome to the Family (3:36). Respond and teach Circle Time: use relaxing music to help set the scene. Ask: • How many people are there in our town/city? Lots and lots! (You can give an exact answer to these questions if you like.) • How many people are there in our country? Lots and lots more! • How many people are in the world? Billions. (In 2021, it is approaching 8 billion humans.) That’s a lot of people! We find it hard to be one family when there are 3/4/5/6 at home, or when there are 30 of you in a class here. • How are we supposed to be one human family!? Well, we are going to need a Father, a mother and every child to help out! • Who is our Father? God. Well, that’s a good start - we really need someone who loves everyone and can do anything, to be the Father of such a big family. • Who is our mother? Mary. That’s another good one. She loves us nearly as much as God does and she reminds us that you don’t have to be big and strong to be helpful and kind. • And who else has to help us be one family? All of us! • Let’s think of people who help us be one family in our town/city: who can you think of? Police, doctors and nurses, firefighters, etc. (You might also mention councillors, people who fix our roads, heating, computers, refuse collectors etc.) Lots of people doing lots of different jobs! We also need people to help us be one family in our country and in the world. This includes people who are in what we call ‘government’ - like our Prime Minister, and other ‘MPs’ as we call them - and lots of people who run things all over the country and world. • What would happen if everyone was good at the same job? It wouldn’t really work - we need lots of people to be good at different things.

A Fertile Heart | Receiving & Giving Creative Love

We are part of the Church and the world.

People who help us be one family.

Helping to keep everyone healthy.

Example Activities 1. Use downloadable hand template for each child to write on the words ‘We are God’s forgiven family’ - one word on each finger - and colour in/ decorate. Then put all the hands together in a display - in a circle or within a world. 2. Repeat finger sentence ‘We are God’s forgiven family’ and then, with the other hand, learn a new sentence: ‘ And these are Christ’s hands’. Then do the two sentences together! One Body, one family, one Church. • We’ve thought about other people, but what can we do to help make us all one family? Well, what do you think you could do when you are older? (Who knows what answers you might get!) You’re a bit young to decide that, but you can start thinking about it - think about how you would like to help us all be one family, when you are a grown-up. • And what can you do now? Not a lot - but that’s not important, what is important is that we do what we can. • To help the refuse collectors what could we do? Put our litter in bins. • To help our world we can reuse things rather than throw them away: what do we sometimes call this? Recycling. • How can we help the school crossing patrollers? We can be sensible when crossing, and listen to them. • How can we help mum and dad help the human family? Not wanting new and expensive things - being happy with what we have got. • How can we help everyone keep healthy? Washing our hands when we should and being careful with germs. • What have we learnt about thinking about others? That we are kinder when we think about others and not just ourselves. If we do that every day not only are we kind today, but we learn new ways of helping the human family in the future too.

3. Draw and label a picture of someone who helps us be one family.

“The status of this people [of God] is that of the dignity and freedom of the sons of God, in whose hearts the Holy Spirit dwells as in a temple.” Catechism of the Catholic Church, 782.

Explain: It is good for us to try and help our human family, but we can be much more helpful if we work together.

Mission

Jesus started a Church, so we can all be children of God as one family. In Church we learn about God, and we get closer to him - but we are also more able to help others by helping together!

Count up all the people who help you today. Maybe revisit this mission tomorrow, and see who they counted.

The Bible says that the Church is like a body! In our bodies, different parts do different things. That’s just as well! I wouldn’t want three feet and no ears! Or two noses and no eyes! The Bible says that we are the Body of Christ: he is the head, and we are the parts, doing good together - with him and each other. The Church is like Mary, our mother, because she shows God’s love to all people. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Th7yEV0qLF4 You are the Body of Christ Song (1:21).

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A Fertile Heart | Receiving & Giving Creative Love

Mass unites us with heaven. Lesson Objectives Lesson 1: To know the story of Jesus’ Last Supper. Lesson 2: To receive Jesus’ invitation to heaven. Lesson 3: To be open to the God of surprises.

