April Virtue: RESPONSIBILITY
What is it called when you drive past a large deer on side the road? “Passing the buck?” Well, perhaps. However, it is much more commonly used to describe not taking responsibility for our thoughts and actions. When we blame someone or something for that which clearly falls to us to do or say, this is passing the buck.
Being a responsible person is not easy. It means taking full ownership for our actions and thoughts. It means staying on top of things and not letting things slide or hoping others will do what we have been tasked to do. In other words, it means NOT passing the buck!
The truth is responsibility begins in our childhood. Doing our chores and our homework, doing the right thing even when we do not want to or when it is difficult, being nice to our brother or sister even if they are being a brat. Responsibility builds character, strengthens families and communities, and helps our country and our world be a safer, saner, and healthy place to be.
Our greatest responsibility as followers of Jesus can be summed up in one word: LOVE. Loving as Jesus loved makes the greatest demands and calls us to make thoughtful, responsible decisions throughout our lives. As we begin reflecting on the virtue of responsibility this month, let us start by being honest about when we pass the buck. We ask our risen Lord to help us to live up to the responsibilities we have been called to.
Lower Elementary (Gr K-3) 
KNOW
Bible story: Matthew 25:14-30 The Parable of the Talents https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJ1WZjQZDW4
Prayer: (scroll down) https://golepress.com/2019/pray-for-responsibility/
Saint: Saint Teresa of Calcutta https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zG8EaG9E4Bo
LIVE
Responsibility song https://youtu.be/oizCSPgk2gw
Be Responsible, Be Safe, Be Respectful Song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGQAp2PY8yY
Responsibility in the classroom https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMo7I-mTabg
GROW
20 activities https://meaningfulmama.com/20-ways-to-teach-kids-to-be-responsible.html
Instead of in the classroom, do these activities for your home https://proudtobeprimary.com/teaching-responsibility-in-the-classroom/
Upper Elementary (Gr 4-6) 
KNOW
Bible story: Matthew 25:14-30 The Parable of the Talents https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4w7v-WDfJk
Prayer: (scroll down) https://golepress.com/2019/pray-for-responsibility/
Saint: Saint Teresa of Calcutta https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFsEku6zwXM
LIVE
What is responsibility? (watch thru 2.15min) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_0TzBMf7rw
Rings of responsibility https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQSnzrB5bso
Catholic Social Teaching—everyone’s responsibility https://www.crs.org/resource-center/seven-themes-catholic-social-teaching-handout-kids
Stop making excuses and start owning your actions https://youtu.be/RGJpO2qHUbQ
GROW
Responsibility activity sheet (write answers on separate piece of paper) https://www.pinterest.com/pin/186617978296043448/
Responsibility activity sheet (write answers on separate piece of paper) https://www.pinterest.com/pin/89860955042737760/
Song—Do Something by Matthew West https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_RjndG0IX8
Upper Elementary (Gr 4-6) 
KNOW
Bible story: Matthew 25:14-30 The Parable of the Talents https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4w7v-WDfJk
Prayer: (scroll down) https://golepress.com/2019/pray-for-responsibility/
Saint: Saint Teresa of Calcutta https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFsEku6zwXM
LIVE
What is responsibility? (watch thru 2.15min) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_0TzBMf7rw
Rings of responsibility https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQSnzrB5bso
Catholic Social Teaching—everyone’s responsibility https://www.crs.org/resource-center/seven-themes-catholic-social-teaching-handout-kids
Stop making excuses and start owning your actions https://youtu.be/RGJpO2qHUbQ
GROW
Responsibility activity sheet (write answers on separate piece of paper) https://www.pinterest.com/pin/186617978296043448/
Responsibility activity sheet (write answers on separate piece of paper) https://www.pinterest.com/pin/89860955042737760/
Song—Do Something by Matthew West https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_RjndG0IX8
Middle School (Gr 7 & 8) 
KNOW
Bible story: Matthew 25:14-30 The Parable of the Talents https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Havcr-2Kx30
Prayer: (scroll down) https://golepress.com/2019/pray-for-responsibility/
Saint: Saint Teresa of Calcutta https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEZGjL1akt0
LIVE
What is responsibility? (watch thru 2.15min) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_0TzBMf7rw
Catholic Social Teaching—everyone’s responsibility https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SVDhKVfrm8
Song—Do Something by Matthew West https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_RjndG0IX8
GROW
Activity sheet https://www.easyteacherworksheets.com/pages/pdf/languagearts/1/charactered/18.html
How to be a responsible person https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3T07yX-1cd0
How to become a more responsible person https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1CN9-Xue_Q
High School (Gr 9-12) 
KNOW
Bible story: Matthew 25:14-30 The Parable of the Talents https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Havcr-2Kx30
Prayer: (scroll down) https://golepress.com/2019/pray-for-responsibility/
Saint: Saint Teresa of Calcutta https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEZGjL1akt0
LIVE
Responsibility https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gMi9mNtmBE
Take responsibility for yourself https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRaV2CmTiN4
Catholic Social Teaching https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SVDhKVfrm8
Song—Do Something by Matthew West https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_RjndG0IX8
GROW
Activity https://www.goodcharacter.com/high_school/responsibility/
Rights and Responsibility https://www.crs.org/resource-center/CST-101?tab=rights-and-responsibilities
How to become a more responsible person https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1CN9-Xue_Q
Adults and Parents 
KNOW
Shared Responsibility of Being Catholic https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/the-shared-responsibility-of-being-catholic/2013/03/26/daaa7312-9602-11e2-9e23-09dce87f75a1_story.html
Our Moral Responsibility as Catholic Citizens https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=8446
LIVE
How Being Responsible Can Change Your Life https://www.liveyourtruestory.com/how-being-responsible-can-change-your-life-meaningful/
What is My Responsibility? (Video) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DgPaoObetE
With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility https://www.livinginspirationforeveryone.org/post/live-responsibly
GROW
Right & Responsibilities https://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catholic-social-teaching/rights-and-responsibilities
Helping Our Children Be Responsible https://www2.ed.gov/parents/academic/help/citizen/part5.html
Seven things You Are Responsible For https://lifestyle.allwomenstalk.com/things-you-are-responsible-for/