Domestic Church Families, Become what you are

Men of the Cross Conference

On Saturday, October 22nd men from around the Diocese of La Crosse will converge in Marshfield to take part in this year's annual Men of the Cross conference. From its inception, the focus of this conference is to lead men into a deeper relationship with Christ and to discern through fellowship and prayer on how to be husbands, fathers and brothers of the Cross. Last year, the conference drew in more than 400 men and there is an expectation of growing from that number for this year.

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FEATURED ARTICLES for October - November 2016

Praying for Your Family's Dead – A Work of Mercy with Some Surprising Benefits

By: Jeff Arrowood
Holy days and liturgical seasons very often remind us of what we should be doing all year long. Advent and Lent are great examples. The spiritual disciplines that we observe so intensely during these liturgical seasons are supposed to get us back on track with the spiritual activities we're supposed to be participating in every day – prayer, acts of charity, and acts of sacrifice. All Souls Day is another holy day that reminds us of a duty of love that Christians are called to – praying for the dead.

Burying the dead is a corporal work of mercy. Praying for the living and the dead is a spiritual work of mercy. Together these make up a very important practice of praying for all members of God’s family. God’s Family – the Church - is not separated by the veil of death. The Church Triumphant (those in Heaven), the Church Suffering (those in Purgatory) and the Church Militant (those on earth) are all one Church. Just as we pray for each other in this world, so we are called to pray for those in Purgatory, and so those in Heaven pray for us. We are all one family, supporting each other in prayer.

My family makes this a daily practice. We bought some colored Popsicle sticks and we wrote the names of all our deceased family members and friends, and all of our friends’ family members, who have died. These sticks are in a jar in the center of our table. After every meal, we pray the traditional “after meal prayer” that goes:

        We give You thanks
        For all Your benefits, almighty God
        Who lives and reigns forever.
        May the souls of the faithful departed,
        Through the mercy of God
        Rest in peace. Amen.
We then pull one of the sticks and pray “especially for” the person whose name is on the stick.
        Eternal rest grant unto him/her, oh Lord
        And let perpetual light shine upon him/her. Amen.

We then put the stick into a coffee cup adorned with an image of Mary – symbolically commending the soul of our loved one to Mary’s ongoing prayers.

This simple daily practice has offered us many benefits:

  • It reminds our children (and us) that family members who have died have not ceased to exist, and have not ceased to be members of our family. We are still connected through God.
  • It practices the virtue of charity, especially expressed through mercy.
  • It reminds our children that Heaven, Purgatory and Hell are real.
  • It gives us an opportunity to talk about death in a way that is not fatalistic or despairing, but full of hope and faith.
  • It demonstrates the power of prayer.
  • It keeps our family – living and dead – connected.

Hope is the virtue of trusting in God’s promise of Heaven. Exercise the virtue of Hope by praying for the poor souls in Purgatory. Teach your children that not even death separates us from God’s love, or from each other.


 

 




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prayer corner

October - That journalists, in carrying out their work, may always be motivated by respect for truth and a strong sense of ethics.

November - That within parishes, priests and lay people may collaborate in service to the community without giving in to the temptation of discouragement.

December - That the peoples of Europe may rediscover the beauty, goodness, and truth of the Gospel which gives joy and hope to life.

Great Websites for Internet Safety

We encourage you to bookmark these websites and blogs or download these apps this month.

Covenant Eyes – I know – I know. When you first click on this site, you are going to be asked to purchase an internet filter for your computer. PLEASE go beyond their sales pitch and click on their blog tab to read great articles about internet safety, how to become an internet accountability partner with a family member or friend or to download the free ebook on Your Brain on Porn. The good folks that created this program have a vested interest in providing families with the tools needed to block the dark side of the web. Their services are considered “top shelf” and well suited to Catholic families. In fact, they also offer an app for persons who have become addicted to porn and want to break free from it. The app can be found at: http://www.covenanteyes.com/challenge/

Internet Safety 101 –Preventing the Internet-enabled exploitation of  children can seem like an overwhelming task as kids are at risk of encountering inappropriate content, dangerous people and engaging in risky behavior across multiple Internet platforms.  The good news is that you don’t need a Ph.D. in Internet technology to be a great cyber-parent.  However, you do need to make a commitment to become familiar with the technology your children use and to stay current with Internet safety issues. 

This website provides parents with the absolute basics for the safe use of the internet. If your children are on the net and you are NOT sitting at their side, you must visit this site and become educated, equipped and empowered.