Bless our families. Be they formed by blood or circumstance. Make them holy.
As you reveal yourself to us in three persons: Father , Son, and Spirit, And in the relationship that flows among the three, May we find you in our relationships. In our marriages, in our families Inour households, in our communities In our global humanity.
May we look across all that devides us And see family And embrace as a family does.and love as a family ought to.
For where two or three gather in your name There are You in the midst. There indeed are You, The one for whom we long so deeply.
Amen
LOFT (Learning Our Faith Together)
Opportunities to meet the requirements for Family Catechesis
According to the Archdioceses of New York, students in grades K-8 are to participate in 5 hours of Family Catechesis every year. Family catechesis opportunities can be offered any time from September through August. Family catechesis can be done through any combination of models or methods listed below.
MODEL 1 Family Prayer Celebrations: Families participate together in a Catholic prayer service or a Catholic devotion. After the prayer or ritual, the families will engage in discussion on reflection questions to be handed into the Religious Education Office. Download Reflection Worksheet or pick one up at the Religious Education Office. REFLECTION FORMS 1. Advent Prayer Service: Create a Family Advent Wreath. Advent Wreaths can be made from evergreens or paper. For ideas on how to make these wreaths go on to Pinterest. Then fill out and send in the Reflection Sheet on the Advent Prayer Service.
3. Holy Hour: The Adoration and Benediction. Parents are asked to watch the podcast along with their families. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament is when the consecrated host is placed in the monstrance, by a priest or deacon. The monstrance is then placed on the altar for adoration. Fill out and send in the Reflection Worksheet.
4. Stations of the Cross: The Stations of the Cross began as the practice of pilgrims to Jerusalem who would retrace the final journey of Jesus Christ to Calvary. Later for the many that wanted to pass along the same route, but could not make the trip to Jerusalem, a practice developed that the Stations of the Cross began as the practice of pious pilgrims to Jerusalem who would eventually take the form of the fourteen stations currently found in almost every church. (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops).
Stations of the Cross are held on Friday nights during Lent Watch the Stations with your family on a podcast. Then fill out and return the "Reflection Sheets".
Model 2 Intergenerational Community Faith Catechesis (LOFT). This program involves parents staying with their children for the entire time. This program has the following components; hospitality, opening and closing prayers, introduction to the theme to the whole group, a learning/activity station(s), and a summary of the theme, a home activity or kit. UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE WE WILL NOT HAVE ANY ON-SITE FAMILY CATECHESIS DUE TO THE VIRUS PANDEMIC.
MODEL 3 PLEASE USE YOUR DISCRETION OR WHAT IS ALLOWED DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC. Family Pilgrimage. THIS CAN BE ALSO BE DONE AS A VIRTUAL PILGRIMAGE! A shrine is a church or other sacred place visited by the faithful as pilgrims for special devotion. A pilgrimage is a journey by the faithful to a shrine. A pilgrimage is not a vacation time or sightseeing stop or visit but rather an act of spiritual renewal. After the pilgrimage, fill out the Reflection Sheet for Family discussion and return the sheet to the Religious Education Office. The Reflection Sheet may be picked up at the Religious Education Office. Please visit the following websites for Catholic shrines locations: • Thecatholictravelguide.com/destination/u-s-a • 10 top catholic shrines in the US- religious travel planning guide • Holy Thursday visit 7 Catholic churches in the community.
MODEL 4: Not currently offered...TBA On-Line Faith Formation- The online faith formation/LOFT study will take place from the comfort of your own home via video conference. This is a great opportunity to fulfill your LOFT requirement, get to know some other families in your parish, and grow in your faith not only for you but for your whole family. This online course will be run by Mrs. Ann Marie Hollywood and Deacon Mike Correale. DATE AND TIME TO BE ANNOUNCED 8:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Must RSVP by :
ahollywood@gmail.com