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of 1 63 Religious Education 2018-2019 Holy Communion Communion Sunday Schedule Sundays Aug 19th,p.3-4. Assumption-introduction, prayers, sacraments, pages 5-7 in catechism book. Aug 26th,p.5 Beheading of John the Baptist -Lesson 1 from Catechism Sept 2nd, p.6,7,8 Gregory the Great -Sunday Obligation/Baptismal Identity Sept 9th, p.9-10 Triumph of the Cross -Who is in the Tabernacle Sept 16th,p.11,12. Andrew Kim Taegon, P & M, -Creed parts 1-4 Sept 23rd,p.13,14 Archangels -Creed parts 5–9 Sept 30th,p 15-17 Francis of Assisi -Creed parts 10-12 Oct 7th St. Dennis & Companions [No Regular Class] Oct 14th,p.19,20 Ignatius of Antioch, B & M -Our Father part 1-3 Oct 21st,p. 21-23 John Paul II, Po -Our Father part 4-5 Oct 28th,p.24-26 All Saints/All souls -Purgatory Nov 4th, Fiesta San Martin de Porres [No Regular Class] Nov 11th, p.27 Josaphat, B & M -Lesson 1 from Catechism Nov 18th, p.28-30 Presentation of Mary -The Rosary Nov 25th, p.31,32 Christ the King -Lesson 2 from Catechism Dec 2nd, p.33-34 Advent begins -Guadalupe practice Dec 9th, p.35,36 Immaculate Conception, Guadalupe -Guadalupe Dec 16th, p.37,38 John of the Cross, P & D -Lesson 2 from Catechism Dec 23rd, [No Regular Class] [No Regular Class] Dec 30th, [No Regular Class] [No Regular Class] Jan 6th, p.39 Epiphany -Lesson 3 from Catechism Jan 13th, p.40,41 St. Anthony Abbot -Lesson 4 from Catechism Jan 20th, p.42,43 Conversion of St. Paul -What is Conversion? Jan 27th, p.44,45 John Bosco -Lesson 5 from Catechism Feb 3rd, p.46,47 Presentation of Our Lord -Prayer of Simeon/Confession Feb 10th, p.48,49 Scholastica -Lesson 6 from Catechism Feb 17th, p.50 Chair of St. Peter -Lesson 7 from Catechism Feb 24th, [No Regular Class] [No Regular Class] Mar 3rd, p.51,52 Perpetua and Felicity, Mm -Lesson 8 from Catechism Mar 10th [No Regular Class] [No Regular Class] Mar 17th, p.53,54 St. Patrick -Lesson 9 from Catechism Mar 24th, p.55 PENANCE -Preparing for Confession Mar 31st p.55 PENANCE -Making a good Confession April 7th, p.56 Annunciation -Lesson 10 from Catechism April 14th, p.57 Palm Sunday -Lesson 11 from Catechism April 21st, [No Regular Class] [No Regular Class] April 28th,p.58,59 Louis Grignion de Montfort, -Review Prayers, Confession May 5th, p.60 Phillip and James -Lesson 12 from Catechism May 12th,p.61 Fatima -Fatima Apparitions May 19th,p.62 Christopher Magallanes, P & M, -Lesson 13 from Catechism May 26th,p.63 Ascension of Christ -Holy Days of Obligation End of Program Celebration to be held following Eucharistic Procession, June 20th
Transcript
Page 1: Religious Education 2018-20190104.nccdn.net/1_5/2c0/09c/1c2/Communion-2018_2019---1-.pdf · Teacher explains how to use the New Saint Joseph First Communion Catechism. Keep the book

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Religious Education 2018-2019Holy Communion CommunionSunday Schedule

Sundays

Aug 19th,p.3-4.Assumption-introduction, prayers, sacraments, pages 5-7 in catechism book.Aug 26th,p.5 Beheading of John the Baptist -Lesson 1 from CatechismSept 2nd, p.6,7,8 Gregory the Great -Sunday Obligation/Baptismal IdentitySept 9th, p.9-10 Triumph of the Cross -Who is in the TabernacleSept 16th,p.11,12. Andrew Kim Taegon, P & M, -Creed parts 1-4Sept 23rd,p.13,14 Archangels -Creed parts 5–9Sept 30th,p 15-17 Francis of Assisi -Creed parts 10-12Oct 7th St. Dennis & Companions [No Regular Class] Oct 14th,p.19,20 Ignatius of Antioch, B & M -Our Father part 1-3Oct 21st,p. 21-23 John Paul II, Po -Our Father part 4-5Oct 28th,p.24-26 All Saints/All souls -PurgatoryNov 4th, Fiesta San Martin de Porres [No Regular Class] Nov 11th,p.27 Josaphat, B & M -Lesson 1 from CatechismNov 18th,p.28-30 Presentation of Mary -The RosaryNov 25th,p.31,32 Christ the King -Lesson 2 from Catechism Dec 2nd, p.33-34 Advent begins -Guadalupe practiceDec 9th, p.35,36 Immaculate Conception, Guadalupe -GuadalupeDec 16th,p.37,38 John of the Cross, P & D -Lesson 2 from CatechismDec 23rd, [No Regular Class] [No Regular Class] Dec 30th, [No Regular Class] [No Regular Class] Jan 6th, p.39 Epiphany -Lesson 3 from CatechismJan 13th,p.40,41 St. Anthony Abbot -Lesson 4 from CatechismJan 20th,p.42,43 Conversion of St. Paul -What is Conversion?Jan 27th,p.44,45 John Bosco -Lesson 5 from CatechismFeb 3rd, p.46,47 Presentation of Our Lord -Prayer of Simeon/Confession Feb 10th,p.48,49 Scholastica -Lesson 6 from CatechismFeb 17th,p.50 Chair of St. Peter -Lesson 7 from CatechismFeb 24th, [No Regular Class] [No Regular Class] Mar 3rd, p.51,52 Perpetua and Felicity, Mm  -Lesson 8 from CatechismMar 10th [No Regular Class]  [No Regular Class] Mar 17th,p.53,54 St. Patrick -Lesson 9 from CatechismMar 24th,p.55 PENANCE -Preparing for ConfessionMar 31st p.55 PENANCE -Making a good ConfessionApril 7th, p.56 Annunciation -Lesson 10 from CatechismApril 14th, p.57 Palm Sunday -Lesson 11 from CatechismApril 21st, [No Regular Class] [No Regular Class] April 28th,p.58,59 Louis Grignion de Montfort, -Review Prayers, ConfessionMay 5th, p.60 Phillip and James -Lesson 12 from CatechismMay 12th,p.61 Fatima -Fatima Apparitions May 19th,p.62 Christopher Magallanes, P & M, -Lesson 13 from CatechismMay 26th,p.63 Ascension of Christ -Holy Days of Obligation

End of Program Celebration to be held following Eucharistic Procession, June 20th

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Begin each class by signing in students.Quiet the kids and have them sit at precisely the time class is to start.Begin with Prayers For Every Day (every class).

(The Sign of the Cross)“In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.”

The Lord’s Prayer“Our Father, who art in heaven,hallowed be Thy name;Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.Give us this day our daily bread,and forgive us our trespasses,as we forgive those who trespass against us;and lead us not into temptation,but deliver us from evil, Amen.”

The Hail Mary“Hail, Mary, full of grace! The Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.Holy May, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.”

Prayer to the Guardian Angel“Angel of God, My Guardian dear; Tho whom His love Entrusts me here,Ever this day, Be at my side,To light and guard, To rule and guide. Amen.”

Teacher;Begin teaching the Catechism lesson first, the Saint last, as time permits.The Catechism lesson is most important, and if there is no time, the Saint paper can be sent home.

The children keep their catechism book with them. The Saint hand out may also go home with them.

Stay with the children until the last child has been picked up and signed out of class.Any children that have not been picked up may be walked over to the Director or Lead Catechists of the day.

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August 19, 2018Meet the Teacher.What are the rules in class.Meet the other students.What’s everyone’s name and favorite thing to do for fun.Teacher explains what will happen at the beginning and end of every class. Teacher explains how to use the New Saint Joseph First Communion Catechism.Keep the book with you when you come to class. Memorize the prayers. Write down your name and date of baptism inside the front cover.

