WwJ CATECHESIS MATERIAL: PROJECT COMPASSION WHAT S INSIDE Doney s story, Catechist Notes, Lesson Plan, Students pages, prayer. "My life has been transformed. I am now more knowledgeable on a number of issues and I have a vision. Doney, with Junior. Malawi
1. MALAWI: Dear Religious Education Coordinators and Assistant Principals in Religious Education, It is my pleasure to welcome you to Project Compassion 2016, marking 50 years of Project Compassion. This year s theme is Learning more, creating change. As educators we are engaged on a daily basis with Pope Francis proclamation that Education is an act of hope. This year Project Compassion celebrates the power of learning and the many ways in which Caritas Australia is working with local partners around the world to provide vital learning and renewed hope to children, women and men most vulnerable to extreme poverty and injustice. This theme of Learning more, creating change is explored through six feature stories for the six weeks of Lent. These stories demonstrate how education, training and sharing knowledge empowers individuals and communities to transform their futures and create lasting change. Like many families in her remote village, Doney and her family have often gone months without enough to eat. But with the support of Caritas Australia and local partner CADECOM, the people of Doney s community have learned to harness their strengths. Today they are building new livelihoods, improving health and growing literacy to create paths towards a better future. 2. LAOS: With limited support services for children living with intellectual disabilities in Laos, Duangmala feared that her eight-year-old son, Hum Noy, would never reach his full potential because he has Down Syndrome. However, Hum Noy now has a chance to learn and thrive at a school for children with intellectual disabilities, supported by Caritas Australia. 3. PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Generational poverty has led to many challenges in Dominic s community, including gender inequality, alcohol abuse and violence. Since receiving training in the Caritas Australia supported Community Conversations program, Dominic has learnt communication and problem solving skills to lead his community towards a more peaceful, prosperous future. 4. AUSTRALIA: First Australian Evangeline lives in a remote community that faces many ongoing challenges. She had a limited vision for her future until three years ago, when she started working at the Djilpin Arts Ghunmarn Culture Centre, a community-owned venture supported by Caritas Australia. Today Evangeline is flourishing, with new skills and a passion for the preservation and promotion of her Aboriginal culture. 5. CAMBODIA: Before enrolling in the Mondulkiri Community Health Program, supported by Caritas Australia, young midwife Sreymom lacked the practical experience necessary to safely assist childbirth. Now, with the skills and knowledge gained through the program, Sreymom is a trusted midwife who is helping to improve the health of indigenous women and children in her region. 6. INDIA: Until recently, people in Dhaniram s village were unaware of the Government s social security schemes that support India s most vulnerable communities. Since becoming involved in the Hamara Haq ( Our Rights ) project, Dhaniram and his community have learnt about their rights and have been empowered to speak up for themselves. Now, real change is taking place. In Pope Francis words, Lent is a time for drawing near to Christ, so thank you for supporting Caritas Australia this Lenten season as we celebrate 50 years of Project Compassion. Together we can empower the world s poorest people with the opportunity to learn, grow and create change. Lent sharpens our awareness of prayer and the importance of doing good work. Teresa of Ávila reminds us to act with selflessness and compassion when she says: Christ has no body now on earth but yours Yours are the eyes through which to look out with Christ s compassion to the world. Yours are the feet with which he is to go about doing good. My blessings to you and your school community. Yours Sincerely, Bishop Greg O Kelly, SJ AM Chairman of Caritas Australia Education is an act of hope. Pope Francis This YOU CAN year HELP Project PROMOTE PROJECT COMPASSION IN YOUR SCHOOL BY: Compassion Using the Lent calendar celebrates (web, app and presentation versions available) to LEARN the power of learning. MORE and CREATE CHANGE every day. [The Displaying stories the reverse in this of this letter in the staff room. book] demonstrate how Using the Ash Wednesday liturgy to education, introduce Project training Compassion and to the school and parish community. sharing knowledge empowers Placing a weekly notice in your school individuals newsletter. and communities to Holding transform a Project Compassion their futures fundraiser. and create lasting change. Distributing the boxes, posters and leaflets you have received.
