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UNLEASHED: MONEY 1

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Unless otherwise noted, Scripture passages have been taken from the Revised Standard Version, Catholic edition. Copyright ©1946, 1952, 1971 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Quotes are taken from the English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for the United States of America (indicated as CCC), 2nd ed. Copyright ©1997 by United States Catholic Conference – Libreria Editrice Vaticana.

Author: Jake and Nicole Stanley

Cover Deisgn: Casey OlsonInterior Design: Casey Olson

Copy Edit: Elizabeth Bayardi, Grace Bellon

©2019 Life Teen, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book, including interior design, cover design, and/or icons, may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, by any means (electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without prior written permission from the publisher. The information contained herein is published and produced by Life Teen, Inc. The resources and practices are in full accordance with the Roman Catholic Church. The Life Teen® name and associated logos are trademarks registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Use of the Life Teen® trademarks without prior permission is forbidden. Permission

WELCOMEIMPORTANT DETAILS ABOUT THIS RESOURCE

Pg. 4

PREPAREBACKGROUND RESOURCES

Pg. 9

GOOD SERVANT, BAD MASTERWHAT IS MONEY?

Pg. 20

A PENNY SAVEDSAVING, SPENDING, AND TEMPERANCE

Pg. 30

CASH IS KINGDEBT AND PRUDENCE

Pg. 40

WORLD CHANGERSTITHING, ALMSGIVING, AND JUSTICE

Pg. 52GOAL GETTERSFINANCIAL FUTURE AND FORTITUDE

Pg. 60

TABLE OF CONTENTS

UNLEASHED: MONEY

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Welcome to UnleashedWelcome to Life Teen’s small group resource for upperclassman and teen leaders, Unleashed. This missionary discipleship small group resource is designed to help teens grow as disciples and missionaries. Unlike our Life Night series and Summit guide, every Unleashed will look slightly different. Some will be book studies, while others will be apologetics training. A few will be rooted deeply in prayer and contemplation. Every Unleashed is designed for small groups of six to eight teens who are ready to dive deeper into their faith.

Setting Up Unleashed Small GroupsThe discussions and activities found in Unleashed are written for small groups. Each small group should have two adult facilitators to lead the teens and should not change throughout the course of the year or, ideally, the life of the Unleashed group. Place six to eight teens in each small group. Since Unleashed small groups are more advanced, it is recommended that teens either request to be involved or are invited to be involved. Utilizing Unleashed for teens who are not yet evangelized will limit the effectiveness of the resource. Unleashed works best in conjunction with a weekly large group gathering like Life Teen’s Life Nights or Summit lectionary-based discipleship group. The large group gathering provides the teens with a safe place to meet other teens and adults prior to getting involved with an Unleashed group. Meeting in Unleashed GroupsUnleashed groups have the flexibility to meet at a variety of places that may be more comfortable for teens, in addition to the parish youth room. Unleashed groups can meet at coffee shops, at restaurants during lunch hours,

or even at a high school (if the school will permit the group to meet and adults from the parish to be present). Gather the teens at parks or other public spaces, or meet at your parish office. We do not recommend meeting at the homes of Core Members or host families as it presents challenges for maintaining a safe environment and may violate child safety guidelines in many dioceses. Forming Teen DisciplesThe goal of Unleashed, as is the goal of every Life Teen resource, is to help form teens as disciples of Christ. This is done primarily through intentional, Christ-centered relationships. Unleashed provides a context for evangelization and catechesis while allowing the teens to grow in relationship with their peers and adult mentors. It is important that the Core Members invest in the lives of the teens outside of the Unleashed group by attending sporting events, musicals, and extra-curricular activities, as well as meeting the teens’ parents and praying for the teens whenever possible. Not only does this promote healthy relationships and a safe environment, but it also allows the Core Members to form friendships with one another. How Unleashed: Money WorksEach Unleashed guide presents topics in a different way. This section outlines the unique methodology and content contained in this specific Unleashed guide. There are four pieces to each Unleashed session in this series. Accompanying this guide is the Unleashed: Money Journal, which will be utilized at different points throughout each session. Print a copy of this journal for each teen and give it to them at the beginning of the Unleashed series. The Unleashed: Money Journal can be found on the May 2019 Life Support USB and online at lifeteen.com under Life Support: May 2019.

76 UNLEASHED: MONEY

EngageThe first session begins with questions to help the teens get to know one another. Each of the remaining sessions begin with follow up questions about the previous session. All of the sessions include an experiential activity that introduces the topic of the session. ReflectDuring the second part of the session, a teaching discussion is led by the small group leader. Questions are interspersed throughout the teaching points to facilitate a discussion about the topic. The goal of the teaching is to engage the teens in meaningful conversation regarding the use of money and its relationship to our faith. Feel free to adapt the teaching as necessary.

RespondThis part of the session allows the teens to further reflect on, pray about, and respond to the material. This series includes different workshops, handouts, and activities that are followed by prayer opportunities. Concluding ChallengeEach session concludes with a challenge for the upcoming week. The challenge reinforces the topic discussed and encourages the teens to take practical steps toward building virtuous habits in their use of money. Be sure to follow up on the challenge at the next Unleashed session.

Planning Notes: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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PREPARE

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THE “M” WORDby Joseph Domen

from ltparentlife.com

When I appear before the Lord, I will have a list of questions to ask Him about various topics. One of them is His attitude about money. We need it to run our church, our homes, and our families. Yet, Scripture often warns us about money. There are many things in the spiritual life and the Church that add tension to money issues.

Throughout Scripture, we hear about how we are co-creators with God — in the Genesis stories and then how we are co-creators with God in all the ways we build our lives around us. What a blessing and responsibility.

“For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. According to the commission of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and another man is building upon it. Let each man take care how he builds upon it. For no other foundation can any one lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 3:9-11)

When I get stuck on what to do about money, I remember that money is meant to be a tool. To help my understanding of how to navigate this, I turn to the Ten Commandments, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and Scripture. The word “money” is not in the Ten Commandments, nor is it in the index of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The “M” word, however, is used in various forms throughout Scripture.

“For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life?” (Matthew 16:26)

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” (Matthew 6:24)

The combination of citations about the use and abuse of money point to the real issue: money easily becomes an idol. The word “idol” can be found in both the Ten Commandments and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. So the issue is not so much in money itself, but in how we view money and if we make it an idol before the almighty God.

I have been praying a lot about the idols in my life; we should always pray for the grace to recognize and remove anything from our lives that moves us away from God.

Money can be a major idol. If not used to foster co-creation of God’s Kingdom on Earth, it is probably an idol we worship as hollow as the gold figures the Israelites worshipped. Each night, we should reflect on and identify what we worshipped that day: idols or the one true king?

While we may still struggle to understand how to approach money, a repeated, simple shift of focus will help us persevere. Viewing our money as a tool to be used for the work of God’s Kingdom is the key to resolving some of these tensions on Earth.


THE THREE PAGE BUDGETby Joseph Domen


It sure seems daunting to make a budget for your household, right? Would you rather sign up for tooth extraction?

Making a budget can sometimes seem like punishment for overspending, but it does not have to be. Consider reframing this exercise as a game or a quest for higher glory, and remember that it is all about aiming toward a positive goal. This goal can enable you to spend more on something you need, something you want, or something you need to accomplish — and it does not have to be complicated. In fact, it can be done in three pages.

To create your three page budget, use the following steps. If you are a spreadsheet person, you can use one of those. You can also use a blank legal pad.

On the first page, write and answer the following question:

Where are you at now in your financial life?The first step is to take an inventory of what you have. Make a list of all of your income sources, total savings, and checking accounts. Then include all bills and monthly expenses. Log a list on a piece of paper (or spreadsheet) for three or four months to get a sense of your bills and where cash flows through your wallet. Make sure to put a line item on that list for the occasional coffee or ice cream. Consider reviewing your finances for an entire year so you catch all of the one-time or occasional expenses, such as car insurance, property taxes, and school costs.

Summarizing all of your assets on one side of the first page, and then doing the same with your monthly and annual expenses on the other side, is a good way to

visualize and realize the scope of your finances. Using this method, many people have found additional ways to trim unnecessary spending and fees.

On the second page, write and answer the following question:

What needs do you absolutely have to satisfy?These are critical payments to run your household. Identify all of your yearly one-time-only expenses and divide each amount by 12. Then, add each of these amounts into your monthly budget. Oh yes, do not to forget to include a tithe to your church.

