QUESTIONS
1. Do you view Valentine’s Day more as a religious feast day, or a secular (ie. non-religious) celebration?
2. What might viewing Valentine’s Day as a religious feast day change about how people approach the day?
3. Do you think there are things of value in the secular (ie. non-religious) celebration of Valentine’s Day? If so, what? If not, why not?
ACTIVITIES
1. Christians in the Roman Empire: Research Christian persecution in the Roman Empire – exploring some of the reasons Christians faced persecution, including those outlined in this article (e.g. marrying people against the Emperor’s wishes). Then:
a) Put together an imaginative piece from the perspective of a Christian facing persecution –Why did you become a Christian? Why are the authorities after you? Why did you feel you needed to do what you did? You might do the piece as a first-person account (or even a confession), or as an interview with that person. It might be a written piece, or an audio/visual piece.
b) Write an essay outlining some of the historical debate around stories of early martyrs such as that of St Valentine. What value might these stories still have even if their historical accuracy is questionable?
2. Celebrating love: Romantic love can be an important part of people’s lives, and also an important part of people’s faith. In Catholicism, it’s celebrated through the sacrament of marriage. Explore more about how people understand love through faith and society in general:
a) Interview a married couple you know about their love – it might be your parents, an aunt/uncle, or family friend. Find out what love means to them, why they got married, how their love has developed since they were married, and what makes their relationship work. Also, if relevant, explore what part their religious faith plays in their understanding of love and marriage. If they’re not religious, ask them what else shaped their understanding of love and marriage. Share the interview either as an article, poster, or an audio/visual piece.
b) Develop a ‘St Valentine’s loving relationship guide’ that might be helpful for young people at your school starting out in dating. Consider what the Catholic Church teaches about loving relationships, as well as some ideas about love from the broader community. Choose the things you think are important to include in the guide, then put it together either in brochure form, as a poster, or as an audio/visual piece. Write a companion piece, explaining the thinking behind your guide.
YOUNGER STUDENTS
1. Celebrating love: What makes a loving relationship work. Brainstorm some words that are important in being loving – e.g. trust, care, helping. Think of a couple you know who are in love (it might be your parents, an aunt/uncle, or a family friend), and put together a Valentine’s Day poster celebrating their relationship and including some of the words that you’ve brainstormed.