PSM: Workbook for Facilitators Think and Act Anew - Study Guide
Content
Catholic Charities USA: Workbook for Facilitators
Workbook for Facilitators
Think and Act Anew
Group Study Guide
A group study guide to use at your parish to reflect on the issues and questions raised in the book Think and Act Anew: How Poverty in America Affects Us All and What We Can Do about It by Fr. Larry Snyder.
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Think and Act Anew: Group Study Guide
In Populorum Progressio, Paul VI taught that “progress” is first and foremost a vocation: “in the design of God, every man is called upon to develop and fulfill himself, for every life is a vocation.”
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Catholic Charities USA: Workbook for Facilitators
Background
In 2009, Pope Benedict XVI issued Caritas in Veritate, an encyclical which helps to interpret the Gospel message in our times– in a globalized, technological age wherein humans are becoming increasingly interconnected, but aren’t necessarily growing in solidarity. As Pope Benedict says, “The complexity and gravity of the present economic situation rightly cause us concern, but we must adopt a realistic attitude as we take up But poverty is all around us, and many of those who have with confidence and hope the new responsibilities to which fallen – or dropped – into poverty blend into society. Who we are called by the prospect of a world in need of profound knows which of our neighbors, family or friends are work- cultural renewal, a world that needs to rediscover fundamening full-time or multiple jobs and still can’t cover living ex- tal values on which to build a better future.” (#21) The pope penses? Accidents, illnesses, and unexpected expenses, like identifies the responsibilities and limitations of government car repairs, can devastate a family. Because of the speed of and the private market, challenges traditional ideologies, and change in our economy, many of the suddenly unemployed calls all men and women to think and act anew. find themselves without the skills needed to get the next job. In a nation as wealthy as the United States, it seems Fr. Larry Snyder, president of Catholic Charities USA, took impossible that anyone could go to bed hungry, cold or live that call seriously. He held summits around the country and in despair of a better life. And yet, there are millions who hosted online discussions to generate ideas on how to reduce are caught in that cycle. poverty in America. His book, Think and Act Anew: How Poverty in America Affects Us All and What We Can Do As Catholics, how do we respond to this situation? As Chris- about It, is a result of those initiatives. tians, we commit to being disciples of Christ Jesus, who said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed In his book, Fr. Snyder urges us to realize that poverty in Amerme to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to pro- ica affects us all. He summons Americans, especially Catholics, claim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to to see the poverty that surrounds us, break the stereotypes, and let the oppressed go free.” (Luke 4:18). But at times, this life think creatively about how to reduce poverty. He helps unpack of discipleship can leave us overwhelmed, unsure of how best Catholic social teaching, modern teaching that helps us apply to respond. Biblical truths in today’s changing world. He calls us to reflect upon what it means to “‘love the Lord, with all your heart, What can we do to bring about real, lasting change in peoples’ with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighlives? bor as yourself.” (Lk 10:27)
Even before the global economic crisis began in 2008, millions of Americans were living in poverty. Since then, that number has grown as many people across the country have lost their jobs and homes or have been uprooted by natural disasters. Today, only a fraction of America’s poor “look” like society’s notion of what it is to live in poverty.
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Think and Act Anew: Group Study Guide
Program Structure
This group study guide has been prepared to help ministry leaders and individuals explore what poverty means in America, and how we -- as individuals, communities of faith, a nation based on free-market principles, and a democratic society -- can create meaningful change. During this five-week program, participants will have the opportunity to explore new ideas through reading, group discussion, personal reflection, and small weekly projects. The program is designed to encourage reflection that leads to action. In the final week, the group will lay the groundwork for a project grown out of their experience of “thinking and acting anew” to help do something about poverty in America. The program is divided into topics that roughly follow the chapters in Think and Act Anew, but emphasize the impact individuals and small groups can have in changing the status quo. Week #1 Week #2 Week #3 Week #4 Week #5 Poverty in America: Who is Poor? Charity and Dignity: How One Affects the Other How Our Individual Actions Affect Poverty America and the Common Good Parish/Community Project Meetings for the first four weeks will follow an established format: • • • • • Welcome Opening prayer and reflection based on Scripture Guided discussion on the week’s topic Reading assignment and project for the following week Closing prayer
Suggested timing for the segments is included in the guide for Week #1.
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Catholic Charities USA: Workbook for Facilitators
Materials & Resources
Copies of Think and Act Anew: How Poverty in America Affects Us All and What We Can Do about It are available from the following vendors: • Orbis Books - To order, please call Orbis Books toll-free 1-800-258-5838, Mon-Fri, 8am to 4pm ET or e-mail [email protected], Subject Catholic Charities order, and include your name, street address, and telephone number. MasterCard, VISA, American Express and Discover accepted. Allow 2 weeks for delivery. • Amazon.com Facilitators Workbook and Participant Handouts can be downloaded at www.thinkandactanew.org. Questions and ideas can be addressed to the Parish Social Ministry Department at Catholic Charities USA at 703-549-1390.
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Think and Act Anew: Small Group Study Guide
Group Study Session
Week 1
Poverty in America: Who is Poor?
FACILITATOR’S GUIDE
Catholic Charities USA: Workbook for Facilitators
Overview
The beatitudes are among the most well-known verses in Scripture, and they have been captured by the Church through the corporal and spiritual works of mercy and Catholic social teaching. But when we reflect on ‘the poor’ as identified in the beatitudes, do we think about poverty in America? The United States government reports that about 40 million Americans are officially poor. Nonetheless, official measures of poverty can be misleading. The likelihood that many more people are living with insecurity about where their next meal will come from, or how they can afford to heat their home or pay the rent, is very real. Our image of people who are poor can be subject to stereotype. In fact, a majority of those who are poor in America work full-time at jobs that do not pay enough to meet their basic needs. This question of “who is poor” is what will be discussed at this session.
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Think and Act Anew: Group Study Guide
Preparation
A few weeks before the first session: • Make arrangements for each person in the study group to obtain a copy of the book. • Copy and distribute the handouts for Week #1. • Encourage participants to become familiar with the book prior to the session, and especially, to read those pages outlined in the handout. Immediately before the first session: • Arrange the chairs in a circle. • Set up a prayer space with an open Bible on a low table in the center of the circle. • Decorate the prayer space with a cloth, candles, or flowers. • Open the Bible to Luke 6:19-21. At the beginning of the session: • Select a prayer leader and a reader, who will read the Scripture passage at the appropriate time. Ask the Scripture reader to read slowly, and to return the Bible to its place of honor after the reading. • Distribute handout for Week #1 (as needed).
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Catholic Charities USA: Workbook for Facilitators
Welcome 5 Minutes
Warmly welcome everyone, letting them know how excited you are to be going on this journey with them. Remind everyone that the purpose of the gathering is to reflect in faith on Fr. Larry Snyder’s book, Think and Act Anew, and contemplate our faith-filled response to poverty in America. Invite everyone to briefly introduce himself or herself, and to share one word that captures how he or she feels when hearing the title of the session “Poverty in America: Who is poor?” Invite everyone to quiet themselves and remember that we are in the presence of God.
Introductions 15 Minutes (first meeting only) Opening Prayer & Scripture Reflection 5 Minutes Prayer Leader:
Let us pray. Almighty God, Creator and Sanctifier of all, You draw us together in Your Name. Led by the words and witness of Your Son, We desire to be Christ’s compassion in our broken world. We ask that You send Your Spirit to be with us now As we listen to Your Word. Luke 6:19-21 Pause for silent reflection.
Reader:
Prayer Leader:
Almighty God, Open our hearts and ears to your message and to one another. Guide us that we may be steadfast in our search for the truth, Awaken in us Your dream for a new tomorrow, Teach us to be the presence of Your love in the world. We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ Your Son Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit One God forever and ever. Amen.
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Think and Act Anew: Group Study Guide
Topic of the Week 5 Minutes
Poverty in America: Who is Poor? To best explore this topic group members should have read pages 7-42 of the book Think and Act Anew prior to the meeting. Introduce the topic of the week and begin the discussion. Today we will explore the concept of poverty in America, and confront our own perceptions of who are poor people – what they look like, what they do. We will also try to identify the underlying causes of poverty.