CATECHIST NOTES 3 Lesson aim The aim of this lesson is for the students to explore - sharing our gifts, talents and time (Stage 1) - how Caritas is assisting the development of poor village communities. (Stage 2) - how can we contribute to the work of Caritas in Malawi (Stage 3) Key Concepts: gifts, talents and time, education, poverty, charity and hope Scripture Prayer Prayer Keep doing good works and sharing your resources, for these are the kinds of sacrifice that please God. Hebrews 13:16 Catechism of the Catholic Church 1438: The seasons and days of penance in the course of the liturgical year (Lent, and each Friday in memory of the death of the Lord) are intense moments of the Church s penitential practice.36 These times are particularly appropriate for spiritual exercises, penitential liturgies, pilgrimages as signs of penance, voluntary self-denial such as fasting and almsgiving, and fraternal sharing (charitable and missionary works). 2444: The Church s love for the poor is a part of her constant tradition. This love is inspired by the Gospel of the Beatitudes, of the poverty of Jesus, and of his concern for the poor. Love for the poor is even one of the motives for the duty of working so as to be able to give to those in need. It extends not only to material poverty but also to the many forms of cultural and religious poverty. Discipleship responses Students are challenged to - recognise Jesus in others and respond accordingly. - relate messages from sacred scripture to daily life. Resources The following resources are highly recommended for the effective teaching of this lesson: Mauve or purple cloth Caritas student pages Candle Reflective music Bible Additional paper Large Project Compassion box
LESSON PLAN Preparation Prayer Print the student pages. Step 1: Relate (10 minutes) Remind students that in Lent we make a special effort to give to the poor. Show the students the Project Compassion box. Ask the students what they know about the box. Tell them that each year during Lent the Catholic agency for international aid and development, Caritas Australia, raises funds to help the men, women and children around the world living with extreme poverty and injustice. This year Project Compassion highlights Caritas Australia s work with local partners around the world to provide learning and hope to communities that live with poverty and injustice. Introduce the story of Doney (pronounced Door nee) with reference to her country Malawi in Africa. Describe Malawi as one of the smallest and poorest countries in the world where two in three people struggle to have enough to eat and live in very simple homes made of mud and grass. Ask students to locate the country Malawi, in the continent of Africa, on the map of the world on the student pages. View the film Learning More, Creating Change or read the story from the student pages. Step 2: Reflect (10 minutes) Help students reflect on the previous activity and relate it to their lives. Discuss the following questions in stage or age groups. Refer to the pictures on the student pages. Stage 1 1. How is Doney using her gifts to help the people of her village? (teaching reading, writing and counting, and how to wash hands.) 2. What talent does Nedson use in his job? (tailor, sewing clothes, making clothes.) 3. I wonder what it would be like to be one of Doney s children? (accept any responses) Stage 2 1. Describe Doney s home? (mud brick walls and straw roof, small and simple) 2. How do Doney s family members use their time? (growing food, attending school, making clothes, teaching others) 3. What talents has Doney learnt which might improve her life? (reading, writing and counting, planting and growing food, washing hands)
Stage 3 1. Compare the life of people in Malawi to those in Australia? (Australians have more money, possessions and bigger houses, more jobs and shops to buy food and clothes; people in Malawi have great strengths, gifts and talents, e.g. innovation) Remember Oscar Romero s quote Aspire not to have more, but to be more. How is Doney being more? How can we be more? 2. How does Doney and her family use their gifts, talents and time to contribute to their village? (teaching reading, writing and counting, making clothes, planting crops) 3. How can we in Australia contribute to the work of Caritas Australia? (find out more about Caritas Australia, tell others about Caritas Australia s projects, contribute to Project Compassion) Instruct students to quietly reflect/think about the questions