Teacher Notes For the Christian, loving the whole human family is connected with God’s plan to unite us all as one loving family - in heaven. This helps us to see that our earthly life is like going to school - it is a journey to heaven, our true home (Phil. 3:20-21). So, the Hail Mary invites us to think about ‘now’ and ‘the hour of our death’, not just because these moments are important for us as individual persons, but because they lead us to think about the whole purpose of our loving - which in turn makes loving everyone a bit easier. Lesson 1 focuses on the Last Supper and the Mass - uniting us in love with Jesus, and uniting now with heaven - leading us to feed others as he feeds us. Lesson 2 focuses on how Jesus helped Peter grow to be as loving as he himself - and invites us to the same journey, through life and death, to meeting him face to face. Lesson 3 is a little more light-hearted, and uses The Tiger who came to Tea, by Judith Kerr to help us be open to surprises in the now - though also allows us to teach some simple safeguarding to the children in a gentle context. We finish the year by committing ourselves to helping build God’s kingdom of love and to the Hail Mary. This last module is probably the most ‘Catholic’ and the deepest of Y1. We have obviously aimed to communicate the important truths of our faith in the simplest way, but they are still a lot to absorb. We even broach the subject of death in lesson 2, which can obviously be a very sensitive one, especially if any child has recently lost a loved one. The reward for communicating the unity and truth of love, the Cross, the Mass and death is that it helps them understand life more - and hopefully, lose something of their fear of death even before they really experience that fear. This approach does allow for them to really understand the ‘bigger picture’ of loving the whole human family.

RHE themes Theme 1: Created and loved by God 1.1.1.4, 1.1.3.2, 1.1.4.3, 1.1.4.5, 1.1.5.1 Theme 2: Created to love others 1.2.1.1, 1.2.1.3, 1.2.1.5, 1.2.1.6, 1.2.2.1, 1.2.2.2, 1.2.2.4, 1.2.2.5, 1.2.3.1, 1.2.3.3, 1.2.3.4, 1.2.3.7, 1.2.4.1, 1.2.4.2, 1.2.4.5, 1.2.4.6 Theme 3: Created to live in community 1.3.1.3, 13.2.2, 1.3.2.3, 1.3.3.2, 1.3.3.3, 1.3.3.4

Bible Text Cf. Lk. 22:14-34 and Jn. 13:1-16 - The Last Supper One of the most sacred moments of Jesus’ life, we focus on three aspects of the Last Supper: Jesus washing the disciples’ feet; Jesus giving us his Body and Blood; and the contrast between Jesus, Peter and Judas.

Modern Text Judith Kerr - The Tiger who came to Tea A simple story of how Sophie, Mummy and Daddy cope with an unexpected visitor - and in so doing enjoy the whole experience.

1f1

To know the story of Jesus’ Last Supper

This lesson includes arranging to meet the parish priest.

Lesson Objectives

Ensure the children understand ‘Mass’, ‘unites’ and ‘disciples’ - which here focuses first on Jesus’ 12 followers, then on all of us. Explain: Mary has been helping us to love everyone. To help us grow in love we need to think about two very special times in our life: now, and when we meet Jesus face to face. These are the two times we especially ask Mary to pray for us when we say “now and at the hour of our death”. Watch: Tomkin - The Hail Mary (0:36) and pray with him. Introduction Explain: Jesus loves us so much that he died and rose again for us. The night before he died he had a special meal with his disciples. In the story we see two very special things happen. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_Bz8uTYPrQ Kids Easter series - Part 2 The Last Supper (up to 2:38).

