CHRISTIAN PRAYER: Relationship with God Personal and Communal, Listening, responding to God s Spirit

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1 Background Notes for Teacher Reflection and Preparation ELEMENTS CHRISTIAN PRAYER: Relationship with God Personal and Communal, Listening, responding to God s Spirit AIMS Growing as a creative and spiritual person Participation in the prayerful, liturgical and sacramental life of the faith community Making connections CONTENT STATEMENT Students examine various forms of prayer used within the school and local community. Attention is drawn to prayer as a universal human experience, in many cultures and forms. Opportunity is given for the students to explore how prayer relates to, but is not bound by, a particular time and space. Students also investigate how prayer can build community. STANDARD See Good News For Living Refresh Document 2014 Strand Core Doctrinal Concepts Catechism Reference Church 4. The life, prayer and worship of the Church is expressed in various rites and cultural traditions Christian Prayer 1. Forms of prayer emanate from the spiritual and cultural traditions of the community, nourishing and enriching individuals and the wider Church. 2. Prayer celebrates the sacredness of God within time and place. 3. Through prayer we are called into a mysterious encounter with God LINKING WITH OTHER RESOURCE BANKS Level 4 Level 5 Level 6 People of Prayer Christian Communities At Prayer Prayer and Meditation

2 2 STUDENT CONTEXT Teachers can expect Level 5 students to exhibit an increasing capacity to reflect on existing knowledge and to better understand cause and effect along with a deeper understanding of how symbols can be connected to abstract concepts. (RE Curriculum Level document /Secondary, p.11). This along with the natural curiosity and enthusiasm of students commencing secondary schooling (RE Curriculum Level document /Secondary, p.1), suggests the use of a diverse range of teaching and assessment strategies that allow for individual abilities and interests. The exploration of diverse ways of praying and the culturally influenced methods of prayer should motivate Level 5 students. Students will bring with them a number of both positive and negative experiences of prayer methods. Their image of God may well be a childhood one which will now be found to be inadequate. The search for a spiritual dimension to life in terms of finding meaning and space is a common adolescent experience. Usually they will be open to the use of music, chant and meditation in prayer, and will be able to name favourite places of peace and meaning. The process of investigating the presence of prayer in the school community will also serve as a way of researching the culture of the school and the charism through which it was founded. THEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND FOR TEACHERS Prayer is communication with God and an awareness of the Creator s powerful and loving presence. Prayer is a response to God: a basic openness to and communication with God, within a dialogue initiated by the Creator. Prayer can be silent or verbal, formal or informal, private or communal. The gospels describe Jesus praying to God frequently. He went off to quiet, deserted places to pray before crucial events in his life and ministry. The origin of the word prayer is to entreat or to ask. In Christian tradition the faith community has come to describe prayer as the raising of one s heart and mind to God. In the Christian tradition there are many ways to pray, including participation in the worship of the church community, joining Bible studies, local prayer groups and spiritual renewal movements, and quiet prayerful reflection alone or in communal settings with others. Prayer of petition asks something of God; it centres on human needs. Prayer of adoration offers praise to the Creator. Prayer of thanksgiving expresses gratitude, humility, and awareness of God s greatness. Prayer of contrition focuses on human failures and sinfulness but also on God s everpresent offer of mercy and forgiveness to the sinful human community. Some prayers, rituals, spoken formulas, or physical gestures, used in private or with others, to worship God, to honour Mary and the saints, and to request divine help are called devotions. Many individuals, small communities and parishes practice devotions such as the Rosary, novenas, the Way of the Cross, candle-burning, litanies and the Angelus prayer for spiritual growth. Adapted from Ekstrom, Reynolds R. (2000). The new concise Catholic dictionary. Mystic, CT: Twenty Third Publications. Communal prayer is: - a celebration of God speaking through the Scriptures; - a community celebrating God s love and forgiveness. Communal prayer should: - be relevant and meaningful for the students level of faith, and incorporate the use of symbols accessible to students of a specific age group; - establish a reflective atmosphere; - provide an opportunity for the student to come into contact with God and to experience a sense of awe and wonder; - enable students to reflect on the presence of God in their life experiences; - encourage formal and informal responses. In common with all religious rituals, Christian liturgy has the following characteristics: it is structured, familiar, and repetitive. It is the common action of a community assembled to experience the presence of the Divine within the ritual moment.

