‘The Lord has truly risen, alleluia’ (Invitatory antiphon)
‘LAUDATO SI’ WEEK 16-24 MAY 2020… ‘EVERYTHING IS CONNECTED’
A promise made by one person to another is something very sacred. Healthy relationships of trust are formed when people make promises and keep them. The connection between them grows and deepens.
The Gospel proclaimed at Mass today (Jn14:15-21) can be heard via webcam or read from the New Testament. The Word tells us what Jesus is going to do for his apostles. He is going to ask the Father to give them another Helper to be with them forever. The Helper is the Spirit of truth. Neither the Father nor Jesus will break the promise because the Father and Jesus are one. Jesus assures the apostles that the world cannot receive the Spirit of truth because ‘it neither sees him nor knows him’ (Jn14:16). But Jesus says to them, that they already know him. When he leaves, he will ‘not leave them orphans.’ He, the Spirit of truth will be in them.
St Matthew’s Gospel also expresses Jesus’ reassurance of his promise to be with his disciples, ‘I am with you always even to the end of this world.’ (Mt 28:20). Jesus is connected to his disciples forever.
To keep the commandments is the key to loving Jesus. Christians strive to do this, but not on their own. The one who loves Jesus is loved by the Father. Jesus promises each of the apostles his love, ‘I too shall love him and show myself clearly to him.’ (Jn 14:21).
The poet Edward Spenser in his poem ‘Easter’ writes:
‘So let us love, dear love, like as we ought.
Love is the lesson which the Lord has taught.’
LAUDATO SI’ WEEK (16-24 MAY, 2020)
This is the second day, 17 May 2020, of Laudato Si’ week, celebrating the fifth anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical on care for our common home. The theme of the week is “everything is connected.” During this week Catholics everywhere are invited to reflect and pray for action. Resources are provided to help this preparation for action from 16-24 May 2020, https://laudatosiweek.org
Work begun this week will continue and be celebrated during the season of Creation, when Pope Francis invites Catholics to pray for our common home.
We participate in Laudato Si’ Week, ‘preparing for action together’ so we can hope ‘for a better world to come tomorrow.’
“LAUDATO SI’ AND THE GROW IN LOVE RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PROGRAMME’”
The idea of including Pope Francis’ encyclical “Laudato Si’” into the Grow in Love programme helps the home/parish/school link to understand the ‘Ecological Perspective’ informing ‘curriculum approach to content, the development of skills and the appreciation of values.’ (The Catholic Preschool and Primary Religious Education Curriculum for Ireland 2015, (CPPRECI)).
Children are taught from the Grow in Love programme, beginning in Junior Infants/P1 and following the spiral curriculum, about the ‘unique and special place of God’s creation, the interconnection of all creation and are encouraged to develop affection, and care for all creation as a manifestation of the divine’ (CPPRECI, p.24).
Given that Grow in Love is designed to be used at home and in the school, it provides links with the parish community. Families are encouraged to teach their child about the faith they chose for them in Baptism, and continue to pass on every day. It is hoped that as children are formed in their faith they would become more aware of the ‘beauty and wonder of the natural world; that they begin to appreciate the love and care God has for God’s creation; and they begin to thank God for the gift of Creation.’ (Grow in Love, Children’s Book).
So this week, as the Church honours the fifth anniversary of Laudato Si’, the children grow in familiarity with the teaching of Pope Francis through Grow in Love. With the spiral curriculum, the work of one class level is built on a previous class level, so the Christian Morality Strand with Strand Units, ‘Human Dignity’, ‘Social Teaching of the Church‘ and ‘RSE in a Christian Context’ are built and taught on a solid foundation.
The care of the earth takes a prominent place in the curriculum and this is reflected in Grow in Love. The CPPRECI states that, ‘In the Catholic school, ecological respect and concern are rooted in a scripturally-based theology of creation and related ethical considerations. God creates and gives us the gift of creation to care for and celebrate, and the Christian hope for the final renewal for all creation at the end of time encourages our commitment to cultivate and care for the earth (CCC 1042)’.
Further to what children were taught in Junior Infants/P1, SENIOR INFANTS/P2 are helped to develop a sense of gratitude for the natural world and develop a sense of wonder and awe in the created world. They are helpers in the ongoing work of creation and Jesus, the Spirit of truth is always with them as they respond in love. Children pray with thanks to God for all the gifts of Creation.
