Staff Meeting for Sacrament Strand

Time – 1 hour. Credit – 1 Theology

Resources needed:

· Online access (links provided) OR several copies of the Catechism of the Catholic Church

· Materials to display statements about the 7 Sacraments (suggestion provided, needs to be printed off on card)

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OdlDH5TOnZ8/TKHwhR3zCwI/AAAAAAAACwY/ZgTfMUhx2N8/s1600/sacrament.jpg

Part 1: Korero to start us off… 15 minutes

Have a 5 minute korero about each of these statements:

· “The world is charged with the grandeur of God.”

(Gerard Manley Hopkins)

If you were to depict this statement in an artwork, take time to visualize what you would draw/paint/sculpt/ compose….

Share with another… or the group.

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· “Catholic Christians have a sacramental worldview …”

What do you think this statement means?

Do you agree with it?

Do you recognize it in your own life?....in others?

Compare your thoughts with others…

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· “In Jesus, a divine person was born into the created world…”

Take some time to reflect on how the Incarnation of Jesus helps us to encounter the Creator God and the Holy Spirit.

Share the times and events when creation is able to point towards God… when we recognize signs of God and ways to experience God’s presence and love.

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Leader: When the birth of a child,

the beauty of nature, sunset, sunrise,

love and forgiveness

are signs of God

and ways to experience God’s presence and love, we say they are

SACRAMENTAL.

So... Jesus Christ is the Sacrament of God in the world.

God is truly present in him.

The Church is called to be the Sacrament of Jesus Christ,

the ‘Body of Christ’, making him known,

continuing his mission to bring God’s Reign in the world.

Check on understanding of “sacrament” before going on…

Part 2: The Seven Sacraments 10 minutes

Leader introduces these statements about Sacraments - display on wall:

The Catholic tradition recognises 7 Sacraments. Each of these:

· points to the sacramentality of the whole of life

· is a time of the in-breaking of God into our lives

· is a moment of divine presence and grace

· is an ‘outward sign of an inward grace’

· helps us to become more Christ-like, closer to God in Jesus Christ, that we may be sent to be Christ for the world

· originates in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ who is present, acting directly when a Sacrament is celebrated with the Church community

· is connected with important life events

Clarify and discuss meaning. How do these statements relate to the statements in Part 1?

Part 3: Exploring the Sacraments 25 minutes

In small groups, follow the links below to explore the references to the 7 Sacraments (one or two per group) from the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

In your own words, write a short explanation for adults (and/or a simplified statement for children) for the Sacrament(s) that your group has explored.

Try too, to link these with the Catholic worldview of creation.

Sacraments of Initiation

BAPTISM  No 1213, Nos 1214-1216, Nos 1217-1228  Celebrating Baptism  Nos 1229-1245, Nos 1246-1255, No 1256, Nos 1262-1274 IN BRIEF Nos 1275-1284

CONFIRMATION  No 1285 Celebrating Confirmation  Nos 1293-1301, Nos 1302-1305, Nos 1306-1311, Nos 1312-1314  IN BRIEF  Nos 1315-1321

EUCHARIST  Nos 1322-1323  Source and Summit of Church Life  Nos 1324-1327, Nos 1328-1322 The Eucharist and Salvation Nos 1333-1344  Celebration of the Eucharist  Nos 1345-1355, Nos 1356-1381, Nos 1382-1401, Nos 1402-1405  IN BRIEF  Nos 1406-1419

Sacraments of Healing

PENANCE AND RECONCILIATION  NO 1422, Nos 1423-1424, Nos 1425-1426  Conversion of Heart Nos 1447 - 1429, Nos 1440-1449, Nos 1450-1460, Nos 1461-1467, Nos 1468-1470  Celebration of the Sacrament of Penance  Nos 1480-1484  IN BRIEF  Nos  1485-1498

ANOINTING OF THE SICK  No 1499, Nos 1514-1516 Celebration of the Sacrament Nos 1517-1519, Nos 1520-1523  Viaticum, the Last Sacrament of the Christian  Nos 1525-1525 IN BRIEF  Nos 1526-1532

Sacraments of Commitment

HOLY ORDERS  No 1536, Nos 1537-1538, Nos 1539-1553, Nos 1554-1571  Celebration of This Sacrament   Nos 1572-1574, Nos 1575-1576, Nos 1577-1580, Nos 1581-1589  IN BRIEF  Nos 1590-1600

MATRIMONY  No 1601 Marriage in God's Plan   Nos 1602-1620 Celebration of Marriage Nos 1621-1624, Nos 1625-1637, Nos 1638-1642, Nos 1638-1642, Nos 1643-1654 ‘Family’ - The Domestic Church Nos 1655-1658  IN BRIEF  Nos 1559-1566

Part 4: Sharing what we found 10 minutes

Each group shares what they have written about the Sacraments.

These explanations could be displayed (e.g. on the staff room wall, in a booklet, or on the stand-up display cards provided below) throughout the duration of the strand…

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