Explain the manner(s) in which to do the Sing of the CrossExplain how to enter and exit a Catholic Church. - no running - sign of the cross and genuflection - no gum or food - reverence and responseExplain what the Tabernacle is and Who is there.Explain how to use the attendance book.Go over pages 3-5 in Catechism. Prayers on page 3 and 4 at opening of class (every class).Prayers on page 5 at end of class (every class).Go over Assumption hand out and coloring.

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Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin MaryOn the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (to use the fancy name for this day), we remember when Mary was taken (“assumed”) into heaven, body and soul, after she died. You will not find this story in the Bible. However, a tradition handed down from the earliest days of the Church says that Mary died in Jerusalem and was buried in a tomb. But when the apostles opened the tomb again, her body was gone. Why would God take Mary’s body and soul into heaven? In part because Mary is special to God: she said “yes” to becoming the mother of Jesus. But God also wanted to show us that one day, all of us will share in the bodily resurrection of Jesus. Mary is the first person in the Church to experiencethe resurrection in its fullness.

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August 26, 2018 Feast of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist

St. John the Baptist was a cousin of Jesus. His mother was St. Elizabeth and his father was Zechariah. The first chapter of Luke's Gospel tells of the wonderful event of John's birth. John preached a baptism of repentance, preparing people for the Messiah. He baptized Jesus in the Jordan River and watched with quiet joy as the Lord's public ministry began. John encouraged his own disciples to follow Jesus. He knew that Jesus' fame would grow, while his would fade away. In the first chapter of the Gospel of John, St. John the Baptist calls himself a voice crying in the desert to make straight the path of the Lord. He invited people to get ready, to prepare themselves to recognize the Messiah. His message is the same to each of us today. King Herod and his wife refused to obey God. They wanted to make their own rules for their lives. So St. John the Baptist told them what they were doing was wrong. Because he was honest and would not agree to do wrong, it made Herod's wife angry and she asked her husband for the head of John the Baptist. Yet John would have had it no other way. He would not remain silent while sin and injustice were happening. He asked people to be sorry for their sins, obey God and be His friend as true happiness comes only from God. Mark's Gospel, chapter 6:14-29, tells of the cruel death of John the Baptist. What suffering John agreed to bear for teaching the truth.

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September 2nd, 2018 My identity in Baptism

This weekend, we recall how Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River by his cousin, John the Baptist.   John was baptizing people that were sorry for their sins and wanted forgiveness. Jesus transformed John's simple water ritual from one of repentance to one of repentance and reconciliation by "water and the Spirit" (John 3:5).   It was not the waters that changed Jesus but Jesus that changed the waters. Now every time someone is baptized "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit," they are transformed by God's grace into "a new creation" (Matthew 28:19 and 2 Corinthians 5:17).

At the moment of our own baptism several things happened to us: (1) we were washed free of original sin; (2) we were adopted as spiritual sons and daughters of the Father in heaven, with all the rights, privileges and responsibilities of an heir to the kingdom; (3) we became members of the institutional Catholic Church; and (4) we became members of the Body of Christ. We must see ourselves differently, with a new identity.  We now can call God our "Father," since we are his children. Our true home is in heaven, where the "Father has prepared a place" for us (John 14:2), thus we are pilgrims on a journey, aliens in this foreign land and fallen world.  If we try to live a worldly life, then we are denying our baptismal birthright. In the end, we cannot belong to "God and mammon" (Luke 16:13). We must choose to live out our identity, as if our lives depend on it. Because they do.   One day we shall meet our Father face-to-face. Any time we spend praying (especially in front of the Blessed Sacrament) is our way of talking with God who has claimed us as his own. The more we get to know him now, the more we are able to experience his friendship and fatherhood with us. Then we can hear the same words spoken from above: "Behold my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17).  

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Sunday Obligation Coming to Holy Mass on Sundays is on obligation for all Catholics. What does obligation mean? “An action a person is morally or legally bound to do” “I must do it” “The Church commands me to do it” “It’s who I am”.

Why am I obligated? In the ten commandments, God instructed His people to have a weekly Holy Day, a Sabbath. When God created everything, he created for six days and rested on the seventh. Sunday is our day of worship and the day Christians have met to worship God since the beginning of the Church. Sunday is the day Jesus Christ rose from the grave!

“I must do it”. Even if I don’t understand all those things, I must obey. At my baptism I became a child of God, and as a child of His, I must obey Him. Even if I don’t understand, even if I’m tired, or distracted.

“The Church Commands me”. I’m obligated because the church has authority to make commandments.

“It’s who I am”. By going to Holy Mass, and being obedient, I am reminded who God is, and who I am. He is my Heavenly Father, and I am His Child. I belong to His family. He wants me at His table, in His house, in the house of prayer. He loves me and I love Him.

When we pray, we pray to God as “Our Father”.

(Go over The Ten Commandments)

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Pope Saint Gregory the Great

Feast Day: September 3 Born: 540 :: Died: 604 St. Gregory was born in Rome, in Italy. His father was a politician and his mother is a saint, St. Celia. Gregory studied philosophy and when he was still quite young, became the governor of Rome. When his father died, Gregory made his large house into a monastery. For many years he lived as a good and holy monk (priest). Then Pope Pelagius made him one of the seven ministers of the Church in Rome. When the pope died, Gregory was chosen to take his place. He was so holy and wise; everyone knew he would be a good pope. But Gregory was so humble that he did not want that honor at all and disguised himself and hid in a cave. The people soon found him and made him pope anyway. For fourteen years he ruled the Church. Even though he was always sick, Gregory was one of the greatest popes the Church has ever had. He wrote many books and was a wonderful preacher. He cared for people all over the world. In fact, he considered himself the servant of all. He was the first pope to use the title "servant of the servants of God." All the popes since have used this title. St. Gregory took special, loving care of poor people and strangers. Every day he used to feed them a good dinner. He was also very sensitive and understanding when people were treated badly. Once, when he was still a monk, he saw some blond English boys up for sale in the slave market of Rome. The saint felt a great desire to go to England to bring the love of Jesus to those pagans (who did not believe in God). When he became pope, one of the first things he did was to send some of his best monks to teach the English people and help bring them to Jesus. This holy pope suffered a lot in the last few years of his life, yet he continued working for his beloved Church until the very end.

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September 9, 2018

The Tabernacle. Inside the Tabernacle, is the Real Presence of Our Lord Jesus Christ, under what appears to be bread and wine.

When Jesus Christ walked the earth, He appeared to be a normal man. But what/who was He?

He was all God and all Man! He was all God and at the same time, all Man.

He was and is all God, but when He walked the earth, He appeared to be a normal man.

Jesus promised to never leave us or forsake us. He also told us that He is the bread from Heaven, our real nourishment!

When the Priest prays the words of consecration, what was bread and wine, becomes the actual Presence of Jesus Christ.

The Candle on the Altar or on the side, indicates that Jesus is Present in the Tabernacle. The Candle is only out one day of the year; what day is that? Good Friday.

Other words for Eucharist; Blessed Sacrament, Jesus Christ, Communion, Host.

When I receive Communion, I am receiving Jesus Christ physically into my body, the real Presence of God, inside me, there is nothing more intimate.

He continually comes to us in the Holy Mass, the Risen Christ Jesus, to be our nourishment, giving us real Grace.

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Feast of the Triumph of The Cross Today we celebrate our love for Jesus and show him how grateful we are through

our respect for the cross. The cross was once the greatest symbol of shame. Criminals preferred to be killed

by the sword instead of dying a shameful death on the cross. Jesus chose the worst kind of death for us to give us our salvation. He took on the

suffering and shame of the cross. For Christians the cross has now become the most sacred symbol. When the cross

has the image of the suffering Christ on it, that cross is called a crucifix. The crucifix on our bedroom wall and the crucifix or cross worn around our neck

is an important reminder that Jesus paid a price for us. For hundreds of years pieces of the true cross have been treasured by devout

Christians. It is believed that Emperor Heraclius recovered pieces of wood from the cross of Jesus in 629.