Questions for Discussion 40 Minutes
Provide some guidelines for the discussion. Be sure that everyone has an opportunity to respond to each question. Remind the participants that the purpose of the dialogue is to explore our world in light of faith, not to debate one another. Your group may find it helpful to use the “mutual invitation” method to facilitate dialogue. Using this method, each participant shares his or her reflection on a question, and then invites another person who has not shared to do so. To help create a positive space for faith sharing, ask the participants to observe these simple guidelines: • Listen carefully. • Use “I” statements. (Take responsibility for what you express. Do not speak for “them.”) • Help all to participate. (Do not dominate.) • Stay on the topic. • Be respectful and charitable at all times. • Commit to keeping private any items shared in confidence. After sharing these guidelines, use these questions to facilitate dialogue.
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Catholic Charities USA: Workbook for Facilitators
1.
How do we define poverty? What does poverty look like in a poor country? What does poverty look like in the United States?
2. Who are poor people in America? How and where do poor people live? What do they look like? What do they do? 3. How do we determine if someone is indeed poor in America? Refer to the five factors on p. 42. Are there any factors you would add? 4. A person who works at a fast food restaurant makes an average of $8.60 per hour, or $17,888 yearly. This falls more than $4,000 below the official poverty line, which is $22,050 for a family of four. How would a family of four live on less than $18,000/year in your community? 5. What are the root causes of poverty in America? Consider the following: unemployment, illness/mental illness, low wages/high cost of living, single parenthood, family has been poor for generations, age. Are there others? 6. Given the many causes of poverty, it is likely that many working poor people become invisible. Are they more or less likely to receive help? 7. Have you or anyone close to you ever experienced poverty? To the extent that you are comfortable, share how Fr. Snyder’s comments resonated with that experience. Project & Reading Assignment for Next Week 7 Minutes Distribute the handout for Week #2. Pope Benedict XVI teaches that we are called to desire the common good and strive towards it. Invite members of the group to share the experience of working people who are poor for one week. Present the projects below as examples of what participants could do: Project 1: Live a life of poverty in America for one week. A single person would live on $218 for the week. For a family of four it would be $426. This must include your rent, food, bill payments, and transportation. What changes would you have to make in your life if you received a poverty wage? Share what you find with your group at next week’s meeting.
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Think and Act Anew: Group Study Guide
Project 2: Construct a one-month budget for a hypothetical family of four in your community based on $1,150/month, which is the approximate after-tax income of a family living at the official poverty level. The budget should include rent, food, utilities, transportation, clothing, household supplies, health care, child care, and any other necessities. Share what you learn with your group at next week’s meeting. Read for Next Week: Think and Act Anew, Chapter 3, paying special attention to the teaching of Maimonides on the eight levels of giving on pages 49-50, and Chapter 4, pages 51-56. Closing Prayer 3 Minutes Adjourn Close by offering intentions based on today’s reflections and conversation. After participants have finished offering intentions, conclude with the Lord’s Prayer. Thank the participants for sharing their reflections and wish them safe travel home.
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Group Study Session
Week 2
Charity and Dignity: How One Affects the Other
FACILITATOR
Think and Act Anew: Small Group Study Guide Group Study Guide
Overview
The true nature of charity has become muddied in contemporary American society; it is often reduced to giving money or goods to some worthy cause. In so doing, one may unintentionally undermine the dignity of the human being on the other end. True charity enhances a person’s dignity by helping them gain control over their destiny. The Catholic Church teaches that the life and dignity of the human person should be the foundation of a moral vision for society, and that everything we do – including charitable actions – will be judged by how it enhances life and dignity. As such, charity should cultivate the dignity of both the giver and receiver – nurturing a relationship of solidarity and overcoming obstacles which inhibit attaining one’s God-given potential. This week’s discussion will look at charity through the lens of God’s love for us. We’ll also discuss Pope Benedict XVI’s illumination of the idea of charity in his recent encyclicals, God is Love (Deus Caritas Est), and Love in Truth (Caritas in Veritate), which Fr. Larry Snyder applies to the United States in Think and Act Anew. Group members will have considered these concepts in Think and Act Anew while reading this week’s assignment. • P 45: Every person is worthy of dignity and respect, because every human being is . made in the image and likeness of God. • P 57: Every person should have the right to take ownership of their life. . • P 26: Charity, love, prompts us to give what is “mine” to the other; justice prompts . us first to give the other what is “his or hers.” • PP 49-50: There are differences in the way one can do charity as illustrated in the . eight levels of charitable action as defined by Maimonides.
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Catholic Charities USA: Workbook for Facilitators
Preparation
Immediately before the first session: • Arrange the chairs in a circle. • Set up a prayer space with an open Bible on a low table in the center of the circle. • Decorate the prayer space with a cloth, candles, or flowers. • Open the Bible to 1 Corinthians 13:3; the second reading, from Caritas in Veritate, is on the handout. • Select one person to read the Scripture passage; ask the Scripture reader to read slowly, and to return the Bible to its place of honor after the reading. At the beginning of the session: • Select a prayer leader and a reader. • Distribute handout for Week #2 (as needed).
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Think and Act Anew: Group Study Guide
Welcome Opening Prayer & Scripture Reflection Prayer Leader:
Welcome everyone. Invite everyone to quiet themselves and remember that we are in the presence of God.
Let us pray. Almighty God, Creator and Sanctifier of all, You draw us together in Your Name. Led by the words and witness of Your Son, We desire to be Christ’s compassion in our broken world. We ask that You send Your Spirit to be with us now As we listen to Your Word.
Reader 1: 1 Corinthians 13:3 Pause for silent reflection. Reader 2: From Caritas in Veritate (6). Charity goes beyond justice, because to love is to give, to offer what is “mine” to the other; but it never lacks justice, which prompts us to give the other what is “his”, what is due to him by reason of his being or his acting. I cannot “give” what is mine to the other without first giving him what pertains to him in justice. If we love others with charity, then first of all we are just towards them. …justice is inseparable from charity and intrinsic to it. Justice is the primary way of charity, or, in Paul VI’s words, the “minimum measure” of it. Pause for silent reflection. Prayer Leader: Almighty God, Open our hearts and ears to your message and to one another. Guide us that we may be steadfast in our search for the truth, Awaken in us Your dream for a new tomorrow, Teach us to be the presence of Your love in the world. We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ Your Son Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit One God forever and ever. Amen.
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Catholic Charities USA: Workbook for Facilitators
Topic of the Week
Charity and Dignity Introduce the topic of discussion for week #2. Group members should have read Chapter 3 and Chapter 4 (pages 51-56) of the book Think and Act Anew. This week, we will explore the Catholic meaning of “charity” and its relationship to the dignity of people. We’ll also consider how charitable action can support or undermine the dignity of the recipient.
Questions for Discussion
Remind participants of the guidelines for the discussion. Be sure that everyone has an opportunity to respond to each question. Remind the participants that the purpose of the dialogue is to explore our world in light of faith, not to debate one another. After sharing these guidelines, ask group members to share what they learned during the previous week’s exercise (living life of poverty/constructing a budget at poverty level). Then use these questions to facilitate dialogue on this week’s topic. 1. Have you had a personal experience where you were serving people in need? How did they react to you? How did you feel? What did you learn?
2. How do we define human dignity? Why is it important to ensure dignity is respected that people are able to take ownership of their lives to the extent they are able? 3. How are charity and dignity related? (Discuss Maimonides’ eight levels of giving on pages 49-50; ask the group to identify examples at each level.) 4. How would the principle of giving someone “what is his/hers” versus giving what is “mine” change any of your charitable actions? 5. What would you do differently in your community to change charitable actions so they helped people achieve a greater level of self-sufficiency? 6. How have these chapters changed your view of charity?
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Think and Act Anew: Group Study Guide
Project & Reading Assignment for Next Week
Distribute the handout for Week #3. A majority of Americans “living in poverty” are the working poor, who can become invisible. These are people who clean homes and offices, construct buildings, provide day care, landscape gardens, or work in nursing homes. Ask members of the group to spend the next week being especially aware of the working poor. Present the projects below as examples of what participants could do: Project 1: Notice the people with whom you come into contact during the week who work low wage jobs. Greet them and thank them for the contribution they make to your life and community. Project 2: Strike up a conversation with at least one person who could be considered one of the “working poor”. Pay attention to how that person reacts to you. Is there any change? What is the result of establishing this connection? Next week, we will look at how our individual actions and decisions contribute to or reduce poverty in America. Read for Next Week: Think and Act Anew, Chapter 4, pages 56-60, and Chapter 5, pages 61-64.