As you do this, remember the role God intends money to play in your life and where — better yet, in who — you are putting your trust: “I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord” (1 Corinthians 7:35).

On the third, page write and answer the following question:

What do you want?If and when your needs are covered, you can turn to your medium and long-term goals. In the 2007 movie “The Bucket List,” Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson star as goal-driven bucket listers. Gallivanting across the world on a seemingly unlimited budget only brings them back home after realizing what is truly important.

We all need a “bucket list” — a set of things we want to see and do before we die — to move us toward the best life we can imagine. Satisfying our needs and wants, while also aiming at new goals, allows us to live in the freedom to which Christ calls us. Remember that the whole point of making a budget is to help us control our spending, so each day — little by little — we can work toward these bigger, long-term desires.


COMPLIMENT MY SOUL, NOT MY SHOESby Kerri Gallen


It is not bad to have and to want things (especially if you earn them). We live in a world where things are coming out faster, better, and way cooler. Of course I want the new iPhone, and let us be honest, those 3D pens are pretty cool (though I am not sure I really understand what they do — can I draw a puppy and then it suddenly appears?). Needless to say, the Skip-It and Trivial Pursuit games we played when I was a kid simply do not cut it anymore.

I am constantly explaining to my teens that wanting things does not make them a bad person, nor does what they have define them. We all need to be more mindful of how we are finding our worth in the things we have acquired, rather than in the person we are becoming. To quote a good friend, “compliment my soul, not my shoes.” Who I am is a far greater measure than what I have acquired.

Teaching charity is about so much more than helping teens see the importance of giving. Do not get me wrong, giving matters, but it has to be founded in how we connect with others. There is real power in relationship, and the opinions of others matter (whether or not they should). The first step in helping foster charity in a young person is to help them be charitable in their thoughts.

Charity in Our ThoughtsI am a therapist, so I spend 40+ hours a week speaking with my clients, parents, and teachers about ways to use empathy in crafting our responses in all situations. Think about when your kids were little, and newsletters would go home saying things like, “There is a difference in asking ‘what happened today’ and ‘how was your day.’” The same type of thinking applies to empathy.

From a young age, we can have conversations about how it must have made Suzie feel when everyone laughed because she missed the goal, or how sad it is for Zach sitting by himself at lunch. Teaching our kids to look at situations from another’s point of view helps them build empathy. As we grow older, we can use this skill when a friend thinks that their teacher is being a jerk for assigning a big project over the weekend, or that the girl in choir is always annoying. Using empathy to ensure we are generous and respectful in our thoughts is one of the kindest acts of charity I can think of.

When I was in high school, there was a boy named Brian who was made fun of a lot. He always sat with his head down and kept to himself. We had the same lunch period, so one day I asked if he wanted to eat lunch with my friends and me. I am not sure I will forget what he said to me: He had never eaten lunch with anyone before. And you know what? Had it not been for Brian, I would have never discovered my love for trying different foods and learning about new cultures. I changed for the better because I chose to be charitable and invited him to join us.

Charity in Our FamilyWe also need to be sure we are charitable as a family. In my house growing up, I was not allowed to speak unkindly about my sisters (even when they REALLY deserved it). More importantly, it was expected that we do things together. My parents talked to us about how lucky we were to have clothes that fit us and food on our table. They were open about times when they were younger and could not afford things. We would volunteer when our school had fundraisers and regularly had to clean out our closets and toy bins for things we could give to kids whose parents could not afford new gifts. This practice actually became fun — what was the best gift I could give someone? I found that giving away things I was not using gave me a lot more joy than letting it gather dust in my closet.


Charity for a CauseI was also lucky to have a youth group where I could connect with others who wanted to make a difference. I know not every student wants to be in a youth group, but this connection can also be created at school and in neighborhoods. When teens come together for a cause they believe in, magical things happen. My church did a clean water project for Nicaragua and drank only water for a month. All of the money the teens would have been spent on drinks went to the project — and because of matching donors, they raised over $30,000! Another time, I wanted to get gifts for older foster kids at my agency. The teens bought so many amazing gifts that it took me days to deliver them.

Teens care. Talk to your teens about what matters to them and find ways to help them give back. Whether it is raising money for those who are less fortunate, writing letters to their representatives, or connecting with other people at school, empowering teens to believe they can make a difference is the first step.

Remember, too, that charity is a journey. Our connections to causes and one another can change hearts, but it takes time. If we start small and build charity as a lifestyle within our families and homes, we will begin to see some creative and powerful changes.


UNLEASHED

UNLEASHED: MONEY20

GOOD SERVANT, BAD MASTER

UNLEASHED: WHAT IS MONEY?

ENGAGE

Welcome and IntroductionsWelcome the teens to the Unleashed: Money small group. Have the teens introduce themselves to one another by sharing their name and school, and let them know they will have a chance to share more during the next activity.

Candy CurrencyPrior to the Unleashed session, buy a king size bag or two of the original Skittles candy.

Pass the bag of Skittles around, having each teen take at least three Skittles. Once everyone has a small handful, tell the teens that their Skittles can be used to buy answers to questions from their peers. Depending on the allotted amount of time, you may need to limit the number of questions a teen can “buy.” Using the breakdown below, allow the teens to take turns spending their Skittles and getting to know the other people in the group. Explain that some questions only require one skittle, while others

CATECHISM:21132536

SCRIPTURE:Genesis 1:28Ecclesiastes 5:10Matthew 6:24 Matthew 6:31-331 Timothy 6:10

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require two or one of every color. Depending on the group dynamics, determine whether or not the teens will respond better by going in order to ask questions or skipping around on a volunteer basis. All of the teens must have been asked a question before anyone is asked a second question. If a teen is asked a repeated question, he or she needs to come up with a different answer than the previous one.

Red Skittle:1 = Share a memorable experience in your life.

Orange Skittle:1 = What is your favorite song of all time?2 = What was the best birthday you had and why?

Purple Skittle:1 = Share an achievement. 2 = If you could meet anyone, who would it be and what you would ask them?

Yellow Skittle:1 = Share one fact about a personal hobby or interest. 2 = Who is one person who inspires you and why?

Green Skittle:1 = Ask a “favorite” question (e.g., favorite food, sport, brand, musician).

Rainbow:1 of Each Color = Ask a free question.

Pastoral Note: The small group leader has veto power on the free question in order to field inappropriate questions. If needed, gently ask the teen to pick another question. Use your best judgment and give the teens the ability to pass.


REFLECT

Teaching Discussion: Good Servant, Bad Master

Money, Money, MoneyMoney is essential for life. We need it to purchase necessities like food, clothing, shelter, transportation, and education. Money also allows us to purchase “wants,” like entertainment or vacations, and invest in our futures. We also know that money can be abused and become fuel for greed and wastefulness. Money is a tool that can be used for positive or negative purposes. It is up to us to decide how to use money properly so it does not control our lives.

All of us have a different outlook on finances. For some, the topic of money brings immediate stress and anxiety. We have heard our parents fight about money countless times. We have wanted to buy something, only to hear that we cannot afford it. We have dreamed of going to our favorite college, only to find out that it is way too expensive. We have had to work to help pay for our living expenses.

For others, money is not a subject that is thought about often or ever worried about. Everything we need has been provided for us. We have never wondered if we could afford a new phone, if we could play on a club sports team, or if we would be evicted from our home.

Regardless of our family’s financial situation, money can become an idol in our lives. An idol is something other than God that we worship, considering it the source of ultimate power in the world. It is usually the underlying reason for the decisions we make and goals we set. When we idolize money, we fall into the mindset that having plenty of it will solve all of our problems and make us infinitely happy. We can plan our lives around acquiring money and building wealth, with the hope that

we will discover lasting peace and joy through our bank accounts. But countless celebrities, athletes, and perhaps even relatives and friends show us that this is not the case. Money is not a source of infinite happiness and we should not spend our time and energy worshipping it. Money is a tool to be used virtuously.

Discuss:

Note that money can be a sensitive and embarrassing topic. If a teen is initially hesitant to share about their experience of money, do not pressure them to say more than they are comfortable revealing.

• Using one word, how would you describe your outlook on money?

• How often do you talk about finances with your parents or other family members? What have those conversations looked like?

• What are some ways you have seen money used responsibly or irresponsibly?