He and his soldiers honored these pieces and invited all the people in the area to join them. Even before that time, Christians honored and loved the symbol of the

cross. The word "cross" can also mean the sufferings that come our way. When we

accept them lovingly and with patience as Jesus did his cross, we become "cross-bearers" like Jesus.

Reflection: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you, because by

your holy cross you have redeemed the

world!

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September 16, 2018

The Creed, parts 1-4.

Read Apostles Creed together from back of Catechisms book.

Part 1 of the Creed;“I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.”

“I”, this is who I am. I believe in God, the Father, and He has created everything!

Part 2 of the Creed;“and in Jesus Christ His only Son, Our Lord”

Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, and Our Lord, He is our King, and Our Savior.

Part 3;“Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary,”

Jesus is all God and all Man. He was born of the Virgin Mary.Mary said yes to God’s plan. God came into the world a baby, in the womb of the Virgin Mary.

Part 4 of the Creed; “suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried;”

Pontius Pilate was the governor that sentenced Jesus to death. He is mentioned because this is a historical fact.

These are the things we believe, we pray and say the Creed, it’s who we are.

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Saints Andrew Kim Taegon, Paul Chong Hasang, and CompanionsFeast Day: September 20 Born: (around) 1800 :: Died: 1846 St. Andrew Kim Taegon was born in Korea and came from a very noble family. Christianity reached Korea in the seventeenth century and was brought there by lay people. The believers became strong in their faith by reading and listening to the Word of God and began to grow in number. Andrew's parents who were earlier non-Christians converted and became Christians. Andrew was baptized when he was 15 years old and soon after, his father died as a martyr for the faith. Missionary priests came from France and the Korean people began to receive the sacraments of the Church. Andrew traveled about 1,300 miles to Macao, which had the nearest seminary so he could study to become a priest. The Government did not want Christianity to spread and began to trouble and torture the Christians. A total of 113 Koreans & missionaries were killed between 1839 and 1867. St. Andrew was the first Korean to become a priest and first priest to die for the faith in Korea just a year after his ordination. That made him the leader of the Martyrs of Korea. St. Paul Chong Hasang another Korean Catholic was a layperson and Catechist who also courageously died for the love for Christ. These two martyrs gloriously represent the 113 Catholics who died for their faith in Korea. They were proclaimed saints by Pope John Paul II during his visit to Korea in 1984. Today the Church is growing fast in Korea. The gift of faith is being received because of the sacrifice of the martyrs who showed them the way.

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September 23, 2018

The Creed, Parts 5-9

Read through Creed in back of Catechism book.

Part 5 of the Creed; “He descended into hell; on the third day He rose again from the dead”

Jesus’ body truly suffered and died. He descended to hell, but rose from the dead

Part 6 of the Creed; “He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;”

Seated on the right hand is a sign of authority. Jesus has all authority in the universe.

Part 7 of the Creed; “from there He will come to judge the living and the dead”

Jesus will be the judge when He returns, and will judge all men of all time.

Part 8 of the Creed; “I believe in the Holy Spirit”

I believe in the Trinity, that the Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity, One God, three persons.

Part 9 of the Creed; “the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints”

I believe that the Catholic Church is the Church founded by Our Lord. I believe I can ask the saints in heaven to pray for me.

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Feast of St. Michael, Gabriel and Raphael Feast Day: September 29 Michael, Gabriel and Raphael are called "saints" because they are holy. But they are different from the rest of the saints because they were not human but spirits. They are angels and the word "angel" means Messenger of God. Angels who deliver messages of lesser importance are just called Angels; and those who proclaim important messages are called Archangels. They are our protectors and we know something about each of the three Archangels from the Bible. Michael's name means "who is like God?" St. Michael is mentioned in three books of the Bible: Daniel, Revelation and the Letter of Jude. In the book of Revelation or the Apocalypse, chapter 12:7-9, we read of a great war that went on in heaven. Michael and his angels battled with Satan (or the fallen angel Lucifer). Michael who was the leader of God's army became the champion of loyalty to God. We can ask St. Michael to make us strong in our love for Jesus and in our practice of the Catholic religion. Gabriel's name means "the power of God." He is mentioned in the book of Daniel and more importantly in Luke's Gospel. This archangel announced to Mary that she was to be the mother of our Savior. Gabriel announced to Zechariah that he and St. Elizabeth would have a son and call him John.

Gabriel is the announcer, the communicator of the Good News. We can ask him to help us be good communicators as he was. Raphael's name means "God has healed." We read the touching story of Raphael's role in the Bible's book of Tobit. He was also the Angel mentioned in John 5:1-4 as the power behind the healing at the sheep pool. He brought protection and healing to the blind Tobit. At the very end of the journey, when all was completed, Raphael revealed his true identity. He called himself one of the seven who stands before God's throne. We can ask St. Raphael to protect us in our travels, even for short journeys, like going to school. We can also ask him to help when illness strikes us or someone we love.

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St. Francis of Assis Feast Day: October 4 Born: (around) 1181 :: Died: 1226 St. Francis was born around 1181 in Assisi, in Italy. As a young man he loved parties and good times. He was handsome and rich, so he bought himself the finest clothes and spent money freely. Francis had no wish to study or to learn his father's business, as he was having too much fun. One day he refused to give alms to a poor beggar but as the man was leaving, he felt sorry for what he had done and ran after him with some money. After he fell ill twice, Francis realized that he was wasting precious time. He realized that he should be serving Jesus and began praying more and making sacrifices to grow strong in spirit. While riding his horse one day he saw a leper and quickly turned his horse to ride away. Then he thought to himself, if Jesus saw a leper he would not turn the other way. So he kissed the horrible-looking leper, and gave him money. Often he gave his clothes and money to the poor. He served the sick in hospitals. Still he felt he must do more. He fasted and began to go around in rags to humble himself. It is not hard to imagine how his rich friends must have looked at him now! His father was so angry that he beat him and locked him up at home. Francis bore all this suffering for love of Jesus. When his father took everything from him in disgust, Francis put all his trust in his Father in heaven. He said that he was married to "Lady Poverty" and he began to live as a beggar. He had no shelter. His food was what kind people gave him. Everywhere he went, he begged people to stop sinning and return to God. Many men began to see how close to God this poor man really was, and they became his followers. Francis followed the example of Jesus closely by living a life of simplicity and teaching the Gospel message with great joy. That is how the great Franciscan order of priests and brothers began. They helped the poor and sick and preached everywhere. Even after the order had spread all over Italy, Francis insisted that they should not own anything. He wanted his priests to love poverty as he did. St. Francis had the power of working miracles. He loved all creatures and the birds and animals happily obeyed his commands! As a reward for his great love, Jesus gave him his own wounds. Two in his hands, two in his feet and one in his side but the humble Francis tried to hide them from people. Toward the end of his life, he became very sick. He was told he would live only a few more weeks and he exclaimed, "Welcome, Sister Death!" He asked to be laid on the ground and covered with an old habit. He advised his brothers to love God, to love being poor, and to obey the Gospel. "I have done my part," he said. "May Jesus teach you to do yours." Francis died on October 3, 1226.

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September 30, 2018

The Apostle’s Creed

Read the whole Creed from the back of the Catechism book.

Part 10; “the forgiveness of sins”

I believe that Baptism washes away the stain of original sin, and that any subsequent sins can be forgiven in the Sacrament of Confession. Jesus can and will make me clean of sin.

Part 11; “the resurrection of the body,”

I believe that there will be a resurrection and judgement of all men, and Jesus will be the judge.

Part 12; “and life everlasting. Amen”

I believe that souls live on forever even after the body dies. I believe that God created me to live with Him forever.

The Creed defines who we are.

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St. Denis and Companions Feast Day: October 9 Born: (around 190) :: Died: 258 St. Denis (also know as Dionysius) was born in Italy but is very popular in France. In fact, he is considered the patron saint of France. Because he lived at the beginning of Christian history-during the third century - we don't know as much about him as we would like to. He came to France and became the bishop of Paris. Then the Emperor Valerian began to harass and trouble the Christians in 258. One day St. Denis was preaching the Good News of Jesus when he and two companions were martyred. His companions were a priest named Rusticus and a deacon named Eleutherius. The Christian community cherished the memory of these brave martyrs. At first, they were only able to build a little chapel to mark the sight of their death. Later the chapel became the great church of St. Denis. St. Denis and his companions remind us of the brave men, women and children who have gone before us. They give us the example of their lives and also remind us that they will help us now if we ask them. The courage of these martyrs sprang from living each day in faithfulness to the spirit of the Gospel.