3 3 SCRIPTURE Teacher and Student References (NRSV) Mt 6:5-15 Concerning prayer And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then in this way: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one. For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Rom 8:26-27 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. Lk 6:12 Jesus chooses the twelve Apostles Now during those days he went out to the mountain to pray; and he spent the night in prayer to God. Mk 1:35 A preaching tour in Galilee In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. Mt 6:6 Concerning prayer But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. PLANNING A LEARNING SEQUENCE Level Focus Prayer and Christian life are inseparable. Effective prayer transforms us and leads to a deeper love for one another. Overarching Goal That students will participate in, and understand the purpose of various forms of Christian prayer. Enduring Understandings Prayer is about listening for God s presence in human experience. Prayer is a universal human experience with a rich variety of expressions. Prayer celebrates the sacredness of God within time and place. A living ritual frees us to pray communally and personally at the same time. Prayer is communicating honestly and openly with God about our lives. Evidence of Learning Demonstrated when students: 1. Demonstrate an understanding of Jesus teaching on prayer. 2. Recognise symbols, rituals and ways of praying that are part of human experience. 3. Participate in and lead meditative prayer. 4. Demonstrate an awareness of the connection and distinction between reflection and prayer. 5. Prepare and lead prayer in the class and school community. Suggested Assessment Tasks Respond to three of the selected scripture passages in terms of what they say to you about the meaning and purpose of prayer, ways of praying, places of prayer and how and when Jesus prayed. Present the results of an investigation into the place of prayer in life, and how the practice and attitude of prayer can influence personal and communal relationships. Recite key prayers of the Church. Complete a journaling exercise extended throughout the duration of the learning sequence including reflections on discussions and information on various methods of prayer, the impact of prayer on individual and communal life.

4 4 Using artwork, Lonely but not Alone (To Know Worship and Love, year 7, p107) students creatively present their understanding of prayer. Participate in times of meditative prayer and lead others in guided meditations. In a group, prepare a prayer that could be shared in a multi-faith setting. Suggested Learning Experiences In a small group, develop an advice column or talkshow scenario where Prayerful Peta (or Peter ) gives advice about why, how, when and where to pray. Create a story map that the scriptural message about prayer (how to pray, when and where to pray etc). (Out of the Desert Book 1 p ) Collect samples of different prayers: Psalms, formal prayers, samples from the spiritual writers ie. Prayers of the saints. Students read and categorise. Explore why people pray. From the Gospels, identify Jesus teaching about prayer. List key characteristics eg solitude and quiet, the need to trust in God, no need for many words etc on the message of the Lord s Prayer. What key things was Jesus teaching in this prayer? Using Tea Party technique students can share their experiences of prayer with others in the class. When does it happen? Why does it happen? (Teaching Strategies Book) Open ended questions regarding student s thoughts on prayer as a relationship with God, the idea of a loving and caring friendship. Explore the movement of the Eucharistic liturgy: Gathering, Listening, Sharing spiritual food, Mission. Examine how this central prayer of the Church nourishes the community. Brainstorm the differences and links between personal, communal and liturgical prayer. (Teaching Strategies Book) Students can interview someone they know (family, friend, or an acquaintance) on their thoughts on prayer and what impact it has on their life. Using Huddle technique students investigate the idea of what prayer is in the Christian Tradition and where they have seen the evidence of this (Teaching Strategies Book). Brainstorm traditional and contemporary prayers of the Catholic Tradition. (Teaching Strategies Book) Learn key traditional prayers Explore the Rosary as an important method of praying in the Church. Research the use of beads in meditation in other traditions. List ways that people in our community involve themselves in personal prayer. Design prayers using music, art and drama. Role-play ways that prayer is expressed within the family. (Teaching Strategies Book) Discuss how different forms of prayer are used by a variety of people. Research and document the importance of body, space and environment in expressing prayer relationships within different cultural settings. Investigate prayer in the school community through research and interview- where and when is prayer expressed. Collate information and present using a picture board and display in the classroom. Demonstrate a variety of ways that prayer can be expressed eg art, music and drama. Express through drama, music or art how prayer can nourish and enrich the community. Participate in a variety of prayer forms within the school community and discuss its purpose in building up unity. Investigate other religious traditions and cultural (including indigenous) and devotional practices that are present in our school community. Use PMI technique to identify how other religious traditions pray and the influences it has on the school and the wider community. (Teaching Strategies Book) From the many models available, write some personal prayers. Develop skills of preparing intercessions to be used in class prayers and Eucharistic liturgies. Participate in guided meditations. Use these as a basis to write prayers in response to Gospel or other Scriptural texts.

