By Holly Hoey Germann

As a high school Theology teacher at Totino-Grace High School in Fridley, Minnesota, I see how deeply students care about issues like poverty, environmental justice, racism, and life issues. In my Service and Justice and Catholic Social Ethics classes, Education for Justice (EFJ) is an essential resource for current, reliable materials grounded in Catholic Social Teaching.

One EFJ resource I used supported our entire school community following a tragic shooting at a nearby Catholic elementary school that impacted many of our families. I quickly accessed prayers to share with teachers for classroom use. In a time of grief and urgency, these resources provided meaningful, faith-centered support that our community deeply appreciated.

In the classroom, I recently used EFJ materials to prepare students for group presentations on issues such as abortion, euthanasia, the death penalty, clean water, and climate change. Students applied Catholic Social Teaching by defining the issue, identifying those affected, explaining the Church’s perspective, supported by Scripture and Church documents, and suggesting ways to respond.

Student engagement was strong, and many were surprised by what they learned, especially around the realities of the death penalty and the broader impact of environmental issues. Most notably, students began to recognize inconsistencies in their views and to better understand a consistent ethic of life.

These experiences led to meaningful reflection and action. Students expressed a desire to make more responsible choices in their daily lives, such as taking shorter showers, carpooling, recycling more intentionally, and becoming more engaged in service work that addresses these issues. Overall, their awareness deepened, and their commitment to justice grew.

EFJ continues to be an invaluable resource for classroom instruction, personal learning, and prayer, always rooted in strong Catholic theology and relevant social teaching.

Resources used:

Laudato Si’ and Ecological Conversion by David Kane
Consistent Ethic of Life
CST and the Death Penalty, 2011
Catholic Social Thought & Sustainable Development Goals: Clean Water and Sanitation

Prayers used:
Prayer for Students Against Gun Violence
Choosing the Path of Peace: Remembering All Those Who Lost Their Lives to Gun Violence