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October 14, 2018

“The Our Father”

Parts 1-3

Part 1 “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name;”

We acknowledge God as Our loving Father, He is above all things, and He is worthy of adoration, praise and worship.

Part 2 “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

We pray for God’s Will to be done in our life. We hope and pray that God can use us and work through our lives everyday! - at school, at home, with our friends

Part 3 “Give us this day our daily bread”

I am asking God to nourish me, feed me both spiritually and physically. I believe God will supply my every need. And He will take care of me.

The “Our Father” is the prayer Jesus taught the Apostles and us to pray. We pray it often and every time we can remember to pray.

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St. Ignatius of Antioch Feast Day: October 17 , Born:50 :: Died:107 St. Ignatius of Antioch was born in the year 50 to a pagan family (people who do not believe in God). He later wanted to become a Christian and was converted. Ignatius was the third bishop of Antioch. This is the city where St. Peter labored before he moved to Rome. It is also the city where followers of Jesus were first called Christians. Ignatius was condemned to death by Emperor Trajan who hated the Christians. He was taken from Antioch to the amphitheater in center of Rome. This was the place where the Christians who were to die were left in the center of a big ground to be eaten by hungry lions that were let out of their cages. All around this large ground were seats for the Romans to watch while the lions killed the people and they enjoyed watching the Christians die. Although St. Ignatius traveled to Rome under military guard, he stopped in Smyrna and Troas. From each of those cities, he wrote letters to the Christian communities. He was the first writer to use the term "the Catholic Church." He told the churches that he was very happy to die for Jesus so they must not stop him. He asked them to pray that God would grant him his wish. In this way, like the great St. Paul, he preached the Good News to the people. When the beloved Ignatius arrived in Rome, he joined the brave Christians who waited in prisons. The day came when the bishop was pushed out into the amphitheater. Two fierce lions devoured him. He left the beautiful witness of Christian life and his letters. St. Ignatius died around 107. St. Jerome and St. John Chrysostom both thought of his tomb as near the city gates of Antioch. Let us find courage in the witness and prayers of St. Ignatius.

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October 21, 2018

The “Our Father”

Part 4 “and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us;”

Jesus commanded us to forgive. To be forgiven, we must forgive. We must make the decision to forgive like Jesus forgives us.

Part 5 “and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Temptations to sin are real, and we pray for God to keep us from evil and temptation, to stay Holy and pure for Him.

The Our Father should be prayed often. It is the prayer Our Lord taught us.

We can meditate on it, pray it with our family, before and after meals, when we wake, when we got to sleep. When we’re happy, sad, or afraid.

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Saint John Paul II’s Story “Open wide the doors to Christ,” urged John Paul II during the homily at the Mass where he was installed as pope in 1978.

Born in Wadowice, Poland, Karol Jozef Wojtyla had lost his mother, father, and older brother before his 21st birthday. Karol’s promising academic career at Krakow’s Jagiellonian University was cut short by the outbreak of World War II. While working in a quarry and a chemical factory, he enrolled in an “underground” seminary in Kraków. Ordained in 1946, he was immediately sent to Rome where he earned a doctorate in theology.

Back in Poland, a short assignment as assistant pastor in a rural parish preceded his very fruitful chaplaincy for university students. Soon Fr. Wojtyla earned a doctorate in philosophy and began teaching that subject at Poland’s University of Lublin.

Communist officials allowed Wojtyla to be appointed auxiliary bishop of Kraków in 1958, considering him a relatively harmless intellectual. They could not have been more wrong!

Bishop Wojtyla attended all four sessions of Vatican II and contributed especially to its Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World. Appointed as archbishop of Kraków in 1964, he was named a cardinal three years later.

Elected pope in October 1978, he took the name of his short-lived, immediate predecessor. Pope John Paul II was the first non-Italian pope in 455 years. In time, he made pastoral visits to 124 countries, including several with small Christian populations.

John Paul II promoted ecumenical and interfaith initiatives, especially the 1986 Day of Prayer for World Peace in Assisi. He visited Rome’s main synagogue and the Western Wall in Jerusalem; he also established diplomatic relations between the Holy See and Israel. He improved Catholic-Muslim relations, and in 2001 visited a mosque in Damascus, Syria.

The Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, a key event in John Paul’s ministry, was marked by special celebrations in Rome and elsewhere for Catholics and other Christians. Relations with the Orthodox Churches improved considerably during his papacy.

“Christ is the center of the universe and of human history” was the opening line of John Paul II’s 1979 encyclical, Redeemer of the Human Race. In 1995, he described himself to the United Nations General Assembly as “a witness to hope.”

His 1979 visit to Poland encouraged the growth of the Solidarity movement there and the collapse of communism in central and eastern Europe 10 years later. John Paul II began World Youth Day and traveled to several countries for those celebrations. He very

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much wanted to visit China and the Soviet Union, but the governments in those countries prevented that.

One of the most well-remembered photos of John Paul II’s pontificate was his one-on-one conversation in 1983, with Mehmet Ali Agca, who had attempted to assassinate him two years earlier.

In his 27 years of papal ministry, John Paul II wrote 14 encyclicals and five books, canonized 482 saints and beatified 1,338 people. In the last years of his life, he suffered from Parkinson’s disease and was forced to cut back on some of his activities.

Pope Benedict XVI beatified John Paul II in 2011, and Pope Francis canonized him in 2014.

Reflection Before John Paul II’s funeral Mass in St. Peter’s Square, hundreds of thousands of people had waited patiently for a brief moment to pray before his body, which lay in state inside St. Peter’s for several days. The media coverage of his funeral was unprecedented.

Presiding at the funeral Mass, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger–then dean of the College of Cardinals and later Pope Benedict XVI–concluded his homily by saying: “None of us can ever forget how, in that last Easter Sunday of his life, the Holy Father, marked by suffering, came once more to the window of the Apostolic Palace and one last time gave his blessing urbi et orbi (‘to the city and to the world’).

“We can be sure that our beloved pope is standing today at the window of the Father’s house, that sees us and blesses us. Yes, bless us, Holy Father. We entrust your dear soul to the Mother of God, your Mother, who guided you each day and who will guide you now to the glory of her Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.”

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October 28, 2018

Purgatory

Heaven is a place of beauty, of love, of joy, and peace. It is pristine, immaculate, and holy. Everyone is good. Everyone loves. Everyone is happy. No sadness, no pain or suffering. No sin, no death! A place of perfection.

Hell is a place full of souls who don’t love God. The people there had no place in their hearts for God, they didn’t want His love or mercy. They chose to be there rather than with God.

God loves us so much that He wants to do everything possible for us to be with Him forever.Not only did He die for our sins, but He created us to live with Him in Heaven! But even though our sin is forgiven, it is still a stain. There are some sins–stains–that have not yet been cleaned from our souls. Maybe we have a habit of lying or maybe we like to gossip. Maybe we haven’t truly loved God as much as we’re able. These are imperfections–stains–that still remain on our souls.

Very often, we die before these stains are completely cleansed from our souls, so we take these stains with us.Remember how perfect Heaven is?What would happen if God allowed all these imperfections and stains into Heaven?(heaven wouldn’t be perfect)Do we want to present ourselves to God with these stains on our souls?

We are created in His image, so don’t we want to be clean like He is?What can we do to get rid of the stains of sin?

(Here’s when we can show them the mercy of God through Purgatory):God loves us so much, that even with stains on our souls, He’s willing to wait for us to be purified and cleansed  so we can be with him. He’s created a place for those who want a second chance–even after death and all their chances are all used up– to be with Him.

And even though there is suffering, the souls want to be in Purgatory in order to be with God again. They have seen the Face of God, and during this time, they have found all their joy to be complete. They knew after seeing Him, that they

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found their Home. They are willing to complete the last leg of their journey in order to see Him again, and so they gladly go to Purgatory in order to be completely white and pure, and stain free from all sin and imperfections.

