Be the Change!
By Jane Angha
Purpose
This session, designed for older adolescents, takes a
look at the current economic situation and gives the
young people an opportunity to do something positive.
Participants will look at the situation through the lens of faith
which always brings thought and reflection, creativity and hope. Through the
use of Church teaching, social analysis, and action, the participants will come to
see God present in the world and their own important part in bringing about
change. This session uses the Pastoral Circle process to look at the economic
situation.
Component: Justice & Service
Session at a Glance
7:00 p.m.
Welcome and Introductions
7:05 p.m.
What’s Up? (Involvement)
7:20 p.m.
Explaining the Economic Crisis (Exploration)
7:25 p.m.
Economic Justice for All (Exploration)
7:45 p.m.
Time for a Prophet (Reflection)
7:50 p.m.
Voice 4 Change (Action)
8:20 p.m.
Closing Prayer
8:20 p.m.
Announcements and Refreshments
8:30 p.m.
Good Night!
Extend the Session Ideas
1. Invite a panel of senior citizens or refugees who have lived through tough
times. Have them tell their stories and how their faith made all the
difference.
2. On the next weekend, invite teens to interview people in the parish to see
how their faith has helped in the current economic situation.
3. Take the session to the next level of advocacy. Come up with a statement
on behalf of the group and send a letter to your senators or congress men
and women. Have it typed up and signed by the group.
4. Come up with some concrete ways your town or city can help with the
tough times i.e., lights out, water consumption, look out for elderly and
vulnerable neighbors, buy locally, reduce waste, recycle and repair,
carpool, create a community garden. Write a letter to your mayor or city
council. Have each participant sign the letter.
Be the Change!
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Page 1
Materials Needed
 Newsprint
 Markers
 Prayer table with Bible, seasonal cloth, candle, and basket
 CD player
 LCD projector and laptop computer (see #1 in Prepare in Advance)
 “How to Explain the 2008 U.S. Financial Crisis to Your Kids (And Most
Adults)” http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-101256 (see #7 in Prepare in
Advance)
 “Waiting on the World to Change” by John Mayer (Continuum), available as
an MP3 download: http://www.amazon.com/Waiting-WorldChange/dp/B001BKRX6W/ref=sr_f2_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=123600674
1&sr=102-1
 Resource 1, Economic Justice for All, one for each small group of four to six
 Handout 1, The Prophet, one copy for each participant
 Resource 2, Time for a Prophet, five copies (one for each reader, see #3 in
Prepare in Advance)
 Resource 3, Solidarity Pledge (see #5 in Prepare in Advance)
 Resource 4, Litany of Hope, one copy for the reader (see #4 in Prepare in
Advance)
 Video recorder or digital camera to record prophetic messages
Prepare in Advance
1. Record different news shows that highlight current economic situations here
and abroad (CNN, AC 360, etc.). You need about five minutes of news stories
for the closing prayer. This will play without sound. Put on DVD or flash
drive.
2. Prepare newsprint sheets, one with each of the following words on it:
Hearing, Seeing, Thinking, Feeling. Place around the room with markers near
each one.
3. Invite five participants to help with the reflection part of the session. Give
each reader a copy of Resource 2, Time for a Prophet, before the session.
4. Invite two participants to help with the closing prayer. One will proclaim the
Gospel reading, and the other will lead the Litany of Hope (Resource 4).
5. Copy Resource 3, Solidarity Pledge, onto nice paper or cardstock and cut
along the lines. You will need one for each participant.
Be the Change!
Copyright © Center for Ministry Development, 2009. All rights reserved.
Page 2
6. Set up the room with chairs for the participants (sitting around tables will
work as well). Set up the prayer space with a table covered with the cloth. On
the table, place the Bible, pillar candle, and basket of Solidarity Pledge cards.
During the closing prayer, the participants will be watching a short video.
Your audio-visual set-up needs to work with the prayer space.
7. Download and preview the video “How to Explain the 2008 U.S. Financial
Crisis to Your Kids (And Most Adults).”
Session Outline
Welcome and Introduction (5 minutes)
As participants arrive, play “Waiting on the World to Change” in the
background.
Gather the group together and give a warm welcome:
Welcome! I’m happy you are here tonight. Tonight’s session will be looking at
what’s happening in our world right now…what is in the news and in
conversations everywhere – the economy!
We will be taking a look at it and getting a chance to do something about it!
