Faith Formation Family News

February 20, 2014 CONTENTS:

* “The Little Ones” Cartoon *

1. Faith Formation Sessions This Coming Sunday, February 23

Protecting Our Families from Pornography (Also this Sunday evening, Feb. 23) 2. St. Gabriel’s – Be Part of What’s Happening!

Vacation Bible School (VBS) Donut Sunday (March 2)

Ash Wednesday (March 5)

Feed My Starving Children (Friday, March 7)

Families Moving Forward – Find Out What It’s All About (Saturday, March 8)

3. Eucharistic Adoration Perpetual Adoration at St. Gabriel’s

Adoration Chapel FAMILY Time

4. Prayer of the Week – Take All Plus: A Prayer for All Those Who Shoveled

Snow this Week 5. Articles for Parents from At Home with Our Faith

When Your Spouse is Suffering

6. Olympian Encourages Young Catholics: PUT YOUR FAITH FIRST! 7. Rediscover:Faith

If the hook-up culture is all about liberation, why do I feel so used?

2014 Speaker Series: Why Pray? And How to Pray.

8. News from The Catholic Spirit 9. The Art of Saying No: A One-Minute Meditation 10. Videos With a Message

So, You Call Yourself a Christian?

World’s Friendliest Restaurant Holds a Hug-A-Thon for Charity. TEENS: Watch this! PARENTS: Show your teens!

Is Heaven Your Greatest Goal? No? You Need a New Goal (with Rachel & Kateri)

Seeking Perfection

And at the end of this email . . . .

The Catholic Churches in Las Vegas (Catholic Humor)

1. FAITH FORMATION THIS SUNDAY,

FEBRUARY 23

SUNDAY MORNING PRESCHOOL During the 10:30am Mass at the St. John’s Campus, for 3 & 4 year-olds and

kindergartners.

SUNDAY EVENING FAITH FORMATION 6:00 to 7:30pm at the St. John’s Campus for Grades 1 – 9, including preparation for First

Communion. Enter the school from the Boyce Ave. entrance.

2YC – HOME CLASS # 5 at Amy Tickle’s home. 240 Meadowbrook Rd.

Faith Formation Calendar for the upcoming

weeks:

February 23 Sessions Resume Also for Parents that same evening:

PROTECTING OUR CHILDREN FROM PORNOGRAPHY. March 2 Sessions continue 9 Sessions keep continuing! No break for awhile!

PARENTS – Plan on joining us this Sunday evening!

ADULTS ONLY EVENT: Protecting Our Families from Pornography

This Sunday, Feb. 23rd at St. John's Campus, 6:00pm to 7:30pm, in Community Room.

View a DVD, pick up written information and listen to a talk by an FBI Special Agent. Free Will Offering. Questions? Contact Kathleen Esh, 952-933-7610 or kmeyesh@yahoo.com. Sponsored by ACCL - A Community Caring for Life.

"A common root of pornography use is a need to have control in our lives, yet Pornography produces sexual frustration and the desire to act out. So what we seek to achieve from Pornography in the form of control ends up controlling and enslaving us." Daniel Spadaro, LPC, CSAT, "Life Matters: Pornography and Our Call To Love." Our children are often victims of the pornographic Industry. The many ways they lure children into this multi-billion dollar business leads them into an immoral addiction.

2. St. Gabriel’s – Be Part of What’s Going On!

VBS PROMOTION & DONUT SUNDAY,

March 2

On Sunday, March 2nd, after the 10:30 am Mass, we

are hosting a Doughnut Sunday ONLY at St. John's

Campus.

ALL LAST YEAR'S VBS KIDS are asked to wear your VBS T-Shirts and to

bring at least one item you made that week. (Remember to mark your name

on the items and take them home before you leave.)

?'s-Kathleen Esh 952.933.7610 or kmeyesh@yahoo.com

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

REGISTRATION WILL BEGIN!

