CGE+6+-+A+Caring+Family+Member


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 * A Caring Family Member** //"values and nurtures opportunities for family prayer. Ministers to the family,school, parish, and wider community through service and values and honours the important role of the family in society."//

This series of pictures documents a "rock garden" that I created in response to the Sacramental Life module. The activity required that we create an artistic response to a spiritual moment in our lives. This garden represents the sacredness of life and I have symbolized this with the use of life that are included in the garden. You will see a space which includes water, rock, plant, and scriptural references painted on various stones. The "Sand Dollar" in the front of the garden represents Christ's Paschal Sacrifice. There is also an oil lamp on the right side of the garden. This represents the Holy Spirit and the sacredness of an eternal flame of love and faith.

As I reflected on a moment when I felt God's presence most strongly, I was in a place in my life when I was thinking of my Great Aunt who died two years ago.I was with her in hospital as she spent her last two weeks on earth. She was not coherant, but there was one day when I decided to sing some hymns for her (//Yahweh, I Know You Are Near, Be Not Afraid//). My mother, her niece and caregiver, was very appreciative as she was at a loss as to how to comfort her after so many days of suffering. My aunt calmed her breathing and relaxed for the first time in a few days. She listened and (I believe) she sang in her heart - "Take me home, Lord, I am ready". At that moment, I felt God's presence as He held her in the palm of His hands. Shortly thereafter, my Great-Aunt died. She lived a full life. She suffered for a short time. She was taken home to Heaven. I know that God was present for my mother and I at that moment and He remained with my Aunt until the end.

How would I adapt this activity for my class?

I would definitely be able to create a "sacred place" with my students in our environment. We have a lovely garden in front of our school. We could create a Garden of Life in the front drive with various sacramentals or symbols of our love and relationship with God. We could, alternatively, create a tiny "take home" terrarium which could represent our spiritual understanding of various scripture or, on a smaller scale, create an original symbol or sacramental that would remind us of a particular liturgical season.