Can help the souls in Purgatory see the Face of God again?A Holy Mass said for someone who has died is the most powerful way to free a soul in Purgatory. There is no limit to God’s mercy and no limit to Masses offered for someone!The rosary too, is also powerful. Little sacrifices made, such as eating a vegetable they don’t like is offered for a poor soul. Or saying a Hail Mary when we pass by a graveyard. Sometimes on a really hot day, the heat reminds us of those suffering in Purgatory, so we “offer a breeze” (a Hail Mary) for a soul in Purgatory. The possibilities are endless!

One way to help a poor soul, is on All Souls Day, go to the graveyard, and  “adopt a soul” to pray for that day. Then say a Hail Mary for that person. I

It’s not necessary we go there, but that many souls do. And with this understanding, we have learned to have compassion for the souls of Purgatory and especially our own loved ones that have died. We have learned to have a passion to “get those souls out!” and bring them to the Face of God.True, we’d rather think about heaven. Don’t we all? And we definitely don’t like to think about hell. But one thing that we do all agree on: we’re glad God gives second chances. And we’re thankful second chances are in Purgatory.

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All Souls Day

Feast Day: November 2 This feast day is one of the most loving celebrations in the Church's liturgy. It is the day that we especially remember all those who have passed from this life into the next. Today we stop to remember all who have died especially our relatives and friends. We pray for those who taught us good things and made sacrifices for us. We pray for those who prayed for us while they were on this earth. We pray for the most forgotten souls. We pray for those who had great responsibilities while they were on earth. We think of those holy souls in purgatory and we realize that they are saved. Now they wait, being purified, until the moment when they can be with God, face to face. We can offer the sacrifice of the Mass and pray for these suffering souls in purgatory to hasten their journey to God. Eternal rest, grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen

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St. Josaphat Feast Day: November 12 Born: 1580 :: Died: 1623 Josaphat was born in Lithuania, Ukraine and baptized John in 1580. His father was a municipal counselor and his mother a pious woman. A merchant at Vilna

trained him to do business. Later the merchant offered to make John his partner and asked him to marry his daughter. But John felt that God was calling him to serve and he respectfully refused both the offers. He became a monk in the order of St. Basil and chose the name Josaphat. He was a self-sacrificing, brave man and because of his many natural qualities, he was chosen to lead the people. Josaphat became an apostle of ecumenism and preached unity among the Christian churches of the Ukraine. There were three main categories of Christians: the Latin Church united with the pope, the Orthodox Greek Church and the Greek Catholic Church. Josaphat became the bishop of Polotsk in 1617. He spent

the next ten years helping the people know and love their Catholic faith better. He organized celebrations of prayer and religion classes. He called clergy meetings and worked with the priests to put into effect rules that helped the people live closer to Jesus. Archbishop Josaphat had a very good influence on people. He was a dynamic leader, which is why some people feared him. People who were against the unity of the Churches formed a big mob and came to attack him. Josaphat tried to make sure his servants were all safe before fleeing himself but was not able to get out in time. He was killed and his body was thrown into a local river. Josaphat died on November 12, 1623.

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November 18, 2018

The Rosary

Hand out the practice rosaries to the children. Read the Rosary from page 4 of the Catechism book.

Mary was born without original sin. Mary is blessed among all women ever born. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the fruit of her womb. The Blessed Virgin Mary gave birth to Our Lord Jesus. She is the Mother of God. We have recourse to her. We can pray to her to intercede (pray for us) to her Son. We love the Virgin Mary because Jesus gave her to us as our Mother. She cares for us and prays for us.

Go back to the rosaries and explain the meaning of the beads and the mysteries, etc.

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Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Feast Day: November 21 When she was only three years old, her parents, St. Joachim and St. Anne, took Mary to the Temple in Jerusalem. There she would be educated in the service and the law of God so that she would be protected against the sins of the world. Mary's whole life was to belong to God as He had chosen her to be the Mother of his Son, Jesus. And St. Joachim and St. Anne were pleased to offer their saintly little girl to God. They knew that God had sent her to them. In the Temple, the high priest received the child Mary, where she was placed among the girls who were dedicated to prayer and Temple service. The high priest kissed and blessed the holy child. He realized that the Lord had great plans for her. Mary was happy to begin serving God in the Temple. She did not weep or turn back to her parents but came so happily to the altar that everyone in the Temple loved her at once. St. Joachim and St. Anne went back home. They praised God for their blessed daughter. And Mary remained in the Temple, where she grew in holiness. She spent her days reading the Bible, praying and serving the Temple priests. She made beautiful linens and wonderful vestments (robes that the priests wear). All the other girls loved Mary because she was so kind. Mary tried to do each of her duties well, to please God. She grew in grace and gave great glory to the Lord.

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~The Feast of Christ the King~ "That in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in Heaven, on earth and under the earth:And that every tongue should confess thatthe Lord Jesus Christis in the glory of God the Father."

Philippians 2:10-11

Christ Himself speaks of His Own kingly authority [see link for Bible Citations]: in His last discourse, speaking of the rewards and punishments that will be the eternal lot of the just and the damned; in His reply to the

Roman magistrate, who asked Him publicly whether He were a king or not; after His resurrection, when giving to His Apostles the mission of teaching

and Baptizing all nations, He took the opportunity to call Himself king, confirming the title publicly, and solemnly proclaimed that all power was

given Him in Heaven and on earth. These words can only be taken to indicate the greatness of his power, the infinite extent of His kingdom. What wonder,

then, that He Whom St. John calls the "prince of the kings of the earth" appears in the Apostle's vision of the future as He Who "hath on His garment

and on His thigh written 'King of kings and Lord of lords!'." It is Christ Whom the Father "hath appointed heir of all things"; "for He must reign until at the end of the world He hath put all his enemies under the feet of God and

the Father."

It was surely right, then, in view of the common teaching of the sacred books, that the Catholic Church, which is the kingdom of Christ on earth, destined to

be spread among all men and all nations, should with every token of veneration salute her Author and Founder in her annual liturgy as King and

Lord, and as King of Kings. And, in fact, she used these titles, giving expression with wonderful variety of language to one and the same concept,

both in ancient psalmody and in the Sacramentaries.

Pope Pius XI, Encyclical Letter, QUAS PRIMAS, #11-12

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Advent

The beginning of Advent is a change in liturgical season. It’s the beginning of the liturgical year for us.

Advent comes from the Latin word meaning "coming." Jesus is coming, Advent is intended to be a season of preparation for His arrival. While we typically regard Advent as a joyous season, it is also intended to be a period of preparation, much like Lent. Prayer, penance and fasting are appropriate during this season. Advent is not as strict as Lent, and there are no rules for fasting, but it is meant to be a period of self-preparation.

So how can you celebrate Advent? One way is to buy or make an Advent wreath to lay on your table. An Advent wreath typically consists of greenery with four candles, three purple and one pink. Each candle on the Advent Wreath has a specific meaning:

• Candle one (purple) represents hope. It is often called the prophets’ candle. • Candle two (purple) represents peace. It is often called the angels’ candle. • Candle three (pink) represents joy. It is often called the shepherds’ candle. • Candle four (purple) represents love. It is often called the Bethlehem

candle.

The purple color associated with Advent is also the color of penance. The faithful should fast during the first two weeks in particular and receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

The color of the Third Sunday of Advent is rose. This color symbolizes joy and represents the happiness we will experience when Jesus comes again.

The Third Sunday is a day of anticipatory celebration. It is formerly called "Gaudete" Sunday; gaudete means "rejoice" in Latin. Finally, Sundays during Advent, just as during Lent, should not be given to fasting, but instead to celebration because we celebrate the resurrection of Our Lord every Sunday. It is important to remember, however, there are no particular rules for how the laity should observe Advent.

Christmas season means many things to people, but we are looking forward, preparing our hearts, for Jesus’ coming.

As we celebrate His birth, we also look forward to his return.

