Resources

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Chapter K: Let Your Voice Be Heard: Synod on Cyberbullying

Students are challenged to write a speech as if they were a member of Pope Francis’ synod addressing the problem of cyberbullying.

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Chapter J: Major Events in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries

Students order important events from the 19th and 20th centuries.

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Chapter I: Tough Questions

The worksheet poses several questions that ask students to reflect on how they would have stood up for their faith during the French and American Revolution.

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Chapter H: Reformation Word Find

A word search using terms related to the Reformation.

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Chapter G: Design a Monastery

Students design a monastery based on the responsibilities and needs of the monks.

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Chapter F: Church Father Unscramble

Unscramble the names of the Church Fathers below. Then, under each unscrambled name, write one important contribution that the Church Father made to the Church.

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Chapter E: Early Christians Plant the Seeds

On this worksheet, students solve clues to list the names of important early Christians. These answers are then used to decode a secret message.

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Exercise Your Catechism

This handout guides students as they become familiar with searching for information in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

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Joy and Hope for the Modern World

This handout provides questions for students to reflect on and answer as they read quotations from this Constitution.

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Renaissance Humanism

This handout provides questions for students to research on the Internet about Renaissance Humanism.

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Encouragement in Persecution

This handout outlines a writing assignment in which students write a letter to an imaginary Roman friend who is enduring persecution in the Empire. Students must use Scripture passages to help them in the writing process.

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The Seven Petitions

On this handout, students match the meaning to each line of the Lord’s Prayer.

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A Prayer Puzzle

On this handout, students must use clues to unscramble words related to prayer.

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Spirit Telecom: The Universal Wireless Prayer Network

This handout guides students as they locate and read various Scripture passages focusing on the many way God calls us to prayer.

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The Spirit in Multiple Acts

Students look up and read several passages that the Holy Spirit. The worksheet asks students to summarize each passage and describe the role of the Holy Spirit in spreading the Good News.

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She Is Your Mother

As students complete this worksheet, they will explore what it means when we say that Mary is the Mother of God and the Mother of the Church.

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On Your Marks

This worksheet guides group members to work together as they identify the importance of the church being “One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic”.

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Cana Connections

Students match symbols from Jesus’ first miracle the wedding feast in Cana with their meaning and significance.

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Gospel Comparisons

On this worksheet, students read all four Gospel accounts of the resurrection before identifying similarities and differences between them.

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Interview Chart for Religious Beliefs

This chart allows students to see the comparison between the beliefs of five major religions and those of the Catholic Church.

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Religious Identity Descriptions

This handout provides the religious identities for five major world religions.

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To Be a Disciple

This handout asks students to complete a chart by listing examples of discipleship at the time of Jesus and today.

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Jesus and the Church

After reading several articles, students complete this chart by filling in key points about Jesus and the Church.

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From the Apostles to Us

Students create a storyboard to show how God is revealed in Sacred Tradition.

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The Development of Catholic Trinitarian Theology

This worksheet has students fill in blanks from Chapter 2, Section 6-8, focusing on the faith changes during the early Church centered on the Trinity.

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Empathizing (Religion in the Modern World)

This article provides several suggestions of ways to help students reflect on their experiences with people from different forms of religion in the modern world.

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Empathizing (Islam)

This handout provides several suggestions to help students draw connections between Islam and Christianity.

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Empathizing (Christianity)

This handout provides several suggestions to help students draw connections between the various denominations of Christianity.

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Empathizing (Judaism)

This handout provides several suggestions to help students draw connections between Christianity and Judaism.

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Empathizing (The Ancestors of the West)

This handout provides several suggestions to help students draw connections between Christianity and polytheistic religions of the West.

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Empathizing (Shinto)

This article provides several possible ideas of ways to help students see, experience, and better understand the Shinto religion.

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Empathizing (Zen Buddhism)

This short article provides questions, reflections, and suggestions to help students empathize with Zen Buddhism.