Closing Prayer Adjourn
Close by offering intentions based on today’s reflections and conversation. After participants have finished offering intentions, conclude with the Lord’s Prayer. Thank the participants for sharing their reflections and wish them safe travel home.
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Group Study Session
Week 3
How Our Individual Actions Affect Poverty
FACILITATOR
Think and Act Anew: Small Group Study Guide Group Study Guide
Overview
Major issues like an economic crisis or widespread poverty often seem to be beyond our capacity to bring about change. But each of us is called by God to protect and defend the poor and to use our talents and resources to make a difference. In the previous week’s discussion, we looked at the various ways that charitable works are performed in light of the impact those works have on the dignity of the people involved. This week we will take a closer look at how individual actions and decisions affect poverty, by looking at how we are in relationship with one another. In Think and Act Anew, Fr. Larry Snyder writes: Foundational to the teachings of the Scriptures is the belief that we are called upon to live in community. This community is premised on the relationship human beings have to one another. We are neighbors, but we are more. We are sisters and brothers called to value and practice the virtues of charity and justice. This is of ultimate importance in how we act as citizens and neighbors in the United States, and it should define what is expected of us in serving the least of those who are members of our national family. (P 58) . We will take a critical look at how loving our neighbor as ourselves establishes a fraternity among the human family. We will revisit some of the patterns of our daily lives and see how they support or harm our brothers and sisters who might be only a few degrees of separation away from us. Finally, we will look at several individuals who made decisions to use their time and talents to bring transformative change in people’s lives.
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Catholic Charities USA: Workbook for Facilitators
Preparation
Immediately before the first session: • Arrange the chairs in a circle. • Set up a prayer space with an open Bible on a low table in the center of the circle. • Decorate the prayer space with a cloth, candles, or flowers. • Open the Bible to Matthew 22:34-40 and place a bookmark at Luke 10:30-37. At the beginning of the session: • Select a prayer leader and two readers. Ask the first Scripture reader to read slowly and then solemnly pass the book to the second reader. The second reader will read slowly and then return the Bible to its place of honor after the reading. • Distribute handout for Week #3 (as needed).
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Think and Act Anew: Group Study Guide
Welcome Opening Prayer & Scripture Reflection Prayer Leader:
Warmly welcome everyone. Invite everyone to quiet themselves and remember that we are in the presence of God. Let us pray. Almighty God, Creator and Sanctifier of all, You draw us together in Your Name. Led by the words and witness of Your Son, We desire to be Christ’s compassion in our broken world. We ask that You send Your Spirit to be with us now As we listen to Your Word. Matthew 22:34-40 Pause for silent reflection.
Reader 1:
Reader 2:
Luke 10:29-37 Pause for silent reflection.
Prayer Leader: Almighty God, Open our hearts and ears to your message and to one another. Guide us that we may be steadfast in our search for the truth, Awaken in us Your dream for a new tomorrow, Teach us to be the presence of Your love in the world. We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ Your Son Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit One God forever and ever. Amen.
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Catholic Charities USA: Workbook for Facilitators
Topic of the Week
Individual Action and Poverty (Group members should have read Chapter 4, pages 56-60, and Chapter 5, pages 61-64 of the book Think and Act Anew.) This week, we begin a discussion about how each of us, by being intentional about our actions, can change the nation’s poverty landscape. We will look to Christ’s example and teaching for inspiration for our daily life.
Questions for Discussion
Remind the group of the guidelines for discussion. Remind the participants that the purpose of the discussion is to explore our faith, not to debate with one another. Ask group members to share what they learned during the previous week’s exercise (learning about the working poor), and then use the following questions to facilitate dialogue. 1. What does it mean for someone to be “our neighbor”? How does the biblical sense of “neighbor” differ from the common use of the word? 2. How are we more than neighbors? What impact does living as “the human family” change the way we would live or treat others? 3. One way to look at “neighbor” is in the story of the Good Samaritan – the neighbor is the one who makes a decision to help. What holds us back from helping someone who is struggling to make ends meet? 4. Do we think of the people who are struggling in our communities, across the country or across the world as our “neighbor” and our “family”? What would change in our lives if we thought of family in a broader way? 5. How do our individual decisions about where we shop and what we buy affect others around us? Do our shopping decisions cost other people their jobs, or endorse employers who pay minimum wage and provide no benefits, like healthcare or childcare? 6. If we practiced both justice and charity, what impact would this have on our lives and world? How does our Catholic faith call us to act on behalf of those in need?
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Think and Act Anew: Group Study Guide
7. How does our individual pursuit of the American Dream contribute to and detract from the common good? 8. What changes will you make in your own life based on this discussion? Project & Reading Assignment for Next Week Distribute the handout for Week #4. Ask members of the group to spend the next week thinking about what changes are needed to make achieving the American Dream a reality for everyone. Present the projects below as examples of what participants could do: Project 1: Think about all of the purchases you made in the past month, find out where the goods were made (e.g., clothing, cars, food, electronics), and whether they have been produced in the US or another country. Research what the same items would cost if they were made in the United States. What changes would you have to make in your life if all of these products were made in the US? Project 2: Read about the Volunteers of the Year nominees on the Catholic Charities USA website: www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/volunteers. These volunteers show how individuals can have a positive impact on the lives of others. Think about your own skills and talents. How could you use them to make a difference in the lives of those struggling with poverty? Next week, we will examine our society’s economic and political values to explore how free markets and the common good can be pursued together. We will also look at how the principles of Catholic social teaching can be used to transform public and private institutions to more closely resemble the City of God. Read for Next Week: Think and Act Anew, Chapters 5 and 6 (pages 61-88). Closing Prayer Adjourn Close by offering intentions based on today’s reflections and conversation. After participants have finished offering intentions, conclude with the Lord’s Prayer. Thank the participants for sharing their reflections and wish them safe travel home.
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Group Study Session
Week 4
America and the Common Good
FACILITATOR
Think and Act Anew: Small Group Study Guide Group Study Guide
Overview
Think and Act Anew was written to focus a spotlight on the reality of poverty in America as the nation began to rebuild its economy in the aftermath of the economic crisis of 2008. Fr. Snyder calls on everyone to reassess priorities and actions to ensure that as we rebuild we include the well-being of all people in our vision for the future. Fr. Snyder explains that we exercise our love of God by desiring each person’s good and the good of all. In this week’s discussion, we will examine our society’s economic and political philosophies to determine whether free markets and the common good can be pursued together. And we will discuss the role government should play in promoting the common good and protecting vulnerable citizens. Finally, we will define the prophetic role of the Church and assess how the principles of Catholic social teaching can be used to transform commercial and public institutions.
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Catholic Charities USA: Workbook for Facilitators
Preparation
Immediately before the first session: • Arrange the chairs in a circle. • Set up a prayer space with an open Bible on a low table in the center of the circle. • Decorate the prayer space with a cloth, candles, or flowers. • Open the Bible to Jeremiah 5:26-28 and place a bookmark at John 13:14-17. • Ask the first Scripture reader to read slowly and then solemnly pass the book to the second reader. The second reader will read slowly and then return the Bible to its place of honor after the reading. At the beginning of the session: • Select a prayer leader and two readers. • Distribute handout for Week #4 (as needed).
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Think and Act Anew: Group Study Guide
Welcome Opening Prayer & Scripture Reflection Prayer Leader:
Warmly welcome everyone. Invite everyone to quiet themselves and remember that we are in the presence of God. Let us pray. Almighty God, Creator and Sanctifier of all, You draw us together in Your Name. Led by the words and witness of Your Son, We desire to be Christ’s compassion in our broken world. We ask that You send Your Spirit to be with us now As we listen to Your Word. Jeremiah 5:26-28 Pause for silent reflection.
Reader 1:
Reader 2:
John 13:14-17 Pause for silent reflection.
