Lent 2015 - Caritas background for teachers_0.pdf · LENT 21 Partnerships for Change in the philippines Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand 1 ESSENTIAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS

LENT 2015: Partnerships for Change in the philippines Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand 1

ESSENTIAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS

Lent 2015 Partnerships for Change in the PhilipPines BUILD BACK BETTER

years1–13

Sections1. Lent 20152. Catholic social teaching3. Who is Caritas?4. Emergency response in partnership 5. Mind map6. Information about the Philippines7. Disaster management 8. School resources9. What can you do?


Lent 2015

Light a fire in the heart of the worldPope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium

Our Lenten theme is taken from the words of Pope Francis in his Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium, in which he speaks of the Church’s imperative to be a light in places where people are experiencing darkness. This includes particularly the poor and those who suffer from natural disasters.

A fire provides more than just light. It provides a means of heating food for those without electricity. It also provides a source of warmth. Fire is one of the fundamental elements of life. It is active and powerful.

This Lent we are called to be people who co-operate with others to enable people affected by natural disasters to start rebuilding their lives, and to build back a life that is better than before.

To read the full exhortation or find the context for the quote go to.... http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20131124_evangelii-gaudium.html

Evangelii Gaudium:

Joy of the Gospel

Please give generously so we can help others help themselves.

An appeal on behalf of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference.

http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20131124_evangelii-gaudium.html




If your intention is truly to help our people, then you must listen to them, respect them and treat them as equal partners, not as passive recipients of your aid.Xanana Gusmao, President of Timor Leste

Catholic Social Teaching The following list simplifies the basic principles of Catholic social teaching. An understanding of these principles should underpin classroom discussions around our vision for ‘lighting a fire in the heart of the world’.

Human dignity: Every single person is created in the image of God, and is invaluable and worthy of respect as a member of the human family. It is from our human dignity that all other rights and responsibilities flow.

Respect for human life: Human life at every stage is precious and therefore worthy of protection and respect.

Human equality: Equality of all people comes from their inherent human dignity. Differences in talents are part of God’s plan, but social, cultural and economic discrimination are not.

Preferential protection for the poor and vulnerable: Our Catholic tradition instructs us to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first. It is especially important that we look at public policy decisions in terms of how they affect the poor.

Association: The human person is not only sacred but also social. People achieve fulfilment by association with others – in families and other social institutions.

Participation: People have a right and duty to participate in society, seeking together the well-being of all. Everyone has the right not to be shut out of participating in those institutions necessary for human fulfilment, such as work, education and political participation.

Common good: The common good is about respecting the rights and responsibilities of all people. The individual does not have unfettered rights at the expense of others, but nor are individual rights to be subordinate to the needs of the group.

Solidarity: We are one human family. The principle of solidarity requires of us to not concern ourselves solely with our own lives. Our responsibilities to each other call us to work globally for justice.

Stewardship: We have a responsibility to care for the gifts that God has given us, including the environment, our personal talents and other resources.

Universal destination of goods: The earth and all it produces are intended for every person. Private ownership is acceptable, but there is also a responsibility to ensure all have enough to live in dignity.

Subsidiarity: No higher level of organisation should perform any function that can best be handled at a lower level by those who are closer to the issues or problems, such as families or communities.

You are not making a gift of what is yours to the poor man, but you are giving him back what is his.... The earth belongs to everyone, not to the rich.Pope Paul VI’s encyclical Populorum Progressio, quoting St Ambrose.

Photo: Mark Mitchell, Caritas Shelter Project, June 2013, after Typhoon Bopha


Light a fire in the heart of the world

Whakakāngia te kāpura ki roto i te ngākau o te ao tāngata

Who is Caritas? Caritas Internationalis is a worldwide confederation of 165 Catholic relief and development organisations. Their focus is on integral human development. This is a comprehensive approach that takes into account the interdependence of the human family and its well-being, in its various dimensions: economic, social, political, cultural, ecological and spiritual, with a view to achieving a society based on the principles of fraternity, justice, equity and solidarity.

Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand As a part of the Catholic Church, Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand reflects the social mission of the Church. Our purpose is to assist in transforming communities to enable lives of dignity and hope.

Our MissionCaritas Aotearoa New Zealand will be recognised as love in action. We unite with communities, especially in the parishes, colleges, marae, religious orders and schools of Aotearoa and Oceania to overcome poverty, protect lives and relieve suffering.

Our VisionInspired and guided by the Gospels and Catholic social teaching, we work to eliminate injustice and poverty. This will be accomplished through focusing our resources on clear priorities and goals, and weaving together integral human development, advocacy, education, relief and rehabilitation.

Our ValuesCompassion and empathy – aroha, human dignity – te mana i te tangata, equality – ōritetanga, hope – tūmanako, justice – tika.

