Growth / Learning Plan
Gun violence is rampant in our society today. As Christians we are called to be peacemakers -- a complex challenging call. Use the resources and assignments below to deepen your understanding, to soften your heart, and to be motivated to act.
You are invited into personal faith growth and study. Choose a theme from the chart that appeals to you today. Click through on the link to access the free resource, and follow the simple “Assignment” steps. You’ll be amazed at how much you learn!
After each component, be sure to click Claim Your Badge, fill out the form and within 24 hours you will receive a digital badge acknowledging your achievement, and $10 will be donated to St. Charles Faith Formation.
You are invited into personal faith growth and study. Choose a theme from the chart that appeals to you today. Click through on the link to access the free resource, and follow the simple “Assignment” steps. You’ll be amazed at how much you learn!
After each component, be sure to click Claim Your Badge, fill out the form and within 24 hours you will receive a digital badge acknowledging your achievement, and $10 will be donated to St. Charles Faith Formation.
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Theme |
Resource + Assignment |
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Pray |
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1. Click through on the five prayers above. |
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2. Pray them. |
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3. Reflect/Journal: compose your own prayer
to end gun violence. |
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Learn |
America’s Gun
Culture – in Seven Charts, BBC |
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Relation between State
Gun Laws and Mass Shootings, Research Paper |
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Catholic
Social Thought and Gun Violence, Fred Kramer, SJ |
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A
Mercy and Peacebuilding Approach to Gun Violence, US Catholic Bishops |
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1. Read the four articles
linked above |
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2. Reflect/Journal: What’s
your biggest take away from what you’ve learned here? |
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3. Reflect/Journal: How does all this make you feel? |
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4. Take what you’ve learned here and move to
another segment in this learning module. |
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Watch |
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1. Watch Fr. Jerry’s homily from Ascension
Sunday, May 29, 2022 (link above) |
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2. Reflect/Journal: What do you think of his
characterization of evil as a black hole, an emptiness? |
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3. Reflect/Journal: What’s your biggest take
away from his message? |
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4. Reflect/Journal: What is a Christian
community, like St. Charles, called to do in the face of gun violence? |
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Reflect |
Responses
to the Plague of Gun Violence U.S. Catholic Bishops, November 2019 |
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1. Read the remarks of the Bishops’
Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development linked above. |
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2. Reflect/Journal: What’s your overall take
on these remarks? |
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3. Reflect/Journal: Does it comfort you or
disturb you that the US Bishops have been speaking out on Gun Violence for
several years? |
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4. Reflect/Journal: On p. 4 the Bishops write,” As a
society, we have become less and less empathetic ourselves – a clear sign
that, somehow, we all are becoming dangerous.” Do you agree or not? |
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5. Reflect/Journal: If you could address the
US Bishops on this issue, what is your message? |
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Act |
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1. Read the two short articles linked above. |
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2. Use the online dialogue box in the second
article to compose and send your message to Congress. |
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3. Sign on to Oregon State Initiative Petition
17 from Lift Every Voice Oregon |
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4. Send these links to a friend and
encourage them to act. |
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