1. Priests for Scotland Vocations Awareness Week

2. Priests for Scotland Vocations Awareness Week Lesson Starter : Working in Pairs: (i)What does the word Vocation mean? (ii)Who does the word apply to? Vocation The Word Vocation comes from the Latin word ‘Vocare’, which means ‘to call’. Vocation is God calling us to respond to tasks He wishes us to fulfill or how we should live our lives.

3. Priests for Scotland Vocations Awareness Week “Jesus has a specific task in life for each and every one of us. Each one of us is hand-picked, called by name by Jesus! There is no one among us who does not have a divine vocation!” “In the hidden recesses of the human heart the grace of a vocation takes the form of a dialogue. It is a dialogue between Christ and an individual, in which a personal invitation is given. Christ calls the person by name and says: "Come, follow me." This call, this mysterious inner voice of Christ, is heard most clearly in silence and prayer. Its acceptance is an act of faith” Pope St John Paul II on Vocation Lesson Starter : Reflection

4. Priests for Scotland Vocations Awareness Week Focus 1 – Turning to God Working in a group, discuss: (i) What can cause people to turn away from God ? (ii) Is it ever impossible to change your life ?

5. Priests for Scotland Vocations Awareness Week Focus 1 – Turning to God As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s station. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” And he rose and followed Him. While Jesus sat at supper in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. Matthew the Tax Collector

6. Priests for Scotland Vocations Awareness Week Focus 1 – Turning to God When the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when Jesus heard that, He said to them: “Those who are well do not need a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” Matthew the Tax Collector

7. Priests for Scotland Vocations Awareness Week Focus 1 – Turning to God What do you need to change ? Matthew the Tax Collector

8. Priests for Scotland Vocations Awareness Week Focus 1 – Turning to God The Call of the First Apostles Reflection 1.Are you the same person at school as you are at home? Do you behave the same way? 2.Are you different with your friends than you are with your family? 3.When or what situation do you really free that you are yourself? 4.What gifts and talents do you think you have but others can’t see?

9. Priests for Scotland Vocations Awareness Week Focus 2 – Vocation Story A Priest speaks…. As a class read over the Vocation Story from your booklet.

10. Priests for Scotland Vocations Awareness Week Focus 2 – The Sacrament of Reconciliation

11. Priests for Scotland Vocations Awareness Week Activity 1. Working with a partner discuss the following: (a) Have you ever been forgiven by someone… what happened ? (b) How did you feel after it ? (c) Have you ever forgiven someone…what happened ? (d) How did you feel after it ? (e) When was the last time you went to confession ? (f) In what ways do you turn to God and ask for his help ? 2. The School Chaplain / Local priest has been invited into your class Make a list of questions that you would like to ask him about his Vocation

12. Priests for Scotland Vocations Awareness Week Focus 2 – Vocation Story Extension Task On a large sheet of paper write the word ‘priest’ down the left hand side and for each letter think of a word starting with that letter that relates to the job of a Priest eg P…Prays etc

13. Priests for Scotland Vocations Awareness Week End of Lesson Prayer Lord, please forgive me for what I have done to you. I offer up this prayer in the hope that you will look at my mistakes and know that I did not mean to hurt you. I know you know I'm not perfect. I know that what I did went against You, but I hope that you will forgive me, just as You forgive others like me. I will try, Lord, to change. Amen