Unit 2: Lessons 1-2

GRADE EIGHT UNIT 2: LESSONS 1-2

Catch the Spirit

This week, your child learned that:

ӹӹ We study the history of the Church so ӹӹ The Council of Jerusalem affirmed that that we can learn about our identity as new life in Christ took precedence over Christians. the Old Testament Law. Jesus’ promise extends to all of humanity, and He sends ӹ Jesus established the Catholic Church ӹ the Holy Spirit to Jew and non-Jew alike. during His earthly life and gave her His same mission of the salvation of all souls. ӹӹ Christian morality stood in stark contrast to the ethics of Roman ӹ The Church was made manifest ӹ paganism. on Pentecost. It grew into a group of communities that became local ӹӹ Christianity flourished because of the churches. faith, courage, and fortitude of the Apostles. ӹӹ The Apostles preached the Good News throughout the ancient world, to Jew and Gentile alike.

Family Talk Time Meditation for This Week: Our identity, both as individuals and as Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, communities, is intimately connected baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the to our history. Can you think of some Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe examples of this? How does your history all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am affect your habits, actions, and hopes? with you always, until the end of the age. —MATTHEW 28:19-20

SPIRIT OF TRUTH © SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS GRADE EIGHT UNIT 2: LESSONS 3-4

Catch the Spirit

This week, your child learned that:

ӹӹ Jesus set St. Peter apart in a special way ӹӹ In the period from AD 100 to 500 the as the head of His Church on earth. Church spread throughout the Roman Empire. ӹӹ Jesus promised Peter the Keys to the Kingdom of Heaven and told him that ӹӹ During the early Church era, it was what St. Peter bound and loosed on earth especially important to define what would be bound and loosed in Heaven. Christians believed and establish uniformity of belief. ӹӹ St. Paul’s missionary journeys and his numerous epistles make him one of ӹӹ Church councils were held especially to the most important figures in all of correct false teachings. Christianity and the Western World. ӹӹ Emperor Constantine’s rule unleashed ӹӹ St. Stephen, the first martyr, boldly the spread of Christianity. preached the message of Christ in the face of hostility and is a model of Christian forgiveness.

Family Talk Time Meditation for This Week: Why is it so important to define terms when Dear Lord, your Apostles and earliest disciples communicating ideas? Think of Jesus’ words spread the Good News throughout the ancient to St. Peter: “I will give you the keys to the world. Enkindle within our hearts that same passion kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on and the same virtues, so that more people can be earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever brought to your saving love. you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” St. Peter, pray for us! What are the consequences of this statement? St. Stephen, pray for us! St. Paul, pray for us!

SPIRIT OF TRUTH © SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS GRADE EIGHT UNIT 2: LESSONS 5-6

Catch the Spirit

This week, your child learned that:

ӹӹ The lives, stories, and writings of the saints ӹӹ Although great early-Church leaders help us to understand Church history. came from Syria, Egypt, and North Africa, Christians became a minority in these lands ӹӹ Sts. Augustine, Jerome, and Benedict made enduring contributions to the Church. when they were conquered by Muslims from Arabia. Muslims also conquered Spain ӹ St. Monica is a model of the theological ӹ and threatened France and Constantinople. virtues of faith, hope, and love. ӹӹ The grace of God is more powerful than ӹ The Fall of Rome and constant barbarian ӹ any earthly trouble. invasions plunged Europe into what are called the Dark Ages. ӹӹ Western civilization survived the Dark Ages because of the Church. ӹӹ Monasteries kept the light of Christ burning in the darkness, were centers of learning, and offered hospitality to travelers, the poor, and the sick.

Family Talk Time Meditation for This Week: Christ tells us to pick up our cross and follow Him. O Lord, show Your mercy to me and gladden my How has this charge been an integral part of the heart. I am like the man on the way to Jericho history of the Church? What perspective does who was overtaken by robbers, wounded, and this give us when we encounter tribulations? left for dead. O Good Samaritan, come to my aid. I am like the sheep that went astray. O Good Shepherd, seek me out and bring me home in accord with Your will. Let me dwell in Your house all the days of my life and praise You forever and ever with those who are there. Amen.

SPIRIT OF TRUTH © SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS GRADE EIGHT UNIT 2: LESSONS 7-8

Catch the Spirit

This week, your child learned that:

ӹӹ Nuns and monks courageously left their ӹӹ During the late 11th century, Pope St. monasteries in order to spread the Gospel. Gregory VII led the effort to assert Church These missionaries lived in situations independence from government. of great hardship and suffering among ӹӹ The Crusades were launched in 1095 to the barbarian tribes. As a result of their reclaim the Holy Land from the Muslims. efforts, Christianity came to be firmly ӹ To combat superstition and heresy, the rooted in Europe. ӹ Church established a permanent Church ӹӹ Heeding Jesus’ command to love our court called the Inquisition in 1229. enemies, Christians would frequently ӹ The Dominican and Franciscan Orders “conquer their conquerors” by sharing ӹ were founded in the early 13th century. Christ’s love with them and converting them to the Faith. ӹӹ Entangling church and state leads to government attempts to influence a ӹӹ Christianity split into East and West in the religion Eastern Schism of 1054.

