Pope Benedict XVI Visits Washington

Parish / School Resources

Resource Guides for Teachers, Catechists and Youth Ministers

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Catechesis on the papacy is an integral part of planning for the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the United States in April.  The Archdiocese of Washington, in collaboration with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' Secretariat for Evangelization and Catechesis, has created resource guides to support the work of teachers, catechists and youth ministers.  These materials offer direction and referenced suggestions for the development of two to five hours of grade appropriate and parish/school appropriate lessons focused on the papacy and the papal visit.  They also include material suitable for adults.

We encourage teachers, catechists and youth ministers to utilize these resource guides to create lesson plans designed to address the learning needs of each individual class or group, with attention to age, ability, culture, religion, current religion curriculum and prior knowledge regarding the papacy. Teachers and catechists will establish the goals and learning outcomes for each lesson with the approval of their principal or catechetical leader. Unlike more comprehensive lesson plans and study guides, these resource guides are for use in the development of lessons by catechists, teachers and youth ministers.  All are encouraged to browse materials beyond the particular age level they serve.

The first and primary resource is the document titled “Core Theology on the Papacy.”  This provides, in question and answer format, the core theological realities under three sections:  The Ministry of the Pope, The Present Pontiff and The Pope as Bishop.  This material serves as theological background for each of the resource guides and should be read first.  It is particularly useful for adults seeking to learn more about the papacy.

Included:

Each level includes materials on topics such as Who was Peter; Who is Pope Benedict XVI; What is the Mission of the Pope; and Why is This Visit Important?

PowerPoint Presentations (recommended for grades 9-12):