SOCIAL JUSTICE WEEK

13-19 SEPTEMBER 2015

Kiwi Families: It’s Our Story

What does it take for all families to flourish?

Notes for organising Social Justice Week in parishes

The Catholic Bishops of New Zealand set aside a week in September for Social Justice Week. This is an opportunity to consider Catholic social teaching on a specific social justice issue that is relevant to our society and Church community. In 2015 we are looking at family poverty and what it will take for all families in New Zealand to flourish. The family is the foundation of Kiwi communities. Families of all shapes and sizes are called to love each other and grow together. In Aotearoa New Zealand many families struggle with the basics of simply making ends meet.

According to the 2014 Child Poverty Monitor, 24 per cent of New Zealand families with children experience income poverty. For these families life can become about just surviving instead of flourishing. The experience of hardship is tinged with stress and isolation.

We hope to increase awareness and understanding for the challenges struggling families face today in Aoteraoa New Zealand. This is an opportunity for parishes and communities to take the next step to ensure all families can participate fully and experience flourishing. This year Caritas is providing:

A5 ‘Kiwi Families: It’s Our Story’ brochures: This brochure gives an introduction to the Social Justice Week theme of family poverty and provides questions, action ideas and prayer. We aim to provide enough brochures to distribute one with every parish newsletter. Please order extras if needed, free of charge, by the 3rd of September to receive them in time for Social Justice Week.

A3 ‘Kiwi Families: It’s Our Story’ Poster: A poster showing themes of what struggling families might face and what will enable families to flourish. We would recommend that this is displayed before and during Social Justice Week.

‘It’s Our Story’ – DVD with Discussion and Screening Guide: ‘It’s Our Story’ is a short documentary (20 minutes) featuring four community groups talking about what life is like for struggling families in New Zealand today and the journey to help Kiwi families flourish. We would like to encourage parishes to consider hosting a movie night to view and discuss this documentary. The Discussion and Screening Guide gives background information to the documentary and provides practical suggestions for hosting a screening of the documentary. Please make this resource available to parishioners to borrow and to watch and/or organise screening events. The documentary and accompanying guide can be found online at www.caritas.org.nz. Additional copies are also available to order.

If you would like to request any extra resources, please email us at caritas@caritas.org.nz or phone on 0800 22 10 22. An order form is included with the material.

We would appreciate it if you could pass the Liturgical resources to your liturgy committee or appropriate group, the Children’s liturgy material to those responsible for that area of ministry, and the Newsletter Notices to the parish secretary or person responsible for the newsletter.

Using the Caritas material

We would be delighted if all parishes were able to participate in Social Justice Week in the following ways:

- Consider hosting a movie night

- Display a Social Justice Week poster in your Church leading up to and during Social Justice Week

- Have the parish welcome or Mass celebrant announce that it is Social Justice Week at the beginning of Mass.

- Distribute a copy of the A5 ‘Kiwi Families: It’s Our Story’ brochure to all your parishioners, perhaps as an insert to the parish newsletter.

- Include some information or a prayer about Social Justice Week in the parish newsletter. Some material is provided as a suggested starting point.

- Include the Social Justice Week theme ‘Kiwi Families: It’s Our Story – What does it take for every family to flourish?’ in your liturgical planning. Some suggestions are included in the liturgical material.

- Make ‘Kiwi Families: It’s Our Story’ DVD Discussion and Screening Guide available for parishioners to borrow.

Organising a movie night

This year we are encouraging all parishes, communities, groups and individuals to consider organising a screening of the documentary ‘It’s Our Story’. A screening can be a big or small event and can be organized by anyone. It could be playing the DVD after mass in the foyer. It could be a movie night at someone’s house with family and friends played on the TV. It could also be a public event with politicians and guest speakers. Please make full use of the Discussion and DVD Screening Guide which provides practical tips and suggestions for a screening of any size. The full documentary is approximately 20 minutes long. If there is time, we encourage participants to talk with each other and discuss what practical actions they would like to take as a group or as individuals so more families can flourish in New Zealand.