Prayer Leader: Almighty God, Open our hearts and ears to your message and to one another. Guide us that we may be steadfast in our search for the truth, Awaken in us Your dream for a new tomorrow, Teach us to be the presence of Your love in the world. We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ Your Son Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit One God forever and ever. Amen.
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Catholic Charities USA: Workbook for Facilitators
Topic of the Week
America and the Common Good Group members should have read Chapters 5 and 6 (pages 61-88) of the book Think and Act Anew. Today, we continue our discussion of how our actions contribute to or reduce poverty in America, but this time we focus on the actions of our public and private sectors to assess whether they contribute to the good of all Americans. In Caritas in Veritate, Pope Benedict XVI says: The conviction that man is self-sufficient and can successfully eliminate the evil present in history by his own action alone has led him to confuse happiness and salvation with immanent forms of material prosperity and social action. Then, the conviction that the economy must be autonomous, that it must be shielded from “influences” of a moral character, has led man to abuse the economic process in a thoroughly destructive way. In the long term, these convictions have led to economic, social and political systems that trample upon personal and social freedom, and are therefore unable to deliver the justice that they promise. (34) Fr. Snyder reminds us that we are loved and gifted by God. We are called to love God in return and to show that love by how we treat one another. We can do this by creating economic, social, and political frameworks that ensure opportunity for everyone, including those who are poor. With that in mind, let us begin today’s discussion.
Questions for Discussion
Remind the group of the guidelines for discussion. Remind the participants that the purpose of the discussion is to explore our faith, not to debate with one another. After sharing the guidelines, ask group members to share what they learned during the previous week’s exercise (American Dream/individual action), then use the following questions to facilitate dialogue. 1. In what ways is the market economy of the United States subject to “distributive justice” and “social justice”? What response do we have to those who believe “greed is good”?
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Think and Act Anew: Group Study Guide
2. How would putting God in the center of our decision making transform our free market system? 3. Think about a recent economic shift and the impact it has had on the jobs and lives of people who make, distribute, and sell goods. Consider, for example, replacing fossil fuels with clean energy sources such as wind or solar: Where would the new jobs be created? What would happen to the communities where old forms of energy (coal/oil/gas) are produced? 4. How can we enact public policies that reflect our beliefs in a secular society? How would you argue that America should be rebuilt so that the common good is the top priority? 5. Based on what you have read, what moral principles does our faith insist should help guide economic life? 6. Why does Pope Benedict say that the economy needs “ethics” and that those ethics should be “people‐centered” in order to function correctly? 7. In what ways has the current economic system not worked to the benefit of workers and the poor? 8. What are the moral responsibilities of workers, owners, managers, stockholders, and consumers in economic life? How can we help recognize the moral responsibilities we have? 9. We are called, as part of God’s family, to “generate a new vision” of love and solidarity that includes economic life that is focused, first and foremost, on the human person. What are the ways we can act on what we have learned as family members, workers, owners, consumers, and voters? Project & Reading Assignment for Next Week Distribute the handout for Week #5. During this next week, ask participants to consider all they have read and heard in the group discussions and think about what we can do as a parish community to think and act anew about poverty. The projects below are examples and should not limit their ideas, which they will bring to next week’s meeting.
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Catholic Charities USA: Workbook for Facilitators
Project 1: Think of a parish or community project based on the principles of Catholic social teaching as we have discussed over the past four weeks. Present ideas to the group at the next meeting. This project could be done as a team. Project 2: Look at the community in which you live and determine how many jobs have been eliminated over the past 20 years and how many new jobs have been created. How have these jobs been affected by actions and/or conditions outside of your community? Do new jobs pay what the former jobs did? What impact have these changes had on both workers individually and your community as a whole? What impact has it had on our parish? Read for Next Week: • Think and Act Anew, Chapters 7 and 8 (pages 113-118) • Go to Fr. Larry Snyder’s blog, Think and Act Anew: www.thinkandactanew.org. Read a few of the posts and post a comment or question based on what you have learned in this study group. Closing Prayer Adjourn Close by offering intentions based on today’s reflections and conversation. After participants have finished offering intentions, conclude with the Lord’s Prayer. Thank the participants for sharing their reflections and wish them safe travel home.
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Think and Act Anew: Small Group Study Guide
Group Study Session
Week 5
Parish Project “Our Faith is Profoundly Social”
FACILITATOR
Catholic Charities USA: Workbook for Facilitators
Overview
Fr. Snyder recounts in Think and Act Anew (p. 116) the statement of the US Conference of Bishops that, “The central message is simple: our faith is profoundly social. We cannot be called truly ‘Catholic’ unless we hear and heed the Church’s call to serve those in need and work for justice and peace.” As our nation works to rebuild the American economy, we are presented with a once-in-ageneration opportunity to reshape the nation’s social contract so that no person is left out or behind. The previous four weeks have enabled us to develop a deeper understanding of poverty in America and a heightened awareness of some of the innovative ideas and programs that attempt to address the issue in new ways. This week, we gather to identify ways in which our parish can bring about needed change in our immediate community and join others as a national Catholic voice that urges a “new trajectory of thinking” about what it means to live and work as one family.
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Think and Act Anew: Group Study Guide
Preparation
Immediately before the first session: • Arrange the chairs in a circle. • Set up a prayer space with an open Bible on a low table in the center of the circle. • Decorate the prayer space with a cloth, candles, or flowers. • Open the Bible to Micah 6:8; place a bookmark at Romans 12:2. At the beginning of the session: • Select a prayer leader and two readers. Ask the first Scripture reader to read slowly and then solemnly pass the book to the second reader. The second reader will read slowly and then return the Bible to its place of honor after the reading. • Distribute handout for Week #5 (as needed).
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Catholic Charities USA: Workbook for Facilitators
Opening Prayer & Scripture Reflection Prayer Leader:
Invite everyone to quiet themselves and remember that we are in the presence of God. Let us pray. Almighty God, Creator and Sanctifier of all, You draw us together in Your Name. Led by the words and witness of Your Son, We desire to be Christ’s compassion in our broken world. We ask that You send Your Spirit to be with us now As we listen to Your Word. Micah 6:8 Pause for silent reflection.
Reader 1:
Reader 2:
Romans 12:2-6 Pause for silent reflection.
Prayer Leader: Almighty God, Open our hearts and ears to your message and to one another. Guide us that we may be steadfast in our search for the truth, Awaken in us Your dream for a new tomorrow, Teach us to be the presence of Your love in the world. We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ Your Son Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit One God forever and ever. Amen.
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Think and Act Anew: Group Study Guide
Topic of the Week
Parish Project Group members should have read Chapters 7 and 8 of the book Think and Act Anew. Today we will lay the groundwork for a parish project that will reduce poverty in our community. We will also discuss ways in which we can join our voice to the voices of others to bring the principles of Catholic social teaching into our national deliberations on economic and social policy. With that in mind, let us begin today’s discussion.
Questions for Discussion
1.
Did anyone read and/or comment on Fr. Snyder’s blog? Was there any issue you found particularly compelling? Were there other comments that made you think in a different way about some aspect of poverty?
2. What are the most pressing needs in our community? (Spend time identifying several.) 3. Which of those needs are we best suited as a parish community to help alleviate? Select one and discuss what the parish could do, how to begin the project, etc. Canvass the group to see if there is support for the project. Make arrangements to form a project group and inform the parish of the idea. 4. What are the most important issues for our government and our business leaders to address in order to reduce poverty in America? What can we do to bring these issues to their attention? Discuss options such as letter writing, petition drives, visits to public officials, opportunities for advocacy. Develop a plan for the parish and arrange to enlist the community in the actions.
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Catholic Charities USA: Workbook for Facilitators
5. What can we do to raise awareness of the issue of poverty among members of our parish? Our city/state? Discuss options such as a speaker series, community action event, creating a discussion on the Think and Act Anew blog and others, video project, social media campaign, etc. 6. In what ways is the market economy of the United States subject to “distributive justice” and “social justice”? What response do we have to those who believe “greed is good”? Closing Prayer Adjourn Close by offering intentions based on today’s reflections and conversation. After participants have finished offering intentions, conclude with the Lord’s Prayer. Thank the participants for sharing their reflections and wish them safe travel home.