Is Money Evil?The Bible is filled with teachings about money and instructions on how to give it proper priority. You may have heard the phrase, “Money is the root of all evil.” This is actually a misquote of a Scripture verse that says, “For the love of money is the root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced their hearts with many pangs” (1 Timothy 6:10, emphasis added). Money itself is not the root of evil in the world. Rather, it is our actions and worship of money that can be evil. When a desire for money fills our hearts, it causes God to compete for our love and energy and can take our focus off of living a life in service of Him. Jesus reminds us, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he


will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

Matthew 6:24Proverbs 22:7

Deuteronomy 28:12

For example, many people work on weekends, which may cause them to be tempted to miss Mass on Sunday. When money becomes more of a priority than our relationship with God, it has become an idol in our lives. No amount of money is evil in and of itself. It is not a bad thing to have money or to be wealthy; a lack of money does not immediately signal that God is displeased with us. Any person, regardless of income level, can be led astray by money. It is our improper prioritization of money that gets us into trouble. This is why Pope Francis said, “Money has to serve, not to rule.”

Address of Pope Francis to the New Non-Resident Ambassadors to the Holy See, 2013

On the other hand, if we are not intentional about our use of money, we run a high risk of being controlled by it. There is a tendency among Christians to believe that caring about money at all is sinful and not what God wants — this is not true. What is true is that Jesus does not want us to be worried or anxious about money.

Read Matthew 6:31-33.

This does not mean that it is evil to think about how to use money or to plan for our financial future. Many people end up in financial hardship simply because they never had a real understanding of what money is for and how to use it. You may have heard horror stories of people paying off student loans for decades after college because they did not realize what they were getting themselves into. According to recent studies, almost 80 percent of

Americans live paycheck to paycheck. Clearly, forgetting about money is not the solution either. So, how does God call us to handle money?

Discuss:

• How can money become an idol in our lives? Has money ever become an idol for you? (E.g., using our parents’ money without permission, being stingy with our money when we see someone in need, skipping Mass or other important events to work when it is not necessary.)

• Why do you think people often believe money is opposed to God?

Stewardship Early in salvation history, God instructs Adam and Eve to “be fruitful and multiply, and fill the Earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the Earth.” To have dominion means to have authority to rule over something. Jesus gives us a clear example of what it means to have dominion over the Earth by connecting it to stewardship.

Genesis 1:28

Read Matthew 25:14-30.

Stewardship means that we first recognize everything as a gift from God and use it for His glory. The idea of ruling over the Earth, then, applies to finances as well. God calls us to have dominion (in the form of stewardship) over money rather than have money rule over us. Stewardship of money means that we handle it responsibly, share it with those in need, and offer it back to God. Practicing dominion over money can be challenging. A disordered relationship with money can keep us from using it as we ought to.


To overcome temptations such as greed and attachment to money, we must have virtue. The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines virtue as “a habitual and firm disposition to do the good.” Virtues give us the resolve and ability to do what is right and good in all circumstances. There are four virtues, called the “cardinal virtues,” that play a particularly important role in our lives: prudence, justice, temperance, and fortitude. These virtues allow us to put money in its proper place. Rather than being ruled by money, they help us exercise dominion over money and use it as a tool, as God intends.

CCC 1803

Ultimately, virtue helps us to be detached from the love of money. Scripture warns, “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money; nor he who loves wealth, with gain: this also is vanity.” The cardinal virtues are developed through human effort and are aided by God’s grace, which means that we have to do our part to become virtuous. Virtues are like spiritual muscles — we have to put in some effort to help them grow. It will not happen overnight, but takes time, effort, and prayer. In the rest of this series, we are going to unpack the four cardinal virtues and discover how they help us become wise, responsible stewards of our finances.

Ecclesiastes 5:10

Discuss:

• What does being a steward of your finances look like at this stage of your life?

• When you think about being financially responsible, what emotions arise in you? Excitement, anxiety, or fear?

• What questions does the idea of “financial responsibility” bring up for you?

RESPOND

Response Activity: Scripture ReflectionHand out the Unleashed: Money Journal to each teen, along with a Bible and pen. Read the following scenarios to the teens and ask them to choose one that relates the most to their life:

1. When I think about money, I often feel anxious. So far, my life experience has shown me that money problems are frequent and stressful. There never seems to be enough money to provide for what I want or need in life. When I look at my future, I am not sure if God will take care of my financial needs. I feel like I need to do it all on my own.

2. I see money in a positive light. To be honest, money does not bother me. I hope to earn a large income when I get older. I think this will make me feel successful and secure and allow me to provide for the people in my life who I love. Growing up in my family, money has not been an issue. For the most part, I am able to get what I need from my parents and enjoy nice things. If I am being honest with myself, sometimes I am not concerned with saving my money since I have family to rely on.

3. I have never given much thought to how I ought to be using money. I think money is important, but I do not have a plan for my finances because I did not know I needed one. Money can intimidate me. I feel unsure of how money relates to God and how He wants me to use it. Before this session, I did not know God expected me to grow in virtue with my finances outside of tithing to the church and giving to charity.

Repeat the scenarios, if necessary. If the teens are comfortable, have them share the scenario that resonates with their current experience, why it resonates, and what they experience that is different from the exact scenario.


Prayer Activity: Money Scripture ReflectionOnce the teens have shared about the scenario they feel most describes their experience, have them open their Unleashed: Money Journal to page 2 and read the corresponding Scripture passage. Give them time to pray with and journal about their thoughts.

If they do not have an Unleashed: Money Journal, the corresponding Scripture verses and journal questions are as follows:

• Luke 12:22-34

• Luke 12:13-21

• Matthew 25:14-30

Have teens journal through the following questions:

1. Initially, how do these verses make you feel? Encouraged, angry, worried, peaceful? Honesty in our reactions is the best place to start in prayer.

2. What do you think God is saying to you through this passage? How do these verses challenge your perception of money?

3. What encouragement is God giving you through His Word?

Concluding ChallengeGo cash only for a week. Pay attention to how spending cash makes you feel. Notice how much or how little you spend. Does paying cash affect how much you spend?

Planning Notes: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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UNLEASHED: MONEY30

A PENNY SAVED

UNLEASHED: SAVING, SPENDING, AND TEMPERANCE

ENGAGE

WelcomeWelcome the teens to the Unleashed: Money small group. Have snacks available and give the teens time to socialize. Lead an opening prayer and review the previous session, using the following questions as a guide:

• Did anyone only spend cash throughout the week?

• How did paying cash affect the way you used your money?

Spending Statistics GameUse the following list of questions to quiz the teens about the way Americans, as a society, spend money. Give the teens time to write down their answers to each question. The teen with the most correct answers wins.

1. What is the average amount of credit card interest the American family pays per year? $1,1411

2. What percentage of millennials are financially illiterate? (This means they do not understand basic financial terms. Knowledge of these would equip them to make rational financial decisions.) 76 percent2

CATECHISM:1809

SCRIPTURE:Galatians 5:22-23Hebrews 13:5

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3. What percentage of food goes to waste in America? 40 percent3

4. How much on average does a parent spend on Christmas gifts per child? $4224

5. How much does the average American spend on clothes per year? $1,7005

6. How many pounds of clothes on average do Americans throw away every year? 656

7. Children in America account for 3.1 percent of children worldwide. What percentage of the world’s toys do they own? 40 percent7

8. In 2017, what percent of their income was the average American saving? 2.7 percent8

9. What percentage of things we buy is thrown away within six months? 99 percent9

10. On average, how many advertisements do we see each day? Over 5,00010

11. Millennials are spending more money on _________ than on their retirement. Coffee11

REFLECT

Teaching Discussion: A Penny Saved

Has this ever happened to you? Your friends ask you to go hang out at the mall for the afternoon. You have already spent a lot of money this month and you know your parents will not give you much more, so you agree to go just to spend time with friends. However, when you get to the mall you find the pair of shoes you have had your eye on for months are on sale. You try them on and they fit perfectly. You call your parents to ask for the money to buy them, but they remind you about the need to save money for college next year. They give you a choice to buy the shoes or add the money to your savings account. What choice do you make?


them, but I do not actually need them. I have plenty of other shoes at home and I am already behind this month on my credit card. If I keep spending like this, I am not going to be able to save enough money to cover the cost of my tuition next year. This sacrifice will be worth it.”

Without temperance, it is easy to focus on buying as many exciting experiences and as much cool stuff as we want. This often leaves us without the money for things we really need, like education, a car, and savings.

Discuss:

• Whip Around Question: Are you naturally a spender or a saver? (A whip around question is a question that can be answered in one word or phrase and goes clockwise, starting from the leader. The goal is to quickly whip around the circle, encouraging every teen to speak when it is their turn.)

