Countdown to Lent: Focus On the Mass - The Lord Be With You!

Gideon and the Angel - He Qi As the Mass begins we make the sign of the Cross and then right away Father Antony says to us “the Lord be with you!” How often to we say this without giving much thought to where this comes from or why our Mass might begin with an exchange like this? Do we realize, for example, how much of our Mass - such as this phrase - comes to us from the Bible itself? There are a number of stories in the Bible where this phrase is used. In most of those situations a messenger of God is speaking to someone who is about to be invited to take part in God's plan in some amazing way. People like Gideon in the book of Judges...

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Lent in the Home: Cards For Shut-Ins

Sometimes giving up something for the 40 days of lent is pretty challenging when you are 5 years old. Rather than lent being a painful experience, with a little creativity we can help our children love this special time in the church! One idea is to encourage your children during this Lenten season to make cards for those of our parish who live in Extendicare facilities, Personal care homes or are sick and unable to leave their house. Have your children make a card (or two or three. Or 40!!) and then together you can either write a little note or prayer in it, draw a picture, etc. Most importantly make sure this lent to pray for the person...

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Lent In The Home: A Lent Box

This Lent, try making a Lent Box for your family to help explain the images and symbols of Holy Week to your children! Print off the template from Kids and Glitter, color the pictures, and glue the box together. Place the box in a visible and accessible spot in your home and speak to your children about filling it with money to be given to  the Church or to the poor this lent. Encourage them by placing donations of your own in the box. This is a great way to teach them generosi...

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Countdown to Lent: Focus on the Mass - The Sign of the Cross

At the start of Mass we all stand and Father Antony makes his entrance into the sanctuary. Once there He invites us to begin “In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” and we all join him in making the sign of the Cross. For most of us, the sign of the cross is something that comes very naturally, almost instinctively and we can do it and say the words often without even thinking about what we are doing and why. When we call on the name of God on the name of Jesus and of the Holy Spirit we are becoming aware of God's presence. We are gathering in His name and reminding ourselves that He is with us. In the early Church...

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The Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter

From a sermon by Saint Leo the Great, popeThe Church of Christ rises on the firm foundation of Peter’s faithOut of the whole world one man, Peter, is chosen to preside at the calling of all nations, and to be set over all the apostles and all the fathers of the Church. Though there are in God’s people many shepherds, Peter is thus appointed to rule in his own person those whom Christ also rules as the original ruler. Beloved, how great and wonderful is this sharing of his power that God in his goodness has given to this man. Whatever Christ has willed to be shared in common by Peter and the other leaders of the Church, it is only through Peter...

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Lent in the Home - A Lenten Skittles Jar!

This is a simple Lenten activity that your kids will love to do through lent! On Ash Wednesday set out a small mason jar for each child with their name taped to it and a big bowl of skittles (or you can use jellybeans). Identify one action to go with each color. As they complete the action they can put a skittle in their jar and are not allowed to eat them till Easter Sunday! You can make your own actions based on the ages and needs of your children. Here is an example of what some of the colors could represent: Red is for the blood Jesus gave for us. Each morning choose something that can be sacrificed (given up) to earn the red Skittle....

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Countdown to Lent : Focus on the Mass

Only two weeks to go before the start of Lent (Ash Wednesday - March 5). Have you made any plans? Thought about what you might focus on? What about the Mass? Lent is traditionally a time for spiritual reflection. It is an invitation to enter more deeply into our relationship with Christ. We do this through three particular Lenten practices; prayer, fasting and alms-giving, all of which help us to re-order our lives and center them on Christ, drawing us closer to his heart. This Lent, we invite you to focus your attention on the most important prayer of our Church, that singular, prayerful work we call the Mass. Pope Francis, in his most...

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