Family Faith News
Holy Family Parish
Sunday, February 14, 2021
Lent Season Begins!
This Wednesday, February 17, is called Ash Wednesday as it marks the beginning of Lent. Lent is a season of reflection and preparation before the celebrations of Easter. By observing the 40 days of Lent, we replicate Jesus Christ's sacrifice and withdrawal into the desert for 40 days. Lent is marked by fasting, both from food and festivities. As prepare for Lent, discuss with your children different ways to become closer to God and how these ways can be a part of your family daily routine.
Our February Family Faith Zoom Meetings begin the week of Sunday, February 21. Our activities will focus on the season of Lent. Together with your children, please join the zoom session for the class that you are registered. These links will also be sent in an email reminder prior to the session. We look forward to see your family online!
Sunday Morning Session, February 21 at 11:30AM - 12:00PM
https://zoom.us/j/94659723728?pwd=UkNYTDlBZzg1SHliWlhPK0tVZEVYQT09
Meeting ID: 946 5972 3728
Passcode: A3GeSz
Sunday Afternoon Session, February 21 at 4:00PM - 4:30PM
https://zoom.us/j/96915805597?pwd=RUxQWVAvR3F1ZHBMUkg2UjNKb1ZFQT09
Meeting ID: 969 1580 5597
Passcode: 6Pry8R
Wednesday Session, February 24 at 5:30PM - 6:00PM
https://zoom.us/j/92715639902?pwd=N3poRDVEL1dDWE5EcE1STStVN3BJUT09
Meeting ID: 927 1563 9902
Passcode: 7yzy0U
Thursday Session, February 25 at 5:30PM - 6:00PM
https://zoom.us/j/98285639292?pwd=RzR2Y1F6ZG43N212dVJQb0QrZFpSZz09
Meeting ID: 982 8563 9292
Passcode: nE2xdG
Mass Readings for Sunday, February 14: Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
In this weekend's Gospel, Mark describes the story of how Jesus healed others through touch. This reading named, Jesus Cleansed the Leper, demonstrates Jesus' qualities of love and acceptance of all, including those with sickness, during a time when this was not a typical action.
Leprosy is an infectious disease that affects the skin, nerves and eyes. During biblical times, there were no medicines or cures for someone with Leprosy and people with leprosy were made to stay far away from other people. No one touched them. It seems this would have been a very unhappy way to live.
However, Jesus not only welcomed, but He touched and healed the sick. A man with leprosy came to Jesus and asked to be healed. Jesus did not make the man go away. Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said, “…Be made clean” (1:41). The story tells us that “immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was made clean.” (1:42).
Jesus touched the man in two ways – He touched him with his hand and He touched him with his love. We see the love of Jesus in action as he touches the man whom others would not let get close. We follow in Jesus' ways by showing our love to others: helping others, collecting food for a Food Drive, helping our parents, brothers and sisters, etc. When we love others, as Jesus loved, they can be touched and healed by that love.
Activities for Family
Celebrating St. Valentine's Day!
As we get ready to celebrate Valentine's Day with hugs, hearts, and chocolates, many people don’t even realize that St. Valentine’s day is a Catholic feast day. Somehow, that “Saint” gets dropped off of the day most of the time. But we as Catholics can make sure always to keep the “Saint” in “Saint Valentine’s Day”!
As Catholics, we honor saints on their feast days. February 14 is the St. Valentine's Feast Day. St. Valentine lived in the 3rd century. At that time, the Roman Empire was ruled by Claudius II Gothicus. He was nicknamed Claudius the cruel because of his harsh leadership, and his tendency for getting into frequent wars. One day he realized that young men were not enlisting in the army as they wanted a life of peace- living with wife and kids. The emperor got angry and banned any further marriage to happen in his kingdom. But there was a kind priest, St. Valentine, who took notice of the pains of young men and women in love, and he helped them to get married. Below are facts about St. Valentine:
- Feast day February 14
- Bishop of Terini, Italy-Imprisoned for secretly marrying soldiers that wanted to be wed at a time that soldiers were not allowed to have wives
- Signed a letter to the jailer’s daughter “from your Valentine”
- Healed his jailer’s daughter of blindness
- Patron Saint of couples, love, and bee keepers
- Symbols: heart, birds, roses
To learn and celebrate St. Valentine, below are 3 activities for children:
- Create a St. Valentine craft with pipe cleaners and beads
- Learn step by step how to draw St. Valentine!
- Watch the story of St. Valentine in the video
Project IMT Corner
Project IMT Virtual Teen Game Night!
Project IMT has gathered all of your ideas and created a fun online event for you all to enjoy. They will be hosting a virtual Game Night on Thursday, February 18, 2021 @4:30 PM. We are hoping that you will be able to attend!
Please RSVP to Jennifer Herrera at 732-545-1681 ext.101 or jenniferh@holyfamilyforall.org
Uplift Video of the Week!
Dancing Around the World!
While tension in the world can often divide us, this video is a reminder that we are better together. We have a lot more in common, than we might think, and the differences only make us stronger. The message is simple: if we dance through life together, we can live together.
This video was created in 2016 through a non profit peace project. People from all over the world helped shooting this video by sending in videoclips of people dancing in their city.
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