Family with Teen(s)

Mantras

Mantras are commonly used in Buddhism and Hinduism as a form of meditation. This can also be a powerful way for Catholics and other Christians to center themselves to enter into quiet prayer time.

A mantra is a word, sound, or phrase repeated to aid in your concentration while meditating. A mantra can be as simple as the word 'love,' something you are thankful for, or a phrase such as "Jesus, I trust in you". You can also meditate on an affirmation, such as "I am a child of God". Scripture and standard prayers can give you a focus.

You can choose a mantra for yourself depending on what you are needing in life. This is why our mantras can change from day to day. Here are some ideas for Catholic mantras:

"Jesus, I trust in you"
"Thy will be done"
"I am a child of God"
"Let it be done unto me according to your will"
"Love one another"
"Grant us peace"
"Today I choose joy."
"Let go and let God"
"I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me."
"Lord have Mercy, Christ have Mercy, Lord have Mercy"
"Blessed are the poor in spirit..."
"Thank you God for all that is good"

Pray these phrases and spend some time in silence just listening to what God has to say to you. Choose your own mantra, or find one in scripture that fits with what you are needing today.

At the end of another faith formation year it is always good to review! Below we have short introduction videos and some "fast facts" about each of the faith traditions we talked about this year. Below those are videos and "fast facts" on the faiths of Hinduism and Buddhism, two major world religions we did not get to address in our sessions but are very well worth taking a look at. I have also included the answers to some of the questions that the teens asked about these faith traditions in our last session.

As a family discuss things that interest you about these different religions and most importantly, what we can learn from them as Catholics.

Protestant Denominations

Follow the teaching of Jesus who they believe was the son of God.
The scriptures used by Protestants is the Bible.
These churches began in Europe during the Protestant Reformation in 1517 when they broke away from the Catholic Church.
There are many different Protestant Churches including, Baptists, Methodists, Lutherans, Episcopalian, Evangelical, etc.
Leadership is not very defined in these churches because there are so many different groups.

Orthodox Church

Follow the teaching of Jesus who they believe was the son of God. Has a strong connection to the Trinity.
This faith tradition split from the Catholic Church in 1054 due to cultural and political factors.
Variations of orthodoxy include Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Syrian Orthodox, Armenian, etc.
Celebrate Sacraments in the Church such a Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist. All three are typically celebrated at the same time as a baby.
Icon art, candles, bells, incense, and other bold sights, sounds and smells are an important part of their liturgies. They help those present experience “a touch of heaven”.

Why did the Church split apart if we worship the same God?
- The Church does follow one God, but is made of humans and humans make mistakes.In the past power was abused and many people turned away from the authority of the church. We are also very diverse and universal, so it is hard to stay under the same leader.
How does the protestant church work without solid leadership?
- Different denominations handle it all differently, but many protestant churches just need a pastor to lead them and they begin to build a community.
How many Protestants v. Catholics are there?
- There are about 1.3 billion Catholics and about 800 million Protestants based on a 2010 poll.
Do protestant churches celebrate sacraments?
- Many of the sacraments are still celebrated in the protestant church, but look very different than their Catholic origins. There is a communion, but it isn't the Eucharist.
Where is the Orthodox Church most commonly found?
- The Orthodox Church originated and is most commonly found in Eastern Europe and Russia
Why did the Orthodox Church split from the Catholic Church?
- Read about the Great Schism HERE.
Define Orthodoxy.
- Orthodoxy (from Greek ὀρθοδοξία, orthodoxia – "right opinion") is adherence to correct or accepted creeds, especially in religion. In the Christian sense the term means "conforming to the Christian faith as represented in the creeds of the early Church".
Why are there not really any American Orthodox Churches?
- There are Orthodox Churches in the US that are not affiliated with an eastern European country of origin (Like Greek or Russian) they just are not very common. Since so many people follow the faith of their families, their cultural tradition is very significant to their experience of religion. That is why the Churches keep those identities. It was not until fairly recently that we identified our Catholic churches as an Irish, German, Italian etc. parishes.
Why are smells important?
- Smells bring people into the experience. Weather that is burning a candle or incense, flowers on Mother' Day, or the smell of freshly baked cinnamon rolls, these smells evoke feelings and memories. This is way it is an important part of the Orthodox liturgy.
Do Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter?
- Yes! Their celebration is not always on the same day as Catholic and Protestant Easter, but it is still a celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus, including a Vigil that goes through the night.

