Shamrocks

• St. Patrick used the shamrock to teach about the Trinity. It is one plant, but has three leaves. God is one God, but is in three persons: the Father, Son, Holy Spirit.julie burton posted June 17, 2003
• For a simple craft you could make a shamrock necklace or keyring.  julie burton posted March 15, 2003

Larik (Guest)

The Shamrock is a good representation, although, if you were to pin each of the leaves as one of the distinct persons, it's almost like saying that the distinct persons are a "part" of God. But that is not true. Each distinct person "is" God. I know St. Patrick used it as a representation. He may never have said that each leaf is like one of the distinct persons.  Larik (Guest)

I did use the example of the clover - we laminated pictures of clovers, with the back side with the words: It is said that St. Patrick used the shamrock as a symbol to explain the Trinity to Unbelievers, how God is One God in Three Persons. Patrick would hold up a shamrock and challenge his hearers, "Is it one leaf or three?" "It is both one leaf and three," was their reply. "And so it is with God," he would conclude.

Believe it or not, but on font size 7, all that verbiage does fit on a 1.25 x 1.5 inch rectangle.

Then after laminating, we punched a hole to the top (above the paper) and put keyrings through the hole (after cutting around the edges). Now they have something to take home and hang somewhere. I firmly believe that if they take something home, when their parents ask them, "What did you learn in class today?" They would be less inclined to say "Nothing" (I teach 7th graders & 8th graders).

Then I asked them, how is a clover an example of the Trinity. Some of them got it. Of course, I wrote the characteristics of the Trinity on the board beforehand, so all they had to do was read one that made sense. Then I asked them, why is it not a perfect example. And they also got it - because the leaves are parts of the clover, but the Father, Son, Holy Spirit are not parts of God, they ARE God.

Thank you all for your wonderful ideas!!!