Family Life STUDENT
EDITION
David Thomas, PhD General Editor
Allen, Texas
C ontents The Catholic Home Life in Christ ......................................................................... 4 Prayers for the Family ...................... ..................................... 6 Family Living . .................................. ..................................... 8
Unit 1: God’s Gift of Family Family Time .......................................................................... Lesson 1: Family Ties . ...................... ..................................... Lesson 2: Family Feelings ...................................................... Reviewing Unit 1 ...................................................................
9 11 15 19
Unit 2: God’s Gift of Self Family Time .......................................................................... Lesson 3: Communication .................................................... Lesson 4: Change ............................. ..................................... Reviewing Unit 2 ...................................................................
21 23 27 31
Unit 3: God’s Gift of Life Family Time .......................................................................... Lesson 5: New Life ................................................................ Lesson 6: Parenthood ............................................................ Reviewing Unit 3 ...................................................................
33 35 39 43
Unit 4: God’s Gift of Love Family Time .......................................................................... Lesson 7: Friendship ............................................................. Lesson 8: Marriage ........................... ..................................... Reviewing Unit 4 ...................................................................
45 47 51 55
Unit 5: God’s Gift of Community Family Time .......................................................................... Lesson 9: Supporting Families ......... ..................................... Lesson 10: A Caring World Family .... ..................................... Reviewing Unit 5 ...................................................................
57 59 63 67
Reviewing Grade 5 Reviewing This Year .............................................................. 69 Certificate of Achievement . ............. ..................................... 72
The Catholic Home Life in Christ In Baptism, you have been called to share in the life of Christ. You have been given a great gift, but the gift requires that you give your best effort to follow Christ. This means that you need to learn the difference between right and wrong and choose to do what is right and good. When you learn to choose to do what is right, you are leading a life in Christ. The following list will help you review how to lead a life in Christ. Almost everything you will learn this year has been designed to help you and your family love your way through life, by following the way of Jesus. In these ways, you can share a family life in Christ: 1. You have been created in the image and likeness of God. This truth is the starting point for Christian living in a Catholic home. 2. You are called to do what is good. The Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes tell you that God calls you to live a healthy, holy and happy life. Being weakened by the effects of Original Sin makes doing what is good difficult. With God’s grace you can choose good. 3. You are created to be happy. You have a natural desire to be happy. The Church teaches that when you know, love and serve God, you can be truly happy.
4 Life in Christ
4. You are created free. You have the gift of free will. This makes it possible to choose how to live and to act. Yet God calls you to be responsible for your actions. 5. You have a conscience. You have the ability to know the difference between what is right and what is wrong. This judgment is called conscience. The Sacred Scriptures, the teachings of the Church and the examples of good people help you to inform and form your conscience and to follow it. 6. You have been given the gifts of the virtues. At your baptism, you were given the gifts of faith, hope and love. These Theological Virtues help you to develop all the good habits you need to live in Christ. With God’s grace, you can live according to the virtues.
Unit 2
,
God’s Gift of Self Help Along the Way Puberty can be a very confusing time for preteens. God provides help, love and support through family and friends. As preteens continue to mature, friendships become increasingly important. Friends can share many of the same or similar experiences. They can help young people sort through emotions and encourage healthy habits in dealing with and managing the changes being experienced during puberty. Yet the family is the best source of help and information about growing up. Children should be able to count on the love and support of their family, especially their parents, through all the ups and downs of these years. The Church, especially your parish, can be a wonderful support as well. Through God’s love and forgiveness celebrated in the sacraments, those experiencing the turmoil and excitement of puberty can find comfort and support. Family life and youth ministries in the parish can also help young people grow stronger in their faith as Catholics.
Family Blessings Lord, Giver of Life, we praise you for how wonderful you created us. Help us recognize and respect with both our words and actions the beautiful person we each are. Amen.
Healthy Habits in the Home Keep a family entertainment log. List the movies, shows, videos, etc. that each family member watches. Set aside time to go through the list as a family. Discuss the messages communicated through the various media. Evaluate how well those messages respect the dignity of the person. God’s Gift of Self 21
Taking the Lesson Home Plan time to review the lessons learned in this unit as a family. Be respectful to each person’s response and take time to discuss the various topics.
Complete the following sentences:
1. The light of God has shown me . . . 2. The most difficult thing about God’s plan for me is . . . 3. I define a “culture of life” as . . . 4. Being a boy or a man means . . . 5. Being a girl or a woman means . . . Add other concepts as they arise while studying this unit as a family.
Making Connections Invite your child to interview you, asking the following questions and then discuss the responses: 1. What qualities does a young man need to develop to be a good husband? 2. What qualities does a young woman need to develop to be a good wife? 3. What are some things I can say or do to treat the human body with respect?
“For this command which I [God] enjoin on you today is not too mysterious and remote for you. . . . it is something very near to you, already in your mouths and in your hearts; you have only to carry it out. . . . I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live.” Deuteronomy 30:11–19 RCLBFamilyLife.com 34 God’s Gift of Life
New Life God’s Gift “When will they get here, Anna?” pleaded Alex, Anna’s little brother. Alex was very excited as he shouted, “I want to see Alicia now!” Today their new baby sister was coming home. “You have to be patient, Alex. It will be any minute now. Come outside with me, and I’ll play ball with you,” said Anna.
