Catechesis Learning Experience
Evangelization and Catechesis Module

Main idea for Session: To have the teens in a concrete and practical way learn about those who are hungry in the community and in the world.

Learning Objectives for Session

Trusting (Affective) Objectives
Recognize what it means to be hungry in themselves, in their community and in the world.
Recognize how it feels to be one of the haves or have-nots.
Watch their friends struggle with the effects of hunger.

Believing (Cognitive) Objectives
Learn the prices of food for a family of four to live on
Learn how an effort to feed the hungry is organized and managed.
Learn about the differences between first, second, and third world countries.
Learn the difference between being called to be charitable and working to solve the systemic problem.

Doing (Behavioral) Objectives
Participate in a county-wide effort to sort food and box it ready for distribution to county-wide food pantries.
Go to the supermarket and try to shop for a family of four living on the poverty level. See how much food can be bought.
Participate in a food fast

Session Plan

Focusing Activity
Show video Vision for Justice from World Hunger from Columba Mission

Movement One: Discovering Life Experience
Have a discussion on what their last meal of the day was
What feelings were they having knowing that their next meal would not come for another 30 hours?
What would they feel like if they didn’t know where their next meal was coming from
What are some of the things they have heard or know about world hunger

Movement Two: Reflecting on Life Experience
Create a grocery list for a family of four for one week
Go to a local grocery store and price those items
Determine how much money would be needed to feed that family of four for one week
Handout: http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/sites/default/files/CostofFoodFeb2015.pdf
See if it can be done on a salary that is minimum wage with and without the help of food stamps
What items would they eliminate from the list

Movement Three: Sharing the Faith Story
Share the Gospel from Matthew 25- corporal works of mercy
Take students (who are still fasting) to Northern Illinois Food Depository and sort food for County Wide Food Drive
Provides a direct service opportunity that can be shown to help people all over the county- even people in their own community

Movement Four: Integrating the Faith Story into My Life
Conduct a Hunger Banquet
Students are divided into First (less than 10%), Second (15%), and
Third World (75%)- explanation of concept and how it has changed- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_World
First World people receive a steak dinner prepared by Second and Third world countries and served on a table with fine linen and china
Second World people receive a rice casserole and water to drink
Third World people receive rice and water
Second and Third World people eat in a circle surrounding the first
world people.
After this is completed discuss what being in each “world” felt like
What does the call of Jesus mean to look after the “least of our brothers and sisters?”
What is a way you can perform the corporal works of mercy in your own life?

Movement Five: Living the Faith Story
Brainstorm ideas of what we can do to feed the hungry
Brainstorm ideas of what we can do to solve the root causes of hunger in the world- both locally and globally.
What project can we do in the next 2 months to show this

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