Catholic Social Teaching Mobile

To help the children recognize the connection between basic human rights and our responsibility to protect and defend them for all people

The children will review the Catholic Social Teaching themes and, by creating a class mobile, express the connection between basic human rights and our Christian responsibility to support these rights by becoming people who truly care for others.

• 8-by-9-inch cardboard circles (at least one for each of the Catholic Social Teaching themes listed below)
• Old magazines, newspapers, or religion books
• Scissors, glue, markers
• Yarn or heavy string
• Hole Punch
• 1 hanger per mobile

• Write on the board a list of the Catholic Social Teaching (CST) themes, as follows: Life and Dignity of the Human Person; Call to Family, Community, and Participation; Rights and Responsibilities; Option for the Poor and Vulnerable, The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers; Solidarity; Care for God's Creation.
• Using a chalkboard, make two lists?one titled RIGHTS and the other titled RESPONSIBILITIES.
• Distribute the cardboard circles to the children, one per child (or small group if there are enough children).
• Assign one CST theme to each child or small group and have the children or groups write one basic human right associated with that theme on one side of their cardboard circle.
• On the other side of the circle, have each person or group create a collage from pictures or headlines cut from the magazines or other materials that shows ways the Christian community can support and protect the right that has been described.
• When all of the rights/responsibility circles are finished, punch a hole near the edge of the circle and, using different lengths of yarn or string, attach the circles to a hanger to create a group mobile.
• When the mobile is completely assembled, have each person or group explain their circle with its pictures and sayings.

Art/Space Smart, People Smart

If there are children in your group with special needs (physical, visual, hearing, language, or behavioral disabilities), adapt the activity accordingly.