Our Five Strategic PrioritiesPoverty Environmental justiceIndigenous people Crisis response Awareness and connection

Our Way of BeingWithin Caritas (including Mahitahi our overseas volunteer programme) and in all our work, we seek to be the hands, ears, eyes and mouth of Christ; formed by his love and heart, we are ready to serve, to forgive and to speak with patience, wisdom, gentleness and perseverance.

Integral Human DevelopmentCaritas Aotearoa New Zealand is dedicated to integral human development (the development of the whole person). The New Zealand curriculum usefully defines well-being – hauora as a connected whole consisting of:

• Taha wairua – spiritual well-being• Taha hinengaro – mental and emotional well-being• Taha tinana – physical well-being• Taha whānau – social well-being.


Emergency response in partnership

Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand is working with communities in Vanuatu, Tonga, Samoa, Philippines and many others to build awareness of, and preparedness for, disasters that can affect their countries. This is done through training and also pre-positioning of emergency supplies for quick distribution in the event of emergencies.

The primary purpose of this year’s Lenten resources is to educate young people about the vulnerability of nations to natural disasters. The aim of Caritas and its partners in the Pacific and in the Philippines, is to go beyond the stage of simple material distribution of basic supplies to rebuilding in such a way that communities are less vulnerable to future events.

Caritas Philippines (NASSA)Caritas Philippines was founded by the bishops in 1966 with the following vision statement:

“We are the social development arm of the Philippine Catholic Church working for a Filipino Society deeply rooted in and transformed by Gospel values of Love, Truth, Justice, Freedom, and Peace.”

Caritas Philippines has organisations in many regions of the country and works through locally developed diocesan social action centres.

Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand (CANZ) is committed to working alongside Caritas Philippines to help communities ‘build back better’. CANZ believes that its role is to support local communities in achieving their own goals in education, healthcare, shelter, and access to food and clean water. Caritas aims to be there for people before, during and after disasters, and to assist them with ongoing development.

The underlying philosophy of the work of Caritas is to be in partnership with communities who set their own goals for development. The role of Caritas is to help our partners achieve their hopes and dreams.

Picture of the girl in the sunset with the bucket

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Light a fire in the heart of the world

Whakakāngia te kāpura ki roto i te ngākau o te ao tāngata



Information about the Philippines

Philippines geography and statisticsCatholic Relief Services, 2014

• Population is 107 million• 7,107 islands • Exclusive Economic Zone is 200 nautical miles• Human Development Index Rank is 114 (NZ 3, Fiji 86)• Most children attend school for an average of 11.7 years. Literacy level is 95%

Ethnic GroupsThere are 160 ethnic groups in the Philippines, each with their own cultural practices and languages.

One of the largest ethnic groups is the Visayan (Vee-SAH-yan), with about 21 million people. They have several languages, the main one being Bisaya (Bee-sah- YUH).

Some of the other major groups are Tagalog (Tag-AH-luhg) with 25 million people, Ilocano (Eel-loh-KAHL-noh) with 9 million people, Bicolano (Bee-call-LAH-noh) with 6 million, and Kapampangan (Kah-pum-PANG-ahn) with 3 million.

The Filipino language (or Wikang Filipino) is based mainly on the Tagalog language with some Spanish and English influence.

Geography and EnvironmentThe Philippines is made up of over 7,000 islands and forms an archipelago between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea.

The islands are generally mountainous, with extensive coastlines. Arable land makes up only 18% of the total land mass. According to United Nations data, 26% of the land area is covered in forest. Agricultural products produced in the Philippines include sugarcane, coconuts, rice, cassavas, bananas, mangoes, pineapples, pork, eggs, beef and fish.

Environmental issues in the Philippines include uncontrolled deforestation which has led to significant soil erosion especially in watershed areas, and pollution of coastal mangrove swamps. There is also significant air and water pollution in major urban areas.


Vulnerability to Natural Disasters According to the United Nations World Risk Report (2013), the Philippines is the third most at risk country in the world for natural disasters.

Because it is surrounded by sea and in the typhoon path of the North Pacific, the Philippines is susceptible to storms. In fact, the Philippines experiences at least twenty tropical storms each year. It also experiences landslides, flooding, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and tsunamis.

For an indication of the frequency and seriousness of these natural disasters, the following paragraphs contain information about two major typhoons, serious flooding and a 7.2 magnitude earthquake within the space of 14 months.

• In December 2012 Typhoon Bopha hit the southern island of Mindanao taking more than 1,000 lives and destroying more than 150,000 homes. The work of rebuilding homes and livelihoods in Mindanao (min-dah-NOW) is ongoing.

