Welcome to the third week of Lent. Over the last two weeks, we have looked at Prayer (connecting with God) and Fasting (disconnecting from the things that control us). If Prayer looks up and Fasting looks in, then our third Lenten discipline, Almsgiving, looks out. Almsgiving is an old-fashioned word for giving to those in need. But in the Catholic tradition, it is not just about dropping spare change into a bucket to make ourselves feel better; it is about justice, dignity, and recognising that we belong to each other.

Section 1: The Global Family (CST)

We invite you to start with the Sign of the Cross.

Response: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen

A reading from the First Letter of St John (3:17-18)

“How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help? Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.”

The Gospel of the Lord

R./ Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

The Catholic Church has a set of guiding principles called Catholic Social Teaching (CST). It is essentially the Church’s blueprint for how to build a fair society. One of the main pillars of CST is Solidarity. Solidarity means understanding that we are one single human family, regardless of national, racial, or economic boundaries. If someone is suffering on the other side of the world, they are not a stranger; they are our brother or sister. When we give “alms” (money, time, or resources), we aren’t just doing a nice favour. We are restoring justice. We are taking the resources that God gave to the whole world and making sure our family members have their fair share.

Discussion Questions:

• Why is it sometimes easier to ignore global poverty than it is to ignore someone struggling right in front of us?
  
• Catholic Social Teaching says we must have a “Preferential Option for the Poor” (putting the needs of the poorest first). What would our school look like if we put the most vulnerable students first?
  

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Section 2: Charity Quiz

Click here for the Charity Quiz!