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Think and Act Anew: Group Study Guide
Sixty-Six Canal Center Plaza Suite 600 Alexandria, VA 22314 38
Workbook for Facilitators
Think and Act Anew
Group Study Guide
A group study guide to use at your parish to reflect on the issues and questions raised in the book Think and Act Anew: How Poverty in America Affects Us All and What We Can Do about It by Fr. Larry Snyder.
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Think and Act Anew: Group Study Guide
In Populorum Progressio, Paul VI taught that “progress” is first and foremost a vocation: “in the design of God, every man is called upon to develop and fulfill himself, for every life is a vocation.”
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Catholic Charities USA: Workbook for Facilitators
Background
In 2009, Pope Benedict XVI issued Caritas in Veritate, an encyclical which helps to interpret the Gospel message in our times– in a globalized, technological age wherein humans are becoming increasingly interconnected, but aren’t necessarily growing in solidarity. As Pope Benedict says, “The complexity and gravity of the present economic situation rightly cause us concern, but we must adopt a realistic attitude as we take up But poverty is all around us, and many of those who have with confidence and hope the new responsibilities to which fallen – or dropped – into poverty blend into society. Who we are called by the prospect of a world in need of profound knows which of our neighbors, family or friends are work- cultural renewal, a world that needs to rediscover fundamening full-time or multiple jobs and still can’t cover living ex- tal values on which to build a better future.” (#21) The pope penses? Accidents, illnesses, and unexpected expenses, like identifies the responsibilities and limitations of government car repairs, can devastate a family. Because of the speed of and the private market, challenges traditional ideologies, and change in our economy, many of the suddenly unemployed calls all men and women to think and act anew. find themselves without the skills needed to get the next job. In a nation as wealthy as the United States, it seems Fr. Larry Snyder, president of Catholic Charities USA, took impossible that anyone could go to bed hungry, cold or live that call seriously. He held summits around the country and in despair of a better life. And yet, there are millions who hosted online discussions to generate ideas on how to reduce are caught in that cycle. poverty in America. His book, Think and Act Anew: How Poverty in America Affects Us All and What We Can Do As Catholics, how do we respond to this situation? As Chris- about It, is a result of those initiatives. tians, we commit to being disciples of Christ Jesus, who said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed In his book, Fr. Snyder urges us to realize that poverty in Amerme to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to pro- ica affects us all. He summons Americans, especially Catholics, claim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to to see the poverty that surrounds us, break the stereotypes, and let the oppressed go free.” (Luke 4:18). But at times, this life think creatively about how to reduce poverty. He helps unpack of discipleship can leave us overwhelmed, unsure of how best Catholic social teaching, modern teaching that helps us apply to respond. Biblical truths in today’s changing world. He calls us to reflect upon what it means to “‘love the Lord, with all your heart, What can we do to bring about real, lasting change in peoples’ with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighlives? bor as yourself.” (Lk 10:27)
Even before the global economic crisis began in 2008, millions of Americans were living in poverty. Since then, that number has grown as many people across the country have lost their jobs and homes or have been uprooted by natural disasters. Today, only a fraction of America’s poor “look” like society’s notion of what it is to live in poverty.
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Think and Act Anew: Group Study Guide
Program Structure
This group study guide has been prepared to help ministry leaders and individuals explore what poverty means in America, and how we -- as individuals, communities of faith, a nation based on free-market principles, and a democratic society -- can create meaningful change. During this five-week program, participants will have the opportunity to explore new ideas through reading, group discussion, personal reflection, and small weekly projects. The program is designed to encourage reflection that leads to action. In the final week, the group will lay the groundwork for a project grown out of their experience of “thinking and acting anew” to help do something about poverty in America. The program is divided into topics that roughly follow the chapters in Think and Act Anew, but emphasize the impact individuals and small groups can have in changing the status quo. Week #1 Week #2 Week #3 Week #4 Week #5 Poverty in America: Who is Poor? Charity and Dignity: How One Affects the Other How Our Individual Actions Affect Poverty America and the Common Good Parish/Community Project Meetings for the first four weeks will follow an established format: • • • • • Welcome Opening prayer and reflection based on Scripture Guided discussion on the week’s topic Reading assignment and project for the following week Closing prayer
Suggested timing for the segments is included in the guide for Week #1.
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Catholic Charities USA: Workbook for Facilitators
Materials & Resources
Copies of Think and Act Anew: How Poverty in America Affects Us All and What We Can Do about It are available from the following vendors: • Orbis Books - To order, please call Orbis Books toll-free 1-800-258-5838, Mon-Fri, 8am to 4pm ET or e-mail [email protected], Subject Catholic Charities order, and include your name, street address, and telephone number. MasterCard, VISA, American Express and Discover accepted. Allow 2 weeks for delivery. • Amazon.com Facilitators Workbook and Participant Handouts can be downloaded at www.thinkandactanew.org. Questions and ideas can be addressed to the Parish Social Ministry Department at Catholic Charities USA at 703-549-1390.
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Think and Act Anew: Small Group Study Guide
Group Study Session
Week 1
Poverty in America: Who is Poor?
FACILITATOR’S GUIDE
Catholic Charities USA: Workbook for Facilitators
Overview
The beatitudes are among the most well-known verses in Scripture, and they have been captured by the Church through the corporal and spiritual works of mercy and Catholic social teaching. But when we reflect on ‘the poor’ as identified in the beatitudes, do we think about poverty in America? The United States government reports that about 40 million Americans are officially poor. Nonetheless, official measures of poverty can be misleading. The likelihood that many more people are living with insecurity about where their next meal will come from, or how they can afford to heat their home or pay the rent, is very real. Our image of people who are poor can be subject to stereotype. In fact, a majority of those who are poor in America work full-time at jobs that do not pay enough to meet their basic needs. This question of “who is poor” is what will be discussed at this session.
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Think and Act Anew: Group Study Guide
Preparation
A few weeks before the first session: • Make arrangements for each person in the study group to obtain a copy of the book. • Copy and distribute the handouts for Week #1. • Encourage participants to become familiar with the book prior to the session, and especially, to read those pages outlined in the handout. Immediately before the first session: • Arrange the chairs in a circle. • Set up a prayer space with an open Bible on a low table in the center of the circle. • Decorate the prayer space with a cloth, candles, or flowers. • Open the Bible to Luke 6:19-21. At the beginning of the session: • Select a prayer leader and a reader, who will read the Scripture passage at the appropriate time. Ask the Scripture reader to read slowly, and to return the Bible to its place of honor after the reading. • Distribute handout for Week #1 (as needed).
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Catholic Charities USA: Workbook for Facilitators
Welcome 5 Minutes
Warmly welcome everyone, letting them know how excited you are to be going on this journey with them. Remind everyone that the purpose of the gathering is to reflect in faith on Fr. Larry Snyder’s book, Think and Act Anew, and contemplate our faith-filled response to poverty in America. Invite everyone to briefly introduce himself or herself, and to share one word that captures how he or she feels when hearing the title of the session “Poverty in America: Who is poor?” Invite everyone to quiet themselves and remember that we are in the presence of God.
Introductions 15 Minutes (first meeting only) Opening Prayer & Scripture Reflection 5 Minutes Prayer Leader:
Let us pray. Almighty God, Creator and Sanctifier of all, You draw us together in Your Name. Led by the words and witness of Your Son, We desire to be Christ’s compassion in our broken world. We ask that You send Your Spirit to be with us now As we listen to Your Word. Luke 6:19-21 Pause for silent reflection.
Reader:
Prayer Leader:
Almighty God, Open our hearts and ears to your message and to one another. Guide us that we may be steadfast in our search for the truth, Awaken in us Your dream for a new tomorrow, Teach us to be the presence of Your love in the world. We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ Your Son Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit One God forever and ever. Amen.
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Think and Act Anew: Group Study Guide
Topic of the Week 5 Minutes
Poverty in America: Who is Poor? To best explore this topic group members should have read pages 7-42 of the book Think and Act Anew prior to the meeting. Introduce the topic of the week and begin the discussion. Today we will explore the concept of poverty in America, and confront our own perceptions of who are poor people – what they look like, what they do. We will also try to identify the underlying causes of poverty.