LE
SSON
5
This lesson will help you to: • explore why human life is sacred. • learn about the need to protect human life. • make the choice to care for new life.
As they started to go outside, they heard the car. Alex could hardly contain himself. He was so excited. “It’s my baby sister!” he cried. His mom had Alicia wrapped in a soft, yellow blanket, the same blanket used four years ago to bring Alex home. His mom sat on the couch so that Alex could have a good look. She pulled back the blanket, and there was baby Alicia. She had dark hair and was very pink. When Alex touched her little nose, she moved. “Mom, can I talk to her?” he asked. “Of course, you can. What do you want to say?” “No, Mom, not with you and Dad here,” Alex scrunched his face into its most serious look. “I want to talk to her alone. I need to ask her something.” The two parents smiled. His serious face touched them. “Okay, Alex. I need to take Alicia to her crib. After I make her comfy, you can talk with her.” They all marched to the baby’s crib. It was like a parade: Mom first, closely followed by Alex and Anna, then Dad smiling.
When have you thought or felt like Alex?
Mom, Dad and Anna left the room, but Mom stayed outside the door to listen. Alex bent over the railing of the crib and touched Alicia’s nose again. “Hey, Alicia, I’m your big brother,” he said to her. “I need to ask you something. Mom and Dad told me that you are a gift from God. What is God like? I really want to know what God is like. Our family prays to him every day.”
New Life 35
Catholics Believe Human life is sacred and God alone is Lord over life. No one can claim the right to directly and intentionally destroy innocent human life. We all have the responsibility to care for the gift of life.
Protecting Human Life People you meet may often ask where you were born or where your family comes from. Knowing where you came from helps them understand more about who you are. Of course, you came from God because he created you. Everyone who ever was or will be is loved first by God. That is why you can say you are part of the Family of God. And every person has the right to the life God gave them.
The Gospel of Life Every human life is sacred from conception until natural death. Every person has a right to life. Every person has the right to be loved and cared for because all human life is a gift from God. Every act that violates human dignity and threatens human life is wrong. Abortion and euthanasia are just a few examples of acts that destroy the life of an innocent person. Abortion is the direct attack on and deliberate ending of the life of a human fetus, an unborn child, in the womb of the child’s mother. Euthanasia is the taking of the life of those who are seriously ill or injured. The Church strongly teaches that there are better alternatives to the death penalty and acts of war. Catholics stand up for all life. We work to protect and defend all life, especially for those who cannot defend their own lives. Think about ways that you help others remember that human life is sacred.
Caring for New Life Bringing new life into the world is a great gift. Connected with that gift is a great responsibility. The first responsibility of parents in caring for their child’s new life is during the time of pregnancy. Pregnancy is the nine months the baby grows and develops inside the mother’s body, in her womb. During this time the baby requires nourishment from the mother. A mother needs healthful foods, rest and exercise so that their baby can grow. A doctor can assist mothers in choosing proper food and exercise.
36 New Life
Fortunately, most families are not alone. Wherever you live, you are part of a larger community. Your family is part of society. The family is the basic unit, or building block, of society. A society is a group of people who have common traditions, institutions and interests. A society is made up of many smaller communities and exists to provide for the needs of all its members. Communities in a society have programs to provide food and medical care for those with urgent needs. They can also provide foster homes for children whose basic needs are not being met by their families. The communities that make up a society depend on the generosity of families. And society depends on the strength and goodness of the family, yet could never replace the family or family life.
Growing in Virtue The virtue of generosity strengthens us to live the Seventh Commandment and help build a just world. God’s blessings are given to be shared. Through the generosity of others, all families can be helped to maintain healthy and holy lives.
“Family Problems” Look through recent news articles and magazines. Identify some of the common problems and ti v it y facing families today. Acchallenges In the space provided, identify ways in which the Church or local community can help these families in need.
Supporting Families
61
Reviewing Unit 5 Name
Summary
Thinking It Through
Remember what you have learned in each of the lessons in God’s Gift of Community.
1. How is society affected by family life?
Lesson 9: Supporting Families • The family is the basic unit or building block of society. • Society exists to provide for the needs of families. • Through the generosity of others, all families can be supported in maintaining healthy and holy lives.
Lesson 10: A Caring World Family • God created people to live in community. • Each person has the responsibility to care for what God has provided for us. • Through good stewardship, we protect and preserve the Earth now and for future generations.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 2. How can you help a family in need? –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 3. H ow do you show your care and concern for local needs? –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Matching It Up On each line, write the letter of the description in Column B that best goes with the term in Column A.
A 1............... Catherine of Genoa 2............... Henry 3............... Church
B A. The prophet who said that God requires us to love goodness B. A Hungarian bishop during World War II who lived and died for his faith C. Body of Christ, Family of God
4............... Micah 5............... Vilmos Apor
D. Upon going to Confession, she experienced a vision of God E. Brother of Louis who accused Elizabeth of stealing but later sought her forgiveness Unit 5 Review
67
Recognition of Achievement The faith community of ___________________________________________________________________ proudly announces ___________________________________________________________________ and family have completed the fifth level of RCL Benziger Family Life. This young person has discovered: God’s gift of family God’s gift of self God’s gift of life God’s gift of love God’s gift of community May every day provide you and your family new adventures in following Jesus and in living faithful Christian lives. ___________________________________________________________________ (Signed)
20655