“I shall never again drink wine until the kingdom of God comes… This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me… This cup is the new covenant in my blood poured out for you.” Luke 15: 22-24

Ask: Did you get the two special things? He washed his disciples feet and he gave them his Body and Blood. Why would Jesus wash his disciples’ feet? Explain: Israel, where Jesus lived, was a hot dry place. The people often wore sandals. So, when they had travelled, often their feet would be dry and dusty. It was a kindness to have a friend’s feet washed when they visited your house. Ask: Who likes the idea of washing someone else’s feet? Presumably not many! What do we think of when we think of feet? Smelly! So, most people would get their servant to wash the other people’s feet - because they wouldn’t want to do it themselves. So, again, why did Jesus wash his disciples’ feet? Because he wanted to show them how much he loved them. He said, “You are right to call me teacher and Lord. But I have given you an example to follow - to wash one another’s feet.” He was telling us to serve one another. Explain: Jesus then did something even more special. He took bread and gave it to his disciples and said, “This is my body.” Then he took some wine and gave it to them and said, “This is my blood.”

The Last Supper.

Ask: We sometimes hear those words - can you remember when? At Mass. (If Y1 haven’t been to Mass yet, please rephrase this section.) Explain: At Mass the priest says the same words that Jesus said, over the bread and wine: the Mass is like the Last Supper, made real here and now - how special is that?! Shortly after his Last Supper, Jesus was arrested and died for us. On the Cross, he gave us his body - the same body he gave to his disciples at the Last Supper, but in a very different way. So, the Last Supper and Jesus dying are united by Jesus giving us his body and blood.

Jesus washes his disciples’ feet.

We see that, in a very special way, the Last Supper, Jesus on the Cross, and the Mass are all one: where Jesus gives us his Body and Blood, in love. Activity 1: Church visit.

Us feeding the hungry. 50

A Fertile Heart | Receiving & Giving Creative Love

Respond and teach Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nABos6Dh-F8 Welcome to the Family (3:36) to refocus/ restart the lesson. Circle Time: use relaxing music to help set the scene. Lesson 1 and 2’s circle time do go deeper than any others in Y1. Presumably not every child will take it all in, but it is important, and what they do absorb will stay with them for life. Ask • What unites Jesus washing his disciples’ feet, and giving them his Body and Blood? Was it kind of Jesus to wash his disciples’ feet? Yes. Was it loving? Yes. Was it a bit yucky for him? Yes! So, Jesus was showing us to be kind and loving to each other, even when it’s a bit yucky, even when it hurts inside a bit. • Are you good at being helpful? Yes. (We’re presuming.) Are you good at being kind to each other? Yes. • What if someone has just called you a name - is it as easy to be kind to them then? No - it’s harder then to be kind: we could even say it hurts inside a bit. At the Last Supper, Jesus gave us his one ‘commandment’ - his one rule: love one another, as I have loved you. He is willing to love us even when it hurts, and he asks us to do the same. Washing others’ feet would have hurt him a bit inside; dying on the cross would have hurt him on the outside a lot. • How much was he willing to hurt, but still love us? Join your hands in front of you like in prayer: now open them up to show how much you are willing to love, even if it hurts: how far are you willing to open your hands? Now, how far do you think Jesus is willing to love, even when it hurts? When they have decided, stretch your arms out fully, saying: actually he was willing to love us this much - and he died on the Cross. Explain: If you remember Fr N. told us that the Last Supper, and Jesus dying on the Cross, and the Mass are united, are one: in all of them Jesus gives us his Body and Blood. What unites Jesus washing his disciples’ feet and giving us his Body and Blood, is love: two examples of love that show us how much we are loved, and how much we should love. • How much did we say we were willing to love? That’s not as far as Jesus, is it? And we don’t always love as much as we say we’re going to. Jesus knows this - so he lets us love with his love, rather than just with ours. • Wow. How did he do this? Remember, Jesus feeds us so that we can grow. Can you remember the three ways he feeds us? He feeds our body, our mind and our heart. Maybe use three fingers for this and the next questions. • And what does he feed them with? He feeds our bodies with food, our minds with truth and our hearts with love. But here, at the Last Supper, and at Mass, he is feeding us with something very special: he is feeding us with his Body, himself! • His Body is bread, food, so it feeds our… body. • He is God’s Truth, so he feeds our… mind. • And receiving his body helps us grow in love, so it feeds our… heart. This is why giving us his Body is so important - it feeds us in every way; it helps us grow in every way. What a very special gift of love. Explain: All this unites ‘now’ with heaven, just as the end of the Hail Mary does: it means here and now you and I can love with Jesus’ heavenly love, and be honest with his truth.