Questions for Discussion 40 Minutes
Provide some guidelines for the discussion. Be sure that everyone has an opportunity to respond to each question. Remind the participants that the purpose of the dialogue is to explore our world in light of faith, not to debate one another. Your group may find it helpful to use the “mutual invitation” method to facilitate dialogue. Using this method, each participant shares his or her reflection on a question, and then invites another person who has not shared to do so. To help create a positive space for faith sharing, ask the participants to observe these simple guidelines: • Listen carefully. • Use “I” statements. (Take responsibility for what you express. Do not speak for “them.”) • Help all to participate. (Do not dominate.) • Stay on the topic. • Be respectful and charitable at all times. • Commit to keeping private any items shared in confidence. After sharing these guidelines, use these questions to facilitate dialogue.
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Catholic Charities USA: Workbook for Facilitators
1.
How do we define poverty? What does poverty look like in a poor country? What does poverty look like in the United States?
2. Who are poor people in America? How and where do poor people live? What do they look like? What do they do? 3. How do we determine if someone is indeed poor in America? Refer to the five factors on p. 42. Are there any factors you would add? 4. A person who works at a fast food restaurant makes an average of $8.60 per hour, or $17,888 yearly. This falls more than $4,000 below the official poverty line, which is $22,050 for a family of four. How would a family of four live on less than $18,000/year in your community? 5. What are the root causes of poverty in America? Consider the following: unemployment, illness/mental illness, low wages/high cost of living, single parenthood, family has been poor for generations, age. Are there others? 6. Given the many causes of poverty, it is likely that many working poor people become invisible. Are they more or less likely to receive help? 7. Have you or anyone close to you ever experienced poverty? To the extent that you are comfortable, share how Fr. Snyder’s comments resonated with that experience. Project & Reading Assignment for Next Week 7 Minutes Distribute the handout for Week #2. Pope Benedict XVI teaches that we are called to desire the common good and strive towards it. Invite members of the group to share the experience of working people who are poor for one week. Present the projects below as examples of what participants could do: Project 1: Live a life of poverty in America for one week. A single person would live on $218 for the week. For a family of four it would be $426. This must include your rent, food, bill payments, and transportation. What changes would you have to make in your life if you received a poverty wage? Share what you find with your group at next week’s meeting.
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Think and Act Anew: Group Study Guide
Project 2: Construct a one-month budget for a hypothetical family of four in your community based on $1,150/month, which is the approximate after-tax income of a family living at the official poverty level. The budget should include rent, food, utilities, transportation, clothing, household supplies, health care, child care, and any other necessities. Share what you learn with your group at next week’s meeting. Read for Next Week: Think and Act Anew, Chapter 3, paying special attention to the teaching of Maimonides on the eight levels of giving on pages 49-50, and Chapter 4, pages 51-56. Closing Prayer 3 Minutes Adjourn Close by offering intentions based on today’s reflections and conversation. After participants have finished offering intentions, conclude with the Lord’s Prayer. Thank the participants for sharing their reflections and wish them safe travel home.
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Group Study Session
Week 2
Charity and Dignity: How One Affects the Other
FACILITATOR
Think and Act Anew: Small Group Study Guide Group Study Guide
Overview
The true nature of charity has become muddied in contemporary American society; it is often reduced to giving money or goods to some worthy cause. In so doing, one may unintentionally undermine the dignity of the human being on the other end. True charity enhances a person’s dignity by helping them gain control over their destiny. The Catholic Church teaches that the life and dignity of the human person should be the foundation of a moral vision for society, and that everything we do – including charitable actions – will be judged by how it enhances life and dignity. As such, charity should cultivate the dignity of both the giver and receiver – nurturing a relationship of solidarity and overcoming obstacles which inhibit attaining one’s God-given potential. This week’s discussion will look at charity through the lens of God’s love for us. We’ll also discuss Pope Benedict XVI’s illumination of the idea of charity in his recent encyclicals, God is Love (Deus Caritas Est), and Love in Truth (Caritas in Veritate), which Fr. Larry Snyder applies to the United States in Think and Act Anew. Group members will have considered these concepts in Think and Act Anew while reading this week’s assignment. • P 45: Every person is worthy of dignity and respect, because every human being is . made in the image and likeness of God. • P 57: Every person should have the right to take ownership of their life. . • P 26: Charity, love, prompts us to give what is “mine” to the other; justice prompts . us first to give the other what is “his or hers.” • PP 49-50: There are differences in the way one can do charity as illustrated in the . eight levels of charitable action as defined by Maimonides.
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Catholic Charities USA: Workbook for Facilitators
Preparation
Immediately before the first session: • Arrange the chairs in a circle. • Set up a prayer space with an open Bible on a low table in the center of the circle. • Decorate the prayer space with a cloth, candles, or flowers. • Open the Bible to 1 Corinthians 13:3; the second reading, from Caritas in Veritate, is on the handout. • Select one person to read the Scripture passage; ask the Scripture reader to read slowly, and to return the Bible to its place of honor after the reading. At the beginning of the session: • Select a prayer leader and a reader. • Distribute handout for Week #2 (as needed).
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Think and Act Anew: Group Study Guide
Welcome Opening Prayer & Scripture Reflection Prayer Leader:
Welcome everyone. Invite everyone to quiet themselves and remember that we are in the presence of God.
Let us pray. Almighty God, Creator and Sanctifier of all, You draw us together in Your Name. Led by the words and witness of Your Son, We desire to be Christ’s compassion in our broken world. We ask that You send Your Spirit to be with us now As we listen to Your Word.
Reader 1: 1 Corinthians 13:3 Pause for silent reflection. Reader 2: From Caritas in Veritate (6). Charity goes beyond justice, because to love is to give, to offer what is “mine” to the other; but it never lacks justice, which prompts us to give the other what is “his”, what is due to him by reason of his being or his acting. I cannot “give” what is mine to the other without first giving him what pertains to him in justice. If we love others with charity, then first of all we are just towards them. …justice is inseparable from charity and intrinsic to it. Justice is the primary way of charity, or, in Paul VI’s words, the “minimum measure” of it. Pause for silent reflection. Prayer Leader: Almighty God, Open our hearts and ears to your message and to one another. Guide us that we may be steadfast in our search for the truth, Awaken in us Your dream for a new tomorrow, Teach us to be the presence of Your love in the world. We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ Your Son Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit One God forever and ever. Amen.
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Catholic Charities USA: Workbook for Facilitators
Topic of the Week
Charity and Dignity Introduce the topic of discussion for week #2. Group members should have read Chapter 3 and Chapter 4 (pages 51-56) of the book Think and Act Anew. This week, we will explore the Catholic meaning of “charity” and its relationship to the dignity of people. We’ll also consider how charitable action can support or undermine the dignity of the recipient.
Questions for Discussion
Remind participants of the guidelines for the discussion. Be sure that everyone has an opportunity to respond to each question. Remind the participants that the purpose of the dialogue is to explore our world in light of faith, not to debate one another. After sharing these guidelines, ask group members to share what they learned during the previous week’s exercise (living life of poverty/constructing a budget at poverty level). Then use these questions to facilitate dialogue on this week’s topic. 1. Have you had a personal experience where you were serving people in need? How did they react to you? How did you feel? What did you learn?
2. How do we define human dignity? Why is it important to ensure dignity is respected that people are able to take ownership of their lives to the extent they are able? 3. How are charity and dignity related? (Discuss Maimonides’ eight levels of giving on pages 49-50; ask the group to identify examples at each level.) 4. How would the principle of giving someone “what is his/hers” versus giving what is “mine” change any of your charitable actions? 5. What would you do differently in your community to change charitable actions so they helped people achieve a greater level of self-sufficiency? 6. How have these chapters changed your view of charity?
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Think and Act Anew: Group Study Guide
Project & Reading Assignment for Next Week
Distribute the handout for Week #3. A majority of Americans “living in poverty” are the working poor, who can become invisible. These are people who clean homes and offices, construct buildings, provide day care, landscape gardens, or work in nursing homes. Ask members of the group to spend the next week being especially aware of the working poor. Present the projects below as examples of what participants could do: Project 1: Notice the people with whom you come into contact during the week who work low wage jobs. Greet them and thank them for the contribution they make to your life and community. Project 2: Strike up a conversation with at least one person who could be considered one of the “working poor”. Pay attention to how that person reacts to you. Is there any change? What is the result of establishing this connection? Next week, we will look at how our individual actions and decisions contribute to or reduce poverty in America. Read for Next Week: Think and Act Anew, Chapter 4, pages 56-60, and Chapter 5, pages 61-64.
