Unit Overview

This unit develops students’ understanding of the celebration of the Eucharist. The unit focuses on the key parts of the Mass and explores the ways Christ is present. It presents the Mass as central to the life of the community. In sharing the Eucharist we become one body in Christ.

During this unit, students are encouraged to attend Mass to embed learnings (actions, words and symbols) of the structure and significance of the Mass. This unit is not designed as a preparation for First Eucharist. However, it can be complementary to a formal sacramental program.

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Enduring Understanding

The celebration of Eucharist gives us nourishment and strength to live the Good News of Jesus Christ.

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 how the celebration of the Eucharist gives us nourishment and strength to live the Good News of Jesus Christ. (RECVD3)
  • describes ways that Jesus is present in the celebration of the Eucharist. (RECKD3)
  • identifies and describes the rituals, symbols and gestures associated with the four parts of the Mass. (RECSD3)

Essential Questions

  1. How is Jesus Christ present in the celebration of the Mass?
  2. How is the Word of God proclaimed in the Liturgy of the Word?
  3. How do we celebrate the Liturgy of the Eucharist and recognise the ‘real presence’ of Jesus with us?
  4. How does the Eucharist nourish and strengthen us to live the Good News?

Learning Focus & Statements of Learning

  1. Students recognise the importance of the celebration of the Eucharist by
    • recognising that Eucharist is a Sacrament of Initiation.
    • Define ‘Sacrament’ and identify the Sacraments of Initiation.
    • Read KWL Book 3 Chapter 10 Welcomed into the Life of God’s Family p76 and explore how Catholics are welcomed and initiated into the Church.
    • reflecting on why celebrations are important in our lives.
    • Explore the variety of celebrations that students experience in their lives.
    • Define ‘symbol’ and ‘ritual’, and identify symbols and rituals associated with common celebrations.
    • Explore how elements of common celebrations are like gathering for the celebration of Eucharist (we gather, we share stories, we eat together, we say goodbye).
    • Read KWL Book 3 Chapter 7 Loving and Praising Our God in the Liturgy p52-53 and explore why the Mass is a special celebration for Catholics.
    • recognising the four ways that Jesus is present.
    • Explore Together at Mass (storytelling).
    • Explore how in the celebration of the Eucharist Jesus Christ is present in the:
      ○ community gathered
      ○ Word proclaimed
      ○ bread and wine changed into the Body and Blood of Christ
      ○ priest who presides
    • exploring the Introductory rites of the Mass.
    • Explore Matthew 18:20 Where Two or Three Are Gathered in My Name and explore how Jesus Christ is present in the community gathered.
    • Explore Introductory Rites (storytelling).
    • Describe the rituals, symbols and gestures associated with the Introductory Rites including the role of the Priest and the community gathered.
    • Explore the role of the community gathered in the Mass and their call to full, conscious and actual participation
  1. Students develop their understanding of the Liturgy of the Word by
    • exploring the gestures, Scripture, responses and prayers used in this part of the Mass.
    • Explore Liturgy of the Word (storytelling).
    • Identify how the structure of the Liturgy of the Word allows for listening and responding.
    • Describe the rituals, symbols and gestures associated with the Liturgy of the Word including the role of the Priest and/or Deacon and the community gathered.
    • Identify how Jesus is present in the Word proclaimed.
    • Examine the different Lectionary cycles for weekday and Sunday Mass and identify examples of Scripture that are used in:
      ○ First Reading
      ○ Responsorial Psalm
      ○ Second Reading
      ○ Gospel
    • Using appropriate examples of Scripture, responses and prayers, create a class celebration that follows the structure of the Liturgy of the Word.
  1. Students develop their understanding of the Liturgy of the Eucharist by
    • exploring the gestures, Scripture, responses and prayers used in this part of the Mass.
    • Explore Luke 22:7-20 The Last Supper (storytelling).
    • Recall the importance of:
      ○ the Jewish Passover meal
      ○ Jesus’ words and actions during the Last Supper
    • Explore Liturgy of the Eucharist (storytelling).
    • Identify the structure of the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
    • Recognise that as Catholics we believe in the ‘real presence’ of Jesus in the Eucharist when the bread and wine are changed into Jesus’ Body and Blood at the moment of consecration.
    • Read KWL Book 3 Chapter 11 Jesus Is Present When We Celebrate the Eucharist and In Scripture p84-85 and compare the words and actions used during the consecration, with the words and actions Jesus used at the Last Supper.
    • Describe the rituals, symbols and gestures associated with the Liturgy of the Eucharist including the role of the Priest and the community gathered.
    • Recognise and name the sacred vessels used to celebrate the Eucharist including the paten, ciborium, chalice, corporal, tabernacle, credence table, cruets, purificator, lavabo set.
  1. Students develop their understanding of the Concluding Rites by
    • exploring the gestures, responses and prayers used in this part of the Mass.
    • Explore Concluding Rites (storytelling).
    • Describe the rituals, symbols and gestures associated with the Concluding Rite.
    • Recognise that in the celebration of the Eucharist we are nourished and strengthened to go forth to live the Good News.