in the Literacy exercise (see the student page) while music is playing in the background. Provide paper for students to write or draw their responses to the questions. At the end of the reflection, ask students to share their responses. Step 3: Rejoice (10 minutes) Gather the students around the sacred space and invite them to close their eyes and listen to what the Bible says about pleasing God. Read the following: But don t forget to help others and to share your possessions with them. This too is like offering a sacrifice that pleases God. Hebrews 13:16 Invite students to make the sign of the cross and pray together the prayer from the student pages. Note the optional activity linking this prayer to the school charism or personal prayer. This could relate to the school s motto or values and/or the parish patron saint. To remember: Learning more creates change
PHOTOCARD DONEY IS PERU CHILE ECUADOR COLOMBIA FALKLAND IS. URUGUAY PARAGUAY ARGENTINA BOLIVIA GUYANA S. GEO. AND S. SANDW. IS. BRAZIL IN MALAWI SAINT HELENA ATLANTIC OCEAN GABON EQ. GUINEA SÃO TOMÉ AND PRINCIPE NAMIBIA ANGOLA CONGO SOUTH AFRICA BOTSWANA ZAMBIA DEM. REP. CONGO SWAZILAND ZIMBABWE LESOTHO KENYA TANZANIA BURUNDI RWANDA UGANDA WHERE WE WORK FEATURED COUNTRY MADAGASCAR MAURITIUS SEYCHELLES NORTH INDIAN OCEAN COMOROS SOMALIA 1000KM MOZAMBIQUE WI MALA HEARD I. AND MCDONALD IS. FR. S. ANTARCTIC LANDS BR. INDIAN OCEAN TER. MALDIVES INDIAN OCEAN INDIAN OCEAN TER. INDONESIA SINGAPORE TI
LESOTHO SWAZILAND STUDENT PAGES 7 PHOTOCARD: SEE, THINK, WONDER What do you see in the images? What do you notice? What do you see that is similar or different to your home? What do you think about the people and activities in the photographs? What do you wonder about the people and activities in the photographs? When do you see people working together to create a better and fairer life for everyone? Doney s story God gives us talents and abilities to help us be the best we can be. When we use our individual talents and abilities together with other people in our communities, we can create a better and fairer life for everyone. In Doney s remote village in Malawi, East Africa, families did not have much food to eat. Most people live in the countryside, where they rely on small plots of land to grow food. Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world. When Caritas Australia and their partner in Malawi began a program in Doney s village, instead of seeing poverty and not enough food, they saw possibilities. Doney s community talked about how they could make life in their village better. Then they made a plan to make it happen. First, they looked at what they already have. We have water here, and land, which can move us out of poverty, explains Doney. Caritas Australia s partner in Malawi taught Doney and other families new farming skills, so they could grow better crops to eat and sell. The community then looked at the skills and talents they all had and they saw that Doney had a special talent for teaching. She was chosen by the community to train as a teacher. Now she teaches adults literacy and numeracy. Now many are able to read and write as well as know how to count money, explains Doney. When you support Project Compassion, you are using your gift of generosity and your ability to see a brighter future for your brothers and sisters in Malawi to create a better and fairer world for all. Literacy exercise What are your strengths? What are Doney s strengths? What are the goals Doney and her community have in their vision for a better future? [food, water, education] What did Doney learn? What did you learn? How did Doney create change? How can you create change? How did Caritas Australia create change? SOMALIA EQ. GUINEA SÃO TOMÉ AND PRINCIPE GABON ATLANTIC OCEAN CONGO ANGOLA NAMIBIA DEM. REP. CONGO ZAMBIA BOTSWANA SOUTH AFRICA RWANDA BURUNDI ZIMBABWE UGANDA MALAWI KENYA TANZANIA MOZAMBIQUE 1000KM COMOROS INDIAN OCEAN MADAGASCAR FEATURED COUNTRY WHERE WE WORK NORTH SEYCHELLE MAURITIUS Prayer Loving God, we thank you for the talents and abilities you have given each of us. We celebrate the strengths of Doney and her community. May we learn to remember Jesus in each person, and to see strengths of each person. We pray for the people in Malawi, that they may have all the things they need to live. Amen. Activity: Ask students to link the prayer to your school charism, or add a personal prayer at the end. Please note, this program is funded by Caritas Australia and the Australian Government.
