We continue to learn about God's covenants and salvation history and follow the Gospels and themes of the liturgical year. I'll include below the Take-Home Mission info, Shadow Stations dates, and a couple links for confession and examination of conscience that were included in the last email.
Last month we continued reading a bit from Exodus and watched clips from The Prince of Egypt. We learned about Moses as a baby through the time of the plagues, as God guided Moses to free the Israelites from slavery under Pharoh. We saw how the sacrifice of the lambs of Passover at that time was a clue that points to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. How Jesus is the Lamb of God. Moses obeyed God and freed the Israelites from slavery and Jesus obeyed God, freeing us from slavery to sin, death and the devil.
This month we focus on how God saved the Israelites, guiding them across the parted water of the Red Sea with a column of cloud by day and one of fire by night. How God continued to keep his promises to Abraham, by leading and guiding his descendants, and how he answers our prayers. Next we will hear about God's covenant at Mount Sinai with the Israelites, making them a Great Nation, The Ten Commandments and the Ark of the Covenant, and Mary as the New Ark of the Covenant.
Lenten Confession Opportunities
As was mentioned in the Flocknote email, Father George wants to provide all the faith formation children and parents with ample opportunities to get to confession during lent. Father knows some of the children have not gone since they made their First Reconciliation, and this can make it very stressful on them when they prepare for Confirmation and have to go as teenagers before they are confirmed. We know it can be inconvenient to bring the family during regularly scheduled time before mass on Saturday, and the Lenten penance service, (this has 5 priests hearing confessions so it goes fast) which occurs next Tuesday March 21st at 7pm may be challenging to get to due to it being a school night. So after family mass last Sunday, Monsignor Vincent Becker joined us for coffee and snack and gave us a little pep talk, and then heard confession for an hour while we were having our lesson downstairs. This will occur again on March 26th, this time with Father George. The older teen aged youth went last week, and next week, the younger kids will go and anyone who didn't go last time. Parents are encouraged and invited as well. This was well received and seems to have been a success, as several adults thanked us for this opportunity, as they had not been in years either, saying this was a great opportunity for reintroduction to this healing sacrament. Review videos and basic confession instructions are provided below.
But first:
FAMILY AT-HOME MISSION ACTIVITY modified from Families Forming Disciples
We will see at our next gathering that the Israelites did not enter the Promised Land right away. In fact, they wandered in the desert for 40 years. During this time they fasted from a lot of foods, because they could not grow their own food in the desert. They had to eat mainly the manna and quail that God provided for them.
We have been learning about the many ways Moses’ life foreshadowed, or left clues about, Jesus’ life. Moses and the Israelites were in the desert fasting and learning to pray for forty (40) years, and we read in Matthew 4 that Jesus was led into the desert by the Holy Spirit where He prayed and fasted for forty (40) days. We are disciples of Jesus; therefore we try to learn from and imitate His life. So before we celebrate Easter, we pray, fast and give alms during Lent for forty (40) days too.
Your Family At-Home Mission is to watch the Stations of the Cross and Confession videos, continue living your Family Lenten Plan, color a Stations of the Cross coloring booklet (this was handed out on the 12th) and pray the Stations of the Cross together as a family. Bring your Stations of the Cross booklet to pray with at our next gathering.
This one has 2 stations per page and optimally needs to be printed on both sides to save paper. We have extra copies, let us know. We will also have "The Chidren's Way of The Cross" booklets for the prayer time.
Or this one that is all on a single page, and with color pictures:
Step 1: Watch two or more of the videos below about praying with Stations of the Cross.
For younger children: Stations of the Cross for Children 9:52
Or this one: Stations of the Cross for Kids 7:41 Stations of the Cross for Kids - YouTube
For Tweens and Teens 14 Stations 19:21 14 Stations of the Cross - YouTube
Or this one Stations of the Cross for Teens 17:30 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KWxWcYkyjk
Step 2: Discuss as a family the importance of receiving the sacrament of reconciliation at least once a year. The best time is during Lent and the Easter Season. Review the videos and instructions provided below if needed.
Step 3: Discuss as a family your practice of the Lenten pillars of praying, fasting and almsgiving. How are you living them out as we get closer to Easter? Or, if the practices are not going as well as planned, consider taking them up again, confident that God is with us and He is always on our side! Remember that perfection to God is not the same as our idea of perfection. Our little Lenten acts may be imperfect, but when we offer them to Jesus with love, He rejoices and transforms them into sacrifices of perfect love.
Step 4: Color Stations of the Cross Mini Coloring booklet (If you have not received a Color Stations of the Cross Mini Coloring booklet, I can send or post the file.)
Step 5: Pray the Stations of the Cross using the coloring booklet at home or consider coming to regular Friday Stations or :
Shadow Stations of the Cross at least once during Lent:
7:30 PM Friday, March 17, 2023 @ St. John the Baptist Parish
2021 Sandridge Rd, Alden
7:30 PM Friday, March 31, 2023 @ St. Joachim and Anne Parish
50 East Ave, Attica
Step 6: Remember to bring your Stations of the Cross booklet to Week 3’s gathering.
Confession Prep:
Here below are some videos that might help your family prepare for confession. Most of these were included in the email. Go over with your children the ones that are most age appropriate for them. I’ll also include the basic steps for confession and the Acts of Contrition down below:
What do the 10 Commandments REALLY Command? Kid Catholic / Kinetic Catholic Ministries
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ib8pzvnnL20
For adults who havent been in a long time:
Father Mike Schmidtz Going to Confession for the First Time in a Long Time
For Teens Sacrament of Reconciliation Explained
Making a Good Confession (Examining Your Conscience) Breaking in the Habit
DOs and DONTs of Confession from Life Teen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOXOmA4bldc
Confession Steps: If you forget, the priest will help you. If you haven’t been in a long time, the priest (and of course Jesus) will be so glad. Do not worry!
Examine your conscience before at home like the videos explain and pray and reflect while in the pew waiting for your turn. As you go into the confessional or get seated, make the Sign of the Cross and say
“Bless me Father for I have sinned, it has been _____ months / years / weeks since my last confession.”
" I have ….., Also....... and _______…... I am sorry for all my sins, especially for (here say the one you feel is most serious or is bothering you the most).
Then the priest will talk to you, absolve you of your sins, give you penance of some prayers or actions to do, and ask you to make a good act of contrition. There are a couple versions below. You can bring a paper copy with you or if you forget, the priest will help you. After that he will dismiss you with a final blessing. Go back to the pew, kneel and say the prayers or reflect and pray on what the penance is. Then you may leave, probably feeling a lot lighter and relieved!
Versions of Act of Contrition from USCCB
(A traditional version)
O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins because of thy just punishments, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve with the help of Thy grace to sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin. Amen.
Or New Version:
My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against you whom I should love above all things. I firmly intend, with your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin.
Our Savior Jesus Christ suffered and died for us. In his name, my God, have mercy.
(from the Rite of Penance)
or:
Lord Jesus, Son of God,
have mercy on me, a sinner. (from the Rite of Penance)