• In August 2013 monsoon rains caused deadly flooding in Manila and in other areas, affecting over a million people. The torrential downpour caused widespread damage to homes and infrastructure.

• In October 2013 disaster struck the Bohol province in the form of a 7.2 magnitude earthquake.• In November 2013 the largest typhoon ever to make landfall hit the Visayas region of the

Philippines killing 7,986 people, with more than 16 million people affected.1

• Over one million homes were damaged, half of them totally destroyed.

In a country where 25% of the people live below the poverty line, this kind of devastation has far-reaching effects. People do not have savings or goods in reserve to help them through the aftermath of a disaster. They rely heavily on overseas aid in order to be able to rebuild their homes and livelihoods.

The number and size of disasters has a cumulative effect on the development of the Philippines. Each successive event can be a set-back to development programmes, because money set aside by the government for development is diverted to disaster relief instead.

The Filipino government spends 0.5% of its Gross Domestic Product on disaster response and recovery, which is about P15 billion per year, (15 billion Pesos). This is the equivalent of NZ$419 million. (There are 40 Pesos in NZ$1)

1 EM-DAT The International Disaster Database, http://www.emdat.be

Photo: Caritas Internationalis. Widespread destruction in Tacloban City, Leyte after Typhoon Haiyan.

http://www.emdat.be


Poverty and corruption18.4% of the Filipino population live on less than $1.25 per person per day.

At the same time there is a wealthy ‘elite’ who earn high salaries. In fact the income of the top 10% of earners is twenty times that of the income of the poorest 10%.

This income inequality is also reflected in educational opportunities. The wealthy are able to send their children to better funded schools than the poor.

One of the contributing factors to poverty and disparity is corruption in both national and local government. According to a Corruption Perceptions Index carried out by Transparency International in 2013, Philippines is perceived as 94th out of 176 countries when it comes to public sector corruption. Interestingly New Zealand ranks alongside Denmark as the two least corrupt countries in the world. Transparency International ranks countries according to data sourced from independent institutions specialising in governance and business climate analysis.

According to a World Bank report in 1999 it is important for the Filipino government to continue in its efforts to reduce corruption. One reason is that the presence of corruption dissuades foreign investment which might contribute to the economic growth of the country. Secondly, corruption invariably saps resources available for development and services for poor communities.

Political systemWhile the Philippines is a democracy, political power is usually held by a member of one of a group of land-owning families.

Local government is exercised in geographical units including provinces, cities, municipalities and barangays (villages or districts).

Religions in the PhilippinesThe majority of Filipinos are Catholic (82.9%), 5% are Muslim and 12.1% belong to other Christian denominations. The majority of the Muslim population lives in Mindanao, the southern-most island of the Philippines.

Mindanao was mainly a Muslim island from the 1300s until the 1950s when the government encouraged Christian Filipinos from the north to migrate there to work in the mining industry. Mindanao was found to be rich in oil and minerals.

Soon the Christians in Mindanao far outnumbered the Muslim population, and several Muslim movements began in an attempt to safeguard the lifestyle and the autonomy of this indigenous minority group, known as the Moros.

Conflict in MindanaoConflict began here in the 1970s. Among the militia groups that formed at this time were the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the Abu Sayyaf Group and the New People’s Army (NPA); a communist group.

The conflict has led to the deaths of tens of thousands of people, and displaced an estimated 3.5 million people since 2000.

As well as this, poverty levels in the war-torn areas of Mindanao are much higher than the national average.

In March 2014 the Philippines government and the MILF signed the last part of a peace deal, which will guarantee the Muslim minority on Mindanao greater political autonomy and more control over their resources. President Benigno Aquino hopes to see the establishment of an autonomous region in Mindanao (to be called Bangsamoro) by 2016.


Many people are hopeful of peace on Mindanao. However, there is already a break-away faction of MILF who have vowed to keep fighting despite the peace deal.

Peace talks were attempted between NPA and the Philippines government in 2011, but after a break-down in talks, fighting continues.

Typhoon Bopha (Pablo)In December 2012, the island of Mindanao, the southern Philippine island, was hit by Typhoon Bopha (known locally as Typhoon Pablo). It was the strongest cyclone ever to hit Mindanao with winds up to 250 km/hr. 1,901 people died and more than 200,000 homes were destroyed. 6.2 million people were evacuated from their homes.

The worst hit areas of Mindanao were the provinces of Davao Oriental (DAH-vow-Oriental-TAHL), and Compostela Valley (Compost-STEHL-lah). In the town of Baganga (Bah-GANG-ah), in Davao Oriental province, most people made a living by producing coconuts. However, Typhoon Bopha destroyed 60% of the coconut trees. Towns like Baganga will need assistance to be able to re-establish coconut production or find some other way to make a living.

