Goal of this Edge Night
The goal of this Edge Night is to help the youth grow in awareness of what our Catholic faith teaches about serving the poor. This night will help the middle school youth see what the poor can teach us about loving God.
Edge Night at a Glance
The Catholic Social Teaching we will focus on for this Edge Night is called “preferential option for the poor and vulnerable.” Blessed John Paul II wrote: “By virtue of her own evangelical duty, the church feels called to take her stand beside the poor…” (On Social Concerns). The Church calls for us not only to have a charitable heart, but that we ensure that the rights and needs of the poor protected and provided for. The Church believes strongly that it is our responsibility to stand beside the poor and to help defend the most vulnerable in our society.
The topic of this night is about serving the poor. The night will begin with an activity focusing on six of the seven corporal works of mercy. The night will transition into the teaching with the gospel reading from Matthew 25:31-46. The focus will be on feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, sheltering the homeless, and clothing the naked. In their small group discussion, they will talk about ways they can be of service to the poor. The closing prayer will challenge the youth to see what the poor can teach us about loving God.