SOCIAL JUSTICE WEEK

13-19 SEPTEMBER 2015

Kiwi Families: It’s Our Story

What does it take for all families to flourish?

Liturgical Resources 13 September: Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

Introduction for Liturgy groups

Social Justice Week is set by the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference each year as an opportunity for the whole Church to consider Catholic social teaching on a particular social justice issue facing our society. In 2015, the theme is ‘Kiwi Families: It’s Our Story - What does it take for all families to flourish?’.

Liturgy of the Word

The readings of the day speak to us of God’s support and presence in times of hardship and difficulty, practically caring for those in need, and the cost of following Christ. Parish priests may find these introductory notes useful in making connection between the Gospel reading and the Social Justice Week theme in their homilies.

First reading: Isaiah 50:5-9 the Lord has opened my ear. For my part, I made no resistance, neither did I turn away... The Lord comes to my help, so that I am untouched by the insults. So, too, I set my face like flint; I know I shall not be shamed. In times of difficulty and hardship we are reminded of our innate human dignity as children of God and trust that God is with us in our time of need.

Psalm 114 I called on the Lord’s name. O Lord my God, deliver me! How Gracious is the Lord, and just; our God has compassion. The Lord protects the simple hearts; I was helpless so he saved me. Our God is a just and compassionate God who cares for those who are helpless and in difficulty. God draws close to families in difficulty.

Second reading: James 2:14-18 If one of the brothers or one of the sisters is in need of clothes and has not enough food to live on, and one of you says to them, ‘I wish you well; keep yourself warm and eat plenty,’ without giving them these bare necessities of life, then what good is that? Faith is like that: if good works do not go with it, it is quite dead.’ James emphasises the importance of faith that is lived out in practical care for the poor and needy, for families and individuals. A living faith is one that cares for those around us who are struggling.

Gospel: Mark 8:27-35 ‘If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me. For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.’ Jesus reached out to others, to people in difficulty and ultimately gave his life for all humanity. Following Jesus requires us to give ourselves fully to the task of loving God and loving others even when it costs us.

Prayers of the Faithful

You may wish to use these, or to include some of these with your own prayers.

Introductions:

God who watches over us with the care of a father and mother, you include each and every one of us in your Whānau. Thank you for the gift of family and community in the joys and sorrows of life.

We bring to you our needs and the needs of our world:

God of Justice, we know that many families in New Zealand struggle on benefits and low incomes. We ask your Spirit to move the hearts of our leaders and decision makers, employers and shareholders so that together we can take bold steps towards a society where everyone has enough to thrive.

Lord hear us/E te Ariki

Lord hear our prayer/Whakarongo mai ki a mātou

God of love, you gave us Hehu, Jesus, as our friend and brother. He knew what it was like to have no place to lay his head and to be forced to leave his home as a child. We lift up to you all people who long for a place to call home. May you provide hope and shelter to struggling families.

Lord hear us/E te Ariki

Lord hear our prayer/Whakarongo mai ki a mātou

God of heaven and earth, in Jesus we see one who calms the storm. When storms and chaos in our life seem to overwhelm us, draw us close to you. Let us your Church become a place of stability and compassion for families facing difficult choices and circumstances.

Lord hear us/E te Ariki

Lord hear our prayer/Whakarongo mai ki a mātou

E te Ariki, creator of all things, you made us to live in loving relationship with each other, to grow together and to flourish together. No one is an orphan in your kingdom. In communion with you, may we become a community where families of all shapes and sizes can flourish.

Lord hear us/E te Ariki

Lord hear our prayer/Whakarongo mai ki a mātou

Liturgy of the Eucharist

- Communion reminds is that we are all one body, one family in Christ our Lord.

- As we come together, may we remember and hold those who struggling in our midst and in the wider community.