In Malita, a town in Davao Oriental, there was an emergency response plan in place before Typhoon Bopha hit. Early warning systems meant that many people successfully evacuated to storm shelters. Local organisations had also organised the pre-positioning of food and other goods so that there was food to distribute after the disaster struck.

This pre-positioning of food supplies is one of the many ways that communities can become more prepared for natural disasters. Better preparedness does ultimately save lives.

Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda)On November 8, 2013 Super Typhoon Haiyan hit the Visayas region of the Philippines. It made landfall six times leaving destruction in its wake. The aspect of the typhoon that caused the most damage was the storm surge that following the typhoon. It was a large wave that destroyed many buildings in its path and even swept ships up onto land.

7,986 people were killed in Typhoon Haiyan. Many local people said that the Typhoon was stronger than they had expected. Public storm warnings had been issued, but they began as a #1 warning, the lowest of four levels. As the storm approached the Visayas region the warning changed and became a #4 warning indicating that Haiyan would bring winds as strong as 185 kph, and that a storm surge was expected. In fact Haiyan reached wind speeds of up to 348kph, the strongest typhoon to ever make landfall in recorded history.

Altogether over 16 million people were affected by Typhoon Haiyan, and over 4 million people were displaced.

Photo: Catholic Relief Services. Howard Bacayana (CRS) does damage assessment in the city of Cagayan de Oro.


Aid agencies and local groups began to mobilise to provide people with shelter, safe drinking water and food. Strong public buildings which had survived the typhoon were used as evacuation and distribution centres.

The recovery continues for the people of the Visayas region with the help of Caritas and other humanitarian agencies.

Babayam po kami

– We will rise up from this.

Photo: Caritas Internationalis. A church being used as an evacuation centre.


Disaster ManagementAid workers approach the issue of a natural disaster by using certain models and diagrams to help them to make sense of what has happened and what has to be done to help those who have been affected.

They use a diagram to best illustrate the stages of recovery from a disaster.

In the lessons that have been prepared students will learn about these stages, with a special emphasis on the stages of mitigation and preparedness. Lessons for primary school Yr 1-8 will use the phrase ‘reduce impact’ instead of mitigation and ‘readiness’ instead of preparedness. This lines up with the emergency cycle which is familiar to primary students of response, recovery, reduce impact and readiness.

The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) defines the terms used in the emergency cycle as follows:

ResponseThe Response phase involves the provision of emergency services and public assistance during or immediately after a disaster in order to save lives, reduce health impacts, ensure public safety and meet the basic subsistence needs of the people affected.

Comment: Disaster response is predominantly focused on immediate and short-term needs and is sometimes called ‘disaster relief’. The division between this response stage and the subsequent recovery stage is not clear-cut. Some response actions, such as the supply of temporary housing and water supplies, may extend well into the recovery stage.

Photo: Leo Duce. Local youth help to sort food supplies in Cateel.


RecoveryThe Recovery phase involves the restoration, and improvement where appropriate, of facilities, livelihoods and living conditions of disaster-affected communities, and includes efforts to reduce disaster risk factors.

Comment: The recovery task of rehabilitation and reconstruction begins soon after the emergency phase has ended, and should be based on pre-existing strategies and policies that facilitate clear institutional responsibilities for recovery action and enable public participation. Recovery programmes, coupled with the heightened public awareness and engagement after a disaster, afford a valuable opportunity to develop and implement disaster risk reduction measures and to apply the build back better principle.

Mitigation Mitigation means the lessening or limitation of the adverse impacts of hazards and related disasters.

Comment: The adverse impacts of hazards often cannot be prevented fully, but their scale or severity can be substantially lessened by various strategies and actions. Mitigation measures encompass engineering techniques and hazard-resistant construction as well as improved environmental policies and public awareness. It should be noted that in climate change policy, “mitigation” is defined differently, being the term used for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions that are the source of climate change.

PreparednessThe Preparedness phase includes the knowledge and capacities developed by governments, professional response and recovery organizations, communities and individuals to effectively anticipate, respond to, and recover from, the impacts of likely, imminent or current hazard events or conditions.

Comment: Preparedness action is carried out within the context of disaster risk management and aims to build the capacities needed to efficiently manage all types of emergencies and achieve orderly transitions from response through to sustained recovery. Preparedness is based on a sound analysis of disaster risks and good linkages with early warning systems, and includes such activities as contingency planning, stockpiling of equipment and supplies, the development of arrangements for coordination, evacuation and public information, and associated training and field exercises. These must be supported by formal institutional, legal and budgetary capacities. The related term ‘readiness’ describes the ability to quickly and appropriately respond when required.

Photo: Leo Duce 2013. Short-term repairs made to houses to make them habitable.