• When do you feel the most pressure to spend money, even if you know you should not? How do you typically respond to this impulse?

• When is a time you exercised temperance in making a financial decision?

Money and RelationshipsThe way we spend and save our money has a huge impact on our relationships. Money is the number one topic that married couples fight about and the second leading cause of divorce. It is easy to disagree about what is worth spending our money on. The good news is that temperance helps us discern when we should spend and when we should save.

Saving We will start with the hard part. Saving money is tough. It is way easier to spend money than to be disciplined and save it. It is particularly tough when we do not have a clear idea why we are saving. There are three common

We face decisions like this all the time. Making decisions about how to spend and save our money can be very difficult and may even cause us stress. With the number of advertisements we see everyday, we are bound to be drawn to purchase things we do not always need. Not to mention that tech products and the latest styles are constantly pushing the idea that you are falling behind if you do not purchase the latest upgrade. Plus, the availability of credit cards and debt options make it so easy to spend money we do not have with the idea that we will pay it off soon. It seems that we do not have to care that much about what we save and spend because we will always have the option to put it on a credit card and figure it out later.

When we are honest with ourselves, we are faced with a hard truth: Either we become intentional about the way we handle money or we will always be looking at an empty bank account, wondering where all of our money went. This intentionality requires the virtue of temperance. Temperance “moderates the attraction of pleasure and provides balance in the use of created goods. It ensures the mastery of the will over instinct, and keeps natural desires within proper limits.”

CCC Glossary

When left to our own devices, our natural thoughts may be something like the example above: “These shoes make me look really good. I have been waiting for them to go on sale forever, and I really need them. I know I am already behind on my credit card but when am I going to get this deal again? My parents said they would cover it. I will figure out college stuff over the summer. It is not like I leave for school tomorrow.”

Temperance helps us see beyond our initial instincts. With temperance, our response may instead be, “These shoes are exactly what I have been wanting. I really want to buy


like everyone else is spending money on whatever they want. In these moments, it is important to pray for the help of the Holy Spirit. Saint Paul tells us that self-control is a fruit of the Spirit. We should strive to not compare our belongings to those of others and rather, “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have; for He has said, ‘I will never fail you nor forsake you.’” Each time we exercise the virtue of temperance, it becomes stronger within us and slightly easier the next time we are tempted to give up. When it seems like you are the only one not having fun, be encouraged that you are setting yourself up for a lifetime of success where you will not be ruled by money. Get creative and find cheaper ways to spend time with your friends and take comfort in learning how to use money as a tool, like God intends.

Galatians 5:22-23Hebrews 13:5

Spending Although we should avoid frivolous spending, buying something is not bad in and of itself. In fact, we have to spend money in order to get through life. We need food, clothing, and shelter. We should plan for necessary expenses like bills as we create our spending plan. Being intentional with our finances does not mean that we can never go to a sporting event again or buy a pair of our favorite shoes. It just means eliminating spending habits that are hurtful to our financial goals. For example, if “retail therapy” is your go-to weekend activity, the money spent every weekend on fast fashion is holding you back from a greater financial goal of saving up for a car. Temperance helps us discern what is a good purchase and what is not. If you want to know whether it is a good purchase or one to pass on, ask yourself these questions:

1. Can I afford it? Do I actually have the cash in my bank account to buy this item or am I putting myself in a poor financial situation by purchasing it?

reasons to save money: for emergencies, for purchases, and for the future. When it comes to emergencies, we would all like to think they will not happen, but we will all experience some kind of emergency at some point in our lives. It could be a car breaking down, a scholarship falling through, or a family emergency that requires us to fly across the country. If we do not have any savings, we will typically go into debt to rectify these situations, which is why it is a great idea to save money for emergencies. It might be as simple as setting aside $10 or $20 each month. If you do this every month, your emergency budget will grow over time. Set a goal for how much you would like to save for emergencies. In high school, a few hundred dollars is often enough for legitimate emergencies that arise. As you age and take on more financial responsibilities, your emergency fund should grow, too.

Secondly, save money for things you need or want to buy. Is it your mom’s birthday next month? Do you want to buy yourself a guitar this year? Figure out how much you need for those purchases and begin to save toward that goal. Again, it might not be a ton of money each month but if you save $20 a month, you will have $120 in six months that you can use to buy something you would like.

Third, saving money for the future at a young age is one of the best things we can do to set ourselves up for financial success. If you begin saving a little bit every month starting at age 16, by the time you are 65 years old and ready to retire, you will be much better off than if you waited until you were 30 years old to start saving.

Use the example found on page 6 of the Unleashed: Money Journal to show the teens the impact of beginning to save earlier in life.

The hardest part about saving money is having the discipline and self-control to keep going when it looks


money, savings for a college fund, and tithing, along with any other categories you need. Ideally, you should have a plan for every dollar you earn or receive each month. If you plug in all of your expenses and you have money left over, that is great. Figure out what you would like to save for or assign it a category. Otherwise, the money tends to get forgotten along the way or spent somewhere it should not have been spent.

Once you fill in your budget, you have something to look back to when you are not sure if you should make a purchase. If your friends want to go out for dessert but you have used all of your food and spending money for the month, grab a snack from home and meet them without buying anything. It might seem strange and uncomfortable at first, but as you see the money you are saving for things that matter, you will thank yourself.

You should make a fresh budget every month rather than reusing the same budget each time. This allows you to plan for special occasions like Christmas, birthday gifts, and vacations, where you might spend more than other months. Or if you know your car is going to need an oil change soon, plan to save for it this month so it does not set you back next month.

Creating a budget can be overwhelming but there are lots of good, free resources on the internet and apps to help you (e.g., Every Dollar app and website, Mint app and website, Pocketguard app). If you do not know where to start, sit down with a parent or someone who has some financial experience and ask them for help making your first budget. Once you get the hang of it, each month will get easier until you barely even have to think about it anymore.

After you have created a budget, it can be even more challenging to stick to it. Do your best to stay on top of your budget. If it helps, consider only using cash for a few months

2. Do I need it? Do I have something like this already? Do I actually need it for my health, school, job, or something else?

3. Will I regret this purchase in a month? Will it enhance my life or am I going to look back and wish I had not spent the money?

Stopping to consider your purchase before making it will help eliminate impulse buys. Asking these questions allows us to feel confident that the purchase was a good choice and frees us from the anxiety of worrying whether or not we made a mistake.

Discuss:

• How do you think our spending habits as teens will carry over into our adult lives?

• What do you tend to spend your money on (e.g., food, entertainment, shopping)? How often do you stop to consider your purchase before making it?

• What would you like to save money for in the near future?

BudgetingOne of the best things we can do to begin to save and spend in a healthy way is to create a monthly budget. A budget helps us figure out our monthly income, identify our necessary expenses, and determine how much money is left over for other things. Making a good budget takes away the fear that we will spend more than we have this month or that we will be unable to make the payments we need to make. While it may seem difficult to put a budget together, it becomes much easier after you do it a couple of times. Budgeting is one of the best tools for helping us use money with temperance.

In a budget, you should have an expense category for everything that you spend money on: food, clothing, transportation, insurance, credit card debt, spending


instead of a credit or debit card so you do not go over your planned spending. If you do make a mistake, be patient with yourself. Remember, the virtues are not just magically given to us. They are gifts from God that are acquired with our cooperation. It is going to take some work to become a good spender and saver, but it is worth it. Do not let the fear of the time and energy it takes to budget keep you from being intentional about your finances. Remember, you do not want to be looking at an empty bank account, wondering where all of your money went.

I Do Not Have a JobIf you do not have a job right now, it does not mean you are off the hook. Do your parents or relatives give you any financial support each month? If so, create a budget based on that figure. Even if it is only $20, plan what you want to do with that money so you are getting in the habit of being intentional with your money. Do you have money in a bank account? If so, figure out how much and what your goals are for that money. If you do not make a plan for it, it will probably slowly disappear at your favorite coffee shop or fast food restaurant over the next year. Is there something you want to start saving for, such as college or a car? Do you want to start looking for a job to help you reach these goals? Creating a budget helps the money start to work for you.

Discuss:

• How does the idea of budgeting make you feel? Why?

• Have you ever tried to do a budget before? What do you think is the most challenging part of budgeting?

• How can you stick to your budget after you have created it?

