Family Faith News
Holy Family Parish
Sunday, April 3, 2022
UPDATE: Family Faith In-Person Session Week of April 24!
An important aspect of our Family Faith Program includes opportunities for sharing and meeting together. Our April Family Faith Meetings are scheduled for the week of April 24. During that week, we will offer In-Person Family Faith Sessions for families to join a combination of outdoor/indoor activities. Weather permitting, it will take place at Sacred Heart Church grounds, both along the sidewalk leading to the church and the Hall. Sessions will be approximately 60 minutes.
On Sunday, April 24, a week after Easter Sunday and the first day of our April Family Faith Monthly Meeting, we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday. This is a day that Catholics reflect on the gift of mercy and love given through Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. During our April Family Faith In-Person Session, we will share family activities related to the joy of the Easter Season, Divine Mercy Sunday, and a new Holy Family Church family garden project.
Please mark your calendar to join our In-Person Family Faith Session the week of April 24! More details will be explained in upcoming week's Family Faith Newsletter. We can't wait to (finally!) meet you and your children through our faith activities!
Mass Readings for Sunday, April 3: Fifth Sunday of Lent
This week's Gospel message is the story of the adulterous woman talking to Jesus. This lesson shows how willing Christ is to forgive every sin, even the ones that the laws at that time considered unforgivable.
To explain this Gospel to children, it is helpful to explain that adultery is when a person does not keep their marriage promises, pretending that someone else is their husband/wife who is not. During Jesus' time, this was punishable by death. Jesus bent down and began writing with his finger in the dirt. The men kept questioning Jesus trying to get him to say something. Finally, Jesus stood and said to them, "Whoever is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her," then he bent down and continued writing in the dirt. The men who had accused the woman looked at one another and walked away.
In this story, we hear how Jesus not only turns the crowds away from hurting the woman, but also provides them a reflection on their own actions through teaching forgiveness.
Activities for Family
Forgiveness Stone
In this weekend's Gospel, the crowds planned to use stones to punish the woman. Instead, Jesus helps them to recognize their own sins, and to forgive others. In this activity, children use stones, or drawings of stones, to share messages of forgiveness.
Materials
- Smooth stone or draw a picture of a stone
- Markers (Sharpie markers work best on stones) or paint
- Decorating supplies
Procedure
- Find a stone large enough to write on. Or draw a picture of a stone.
- Using markers or paints, decorate each stone with this week's Gospel message and pictures. For example, use words or phrases from the Gospel as shown below:
FORGIVE
HOPE
PRAYER
LOVE
PEACE
"He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her."
-John 8:1-11
2022 Bishop’s Annual Appeal
Celebrating 40 Years — Continuing to Fan the Flame of Faith into Service
Thank you to all who have given so generously to the 2022 Bishop’s Annual Appeal. If you have not made a pledge, there is still time to participate. Mail your gift to: Diocese of Metuchen, Bishop’s Annual Appeal, PO Box 4000, Metuchen, NJ 08840-4000 or give online at https://diometuchen.org/BAA.
Project IMT
What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
“The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide you’re not going to stay where you are.”
- J. P. Morgan
Share Your Work!
Snap a Picture & Share Your Crafts With Us!
We welcome pictures of your children's projects and family engagement in Family Faith! Completion of the craft activities do count towards participation, so please feel free to email us a photo of the crafts that your children create! We will feature their work in our next Family Faith Newsletter!
- Send photos to catherinek@holyfamilyforall.org. Once I receive your email, I will always send a reply email confirming I received it.
- Include your child's first and last name (as you would want it to appear in the newsletter) and session your child is registered in Family Faith.
- If you prefer we DO NOT include the photo in the next Family Faith Newsletter, please note that in your email.
Kimberly's St. Patrick's Drawing
Kimberly Cruz
Randy's St. Joseph's Drawing
Shaila's Jesus Has Your Back Project
Shaila Pelaez Gil
Marco's Open Your Eyes of Heart
Marco Ovalle
Marco's Lent Pray, Fast, & Give Project
Marco Ovalle
Pamela's Open the Eyes of My Heart Project
Benjamin's Saint Project
Benjamin's Saint Project
Jessica's Saint Project
Benjamin's Open the eyes of my heart project
Jessica's Open the eyes of my heart project
Benjamin & Jessica's Open the eyes of my heart project
Aileen's Open the Eyes of My Heart Project
Geraldine, Jaslyn & Kimberly's Open the Eyes of My Heart Project
Kevin & Justin's St. Patrick's Trinity Clover
Silvana's Open the Eyes of My Heart Project
Kyle's Open the Eyes of My Heart Project
Jasmine's Open the Eyes of My Heart Project
Ryan's St. Patrick's Trinity Clover
Oscar's St. Patrick's Trinity Clover
Alexander's Open The eyes of my heart project
Alexander Orellana
Joel's open the eyes of my heart project
Brandon's open the eyes of my heart project
Joel & Brandon's open the eyes of my heart project
Ryan's Open the eyes of my heart Project
Oscar's Open the eyes of my heart Project
Johann's St. Patrick's Trinity Clover
Johann's Open the eyes of my heart project
Johann's Saint Project
Johann's St. Joseph's Lilies
Uplift Video of the Week!
A Surprise Guest!
Amy Haden didn't expect to have a surprise guest on her patio!
This adorable dog, Walker, greeted Amy and her daughter each morning from her patio chair. Although Amy could not take him in, she helped find a great home for Walker. Check out this story!
Holy Family Parish
- Register online: holyfamilyparishnewbrunswicknj.flocknote.com
OR
- Text holyfamilyforall to 84576 (or 202-765-3441 in Spanish)
Email: catherinek@holyfamilyforall.org
Website: holyfamilyforall.org
Location: 56 Throop Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
Phone: (732) 545-1681
Facebook: facebook.com/holyfamilyparish
Twitter: @holyfamily4all