VBS Dates: Aug. 4th-8th - 9:00am-3:00pm

Registrations begin for kids entering grades 1st-6th on Sunday, March 2nd, after the 10:30 am

Mass. Register during Doughnut Sunday ONLY at St. John's Campus. Our August Theme will

be shared that day, too! ?'s-Kathleen Esh 952.933.7610 or kmeyesh@yahoo.com

FEED MY STARVING CHILDREN

Friday, March 7 - 12:00 Noon to 2:00pm

Please join with your fellow parishioners in this heart-warming service

helping children. There are sign-up sheets available at both campuses. For

more information contact Angie Kuehn at (952) 933-0072 or e-mail to

angiek7@comcast.net.

ASH WEDNESDAY - March 5

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Season of Lent, which is

prepares us for the season of penance, reflection, and fasting which

Christ's Resurrection on Easter Sunday, through which we attain

redemption.

Join us as we enter this sacred time. Here is the meaning of Ashes.

The call to continuing conversion is also message of the ashes. We move through Lent from ashes to the baptismal font. We dirty our faces on Ash Wednesday and are cleansed in the waters of the font. More profoundly, we embrace the need to die to sin and selfishness at the beginning of Lent so that we can come to fuller life in the Risen One at Easter.

When we receive ashes on our foreheads, we remember who we are. We remember that we are creatures of the earth ("Remember that you are dust"). We remember that we are mortal beings ("and to dust you will return"). We remember that we are baptized. We remember that we are people on a journey of conversion ("Turn away from sin and be faithful to the gospel"). We remember that we are members of the body of Christ (and that smudge on our foreheads will proclaim that identity to others, too).

FAMILIES MOVING FORWARD

On Saturday, March 8 we will have the FMF information/training

session at St John’s campus. If you are signed up to help when we host

FMF or want more information about FMF, please attend. The session

starts at 9:00am and ends at 1:00pm. There will be a nice mix of videos,

presentations and Q&A. -Deacon Francis

3. EUCHARISTIC AD N ORATIO

PERPETUAL EUCHARISTIC ADORATION

AT ST. GABRIEL’S

“The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who

encounter Jesus. Those who accept his offer of salvation are set free

from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness. With Christ joy is

constantly born anew.” -Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium

Come encounter the peace and power of Christ. Jesus is waiting

for you! For more information or to register to adore our Lord, call

Barb at (952) 933-8423 or Roberta at (952) 9351774 or email Roberta at

rowheels@hotmail.com.

Adoration Chapel FAMILY TIME

Children are encouraged to bring their parents and/or

grandparents to FAMILY TIME in the St. Joseph's Campus

Adoration Chapel, from 7:15 - 7:45 pm for verbal Prayers

and Stories. (This is NOT Silent Adoration.) Two adults will

lead the time with the children but parents/grandparents

are asked to stay. The dates are: Monday, March 10th,

Tuesday, March 18th, Wednesday, March 26th, Thursday,

April 3 and Monday, April 7th. RSVP will help in planning

seating, but

otherwise, just come! Contact Kathleen Esh-952-933-7610

kmeyesh@yahoo.com or

4. PRAYER OF THE WEEK

Take All

Take what is broken, Lord,

And make us mended:

Take what is tired,

And make us renewed:

Take what is scattered,

And make us whole.

And that which is lost,

Make us truly found.

Amen.

Fr. Cyprian Davis, OSB

PLUS: One additional prayer I think we all can relate to.

Prayer of All Those Who Shoveled Snow This Week Listen to this child’s heartfelt prayer, after he was shoveling for ten minutes, at Little Boy's Winter Prayer. It’s only 23 seconds.

5. ARTICLES FOR PARENTS

from

WHEN YOUR SPOUSE IS SUFFERING

Dealing with: When life deals you a difficult situation, find ways to rely on God’s help.

Whether it’s a diagnosis of serious illness, a car accident, or job loss, every marriage

will eventually include suffering. While moonlit walks on the beach are undoubtedly a

more enjoyable way to build closeness with your spouse, suffering has equal or greater

potential to bring spouses together. “How you suffer matters greatly; suffering can

drive you apart or it can draw you together,” says Mary Jo Pedersen in For Better, For

Worse, For God (Loyola). When pain and difficulty make their presence known in your

family, enter into the pain together.

