THE FAMILY ZONE

Equipping the Domestic Church/ISSUE 92/ 8.07.22

Welcome to the summer editions of The Family Zone...a bit of faith, a bit of fun, a whole lot of FAMILY!!

AUGUST 15 IS THE FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION

On the Feast of the Assumption, we celebrate a reward that God gave to Mary that no other human being has received. When Mary's earthly life ended, she was taken up to heaven, body, and soul to join Jesus. Mary, as our spiritual mother, is such an inspiration to us as parents. She continues to guide us and intercede on our behalf, to her son. Do you ever wonder about Mary's struggle as a parent? Did she experience the day-to-day frustration that we might be feeling at this point of summer vacation? What do you think Mary was going through when Jesus disappeared, at age 12, when the family was walking home from their time in Jerusalem? The video below, from CatholicLink, gives us pause to reflect a bit on our Catholic parenting. It can be challenging and it can be exhausting, but it is such a beautiful gift God has given us! We hope you enjoy the video and it gives you a moment to pause and breathe. Mary, Mother of God, pray for all who parent!
Catholic Parenting || 6 Tips For Catholic Parents

LIVE THE EUCHARIST

Living the Eucharist should lead us to charitable acts, but that doesn't just mean giving our time or treasure to those in need. It also means acting charitably with others. This week, live the Eucharist by being charitable with your words and actions. Speak with kindness and patience, think about your responses before you react, and offer a listening ear. The Spiritual Works of Mercy lead us to speak and act more charitably in many different situations. To learn more about the Spiritual Works of Mercy, click the link below.
READ!

READ!

SUNDAY READINGS:

Click on the link below for the readings that you will hear at the Sunday's Mass for the coming two weeks. This will give you a chance to prepare your heart and mind for full and active participation in Mass this weekend! For a Mass schedule in our diocese click on the blue button below.

Family Stories: Here are some stories about the love between parents and kids as well as some books about our Blessed Mother!


  • Because Your Mommy Loves You by Andrew Clements
  • Because Your Daddy Loves You by Andrew Clements
  • Me and Mama by Cozbi Cabrera
  • Our Lady's Picture Book by Anthony DeStefano
  • The Virgin Mary Around the World: A Pilgrimage of Faith by Chantal Baros
READ!

LOOK!

Saint Francis with the Animals

Painted by Lambert de Hondt and Willem van Herp 17th century.


What do you like best about this painting? What do you think of the colors? How many animals can you spot? Which animals are your favorite? Is there an animal you wish was in the painting? Who is the baby St. Francis is holding?

Big picture
Have you ever heard of St. Francis? He is the patron saint of animals. There are stories about him preaching to birds and he wrote a beautiful prayer called The Canticle of Brother Sun. We celebrate his feast day on October 4 and many parishes have a blessing of the pets! Does yours?
LEARN! CATHOLIC TRIVIA YOU MAY NOT KNOW!

LEARN! CATHOLIC TRIVIA YOU MAY NOT KNOW!

Here is some trivia about the Hail Mary prayer


  • The prayer can be traced back, as a devotion, to at least the 12th century, but its words come from the Annunciation scriptures in the Gospel of Luke.
  • The Hail Mary makes up the most repeated part of the Rosary.
  • When the prayer was first created, it was much shorter: "Hail Mary, Full of Grace."
  • The Ave Maria composition attributed to the composer Franz Schubert is the Hail Mary in Latin.
  • In 1922, Notre Dame football players said a Hail Mary prayer before making a 6-yard, 4th and goal touchdown. It worked and they did it again successfully. They began to call it the Hail Mary Play and from then on, miracle plays in football have often been called a Hail Mary play or pass!
LEARN! CATHOLIC TRIVIA YOU MAY NOT KNOW!
IMAGINE THE SCENE

IMAGINE THE SCENE

Jesus performed his first great miracle right in front of his mother! Imagine her pride and amazement! Read the scripture of The Wedding at Cana in John's Gospel (John 2:1-11) and draw, paint or make a collage of what you imagine in your head. Be sure to think about the expressions on people's faces! If it is hard for you to draw people, you might want to consider dramatizing the Gospel with some of the dialogue that is already provided!
IMAGINE THE SCENE
FEAST on Fun Summer Treats!