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Empathizing (Taoism)

This short article provides questions, reflections, and suggestions to help students empathize with Taoism.

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Empathizing (Confucianism)

This short handout provides questions, reflections, and suggestions to help students empathize with Confucianism.

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Empathizing (Sikhism)

This short handout provides questions, reflections, and suggestions to help students empathize with Sikhism.

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Empathizing (Jainism)

This short handout provides questions, reflections, and suggestions to help students empathize with Jainism.

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Empathizing (Buddhism)

This short handout provides questions, reflections, and suggestions to help students empathize with Buddhism.

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Empathizing (Hinduism)

This short handout provides questions, reflections, and suggestions to help students empathize with Hinduism.

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Empathizing (Indigenous Religious Traditions)

This short handout provides questions and reflections to help students empathize with indigenous religions.

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Comparing and Contrasting Religion in the Modern World with Christianity

This short handout compares and contrasts several key ideas and beliefs in Christianity and religion in the modern world.

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Comparing and Contrasting Islam with Christianity

This short handout compares and contrasts several key ideas and beliefs in Islam and Christianity

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Comparing and Contrasting Forms of Christianity

This short handout compares and contrasts several key ideas and beliefs in different forms of Christianity.

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Comparing and Contrasting Judaism with Christianity

This short handout compares and contrasts several key ideas and beliefs in Christianity and Judaism.

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Comparing and Contrasting the Ancestors of the West with Christianity

This short handout compares and contrasts several key ideas and beliefs in Christianity and the Ancestors of the West.

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Comparing and Contrasting Shinto with Christianity

This short handout compares and contrasts several key ideas and beliefs in Christianity and Shinto.

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Comparing and Contrasting Zen Buddhism with Christianity

This short handout compares and contrasts several key ideas and beliefs in Christianity and Zen Buddhism.

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Comparing and Contrasting Taoism with Christianity

This short handout compares and contrasts several key ideas and beliefs in Christianity and Taoism.

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Comparing and Contrasting Confucianism with Christianity

This short handout compares and contrasts several key ideas and beliefs in Christianity and Confucianism.

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Comparing and Contrasting Sikhism with Christianity

This short handout compares and contrasts several key ideas and beliefs in Christianity and Sikhism.

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Comparing and Contrasting Jainism with Christianity

This short handout compares and contrasts several key ideas and beliefs in Christianity and Jainism.

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Comparing and Contrasting Buddhism with Christianity

This short handout compares and contrasts several key ideas and beliefs in Christianity and Buddhism.

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Comparing and Contrasting Hinduism with Christianity

This short handout compares and contrasts the key ideas and beliefs in Christianity and Hinduism.

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Comparing and Contrasting Indigenous Religions Traditions with Christianity

This short handout compares and contrasts the ideas of god, an ultimate reality, and history between indigenous religious traditions and Christianity.

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Worldviews: Religions and Their Relatives

This article explores two examples of modern worldviews and how they different from traditional religions.

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The Comparative Study of Religions

An introduction to the comparative study of religions.

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Teacher Evaluation An Interreligious Interview

A teacher evaluation for interviewing someone of a different religion.

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An Interreligious Interview

This handout offers guidelines for setting up an interview with a person from a different religion.

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The Ninety-Nine Names of God

This handout lists the ninety-nine Islamic names for God and poses several questions regarding the list.

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"In the Beginning Was the Word"

After presenting John 1:1-18 from the Christian Bible, this handout challenges to students to identify key parts that describe the doctrine of the incarnation.

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Images of Jesus

This handout provides many different images and descriptions of Jesus for students to examine and relate to.

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Miriam's Shabbat

A Sabbath Blessing.

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Rings of Interpretation

This handout lists six excerpts taken from the Tanakh.

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Greek and Roman Gods Today

This handout challenges students to identify the associations they have with Greek and Roman gods.

