Lent in Schools 2024

Caritas promotes authentic human development. This means development of the whole person. It provides for their economic, cultural, political, social and spiritual wellbeing.

In 2024, Caritas launched its Lenten Theme "The Time is Now! Ko Tēnei tonu te Wā!" – a captivating tagline that encapsulated the essence of the Lent resources. These archived materials, now available for teachers and educators, offer a comprehensive exploration of time throughout the Lenten season. Each week's resources are dedicated to a unique aspect of time, carefully aligned with the key themes from that week's Gospel readings.

The archived content intentionally connects a key Catholic social teaching principle to each week's exploration, fostering meaningful links between the Gospel and the heartwarming Caritas stories shared within. This thoughtful approach provides educators with valuable tools to engage students in reflective and socially conscious learning experiences during the Lenten period.

These resources remain a valuable asset for religious education, offering timeless insights and activities that can be adapted for future Lenten seasons or integrated into broader curriculum discussions on social justice and Catholic teachings.

Throughout the Lenten season, our weekly Caritas stories will transport you to six remarkable focus countries: Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Pakistan, Timor Leste, Cambodia, and Papua New Guinea. These narratives will breathe life into the weekly Gospel readings, showcasing the profound transformations unfolding in the lives of individuals and communities, all made possible through the unwavering support and partnerships forged by Caritas and our local partners.

In creating these resources, we've worked closely with the NCRS team to ensure they seamlessly integrate with "Tō Tātou Whakapono - Our Faith." Notably, our Teacher Guide boasts a dedicated section named "Curriculum Connections." For schools, we've crafted Achievement Objective 9, thoughtfully incorporating a Liturgical Year and Lent context, offering valuable insights and guidance.