Family Talk Time Meditation for This Week: What difficulties do you think can arise when And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this the state is too involved in the Church? What rock I will build my church, and the gates of the difficulties do you think can arise if government netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give attempts to remove religion from public life? you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. MATTHEW 16:18-19

SPIRIT OF TRUTH © SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS GRADE EIGHT UNIT 2: LESSONS 9-10

Catch the Spirit

This week, your Family Talk Time child learned that: Can you think of evidence of Enlightenment ideas ӹӹ During the Protestant in our culture? If you were talking to someone who Reformation, large numbers did not believe that truth exists, how might you of Christians protested attempt to to persuade him or her that it does? against and ultimately separated themselves from Meditation for This Week: the Catholic Church. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was ӹӹ The Council of Trent sought thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you to affirm Church teaching, welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and answer Protestant heresies, you cared for me, in prison and you visited me. and end abusive practices —MATTHEW 25:35-36 within the Church.

ӹӹ The Enlightenment gave rise to new philosophies that questioned authority, tradition, and the existence of truth.

ӹӹ Sts. Francis of Assisi, Thomas Aquinas, and Catherine of Siena made enduring contributions to the Church.

SPIRIT OF TRUTH © SOPHIA INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS GRADE EIGHT UNIT 2: LESSONS 11-12

Catch the Spirit

This week, your child learned that:

ӹӹ The Church’s efforts to bring home ӹӹ Three Portuguese shepherd children were separated Christians is called the Counter- granted visions of the Virgin Mary in 1917. Reformation. This Marian apparition is known as Our Lady of Fátima. ӹӹ Explorers and missionaries spread Catholic Christianity to the Americas and ӹӹ The Church survived persecution under the Far East. Nazi and Communist governments.

ӹӹ Sts. Teresa of Ávila, Thomas More, Peter ӹӹ In the 20th century, Communist Claver, and Ignatius of Loyola made governments killed more people than any enduring contributions to the Church. other in history, and especially targeted Christians for persecution. ӹӹ The Catholic Church expanded throughout the world in the 19th and 20th ӹӹ Pope John XXIII called the Second Vatican centuries. Council to renew and reform the Church.

Family Talk Time Meditation for This Week: Think about the relationship between the Tell the rich in the present age not to be proud growth of the Church and times of persecution and not to rely on so uncertain a thing as wealth or great hardship; why do you think they but rather on God, who richly provides us with all usually go hand in hand? What are some things for our enjoyment. Tell them to do good, ways we can live out our faith each day? to be rich in good works, to be generous, ready to share, thus accumulating as treasure a good foundation for the future, so as to win the life that is true life. —1 TIMOTHY 6:17-19

Catch the Spirit

This week, your child learned that:

ӹӹ Starting with Pope Paul VI, popes began ӹӹ Pope St. John XXIII, Pope St. John Paul to travel the world, promoting solidarity II, St. Maximilian Kolbe, Bl. Miguel Pro, among Catholics, challenging unjust and Servant of God Dorothy Day made practices, and calling everyone to work for enduring contributions to the Church. world peace. ӹӹ Jesus promises us that the forces of evil ӹӹ The Church’s efforts for peace have led by Satan and his demons will not be intensified in the response to ongoing victorious against the Church. wars, genocide, and nuclear weapons. ӹӹ We have nothing to fear because Jesus has already won the victory over sin and death.

Family Talk Time Meditation for This Week: When was the last time you felt fear? What This week, share the following words from Pope was the reason for it? What has Jesus St. John Paul II: given to us that can banish our fears? So often today man does not know what is within him, in the depths of his mind and heart. So often he is uncertain about the meaning of his life on this earth. He is assailed by doubt, a doubt which turns into despair. We ask you with humility and trust, Lord Jesus, please speak to us. You alone have words of life, yes, of eternal life.

Catch the Spirit

This week, your child learned that:

ӹӹ We should apply our study of Church ӹӹ Jesus and the saints teach us that when history to our understanding of our we strive for holiness and cooperate with identity as Christians and to inform our God’s grace — when we do what we were future. made to do — we will be happy, even if we do not feel “happy” in the moment. ӹӹ Who we are determines what we do — not the reverse, as the world believes ӹӹ Because we know the Church will endure today. forever, we know that saints are still being made today. ӹӹ To understand who we are, we must understand our nature. ӹӹ Jesus calls us all to be saints.

ӹӹ God, who is a communion of Persons, created each of us in His image and likeness, so that we could spend eternity with Him in Heaven. Therefore our nature is love, and we were made for loving communion with God and with each other.

Family Talk Time Meditation for This Week: Can you think of a time in your life when O Lord, you made us in Your image. Help us to you suffered something unpleasant in the live as you live, and to be true to our nature as moment, but were rewarded afterwards? your children. Help us to be the saints you are What gave you the resolve to endure? calling us to be.