Read A job description for a Godparent in the Australian Catholics 2021 winter edition and take part in the following questions and activities.
QUESTIONS
- What other sacraments require a sponsor? What are their duties?
- What does quiet witness look like? How would you demonstrate being Catholic?
- Why would the writer think it is OK for a godparent to show favouritism towards their godchild?
ACTIVITIES
Godparent job application: Ask students to write a job application for the role of godparent for the newborn child of a friend or relative (it can be an imaginary newborn). Look at each of the criteria in the job description, and describe how they think they fit that criteria, and how they would fulfil their role for the child. If they’re baptised, consider how they might help the child grow in faith. If they’re not baptised, consider how they will help that child be a better person in life. They might even like to put together a ‘godparent resume’, outlining their significant qualities and gifts that they can share with the student.
Interview with a godparent: You don’t always get to choose who your godparents are, but as you grow older you can choose how involved they are in your life. Set up a time to sit down with or videoconference one of your godparents (or if you’re not baptised, interview another significant adult in your life that’s not one of your parents), and conduct a job interview: Ask them what qualifies them to be your mentor and offer you advice? What can they do to help you be a better person? You might like to record your interview on video, or write it up as a Q&A article.
The Godparent Apprentice: What qualities make someone a good godparent for a child? Develop an episode for a game-show modelled on The Apprentice, where a set of candidates vie for selection to be a child’s godparent. The episode should set the candidates a particular task that will test certain qualities they might need for the role. Consider what qualities you want to test for, and what activities could be used to test for each quality – use the article for some ideas if you need them. You could then perform the episode as a ‘skit’ for your class.
Jobs in the Catholic Church: Using the format from this article, write up a job description for another important role in the Catholic Church. It could be a job description for the Pope, or for a parish priest, an overseas missionary, an organist at Mass, a teacher at a school, or a person who visits the sick, etc. Fill out all of sections under each heading, ie. Name of Position, Employment Type, Location, General Information About Role, Organisational Relationships, Selection Criteria, Key Duties, Reporting Relationships, Duration of Contract. You might like to put together a class book outlining some of the many roles of people in the Catholic community.
FOR YOUNGER STUDENTS
Read or summarise A job description for a Godparent in the Australian Catholics 2021 winter edition and talk with the class about the sacraments, especially the rite of baptism, first communion and reconciliation.
Activity: Baptism of Jesus
Read the story of Jesus’ baptism to the students (Matt 3:13 – 17). Ask the students to draw what they think the scene looked like – What would ‘heaven opening’ look like? What does the Spirit of God look like? What are the faces of people as they hear God’s voice from above? Once the students have done their first drawing, get them to draw their own baptism (or if they’re not baptised, to draw a scene where they are gathered with their parents and some other significant adults in their life). Draw how they think God might be present in that scene?
Activity: Crossword
See here for a pdf of a simple First Communion crossword.
Answers: Main answer across: First Communion. Down: 1. Bible, 2. Bread, 3. Grapes, 4. Candle, 5. Cross, 6. Church, 7. Angel, 8. Chalice, 9. Dove, 10. Grain