2021-22 Grade 8 Ascension Religious Education

Advent Greetings! During our most recent class, we experienced a modified version of our customary Religious Education Christmas Pageant, watching scenes from the account of Christ's Birth from the Gospel according to St. Luke, and even listening to Cardinal George's proclamation of the story in Luke 2 set to music, recorded at the Cardinal's Christmas Concert a few years ago. I also shared a few anecdotes and stories, including the meaning of Gaudete Sunday and some traditions from other cultures that are customary in December, like St. Lucy's Day and the Feast of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe. We also watched two more videos in the series on the Mass. There is no activity to do in the meantime, but I will send out a message for a short activity to do once we get to January. If you are interested in doing any of the optional extra credit opportunities, please refer to the November 30 and December 7 class website updates for more information. One other extra credit opp...

Advent Greetings class! I first want to offer a big thanks to all of you for your submissions for the activities, and for your generosity in contributing money to our class Christmas Angel gift.  You all raised a total of $91.  Good work! Recap of Last Class For the first half, we had a visitor join us virtually: Will Haeni is one of my college friends from Valparaiso University.  He grew up in the St. Louis area and currently is a weekend on-air meteorologist for WWMT-CBS 3 TV in Kalamazoo, MI.  He shared about his work and what faith has meant in his life. We also spent some time learning about Mary, especially in light of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, which was on December 8.  It celebrates the dogma that Mary was free from the stain of original sin from the moment of her conception in the womb of her mother, named by tradition as St. Anne.  (By the way, there's a St. Anne statue in church, with Mary right in front of her.) Mary of the Immacul...

Advent Greetings! It was great to be back in class after our Thanksgiving break.  May gratitude be an attitude that allows you to live life more fully.  Thank you for sharing your Thanksgiving reflections. The altar at Ascension following Thanksgiving Day Mass The Advent wreath in Church Recap of Last Class We started class focusing on Advent, a Season with a threefold purpose, awaiting Christ's 2nd Coming, the celebration of his 1st coming, and His coming to us even today. I also shared a little about St. Mother Katharine Drexel, who used money from a large inheritance to fund church-based institutions to serve African-Americans and Native Americans.  Her birthday was on November 26. Then, we continued learning about the Eucharist, through which we remember Christ's sacrifice in the past, even as we make it present again in our assemblies.  (I shared my middle school yearbooks, which is a way for me to remember my past, and certainly gave you the chance to see what ...

Greetings everyone! First of all, I want to commend everyone in class for your thoughtful reflections on the canonization prayers that you did as an activity earlier this month.  Please feel free to use any of those prayers for offering up a special intention, which may very well contribute to a miracle for that person's canonization. Recap of Last Class At the start of class, we spent time learning about Christ the King Sunday, the final Sunday of the liturgical year, which is November 21 this year.  We celebrate Christ, Who was once slain for our sins, and now is alive and reigns over all. Christ the King appearing above the altar at St. John Berchman Parish in Chicago The Christ the King Rose Window in Ascension Church, above the organ Upon arriving at class, everyone had the chance to create a hand turkey to offer thanks for your blessings. We also spent some time engaging with new perspectives on the Eucharist. When we are at Mass, the Eucharist is an opportunity for us t...

Greetings everyone! In the spirit of the Feast of All Souls last week Tuesday, November 2, we started class our most recent class spending time remembering those we know who have passed from us, reflecting with words and images.   For this week's activity, please keep the card you used for this reflection in some place where you'll see it constantly.  Nothing needs to be turned in at our next class.  If you haven't yet handed in the previous two activities, on Eucharistic miracles and canonization prayers, please be sure you do so at our next class on November 16. Paul also shared in-depth his story of faith in life. We also spent time focusing on what it means to be church, the people of God driven by the mission He has given us.   To speak about the idea of mission, Paul shared a video of his cousin's apparel company, Belong Designs, whose slogan is "When you follow your passion, you find where you belong." During our closing prayer, everyone drew a "li...

Greetings everyone! I'm pleased to share that we now have a class aide:  Francisco is a Fenwick student and he joined us for the first time this past Tuesday evening.   So welcome to our class, Francisco! Thank you for volunteering to assist. During class, we went "out to the ballgame", primarily spent watching the documentary Champions of Faith: Baseball Edition .  It profiles MLB players, along with a coach and a manager, sharing their stories and their perspectives on faith, both on and off the field. At the conclusion of class, everyone got a sheet with prayers for the canonization cause of two different individuals, Blessed Father Michael J. McGivney and Servant of God Julia Greeley . Please spend 5 minutes praying either prayer.  Then, mark one phrase that stood out to you in that prayer, and write at least 1 sentence explaining what stood out to you.  Be sure to bring the sheet back with you to our next class, on November 9.   You are also...

Greetings everyone! The primary focus of our most recent class was on Theology of the Body , the teachings of Pope St. John Paul II's on the body and how we all created for a purpose. The big idea is that the body is sacramental, a visible sign of the invisible reality of God.  We are created to reflect God, Who is love.  God is love means that He gives Himself as total gift, which we experience in the Eucharist, when we recall Christ's sacrifice for us.  We are created to be a gift as we make God's presence known to others. You are all getting an extension for last week's activity. Please visit Carlo Acutis's website on Eucharistic miracles.  Take a couple of minutes to read a story about one of these miracles, and then write a minimum of 1 sentence sharing about what you learned.  Bring that sheet with you to class this Tuesday. Looking ahead, the plan is to watch a documentary in class this coming Tuesday, Champions of Faith: Baseball Edition .  It is a...