What’s Up? (Involvement) (15 minutes)
How many of you have watched the news lately? Has anyone heard what is
happening with our economy? What do you think is the state of the nation
today? It seems like everywhere you turn, that is all people are talking about
today! What about you? What are you hearing? Or seeing, thinking, or
feeling? Let’s find out.
Around the room you will see some newsprint, go to each one of the sheets
and write down what you think. Make sure you write something on each
sheet.
Once the young people are finished, invite them to gather back as a large group.
Bring the sheets to the front of the room or go to each sheet and sum up the lists.
Acknowledge each of the responses.
Sometimes news like this paralyzes people. They become fearful or worried.
They are not sure if things will ever be better again. So they do things like
horde… or become selfish with what they have. They might develop a
mistrusting attitude toward the government, economy, business, and banks.
The other extreme is to ignore it and hope it will go away. Neither is a great
way to respond to the situation, so what ought we to do? Well, the Church,
our church, is always about justice… seeing all sides of a situation. So that
will be a good place to start.
Be the Change!
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Explaining the Economic Crisis (Exploration) (5 minutes)
We’ve got a good start with your list. Now, we’re going to dig a little deeper
into the issues.
Show the video “How to Explain the 2008 U.S. Financial Crisis to Your Kids
(And Most Adults).”
Then say the following in your own words…
While this does not give us a complete explanation of the complexity, it does
break things down for us a little bit. Since we have neither the time or the
expertise to understand the whole problem, let us switch gears to understand
what our faith says about the economy.
Economic Justice For All (Reflection) (20 minutes)
Divide the participants into small groups of six and assign each group one of the
six principles found in Resource 1. Explain to each group that they will have ten
minutes to read their principle, understand it, and then using the group
responses from the newsprint, explain how this principle speaks to what we
have seen, heard, felt, or thought. They should start their presentation with the
following ‘script’:
First, read your principle to the group. Then say for example “We feel that
selfishness has led to our economic problem, but our faith says that society
has a responsibility to work for the human rights of everyone, not just
ourselves.”
Give the groups ten minutes or so and then invite them to share their work with
the large group.
Time for a Prophet (Reflection) (5 minutes)
Invite the five readers to come to the front of the group and read from their script
(Resource 2, Time for a Prophet).
Voice 4 Change (Action) (30 minutes)
Distribute Handout 1, Time for a Prophet, and a pen to each participant.
Some say that the situation in our country—and in the world—right now is the
perfect setting for a prophet to enter. What if YOU have been challenged with
being that voice? Who would you want to have hear the message? What
would the message be? Where and how would you deliver the message?
What results might you want to have happen? How would you know it was
effective?
For the next 15-20 minutes, you have the opportunity to answer these
questions using the same issue you had in your in your last small group
Be the Change!
Copyright © Center for Ministry Development, 2009. All rights reserved.
Page 4
activity. Some ways we get messages out today are: t-shirts, bumper
stickers, commercials, yard signs, posters, advertisements, public service
announcements, etc.
Gather with your small group and get to work! Be prophetic!!
Give groups a chance to come to the front and share their message! Consider
recording the messages with a video/digital recorder.
These were incredible! Nice job! It is great to hear the message, but now we
actually have to “be the change we want to see in the world!” – like the
words from Gandhi challenge us!
The prophets remind people that God is here waiting for us to call on him for
help. God’s motive is always love. God’s message is one of hope.
We might hear a prophet say:
“Things aren’t over yet!
Don’t give up!
Don’t panic! Don’t worry!
Do not FEAR!
There is enough for everyone!
Things will turn around!”
As disciples, we are called to not only believe this but to live this as well. To
LIVE like we believe that and to make that happen, we have to BE the change
we want to see in the world! Let’s take a few minutes to think about what we
can personally do to make things better.
Distribute the solidarity pledge cards to each person (make sure they still have a
pen). Give participants a few minutes to fill them out and bring them as they
gather for the closing prayer.
Closing Prayer (10 minutes)
Make sure the laptop computer and LCD projector are set up for the news video
presentation. Ask a volunteer to light the candle on the prayer table.
Gather
Prayer Leader: (begin with the Sign of the Cross)
Jesus,
You have called us together as Church—to be your body in the world. As a
community of believer, we know that prayer makes a difference! Now, more
than ever, we see the need for prayer, commitment, solidarity, and the
prophet’s message. We pray tonight for your help and guidance to be
prophetic voices and courageous disciples. We ask this in your name. Amen.
