Strand B - Church and Community Year 9

B9 – The Church in Australia

celinthomaskonnayil

Unit Overview

The Catholic Church is a community; a family with a history and a story that continues to unfold today. Catholics in Australia come from many different cultural backgrounds and celebrate their faith in many diverse ways. For all of its diversity and unique character, the Australian Church remains firmly a part of the universal Church, founded on the teachings of Jesus Christ, and participating in its mission. In this unit students will explore the rich common heritage and diverse contemporary expressions of the Catholic faith in its uniquely Australian context.

Download Support Document

Enduring Understanding

The Catholic Church in Australia is fully alive; growing and changing in response to the needs of its people and in communion with the universal Church.

Objectives

A student will

  • value, appreciate and become aware of their religious identity and their spiritual heritage; appreciate the richness of the tradition and the need for community; be open to participation in the mission of the Church
  • develop knowledge and understanding of the nature and mission of the Church, both local and universal, and its history and teachings from its beginning to the present
  • analyse and communicate informed viewpoints on the nature and mission of the Church; review their experience in the light of its teachings; evaluate their participation in its undertakings

Outcomes

A student

  • details the history of the Catholic Church in Australia and explains the changing patterns of religious beliefs within the society. (RECKB9)
  • investigates and evaluates the contributions that individuals and organisations have made to the Catholic Church in Australia. (RECSB9)
  • values the heritage, contemporary experience and cultural diversity of Australian Catholics. (RECVB9)

Essential Questions

  1. How did the Catholic Church emerge and develop in Australia? Who were the people and what were the events that had an impact upon the Catholic Church in Australia?
  2. Why is the Catholic Church in Australia so diverse? How has immigration influenced the Catholic Church in Australia? How do the Eastern Catholic rites differ from the Western/Latin Catholic rites? How does cultural background impact upon Catholic practice?
  3. What are the main issues that impact upon the Catholic Church in Australia today? What can we learn from the trends in the census data? How has the Catholic Church in Australia changed, especially over the last five years? How might the Catholic Church in Australia change in the next 5 years and/or beyond?

Learning Focus & Statements of Learning

  • Students will deepen their understanding of the story of the Catholic Church in Australia by
    • developing a timeline of the significant ‘periods’ in the Church’s history in Australia.
    • researching some of the major events and issues associated with the Catholic faith community.
    • investigating the role and contribution of key personalities and groups in the emergence and development of the Church.
    • exploring Luke 4:16-20 The rejection of Jesus of Nazareth
  • Students will develop an appreciation of the diverse expressions of the Catholic Church in Australia by
    • examining the demographic profile of Australia’s Catholic community.
    • exploring the nature of the Eastern Catholic Churches and their place in Australian society.
    • considering the effect of ‘cultural influences’ on religious practices and expression.
    • exploring 1 Corinthians 12:12-30 One Body with Many Members
  • Students will develop an understanding of the ‘changing’ nature and place of religion in Australian society by
    • analysing statistical information relating to patterns of religious adherence and practice.
    • examining trends and issues which impact upon the status of religion and individual beliefs and practices.
    • considering the response of the Catholic Church to some of the contemporary challenges to religion.
    • exploring Matthew 28: 16-20 The Commissioning of the Disciples

Learning Focus 1: Luke 4:16-20 – The rejection of Jesus of Nazareth
Learning Focus 2: 1 Corinthians 12:12-30 – One Body with Many Members
Learning Focus 3: Matthew 28:16-20 – The Commissioning of the Disciples

CCC 767-768 The Church- revealed by the Holy Spirit
CCC 774- 776 The Universal Sacrament of Salvation
CCC 830-831 What does “catholic” mean?
CCC 836-838 Who belongs to the Catholic Church?
CCC 849-856 Mission- a requirement of the Church’s catholicity
CCC 2030 – The Church, Mother and Teacher
CCC 2032 – 2040 – Moral Life and the Magisterium of the Church
CCC 2044-2046 – Moral Life and Missionary Witness

Year 9 TKWL Chapter 6: The Catholic Church in Australia: Education and Politics

6.4 Early Foundations of Catholic Schools
6.5 Free, Compulsory and Secular
6.6 The Education Acts
6.7 Building Catholic Schools.
6.12 Catholic and the Labor Party
6.13 Disappointment with the Labor Party
6.14 Dr Mannix and the Catholic Federation
6.16 Dr Mannix and Conscription
6.17 More anti-Catholic Feeling
6.20 The Movement