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A Zoroastrian Symbol

This handout presents a Zoroastrian Symbol of faith and explains its elements. Students are then challenged to create their own symbol to represent their personal understanding of faith and human nature.

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"The Canticle of Brother Sun"

A Canticle prayer by Saint Francis of Assisi

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The Haiku of Basho

A compilation of Haiku by Matsuo Basho.

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Koans: Food for Intuition

This worksheet presents Zen koans to be interpreted or explained.

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The Riddler

This worksheet presents 12 riddles to be solved individually or in a small group

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Who Is the Sage?

This worksheet provides the opportunity to choose life situations that exemplify practices of the Taoist sage.

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The Sikh Khalsa

The information on this handout provides further insight into the nature of the Sikh Khalsa

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The Ten Gurus of Sikhism

This list of the ten Gurus of Sikhism briefly summarizes the key contributions of each Guru.

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The Biographies of the Tirthankaras

A list of patterns and themes found in the biographies of the Tirthankaras

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Kuan-Yin

A guided reflection of the Buddhist image of Kuan-Yin

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Monks

This handout is to be used as students rotate to various stations. At this station, students examine a picture depicting monks in Thailand.

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Objects Used in Tibetan Rituals

This handout is to be used as students rotate to various stations. At this station, students examine objects used in Tibetan rituals.

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The Fasting Siddhartha

This handout is meant to be used as part of a station activity in which students observe different pieces of artwork from various religions.

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Right Speech

This handout provides a reflection on students’ use of words and speech. Students identify ways to improve their use of words to speak truth and kind things.

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Right Meditation

This handout provides a space for students to write impressions, observations, or questions that arise as they meditate on a statue of Buddha.

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Buddhist and Judeo-Christian Understandings of God

This article compares and contrasts the Buddhist and Judeo-Christian understanding of God.

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The First Sermon at Deer Park

A Buddhist sermon

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"The Dance of Love"

A Hindu myth

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Karma Marga: "The Path of Works"

An individual worksheet that examines the intentions and motivations behind one’s actions.

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The Master and the Untouchable

An individual worksheet the caste system in India.

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The Fruits of Action

An individual worksheet that challenges students to apply teachings from the Bhagavad-Gita to real-life situations.

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Peer Evaluation: The Game of Samsara

A peer evaluation form of student-created games.

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Teacher Evaluation: The Game of Samsara

This evaluation is to be used as a rubric for a game that groups of students created using Hindu concepts.

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What Harm Is in Our Sun Dance?

This short article provides the point of view of a Blackfoot Indian about the illegalization of the Sun Dance.

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Lesson Plan for Lesson 14

A lesson plan for lesson 14 in The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth: Catechist Guide.

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Lesson Plan for Lesson 13

A lesson plan for lesson 13 in The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth: Catechist Guide.

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Helping the Church of Today and Tomorrow

This handout challenges students to reflect on and brainstorm what it would have been like to create Church teachings and rules shortly after Jesus’ death and resurrection.

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From Fasting to Feasting

A short prayer that calls us to feast on kindness and compassion towards others.

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The Mission of the Church

Jesus has just risen from the tomb. Although you and all the other Christians are overjoyed, you now have to decide what to do. You are one of the followers who has been with Jesus for more than two years. …

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A Healthy Approach to Life

It may be easy to think of church councils as having very little to do with our personal life. Yet the themes of Vatican Council II—change and renewal—are ones that we are called to live out for the rest of …

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Images of God, Understandings of Life

The sketches below represent the different images of God and understandings of life that were held by the Jewish wisdom sages. Beneath each sketch, list the wisdom books that correspond to that image.

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Sample Lesson Planning Chart

A sample lesson plan.

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Teacher Evaluation: An Interreligious Interview

The following ratings identify your scores on a scale from 1 (poor) to 10 (excellent).