Start the video of news clips. This is played without sound.
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Listen
Invite the reader to proclaim Matthew 6:25-33. Allow a few moments of quiet
after the reading.
Respond
Prayer Leader:
Our prayer is one that starts in our own hearts, but we take it out further now
to those in power who will make decisions for all of us. We pray for our
political leaders and business and corporation owners… that they will be
motivated by justice, lead with integrity, make decisions for the common
good, and to pray for wisdom, discernment, and guidance from God.
Signal the reader to begin the litany (Resource 4, Litany of Hope).
Invite participants to come forward with their pledge of solidarity and place the
card in the basket on the prayer table.
Go Forth
Prayer Leader:
May each of us leave with hope and encouragement tonight—that God is
enough. Many of us leave challenged by the prophetic challenge our Church
gives us. May we be a light for others and with words of hope to make a
difference in the lives we touch and the world around us! Amen.
Announcements and Refreshments (10 minutes)
Thank the youth for their participation in tonight’s session. Make any needed
announcements, and invite them to enjoy some refreshments. Be sure to hand
back people’s pledge of solidarity so they can take them home and keep them in
a prominent place.
Websites mentioned in this session were accessed successfully on March 1, 2009.
This session was written by Jane Angha, Director of Faith Formation, St. Bernard
Parish, Appleton, Wisconsin. Jane also teaches Justice & Service in the Certificate
in Youth Ministry Studies Program and serves as a Program Director for Young
Neighbors in Action.
Resources consulted in writing this session include:
Catholic Youth Bible [Saint Mary’s Press]
Justice & Service Course Binder [Center for Ministry Development]
Catechism of the Catholic Church, Paragraph 222
Prayer of Teresa of Avila
Be the Change!
Copyright © Center for Ministry Development, 2009. All rights reserved.
Page 6
Resource 1
Economic Justice For All
Six Principles for the Economy
13. Every economic decision and institution must be judged in light of whether it
protects or undermines the dignity of the human person. The pastoral letter begins
with the human person. We believe the person is sacred -- the clearest reflection
of God among us. Human dignity comes from God, not from nationality, race,
sex, economic status, or any human accomplishment. We judge any economic
system by what it does for and to people and by how it permits all to participate in
it. The economy should serve people, not the other way around.
14. Human dignity can be realized and protected only in community. In our teaching,
the human person is not only sacred but social. How we organize our society -in economics and politics, in law and policy -- directly affects human dignity and
the capacity of individuals to grow in community. The obligation to "love our
neighbor" has an individual dimension, but it also requires a broader social
commitment to the common good. We have many partial ways to measure and
debate the health of our economy: Gross National Product, per capita income,
stock market prices, and so forth. The Christian vision of economic life looks
beyond them all and asks, Does economic life enhance or threaten our life
together as a community?
15. All people have a right to participate in the economic life of society. Basic justice
demands that people be assured a minimum level of participation in the
economy. It is wrong for a person or a group to be excluded unfairly or to be
unable to participate or contribute to the economy. For example, people who are
both able and willing, but cannot get a job are deprived of the participation that
is so vital to human development. For, it is through employment that most
individuals and families meet their material needs, exercise their talents, and
have an opportunity to contribute to the larger community. Such participation
has a special significance in our tradition because we believe that it is a means by
which we join in carrying forward God’s creative activity.
16. All members of society have a special obligation to the poor and vulnerable. From the
Scriptures and church teaching, we learn that the justice of a society is tested by
the treatment of the poor. The justice that was the sign of God's covenant with
Israel was measured by how the poor and unprotected -- the widow, the orphan,
and the stranger -- were treated. The kingdom that Jesus proclaimed in his word
and ministry excludes no one. Throughout Israel’s history and in early
Christianity, the poor are agents of God’s transforming power. “The Spirit of the
Lord is upon me, therefore he has anointed me. He has sent me to bring glad
tidings to the poor” (Lk 4:18). This was Jesus’ first public utterance. Jesus takes
Be the Change!
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Page 7
the side of those most in need. In the Last Judgment, so dramatically described in
St. Matthew’s Gospel, we are told that we will be judged according to how we
respond to the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, the stranger. As followers of
Christ, we are challenged to make a fundamental “option for the poor” -- to
speak for the voiceless, to defend the defenseless, to assess life styles, policies,
and social institutions in terms of their impact on the poor. This “option for the
poor” does not mean pitting one group against another, but rather, strengthening
the whole community by assisting those who are most vulnerable. As Christians,
we are called to respond to the needs of all our brothers and sisters, but those
with the greatest needs require the greatest response.