Islam

Their God is called Allah, and they believe in one God. They follow the teachings of the Prophet Muhammed.
Their major scriptural text is the Quran.
This religion was founded in the Middle East around the year 610.
The five pillars of Islam are as follows: profession of faith, prayer, fasting, giving to those in need, and pilgrimage.
Special feasts include Ramadan, a time of fasting during daylight hours.
Muslims pray 5 times a day and it helps to set the rhythm of each day.

Why do they pray 5 times a day?
- Muslims believe that the Prophet Muhammad was told by God that they should pray 5 times a day.
Why do they fast during daylight hours? What do they give up for fasting?
- Fasting occurs mainly during Ramadan. During this time no food or drink is consumed during day light hours. Like us they believe that there are other things to fast from besides food. For example, fasting from a bad attitude, gossip, or passive prayer.
Do they have private religious schools, like Catholic schools?
- They do! The US does not have as large of a Muslim population as many other countries, so they are not very common here.

Judaism:

Their God is called Yahweh, and they believe in one God.
Follow the teachings found in the Torah, or the first five books of the Bible.
This is the faith of Moses, Abraham, Isaac, Sarah, David, Mary, Joseph, Jesus and the Apostles. It is over 3500 years old and is one of the oldest monotheistic religions.
Some special fests include Hanukkah (the festival of lights) in winter and Passover in the spring, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur in the fall, and Pentecost in the summer.

What is Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kipper?
- Rosh Haashanah celebrates the start of a new year, but doesn't fall on January 1st. It is a day of prayer, a time to ask God to grant a year of peace, prosperity and blessing. The most important ritual of this day is the sounding of the rams horn or shofar. Yom Kipper is one week later and is the Day of Atonement. On this day they are closest with God and fast for 25 hours.
Why do they wear a yamaka?
- The tradition to wear a yamaka is not derived from any biblical passage. Rather, it is a custom which evolved as a sign of the recognition that there is Someone “above” us who watches our every act.
Why do they have temple on Saturday?
- Saturday is the 7th day of the week, the day that God rested in the creation story. This is why Jews also see this as a special time of rest.
Do we celebrate the Passover?
- The Christian people do celebrate Passover, but in a different way. The Jewish celebration of Passover is during our Holy Week. Jesus and his disciples were celebrating Passover in his last days, and the installation of the Eucharist on Holy Thursday is our extension of the Passover sacrifice, with Jesus and sacrificial lamb.
How did Judaism start? Why has it lasted so long?
- The New Testament of the Bible tells the story of the Jewish people form the very beginning. This is why the first five books of the Bible are very special to them. Start there is you want to learn about the roots of the Jewish people.

Buddhism

Follows the teachings of the Buddha who lived during 563-483 BC in India. His writings are known as the Sutra and it is the major religion of many Asian countries.
Karma is the belief that good deeds/behavior will be visited back on individuals as well as bad deeds/behavior. This is the basis for living a good, moral life.
Buddhists believe in reincarnation and that one must stop the cycle of rebirth as a suffering, selfish individual, and must attain Nirvana, which is the highest point and the end of the self.
Buddhists are seeking enlightenment and Nirvana, or ultimate bliss. To get there they follow The Eightfold Path which is to be "right" in all these areas: concentration, views, speech, resolve, action, livelihood, effort, and mindfulness.
Buddhists practice mindfulness and mediation as a form of prayer and can be beneficial for living a healthy lifestyle.
Do not hold a belief in god, but believe that what and how you practice faith is more fundamental.