FEAST on Fun Summer Treats!

FRUIT AND YOGURT BARK YOUR DOG CAN EAT, TOO!


Fruit and Yogurt BARK

  • Ingredients:
    • 1 cup fruit (berries, banana, pineapple are good choices)
      • Remember: NO GRAPES! These are dangerous for dogs!
    • 1 cup Greek or plain yogurt (NOT NonFat)
    • 1/4 cup peanut butter WITHOUT xylitol or birch sugar as an ingredient as this is poisonous to dogs
  • Method:
    • Clean and prep fruit
    • Spread yogurt on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper
    • Melt peanut butter slightly and drizzle over the yogurt
    • Sprinkle fruit over the top and place in the freezer for at least 2 hours
Enjoy this delicious treat with the WHOLE family!
FEAST on Fun Summer Treats!
PRAY!

PRAY!

The other day on social media I read a heartbreaking post about a little girl in my community whose pet was hit by a car. The little one was so distraught, she could not sleep for several nights. The mother was desperate to find some solace for the little girl. In those family moments, creating a ritual and a connection to God can be very helpful in helping little ones process their loss. Here is a prayer for when a pet dies, as well as a prayer for a lost pet.

PRAY!

Prayer for a lost pet

St. Felix of Nola, Patron Saint of Lost Animals, Prayer for a Lost Pet


St. Francis and St. Anthony,
please come promptly to the aid of this
precious pet,
and those who love him/her so,
and enable him/her to find his/her
way back home,
having suffered no ill effects
from his/her separation
from his/her family.
Thank you sweet Jesus
for your mercy on this family
and their dearly
loved pet,
and for restoring him/her to them.
It is in your name we pray,
Amen.

PLAY!

Enjoy fun family AND friend time together!


Enjoy some backyard water fun while being considerate to the environment as well!

BUILD!

BUILD!

Need to refresh your summer fun ideas? Why not build a little lending library for your neighborhood and then get creative with what you can share in the library. You might want to stick to the original plan for sharing books, which is AWESOME, or maybe your neighbor already has one and you want to share something else. Consider sharing: puzzles, DVDs, food, pet supplies, tools, or art supplies. This is not only a great family-building project but it is a great ongoing project for your kids to be responsible for and build community among your neighbors!
BUILD!

QUIET YOURSELF!

You can use sports equipment to share some quiet time with your kid and lower his or her stress!


  1. Roll a tennis ball on their back. Roll a tennis ball on your child’s back to give a gentle massage when they are most in need of a calming touch. Focus on the shoulders, neck, and lower back as these are typical places where the body holds tension.
  2. Roll a golf ball under your feet. Rolling a golf ball under your child’s feet can not only improve circulation, but there are pressure points on the bottom of the feet that relieve stress and relax the muscles of the feet and legs.


7 UP is also a great focus game that can be played on the garage wall with a playground ball. As a solo game, it can help a young person focus and redirect energy!

WONDER!

WONDER!

This summer we are wondering about God's CREATION!! The picture is of a native plant to our area called Butterflyweed. You can grow it to attract butterflies and it is also a beneficial plant to honeybees!!


Let's WONDER about Butterflies! Have you seen a butterfly this summer? How far can butterflies fly? How many different types of butterflies are there? What do butterflies do in the winter? Here are some fun butterfly facts:


  • Butterflies can be as small as 1/8 of an inch and as big as a foot!
  • Monarch butterflies journey from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico
  • Adult butterflies can carry 50 times their own body weight!!!

What do you wonder about butterflies? They are a beautiful, delicate and incredible part of God's creation! Learn more about butterflies below!

WONDER!
OFFICE OF EVANGELIZATION & CATECHESIS

OFFICE OF EVANGELIZATION & CATECHESIS

OFFICE OF EVANGELIZATION & CATECHESIS

Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester

Debtor in Possession
Diocese of Rochester, Buffalo Road, Rochester, NY, USA oec@dor.org 585-328-3210 oec.dor.org

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