Unit Overview

This unit reflects on the human experience of forgiving others and being forgiven. The parable of the Prodigal Son is presented and explored. It presents God as loving and forgiving. The unit explores the concept of reconciliation and living together in peace. Students identify times when they have made good and bad choices, and the consequences of these choices. It introduces the Sacrament of Penance, exploring how the Catholic community celebrates reconciliation with God and one another.

This unit is not designed as a preparation for the Sacrament of Penance. However, it can be complementary to a formal sacramental program.

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Enduring Understanding

The Sacrament of Penance brings us God’s forgiveness and healing.

Objectives

A student will

value and appreciate and become aware of the potential for relating with God within the sacraments, liturgy and prayer; be willing to engage in personal and communal prayer and the liturgical life of the Church
develop an understanding of the celebrating community and the individual in the sacraments, liturgy and expressions of prayer in the Catholic tradition
interpret and communicate the nature and development of the sacraments, liturgy and prayer; prepare and participate in various expressions of private prayer and communal celebrations

Outcomes

A student

appreciates the loving and forgiving power of God. (RECVD2)
communicates an understanding of the Sacrament of Penance. (RECKD2)
identifies choices that can build or break relationships with God and others. (RECSD2)

Essential Questions

How is God loving and forgiving?
Why does God invite us to love and forgive others?
How is the Sacrament of Penance the Church’s celebration of God’s love and forgiveness?

Learning Focus, Statements of Learning & Course Content

Students identify God as loving and forgiving by

- exploring how Jesus taught us about God’s love and forgiveness.
- Review the importance of parables and how Jesus used them to teach others.
- Explore Luke 15:11-24 The Prodigal Son (Storytelling approach).
- Read KWL Book 2 Chapter 10 Welcome Home (Part 1) p106-111 and what it teaches us about God’s love and forgiveness.
- Explore the actions of the characters in the story and identify the different choices made.
- Describe what feelings and emotions are identified with being loved and forgiven.
- Read and pray KWL Book 2 Chapter 10 p113 Prayer.

Students develop their understanding of the invitation to love and forgive others by

- exploring the choices that people make in relationships.
- Define ‘choices’ and ‘free will’.
- Identify times when they have made good and bad choices and the consequences of these choices.
- Read KWL Book 2 Chapter 10 Welcome Home (Part 2) p114-115 and identify how the choices we make can build or break relationships.
- Identify the types of choices that build relationships.
- Define ‘sin’ as the thoughts, words and actions that hurt our relationships with God and others.
- Reflect on our personal choices through a simple Examination of Conscience to identify times we have sinned.
- recognising that God calls us to build and reconcile relationships.
- Define ‘forgiveness’ and ‘reconciliation’ as a way of coming together to make peace.
- Reflect on Luke 15:11-24 The Prodigal Son and recognise that through God’s example we are called to love and forgive others.
- Explore experiences of being forgiven and forgiving others.
- Compose simple prayers of sorrow and forgiveness.

Students develop their understanding of the Sacrament of Penance by

- exploring how Jesus gave the Church the power to forgive sins.
- Explore John 20:19-23a Jesus Appears to His Disciples (Storytelling approach).
- Identify how Jesus gave the power of the Holy Spirit to his disciples to forgive sins.
- Read KWL book 2 Chapter 10 Welcome Home (Part 2) p116-117 and explore the:
  ○ Sacrament of Penance as a celebration of God’s forgiveness in the community of the Church
  ○ role of the penitent who tells God their sins through the priest.
  ○ role of the priest who has the power from the Holy Spirit to forgive sins.
- Identify the Sacrament of Penance as a Sacrament of Healing that celebrates the healing power of Jesus.
- exploring symbols and rituals associated with this sacrament.
- Explore the Sacrament of Penance (Storytelling approach).
- Recognise the purpose of the Sacrament of Penance as the Church’s way for us to reflect on our lives, say sorry to God, receive absolution and penance.
- Identify the sequence of rituals used in the Sacrament of Penance:
  ○ We gather
  ○ We listen to the Word of God
  ○ We meet the priest individually
  ○ We confess our sins
  ○ We receive penance
  ○ We pray the Act of Contrition
  ○ We receive absolution
  ○ We go in peace, giving thanks to God
- Identify the symbols used in the Sacrament of Penance.
  ○ The purple stole
  ○ The Sign of the Cross
  ○ The extension of the hand for absolution
- Celebrate a prayer service using Luke 15:11-24 The Prodigal Son, including a hymn, composed prayers and KWL Book 2 Chapter 10 Prayer p119.