Unit Content 1:
Matthew 18:20 Where Two or Three Are Gathered in My Name

Catechism of the Catholic Church

1101 – The Holy Spirit gives a spiritual understanding of the Word of God to those who read or hear it, according to the dispositions of their hearts. By means of the words, actions, and symbols that form the structure of a celebration, the Spirit puts both the faithful and the ministers into a living relationship with Christ, the Word and Image of the Father, so that they can live out the meaning of what they hear, contemplate, and do in the celebration.

1324 – The Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian life.” The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself, our Pasch.

1348All gather together. Christians come together in one place for the Eucharistic assembly. At its head is Christ himself, the principal agent of the Eucharist. He is high priest of the New Covenant; it is he himself who presides invisibly over every Eucharistic celebration. It is in representing him that the bishop or priest acting in the person of Christ the head (in persona Christi capitis) presides over the assembly, speaks after the readings, receives the offerings, and says the Eucharistic Prayer. All have their own active parts to play in the celebration, each in his own way: readers, those who bring up the offerings, those who give communion, and the whole people whose “Amen” manifests their participation.

1349 – The Liturgy of the Word includes “the writings of the prophets,” that is, the Old Testament, and “the memoirs of the apostles” (their letters and the Gospels). After the homily, which is an exhortation to accept this Word as what it truly is, the Word of God,175 and to put it into practice, come the intercessions for all men, according to the Apostle’s words: “I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men, for kings, and all who are in high positions.”176

1350 – The presentation of the offerings (the Offertory). Then, sometimes in procession, the bread and wine are brought to the altar; they will be offered by the priest in the name of Christ in the Eucharistic sacrifice in which they will become his body and blood. It is the very action of Christ at the Last Supper – “taking the bread and a cup.” “The Church alone offers this pure oblation to the Creator, when she offers what comes forth from his creation with thanksgiving.”177 The presentation of the offerings at the altar takes up the gesture of Melchizedek and commits the Creator’s gifts into the hands of Christ who, in his sacrifice, brings to perfection all human attempts to offer sacrifices.

1351 – From the very beginning Christians have brought, along with the bread and wine for the Eucharist, gifts to share with those in need. This custom of the collection, ever appropriate, is inspired by the example of Christ who became poor to make us rich:178

Those who are well off, and who are also willing, give as each chooses. What is gathered is given to him who presides to assist orphans and widows, those whom illness or any other cause has deprived of resources, prisoners, immigrants and, in a word, all who are in need.17

1374 – The mode of Christ’s presence under the Eucharistic species is unique. It raises the Eucharist above all the sacraments as the perfection of the spiritual life and the end to which all the sacraments tend. In the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist “the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained. This presence is called ‘real’ – by which is not intended to exclude the other types of presence as if they could not be ‘real’ too, but because it is presence in the fullest sense: that is to say, it is a substantial presence by which Christ, God and man, makes himself wholly and entirely present.

1408 – The Eucharistic celebration always includes: the proclamation of the Word of God; thanksgiving to God the Father for all his benefits, above all the gift of his Son; the consecration of bread and wine; and participation in the liturgical banquet by receiving the Lord’s body and blood. These elements constitute one single act of worship.

1413 – By the consecration the transubstantiation of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ is brought about. Under the consecrated species of bread and wine Christ himself, living and glorious, is present in a true, real, and substantial manner: his Body and his Blood, with his soul and his divinity.

Unit Content 1
KWL Book 3 Chapter 10 Welcomed into the Life of God’s Family p76
KWL Book 3 Chapter 7 Loving and Praising Our God in the Liturgy p52-53

Unit Content 3
KWL Book 3 Chapter 11 Jesus Is Present When We Celebrate the Eucharist and In Scripture p84-85

Eucharist and Liturgical Rites

Response at reception of Communion

The responses and gestures of the Mass

  • Introductory Rite
  • Liturgy of the Word
  • Liturgy of the Eucharist

Concluding Rite

Other Prayer Forms

Prayers of Thanksgiving
Prayers of Petition/General Intercessions/ Prayer of the Faithful
Guided Meditation

Liturgical Experience

  • Celebration of Eucharist with the Community

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