RESPOND

Response Activity: Goal Setting and AccountabilityInvite the teens to set a few realistic goals for saving and spending by filling in the Saving and Spending Goals section on pages 7-8 in their Unleashed: Money Journal. After several minutes, have them find a partner to share their goals for saving and spending with. Have the teens check in with their partner next week for accountability.

Closing Prayer: Prayer for TemperanceTo end the session, gather the teens and pray the following prayer for temperance together:

Jesus, you practiced temperance; you were the model of self-restraint, never over-indulging, never overdoing. Help me to be temperate, especially in my spending and saving habits with money. Give me the grace to be a good steward of my finances. Jesus, you are the source of my strength. Through you, all is possible. Amen.

Adapted from the Temperance Prayer

of Venerable Matt Talbot

Concluding ChallengeMake time this week to sit down and create a basic budget for the coming month. Look for software or apps to help you do this. Creating a budget will help you move toward achieving the goals you set today.

Planning Notes: _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

UNLEASHED: MONEY40

CASH IS KING

UNLEASHED: DEBT AND PRUDENCE

ENGAGE


• Did anyone create a budget over the past week? How did you go about creating it (e.g., spreadsheet, app, online tool)?

• What was the experience like?

Unseen ConsequencesPrior to the Unleashed session, fill a basket with items (e.g., king size candy bars, gift cards, bottles of soda) and create a list of terms associated with taking a certain number of items. The following terms are suggested, but adapt them as necessary:

CATECHISM:1806

SCRIPTURE:Deuteronomy 28:12Proverbs 21:20Proverbs 22:7Matthew 10:16Luke 14:28Romans 13:7-8

41

• One prize: link arms with someone else in the group for the remainder of the Reflect portion of the session.

• Two prizes: choose one prize to keep and one to give away to someone else.

• Three prizes: let the person next to them choose one prize they want to take.

Tape the list of the terms on the underside of the basket but do not draw attention to it. After the discussion, have the teens choose up to three items from the basket. Before passing the basket around, tell the teens that by taking an item from the basket, they are agreeing to the terms attached to it. The terms and their consequences will be revealed throughout the rest of the session. Once the teens have picked their item, transition into the teaching discussion.

REFLECT

Teaching Discussion: Cash Is King

What Is Debt?What is your initial reaction if I offered you $40,000 dollars today but told you that in five years you would have to pay me back a total of $70,000 over the following 20 years? You probably would rather not take that deal. When you think about how you are going to pay for college, though, how many of you initially think, “Well, I will take out student loans for whatever is left after scholarships and what my parents can contribute”? Is that not what everyone does? You would not be wrong that most people do this. The average student debt in America is $37,172. There are over 44 million people in the United States alone who together owe 1.5 trillion dollars in student loan debt. “The standard repayment plan for federal student loans puts borrowers on a 10-year track to pay off their debt, but research has shown the average bachelor’s degree holder takes 21 years to


market debt to consumers as an easy way to get what they want and need. They market it as a necessity for a healthy financial future with negative consequences that are almost nonexistent. These are all strategic approaches to make more money for their businesses. Creditors, or those who lend us money (usually banks, the government, or private lenders), receive a massive profit in return for our debt. Creditors are known to target young people because they have the most expendable income of any age group. Typically, the money you make does not have to go to bills. They are also hoping that if you buy into their product (debt) and make it a normal part of your life, you will come to believe you cannot live without it. Talk about a home run sale, right? In short, if they get you to believe that you really need debt to survive, these companies will make a substantial profit on you for the rest of your life. This is why we have a responsibility to educate ourselves.

In order to abolish ignorance and build wisdom, we have to learn about how debt works. So, let us go over the basics.

Interest is almost always attached to debt. Interest is the amount it costs the borrower to be loaned a sum of money. It is charged as a percentage, typically annually. This is called an APR (annual percentage rate). If you have a credit card with a 24 percent APR, you get charged an extra 24 percent of the balance you owe annually. Banks calculate your interest daily. To get this rate, divide 24 percent by 365, which equals .00066 per day compounded. The longer it takes you to pay back your balance, the more the lender profits from giving you the loan.

Any car loan, student loan, mortgage, cash advance, credit card, or form of borrowing money will have an interest rate attached. Depending on the terms of the loan, there are often hidden clauses that could cause you to pay even more than the guaranteed interest rate, such as being late on your payments or even prepayment

pay off his or her loans.” The amount for those who plan to go to graduate school or get a PHD would be much larger. Many people agree to terms they do not fully understand, which is why it is important to learn how debt works and how the terms will affect us.

Terms and consequences reveal: If a teen took one prize, they have to link arms with someone else in the group for the remainder of the Reflect portion of the session.

Just because something is good does not mean the consequences are always worth the goods received. When we take on debt, there are always consequences (e.g., monthly payments, interest, stress). We are told by the media, our friends, and the education system that debt is a “necessity” and that it can be used for anything we could want or need. Have you ever wondered why borrowing money is a given for many people? Unfortunately, many of us do not have the upfront information we need to know about debt. During this session, we are going to dive into what debt is and how it affects our lives. We are going to explore this question in light of the virtue of prudence, which can help us make healthy decisions when it comes to debt.

To avoid unnecessary confusion, let us clarify what we mean by debt. Merriam-Webster defines debt as “a state of being under obligation to pay or repay someone or something in return for something received; a state of owing.” Having debt, then, applies to any balance with a credit card, retail store, bank, mortgage company, medical bill, student loan, or even to a friend or family member.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary

The Business of DebtCurrently, debt is a product being sold to us. From a young age, debt has been advertised to us. Advertisers


is $800 and you take on a $280 car payment. Can you afford this payment? Yes, but do you want to afford it? This debt means that for the term of your loan (about 5 years for a car loan), you have cut your income from $10 to $6.50 because you have promised the rest of your wages to someone else, all so you can massively overpay for a car you could have saved cash for. These are just examples, but it is easy to look at the benefits without considering the true costs of debt.

Reasons We Take on DebtThe reason we take on debt in the first place varies. The logical reason we take it on is because we want or need something we cannot currently afford. The things we want to use debt for are not always bad or frivolous. Sometimes it is getting a student loan so we can receive an education, buying groceries during a month when we do not have the cash, or securing a mortgage to buy a home for our family. However, even if our reasons are good, we should not take on debt impulsively. The second reason we take on debt is not as reasonable. We take on debt because we are being impulsive, are ignorant of the consequences, or cannot tame our desires. Many of us take on debt because we want something but do not actually need it. The immediate satisfaction debt provides makes the consequences an afterthought. The new item is more fun, especially if we do not think about the fact that we cannot actually afford it.

Another reason we go into debt is because we have not been forward thinking with our finances. If we are using debt regularly, the chances of us having saved money for emergencies are pretty slim. When something goes wrong, we have nowhere to turn but our credit cards. We think that going into debt will help us because it is an emergency, but the truth is that debt digs us into a larger financial hole than before the problem arose.

penalties. It is important to note that just because an interest rate is low does not mean you will not spend a lot of money on interest in the end.

For example, if we take the average student debt we referenced earlier and attach it to a standard interest rate, we can see what these numbers look like for the average student who graduates with debt.

Student Loan Balance: $37,172Example Interest Rate: 6.7 percentLoan Fee: 1 percentRepayment Term: 21 years _________________________Monthly Payment: $280.24Total Amount Paid: $70,619.47Total Interest Paid: $33,447.47 The average student spends $70,619.47 for an education that costs much less. If we think about the idea of paying almost double for education into our 40s, it does not seem like a great deal for us. Even more so, these numbers are only the average for a bachelor’s degree. Taking out a student loan is not always a bad idea, it just means we need to know what we are getting into — the real ticket price.

Terms and consequences reveal: If a teen took two prizes, they have to choose one prize to keep and one to give away to someone else.

An unintended consequence of debt is that monthly payments shrink our income. Good questions to ask ourselves before making a purchase using debt are: How bad do we want this item? Do we want it enough to pay back the amount that is already more than we can afford (hence why debt is on the table) plus the compounding interest? Do we want to overpay if there is a way to avoid it? Going a step further, do we want to commit to a monthly payment that shrinks our income? Say you work part time for $10 per hour, 20 hours per week. Your monthly income


If we have taken on debt, St. Paul tells us we should pay it off promptly: “Pay all of them their dues, taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.” When we are indebted to someone else, we are at their mercy. In a sense we are enslaved to someone or something and it can rule over us. God desires us to be free to worship Him and live the life of freedom He desires for us.