17. Human rights are the minimum conditions for life in community. In Catholic
teaching, human rights include not only civil and political rights but also
economic rights. As Pope John XXIII declared, "all people have a right to life,
food, clothing, shelter, rest, medical care, education, and employment." This
means that when people are without a chance to earn a living, and must go
hungry and homeless, they are being denied basic rights. Society must ensure
that these rights are protected. In this way, we will ensure that the minimum
conditions of economic justice are met for all our sisters and brothers.
18. Society as a whole, acting through public and private institutions, has the moral
responsibility to enhance human dignity and protect human rights. In addition to the
clear responsibility of private institutions, government has an essential
responsibility in this area. This does not mean that government has the primary
or exclusive role, but it does have a positive moral responsibility in safeguarding
human rights and ensuring that the minimum conditions of human dignity are
met for all. In a democracy, government is a means by which we can act together
to protect what is important to us and to promote our common values.
Economic Justice for All. Tenth Anniversary Edition. Washington DC: United States
Conference of Catholic Bishops, 1997, pp. 16-17. Used with permission.
Be the Change!
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Handout 1
The Prophet
What if YOU have been challenged with being that prophetic voice?
1. Who would you want to hear the message?
2. What would the message say?
3. Where and how would you deliver the message?
4. What results might you want to have happen?
5.
How would you know it was effective?
Be the Change!
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Resource 2
Time for a Prophet
Reader 1: Throughout history, when things were going wrong in a community,
God often sent a prophet to get things straightened out.
 Jeremiah — a teenager challenged to tell the people they were sinful and
corrupt! He suffered for delivering the message too.
 Jonah — called to deliver a frightful message to the sinful people of
Nineveh — He tried to hide from God… but couldn’t. He came to terms
with his role as prophet in the belly of a whale.
 John the Baptist — cousin of Jesus — called to have the people repent and
prepare for the Messiah. He lost his life because of his message.
Reader 2: They spoke to the people on God’s behalf—sometimes reluctantly.
But they brought the people a message — Repent or perish! Change your ways
of you will be destroyed! Repent and have a change of heart!
Reader 3: Many people say that prophets were sent because of God’s great love
for the people. The prophets were to warn the people. God really didn’t want
them to suffer, fail, or experience destruction. God wanted them to come to their
senses!
Reader 4: The communities these prophets were sent to were on their way down
— they had a lack of respect for humanity or were consumed by greed. They
were worried about food, security, money, prestige, and fame. These are the
things that have the power to destroy people. They would eventually destroy
whole communities.
Reader 5: So, in comes the prophet. He has to first figure out he is supposed to
give the people a message and then actually do it even though he isn’t so sure of
himself. But, he proclaims the message… the people listen and the situation is
turned around! Why did that work so well?
Be the Change!
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Page 10
Resource 3
Solidarity Pledge
Directions: Copy onto nice paper or cardstock. Cut around the borders. You will need one for
each participant.
To end the economic crisis, it is going to take everyone working together doing
their part. To be in solidarity with my brothers and sisters who are struggling
right now, I, ________________________, have decided to do my part to make a
difference by _________________________________________________________.
Signature ____________________________________________________________
Date ________________________________
To end the economic crisis, it is going to take everyone working together doing
their part. To be in solidarity with my brothers and sisters who are struggling
right now, I, ________________________, have decided to do my part to make a
difference by _________________________________________________________.
Signature ____________________________________________________________
Date ________________________________
To end the economic crisis, it is going to take everyone working together doing
their part. To be in solidarity with my brothers and sisters who are struggling
right now, I, ________________________, have decided to do my part to make a
difference by _________________________________________________________.
Signature ____________________________________________________________
Date ________________________________
Be the Change!
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Page 11
Resource 4
Litany of Hope
Reader:
St. Teresa of Avila challenges and reminds us to trust. Her prayer is
one of hope. Our response to each is: We are people of hope.
Reader:
All:
Let nothing trouble you. Let nothing frighten you.
We are people of hope.
Reader:
All:
Everything passes. God never changes.
We are people of hope.
Reader:
All:
Patience obtains all.
We are people of hope.
Reader:
All:
Whoever has God wants for nothing.
We are people of hope.
Reader:
All:
God alone is enough.
We are people of hope.
Be the Change!
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Page 12