Option for the Poor

Choosing to walk with the poor.

Materials

Videos:

  • Program Eleven: Option for the Poor

Documents:

  • Golden Rule Poster and Teaching Kit
  • Scarboro Missions Magazine

Websites:

 

 

Study Guide

Goal

The goal of Program Eleven is to introduce students to how the Option for the Poor declaration by Latin American Bishops meeting in Medellin, Colombia in 1968 and Puebla, Mexico in 1979, reframed Catholic social teaching, along with the missionary work of the Church throughout the world. Scarboro Missions from that point on began the explicit task of pointing out the disparities between the rich and the poor and trying to call Canadians to a greater awareness of the structural dynamics of poverty.

Steps

1. Show the internet TV video - "Program Eleven: Option for the Poor"

2. Ask students to form small groups to describe the following impressions from the video:

  • Who is are the leading speakers in the video and what do we find out about them in this video?

  • What is the purpose of Scarboro Missions and who supports it?

  • What did you know after viewing the video that you didn't know
    before?

  • Give three reasons why Canadian Catholics should support the work of Scarboro Missions.

3. Option for Take-Home Assignment

Via the internet find more facts about:

  • Scarboro Missions and different aspects of its work today

  • Name 5 geographical places where Scarboro Missions works.

  • Provide 5 important facts about the social and /or economic conditions for the people in one of these geographical locales.

  • Study the Church Social Teaching documents presented on the Scarboro Missions website and prepare a presentation on how Scarboro Missions lives out one or more aspects of these Teachings.

  • In groups, make presentations to the class about any or all of the above. Include suggestions on how students could become more involved with the work of Scarboro Missions.