Religious Education

YOUNG VINNIES

What are the Young Vinnies? Young Vinnies are members of the St Vincient De Paul Society. Like St Vincent De Paul we want to help people is not just because it feels good doing this work, but because of the Gospel message to love your neighbor as yourself.

The Society of St Vincent De Paul was Founded in Paris by Frederic Ozanam and a few of his friends who felt the need to affirm their faith by visiting the poor and offering material and spiritual help to them.  Saint Vincent de Paul was a model of the charity of Christ.  In 1867 the first Society of St Vincent De Paul was set up.

• St Vincent de Paul is the Patron Saint of Charity.
• He cared for those who were sick.
• When he found poor children he would give them food, clothing, toys and his love.
• To help Vincent work with the poor, he asked men and women to help him.

• St Vincent experienced being sent by God to do what Jesus did- to be a servant to the poor.

This Term's Learning Strand is JESUS CHRIST – HEHU KARAITI

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, revealed to the world that God is Abba – loving Father or Matua. In his mission on earth Jesus called on people to repent, through the grace of the Holy Spirit – Mana Atua, and to live lives of faith, hope and love. Jesus’ whole life was a response of love – aroha for God and for people.

You can talk at home about

– the important things your family believes in, eg the right to be free, the importance of caring for yourself and others, the importance of telling and living by the truth, the right of each person to be respected, the importance of thinking for yourself and accepting responsibility for your actions.

– all the ways people can show love – aroha for each other at home, eg doing little things for others cheerfully like putting on their electric blanket, pegging out the washing, carrying in the groceries from the car, reminding people of something they need to do, ringing an elderly relative to say hello, making a hot drink for a tired parent

– imagine you had to write 5 rules for life that people could live by – what would you include?

– have a conversation with an older person about what is important to you and how you want to live your life

Jesus is with you everyday! In the good times and the bad.