Romans 13:7

Terms and consequences reveal: If a teen took three prizes, they have to let the person next to them choose one prize they want to take. Debt and Prudence When it comes to finances, the virtue of prudence helps us discern the best way to achieve our goals. The Church teaches that “prudence is the virtue that disposes practical reason to discern our true good in every circumstance and to choose the right means of achieving it.” Prudence allows us to discern the best way to handle any situation. It is the difference between planning out how you will pay for college and simply taking out $40,000 in student loan debt without thinking. It helps us ask questions such as, “Is this a good financial decision for our future?” and, “Is this the best way for us to reach our goals or is there a better option?” When we pray for prudence and do our best to practice it, we expand our ability to make wise financial decisions without stress, fear, or ignorance.

CCC 1806 Discuss:

• Why do you think God speaks so strongly about debt in Scripture?

• How can debt negatively impact our lives?

Discuss:

• What were your thoughts about debt before this session? Have you discussed debt at home or at school? Has it been presented as positive, negative, or neutral?

• How do you feel our culture presents debt? Where have you seen debt offered?

• What positive or negative effects of debt have you seen in your life?

God’s Desire for FinancesAs St. Paul tells us, “Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.” Scripture also cautions that “the borrower is the slave of the lender” and the man who borrows money is a fool. Moses instructs the Israelites, “The Lord will open to you His good treasury the heavens, to give the rain of your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hands; and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.” In Scripture, God does not condemn the use of debt, but He never speaks in favor of it either. It is clear that God does not encourage borrowing money with interest and that He has discouraged taking on debt because of its consequence in our lives.

Romans 13:8Proverbs 21:20, 22:7Deuteronomy 28:12

While it initially seems freeing to take money on loan, we eventually find that it requires greater sacrifices later to pay it off. We may have to put off pursuing certain dreams or be unable to help loved ones in need. It can affect our ability to seek medical care or buy a new car when an old one breaks down. It may even be as simple as not being able to share experiences with friends who were more financially responsible (e.g., vacations, mission trips, weekly outings). Avoiding debt ultimately saves us money and helps us be at peace with our finances.


a portion (if not all) of your trip. Then, plan ahead of time so you can spend six months to one year saving. How much better will your experience be abroad if you do not have to come home realizing that you dug yourself into a financial hole that you could be climbing out of for the next few years?

It is important to remember that debt is not our only option. There are some circumstances where debt may be unavoidable, but we need to make sure we have exhausted every other option. And if debt is absolutely our only option, we need to have a plan to pay it off quickly. More times than not, taking on debt is a sign that we are not being intentional with our money and are spending beyond our means. This leaves us stressed and frustrated with our finances. Debt can make us feel like money is in charge and that we are trapped under a large balance that seems impossible to pay off. When this happens, it feels like our finances and life are out of control. God wants us to have dominion over the things of this world and use them in their proper place, which leaves us at peace.

As you graduate high school and go onto college, the workforce, or the military, you are going to make a transition from being a child whose responsibility is on your parents to being an adult. The decisions you make toward the end of high school will most likely be the first time many of you make decisions about money that will have a lasting effect on your life, which is why asking for and growing in prudence in your financial decisions now is important. God cares and wants to be a part of your decisions. He wants your happiness and fulfillment even more than you do. Invite God into this aspect of your life now, not when you have hit rock bottom.

Discuss:

• How do you feel about taking on student loans?

• What ideas can you think of to reduce or avoid taking out student loans? For example, are you open

• How does prudence help us discern how to interact with debt? Has prudence helped you before when making a tough decision?

Avoiding Debt Although we are able to see that taking on debt has significant consequences, we still will encounter circumstances that make us feel like we need to take on debt. Most of us cannot afford everything in life, which means that we have to plan well so we can afford our necessary expenses. After all, Jesus says, “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?”

Luke 14:28

The best way to avoid debt is to plan in advance. Here are some tips:

1. Live within your means. We must know the amount of money we have and make. This is why we budget. Some of you work part time, have a nest egg of birthday money saved, or get an allowance. Small or large, this money is used to its fullest potential when budgeted. Just as we discussed in the last session, when we use budgeting as a means to look ahead, we have less occasions where we are taken off guard and tempted to charge our credit card. Buying a car, going to college, and getting nice things are not the enemy. We just need to plan in advance.

2. Be creative. If you are saving up for a big purchase and do not know how you will get the money, think outside of the box. You can get a part time job, cut areas of your budget that are superfluous, start a business, or apply for scholarships. For example, instead of taking out a student loan in college to do a semester abroad, apply to be an RA so you can get your room and board covered, find a trusted internship program aimed at college students that will pay for you to travel, or look for a volunteer organization/ministry that will pay for


to attending a community college for a few years before attending your school of choice?

• What can you do now to prepare well for your college expenses?

• If you do not plan to go to college, how are you preparing financially for post graduation?

RESPOND

Response Activity: Goal Setting and AccountabilityUsing their Unleashed: Money Journal, have the teens work through the Future Planning section on pages 10-13. Give the teens several minutes to fill out the sheet. They should answer questions one through four during this time and complete the last two questions during the week.

Closing Prayer: Prayer for PrudenceTo end the session, gather the teens and pray the following prayer for prudence together:

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the virtue of prudence which helps us to discern our true good in every circumstance and to choose the right means of achieving it. As we continue to learn about your intention for our use of money, we pray for prudence in all our decisions. We especially pray for prudence as we determine the best way to pay for the means to achieve our desired goals. We ask that you continue to align our goals and desires with your will, redirecting anything that will lead us away from you. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Concluding ChallengeComplete questions five and six (along with any other unanswered questions) of the future planning worksheet in the Unleashed: Money Journal this week. Do some research about scholarships, internships, and future career interests. If you have a family friend or relative who works in any of the professions of interest, talk to them about their experience and ask for their advice about how

to prepare. Have a conversation with your parents about your plans. Even though this may be uncomfortable, it will be helpful in your planning for your future.

Planning Notes: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

UNLEASHED: MONEY52

WORLD CHANGERS

UNLEASHED: TITHING, ALMSGIVING, AND JUSTICE

ENGAGE


• How did the conversation with your parents about your future plans go?

• If you have not had the conversation yet, what kept you from doing so? What can you do to make that conversation happen sooner rather than later?

Charity CreationAsk the teens to open their Unleashed: Money Journal to page 16. Invite them to imagine what they would do if they were given $100,000 dollars to spend for a charitable cause. Once the teens have had time to brainstorm, have them share how they decided to spend the money.

CATECHISM:18072446

SCRIPTURE:Matthew 25:40Luke 16:19-25 Luke 21:1-4John 13:34

53

REFLECT

Teaching Discussion: World Changers

So far, we have discussed how the virtues of temperance and prudence help us use money as a tool to improve our lives. During this session, we are going to talk about how our use of money has an impact on the people we interact with and the world around us. Like we discussed in the opening activity, our money can be a force for good in the world. In fact, our ultimate goal of being good stewards of our money is so we are free to share it with others.

Have you ever had this experience? You are exiting the highway and you see someone who is homeless, holding a cardboard sign and asking for money. What do you do? How do you respond? A beautiful prayer, commonly attributed to St. Teresa of Avila, gives us an idea:

“Christ has no body now on Earth but yours; no hands but yours; no feet but yours. Yours are the eyes through which the compassion of Christ must look out on the world. Yours are the feet with which He is to go about doing good. Yours are the hands with which He is to bless His people.”

Christ calls us to love one another as He has loved us. Many times when it comes to the poor and needy, we do not know how we ought to interact and share Christ’s love with them. You may not have thought about it, but our use of money is one of the ways we can become Christ’s hands and feet to those around us. Typically, we do not like the idea of parting with our hard-earned money. It is natural, but God knows that if we simply store up wealth in this world and do not share it with others, it will become an idol we worship that keeps us


not typically think about our possessions this way. The story of Lazarus and the rich man reminds us that we have a responsibility to care for others in need and not ignore their suffering. We do this through almsgiving, penance, and charity.

CCC 2446

The Church defines almsgiving as “money or goods given to the poor as an act of penance or fraternal charity.” We practice almsgiving in a particular way during Lent but are called to give alms all year. Parting with our money hurts. After all, we have worked hard to earn our money. This is why it is penitential to give alms to someone in need; it causes us to sacrifice something we really want. Penance is a way of denying ourselves of something good in order to be purified of our attachments to sin. Along with prayer and fasting, almsgiving helps us have a penitential heart.

