This is one of many well-loved stories featuring the unlikely detective prowess of Father Brown, a British clergyman. Chesterton masterfully combines elements of Catholic theology and classic crime fiction to create a quirky, unique short story. Here the text is divided into 7 short sections, each followed by three challenging questions and a written assignment. The assignments will broaden any student’s understanding of literature and Western thought, and are not necessarily only appropriate for Catholic readers. This resource is suitable for ages 15 and up.

‘Uncle Mordecai, does not your own heart long to see our people restored to glory?’ Each ‘At The Movies’ selection is a movie that is both enjoyable to watch, and a good starting-place to explore important topics. High school students can expand on their analytical and writing skills by answering questions, writing plot summaries and character descriptions, and pondering upon important, far-reaching themes in discussion or essay-writing assignments. About the movie: One Night with the King Hadassah is a young woman who lives with her benevolent uncle in ancient Susa, capital of the Persian Empire. They are Jews, and they are aware that they are not in favour with the reigning powers. When the Queen disobeys her husband and is dethroned, King Xerxes must choose a new wife. According to tradition of the time, women are gathered together by his guards and imprisoned in the palace for a year’s preparatory beauty treatments. When the time is up, the King will choose a new Queen from among them, after they spend a single night together. Hadassah is one of those captured, but rather than dreading the trial, she continues to better herself with reading and maintaining a cheerful and sensible attitude. Circumstances evolve so that she finds herself in the King’s presence long before her ‘one night’, and they begin to forge a deep understanding. He chooses her as Queen, not knowing that she is a Jew, for she has taken the Babylonian name ‘Esther’ at her uncle’s urging. As the plot develops, an ancient feud inspires an evil Agagite to plot for the death of all Jews. Only by revealing her true identity can Hadassah hope to undo the deadly chain of events he has set in motion. She chooses courage and honesty, and along with her Uncle Mordecai, earns a place in the Persian Kingdom for both herself and her people. Rating: PG (imbd.com) / Date of release: 2007 / Language: English / Subtitles: no / Country: U.S.A. / Purchase: watch free on Youtube (link included)

‘These are not God-loving people, these are God-fearing people.’ Each ‘At The Movies’ selection is a movie that is both enjoyable to watch, and a good starting-place to explore important topics. High school students can expand on their analytical and writing skills by answering questions, writing plot summaries and character descriptions, and pondering upon important, far-reaching themes in discussion or essay-writing assignments. About the movie: OMG Kanji is a family man who owns a shop selling religious idols. Despite his trade he is not a spiritual man, and contrary to everyone around him, he considers religion to be a sham. One day he disrupts a religious celebration and only a few hours later, his shop collapses in an earthquake. Is it a coincidence? The insurance company refuses to pay damages for an ‘Act of God’, which is how the earthquake is classified on the contract Kanji signed. Facing the loss of everything he has, Kanji decides to sue the institutions representing God: temples and churches. A remarkable battle of wills, logic and faith follows, with religion’s elite on one side, and Kanji on the other. He is helped by a dishonoured Muslim lawyer and a mysterious house guest who calls himself Krishna (a Hindu deity). Some people think he is crazy, others are impressed, and many decide that their religious institutions owe them something too. Kanji faces everything bravely and ultimately makes a discovery that can only be called a gift. Rating: No rating / Date of release: 2012 / Language: Hindi/English / Subtitles: Yes / Country: India / Purchase: rent or buy from Youtube. Note: The movie must be procured separately.

‘Gramma said when you come on something good, first thing to do is share it with whoever you can find; that way, the good spreads out where no telling it will go. Which is right.’ Little Tree narrates his own story, the tale of a unique upbringing in the near-wilderness in the 1930’s with his Cherokee grandparents as loving teachers. ‘The Education of Little Tree’ by Forrest Carter is a book that many readers turn to again and again. It is suitable for students age 11 and up who are ready to read about a time and lifestyle that differ from their own, and are able to take an interest in larger, challenging themes of life (the passage of time, spiritual beliefs, the natural world, money and government affairs, history, etc.) This resource contains reading comprehension sheets to go with the novel. (Still protected by copyright, the book must be purchased or borrowed separately.) For each chapter there are three short assignments: to summarize a lesson learned from the chapter to examine the language used in the chapter to explain how a suggested ‘main theme’ is relevant to the chapter. WARNING: The story does not paint a flattering picture of the Christian religion, and students who are Christian should be prepared; parents should read the book first, to be sure that their student is ready for this material. It also contains swear words and references to drinking alcohol, among other mature themes. The novel is presented as an autobiography, but it is a work of fiction.