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Our Lady of GuadalupeWe celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 9. Our Blessed

Mother appeared to a fifty-five year old Indian, Juan Deigo on December 9, 1531. Juan who had become a Catholic, was going to Mass early one morning when Our Lady stopped him as he was making his way down Tepyac Hill. Mary asked him to go to the bishop and tell him that she wanted a great church built on the very

spot where she was standing. The Indian was very troubled. He wanted with all his heart to do what the Lady commanded. But how could he approach the bishop? How could anyone believe

such an unusual request? Juan Diego went to the bishop. The bishop of course, did not believe his story. He did not want to offend Juan and told him to ask the Lady for a sign the next time

he met her. Juan was caught in the middle. The Lady knew what she wanted; the bishop had

the power to make her wish come true, but he wanted proof. On December 12, early in the morning, Juan Diego was hurrying along the path.

His uncle was dying and he was going to get the priest. Juan had no time to waste and did not want to meet the lady so he took another route.

But Mary appeared again to Juan and told him that his uncle was better. In fact, Juan found out a little later that Our Lady had for a moment appeared to his

uncle and he was immediately cured. The Lady asked Juan to go back to the bishop. She wanted him to build a church.

Juan remembered the bishop's request and asked Mary for a sign. Mary sent Juan into the rocky area nearby and told him to gather the roses that were there. Juan was confused. He knew there were no roses. It was winter, there was snow on the ground and the bushes were bare. But Juan did as he was told and there really were roses, beautiful roses. Excited, Juan picked them all and went to the

bishop. He carried them carefully in his tilma (cloak). Juan clutched his cloak and made his way into the room where the bishop was. Slowly he let down his cloak and the

beautiful roses, fresh and wet with dew, fell to the floor. Juan smiled but was shocked when the bishop and his attendants knelt down in

front of him. He followed the bishop's eyes that were staring at his cloak. And then he saw her, the picture of his beautiful lady, glowing on his tilma.

Her image was life-size, exactly as she had appeared. The bishop had received his sign and Mary would have her church.

Today a great church, called a basilica, stands on the spot where Our Lady of Guadalupe came to her people. Our Lady of Guadalupe was named patroness of

Mexico and is also patroness of Latin America and the Philippines.

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St. John of the Cross John was born at Fontiveros, in Spain and was the son of a weaver. He went to a school for poor children and became a servant to the director of the hospital at Medina. For seven years, John cared for the poor in the hospital while also studying at a Jesuit college. Even as a youth, he liked to do penance as he understood the value of offering up sufferings for the love of Jesus. Because of this great love of God John joined the Lay Carmelite order as a brother when he was twenty-one. With St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross was chosen by God to bring a new spirit of eagerness among religious. But his life was full of tests and trials. Although he opened new monasteries where people followed his holy way of life, they found fault with him and thought that some of his ideas were too strict. He was even thrown into prison and made to suffer terribly. At one time, when he had fierce temptations, God seemed to have left him alone and he suffered greatly. Yet when these storms of trouble passed, the Lord rewarded his faithful servant. He gave him deep peace and joy of heart and John was very close to his God. In fact, Mother Mary herself showed John how to escape from his prison cell. St. John had a wonderful way with sinners. Once a beautiful but sinful woman tried to make him do wrong. He talked to her and decided to change her life. Another lady had such a bad temper that she was nicknamed "the terrible." Yet St. John was easily able to calm her down by his kind manners. John asked God to let him suffer every day for love of Jesus. And to reward him, Jesus showed himself to St. John in a special way. This saint is famous for his spiritual books, which show us how to grow close to God. He died on December 14, 1591 and John is now known as a Doctor of the Church.

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THE FEAST OF THE EPIPHANYThe Feast of the Epiphany is celebrated on January 6. This feast commemorates the visit of the wise men to worship the baby Jesus. Tradition tells us that their names were Caspar, Melchior and Balthassar. The men were astrologers who were looking for the star that would lead them to the promised Messiah. This was prophesied in the Book of Micah. According to the Gospel narratives, the wise men brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh with them. These gifts were very meaningful. Gold was a precious and expensive gift, and showed how important Jesus was. Frankincense is a sweet perfume which was often burned in the temple to worship God. It was a sign that Jesus should be worshipped. Myrrh was used to keep things fresh, and it was used by the women to anoint Jesus’ body when he died. By bringing it as a gift to Jesus, the wise men foretold his suffering and death.

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St. Anthony was born at Heracleus in Egypt. When he was twenty years old, his parents died. They left him a large estate and placed him in charge of the care of his young sister. Anthony felt overwhelmed and turned to God in prayer. He soon became more and more aware of the power of God in his life. About six months later, he heard this quotation of Jesus from the Gospel: "Go, sell what you own and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven" (Mark 10:21). He took the words as a personal message in answer to his prayer for guidance. He made sure that his sister completed her education, then sold his house, furniture, and the land he owned and gave the money to the poor and to the people who needed it. Anthony's sister joined a group of women living a life of prayer and contemplation. Anthony decided to become a hermit. He begged an elderly hermit to teach him the spiritual life. Anthony also visited other hermits so he could learn each one's most outstanding virtue. Then at the age of thirty-five he moved alone to the desert, living in an abandoned fort and began his own life of prayer and penance alone with God. By the time he was fifty-five, people found out where he was and began coming to him for healing and for spiritual counseling. Finally, Anthony built two monasteries on the Nile, one at Pispir and one at Arsinoe. The monks and people who lived around him supported themselves by making and selling baskets and brushes. Many people heard of him and came to him looking for advice. He would give them practical advice such as: "The devil is afraid of us when we pray and make sacrifices. He is also afraid when we are humble and good. He is especially afraid when we love Jesus very much. He runs away when we make the Sign of the Cross." St. Anthony visited Paul the hermit shortly before he died and helped dig a grave to bury him. He felt enriched by the example of Paul's holy life. Anthony died after a long, prayerful life in 356. He was 105. St. Athanasius wrote a well known biography of St. Anthony of Egypt.

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Conversion of St. Paul

Paul was born at Tarsus in Cilicia (Turkey) lived around the time of Jesus but never met Him. Paul was first called Saul. As a young man, he was a very bright student of the Hebrew religion. He was a Pharisee and a tent-maker by trade. He hated the Christians. When he grew older he tortured and harassed the followers of Jesus. He even helped at the stoning of St. Stephen the martyr. In the Bible's Acts of the Apostles, we read about Saul's amazing conversion (chapters 9, 22, 26). What happened? One day, Paul was on his way to the city of Damascus to hunt down more Christians. Suddenly, a great light shone all around him and he was knocked to the ground. He was struck blind; and he heard a voice say, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" Saul answered, "Who are you, Sir?" And the voice said, "I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting." Saul was shocked and confused. After a few seconds, he asked, "What do you want me to do?" Jesus told him to continue on to Damascus and there he would be told what to do. At that moment, through the power of God, Saul received the gift to believe in Jesus. Weak and trembling, he reached out for help and his companions led him into Damascus. The light had blinded him temporarily. Now that he was blind he could really "see" the truth. And Jesus had come personally to meet him, to invite him to conversion. Saul became a great lover of Jesus. He was baptized and changed his name to Paul to show that he was a changed person. Now he thought only of helping everyone know and love Jesus, the Savior. We know Saul by his Roman name of Paul. He is called "the apostle." He traveled all over the world, preaching the Good News and led so many people to Jesus. He worked and suffered. His enemies tried to kill him several times but nothing could stop him. When he was old and tired, he was once again put in prison and sentenced to die. Still St. Paul was happy to suffer and even die for Christ. This great apostle wrote wonderful letters to the Christians. They are in the Bible. These letters, called epistles, are read often during the Liturgy of the Word at Mass.

