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Opening Prayer

Heavenly Father,��You hold each of us in your loving hands.�Come fill our hearts, minds and bodies afresh with hope.�Help us to cast our worries upon you, so that we can embrace our learning today.�Bless us as we learn and grow together.�Lord, watch over us all, keep us safe within your Almighty hand.��Amen.�

H

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Last

Month

Solidarity is a moral and spiritual principle that recognizes the interconnectedness of all people as one human family. It involves a commitment to the common good, acting with and for others to achieve justice, and recognizing that the well-being of one person affects all. This commitment is not merely an emotion but a firm determination to address the root causes of suffering, both globally and locally.

Catholic Social Teaching:

Solidarity

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Living the Gospel Tree

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This

Month

We believe that every person is precious, that people are more important than things, and that the measure of every institution is whether it threatens or enhances the life and dignity of the human person. Everyone is special because God made them, so we treat everyone with respect and fairness, no matter their age, race, or ability.

Catholic Social Teaching:

Life and Dignity of Human Person

& Lent

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Catholics Protect Human Life and Dignity

https://www.youtube.com/@UsccbOrg

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“All men are equal in God’s sight, every person possesses the same dignity and has a claim to the same human rights. Hence every kind of social, racist, sexist, cultural, or religious discrimination against a person is an unacceptable injustice.”

“God says, ‘ I have willed that one should need another and that all should be my ministers in distributing the graces and gifts they have received from me.’” St. Catherine of Siena (1347-1380)

“He who has two coats, let him share with him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.” Luke 3:11

YOUCAT 330

Youth Catechism

pg 182-183

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Ash Wednesday

February 18th

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In the video we heard that Lent is a time for conversion…

What that means is…

Conversion is best explained as a heartfelt, lifelong journey of turning toward Jesus and growing in friendship with Him

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  • Conversion isn't just about rules; it’s about falling in love with Jesus and wanting to follow him.
  • Joining the Family: Being Catholic is like being a big family (the Church) where we learn to love God and others.
  • It includes learning about the faith, attending Mass, and taking steps toward receiving sacraments like Baptism, Holy Communion, and Confirmation.
  • It requires Daily Choices: It is a daily decision to choose goodness, forgiveness, and prayer.
  • We need to emphasize the importance of Sacraments: the sacraments are special signs of God's love, such as Baptism (entering the family) and Confession (asking for forgiveness to start fresh), receiving Jesus in the Eucharist.

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Another Lenten practice is to make a change instead of giving something up.

  • Maybe it is to be more present to your family and to include God more in your everyday life.
  • Maybe you need to prioritize attending Mass
  • Maybe you are unkind or ignore someone in your class maybe you can learn to be a friend a to them
  • Maybe you complain and make an issue when someone asks you to do something or when asked to participate in family activities

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We are going to do a Lenten lesson inspired by Meredith’s Gift and developed and led by the author Joellyn Cicciarelli.

This virtual lesson provides an overview of the season of Lent, includes a full reading of the book Meredith’s Gift, and after we will participate in a guided activity that allows us to reflect and plan how we want to grow during Lent and beyond.

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At the end of the video we will be guided to create a plan for change during Lent. Everyone will need this worksheet. If you are not good at writing you may do it in drawings.

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As One Catholic Family we will unite in Lenten Almsgiving for the Pine Ridge Indian School. Lenten Sacrifices can be turned in during Holy Week.

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More than 130 years ago, Chief Maȟpíya Lúta (Red Cloud), one of the most famous leaders of the Oglala Lakȟóta people, recognized that Lakȟóta people were facing irrevocable economic and cultural challenges. His wish was for the Jesuits to be allowed to build a school that would educate Lakȟóta children to “walk in two worlds” so as to survive in a rapidly changing environment, while still sustaining their Lakȟóta identity. He lobbied the U.S. government for over a decade to allow the Jesuits to build a school on the Pine Ridge Reservation.

Established in 1888, it was first a school run by Jesuit priests. Today, Maȟpíya Lúta is powered in partnership by Lakȟóta people and Catholic Jesuits. It includes four schools that serve nearly 500 students – two elementary schools, one middle school, and one college-preparatory high school. Maȟpíya Lúta also operates six Catholic churches and pastoral services that serve nearly 800 families in communities throughout the reservation.

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Mahpiya Luta: Legacy to Tomorrow

Explore how Maȟpíya Lúta is uplifting culture, faith, community, and future leaders

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The plight of Native American reservations, including Pine Ridge, is deeply rooted in historical injustices, land dispossession, and the erosion of traditional ways of life.

  • The Reservation has few natural resources and no industry. Many residents travel more than 120 miles to Rapid City for seasonal employment.

  • There is lack of economic and physical infrastructure, a shortage of services, prevalent substandard housing, and high rates of diseases like diabetes, tuberculosis, and alcoholism.

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Life on the Pine Ridge Reservation

  • 17 -25 people live in one household due to shortage of housing
    • many of them living in trailers
  • 90% unemployment rate
  • 92% live below the poverty level
    • In the USA the average per capita income is $37,683.
    • The Average per capita on the Pine Ridge Reservation is $7,773.
  • most families live without electricity or indoor plumbing
  • having a bed is a luxury
  • It gets very cold in the winter and very hot in the summer
  • They experience significant problems in accessing healthcare
    • Life Expectancy is 58 for men and 66 for women

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Under the Maȟpíya Lúta umbrella is also The Heritage Center – a cultural arts center that works with over 250 Native artists annually through a gallery, gift shop and annual Art Show. Beyond its educational and cultural endeavors, Maȟpíya Lúta hosts transformative programs such as Truth and Healing, Food Sovereignty, Alumni and Graduate Support, and the Lakȟóta Language Center, reflecting a commitment to holistic community development rooted in the intersection of tradition and progress.

The Maȟpíya Lúta (Red Cloud Indian School) is the embodiment of treating others with Dignity.

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Closing Prayer: Prayer of St. Francis

Lord make me an instrument of your peace

Where there is hatred, Let me sow love;

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is error, truth; Where there is doubt, faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

And where there is sadness, Joy.

O Divine Master grant that I may not so much seek t

o be consoled, as to console; To be understood,

as to understand;

To be loved, as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive,

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen

Pope Leo XIV has proclaimed a Franciscan Jubilee Year from January 10, 2026, to January 10, 2027, marking the 800th anniversary of St. Francis of Assisi's death. This holy year invites reflection on St. Francis's legacy of peace, poverty, and environmental stewardship.