CCC Glossary

The Old Testament reminds us to be generous to the poor and not turn away from their needs. Jesus tells us bluntly, “as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.” Jesus identifies with the poor and needy. For this reason, the Church has always prioritized care for the poor as a way of loving Christ Himself. The more attached we are to our possessions, the harder it will be. This is why the rich man in our opening parable did not share his resources with Lazarus; he was too attached to his material wealth. We must be careful not to make the same mistake and rather, be generous toward those who are in need. When we share our goods with someone, we are sharing them with Christ Himself and are recognizing the dignity of the person who is in need.

Matthew 25:40

from Him. We can have a better understanding of this by looking at the story of the rich man and Lazarus.

John 13:34Luke 12:16-21

Read Luke 16:19-25.

Discuss

• What is your initial reaction to this story? Why do you think the rich man refused to share his wealth with Lazarus?

• How do most people you see interact with the poor? How can you share Christ’s love with the needy, even if you do not have money with you?

JusticeThe virtue that helps us understand how we ought to share our money with others is justice. Justice is the “constant and firm will” to give God and our neighbor what is due to them. Justice teaches us to be good stewards of our resources by offering God the first fruits of our time, talent, and treasure. Stewardship is not only limited to our money. God wants us to offer Him everything we have in order to build up the Body of Christ. This means that our whole lives are centered around our relationship with God, including the way we spend our time and energy, the way we offer our gifts and talents to the Church, and the way we use our resources.

CCC 1807

Justice also shows us how to love our neighbor and be generous to those around us. Saint John Chrysostom reminds us, “Not to enable the poor to share in our goods is to steal from them and deprive them of life. The goods we possess are not ours, but theirs.” This may seem like a shocking statement because we do


TithingEach Sunday at Mass, collection baskets are passed around during the offertory. Why is this important? Tithing is a recognition of the truth that every good gift we receive comes from the Lord. Saint James reminds us, “Every good endowment and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.” When we give back to God from our resources, we remember that we are nothing without God and that He is the one who sustains us. Tithing is also important to support the needs of the Church and her members. In the Old Testament, many laws were set in place to ensure that everyone gave of their resources to the Lord. This included the law that every family was required to give ten percent of their income back to the Lord. This is where the word “tithe” comes from, meaning “one tenth.” Since Christ has fulfilled the Old Covenant, Catholics are not held to a strict percentage of their income that they must offer to the Church. However, the Church teaches what the first Christians were instructed by St. Paul: “On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper.” The NAB translation reads, “whatever one can afford.” Giving out of our finances is meant to be a way of making an offering of our hearts to the Church’s ministry of making disciples. It does not matter how much we can give as long as we are giving from our hearts.

James 1:171 Corinthians 16:2

Read Luke 21:1-4.

Tithing to the Church is a way of supporting the Church’s mission of spreading the Gospel to the whole world. Many of us are not called to be priests, religious, or missionaries. However, we can all support evangelization through our financial support. Tithing is a powerful and important way of offering everything we have back to God.

However, we should not give away money that is already due in justice somewhere else, such as a bill or required payment. For example, if we borrow money from a friend and need to pay them back, we should not give that money away. Justice requires we make our payment on time and repay someone else what is rightfully owed to them. Have you ever borrowed money, a movie, an item of clothing, or something else from a friend and never returned it? You might think, “Well, they never asked for it back.” However, it is an injustice for us to keep things that do not belong to us. It is a form of stealing. Justice also requires that we pay our debts fully and on time. So, if you have a credit card payment or student loan, you have a responsibility to pay that bill on time and in full to the best of your ability.

Paying taxes is also an important way of living out the virtue of justice. As citizens of a nation, we have a duty to pay legitimate taxes. Taxes allow for the funding of necessary public resources, including safety and education. Therefore, we should never evade our taxes. Doing so would be sinful as a violation of the virtue of justice. With this in mind, taxes must be evaluated to be sure they are not putting an undue pressure on the poor. While this is something you probably do not deal with now, it is important to continue learning about it as you grow into adulthood.

Discuss:

• We discussed St. John Chrysostom’s quote, “Not to enable the poor to share in our goods is to steal from them and deprive them of life. The goods we possess are not ours, but theirs.” Why is this true? How should this impact the way we interact with the poor?

• Why did Jesus spend so much time with the poor and underprivileged during His ministry?


2. What are some things you are naturally good at? How can you grow in these talents? How can you creatively use these talents to serve the Church?

3. What financial gift can you offer at this time to the Body of Christ? Regardless of our income, we all have something to give.

Closing Prayer: Prayer for JusticeTo end the session, gather the teens and pray the following prayer for justice together:

Grant us, Lord God, a vision of your world as your love would have it: a world where the weak are protected, and none go hungry or poor; a world where the riches of creation are shared, and everyone can enjoy them; a world where different races and cultures live in harmony and mutual respect; a world where peace is built with justice, and justice is guided by love. Give us the inspiration and courage to build it, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Concluding ChallengePick one way you want to grow in giving of your time, talent, or treasure to the Body of Christ this week.

Planning Notes: _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

So, does this mean you should be tithing as a teen? It is easy to say, “I cannot tithe because I do not have a job,” or, “I need to save my money for college.” These may be true statements, but let us look a little deeper. We may sit in church on Sunday morning and say, “I do not have money to tithe.” Then, we go out with friends a few hours later and spend $25 on lunch and a movie. If we have the money to go to our favorite coffee shop or drive through three times a week, maybe we can cut back on one purchase so we have the ability to offer something back to the Church. Remember, God is not looking for a dollar amount from you; He is looking for your heart. Does your heart trust Him enough to offer Him something in gratitude for all He has given you? We might be discouraged from tithing if we do not carry cash on us. No problem. Many churches have online donation platforms that you can easily use to make a one-time or recurring donation. If you have never thought about it, take some time this week to look at your finances and pray about what contribution God is calling you to make. If you establish this habit now, it will be easier to continue it in your adult years when you have more financial commitments to handle.

RESPOND

Response Activity: Time, Talent, and Treasure AssessmentHave a teen read 2 Corinthians 9:5-8 aloud. Ask the teens to write their responses to the following questions in their Unleashed: Money Journal. The questions can be found on pages 17-18.

1. How do you spend your time? What time do you have to give to the Church, the poor, a friend or family member in need? If your schedule is too full, what can you let go of to make the needs of those around you more of a priority?

UNLEASHED: MONEY60

GOAL GETTERS

UNLEASHED: FINANCIAL FUTURE AND FORTITUDE

ENGAGE


• In what ways did you challenge yourself to give of your time, talent, and treasure this week? What steps did you take?

• How would you like to continue to grow in the way you give?

Big DreamsAsk the teens to open their Unleashed: Money Journal to page 20. Have them use the Big Dreams Brainstorm section to brainstorm their bigger dreams for their lives. The questions in the journal can also be found below:

• What do you want to be remembered for?

• What do you think your life could look like in 20 years?

• What are your wildest or biggest dreams for your life?

CATECHISM:1808

SCRIPTURE:Proverbs 13:22Matthew 7:7Luke 12:7Romans 7:15

61

Once the teens have spent time brainstorming, have them share their dreams with the group.

REFLECT

Teaching Discussion: Goal Getters

#Goals So far we have discussed the purpose of money in our lives — how we ought to spend, save, budget, and share our money. Today, we will talk about how to create a plan for our finances moving forward so we can reach our goals.

Goals matter because if we do not set them, we will rarely get anywhere. Look at the example of an Olympic athlete. Olympians train for years with the hopes of winning a gold medal. Would it not be nice if we could all wake up, start doing gymnastics, and compete with best of the best? That would be amazing, but it is pretty much impossible. The greatest gymnasts in the world set specific goals and work for years to achieve them. To come close to their level of success, we would have to work for a long time with the same goal in mind.

We also know that pursuing a goal requires sacrifice. It is tough to get up at 5:00 a.m. for an athletic practice before school or to say no to hanging out with a friend so you can study for an important test. But, we do it because we know the sacrifice is worth the reward. Likewise, with finances, achieving our goals requires a willingness to sacrifice. Have you ever accomplished a goal for yourself? What did it require of you? A financial goal is like any other. Everything that is worthwhile in life requires sacrifice and determination. Whether it is a goal in athletics, academics, or something else, the same is true. Goals are intentional and take hard work, but once you reach them, the reward is worth it.