Closing Prayer Adjourn
Close by offering intentions based on today’s reflections and conversation. After participants have finished offering intentions, conclude with the Lord’s Prayer. Thank the participants for sharing their reflections and wish them safe travel home.
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Group Study Session
Week 3
How Our Individual Actions Affect Poverty
FACILITATOR
Think and Act Anew: Small Group Study Guide Group Study Guide
Overview
Major issues like an economic crisis or widespread poverty often seem to be beyond our capacity to bring about change. But each of us is called by God to protect and defend the poor and to use our talents and resources to make a difference. In the previous week’s discussion, we looked at the various ways that charitable works are performed in light of the impact those works have on the dignity of the people involved. This week we will take a closer look at how individual actions and decisions affect poverty, by looking at how we are in relationship with one another. In Think and Act Anew, Fr. Larry Snyder writes: Foundational to the teachings of the Scriptures is the belief that we are called upon to live in community. This community is premised on the relationship human beings have to one another. We are neighbors, but we are more. We are sisters and brothers called to value and practice the virtues of charity and justice. This is of ultimate importance in how we act as citizens and neighbors in the United States, and it should define what is expected of us in serving the least of those who are members of our national family. (P 58) . We will take a critical look at how loving our neighbor as ourselves establishes a fraternity among the human family. We will revisit some of the patterns of our daily lives and see how they support or harm our brothers and sisters who might be only a few degrees of separation away from us. Finally, we will look at several individuals who made decisions to use their time and talents to bring transformative change in people’s lives.
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Catholic Charities USA: Workbook for Facilitators
Preparation
Immediately before the first session: • Arrange the chairs in a circle. • Set up a prayer space with an open Bible on a low table in the center of the circle. • Decorate the prayer space with a cloth, candles, or flowers. • Open the Bible to Matthew 22:34-40 and place a bookmark at Luke 10:30-37. At the beginning of the session: • Select a prayer leader and two readers. Ask the first Scripture reader to read slowly and then solemnly pass the book to the second reader. The second reader will read slowly and then return the Bible to its place of honor after the reading. • Distribute handout for Week #3 (as needed).
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Think and Act Anew: Group Study Guide
Welcome Opening Prayer & Scripture Reflection Prayer Leader:
Warmly welcome everyone. Invite everyone to quiet themselves and remember that we are in the presence of God. Let us pray. Almighty God, Creator and Sanctifier of all, You draw us together in Your Name. Led by the words and witness of Your Son, We desire to be Christ’s compassion in our broken world. We ask that You send Your Spirit to be with us now As we listen to Your Word. Matthew 22:34-40 Pause for silent reflection.
Reader 1:
Reader 2:
Luke 10:29-37 Pause for silent reflection.
Prayer Leader: Almighty God, Open our hearts and ears to your message and to one another. Guide us that we may be steadfast in our search for the truth, Awaken in us Your dream for a new tomorrow, Teach us to be the presence of Your love in the world. We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ Your Son Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit One God forever and ever. Amen.
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Catholic Charities USA: Workbook for Facilitators
Topic of the Week
Individual Action and Poverty (Group members should have read Chapter 4, pages 56-60, and Chapter 5, pages 61-64 of the book Think and Act Anew.) This week, we begin a discussion about how each of us, by being intentional about our actions, can change the nation’s poverty landscape. We will look to Christ’s example and teaching for inspiration for our daily life.
Questions for Discussion
Remind the group of the guidelines for discussion. Remind the participants that the purpose of the discussion is to explore our faith, not to debate with one another. Ask group members to share what they learned during the previous week’s exercise (learning about the working poor), and then use the following questions to facilitate dialogue. 1. What does it mean for someone to be “our neighbor”? How does the biblical sense of “neighbor” differ from the common use of the word? 2. How are we more than neighbors? What impact does living as “the human family” change the way we would live or treat others? 3. One way to look at “neighbor” is in the story of the Good Samaritan – the neighbor is the one who makes a decision to help. What holds us back from helping someone who is struggling to make ends meet? 4. Do we think of the people who are struggling in our communities, across the country or across the world as our “neighbor” and our “family”? What would change in our lives if we thought of family in a broader way? 5. How do our individual decisions about where we shop and what we buy affect others around us? Do our shopping decisions cost other people their jobs, or endorse employers who pay minimum wage and provide no benefits, like healthcare or childcare? 6. If we practiced both justice and charity, what impact would this have on our lives and world? How does our Catholic faith call us to act on behalf of those in need?
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Think and Act Anew: Group Study Guide
7. How does our individual pursuit of the American Dream contribute to and detract from the common good? 8. What changes will you make in your own life based on this discussion? Project & Reading Assignment for Next Week Distribute the handout for Week #4. Ask members of the group to spend the next week thinking about what changes are needed to make achieving the American Dream a reality for everyone. Present the projects below as examples of what participants could do: Project 1: Think about all of the purchases you made in the past month, find out where the goods were made (e.g., clothing, cars, food, electronics), and whether they have been produced in the US or another country. Research what the same items would cost if they were made in the United States. What changes would you have to make in your life if all of these products were made in the US? Project 2: Read about the Volunteers of the Year nominees on the Catholic Charities USA website: www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/volunteers. These volunteers show how individuals can have a positive impact on the lives of others. Think about your own skills and talents. How could you use them to make a difference in the lives of those struggling with poverty? Next week, we will examine our society’s economic and political values to explore how free markets and the common good can be pursued together. We will also look at how the principles of Catholic social teaching can be used to transform public and private institutions to more closely resemble the City of God. Read for Next Week: Think and Act Anew, Chapters 5 and 6 (pages 61-88). Closing Prayer Adjourn Close by offering intentions based on today’s reflections and conversation. After participants have finished offering intentions, conclude with the Lord’s Prayer. Thank the participants for sharing their reflections and wish them safe travel home.
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Group Study Session
Week 4
America and the Common Good
FACILITATOR
Think and Act Anew: Small Group Study Guide Group Study Guide
Overview
Think and Act Anew was written to focus a spotlight on the reality of poverty in America as the nation began to rebuild its economy in the aftermath of the economic crisis of 2008. Fr. Snyder calls on everyone to reassess priorities and actions to ensure that as we rebuild we include the well-being of all people in our vision for the future. Fr. Snyder explains that we exercise our love of God by desiring each person’s good and the good of all. In this week’s discussion, we will examine our society’s economic and political philosophies to determine whether free markets and the common good can be pursued together. And we will discuss the role government should play in promoting the common good and protecting vulnerable citizens. Finally, we will define the prophetic role of the Church and assess how the principles of Catholic social teaching can be used to transform commercial and public institutions.
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Catholic Charities USA: Workbook for Facilitators
Preparation
Immediately before the first session: • Arrange the chairs in a circle. • Set up a prayer space with an open Bible on a low table in the center of the circle. • Decorate the prayer space with a cloth, candles, or flowers. • Open the Bible to Jeremiah 5:26-28 and place a bookmark at John 13:14-17. • Ask the first Scripture reader to read slowly and then solemnly pass the book to the second reader. The second reader will read slowly and then return the Bible to its place of honor after the reading. At the beginning of the session: • Select a prayer leader and two readers. • Distribute handout for Week #4 (as needed).
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Think and Act Anew: Group Study Guide
Welcome Opening Prayer & Scripture Reflection Prayer Leader:
Warmly welcome everyone. Invite everyone to quiet themselves and remember that we are in the presence of God. Let us pray. Almighty God, Creator and Sanctifier of all, You draw us together in Your Name. Led by the words and witness of Your Son, We desire to be Christ’s compassion in our broken world. We ask that You send Your Spirit to be with us now As we listen to Your Word. Jeremiah 5:26-28 Pause for silent reflection.
Reader 1:
Reader 2:
John 13:14-17 Pause for silent reflection.
