Social Justice the Marianist Way

For use with high school students

By Nicole Trahan FMI

This is a companion piece to “How Do Marianists Do Social Justice,” an article by Jim Vogt published in the North American Center for Marianist Studies (NACMS) series “Things Marianist.” Students should read the article in preparation.  Copies are available from NACMS (937-429-2521 or www.nacms.org).

Objectives

Students will be able to:

-          Distinguish between works of charity and works of social justice;

-          Recognize social justice issues affecting their city/town;

-          Apply the seven qualities of the Marianist approach to social justice;

-          Address a need in the larger community.

Time Required

-          Two 50-minute sessions:

o        1st - Discussion and group work

o        2nd - Student presentations and long term planning

-          Could also be accomplished as one longer session for a retreat or LIFE night.

Process

Introduction

o        Begin by telling the following story or one similar to it:

Once upon time there was a town that was built just beyond the bend of large river. One day some of the children from the town were playing beside the river when they noticed three bodies floating in the water. They ran for help and the townsfolk quickly pulled the bodies out of the river.

One body was dead so they buried it. One was alive, but quite ill, so they put that person into the hospital. The third turned out to be a healthy child, who they then placed with a family who cared for it and who took it to school.

From that day on, every day a number of bodies came floating down the river and, every day, the good people of the town would pull them out and tend to them—taking the sick to hospitals, placing the children with families, and burying those who were dead.

This went on for years; each day brought its quota of bodies, and the townsfolk not only came to expect a number of bodies each day but also worked at developing more elaborate systems for picking them out of the river and tending to them. Some of the townsfolk became quite generous in tending to these bodies and a few extraordinary ones even gave up their jobs so that they could tend to this concern full-time. And the town itself felt a certain healthy pride in its generosity.

However, during all these years and despite all that generosity and effort, nobody thought to go up the river, beyond the bend that hid from their sight what was above them, and find out why, daily, those bodies came floating down the river.

The story is quoted in its entirety from "A Spirituality of Justice and Peacemaking," a chapter in Ronald Rolheiser’s book The Holy Longing: The Search for Christian Spirituality.

o        Have a brief discussion of the story with the purpose of distinguishing works of charity from works of social justice.

o        Connect the discussion above with examples from your city/town:

§         What needs are there for charity in the area?

§         What are the justice issues that underlie each?

The purpose of this is to raise awareness, not to be exhaustive in the listing.

Answering the question – how do we respond?

o        From here, decide as a group a local social justice issue to which you would like to respond.

o        The Marianist Way - Using “How Do Marianists Do Social Justice?” as a resource, explain that the Marianists have a way to address social justice issues and give a short explanation on the 7 qualities:

§         Saying Yes

§         Building Community

§         Living Simply

§         Hospitality

§         Joining Voices with the Voiceless

§         Interdependence

§         Passion for the Mission

Activity

o        Divide the group into 7 small groups.

o        Give each group a handout with discussion questions (below) and make sure each student has their copy of “How Do Marianists Do Social Justice?”

o        Each group will prepare a 5 minute presentation on the quality they were given. Presentations can happen at this time or on another day as the first part of Session 2.

Bring the first session to a close (or transition into the presentations) with the prayer from the Education for Justice website (www.educationforjustice.org) quoted at the end of “How Do Marianists Do Social Justice?”

May God bless us with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial

 relationships, so we may live deep within our hearts.

May God bless us with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so we

 may work for economic justice for all people.

May God bless us with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, hunger,

 homelessness, and rejection, so we may reach out our hand to comfort them

 and to turn their pain into joy.

And may God bless us with enough foolishness to believe that we can make a difference

 in the world, so we can do what others claim cannot be done.

On-Going Project

We encourage the large group to take on a project relating to the chosen social justice issue. Discuss what is feasible for your group and how you will integrate each of the 7 qualities. Outline goals and set a timeline for the accomplishment of these goals. This could be a short term project (a few weeks) or longer (a semester or more).

GROUP 1 – Saying Yes

In light of the chosen social justice issue, answer the following questions and prepare to present them to the larger group.

  • To what things, circumstances, obstacles, and people are you saying yes?
  • How do you believe the larger group is called to be present to the situation like Mary at the foot of the cross?
  • In what way(s) do you think this experience could change you and others involved?
  • What are the seeds you wish to plant? How?

GROUP 2 – Building Community

In light of the chosen social justice issue, answer the following questions and prepare to present them to the larger group.

  • How does being a community differ from other groups of people?
  • In what way(s) do you consider this larger group a community?
  • What is the “common good?”
  • How can this community address the common good?

GROUP 3 – Living Simply

In light of the chosen social justice issue, answer the following questions and prepare to present them to the larger group.

  • What is stewardship and how can the group act with good stewardship?
  • How can the way the social justice issue is addressed help you (individually and collectively) grow in relationship with God and others?
  • What are the challenges in applying this quality of Marianist social justice to the issue at hand? How can those be addressed?

GROUP 4 – Hospitality

In light of the chosen social justice issue, answer the following questions and prepare to present them to the larger group.

  • In what ways might this experience call you, individually and collectively, to reach out in “uncomfortable hospitality?”
  • How are those affected by this social justice issue on the “margins of society?”
  • How are you called to be in solidarity with those on the margins?

GROUP 5 – Joining Voices with the Voiceless

In light of the chosen social justice issue, answer the following questions and prepare to present them to the larger group.

  • Who are the voiceless people in this situation?
  • What will it mean for you to join your voice (individually and collectively) with the voiceless?
  • How are you called to listen (and to whom) so as to understand the frustration and truly appreciate the need?
  • Why is this type of listening important before addressing the social justice issue?

GROUP 6 – Interdependence

In light of the chosen social justice issue, answer the following questions and prepare to present them to the larger group.

  • Why is working interdependently important when addressing social injustices?
  • In order to work interdependently with those affected by the social injustice, what initial steps need to happen? Please explain why and how.
  • How can you foster interdependence while addressing this social injustice?

GROUP 7 – Passion for Mission

In light of the chosen social justice issue, answer the following questions and prepare to present them to the larger group.

·         In what way(s) does addressing this issue take courage?

·         How can you, individually and as a group, address this issue with both “head and heart,” organization and passion?

·         What “head skills” will be necessary to address this issue? What habits of the heart will be important?

·         Why is it important to cultivate joy and enthusiasm in addressing this issue?