We are here to help. Thank you for your support. EDUCATION TEAM EDUCATION MANAGER Jane Woolford P: 02 8306 3462 M: 0400 393 332 E: jane.woolford@caritas.org.au NSW/AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY P: 02 8306 3462 M: 0400 393 332 E: jane.woolford@caritas.org.au VICTORIA AND TASMANIA Megan Bourke P: 03 9926 5674 M: 0408 507 971 E: megan.bourke@caritas.org.au QUEENSLAND Susan Bentley P: 07 3033 7376 M: 0417 271 152 E: susan.bentley@caritas.org.au SOUTH AUSTRALIA P: 03 9926 5674 M: 0408 507 971 E: megan.bourke@caritas.org.au WESTERN AUSTRALIA AND NORTHERN TERRITORY Janeen Murphy P: 08 82415233 M: 0439 395 657 E: janeen.murphy@caritas.org.au EDUCATION ADMINISTRATION ASSISTANT Helen Walker P: 1800 024 413 E: helen.walker@caritas.org.au CARITAS AUSTRALIA S DIOCESAN DIRECTORS ADELAIDE Angela Hart E: angelah@caritas.org.au P: 08 8210 8172 ARMIDALE Naomi Bassett E: naomi@armidale.catholic. org.au P: 02 6772 4971 BALLARAT Sue Searls E: m.susan@optusnet.com.au P: 03 5339 4440 BATHURST Tony Eviston /Carmen Beard E: caritas@bathurst.catholic. org.au P: 02 6334 6407 BRISBANE Joseph Foley E: josephf@caritas.org.au P: 07 3324 3134 BROKEN BAY Jennifer Skelly E: Jennifer.skelly@dbb.org.au P: 02 9847 0488 BROOME Maryanne van Dal E: secretary@broomediocese.org P: 08 9192 1060 BUNBURY Ray Lowe E: raylbun@iinet.net.au P: 08 9721 0500 CAIRNS Paul O Connor E: paulo@aiim.com.au P: 07 4035 1580 CANBERRA-GOULBURN Lulu Mitsabu E: LuluM@caritas.org.au P: 02 6201 9851 DARWIN Pauline Bourke E: pk.bourke@bigpond.com P: 08 89271641 GERALDTON Tricia Rogers E: plm@wn.com.au P: 08 9964 2716 HOBART E: margaretf@caritas.org.au P: 03 9926 5786 LISMORE Rev Deacon Graeme Davis E: graemerdavis@bigpond.com P: 02 6624 1564 MAITLAND-NEWCASTLE Patricia Banister E: pabanister@dodo.com.au P: 02 4932 5601 MARONITE DIOCESE Rev Fr Tony Sarkis E: frtonysarkis@maronite.org.au P: 02 9642 0211 MELBOURNE Sr Margaret Fyfe E: margaretf@caritas.org.au P: 03 9926 5786 PARRAMATTA Sr Louise McKeogh E: LMckeogh@parra.catholic. org.au P: 02 9831 4911 PERTH Sr Janet Palafox E: janet.palafox@caritas.org.au P: 08 9422 7922 PORT PIRIE Fr Paul Bourke E: olor@bigpond.com P: 08 8582 1894 ROCKHAMPTON E: josephf@caritas.org.au P: 07 3324 3134 SALE E: margaretf@caritas.org.au P: 03 9926 5786 SANDHURST Fr Rom Hayes/ Kerry Stone E: kmstone@bigpond.net.au P: 0408 579 904 SYDNEY Belinda Carson Bourke E: belindac@caritas.org.au P: 02 8306 3400 TOOWOOMBA Robyn Anne Lovell E: caritas@twb.catholic.org.au P: 07 4638 7977 TOWNSVILLE Sr Helen Mary Peters E: hpeters@tsv.catholic.org.au P: 07 4726 3264 UKRAINIAN EPARCHY Archpriest Michael Kalka E: mysha@cam.org.au P: 03 9853 6701 WAGGA WAGGA Karen Williams E: KWilliams@csoww.catholic. edu.au P: 02 6937 0003 WILCANNIA-FORBES Kathryn Nadin E: Kathryn.nadin@wf.catholic. org.au P: 02 6853 9340 WOLLONGONG Tom van Kints E: Tom.vanKints@dow.org.au P: 02 4222 2480 Caritas Australia Head Office 24-32 O Riordan St, Alexandria NSW 2015 GPO 9830 in your capital city Phone (toll free): 1800 024 413 www.caritas.org.au Phone (toll free) 1800 024 413 www.facebook.com/caritasau www.twitter.com/caritasaust #ProjectCompassion Photo credits: Malawi Andrew Garrick and Andrew McClymont, Laos Richard Wainwright, PNG Richard Wainwright, Australia Danielle Lyonne, Cambodia Richard Wainwright, India Gaurav Raturi.