By Susan Ciancio
The Culture of Life Studies Program released Unconditional Love and Respect for Everyone: St. John Bosco a little over two weeks ago, and parents and kids alike have been so excited. Our newest lesson explores the life of St. John Bosco and teaches middle schoolers how they can use his example in their daily lives.
With a new school year upon us, we know you will be looking for quality materials for your children. CLSP lessons fit easily into any curriculum—homeschooling, CCE classrooms, youth groups, and in-school classrooms. To help you get as excited about this new lesson as we are, we want to share five reasons you and your kids will love it.
1. Kids will learn that their actions matter.
Through stories about St. John Bosco’s life, students will learn to reflect on potential prejudices they have toward certain people based on their appearances, behaviors, or financial status. They will be challenged to think about how their own choices can have a lasting positive impact when they treat all people with respect.
2. Kids will learn the importance of incorporating kind works into their daily lives.
Teaching kids the Corporal Works of Mercy is important, and teaching them to live those out is even more important. With examples from St. John Bosco’s life, kids will be better able to model their actions after his.
3. Kids will develop empathy for others.
Kids in middle school sometimes fail to think about how others feel or how negative things in life affect others. They tend to look at events and occurrences through their perspective only instead of trying to see through the eyes of someone else. This lesson challenges students to consider how others feel.
4. Kids will understand the importance of seeing Jesus in all people.
St. John Bosco opened a home and a school for young boys who had no one to love them and nowhere to go. He did this out of love and because he understood that all people are made in the image and likeness of God. His example will help your students see the inherent dignity in all people.
5. Kids will explore how they can use St. John Bosco’s example to touch the lives of others.
The lesson concludes with a fun game where students are challenged to think of ways they can use St. John Bosco’s example to make a difference in their homes or communities.
CLSP lessons are a great way to introduce your children to pro-life topics and pro-life saints. In today’s world, we must be acutely aware of the dangers the secular world poses to our children, and we must combat these influences with dialog, lessons, and prayer. Unconditional Love and Respect for Everyone: St. John Bosco will help your students become more empathetic, more loving, and more like Christ.