SUMMER JOURNEY OF FAITH
And if you want to calm your worries with a good cleansing walk, your family should join WALKING WITH THE SAINTS! It is a new challenge in our diocese supported by our Happy, Healthy, Holy youth initiative. Walking with the saints is a free, interactive opportunity for your family to join as a team and record your daily steps to make your virtual way across the country to learn about American saints. VISIT DOR.WALKERTRACKER.com to join the challenge and enjoy some health AND holy family time this month. The competition officially begins MONDAY, AUGUST 10, so join now! Click on the Happy Healthy Youth Logo to create your account and get walking!
THIS WEEK'S VIRTUE CHALLENGE!
Faith
St. Maximilian Kolbe showed great faith in God by sacrificing himself for a stranger. Kolbe showed his belief in God’s saving grace and accepted the Truth of eternal life. He followed Jesus’ teaching that there is no greater love than to lay down your life for your neighbor.
What Is It?
Faith is how we believe what God has revealed.
It is described as the intellect accepting God’s Truth.
Faith is a gift from God that brings us closer to Him.
Live It Out!
Pray the Nicene Creed together as a family. Notice the faith it takes to profess those beliefs. Nicene Creed: http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/
Pray as a family asking God to give you the faith to believe more fully.
MASS CONNECTION
Real Presence/Incensing
As Catholics we recognize the real presence of Jesus Christ in four distinct ways in the Liturgy: in the Eucharist, in the proclaimed Word of God, in the priest presider, and in the gathered assembly. This makes sense since we know Jesus is the Bread Come Down from Heaven, the Word Made Flesh, the Head of the Church, and we are the Body of Christ.
During particularly grand celebrations, when incense is used you will see it four times – over the book of the Gospels, over the gifts on the altar, over the priest, and over the congregation. Recognizing Christ’s Real Presence is an act of faith since there is no tangible way to know it, but just as St. Maximilian Kolbe held deep faith and trust, so do we.
This week, take four days to thank God for His presence: once as you read from scripture, once at a meal, once as you pray privately, and once as you pray over the whole family.
PRAY!
We might feel confined in these different times we are living in. Here is a prayer from the Shrine for St. Maximillian Kolbe that reminds us of the steadfast love of God and our call to be more Christlike even in our dark moments.
Prisoner’s Prayer To Saint Maximilian Kolbe
Introduce me to Mary, the Immaculata, Mother of God.
She prayed for Jesus in a Jerusalem jail.
She prayed for you in a Nazi prison camp. Ask her to comfort me
in my confinement. May she teach me always to be good.
If I am lonely, may she say, “God is here.”
If I feel hate, may she say, “God is love.”
If I am tempted, may she say, “God is pure.”
If I sin, may she say, “God is mercy.”
If I am in darkness, may she say, “God is light.”
If I am unjustly condemned, may she say, “God is truth.”
If I have pain in soul or body, may she say, “God is peace.”
If I lose hope, may she say: “God is with you all days, and so am I.”
Amen.
BREATHE!
Tip of the week: Listen to instrumental music
Experts say that instrumental music can quiet the mind and lower stress levels. Watermark by Enya has been proven to be one of the best songs for relieving stress! Here is a playlist to quiet your mind and give you a chance to BREATHE this week.
COOK!
If the August heat is getting the best of you, try creating these infused waters inspired by the saints! https://catholiccuisine.blogspot.com/search?q=st.+maximilian+kolbe
MOVE!
A-do five push ups
B-jump on one foot
C-stretch to the sky
D-balance a ball on your foot
E- do a cartwheel
KEEP GOING UNTIL YOU HAVE AN ACTION FOR EVERY LETTER OF THE ALPHABET. Try to challenge yourself by doing things you have never done before like F-do a handstand!! Then, make a game. Use some scrap paper or index cards to write out some words. They can be key words from this newsletter such as KOLBE, LASAGNA, PRISONER, REAL, FAITH, etc. Take turns drawing a card and spelling the word with the alphabet actions!
CREATE!
READ!
For Children: Little Acts of Grace by Rosemary Gortler and Donna Piscitelli
Little things we do within a family mean a lot!
For Upper Elementary: Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
A touching story that will help young people understand the Holocaust, during which St. Maximilian and millions of Jewish men, women and children lost their lives.
For Teens: Lectio Divina For Teens: Reading God's Messages To You By Jerry Windley-Daoust
Lectio Divina is a way of praying and a wonderful tool to help teens grow in faith, quiet their minds and live the Gospel message
Office of Evangelization and Catechesis
Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester
Debtor in Possession