Example Activities 1. Visit the church, ideally with the priest present. Ask him to speak about the unity of the Last Supper, the Cross of Jesus and the Mass - and also about the bread and wine - and the Body and Blood of Jesus. Finally, ask him to talk about how the Mass unites here and now with heaven. If visiting the church is impossible, invite the priest to the classroom. Either way, ask the children to show Father N. their ‘finger sentence’ of ‘we are God’s forgiven family’, and sing something simple that they have learnt during our course - or any hymn they know. 2. Write an invitation for a friend or family member to attend Mass with you on Sunday. Say why you would like them to go with you. Decorate the invitation.

“The Eucharist is Christ’s healing love…. [It] reminds us that we are not only mouths to be fed, but also his hands, to be used to help feed others.” Pope Francis

Mission Love with Jesus’ love - even when it hurts.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3xwGEFXcNw This is my Body, broken for you (2:10). There are a lot of words here, but the general message is hopefully clear especially if they have heard the hymn in Mass.

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To receive Jesus’ invitation to heaven

God creating us to live in community is more about the breadth of the human family -Lesson but we alsoObjectives need to understand the ‘depth’ too: Jesus’ invitation to each of us and the whole human family to heaven - a community of everlasting love. Explain: We have learnt how the Mass unites us now with heaven, and so does the last part of the Hail Mary. Today we will be thinking of our journey from ‘now’ to heaven. Let’s start by praying the Hail Mary, and especially the words, “now and at the hour of our death”. Watch: Tomkin - The Hail Mary (0:36) and pray with him. Introduction Explain: we are going to watch the Last Supper again, but this time we don’t see Jesus washing his disciples’ feet. Instead, right at the start, Jesus gives his disciples his Body and Blood. Then we see two of the disciples - Peter (Simon Peter) and Judas. Peter is trying to be good, but isn’t. Judas isn’t even trying to be good.

“To fulfill the Father’s will, Christ ushered in the Kingdom of heaven on earth. The Church “is the Reign of Christ already present in mystery.” 1 Corinthians 12:27

Recap - watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfYCh3dzRl4 Last Supper Miracle Maker (2:11). Check understanding: • Jesus gives his disciples his Body and Blood, then what does he say about his next meal? He won’t eat and drink with them again until they are together in heaven. • The disciples are a bit scared by this: can you think why? Because we die before we go to heaven - and they were a bit scared about that. • Was Jesus scared about it? No - he saw his life and death as a journey of love to the Father. • Jesus told his disciples that people were going to hurt him. What did Peter say in reply? That he would never let Jesus down or leave him. Sadly, later on, Peter did let Jesus down. • Did he want to be good? Yes. That’s why he promised to be good. • Did he keep his promise? No. No, when it was harder to be loving, he didn’t. Do you remember last lesson? Open your arms wide. Peter wanted to love this much. But when it hurt, he was only able to love this much (move hands closer). Judas was going to help the people who were going to hurt Jesus. Was Judas trying to be loving? No - he wasn’t even trying to love. Close your hands together to show Judas not wanting to love at all.

Jesus invites us to heaven.

Explain: so we have Jesus, Peter and Judas: Jesus is trying to be loving and is. Peter is trying to be loving, but isn’t. And Judas isn’t even trying to be loving. I hope we are never like Judas, but sometimes we are like Jesus (thumbs up), and sometimes we are like Peter (thumbs down). Explain: Peter said yes to Jesus, but then didn’t keep to it. We need help in saying yes to God - and keeping to it. Jesus and Mary know this - so they promise to help us. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxE3vwBSA_k I Wanna Say Yes (2:26).