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John Bosco John Bosco was born in Turin, Italy. His parents were poor farmers. His father died when John was only two years old. John and his brothers helped their mother work on the farm as she struggled to keep the family together. As soon as he was old enough, John, too, worked as hard as he could to help his mother. He was intelligent and full of life. By the age of nine, John wanted to become a priest and his mother let him go to school. John used to wake up early in the morning to do his chores before he left for school. Finally, a holy priest, St. Joseph Cafasso, found out about John's wish to be a priest. Father Cafasso helped him enter the seminary. He learned to do all kinds of trades. He was a carpenter, a shoemaker, a cook, a pastry maker and a farmer. He did many other jobs as well. He didn't realize how much this knowledge would help others later. John would go to circuses, fairs and carnivals, practice the tricks he saw magicians perform, and then present one-boy shows. After his performance, while he still had an audience of boys, he would repeat the sermon he had heard in church that day. John became a priest in 1841. As a priest, Don Bosco, which means Father Bosco, began his great ministry. This kind priest felt sad when he saw so many children living on the streets of Italy. Like a loving father, he gathered together these homeless boys and taught them trades. This way they would not have to steal or get into trouble. Many rich people gave him money to help build workshops. He later started a printing press so he could print books and leaflets to teach people about God's love for them and how to be good Christians. By 1850, there were 150 boys living at his home for boys. Don Bosco's mother was the housekeeper. He loved these children, however naughty they were, and the boys loved him because John Bosco always encouraged them. "Do you want to be Don Bosco's friend?" he would ask each new boy who came to him. "You do?" he would ask happily. "Then, you must help me save your soul," he would say. Every night he asked his boys to say three Hail Mary's, so that the Blessed Mother would help them keep away from sin. He also helped them receive the sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Communion often and with love. Every morning he would say Mass for his students giving them beautiful sermons and telling them interesting stories. He asked the young boys to imitate Jesus in everything they did - whether it was work, study or play

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and told them that God wanted everyone to be saints as He had a great reward waiting for them. His advice to them was, "Pray when it's time to pray. Study when it's time to study. Play when it's time to play. Show kindness to everyone you meet. But do it all for the love of Jesus." One of the boys listening very carefully was young Dominic Savio who told John Bosco that he would try very had to become a saint and please God. And he did. Don Bosco started his own religious order of priests and brothers. They were called the Salesians, after St. Francis de Sales. Then he started the order of Salesian sisters with the help of St. Mary Mazzarello. These men and women pray and teach young people about God's love in countries all over the world even today. Don Bosco died on January 31, 1888. All the people of Turin came out on the streets to honor him. His funeral became a joyous proclamation of thanksgiving to God for the life of this wonderful man.

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Presentation of Our Lord Forty days after Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph brought him to the great Temple in Jerusalem. There they presented Baby Jesus to the Heavenly Father. That was the Jewish law. The Holy Family obeyed it with loving hearts. This was a very popular feast called Candlemas in past centuries and candles were blessed and carried in procession, to show the entry of Jesus as the light of the world. While they were in the Temple, Mary also attended the Purification ceremony which was another custom. After the birth of their children, all Jewish mothers were supposed to go to the Temple for this ceremony. Mary did her duty cheerfully. She teaches us to be humble and obedient as she was. A holy old priest of the Temple named Simeon learned from God that the Infant Jesus was truly the Savior. He held Mary's Son Jesus in his arms with joy and awe. "My own eyes are looking at my salvation," he exclaimed. God allowed him recognize Jesus as the Savior and Simeon put his trust in the little Child. Imagine what Mary and Joseph were thinking. Then, inspired by God, Simeon told Mary that she would have to suffer very much. He was talking about the terrible pain our Blessed Mother would feel when Jesus died on the cross. This feast of the Presentation reminds us that we belong to God first of all. Because he is our Father and Creator, and we owe him our loving obedience.

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Prayer of St. Simeon

St. Luke 2:29-32 “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace,

according to your word,

for my eyes have seen your salvation!

which you prepared in sight of all the peoples,

a light for revelation to the Gentiles,

and glory for your people Israel.”

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St. Scholastica Scholastica and St. Benedict were twins born in central Italy in 480. It is said that for many years, their parents had begged God to send them children. When at last Benedict and Scholastica were born, their parents cherished them. The couple tried to raise them well. Scholastica was a friendly, intelligent girl. She promised herself to Jesus when she was still very young. After her parents died, she went to visit her brother who had already left home. He had built a big monastery and was the leader of many good monks. Benedict had become the founder of the Benedictine order. St. Benedict was very good to his sister. When he realized that she and other young women wanted to become nuns, he helped them start a monastery for women. While Benedict was at Subiaco, Scholastica was at a nearby monastery. When her twin brother moved to Monte Cassino, she entered a woman's monastery near there. Once a year Benedict visited his sister and spent the day with her. On one of his visits, when he rose to leave, Scholastica begged him to stay longer. Benedict said he could not. His sister quietly bowed her head and begged the Lord to prolong her brother's visit. Suddenly, a storm arose and Benedict was unable to leave. He stayed and they talked all through the night. They spoke of the goodness of God and the happiness of the saints in heaven. Not long after, Scholastica passed away. She died in 547. Reflection: How can I learn to value the goodness of others who share their gifts with me?

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Feast of the Chair of St. Peter St. Peter was the prince of the apostles and the first pope. Jesus said to him, "You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church" (Matthew 16:18). The name 'Peter' means rock. After Jesus went back to heaven, St. Peter preached the Gospel. He guided the small but growing Christian community. At first, Peter worked hard in Jerusalem and in Antioch, two big cities of the east. Later, he went to preach the Gospel in Rome, the capital of the world. How would Peter carry out his great mission for the Lord? Jesus, his Master had been crucified but then had risen from the dead. Who would believe that? The evils of the Roman Empire that did not believe in the living God would drown his voice no matter how dedicated he may be. But the Holy Spirit was alive in Peter. He boldly took up the ministry Jesus had given to him. Never again would Peter deny his Lord. Never again would Peter put his own personal well-being before the good of the Church. The feast of St. Peter's Chair at Rome reminds us that St. Peter started the Christian community in that city. The special chair is a symbol of the authority that was given to him by Jesus. Kings of old sat on thrones and ruled. Peter's chair is a symbol of his authority from Jesus to rule the Church. St. Peter was put to death and died a martyr for his faith in Jesus, but down through the ages there has always been a bishop of Rome. He is the pope. The pope rules the whole Church, as St. Peter did, in Jesus' name. We call the successor of St. Peter the Holy Father.

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St. Perpetua and St. Felicity

Feast Day: March 07 Died: 203

Perpetua and Felicity lived in Carthage, North Africa. It was the time of the terrible torture of Christians by Emperor Septimus Severus at the beginning of the third century. Twenty-two-year-old Perpetua was the daughter of a rich pagan (did not believe in God) nobleman. While growing up, she had been given everything she had ever wanted. But then she converted and became a Christian. She realized that she loved Jesus and her Christian faith more than anything the world could offer. For this she found herself a prisoner on the way to execution (to be killed). Perpetua's father did everything possible to persuade his daughter to give up her Christian faith. He tried to convince her of the importance of saving her life. But she would not give in, even though she knew that she would have to leave behind her husband and baby. Felicity, Perpetua's maid, who had earlier been a slave, also became a Christian. She and Perpetua were great friends. They shared their belief in and love for Jesus. Felicity, too, was willing to sacrifice her life for Jesus and for her faith. For this she also found herself a prisoner on the way to execution. Felicity was also a young wife and while she was in prison she gave birth to a child. Her little baby was adopted by a good Christian woman. Felicity was happy because now she could die a martyr (to die for Jesus and her faith). Hand in hand, Perpetua and Felicity bravely faced martyrdom together. They marched from their cells into the amphitheater, as if into heaven, with cheerful looks and graceful bearing. If they trembled it was for joy and not for fear. The people, demanded that the martyrs be led to the middle of the amphitheater where they could see them die. Without being asked they went where the people wanted them to go; but first they kissed one another, to complete their witness with the customary kiss of peace. Then they were charged and attacked by wild animals and later beheaded. Bravest and happiest martyrs! They died in the year 203.

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Reflection: Let us pray today for mothers who are separated from their families and children, especially through injustice and violence.

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St. Patrick St. Patrick was born in Scotland to Roman parents. When he was sixteen, he was kidnapped by pirates and taken on a ship to Ireland. There he was sold as a slave. His owner sent him to look after his flocks of sheep on the mountains. Patrick had very little food and clothing yet he took good care of the animals in rain, snow and ice. Patrick was so lonely on the hillside that he turned often in prayer to Jesus and his Mother Mary. His life was hard but Patrick's trust in God grew stronger all the time. Six years later, he had a dream in which he was commanded to return to Britain. He saw this as a sign and escaped from Ireland. In Britain he studied to become a priest. Then Patrick had a strong feeling that he had to go back to Ireland to bring that pagan land of non-believers to Christ. At last his wish came true. He became a priest and then a bishop. Pope St. Celestine I asked Patrick to go as a missionary and preach first in England then in Ireland. How happy he was to bring the Good News of the true God to the people who once held him a slave. Patrick suffered much in Ireland and there was always the danger that he would be killed, yet the saint kept on preaching about Jesus. He traveled from one village to another where tribe after tribe became Christian. He hardly ever rested, he made sacrifices and did hard penance for these people whom he loved so dearly. Before he died, within the thirty-three years he worked in Ireland, the whole nation was Christian. He was one of the most successful missionaries in the world but his great success in no way made St. Patrick proud. He called himself a poor sinner and gave all praise to God. Patrick died in 461.