Do not flee. Denial is helpful for a very short period of time to keep functionality in

the face of immediate crisis. Once the initial shock of the circumstance is over, though,

don’t use extended work hours or busyness as a substitute for talking about the

problem with your spouse. Pretending everything is normal when it is not leads to a

build-up of anger and sometimes depression.

Seek wisdom. Together, learn what you can about what is the cause of your

pain—go to the library together to find books on the subject. Sit together at the

computer and research. Lean into your community—find others who have been

through something similar and landed right side up. If you feel a lack of forward motion

after taking these measures, find a good counselor.

Look for God’s grace. The temptation to ask, “Why is God doing this to me?”

is a strong one. But scripture teaches us that God does not directly send us suffering.

Rather, suffering is part of the human condition, and God’s grace is so strong that

goodness can be pulled from even the most tragic of circumstances. Together, pray

with your spouse to be open to what God is asking of you.

By Annemarie Scobey, from the pages of At Home with Our Faith, Claretian Publications’ print newsletter for

parents on nurturing spirituality in the home. Winner of the Best in Class award in 2013 from the Associated Church

Press, as well as a First Place General Excellence award from the Catholic Press Association for the past four years

running.

6. Olympian Encourages Young

Catholics: PUT YOUR FAITH FIRST!

Olympic cross-country skier Rebecca Dussault recently spoke to a large crowd of young adults in Denver, exhorting them to put their Catholic faith above everything else in life. “Be Catholic first and anything that flows from that is a rich bonus,” she said in a talk given at Katie Mullen's Irish Pub in downtown Denver as part of the archdiocese's Theology on Tap program.

Because there are over a billion Catholics in the world, Dussault added, if someone is a “successful Catholic” they will most likely also be a “significant Catholic” which is why it is so important for prominent people in the Church to be good examples. “We're going to be looking up to you,” she said. A Colorado native, Dussault grew up skiing in the Rocky Mountains, but felt ostracized by her peers because she was pursuing a physically and spiritually healthy life, shunning the party attitude. Fighting the secular culture, she found herself retiring from racing at the age of 19. She married and had her first child when she found herself once again competing and winning, restarting her career and passion for competition. She called up her sponsors and they took her back, knowing that it wasn’t just her anymore, but her entire little “domestic church.” Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassatti, a fellow skier and sports enthusiast who lived in the early 20th century, became her patron saint on the slopes. She even wrote his name on her skis during the Olympics in Turin, his home town. The young Italian simply “lived in the now and he totally poured himself out” in the service of others. Bl. Pier Giorgio died at the young age of 24 from polio – and the fact that his funeral procession had 10,000 followers is a testament to his “magnetic personality because he had God.” His example has continued to serve as an inspiration for her work after the Olympics,

especially as a mentor with her program, MassStart.org, which aims to help Catholics lead spiritually and physically healthy lives. “It's not like I've arrived and I've got this all figured out – I'm an experiment daily and I do waiver between vanity, I waiver between lack of commitment. I'm totally human, but really when I can see a bigger picture than just myself, I can have motivation,” she said. She encouraged aspiring athletes and coaches to make the Sacraments their first priority, saying that they are “the only thing that keep you, you.” A new book chronicling Dussault's experience as a Catholic wife, mother and athlete called, Mass Start, is available on her website.

7. REDISCOVER: FAITH

Want to learn more about your

faith?

Check out http://rediscover-faith.org/ for their

large collection of answers to questions of importance to

all of us.

For example, here’s a short 6:25 minute video

explanation of:

If the hook-up culture is all about liberation, why do I feel so used? http://rediscover.archspm.org/strength-freedom-

peace/topic.php?id=6878

2014 Speakers Series: “Why Pray” and “How to Pray”

Two inspiring talks that highlight the beauty of prayer and offer insight on how to pray, gathered from two thousand years of Church experience. Discover how your life can change and grow in new and powerful ways by building a personal friendship with Jesus Christ.

"Why Pray" is the topic for Talk 1, which will be presented by Father Bill Baer.

"How to Pray" is the topic for Talk 2, which will be presented by Pat and Kenna Millea.