Jesus and Peter: teacher and pupil.

Respond and teach Circle Time: use relaxing music to help set the scene. Again, this section does go deeper than any others in Y1. Explain: Jesus tells us that our life and death is a journey of love - a journey to the Father. What does that mean? Normally, we think of a journey as going from one place to another, don’t we? What journeys do you make every day? Journey to school. Journey home. Maybe others. We ask for Mary’s help now…

A Fertile Heart | Receiving & Giving Creative Love

Our life is like that journey home: God made us for heaven - to live with him in love as one big family - that’s what home is!

Example Activity

But to enjoy heaven, we need to love as Jesus does - so our life now is like Jesus’ school: it’s fun, we’re happy - but it’s not quite home: it’s where we learn. We are not just learning our sums and writing in Jesus’ school: we are learning how to love!

1. Colour in downloadable worksheet of Mary and the Mass.

Ask • At the Last Supper we saw Jesus, and Peter and Judas. Who was the loving one? Jesus. • Who was the one who wasn’t loving? Judas. • What about Peter? Was he loving or not? What did we say earlier? He wanted to be loving, but wasn’t always. • Who are we most like? Jesus, Peter or Judas? Peter - in that we try to love, but sometimes get things wrong. Yes, in fact all the other disciples were like Peter - they all wanted to live like Jesus, but didn’t always. They were ‘still at school’ - still learning to love: this is why they often called Jesus ‘teacher’. Explain: Jesus tells us that when our life on earth is finished, we meet him face to face. Wow. How special will that be?! Can you imagine standing by a strong man? You’d easily see how strong you were, when you were standing by him. When we meet Jesus - who is strong in love - we will easily see how loving we have been. That might scare us a bit - except the person we are facing is the one who loves us the most, and who has been helping us learn to love all our life! And every time we pray the Hail Mary, we ask Mary to be there for us when we meet Jesus like this. If I could have two people with me when I was seeing how loving I was, it would be Jesus and Mary - the people who love me the most! So, we have nothing to be afraid of. Nothing. • You’ll need to think a bit to get this one, but when is the best time to learn? At school, in class etc. • Yes, but when actually is the best time to learn? It’s now! The best time to learn is always ‘now’. Yesterday has happened. Tomorrow isn’t here. The best time to learn is now. • When is the best time to grow? Eventually they will get the answer: ‘now’. • And when is the best time to be loving and kind? Now. • What two important moments have we been thinking about? Now, and when we meet Jesus face to face. We could say that we are on a journey and ‘now’ is where we are starting from, and meeting Jesus, or heaven, is where we are going. • Which two moments do we ask Mary to be with us, when we pray the Hail Mary? Let’s pray it: … now and at the hour of our death. Amen. We have called it the hour of our death, or when our life on earth has ended, or when we meet Jesus face to face, or going to heaven but they all mean the same thing for us. • And, last question, which two moments did Fr N tell us that the Mass unites? Now and going to heaven. So Jesus has given us two very special gifts to help us now and at the hour of our death: Mary our mother, and Mass!

“Lord,” Peter, answered, “I would be ready to go to prison with you, and to death.” Jesus replied, “I tell you, Peter, by the time the cock crows today you will have denied three times that you know me.” Luke 22:33-34

Mission Thank Jesus for Mary and the Mass.

Explain: Let’s remember that, at the heart of it all, is learning to love! Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYlkcoAfLU4 Love One Another (2:43).

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To be open to the God of surprises

After two very deep lessons, we finish on a much lighter note… of the tiger who came Lesson Objectives to tea! (Though there is just a little safeguarding towards the end.) Explain: We have been thinking about the two most important moments in our life. One of them is now - but ‘now’ sometimes doesn’t happen as we were expecting! Let’s start by praying the Hail Mary, and especially pray for Mary to be with us ‘now’. Watch: Tomkin - The Hail Mary (0:36) and pray with him.

