In Unit 5 participants will learn that every Christian is called to love and serve God and others in some way. They will read about two sacraments that call people to serve God’s family—Holy Orders and Matrimony.
		Jesus Establishes His Church (United in Christ) Prior to presenting each chapter, refer to the TAKE HOME FAMILY TIME pages in your child's book, or print out these pages from TAKE HOME FAMILY TIME. Learning Focus This chapter will help the children • understand that the Pope and the bishops are the successors of Saint Peter and the Apostles. • learn about papal infallibility and the Magisterium. • appreciate the lives of Blessed Pius IX and Blessed John XXIII. Background The word pope comes from the Latin papa, meaning, "father." That is what the pope tries to be to the Roman Catholic Church. He tries to be a loving parent who, with the help of the Holy Spirit, provides spiritual direction and guidance for the global Catholic community. In the New Testament we learn that Jesus of Nazareth entrusted the Apostle Peter with a special authority to guide the early Christian community. In the Gospel of Matthew, we read Jesus' words to Peter, "Upon this rock I will build my Church." Peter's successors, the bishops of Rome, have held the title of pope and have carried on Peter's ministry of guiding the church and proclaiming the good news of the Gospel. The Church and the Papacy Each pope is our spiritual leader and main catechist. Still, the Church is not a monarchy. It is a communion of churches throughout the world. It is the Body of Christ. Jesus Christ himself unites these local churches. The pope works with the bishops in a spirit of collegiality to unite all Catholics. Our faith and service, our celebration of the sacraments, and our vocation to share and spread the good news of God's love unite all of us with the pope and bishops.
		Holy Orders and Matrimony Prior to presenting each chapter, refer to the TAKE HOME FAMILY TIME pages in your child's book, or print out these pages from TAKE HOME FAMILY TIME. Learning Focus This chapter will help the children • learn about the Sacrament of Holy Orders. • learn about the Sacrament of Matrimony. • appreciate the life of Saint Philip Neri. Background The Church is so committed to service that it celebrates two sacraments in which the participants vow to serve others. These sacraments are Matrimony and Holy Orders. Through these sacraments, husbands and wives, deacons, priests, bishops, and popes vow to bring forth community through service. Through commitment those who celebrate these two sacraments build up the people of God. They bring God's peace and justice and God's mercy and compassion to others. They commit themselves to living out their vocation to spread the good news of God's love. Serving Others The Church has always emphasized the corporal works of mercy as ways to serve others as Jesus did. Thus, God calls us to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, give drink to the thirsty, visit the imprisoned, take care of the sick, shelter the homeless, and bury the dead. In today's world, with the growing chasm between the rich and the poor, and the "haves" and the "have-nots," there is ample opportunity to put the corporal works of mercy into action. Our Church calls us to work for the poor. By doing so, we enrich our own lives. When married couples and men who have been ordained work to help the poor, they honor the commitments they made in Matrimony and Holy Orders.
		Living as Christians Prior to presenting each chapter, refer to the TAKE HOME FAMILY TIME pages in your child's book, or print out these pages from TAKE HOME FAMILY TIME. Learning Focus This chapter will help the children • learn the theological virtues. • understand the importance of the virtue of chastity. • learn the cardinal virtues. Background This chapter introduces participants to the four cardinal virtues: prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance. Through education, perseverance, and deliberate acts, we develop these traits of character. As we practice these virtues, we are enabled by the Holy Spirit to make wise decisions that help our families, communities, Church, and world. The word cardinal comes from the Latin word cardo, which means "hinge." The Church calls prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance cardinal virtues because other virtues turn, or depend, on their hinge. The practice of these virtues leads to the development of a virtuous life. The Greatest Virtue This chapter also introduces participants to the theological virtue of love. God gives us the gift of love, but we must perfect it through our words and deeds. If we neglect to use this virtue, we squander the gift and fail to develop an authentic holiness. In the thirteenth chapter of his first letter to the Corinthians, Saint Paul wrote a paean, or great song of praise, for God's gift of the three theological virtues: faith, hope, and love. Paul ends his song of praise by saying that the greatest of these virtues is love. In Greek the word theos means "God." So a theological virtue is one directed toward God. This means that all our living actions toward one another are really directed toward God.
		We Pray for Guidance Prior to presenting each chapter, refer to the TAKE HOME FAMILY TIME pages in your child's book, or print out these pages from TAKE HOME FAMILY TIME. Learning Focus This chapter will help the children • understand that we develop a closer relationship with God through prayer. • learn that religious brothers and sisters serve God and the Church by taking vows and living in religious communities. • appreciate the life of Saint Margaret of Scotland. Background Through Christ, we bless God for God's great goodness to us. We see God's goodness in this call to us, in our vocation to live holy lives. Our model for answering God's call and service to others is Jesus. He was the model for Saint Margaret of Scotland, whom is presented in this session. Jesus is our model, too. The Holy Spirit works through Jesus to bring God's love and graciousness to us. The Eucharist is our greatest thanksgiving. In fact, the word Eucharist means "to give thanks, to be grateful." We are grateful for Jesus and for God's call, and as we live our vocation, we are grateful in Jesus. Call to Holiness God calls us to holiness. Through prayer we become aware of the different ways that God invites each of us to live a holy life. When we accept God's call to holiness, we become a blessing to our world. God uses us to bless the people in our life. God blesses them in and through and with us. Likewise, they become a blessing to us, just as Queen Margaret and King Malcolm were a blessing to the people of Scotland. In other people we meet God, who loves unconditionally. Therefore, any meeting of family, friends, or relatives can be a holy meeting if we pray to the Spirit to make it so. Truly, prayer helps us to live out our vocation to be holy and to serve God by serving others.