Disaster Risk Reduction following Typhoon HaiyanAccording to the UNISDR, disaster risk reduction is the concept and practice of reducing disaster risks through systematic efforts to analyse and manage causal factors of disasters.

In the Philippines following Typhoon Haiyan this is being done in many ways, ranging from rebuilding houses with metal strapping to enable them to withstand strong winds to making changes to the way in which food is grown.

Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) is building a community’s resilience in the face of natural hazards. Capacity strengthening is a part of DRR. This involves training communities in mitigation, preparedness and response. This includes such activities as simulation exercises, contingency plans and the development of early warning systems.

Ecosystem RehabilitationTyphoon Haiyan not only took thousands of lives and damaged tens of thousands of homes, it also caused significant damage to environmental ecosystems. Fish stocks and reefs have been depleted and trees which formed wind shields and erosion blocks have been destroyed.

Hundreds of coastal communities rely on the sea for food and other resources. Selected communities will be supported to identify projects to restore the environment and increase resilience such as planting mangrove forests and building artificial reefing. As well as providing breeding grounds for sea creatures, these forests and reefs will also serve as a buffer to the forces of wind and storm surges so that coastal communities remain partially protected.

On land millions of forest trees and coconut trees were destroyed by the typhoon. Thousands of coconut farmers will require assistance to find other ways of earning a living until new trees mature in about ten years’ time.

The river ecosystem was also affected by the typhoon, damaging sources of water and food crops. Communities will be trained to improve water management practices as part of risk reduction strategies.

Climate Change Adaptation – Stewardship for Sustainability Climate change is a new long-term threat that Filipinos face. Adaptation is a way of building resilience to climate change. This can be done through:

1. Using sustainable agricultural practices which are adapted to the new climatic conditions: e.g. returning to traditional methods of planting and using traditional crops.

2. Sustainable fishing practices: e.g. educational and monitoring programmes to discourage over-fishing and unsustainable methods

such as dynamite fishing.

Through these adaptations, Filipino communities are demonstrating responsibility for caring for the earth to support future generations.


What is the role of Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand in Disaster Management?

Mark Mitchell is the Humanitarian Programmes Coordinator for Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand. His job includes monitoring disasters around the world and working with local partners to design the response programme.

During the initial ‘response’ phase of Typhoon Bopha and Typhoon Haiyan, Mark made sure that donations from New Zealanders got to our partner, Caritas Philippines.

Initial donations went towards providing people with essential items such as temporary shelter, food and clean water.

Photo: Mark Mitchell (left) with a pilot from the Royal New Zealand Airforce, bringing supplies to people affected by Typhoon Haiyan.

Photo: Rocky Silverius works with Caritas. He stands next to a block of new houses funded by Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand during the response phase of Typhoon Bopha. Mark worked with members of Caritas Philippines (NASSA), including Rocky.


School resources

• Lent 2015 – Partnerships for change in the Philippines: Build Back Better. Years 1-13 teacher’s book

• Essential Background Information for Teachers• Worksheets for all levels • PowerPoints linked to the worksheets• The Way of the Cross PowerPoint for Holy Week• Lent 2015 poster• 2015 Keep it Simple for Lent calendar• Koha boxes• Slideshow on DVD and online• Picture pack – four images with teacher notes• DVD with videos linked to student activities• SINGout4JUSTICE song writing competition for Y7 to Y13

You will find more information on our website www.caritas.org.nz/schools/lent-schools

Details of the resources to support prayer, fasting and giving

2015 Keep it Simple for Lent Calendar Use the 40 days of Lent as a simple plan to become a better person. This liturgical season encourages us to become more aware, to repent, forgive, donate money and serve those who need help. There are four themes: Respond, Recover, Reduce impact, Readiness.

Print and online.

Picture packFour A3 wall posters show different aspects of the emergency cycle. Encourage discussion about what children/students see. A separate sheet with multi-level starter questions is included in the pack (hard copy and online). The pictures show: Respond, Recover, Reduce Impact, Readiness.

DVD Lent 2015-Build Back BetterYou have been sent a DVD with four short videos and a slideshow for use by classes. The four videos are:

Rocky helps with recoveryFr Jerson preparesMining in MindanaoTyphoon emergencyThey are each approximately 4 minutes in duration. They are also available on our website www.caritas.org.nz/schools

Slideshow of life in the Philippines

The Catholic Agency for Justice, Peace & Development

Donations: Collect the total money gifted during Lent and send a cheque for that amount to:

Lenten AppealCaritas Aotearoa New ZealandPO Box 12193, ThorndonWellington 6144

Or DONATE online at www.caritas.org.nz

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

16 FebPlan how you will keep it simple this Lent. Check out the ideas on this calendar.

17 SHROVE TUESDAYHold a pancake stall and raise money for Caritas.

18 ASH WEDNESDAYApologise for grumbling about the little things, and open your heart to more important things.

19Hang up a world map at home or school and pray for people in different countries each day of Lent. Visit www.operationworld.org for more ideas.

