Spirituality & Evangelization Festival of Modules: Certification for Catechists (July 18, 2015) Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston

Opening Prayer

Quickwrite Journal for 5 minutes and write your own definition of the terms:  Christian spirituality  Evangelization

Lectio Divina… … one way to break-open Sacred Scripture Lectio – Reading Meditatio – Meditation Oratio – Prayer Contemplatio – Contemplation

The Woman at the Well ( John 4:7-10; 16-19; 25-26; 28-29; 39-42)

Reflecting on Scripture Ask yourself: – Can I see where the Lord is working? Did I respond? – What were my reactions? What struck me? Turn & talk with a partner and share the word or phrase from this Scripture passage on which you reflected.

Reflecting on / Debriefing … …the Lectio Divina Process How did this experience of Lectio Divina help you to listen and respond to God speaking to you today? How does listening to the Word of God enhance or help develop our Christian spirituality?

Essential Question for this Module… How does my spirituality affect how I catechize and evangelize?

Return to your journal… What is Christian spirituality? “Christian Spirituality is the way an individual responds through grace to the call of Christ and his invitation to discipleship.” (Catholic Dictionary) In other words, it is our relationship with God. “Spirituality is who we are and what we do because of what we believe.” (Janet Schaeffler, The Spirituality of the Catechist, p.5)

Return to your journal… What is evangelization? “Evangelizing means bringing the Good News of Jesus into every human situation and seeking to convert individuals and society by the divine power of the Gospel itself….” (Go and Make Disciples: A National Plan and Strategy for Catholic Evangelization in the United States, #10-11)

Activity #1 – Personal Reflection on Spirituality (Spirituality Sentence Starters): 1.My current relationship with God can be described as…..? 2.The first time I experienced the presence of God in my life was when…? 3.My relationship with God has changed over time in the following ways…? 4.My relationship with God has made a difference in my life by…? 5.A time when someone shared an experience of his/her relationship with God that affected my faith was…? It affected me by… 6.A time when I shared a faith experience with someone else was…?

Turn & Talk… Sharing our faith stories…. (# 5 or # 6 above)

Activity #2 – Video Pay It Forward ” 3U&sns=em 3U&sns=em

Debrief/ Checking for Understanding (Formative Assessment) How is the sharing our faith stories similar to what you saw in the video?

Activity #3 - Catechizing Learners (Small Group) 1.How can we catechize our learners in sharing the Gospel with the poor? 2. How can we catechize our learners in sharing the Gospel with their family? 3. How can we catechize our learners to share the Gospel in their community?

Evaluation / EXIT SLIP (Let’s return to our Essential Question…) How does my spirituality affect how I catechize and evangelize?

Self-Reflection (Mystogogical Moment) “Nothing is more practical than finding God, than falling in Love in a quite absolute, final way. What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything. It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning, what you do with your evenings, how you spend your weekends, what you read, whom you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude. Fall in Love, stay in love, and it will decide everything.” [Pedro Arrupe, S.J., Finding God in All Things]

Personal Commitment to Action How might you continue to deepen your own spirituality and thus enhance your ability to be effective evangelizers of the Gospel message as catechists? Cite at least ONE action that you can take during the next few weeks.

Reflections, Comments, Questions?

Resources

Closing Prayer (Prayer for the New Evangelization)

Closing Prayer Prayer for the New Evangelization Facilitator: “ ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ But how can they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach? And how can people preach unless they are sent?” (Romans 10: 13-15) All: Heavenly Father, Pour forth your Holy Spirit to inspire me with these words from Holy Scripture.

Closing Prayer (Continued) Group 1: Stir in my soul the desire to renew my faith and deepen my relationship with your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, so that I might truly believe in and live the Good News. Group 2: Open my heart to hear the Gospel and grant me the confidence to proclaim the Good News to others.

Closing Prayer (Continued ) Group 1: Pour out your Spirit, so that I might be strengthened to go forth and witness to the Gospel in my everyday life through my words and actions. Group 2: In moments of hesitation, remind me: If not me, then who will proclaim the Gospel?

Closing Prayer (Continued ) Group 1: If not now, then when will the Gospel be proclaimed? Group 2: If not the truth of the Gospel, then what shall I proclaim?

Closing Prayer (Continued) All: God, our Father, I pray that through the Holy Spirit I might hear the call of the New Evangelization to deepen my faith, grow in confidence to proclaim the Gospel and boldly witness to the saving grace of your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. AMEN.