- As we share together in this meal, may we draw closer to our brothers and sisters in Christ.

SOCIAL JUSTICE WEEK

13-19 SEPTEMBER 2015

Kiwi Families: It’s Our Story

What does it take for all families to flourish?

Children’s Liturgy and Activity

Introduction

Social Justice Week materials are prepared each year for schools and parishes. In 2015, the theme is ‘Kiwi Families: It’s Our Story - What does it take for all families to flourish?’. God wants families of all shapes and sizes to grow, learn, love and flourish. Sadly this is not always the case and many families in New Zealand struggle with up and downs. God invites all of us to be part of his family and to love and support those who are struggling amongst us.

Leader: Today we are talking about how families are important and God wants all families to flourish. He invites everyone to be part of His big family and to support those who are struggling and feeling sad.

The Sign of the Cross reminds us that Jesus taught us how to pray together, and so we begin:

Ki te ingoa o te Matua, o te Tamaiti, o te Wairua Tapu, Āmene

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen

Opening prayer: E te Atua, Father God, thank you that you created us to share this life with others. As we gather together, bless each of our families and the wider human family that we are part of.

Leader: Today’s Gospel reminds us that in order to follow Jesus, we have to be prepared to serve others with our whole life and with everything that God has given us.

Excerpt from Gospel: He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.”

Discussion: When is a time when you were feeling sad and someone did something to serve you and cheered you up?

How can I serve and help my family and friends when they are facing difficult situations?

Two activities are attached. Activity 1 is for older children age 8+ and Activity 2 can be used for all ages.

Activity 1

Activity 2 Jesus was part of a family that experienced many ups and downs. Not long after Jesus was born his parents had to flee into Egypt where they lived as refugees in a foreign land. Joseph, Mary and Jesus knew what it was like to live in an unknown culture, surrounded by people who may have even spoken a different language. (Matthew 2) Have you ever had to move away from a place that you were used to? Does it take a long time to feel happy in a new place? Manaakitanga means making people welcome when they come to your place. How do we make people feel welcome when they visit our parish? colour the picture of this story.

SOCIAL JUSTICE WEEK

13-19 SEPTEMBER 2015

Kiwi Families: It’s Our Story

What does it take for all families to flourish?

Newsletter Notice

Parishes may wish to include some general information about Social Justice Week in newsletters for

example:

Social Justice Week 2015: Kiwi Families – It’s Our Story What does it take for all families to flourish?

“What is God’s plan? It is to make of us all a single family of his children, in which each person feels

that God is close and feels loved by him.” Pope Francis

Each year in September, the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference gives us Social Justice Week to consider Catholic social teaching on an issue of social justice in New Zealand. This year the focus is Kiwi Families – It’s Our Story. Let us consider together What does it take for all families to flourish?

Be inspired by the short documentary It’s Our Story, about four community groups supporting struggling families to flourish. Organise a movie night this Social Justice Week and watch it with family and friends. Available at www.caritas.org.nz and from the parish office.

Quotes for parish newsletters leading up to Social Justice Week:

Some parishes have used a range of quotes from Catholic social teaching in their newsletters in the weeks leading up to Social Justice Week. Quotes in 2015 could include:

We have to be attentive to the special needs of families under pressure and must recognise and affirm the real courage and determination of those families who face difficulties in a spirit of faithfulness to the way of love, which is Christ’s way. The church of the home can live and grow in every family.

New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference: A community of love, 1994

There are many times when families need help to heal the hurts and solve the problems that beset them. These may come through illness, death, unemployment, abusive behaviour, separation or divorce or the many pressures of modern life. It is within the community of the Church that people should find the greatest support and understanding.

New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference: A community of love, 1994

Jesus did not avoid people or families in difficulty but reached out to them, lived with them, ate and

wept with them, took care of them, like the Good Samaritan.”

Cardinal Rodriguez Maradiaga: The Family: a resource for overcoming the crisis, 18 September 2014