20Thank God for your health by doing something good for your body. Donate a coin to provide food and medicine for people in emergencies.

21Make a card for someone you love to tell them how much they mean to you.

22Pray for children in poorer countries who’ve lost their home in an emergency.

23FOCUS ONEMERGENCIESDonate a coin for children who’ve lost their homes in emergencies.

24Discuss a household emergency plan. Try www.civildefence.govt.nz for more information.

25What is your school emergency plan for fires, earthquakes, and severe storms?

26What extra support is there for disabled students at your school during an emergency?

27Which recent emergency affected the largest number of people? Donate a gold coin to help.

28Which emergencies are most likely to happen in your neighbourhood and is there an emergency plan?

1 MarchPray for children and families who are struggling to cope with the emergency they are living with.

2 FOCUS ON RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIESShow a child where the emergency kit is and remind them why storing clean water is important.

3 Pray for people affected by emergencies happening now.

4How does Caritas respond to emergencies around the world?www.caritas.org.nz/what-we-do/emergency-responseDonate a coin to help us help the most vulnerable.

5How could you get food in an emergency without buying it?

6Try to build a shelter outside from broken branches and old boxes. Donate a coin to help provide shelter for families in emergencies.

7Draw a map of where in the world your family members live. How would you contact them in an emergency? Pray for those who can’t contact their families when they need to.

8Pray for those who are helping people in emergencies.

9FOCUS ON RECOVERYPray for people in Christchurch. Donate a coin to support Caritas’ recovery work.

10How is a friend or someone in your family/whanau coping with an emergency? Pray for them.

11Draw a picture of your house. Is it strong enough to survive a severe storm? Pray for those who have lost their home to the typhoons in the Philippines.

12What things do people need to recover from accidents and illness in emergencies? Donate a coin to provide people in emergencies with medical care.

13Reflect on what jobs could be done during a Recovery phase in an emergency.

14Watch our video on the Philippines relief appeal www.caritas.org.nz/philippines-typhoon

15Learn a new prayer/karakia to say before dinner. Remember those who have lost their food gardens in floods.

16FOCUS ON ADAPTATIONHelp protect the environment, buy unpackaged items.

17Use recycled and reusable containers for lunch today. What other ways can you avoid using plastic?

18What kinds of fish do you eat at home, and are they still plentiful in our oceans? Donate a coin to support sustainable food programmes.

19How is New Zealand helping people respond to climate change?

20Conserve NZ’s clean water today and give thanks every time you use it. Donate a coin to help people gain access to clean water.

21Have a petrol-free day and walk or bike around.

22Pray for people in the Pacific whose homes are threatened by rising sea levels.

23FOCUS ONPREPAREDNESSWhat are five facts about typhoons or cyclones you can share? Donate a coin to better prepare people for emergencies.

24Check your emergency kit at home with the essential items you might need.

25Practice your school/home emergency evacuation plan. Donate a coin to help people in the Philippines prepare for emergencies.

26Donate something non-perishable to your local foodbank.

27 CARITAS CHALLENGETake the 24-hour Caritas Challenge ORLive Simply Today.Eat a very simple lunch with no treats.

28 CARITAS CHALLENGETake the 24-hour Caritas Challenge OR Perform a random act of kindness for somebody today.

29 PALM SUNDAYJesus prepared for his final journey by spending time with his closest friends. Contact close friends and pray with them.

30FOCUS ON HOLY WEEKWhat happens for the Chrism Mass in your diocese?

31Plan a Jewish Passover meal to have with your family or class. Donate a coin to people in emergencies without food.

1 AprilHow are you and your classmates celebrating Easter?Listen to the story of Jesus’ final days from Scripture.

2 HOLY THURSDAYShare your Passover meal today.Donate a coin to remember victims of disasters.

3 GOOD FRIDAYPray the Stations of the Cross online or go to your parish service.

4Write a prayer on the things you’ve learned about the emergency cycle.

5 EASTER SUNDAYThank God for the gift of life and the opportunities to become a better person.

Learn and share calendar

KEEP IT SIMPLE FOR LENT

2015

Give a little to help those recovering from disasters.More information can be found on

www.caritas.org.nz/schools/lent-schools

Thank you for your

generosity.

Respond

Recover

Reduce impact

Readiness

Grow in compassion and empathy for the poor and vulnerable in countries such as the Philippines.