Two Mondays: Feb. 24 ("Why Pray") & March 3 ("How to Pray") – Our Lady of Grace, Edina

All talks are free of charge and all begin at 7:00 p.m. Each talk runs 90 minutes total – including hospitality time at the church. No registration necessary!

Join fellow Catholics for one or all of these insightful talks – and bring a friend or family member with you!

For more information other Speaker dates and locations, go to: http://rediscover.archspm.org/resources/article.php?id=9763

8. NEWS FROM

The February 14 edition: http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?ca=315328dc-4d28-46c0-a401-5165f7d15cf9&c=80b5cc70-35a9-11e3-bb5c-

d4ae52843aae&ch=8254af60-35a9-11e3-bb78-d4ae52843aae

9. THE ART OF SAYING NO: A One-

Minute Meditation

I've given up the truth to those I've tried to please... and now it's my turn.

--Diana Ross (Michael Masser/Carole Bayer Sager)

Sacrificing our rights often results in other people mistreating us. We deny our own importance if we say yes when we mean no. Saying no doesn't mean we reject the other person. It simply means we are refusing a request. Some of us become people pleasers and say yes to everyone and everything. We let other people, places, and things control our lives. We allow our personal freedom to be trampled on. We actually become numb to our own needs. Learning to say no is an act of love and honesty. When we speak up and are true to our feelings, people know who we are and where we stand. Today let me learn the healthy art of saying No when it is in my best interest to say it. You are reading an adaptation from the Hazelden book:

Our Best Days By Nancy Hull-Mast

10. VIDEOS WITH A MES E SAG

So, You Call Yourself a Christian? This video doesn’t come from a Catholic perspective, but it’s points are good and should spark a conversation, as we do share many of the beliefs presented here. A dialogue could help people understand how Catholics view these ideas.

Become Like Jesus. Check out this 3:47 minute video at

World’s Friendliest Restaurant Holds Hug-A-Thon For Charity This story has a great message about looking outside the box when it comes to dealing with persons with disabilities. This is a family and a community that gets it. It’s the type of community we strive for as the body of Christ.

Sometimes all you need is a hug. No one understands this better than Tim Harris, owner of the “world’s friendliest restaurant”, Tim’s Place. Tim, who was born with Down syndrome, loves nothing more than doling out hugs by the hundreds and his birthday coincidentally falls on National Hug Day. To celebrate his birthday, Tim and his family hold an annual hug-a-thon to raise money for Firefighters Random Acts, a nonprofit run by Albuquerque firefighters. Tim’s hugs are always free but he will be accepting donations for hugs with a goal of giving 2,000 hugs and raising $10,000 for charity. Check out the 2:49 minute video at Tim's Birthday. [I accidentally gave you the incorrect link last week. Hopefully this week’s is correct.]

IS HEAVEN YOUR GREATEST

GOAL? NO? YOU NEED A NEW

GOAL - with Rachel & Kateri. In which

we give a pep talk, tell a story, and eat cake! The title

actually pretty much sums it up... Two teens, Rachel & Kateri Hitchcock, are back

with their casual (yet thoughtful) suggestions for

pursing your greatest goal. This video is 3:51 minutes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwEkQcI_Q2s

SEEKING PERFECTION (A “between Sundays” reflection from THE FIVE LOAVES.)

- Matthew 5:38-48

Jesus tells the disciples, "Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect."

Seriously? How can we possibly be as perfect as God? The Lord is asking us to go beyond the expected, to reach for the higher goal - the law of love - to guide our

actions. Are we up for the task?

This week, the Winter Olympics provide a good context for hearing this scripture passage. The athletes have disciplined themselves for many years to train for these moments. They may not achieve the perfection of a gold medal, but they can attain their "personal best" result. They offer an example for our spiritual journey - can we discipline ourselves to achieve our personal best? Matt Maher's uplifting song, Just

Like You, animates our visio divina.

You can watch the 6:00 minute video here: http://www.thefiveloaves.com/

[The video changes each week, in preparation for the upcoming Sunday’s readings. In order to

see this particular video AFTER this Sunday, click the Playlist tab to view videos from previous

weeks.]

And at the end of this email . . . .

THE CATHOLIC CHURCHES IN LAS VEGAS (Catholic Humor)