Loving the Poor Parish Tools for Responding the Dilexi Te - Sliding Scale Pricing

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This reproducible, interactive resource kit will equip you to lead your parish in responding to Pope Leo XIV's apostolic exhortation I Have Loved You (Dilexi Te). Help your families understand poverty and the implications it has for us as Catholic Christians.

Files are provided in both PDF and Microsoft Word formats, allowing you to adapt them for your local use.

The kit includes two related collections of resources:

POVERTY AWARENESS

• Facilitator background (14 pages) with information, reflections, and references on poverty, drawn from Dilexi Te, Scripture, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and Catholic Social Teaching.
• Home Activity to send home with families to assist them in thinking about how they can stand in solidarity with the poor.
• Four parish sessions, each for a different age group (see below). Use one or more of these interactive events to reflect on poverty from a Christian perspective and help attendees discern how God is calling them to respond. Includes prayers, leader talking points, reflection questions, and handouts.
  • Intergenerational session • 130 minutes • 27 pages 
    • The Rich Man & Lazarus (Opening Prayer)
    • Red Light, Green Light (Opening Activity)
    • Poverty: Why Should We Care? (Learning Activity)
    • Taking a Tour of Poverty (Learning Activity)
    • What Will You Give Up? (Small Group Reflection)
    • Just Do It! (Large Group Activity)
    • Closing Prayer Service and Announcements
  • Adult session • 75 minutes • 7 pages 
    • Opening Prayer
    • Introduction & overview: Jesus and the Poor
    • Activity 1: Am I Aware? Poverty in America
    • Taking Action: Raising Awareness in Our Community
    • Conclusion/Closing Prayer
  • Youth Session • 90 minutes • 4 pages
    • Introduction & Overview: Jesus and the Rich Man
    • Small Group Reflection & Discussion: Scripture & Dilexi Te
    • John Legend's “Show Me” Campaign
    • Small Group Activity: Creating Our Own Campaigns Against Poverty
    • Taking Action: Campaign Against Poverty
    • Closing prayer
  • Child session • 60 minutes • 7 pages 
    • Introduction & Overview: Jesus, the Sheep, and the Goats
    • Reflection: Our Actions
    • Saintly Examples: St. Anthony & St. Lawrence
    • Small Group Activity: What Can Kids Do?
    • Planning for the Future
    • Closing prayer

OPTION FOR THE POOR

This collection includes a facilitator background, one intergenerational session, and a wide variety of handouts that can be sent home, used by individuals, or adapted for group use.

• Intergenerational Session • 60 minutes • 2 pages 
  • Meal Portions: a meal to show the imbalance of food distribution
  • Opening Prayer
  • Small Group Reflection and Sharing
  • Closing Prayer: Breakfast on the Beach
• Handouts
  • Scripture Activity: Discover Jesus' message about the poor.
  • Meal Ritual: We are Called to Reach Out to Those in Need.
  • Ritual Moments: reflections on knowledge, abundance, plenty, and gratitude.
  • Scripture Reflections: seven Scriptures on the option for the poor.
  • Table Prayer: a reminder to share our gifts with others.
  • Virtue Reality - Generosity: a family reflection on this virtue.
  • Home Activity: Who Needs You to Be Neighbor?
  • World Food Day: ideas for families to commemorate World Food Day (Oct 16).
  • Hunger Activities: four activities to learn about, reflect, and act on hunger.
  • Refugee Activities: five activities to learn about, reflect, and act on refugees.