RESPOND – Emergency bucketsPhoto: Caritas Internationalis

RECOVER – Building the framework for a housePhoto: Caritas Internationalis

REDUCE IMPACT – A house made saferPhoto: Louise Far

READINESS – Starting again and better preparedPhoto: Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand

http://www.caritas.org.nz/schools/lent-schools

http://www.caritas.org.nz/schools


View images that depict different aspects of the emergency cycle and how Caritas is helping to build back better. Students can talk about what they see, and relate this to their own knowledge and experiences. On DVD and online.

Useful websitesEducation for Justicehttp://www.educationforjustice.org/

Lenten poetry companionhttp://www.educationforjustice.org/resources/lenten-poetry-companion

Human rights educationhttp://www.humanrights.com/#/home

Faith Centralhttp://www.faithcentral.net.nz/?sid=3

CAFOD (Caritas member for England and Wales)http://www.cafod.org.uk/schools

Catholic Social Teachinghttp://www.catholicsocialteaching.org.uk/

Catholic Online – Ash Wednesdayhttp://www.catholic.org/clife/lent/ashwed.php

Caritas Australiahttp://www.caritas.org.au/learn

Caritas Internationalishttp://www.caritas.org

CRS, Catholic Relief Serviceshttp://www.crs.org/

Childfundhttps://www.childfund.org/articles/Philippine-families-prepared-for-Typhoon-Bopha/

Caritas Challengehttp://www.caritas.org.nz/caritas-challenge

Pacific Disaster Centerhttp://www.pdc.org/resources/preparedness-info/disaster-supply-kit/

CNNhttp://edition.cnn.com/2013/11/11/world/asia/typhoon-haiyan-questions/

Stop Disasters Game (from UNISDR – United Nations office for disaster risk reduction)http://stopdisastersgame.org/en/playgame.html

ABC radio, Australiahttp://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2011/s3154881.htm

Catholics confront global povertywww.confrontglobalpoverty.org

http://www.educationforjustice.org/

http://www.educationforjustice.org/resources/lenten-poetry-companion

http://www.faithcentral.net.nz/?sid=3

http://www.cafod.org.uk/schools

http://www.catholic.org/clife/lent/ashwed.php

http://www.caritas.org.au/learn

http://www.caritas.org

http://www.crs.org/

https://www.childfund.org/articles/Philippine-families-prepared-for-Typhoon-Bopha/

http://www.caritas.org.nz/caritas-challenge

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/11/11/world/asia/typhoon-haiyan-questions/

http://stopdisastersgame.org/en/playgame.html

http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2011/s3154881.htm

http://www.confrontglobalpoverty.org


What can you do?

1. PrayerPrayer transcends boundaries of distance and time.

Prayer-karakia connects us to God and to one another. It doesn’t matter if we are praying for people thousands of miles away. Our prayers are still effective.

‘For in Him we live and move and have our being. As some of your own poets have said, “We are his offspring.”’ Acts 17:28-29

In God ‘we live and move and have our being’. An interesting thing to do during a prayer-time is to have the students sit with their eyes closed and feel their own pulse. The students can be invited to reflect that with every heartbeat, God’s Spirit is gifting them with life. The blood pumping through their veins is God’s way of saying, ‘I made you, I love you’.

Students can then consider that God who gave them life, also breathes life into every human being on the planet. ‘We are all his offspring.’ We all have the same Creator. We are connected to each other. We can pray for our brothers and sisters everywhere.

Prayer Service Ideas for Holy WeekInvolve class members in preparing a prayer service that encourages everyone to pray for those who struggle because of humanitarian crises, poverty and limited educational opportunities.

• Include prayers for the displaced peoples of the world in your liturgy, especially those affected by current disasters including refugees in the Middle East escaping from war. A selection of prayers for the poor all around the world can be found by visiting the website of the organisation ‘Catholics Confront Global Poverty’. Go to www.confrontglobalpoverty.org and search for the prayer and spirituality page.

• Remember the call of Pope Francis to be mindful of the poor.

‘The measure of the greatness of a society is found in the way it treats those most in need, those who have nothing apart from their poverty.We do not judge our progress based on how the wealthiest are doing. Instead, we evaluate our greatness by observing how the most vulnerable are faring. And then, whenever we see deficiencies, we are called to respond in faith.’Pope Francis, Rio de Janeiro, 2013

The Way of the CrossCaritas Aotearoa New Zealand has created a PowerPoint using images from our work with the poor and vulnerable. You can download the PowerPoint from www.caritas.org.nz/schools/lent-schools

2. Fasting

Live Simply Day – Friday 27 March Live Simply Day on Friday 27 March 2015 is the ideal time to take action across New Zealand for Lent. Do something that inconveniences you but makes someone else’s day!