“Now is the real time of favour, now the day of salvation is here.” 2 Corinthians 6:2

Introduction Read the old favourite (written in 1968), The Tiger Who Came to Tea, written and illustrated by Judith Kerr. Check understanding. The following questions might help. Ask • What was the girl’s name? Sophie. • What was she doing at the start of the story? Having tea with her mummy. • Who was their surprise visitor? A tiger! A big, furry, stripy tiger! • What did the tiger want? Tea - he was hungry. • Who said he could? Mummy - Sophie was sensible enough to let her mummy choose. • Did the tiger take just one sandwich? No - all of them! • What else did he eat? All the buns, and all the biscuits, and all the cake. • What did he then drink? All the milk and all the tea. • Then what did he do? Gobbled up all the food and drink in the kitchen. • How did Sophie and her mummy behave during all this? They remained polite and kind. • When he left, what food and drink were left for Sophie and her family? None! • Did they panic? No. • What did they do for food? They went to a cafe and had a really nice time. • What did they eat? They ate sausage and chips, and ice-cream. • What did Mummy and Sophie do the next morning? They shopped for their food… and for a very big tin of tiger food… just in case he came again!

Helping build God’s kingdom of love.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgTHukOXhDw ‘Hey Tiger!’ (2:38). [We don’t agree with everything in the lyrics - which we will deal with later, but we chose it as it is fun, and it is the last lesson, and we will build on the idea that today is a new opportunity.] Respond and teach Circle Time: use relaxing musicto help set the scene. Ask • What were Sophie and her mummy doing when the doorbell rang? Having tea. • Were they enjoying themselves? Yes. So how might Sophie have felt about the doorbell ringing? Maybe excited and surprised, but also maybe a little annoyed as her fun was being interrupted - maybe she didn’t want to ‘share’ mummy. • Can we think of examples when we might feel the same? Have you been playing with a toy and suddenly someone else wants to join in? • Have you sometimes felt a bit annoyed because that wasn’t what you wanted? Have you then sometimes been a bit unkind or grumpy? • Do you sometimes say “it’s not fair” when something different happens to what you wanted? One of the hardest moments to love is when we are enjoying something, or looking forward to something - and then it gets interrupted. • Did Sophie and her mummy enjoy the tiger’s visit? Yes. • What problem did it cause? They had no food or drink left in the house! • Did Mummy or Daddy worry about this? No - they just went out for sausage and chips and got some more food in the morning.

A Fertile Heart | Receiving & Giving Creative Love

Open to the God of surprises.

Telling a trusted grown-up our concerns.

Explain: When things happen differently from what we expect, and were looking forward to or enjoying, we can see them as a nice surprise or as a problem. If we see them as a problem they become a problem! If you’re enjoying yourself in the roleplay corner, and then someone comes and wants to join in, and you decide that is a problem, then you will be unhappy, not play nicely, make them unhappy and… we have a problem! So, it is a lot easier to be kind and loving when we see things we don’t expect as being nice surprises: when the other person comes into the role-play corner, all of a sudden our game can get better - we can have more fun, not less. The more we trust that God is guiding our day, the easier we will see new things as nice surprises - and be more loving and kind. Explain: However! Not every new thing is a nice surprise. So, how do we know when we should be careful and when we should be kind? Well, we should always be careful and always be kind. Ask • What did Sophie do when the tiger asked to come in for tea? Nothing! She let her mummy decide if it was safe. If we are ever not sure about a new person or a new thing, then we should always ask a grown-up we know if it is safe. If ever we see something - either for real or on the TV or computer - that makes us feel uncomfortable - we should always tell a grown-up. If ever a ‘friend’ tries to get you to do something new that you think is wrong, you should always tell a grown-up. This doesn’t stop us enjoying the surprises we can enjoy - it just keeps us safe from bad surprises. • Which grown-ups might you tell? Mummy, daddy, me - teacher, grandparents, and grown-ups whom we tell you you can trust. And you can always tell more than one of us to be doubly safe. Well done! You’ve been very sensible listening to that. This will help us stay safe and enjoy nice surprises in the day. In our last lessons we have been talking about being part of a big family - the big family of our church, the big family of our town/city, the big, big human family of the whole world! Today we’ve been talking about small things. So, which is right? Doing small kind things, or being part of big families? Both! If we are kind each day, we help build the communities in which we live. The little kindnesses we show when our hearts are open help our communities grow. When we help each other in little ways we are being responsible. And we like being responsible. If you remember, Jesus talks about building God’s kingdom - and we do that with little ‘bricks’ of love. • Who wants to help build God’s kingdom of love? Me! Good! That will make God and all of us extra happy too!