In Pope Francis’ address on Vatican radio 21 May 2024, he said ‘Creation is not a property, which we can rule over at will; or even less, is the property of only a few: Creation is a gift, it is a wonderful gift that God has given us, so that we use it and care for it and we use it for the benefit of all, always with great respect and gratitude.’
Grow in Love SENIOR INFANTS/P2 invites the children to tell the story of Creation (Gn 1:1-25) in their own words. They identify that human beings are the high point of God’s Creation. They are introduced to an adapted form of Psalm 139. They understand that reading a psalm is one way of giving thanks to God for the gifts of Creation. They explore how they and their families can care for the world as God asked God’s people to be good stewards of creation. These pointers invite families to accompany their children in faith.
Children are helped to understand human dignity, as they hear how St Teresa of Kolkata showed and her Sisters continue to show God’s love by caring for persons who are sick and dying. Most of these people are living in extreme poverty and each one is our brother and sister. They see St Brigid as one who loved God’s Creation.
As in Junior Infants/P1, children are encouraged to have an active love for their neighbour by praying, making the world a better place and supporting Trócaire, the Society of Missionar Children and other charities.
Resources are available including a Children’s Grow in Love e-book on the VERITAS Grow in Love website to support this this Christian Strand.
Logon: www.veritas.ie
Email: trial@growinlove
Password: growinlove
The following RESOURCES, for SENIOR INFANTS/P2 may be helpful, in addition to the resources and online activities for Junior Infants/P1: ‘A Poster on Creation’; Videos on ‘Summer’, ‘See how Seeds Grow’, ‘Colour Your World With Kindness’, ‘Creation Story, from Genesis:1,2; Colouring pages on ‘Creation’, and ‘Recycling’; Online Interactive Activity on ‘We Can Care For Our World’.
SONGS from Grow in Love related to the theme of Creation in SENIOR INFANTS/P2: ‘When Creation Was Begun’, ‘Grow in Love’, ‘They Care for Me’, ‘I am Special’, ‘When Jesus was a Boy’, ‘Jesus Loves Children’, ‘The Gift of Love’, ‘Water’, ‘We Give Thanks’, ‘Summertime’, ‘Quiet and Still’, ‘Thank you God, for our World’, ‘Caring for God’s World’,’ We Sing A Song To Brigid’,and Psalm 104.
PRAY with Grow in Love/I nGrá Dé
SIGN OF THE CROSS
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
COMHARTHA NA CROISE
In ainm an Athar, agus an Mhic agus an Spioraid Naoimh. Áiméan.
GLORY BE TO THE FATHER
Glory be to the Father,
And to the Son,
And to the Holy Spirit;
As it was in the beginning,
Is now, and ever shall be,
World without end. Amen.
GLÓIR DON ATHAIR
Glóir don Athair,
Agus don Mhac,
Agus don Spiorad Naomh,
Mar abhí ó thus,
Mar atá anois
Agus mar a bheas go brách,
Le saol na saol. Áiméan.
CARE FOR THE EARTH
God our Creator, you have given us
the earth, and the sky and the seas.
Show us how to care for the earth, not
just for today but for ages to come.
Let no plan or work of ours damage
or destroy the beauty of your creation.
Send forth your Spirit to direct us to
care for the earth and all creation. Amen.
CÚRAM DON DOMHAN
A Dhia ár gCruthaitheoir, thug tú an
talamh, an spéir agus na farraigí dúinn.
Taispeáin dúinn conas aire a thabhairt
don domhan, ní hamháin don l atá inniu ann,
ach do na haoiseanna atá
le teacht freisin.
Ná milleadh aon phlean ná obair
againne áilleacht do chruthithe.
Seol do Spioraid chugainn chun
cabhrú linn aire a thabhairt don
domhan agus don chruthú ar fad.
‘As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you.’ (Benedictus antiphon)
‘If anyone loves me he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we shall come to him and make our home with him, alleluia’ (Magnificat antiphon).
‘Shout with joy to God, all you on earth’ (Psalm 65:1).
“Interdependence obliges us to think of one world with a common plan.” (Laudato Si’,164)
Sr Anne Neylon