Fasting need not be cutting back on food. Fasting can be interpreted as something broader than that. How about giving up the use of mobile phones, iPads, Xbox, Playstation, DVDs and television for one day

http://www.confrontglobalpoverty.org

http://www.caritas.org.nz/schools/lent-schools


a week during Lent? School lunch on Live Simply Day could be just a slice of bread or a handful of cooked rice and some water. Try the experience of going without over 8-12 hours.

3. Donating moneyFundraising this Lent is linked to solidarity with the poor. We reflect on the fact that Christ became poor ‘so that by His poverty we might become rich’. (2 Cor 8:9)

Keep this in mind when planning your fundraising on Live Simply Day or on your Caritas Challenge over 24 hours. Choose an activity that enables students to grow in empathy with the poor.

Caritas Challenge: 27-28 March 2015One day of difference for a lifetime of change.

The 24-hour challenge helping young people to experience in a small way some of the challenges faced by those living in poverty on a daily basis.

Move it Me NekeLive it Me WhakaoraSweat it Me WhakapauweraweraStop it Me Kāti

Schools may wish to fundraise by doing (or modifying) one of the challenges described in our Caritas Challenge Info book which was mailed to your school in November 2014. Go to www.caritas.org.nz/caritas-challenge for details of these fundraising ideas.

If you do something that is really interesting on Live Simply Day or for the Caritas Challenge, we would love to hear about it. Share your generous ideas with others through our website (www.caritas.org.nz) and Update newsletters, as well as the Caritas Challenge page (www.caritas.org.nz/caritas-challenge) or on Facebook: Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand.

1 DAY OF DIFFERENCE FOR A LIFETIME OF CHANGE

Photo: Mark Mitchell

CARITASCHALLENGE

27-28 MARCH 2015

TEXT CHALLENGE TO 833 TO DONATE $3 TO CARITAS

The Caritas Challenge is an annual fundraising event. Building solidarity with those living with poverty or injustice, the Challenge offers hands-on experiences that are fun and informative. In 2015 the focus is on our neighbours in the Philippines who face real challenges because of disasters.

BUILD BACK BETTER ITAYO MULI NG MAS MATIBAY

27-28 MARCH 2015 Happening throughout New Zealand

To find out more, jump online: WWW.CARITAS.ORG.NZ/CARITAS-CHALLENGE

Join us on Facebook:

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/CARITASCHALLENGE



http://www.caritas.org.nz



4. Everyday Choices, Everyday ActionsEveryday actions can have great impacts. While no one person can save the world, everyone is responsible for their own choices. We are called to act in solidarity with those who are ‘poor’. This may not mean just the materially poor, but those who are vulnerable or disadvantaged in some way. Through our everyday actions we can demonstrate our empathy for those who are vulnerable or in need.

Your schoolHow does your school:

• act to reduce inequality• pray regularly as a community• encourage fairness• care for those with disabilities• teach qualities of empathy• encourage students to be inclusive in the

playground and in sports?

Your local communityResearch what services your local council, churches and other agencies provide for refugee families. Find out where the local food banks are for families who don’t have enough food.

Calling all studentsIf your students are concerned about social change here are a few ideas to suggest to them.

Newspapers, news, TV programmes

Be generally more interested in current affairs.

Watch current affairs programmes.

Select newspapers and bulletins that give more in-depth coverage from a range of sources.

Change of consumer habits

Take notice of where food is sourced. When buying at the supermarket, try to buy more fair-trade goods.

Make informed choices before buying food, drink, clothes or gifts.Career choice Consider a career choice which could impact on the future and benefit

many.Your passion for travel Consider travelling to places where one could get involved in small-scale

projects to help those in poverty.Conversations with family and friends

Participate more in conversations with adults who are interested in development and making the world a better place.

Global awareness – national awareness

Be open to what is going on both inside and outside of New Zealand. Be more conscious of the voices calling for a more fair and just society.

Volunteer – in a cross-cultural or development programme

Consider taking a gap year and living in another country to broaden your understanding of how others live. Research the various opportunities for volunteer work both close to home and overseas.


Political views Think about what different political parties have to say about various topics. How do their ideas line up with your values? Ask ethical questions, write letters to politicians, sign petitions.

Recycling Recycle more clothes, papers and containers. Use less power, eat local and support fair trade.

Lifelong learning Widen your choice of reading material. Read some biographies or autobiographies about people who improved the conditions of poor people in their communities, e.g. Dorothy Day, Suzanne Aubert.

Study the seven Caritas videos showing the principles of CST in practice

Study a global issue in more depth, e.g. the plight of refugees and displaced people.

Find out about agencies that support the poor e.g. St Vincent de Paul Society, your local soup kitchen, homeless shelter or drop-in centre.

Documents

Lent 2015 - Caritas background for teachers_0.pdf · LENT 21 Partnerships for Change in the philippines Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand 1 ESSENTIAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS