Theological Virtues

• Copy of materials for game quizzing

• Read to the children about the Theological Virtues and then the definitions of faith, hope, and charity:
• Theological Virtues: Faith, hope, and charity are the Theological Virtues. They are gifts from God that help us grow in a good relationship with God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They are the foundation of our moral activity and help us to follow Jesus Christ. As gifts from God, the Theological Virtues need to be exercised or they can be lost. By accepting and practicing the virtues, we are able to live as God wants us to live and gain eternal life.
• Faith: a gift of God that helps us to believe in him and live as he wants us to live. We express our faith in the words of the Apostles' Creed.
• Charity: a virtue given to us by God. Charity helps us love God above all things and our neighbor as ourselves.
• Hope: the trust that God will always be with us. We also trust that he will make us happy now and help us to live in a way that keeps us with him forever.
• Tell the children they will be playing a game in which they will identify the Theological Virtue being exercised in a particular situation.
• Divide the group into five smaller groups. Two groups will read the descriptions. Give them each a copy of the sheet with the questions and answers. The other three groups will be teams named Faith, Hope, and Charity, respectively. They will discuss the questions among themselves and then identify a situation as demonstrating the virtue of faith, hope, or charity.
• If a team answers correctly, they get a point. Each team gets one question and one chance to answer. If one team misses the question, the next team gets a chance to answer. Keep track of the points on the chalkboard. Tell the children that the points are their "temperature gauge." It tells them how well the group knows how to live out these virtues.

The descriptions of the virtues follow:

1.When we give food to the poor, we practice this virtue. Charity

2.We desire the kingdom of heaven. Hope

3.When we donate hats and gloves for children who are poor at Christmas, we practice this virtue. Charity

4.We believe in God. Faith

5.We exercise this virtue when we attend the parish Religious Education program. Faith

6.This virtue keeps us from being discouraged during a difficult time. Hope

7.When Jesus says, "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you," he is talking about what virtue? Charity

8.This virtue is patient and kind. Charity

9.We exercise this virtue when we read the Bible. Faith

10.When we collect books for a school that doesn't have any, we are practicing this virtue. Charity

11.The Apostle Paul said that of the three virtues, Faith, Hope and Charity, the most important virtue is what? Charity

12.To exercise this virtue, you can pray. Faith

13.We believe Jesus is God's Son. Faith

14.When we work at a soup kitchen, we exercise what virtue? Charity

15.This virtue keeps our spirits up when we have been rejected and feel left out. Hope

16.When we tell others about the Good News of Jesus, we are exercising what virtue? Faith

17.We are exercising this virtue when we love our neighbor as ourselves. Charity