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Miriam's Shabbat

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Greek and Roman Gods Today

Next to the name of each god or goddess in the chart below, jot down any person, place, object, time, program, or product with which you associate the name. You may also note titles of songs or TV programs or …

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A Zoroastrian Symbol

The illustration on this handout is the Faravahar, a symbol of Zoroastrian faith. With the example of the Faravahar in mind, create, on a separate sheet of paper, a symbol that represents your own religious faith or personal understanding of …

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Koans: Food for Intuition

Read the following Zen koans two or three times. Choose one and answer or explain it.

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Who Is the Sage?

In each pair of situations below, one of the people described resembles the ideal of the Taoist sage, the person who lives in accord with Tao and practices the virtue wu-wei. Read each pair of situations and circle the letter …

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Chinese Calligraphy

Calligraphy is one of the cultural arts that was pursued in the process of becoming a chun-tzu. Try your hand at reproducing the Chinese characters below, drawing your versions in the space provided to the right of the characters. The …

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The Sikh Khalsa

The information on this handout provides further insight into the nature of the Sikh Khalsa.

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The Ten Gurus of Sikhism

This list of the ten Gurus of Sikhism briefly summarizes the key contributions of each Guru.

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Kuan-Yin

1. Look at the statue or picture at this station. 2. This image depicts the deity Kuan-yin. Write words that describe this image.

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Monks

1. Look at the picture at this station. 2. Write words that describe the actions that you see in the picture. 3. Write words that describe the relationships between people that you see in the picture.

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Objects Used in Tibetan Rituals

1. At this station are several objects. Some may look familiar. Gently pick up each object and examine it. SOME OF THE OBJECTS ARE FRAGILE. PLEASE HANDLE THEM CAREFULLY. 2. Write the following information about each object.

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The Fasting Siddhartha

1. Observe the statue or picture at this station. 2. Notice that it is probably different from almost any other image of the Buddha that you have seen. 3. Look closely and write down what you observe. How does this …

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Right Meditation

1. Here is a Buddha statue or picture. Sit quietly and stare at it. Meditate on it. Let it be a visual focus for your medi- tation. Learn from it. 2. Write any impressions, observations, or questions you have.

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Correlation to Curriculum Framework

Correlation to Curriculum Framework Course IV: Jesus Christ’s Mission Continues in the Church from The Church: Christ in the World Today.

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Revelation, Sacred Scripture, and Tradition

Using the information in chapter 1 of The Catholic Connections Handbook, find the word or words described in the clues below. Fill in the blank spaces below each clue. Then, use the letters from the numbered spaces to fill in …

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Chapter 26 Summary: The Bible: Worshipping God

A summary of Chapter 26, The Bible: Worshipping God from the Catholic Connections Handbook for Middle Schoolers, Second Edition.

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Chapter 25 Summary: Mary and the Saints

A summary of Chapter 25, Mary and the Saints from the Catholic Connections Handbook for Middle Schoolers, Second Edition.

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Chapter 24 Summary: End Things: Heaven and Hell

A summary of Chapter 24, End Things: Heaven and Hell from the Catholic Connections Handbook for Middle Schoolers, Second Edition.

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Chapter 23 Activity: How Much Do You Know about the Church?

The descriptions below relate to the Church, present and past. Write the word or name from the box that matches each description. Some words will be used more than once.

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Chapter 23 Summary: The Structure of the Church

A summary of Chapter 23, The Structure of the Church from the Catholic Connections Handbook for Middle Schoolers, Second Edition.

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Chapter 22 Activity: Marks of the Church

Clues about the marks of the church.

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Chapter 22 Summary: The Mission of the Church

A summary of Chapter 22, The Mission of the Church from the Catholic Connections Handbook for Middle Schoolers, Second Edition.

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Chapter 1 Summary: Revelation, Sacred Scripture, and Sacred Tradition

A summary of Chapter 1, Revelation, Sacred Scripture, and Sacred Tradition from the Catholic Connections Handbook for Middle Schoolers, Second Edition.