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Teachers   Unit Activities & Answer Key   With Your Group   Unit Resources  

Grade Level 8 Grade Level 8

Unit 5 Returning to the Roots of Christianity  

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Unit Focus
The renewal of Catholicism as the most positive result of the Reformation for Catholics is the focus of Unit 5.

Unit 5 Song image
"Send Down the Fire"
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Use the unit song before or after opening prayer, during a prayer celebration, at the end of a session, or during special celebrations.
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image Chapter 17
Modern Ecumenical Councils
The living God continues a personal revelation through Scripture and Church Tradition.
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Chapter 18
Renewal of the Liturgy
Sincere liturgical participation brings worshippers closer to God and helps them experience God’s own holiness.
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Chapter 19
The Moral Struggle of a New Age
Social justice is imperative for the survival of life, and is the Gospel of life Jesus preached.
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Chapter 20
A Prayer for the Church
Building the Church of tomorrow begins with prayer and action that shows respect for all humanity.
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We Care About Creation
image image The stories on these pages follow the last chapter of each unit. They introduce social justice issues from a Catholic perpective.

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Unit Extension

Charity and Justice

"By means of catechesis, in which due emphasis is given to her social teaching, the Church desires to stir Christian hearts ‘to the cause of justice’ and to a ‘preferential option or love for the poor,’ so that her presence may really be light that shines and salt that cures."
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General Directory for Catechesis (GDC) # 17
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Following the Church’s social teaching, the role of the catechist is to help young people comprehend the necessity for both acts of charity and justice in their lives. To do so, they must understand the difference between charity and justice. Charity responds to the immediate needs of people. It could be for food, housing, clothing, or funds for medical help. Justice, on the other hand, responds to what is causing the need for charity. It looks to institutions and governments, in particular, to solve problems such as unfair wages, lack of affordable housing, unavailable medical insurance for certain groups of people, or the existence of sweatshops.

Justice is the more challenging of the two, as it requires involvement over time. It takes longer to write a letter to a member of congress, or to make contact with a retailer or local government official than to drop coins in a collection box or write a check. It also requires more personal involvement. While each is unique, they complement each other, and thus are both necessary. To ‘give someone a fish’ takes much less time than to ‘teach someone to fish’. Yet the latter action will feed the person for life.


Personal Reflection
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What justice issue in my area could benefit from my personal involvement?
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Links
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Center of Concern – promotes global peace
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www.coc.org

Catholic Relief Services
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www.catholicrelief.org

Bread for the World – ending hunger
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www.bread.org

Free the Children USA, sweatshop concerns
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www.freethechildren.org

National Interfaith Committee on Worker Justice
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www.nicwj.org

TAP – Teens for Peace, includes "Youth Pledge of Nonviolence"
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www.ipj-ppj.org/tap/index.html

Pax Christi, USA
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www.paxchristiusa.org

Salt of the Earth, resources for social justice
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salt.claretianpubs.org

Network- A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby
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www.networklobby.org

Desmond Tutu Foundation for Peace
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www.tutufoundation-usa.org

Oxfam America
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www.oxfamamerica.org

Resource Center of America, promoting human rights
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www.americas.org


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Books

Gospel Scenes for Teens
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Call RCL Benziger at 1-877-ASK-4-RCL (1-877-275-4725).
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ORDER NUMBER: 1-58595-111-0
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All You Need to Know about...
Planning a Youth Service Week
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Call RCL Benziger at 1-877-ASK-4-RCL (1-877-275-4725).
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ORDER NUMBER: 1-58595-145-5
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People of Purpose
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Call RCL Benziger at 1-877-ASK-4-RCL (1-877-275-4725).
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ORDER NUMBER: 0-673-36371-6
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Leader’s Guide to Sharing Catholic Social Teaching
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USCCB, 2000; #5-366
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In All Things Charity –
A Pastoral Challenge for the New Millennium
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English, # 5-358; Spanish #5-832
USCCB, 2000
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Communities of Salt and Light –
Reflections on the Social Mission of the Parish
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English, # 701-4; Spanish, #724-3
USCCB, 1998
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Teaching Resources on Sweatshops and Child Labor
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Archdiocese of Newark, 2000
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Videos

In Search of Character Series –
Program 2: Respect
(30 min.)
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Discussions of children around the country
discuss making responsible choices
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Call RCL Benziger at 1-877-ASK-4-RCL (1-877-275-4725).
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ORDER NUMBER: 1-57348-401-6
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Blessed Mother Katharine Drexel (60 min.)
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Describes Katharine Drexel’s efforts
on behalf of the marginalized.
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Call RCL Benziger at 1-877-ASK-4-RCL (1-877-275-4725).
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ORDER NUMBER: 0-382-36204-7
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Growing in Faith Series (18 min. each)
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Three-video sacrament series by
Gaynell Cronin and Jack Rathschmidt,
O.F.M. Cap., challenges viewers to take
a new look at sacramental life.
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Call RCL Benziger at 1-877-ASK-4-RCL (1-877-275-4725).
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ORDER NUMBER: 0-382-36217-9
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Romero (105 min.)
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The true story of the courageous
Archbishop Oscar Romero, who took
a stand against social injustice
in El Salvador.
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Call RCL Benziger at 1-877-ASK-4-RCL (1-877-275-4725).
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ORDER NUMBER: 0-382-36025-7
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Martin Luther King, Jr. –
The Man and the Dream
(50 min.)
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Visits the life and legacy of this civil rights leader.
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Call RCL Benziger at 1-877-ASK-4-RCL (1-877-275-4725).
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ORDER NUMBER: 0-7670-1057-4
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A Time for Justice (38 min.)
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Historic footage of civil rights participants from the perspective of ordinary people’s experiences.
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Teaching Tolerance
334-264-7310
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Bring Down the Walls (12 min.)
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Bishops’ reflections on the heritage, principles, and practice of CST.
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USCCB, # 746-4
800-235-8722
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For Justice: A Video Magazine with Study Guide (28 min.)
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Documents community groups experiencing economic justice.
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USCCB, #5-196
800-235-8722
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Who Are My Sisters and Brothers? Understanding Immigrants and Refugees (27 min.)
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Personalizes the immigrant debate in the United States.
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USCCB, #5-053
800-235-8722
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Music

"We Are the Hope," "Send Us Your Spirit"
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Blest Are We Music CD, Level 7-8
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Call RCL Benziger at 1-877-ASK-4-RCL (1-877-275-4725).
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ORDER NUMBER: 0-382-36394-9
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Blest Are We Song Book for Grades 1-8, School Edition
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Words and melody for students; contains music for grades 1-6 (school) and 7-8 (parish and school)
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Call RCL Benziger at 1-877-ASK-4-RCL (1-877-275-4725).
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ORDER NUMBER: 0-382-36617-4
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Blest Are We Accompaniment Book for Grades 1-8, School Edition
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Contains accompaniment music for grades 1-6 (school)
and 7-8 (parish and school)
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Call RCL Benziger at 1-877-ASK-4-RCL (1-877-275-4725).
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ORDER NUMBER: 0-382-36618-2
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"Honduras Alleluia"
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Rob Glover
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GIA Publications
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Fresh as the Morning CD
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OCP Publications
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"Open My Eyes"
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Jesse Manibusan
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OCP Publications
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"Give Us Peace"
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Leon C. Roberts
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OCP Publications
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