Year 9 TKWL Chapter 7: The Catholic Church in Australia: Looking to the Future

7.1 Australia’s Ties with England
7.2 Post War Immigration
7.3 European Catholics
7.5 Asian Catholics

We Gather…as a community and prepare to hear the Word of God Introduction: In 2010 at the canonisation of Mother Mary MacKillop, Pope Benedict XVI spoke of Mary MacKillop’s commitment to educating the poor and her devotion to God. He said, “For many years countless young people throughout Australia have been blessed with teachers who were inspired by the courageous and saintly example of … Mother Mary MacKillop. She dedicated herself as a young woman to the education of the poor in the difficult and demanding terrain of rural Australia…” Opening Prayer: Prayer Leader: We praise and thank you, O God for this woman of faith and courage. Mary MacKillop, a blessing to the people of God, a woman who responded to the needs of the poor, a woman who inspired your Church with a passion for justice and pioneered new ways of gospel living. All: We praise and thank you, O God for this woman of faith and courage.
We Listen… to the Word of God as it is proclaimed because Scripture is the heart of a liturgical celebration. Scripture: Luke 4:16-20 The rejection of Jesus of Nazareth When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’ And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.
We Respond… with a ritual action such as a reflection on the Word, Prayers of the Faithful, Powerpoint, a ritual action and/or singing..
Video- Saint Mary MacKillop (Gary Pinto)  Prayers of Intercession: Prayer Leader: With all holy women and men, especially Mary MacKillop, let us praise Christ, our Saviour, and call on him in prayer: All: Lord Jesus, hear our prayer. Prayer Leader(s): i) Mary MacKillop used her gifts to serve the Church, may we challenge each other to hear the cry of the poor in our midst and to respond with love…we pray… ii) Mary MacKillop lived by faith and the power of the cross, may we have the courage to set out on the new pathways in living the gospel…we pray… iii) Mary MacKillop reached out to the marginalised in our society, may we respond to the indigenous peoples of our lands by our deeper listening and awareness…we pray… iv) Mary MacKillop lived her baptismal commitment in founding a Religious Congregation for mission, may women and men continue to be inspired to respond to the call to follow Christ in consecrated life…we pray… v) Mary MacKillop continues to be a source of inspiration to the people of God in their works of prayer, justice and love, may we live by her example in bringing about the reign of God…we pray… (invite other intentions) Prayer Leader: In union with Saint Mary MacKillop and all the saints, we pray the words that Jesus taught us: All: Our Father…  http://www.marymackillop.org.au/_uploads/rsfil/000404_edca.pdf
We Go Forth… into the world to do what we proclaim and to give witness to the fact that we are disciples and followers of Christ. Use a final prayer, a blessing, a song or hymn Concluding Prayer: God of love your heart reaches out to those who are poor in our world. Help each of us to proclaim and bear witness to the Gospel by word and by deed today and every day. Open our hearts to the outcast, the forgotten, the lonely, the sick and the poor. Grant each of us the courage to think, to choose and to respond in word and action to the struggling peoples of our world. St Mary of the Cross, serving the neglected ones, pray for us. May God bless us and keep us. All: Amen. May Christ’s face shine upon us and be gracious to us. All: Amen. May the Spirit of peace accompany us in our living of the Gospel. All: Amen. Let us go in the peace of Christ. All: Thanks be to God http://www.marymackillop.org.au/_uploads/rsfil/000404_edca.pdf
Useful Links

Australian Curriculum

Cross Curriculum Priorities

The General Capabilities

 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures http://news.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/images/content/icon-k10-ahc.gif

Critical and creative thinking   http://news.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/images/content/icon-k10-cct-1.gif

 

Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia  

Ethical understanding   http://news.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/images/content/icon-k10-eu.gif

 

Sustainability  http://news.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/images/content/icon-k10-se.gif

Information and communication technology capability   http://news.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/images/content/icon-k10-ict.gif

Other important learning identified by the NSW Educational Standards Authority (NESA):

Intercultural understanding   http://news.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/images/content/icon-k10-iu.gif

Civics and citizenship http://news.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/images/content/icon-k10-cc.gif

Literacy   http://news.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/images/content/icon-k10-l.gif

Difference and diversity http://news.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/images/content/icon-k10-dd.gif

Numeracy   http://news.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/images/content/icon-k10-n.gif

 

Work and enterprise http://news.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/images/content/icon-k10-we.gif

Personal and social capability   http://news.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/images/content/icon-k10-psc.gif

Life Skills

Religious Education for students studying a Life Skills program is developed from the unit outcomes, resulting in the Learning Focus and Statements of Learning. Students may demonstrate achievement of these learning statements independently or with support designed to meet the needs of the student. Such support may include:

  • the provision of extra time to complete tasks
  • physical and/or verbal assistance from others
  • the provision of technological support
  • the assistance of a scribe
  • participating in a group task
  • providing verbal or artistic responses along with written ones.

A student

  • explores and describes a range of Catholic communities and explores how they contribute to Australian society. (LRECKSB9)

A student studying a Life Skills program will be able to:

  • deepen their understanding of the story of the Catholic Church in Australia
    • describe why a person, event or organisation has been important for the Catholic Church in Australia.
    • outline one religious practice from an Eastern Catholic Church.
    • identify the number of Catholics in their local community.

Who are the members of the Catholic Church in Australia today?

LS9B 1.1

  1. Students are guided to select a significant person, event or organisation to allow them to find out what they have done for the Catholic Church and why it is important.

LS9BA 1.2

  1. Students are guided to select one religious practice from an Eastern Catholic Church such as Ash Monday. Teacher provides resources to assist students to find out what happens at this practice/ritual/event.

LS9B 1.3

  1. Assist students to locate the diocesan and parish profiles at the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Pastoral Projects Office site.
  2. Students can locate their parish profile and construct a sentence/paragraph or create a poster/infographic detailing the number of Catholics in their local community. .

Year 9 TKWL Glossary: pp263-268.

Supporting Documents

Learning Experience 1

click icons to download

Learning Experience 2

click icons to download

Learning Experience 3

click icons to download