Compulsory Scripture

Unit Content 1:
Luke 15:11-24 The Prodigal Son
Unit Content 2:
Luke 15:11-24 The Prodigal Son
Unit Content 3:
John 20:19-23a Jesus Appears to His Disciples

Storytelling

Unit Content 1
Luke 15:11-24 The Prodigal Son

Unit Content 3
John 20:19-23a Jesus Appears to His Disciples
The Sacrament of Penance

Church Documents

Catechism of the Catholic Church

780 – The Church in this world is the sacrament of salvation, the sign and the instrument of the communion of God and men.

980 – It is through the sacrament of Penance that the baptized can be reconciled with God and with the Church.

1131 – The sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us. The visible rites by which the sacraments are celebrated signify and make present the graces proper to each sacrament. They bear fruit in those who receive them with the required dispositions.

1422 – “Those who approach the sacrament of Penance obtain pardon from God’s mercy for the offense committed against him, and are, at the same time, reconciled with the Church which they have wounded by their sins and which by charity, by example, and by prayer labours for their conversion.”

1423 – It is called the sacrament of conversion because it makes sacramentally present Jesus’ call to conversion, the first step in returning to the Father from whom one has strayed by sin.
It is called the sacrament of Penance, since it consecrates the Christian sinner’s personal and ecclesial steps of conversion, penance, and satisfaction.

1424 – It is called the sacrament of confession, since the disclosure or confession of sins to a priest is an essential element of this sacrament. In a profound sense it is also a “confession” – acknowledgment and praise – of the holiness of God and of his mercy toward sinful man.
It is called the sacrament of forgiveness, since by the priest’s sacramental absolution God grants the penitent “pardon and peace.”
It is called the sacrament of Reconciliation, because it imparts to the sinner the love of God who reconciles: “Be reconciled to God.” He who lives by God’s merciful love is ready to respond to the Lord’s call: “Go; first be reconciled to your brother.”

1436 – The process of conversion and repentance was described by Jesus in the parable of the prodigal son, the centre of which is the merciful father: The fascination of illusory freedom, the abandonment of the father’s house; the extreme misery in which the son finds himself after squandering his fortune; his deep humiliation at finding himself obliged to feed swine, and still worse, at wanting to feed on the husks the pigs ate; his reflection on all he has lost; his repentance and decision to declare himself guilty before his father; the journey back; the father’s generous welcome; the father’s joy – all these are characteristic of the process of conversion. the beautiful robe, the ring, and the festive banquet are symbols of that new life – pure worthy, and joyful – of anyone who returns to God and to the bosom of his family, which is the Church. Only the heart of Christ Who knows the depths of his Father’s love could reveal to us the abyss of his mercy in so simple and beautiful a way.

1468 – “The whole power of the sacrament of Penance consists in restoring us to God’s grace and joining us with him in an intimate friendship.” Reconciliation with God is thus the purpose and effect of this sacrament. For those who receive the sacrament of Penance with contrite heart and religious disposition, reconciliation “is usually followed by peace and serenity of conscience with strong spiritual consolation.” Indeed the sacrament of Reconciliation with God brings about a true “spiritual resurrection,” restoration of the dignity and blessings of the life of the children of God, of which the most precious is friendship with God.

KWL

Unit Content 1
KWL Book 2 Chapter 10 Welcome Home (Part 1) p106-111
KWL Book 2 Chapter 10 p113 Prayer
Unit Content 2
KWL Book 2 Chapter 10 Welcome Home (Part 2) p114-115
Unit Content 3
KWL book 2 Chapter 10 Welcome Home (Part 2) p116-117

Prayer

Prayers of Tradition
Short Act of Contrition

Eucharist and Liturgical Rites
2nd Rite of Reconciliation

Other Prayer Forms
Sacramental/non-sacramental rite of Reconciliation
Examination of conscience Prayer of Sorrow

General Capabilities

Australian Curriculum
Cross Curriculum Priorities		The General Capabilities
	Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures		Critical and creative thinking
	Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia		Ethical understanding
	Sustainability		Information and communication technology capability
Other important learning identified by the NSW Educational Standards Authority (NESA):			Intercultural understanding
	Civics and citizenship		Literacy
	Difference and diversity		Numeracy
	Work and enterprise		Personal and social capability

D2 – The Sacrament of Penance