Example Activities 1. As well as responding to surprises nicely, we can offer surprises to others! Write a postcard/short letter to the tiger, inviting him, or him and his family - whatever ‘family’ means to him, to tea! Think through, as a group what you would have to get ready for tea with the tiger and his family! 2. Use the downloadable brick template for each child to draw and label an act of kindness. Put all the bricks together as a display of God’s house.

“The grace of God often presents itself to us in surprising ways, which don’t line up with our expectations.” Pope Francis

Mission Be kind when your fun is interrupted. Be gentle - like Mary.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Q3E0OQUBCU Building up the kingdom sing-along (3:09) - a chance to be a bit chaotic!

Extra Special Mission

After Activity and Mission:

Pray a Hail Mary every night before you go to sleep. Starting tonight.

Explain: all this year Mary has been journeying with us, leading us to her son, Jesus. She has helped us know that we are loved and special. She has helped us love ourselves and others - with God’s love. She is always with us, even when we do wrong, and especially she is with us now and at the hour of our death. Let’s finish our course by enjoying having such a gentle, trusting, loving woman as our mum! Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RERoQ1biLdE Hail Mary - Gentle Woman (4:30).

Praying the Hail Mary every night. 55

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A Fertile Heart | Receiving & Giving Creative Love

A Fertile Heart Receiving & Giving Creative Love

It’s a great privilege to help a young child grow in understanding anything; doubly so when it means them understanding themselves. We are all created in love, to live and grow - but maybe that’s particularly obvious though the wonder of a child’s eyes. A Fertile Heart seeks to help you communicate - in a joyful, life-giving way - the truth behind healthy living and good relationships. It firmly links it all to our faith, and then to reason, so that over the course of their school life, the children don’t only learn the externals of good practice, but gradually understand and own the reasons behind it. We provide detailed lesson plans and colourful, interactive powerpoints so that as much of the ‘spadework’ as possible is done for you - allowing you to focus on the actual teaching and discussion. In Reception, we focused on being loved, happy, beautiful children of God - whom God calls to grow in body, mind and heart, and invites us to help. In Year 1, the six modules are structured by the Hail Mary, separated into three parts: helping us to receive God’s love so that we can love ourselves, each other and the whole human family. The Annunciation, and the parable of the Good Shepherd, deepen the children’s understanding of God’s personal love for them, encouraging them both to see their gifts as an expression of that love, and to give him thanks by courageously using them to help others. The Visitation, and the story of Zacchaeus, help the children see that being loved by God helps us love ourselves, and both of these help us love each other, with God’s love. We think through the many people who help them grow, and the small ways they can help others. The parable of the Prodigal Son helps the children see the whole of humanity as God’s forgiven family, encouraging them to forgiveness, and to love everyone as brothers and sisters in Jesus. Finally, the Last Supper and the Mass help the children understand that they are on a journey from now to heaven - a journey we are all on together. All this helps them grow in relationship, and is backed up by contemporary stories, songs, prayer and diverse activities. A Fertile Heart is so called, because we all long to be fertile in the deepest sense - to grow, to help others grow, to make a difference: and ultimately it is love that achieves this. So we invite you to add your fertile hearts, as parents and teachers, to ours, and to Jesus’ and Mary’s - so that we can all help our children’s fertile hearts grow too.

RRP £9.99 ISBN 978-1-7397628-1-0

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Version 7 | September 2021