5 RESOURCES NB: OP means Out of Print Highly Recommended Resources Archdiocese of Melbourne (2003) To know, worship and love, Year 7. 2nd ed. Melbourne: James Goold House Publications. Chapter 10 & 11. (Student resource) Morrissey, J et al. (1998) Out of the Desert: Book 2 South Melbourne: Longman Australia. Chapter 4 Nolen, B. (1999). Prayer strategies: A teacher s manual. East Melbourne: Harper Collins. Teacher resource. Boyle A & N. (2001). All About Faith 2. Dublin: Gill & Macmillan. Student Resource Fleming, J et al. (1999). Living in Hope. Harper Collins. (Student resource) Community Resources Guest speakers from other cultural groups Representative from the local indigenous community Parish prayer groups 5 Teacher Resources Abbott M & Callanan J (2003) Sparks of Life: rituals for Children Mediacom South Australia Bretherton, B. (1995). Praying with children. Wentworth Falls, N.S.W.: Social Science Press. OP Bretherton, B. (1997). You and me God. Wentworth Falls, N.S.W.: Social Science Press Brown, R.E. (Ed.). (1990). The new Jerome biblical commentary. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Catholic Adult Education Centre. (n.d.). How do you pray?. Inform: Current thinking on Catholic issues. Catholic Adult Education Centre. (n.d.). Family prayer. Inform: Current thinking on Catholic issues, 20. Catholic Adult Education Centre. (n.d.). Five ways Australian Catholics use the Bible. Inform: Current thinking on Catholic issues, 59. Crawford, M. & Rossiter, G. (1991). Sacred space and objects. Melbourne: Spectrum. Hellwig, M.K. (2002). Understanding Catholicism (2nd edition). New Jersey: Paulist Press. Isaac, J. (1989). Aboriginality: Contemporary Aboriginal painting and prints. St. Lucia: University of Queensland Press. OP Jeep, E. McMahon & Smith, M. (2002). Children s daily prayer under the Southern Cross for the school year Thornbury, Vic.: Desbooks. Karris, R.J. (Ed.). (1992). The Collegeville Biblical commentary. Winona, Minn.: The Liturgical Press. Meredith. S. (1995). The Usborne book of world religions. USA: Usborne Publishing. Morrisey, J., Mudge, P. & Taylor, A. (2000). Out of the desert. Book two. Sydney: Longman. Nolen, B. (1999). Prayer strategies: A teacher s manual. East Melbourne: Harper Collins. OP Zanzig T. & Allaire, B. (1997). Understanding Catholic Christianity. Teachers edition. Winona, Minn.: St. Mary s Press. Student Resources Boyle A & N. (2001). All About Faith 2. Dublin: Gill & Macmillan Archdiocese of Melbourne (2003) To know, worship and love, Year 7. 2nd ed. Melbourne: James Goold House Publications. Chapter 10 & 11. Fleming, J et al. ( Living in Hope. Harper Collins. Jeep, E. McMahon & Smith, M. (2002). Children s daily prayer under the Southern Cross for the school year Thornbury, Vic.: Desbooks.

6 Meredith. S. (1995). The Usborne book of world religions. USA: Usborne Publishing. Morrisey, J., Mudge, P. & Taylor. A. (2000). Out of the desert. Book two. Sydney: Longman. Zanzig T. & Allaire, B. (1997). Understanding Catholic Christianity. Teachers edition. Winona, Minn.: St. Mary s Press. The Catholic Youth Bible. New revised standard version. (2000). Winona, Minnesota: Saint Mary s Press. Literature Bancroft, B. (1993). Stradbroke dreamtime. Sydney: Angus & Robertson. Lanciotti, J. (1996). Prayers with pizzazz. Winona, Minn.: St. Mary s Press. McKinnon, P. (1990). Quiet magic: A fantasy: Introduction to relaxation and meditation for children. Melbourne: David Lovell Publishing. 6 Music Bell, J. & Maule, G. (Composers). (2000). Be still and know [Compact disc]. In As one voice (Vol. 2, Disc 3, No. 5). Brookvale, N.S.W.: Willow Connection. Berthier, J. (Composer). (2000). O Lord hear my prayer [Compact disc]. In As one voice (Vol. 1, Disc 1, No. 17). Brookvale, N.S.W.: Willow Connection. Brown, M. (Composer). (2000). Celebrate [Compact disc]. In As one voice (Vol. 1, Disc 2, No. 20). Brookvale, N.S.W.: Willow Connection. Haas, D. (Composer). (2000). Prayer for peace [Compact disc]. In As one voice (Vol. 1, Disc 5, No. 1). Brookvale, N.S.W.: Willow Connection. Haugen, M. (Composer). (2000). All you works of God [Compact disc]. In As one voice (Vol. 1, Disc 1, No. 19). Brookvale, N.S.W.: Willow Connection. Herry, M. (1996). Sing spirit, sing life: Scripture based chants for liturgy and prayer [Cassette disc]. North Fitzroy, Vic.: Marist Brothers Music. Hine, S.K. (Composer). (2000). How great thou art [Compact disc]. In As one voice (Vol. 1, Disc 5, No. 4). Brookvale, N.S.W.: Willow Connection. Kelly, A. ( Composer). (1995). Micah s theme [Music]. In Gather Australia. Ashburton, Vic.: NLMC Publications & GIA Publications. Lafferty, K. (Composer). (2000). Seek ye first [Compact disc]. In As one voice (Vol. 1, Disc 3, No. 3). Brookvale, N.S.W.: Willow Connection. Landry, C. (Composer). (2000). And the father will dance [Compact disc]. In As one voice (Vol. 1, Disc 5, No. 23). Brookvale, N.S.W.: Willow Connection. Watts, T. (Composer). (2000). Summoned by love [Compact disc]. In As one voice (Vol. 2, Disc 1, No. 18). Brookvale, N.S.W.: Willow Connection. Audio-visual/video Resources Catholic Audio-Visual Centre (Producer). (n.d.). How beautiful on the mountains. [Videotape]. Homebush, N.S.W.: Producer. Housetop (Producer). (1998). Prayer in your home. [Videotape]. London: Producer. World Wide Web / Internet Data base of resources for Religious Education. NRSV. The Vatican: Includes a detailed index for the catechism of the Catholic Church. To Know, Worship and Love website