Prayer Leader: Almighty God, Open our hearts and ears to your message and to one another. Guide us that we may be steadfast in our search for the truth, Awaken in us Your dream for a new tomorrow, Teach us to be the presence of Your love in the world. We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ Your Son Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit One God forever and ever. Amen.
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Catholic Charities USA: Workbook for Facilitators
Topic of the Week
America and the Common Good Group members should have read Chapters 5 and 6 (pages 61-88) of the book Think and Act Anew. Today, we continue our discussion of how our actions contribute to or reduce poverty in America, but this time we focus on the actions of our public and private sectors to assess whether they contribute to the good of all Americans. In Caritas in Veritate, Pope Benedict XVI says: The conviction that man is self-sufficient and can successfully eliminate the evil present in history by his own action alone has led him to confuse happiness and salvation with immanent forms of material prosperity and social action. Then, the conviction that the economy must be autonomous, that it must be shielded from “influences” of a moral character, has led man to abuse the economic process in a thoroughly destructive way. In the long term, these convictions have led to economic, social and political systems that trample upon personal and social freedom, and are therefore unable to deliver the justice that they promise. (34) Fr. Snyder reminds us that we are loved and gifted by God. We are called to love God in return and to show that love by how we treat one another. We can do this by creating economic, social, and political frameworks that ensure opportunity for everyone, including those who are poor. With that in mind, let us begin today’s discussion.
Questions for Discussion
Remind the group of the guidelines for discussion. Remind the participants that the purpose of the discussion is to explore our faith, not to debate with one another. After sharing the guidelines, ask group members to share what they learned during the previous week’s exercise (American Dream/individual action), then use the following questions to facilitate dialogue. 1. In what ways is the market economy of the United States subject to “distributive justice” and “social justice”? What response do we have to those who believe “greed is good”?
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Think and Act Anew: Group Study Guide
2. How would putting God in the center of our decision making transform our free market system? 3. Think about a recent economic shift and the impact it has had on the jobs and lives of people who make, distribute, and sell goods. Consider, for example, replacing fossil fuels with clean energy sources such as wind or solar: Where would the new jobs be created? What would happen to the communities where old forms of energy (coal/oil/gas) are produced? 4. How can we enact public policies that reflect our beliefs in a secular society? How would you argue that America should be rebuilt so that the common good is the top priority? 5. Based on what you have read, what moral principles does our faith insist should help guide economic life? 6. Why does Pope Benedict say that the economy needs “ethics” and that those ethics should be “people‐centered” in order to function correctly? 7. In what ways has the current economic system not worked to the benefit of workers and the poor? 8. What are the moral responsibilities of workers, owners, managers, stockholders, and consumers in economic life? How can we help recognize the moral responsibilities we have? 9. We are called, as part of God’s family, to “generate a new vision” of love and solidarity that includes economic life that is focused, first and foremost, on the human person. What are the ways we can act on what we have learned as family members, workers, owners, consumers, and voters? Project & Reading Assignment for Next Week Distribute the handout for Week #5. During this next week, ask participants to consider all they have read and heard in the group discussions and think about what we can do as a parish community to think and act anew about poverty. The projects below are examples and should not limit their ideas, which they will bring to next week’s meeting.
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Catholic Charities USA: Workbook for Facilitators
Project 1: Think of a parish or community project based on the principles of Catholic social teaching as we have discussed over the past four weeks. Present ideas to the group at the next meeting. This project could be done as a team. Project 2: Look at the community in which you live and determine how many jobs have been eliminated over the past 20 years and how many new jobs have been created. How have these jobs been affected by actions and/or conditions outside of your community? Do new jobs pay what the former jobs did? What impact have these changes had on both workers individually and your community as a whole? What impact has it had on our parish? Read for Next Week: • Think and Act Anew, Chapters 7 and 8 (pages 113-118) • Go to Fr. Larry Snyder’s blog, Think and Act Anew: www.thinkandactanew.org. Read a few of the posts and post a comment or question based on what you have learned in this study group. Closing Prayer Adjourn Close by offering intentions based on today’s reflections and conversation. After participants have finished offering intentions, conclude with the Lord’s Prayer. Thank the participants for sharing their reflections and wish them safe travel home.
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Think and Act Anew: Small Group Study Guide
Group Study Session
Week 5
Parish Project “Our Faith is Profoundly Social”
FACILITATOR
Catholic Charities USA: Workbook for Facilitators
Overview
Fr. Snyder recounts in Think and Act Anew (p. 116) the statement of the US Conference of Bishops that, “The central message is simple: our faith is profoundly social. We cannot be called truly ‘Catholic’ unless we hear and heed the Church’s call to serve those in need and work for justice and peace.” As our nation works to rebuild the American economy, we are presented with a once-in-ageneration opportunity to reshape the nation’s social contract so that no person is left out or behind. The previous four weeks have enabled us to develop a deeper understanding of poverty in America and a heightened awareness of some of the innovative ideas and programs that attempt to address the issue in new ways. This week, we gather to identify ways in which our parish can bring about needed change in our immediate community and join others as a national Catholic voice that urges a “new trajectory of thinking” about what it means to live and work as one family.
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Think and Act Anew: Group Study Guide
Preparation
Immediately before the first session: • Arrange the chairs in a circle. • Set up a prayer space with an open Bible on a low table in the center of the circle. • Decorate the prayer space with a cloth, candles, or flowers. • Open the Bible to Micah 6:8; place a bookmark at Romans 12:2. At the beginning of the session: • Select a prayer leader and two readers. Ask the first Scripture reader to read slowly and then solemnly pass the book to the second reader. The second reader will read slowly and then return the Bible to its place of honor after the reading. • Distribute handout for Week #5 (as needed).
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Catholic Charities USA: Workbook for Facilitators
Opening Prayer & Scripture Reflection Prayer Leader:
Invite everyone to quiet themselves and remember that we are in the presence of God. Let us pray. Almighty God, Creator and Sanctifier of all, You draw us together in Your Name. Led by the words and witness of Your Son, We desire to be Christ’s compassion in our broken world. We ask that You send Your Spirit to be with us now As we listen to Your Word. Micah 6:8 Pause for silent reflection.
Reader 1:
Reader 2:
Romans 12:2-6 Pause for silent reflection.
Prayer Leader: Almighty God, Open our hearts and ears to your message and to one another. Guide us that we may be steadfast in our search for the truth, Awaken in us Your dream for a new tomorrow, Teach us to be the presence of Your love in the world. We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ Your Son Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit One God forever and ever. Amen.
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Think and Act Anew: Group Study Guide
Topic of the Week
Parish Project Group members should have read Chapters 7 and 8 of the book Think and Act Anew. Today we will lay the groundwork for a parish project that will reduce poverty in our community. We will also discuss ways in which we can join our voice to the voices of others to bring the principles of Catholic social teaching into our national deliberations on economic and social policy. With that in mind, let us begin today’s discussion.
Questions for Discussion
1.
Did anyone read and/or comment on Fr. Snyder’s blog? Was there any issue you found particularly compelling? Were there other comments that made you think in a different way about some aspect of poverty?
2. What are the most pressing needs in our community? (Spend time identifying several.) 3. Which of those needs are we best suited as a parish community to help alleviate? Select one and discuss what the parish could do, how to begin the project, etc. Canvass the group to see if there is support for the project. Make arrangements to form a project group and inform the parish of the idea. 4. What are the most important issues for our government and our business leaders to address in order to reduce poverty in America? What can we do to bring these issues to their attention? Discuss options such as letter writing, petition drives, visits to public officials, opportunities for advocacy. Develop a plan for the parish and arrange to enlist the community in the actions.
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Catholic Charities USA: Workbook for Facilitators
5. What can we do to raise awareness of the issue of poverty among members of our parish? Our city/state? Discuss options such as a speaker series, community action event, creating a discussion on the Think and Act Anew blog and others, video project, social media campaign, etc. 6. In what ways is the market economy of the United States subject to “distributive justice” and “social justice”? What response do we have to those who believe “greed is good”? Closing Prayer Adjourn Close by offering intentions based on today’s reflections and conversation. After participants have finished offering intentions, conclude with the Lord’s Prayer. Thank the participants for sharing their reflections and wish them safe travel home.
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Think and Act Anew: Group Study Guide
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