Others mistakenly believe that material wealth always accompanies faith in God and that financial prosperity is a guaranteed byproduct of faith. This is clearly not the case. Many people who live in severe poverty around the world have profound faith in God but have been born into circumstances that make it very difficult to change the course of their future. God does not promise us financial blessings, but He does assure us that He will never abandon us, even if we suffer due to lack of finances. God wants money to be an effective tool in our lives. No matter what amount of money we have, it still belongs to God and can be used to serve Him. Imagine what kind of impact you could make if you were able to serve God with your money and bless the people He places in your life with generosity? No matter our vocation, money is going to be involved in our lives, which means that finances have a role in our dreams. When we ask God to show us how to live out our mission in life, we need Him to show us what that means for our money as well. In order to reach this goal, God gives us the virtue of fortitude.

FortitudeThe Catechism of the Catholic Church defines fortitude as “the moral virtue that ensures firmness and difficulties and consistency in the pursuit of good. It strengthens the resolve to resist temptations and overcome obstacles in the moral life. The virtue of fortitude enables one to conquer fear, even fear of death, and to face trials and persecutions.” Fortitude gives us the strength to follow through with our resolutions and stay on course toward achieving our goals. Fortitude in our finances can look like eating in when it would be easier to eat out or ordering a small coffee instead of an eight dollar Frappuccino when we are out with friends at a coffee shop. Financial fortitude is the ability to take our impulses and discipline them so we can do what is good. It is an essential virtue because the most difficult part about financial success is perseverance in making the right choices daily. With

When you think about your future, do you want financial stability? Do you hope to be able to travel, own a home, and give generously to charities, the Church, and others who are in need? To accomplish these goals, you need a plan. Just like an Olympic gymnast has to train and a chef has to practice cooking, we have to plan and put in the work to achieve financial success in our future.

Discuss

• When was a time you set a goal and achieved it? What sacrifices did it require?

• Can you think of a time when you set a goal and did not achieve it? What did you learn from that experience?

• How do you currently make decisions about what to do with your money?

God Cares About Our DreamsBefore we set our goals for money, it is important to remember that God truly cares about our finances. God wants money to be a tool we use to bless ourselves and those around us, and He helps us develop the virtues needed to use it properly. He does not want money to be a curse and burden that follows us like a dark storm cloud. However, God does not just throw wads of cash at us because we pray for it. We have to trust that the same Father who cares to know the number of hairs on our head is also genuinely concerned with our financial future. Many well-meaning Christians think that finances are an area of life in which God has no interest. They see their desires to make more money or to have good things as disconnected from God, but nothing could be further from the truth. God wants money to be a tool that gives us the ability to live the mission He has for us. Scripture tells us that “a good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.”

Luke 12:7Proverbs 13:22


Discuss

• What is a realistic short-term goal for your finances?

• What are some long-term goals for your finances?

• What do you think will be the biggest challenge to pursuing these goals?

I Messed UpWe are human and we do not do everything as well as we would like or should. Even St. Paul admits, “I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” We will all experience failure. Our relationship with money is something we will have to bring to God over and over again. Many of us will struggle through financial hardships, anxieties about money, greed, excessive spending on things we cannot afford, impulses, and financial situations that are out of our control. This means we need to make an action plan for these moments. We have two choices: We can throw in the towel and use our setback as an excuse to stop being intentional with money, or we can use our setback as an opportunity to learn and get excited about our goals again. God gives us new graces every day and just because we make a mistake does not mean He will not give us the grace to get back on track. When we fail, we need to ask God for help. “Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Do not be afraid to ask God for help. He is not Santa who is going to give us a pony just because we ask for it, but He is a good Father who takes care of His children.

Romans 7:15Matthew 7:7

When you do succeed at meeting your goals, take time to celebrate. Thank God for the fortitude He has given you to reach the goal and find a creative way to reward yourself for your hard work. When we celebrate our

the proper goals set and God’s help, we are able to accomplish much more than we would on our own.

CCC 1808

The Game PlanIn order to be financially healthy, it is helpful to have a two-pronged approach of short-term goals and long-terms goals. Short-term goals are set for a week, a month, or even a year. Just like a runner may set a goal of running four days a week, we need to have financial goals that guide our weekly and monthly spending and saving. This could be saving $50 per month or only going out to eat once per week. These milestones are important to keep us on course. Long-term goals help us establish what we want to achieve five, ten, or fifteen years down the road. This might be owning a home, being debt free with a college education, or giving generously to causes we are passionate about. In order to reach our long-term goals, we have to keep up with our short-term goals. Knowing what we want further down the road keeps us motivated to stick to our plan, even when it is difficult. It is hard to develop a healthy relationship with money, especially when our goals are not obvious. When we have a clear destination and the virtue of fortitude, it is a lot easier to get there.

Setting financial goals can be intimidating if we have had a negative experience with money. Perhaps your parents never had much money or had plenty but spent it all in the wrong places. Often, these situations lead to stress and fighting at home. It may convince us that we are destined for the same fate. When we set goals for our future, though, we give ourselves permission to do something different. Setting a goal is the first step to achieving the life we desire.


Prayer Activity: Prayer PartnersHave the teens share their long-term goals with a partner. Then have the teens pray over each other for a few minutes, asking God to give them grace and fortitude. Use the following prayer, if necessary:

Come, Holy Spirit, grant us the gift of fortitude in our financial decisions. Uphold our souls in time of trouble and adversity, sustain our efforts as we seek holiness, strengthen us in our weakness, give us courage against all the assaults of our enemies, that we may never be overcome and separated from you, our God and greatest good. Amen.

Concluding ChallengeSet a date for your next budget planning meeting. Tell a partner in the group to hold you accountable for doing it. Setting your budget each month is the most important thing you can do to keep up your financial goals. If you can get in the habit of doing a monthly budget and living by it, you will set yourself up to reach your financial goals.

Planning Notes: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

victories, we are encouraged to press forward and reach another goal. When you save up your first emergency fund, pay cash for your first car, or graduate college with little to no debt because you worked part time during the school year, give God thanks and praise. God gave you the grace and fortitude to follow through. When you retire early and comfortably because you spent your life using the gifts and resources God gave you well, give Him thanks and praise. The only proper response to God’s gift of love and grace to us is gratitude. In the midst of your celebration, do not forget that He has been strengthening you throughout your journey. God is a Father who knows you have what it takes to achieve your goals. We often make the mistake of believing God only cares about what we do wrong, which is nowhere near the truth. God cares about our dreams because He instilled them in us.

When we put money in its proper place and become stewards who are not controlled by money and instead use it as a tool to bless ourselves and those around us, we exercise the dominion God called us to in Genesis. The cardinal virtues of temperance, prudence, justice, and fortitude give us the grace we need to attain our goals peacefully and joyfully. When we trust in God’s grace and in ourselves, we do not need to be afraid. I believe in you, but more importantly God believes in you. Dream big. Give Him thanks and praise when you get there.

RESPOND

Response Activity: Letter to Future SelfHave the teens open their Unleashed: Money Journal to page 21. Invite them to write a letter to their future selves about their hopes and dreams. Tell them to explain why they are making financial resolutions for themselves. Encourage them to look at this letter when they become discouraged or are tempted to give up on their goals.


End Notes:

1https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/average-credit-card-debt-household/ 2https://www.nefe.org/Portals/0/NEFE%20Digest/DigestPDFs/2016/Millennials-Special-Generation-NEFE-Digest-Spring-2016-GWU-Research.pdf 3https://relevantmagazine.com/reject-apathy/news/26306-new-report-reveals-americans-waste-40-of-their-food4https://www.fool.com/retirement/2016/12/01/heres-what-the-average-american-spends-on-holiday.aspx 5https://www.forbes.com/sites/emmajohnson/2015/01/15/the-real-cost-of-your-shopping-habits/#5e95c95f1452 6https://www.huffingtonpost.com/mattias-wallander/closet-cast-offs-clogging_b_554400.html 7https://www.uctv.tv/RelatedContent.aspx?RelatedID=3018https://www.statista.com/statistics/246234/personal-savings-rate-in-the-united-states/ 9https://www.mtholyoke.edu/~kelle20m/classweb/wp/page3.html 10https://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/15/business/media/15everywhere.html 11https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/millennials-are-spending-more-money-on-coffee-than-retirement-plans 12https://www.daveramsey.com/pr/money-ruining-marriages-in-america13https://www.forbes.com/sites/zackfriedman/2018/06/13/student-loan-debt-statistics-2018/#77857552731014https://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/data-mine/2014/10/07/student-loan-expectations-myth-vs-reality

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