Why do they follow the Buddha?
- The Buddha was a great teacher, with great wisdom to share, not unlike Jesus Christ. Buddhist do not see him as a god or the son of god, however. His teachings are a guiding path that can help lead others to living a better life and to reach enlightenment.
What do they believe it they don't believe in God?
- "We don't believe in a god because we believe in humanity. We believe that each human being is precious and important, that all have the potential to develop into a Buddha - a perfected human being. We believe that humans can outgrow ignorance and irrationality and see things as they really are. We believe that hatred, anger, spite and jealousy can be replaced by love, patience, generosity and kindness. We believe that all this is within the grasp of each person if they make the effort, guided and supported by fellow Buddhists and inspired by the example of the Buddha. As the Buddha says: No one saves us but ourselves, No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path, but Buddhas clearly show the way." - Ven S. Dhammika
Do they gather, or just pray in homes?
- Temples offer a place for Buddhists to come and mediate, but there is not formal gathers like we see from Christians on Sunday. Faith practices are very much based on the individual and is often done in homes.
Is there a leader for Buddhists?
- There is not one set leader in Buddhism. There are many different schools of thought, lead by teachers, but no one person has power in the church. A popular figure in Buddhism is the Dalai Lama, head monk of Tibetan Buddhism. To read more about this role click HERE.
What happens in Nirvana? Are they conscious?
- Nirvana is not a place, but a state of being at peace. This is not so different than the Catholic understanding of Heaven. It is all part of the mystery of death, so we really can't make a judgement on this.

Hinduism

Hinduism is the world's third largest religion after Christianity and Islam with about 80% of India’s population being Hindu. The Vedas are the primary literary works, containing sacred verses and hymns composed in Sanskrit and took on their current form around 1500 B.C.
The Hindu belief is that gods or divinities can take many forms, but all form one universal spirit called Brahman. The three most important representations of Brahman are Brahma, the creator of the universe, Vishnu, the preserver of the universe, and Shiva, the destroyer of the universe.
The Hindu belief involves reincarnation of the soul, which is rebirth after death. Hindus believe the conditions of one's present life are due to karma, or accumulated good or bad behavior in past lives. One improves one's conditions through good behavior and creates suffering for oneself through bad behavior. Eventually the soul will achieve moksha, or salvation, and stop the cycle of rebirths to become a part of the absolute soul.
Pilgrimages and festivals are common in Hinduism. Diwali, the New Year's celebration, features giving of gifts and lighting of ceremonial lamps. Holi, the Festival of Colors, marks the arrival of spring each year.
Paths to salvation are called the margas or yogas:
- karma marga - performing social obligations and offering selfless service.
- jnana marga - studying and cultivating an intellectual understanding into one's identity with the universe.
- bhakti marga - devotion to one's personal god.
- raja or dhyana marga - uses meditation to gain insight into the absolute soul that resides within one's self.

What is with the cows?
- In Hinduism, the cow is revered as the source of food and symbol of life and may never be killed. However, many non-Hindus interpret these beliefs to mean that Hindus worship cows. This is not true. They honor the cow for what it does for humanity, but it is not a god
Would reincarnation be seen as a punishment or a second chance?
- In a way it is both. The ultimate goal is to break out of the cycle of rebirth, so not reaching that goal may seem like a punishment. It does, however, give you another chance to improve you karma and live a better life.
Do they have a purgatory?
- Like mentioned above, the ultimate goal is to break the cycle of reincarnation. Being stuck in a body through out this cycle may be seen as a "purgatory" as you try and improve your life and do good in the world.
What does it mean to have a personal god?
- This is similar to Catholics having patron Saints. Hindus might choose a god who's story they relate to, or who's attributes they admire. They can choose to worship this god as a personal expression of faith. While we do not worship our Saints, picking one to pray to regularly has helped many Catholics feel a closer connection with God.

Summer is a great time to get outside in the community and get some exercise! Yoga is a great example of the connection between body and soul that we see as a focus of many eastern faith traditions like Hinduism and Buddhism. This is a great connection for Catholic Christians to make as well.

Lucky for us, Des Moines has POP UP YOGA DSM! You can join in free Yoga classes all around the metro area, Not only is it a great workout for your body and soul, but this opportunity allows you to engage in the community. Sign up for their list and never miss an event! http://www.popupyogadsm.com/