Prayer of St. Patrick: Christ shield me this day:

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,

Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,

Christ on my right, Christ on my left,

Christ when I lie down, Christ when I arise,

Christ in the heart of every person who thinks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in the ear that hears me.

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Sacrament of Penance

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Annunciation of the Lord

The time arrived for Jesus to come down from heaven and save us from our sin. God sent his glorious Archangel Gabriel to Mary's little house in the town of Nazareth and found her praying. "Hail Mary, full of grace!" said the angel. "The Lord is with you, and you are blessed among women." Mary was startled and surprised to hear the angel's words of praise. "Do not be afraid, Mary," said Gabriel. He told her that she was to be the mother of Jesus, our Savior. Mary was confused but understood what a great honor God was giving her. And she said, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord!" She only wanted to serve God and was willing to do as He commanded. At that very moment, through the power of the Holy Spirit, she became the Mother of God. Nine months later, on the 25th of December, Jesus was born. Mary knew that as the mother of Jesus, along with great joy she would also have many sorrows. She knew she would have to suffer when her Son suffered. Yet with all her heart, she said, "Be it done to me according to your word." Reflection: This feast celebrates Mary's response to God, and the awesome moment of the Incarnation. Take some time today to think about how greatly our lives have been changed because Mary said "yes" to God

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Palm Sunday Palm Sunday is the final Sunday of Lent, the beginning of Holy Week, and commemorates the triumphant arrival of Christ in Jerusalem, days before he was crucified.Palm Sunday is known as such because the faithful will often receive palm fronds which they use to participate in the reenactment of Christ's arrival in Jerusalem. In the Gospels, Jesus entered Jerusalem riding a young donkey, and to the lavish praise of the townspeople who threw clothes, or possibly palms or small branches, in front of him as a sign of homage. This was a customary practice for people of great respect.Palm branches are widely recognized symbol of peace and victory, hence their preferred use on Palm Sunday.The use of a donkey instead of a horse is highly symbolic, it represents the humble arrival of someone in peace, as opposed to arriving on a steed in war.A week later, Christ would rise from the dead on the first Easter.During Palm Sunday Mass, palms are distributed to parishioners who carry them in a ritual procession into church. The palms are blessed and many people will fashion them into small crosses or other items of personal devotion. These may be returned to the church, or kept for the year.

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Saint Louis Mary Grignion de Montfort’s StoryLouis’s life is inseparable from his efforts to promote genuine devotion to Mary, the mother of Jesus and mother of the Church. Totus tuus (“completely yours”) was Louis’s personal motto; Pope John Paul II chose it as his episcopal motto.Born in the Breton village of Montfort, close to Rennes, France, as an adult Louis identified himself by the place of his Baptism instead of his family name, Grignion. After being educated by the Jesuits and the Sulpicians, he was ordained a diocesan priest in 1700.Soon he began preaching parish missions throughout western France. His years of ministering to the poor prompted him to travel and live very simply, sometimes getting him into trouble with Church authorities. In his preaching, which attracted thousands of people back to the faith, Father Louis recommended frequent, even daily, Holy Communion—not the custom then!—and imitation of the Virgin Mary’s ongoing acceptance of God’s will for her life.Louis founded the Missionaries of the Company of Mary, for priests and brothers, and the Daughters of Wisdom, who cared especially for the sick. His book True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin has become a classic explanation of Marian devotion.Louis died in Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre, where a basilica has been erected in his honor. He was canonized in 1947. His Liturgical Feast Day is April 28.

ReflectionLike Mary, Louis experienced challenges in his efforts to follow Jesus. Opposed at times in his preaching and in his other ministries, Louis knew with Saint Paul, “Neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who causes the growth” (1 Corinthians 3:7). Any attempt to succeed by worldly standards runs the risk of betraying the Good News of Jesus. Mary is “the first and most perfect disciple,” as the late Sulpician Father Raymond Brown described her.

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Saint Louis Mary Grignion de Montfort

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St. Philip and St. James

Feast Day: May 03 Born: (around the time of Jesus) :: Died: (in the first century)

Philip and James were two of Jesus' twelve apostles. Philip was born at Bethsaida, in Galilee and was one of the first apostles. He was a follower of John the Baptist. When Jesus found him and said, "Follow me", Philip obeyed immediately. He was so happy to be with Jesus that he wanted to share his joy with his friend, Nathaniel. "We have found the one Moses and the prophets wrote about," Philip said. "He is Jesus of Nazareth." Nathaniel did not believe him as Nazareth was only a little village, not big and important like Jerusalem. But Philip forgave his friend for his lack of faith and just said, "Come and see." Nathaniel went to see Jesus and after he had spoken with him, he, too, became an eager follower of the Lord. After Jesus died, Philip traveled to Greece and Asia Minor preaching the good news of salvation. He was finally killed for his faith in Jesus at Hierapolis in Phrygia around the year 80. St. James who was the cousin of Jesus, was the son of Alpheus and brother of St. Jude Thaddeus. After Jesus ascended into heaven, James was made the bishop of Jerusalem. People had a great respect for him and called him "James the Just," which means "James the Holy One." He is also called "James the Less," because he was younger than the other apostle named James. That apostle they called "James the Greater" because he was older. St. James was very gentle and forgiving. He prayed a lot and begged God to forgive the people who tortured him and the other followers of Jesus. Even when the enemies of Jesus came to kill him, he asked God to pardon them. St. James was thrown down from a pinnacle of the Temple in Jerusalem and then beaten to death in the year 62. Reflection: Would I be an apostle of Jesus today and share the Good News of how special Jesus is for me?

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Saint Cristóbal Magallanes and Companions’ StoryLike Blessed Miguel Agustín Pro, SJ, Cristóbal and his 24 companion martyrs lived under a very anti-Catholic government in Mexico, one determined to weaken the Catholic faith of its people. Churches, schools, and seminaries were closed; foreign clergy were expelled. Cristóbal established a clandestine seminary at Totatiche, Jalisco. He and the other priests were forced to minister secretly to Catholics during the presidency of Plutarco Calles (1924-28).All of these martyrs, except three, were diocesan priests. David, Manuel and Salvador were laymen who died with their parish priest, Luis Batis. They all belonged to the Cristero movement, pledging their allegiance to Christ and to the Church that he established, to spread the Good News in society—even if Mexico’s leaders had made it a crime to receive baptism or celebrate the Mass.These martyrs did not die as a single group but over 22 years time in eight Mexican states, with Jalisco and Zacatecas having the largest number. They were beatified in 1992 and canonized eight years later.

ReflectionEvery martyr realizes how to avoid execution, but refuses to pay the high price of doing so. A clear conscience was more valuable than a long life. We may be tempted to compromise our faith while telling ourselves that we are simply being realistic, dealing with situations as we find them. Is survival really the ultimate value? Do our concrete, daily choices reflect our deepest values, the ones that allow us to “tick” the way we do? Anyone can imagine situations in which being a follower of Jesus is easier than the present situation. Saints remind us that our daily choices, especially in adverse circumstances, form the pattern of our lives.

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Ascension "HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN AND IS SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER"Forty days after the Resurrection, Our Lord Ascended into Heaven."So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.” Christ's body was glorified at the moment of his Resurrection, as proved by the new and supernatural properties it subsequently and permanently enjoys.

663 Henceforth Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father: "By 'the Father's right hand' we understand the glory and honor of divinity, where he who exists as Son of God before all ages, indeed as God, of one being with the Father, is seated bodily after he became incarnate and his flesh was glorified.”


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