Teaching children-to-pray

Preparationfor First Communion

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"All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother." --

Abraham Lincoln

"Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother." –

Lin Yutang

"By and large, mothers and housewives are the only workers who do not have regular time off. They are

the great vacationless class." -- Anne Morrow

Lindbergh

"The mother's heart is the child's

schoolroom." – Henry Ward Beecher

"The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother."

St. Josemaria Escriva answers the questions:

I think it is precisely the best way to give children a truly Christian upbringing. Scripture tells us about those early Christian families which drew new strength and new life from the light of the Gospel. St Paul calls them 'the Church in the household' (1 Cor 16:19).

I think it is precisely the best way to give children a truly Christian upbringing. Scripture tells us about those early Christian families which drew new strength and new life from the light of the Gospel. St Paul calls them 'the Church in the household' (1 Cor 16:19).

Children learn to place God first and foremost in their affections. They learn to see God as their Father and Maryas their Mother and they learn to pray following their parents' example.

Children learn to place God first and foremost in their affections. They learn to see God as their Father and Maryas their Mother and they learn to pray following their parents' example.

In this way one can easily see what a wonderful apostolate parents have and how it is their duty to live a fully Christian life of prayer, so they can communicate their love of God to their children, which is something more than just teaching them.

In this way one can easily see what a wonderful apostolate parents have and how it is their duty to live a fully Christian life of prayer, so they can communicate their love of God to their children, which is something more than just teaching them.

This is the way to ensure that God is not regarded as a stranger whom we go to see in the church once a week on Sunday.

This is the way to ensure that God is not regarded as a stranger whom we go to see in the church once a week on Sunday.

He will be seen and treated as He really is, not only in church but also at home, because our Lord has told us, 'Where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them' (Matt 18:20).

He will be seen and treated as He really is, not only in church but also at home, because our Lord has told us, 'Where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them' (Matt 18:20).

3 Ways to learn Prayer:

By exampleBy experienceBy education

3 Ways to learn Prayer:

By exampleBy experienceBy education

Children are primarily influenced by what their parents, caregivers and teachers do.

If those who have the greatest influence over them pray regularly, children will follow.

Children are primarily influenced by what their parents, caregivers and teachers do.

If those who have the greatest influence over them pray regularly, children will follow.

The TRUTH About Today’s Digital Natives

The TRUTH About Today’s Digital Natives

Sense of Entitlement

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Scriptures reveal the gift…Scriptures reveal the gift…

““And when the hour came, he sat at table, and And when the hour came, he sat at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, "I the apostles with him. And he said to them, "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I tell you I shall not with you before I suffer; for I tell you I shall not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God." eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God." (…) And he took bread, and when he had (…) And he took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "saying, "This is my body which is given for This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of meyou. Do this in remembrance of me.." And " And likewise the cup after supper, saying, "likewise the cup after supper, saying, "This This cup which is poured out for you is the cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my bloodnew covenant in my blood..”” (Lk. 22:14-21) (Lk. 22:14-21)

""This is my body This is my body which is given for which is given for you. Do this in you. Do this in remembrance of meremembrance of me..““

""This cup which is This cup which is poured out for you is poured out for you is the new covenant in the new covenant in my bloodmy blood..””

The Gift…

Jesus Christ gives us a Jesus Christ gives us a ““miracle giftmiracle gift””

The sacraments are The sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed which divine life is dispensed to usto us. .

Jesus Christ gives us a Jesus Christ gives us a ““miracle giftmiracle gift””

The visible rites by which the The visible rites by which the sacraments are sacraments are celebrated signify celebrated signify and make present the graces and make present the graces proper to each sacramentproper to each sacrament. They . They bear fruit in those who receive bear fruit in those who receive them with the required them with the required dispositions. dispositions.

The Catholic Church Teaches…The Catholic Church Teaches…

Our Saviour, (…) instituted this Our Saviour, (…) instituted this sacrament, in which He poured sacrament, in which He poured forth, as it were, the riches of forth, as it were, the riches of His divine love towards men, His divine love towards men, making a remembrance of His making a remembrance of His wonderful works; (…) wonderful works; (…)

(Council of Trent, Sess. xiii. cap ii) (Council of Trent, Sess. xiii. cap ii)

The Catholic Church Teaches…The Catholic Church Teaches…

(…) and He willed also that this (…) and He willed also that this sacrament should be received as the sacrament should be received as the spiritual food of souls, whereby may spiritual food of souls, whereby may be fed and strengthened those who be fed and strengthened those who live with His life, who said: 'He that live with His life, who said: 'He that eats me, the same also shall live by eats me, the same also shall live by me,'(John 6:58) me,'(John 6:58)

(Council of Trent, Sess. xiii. cap ii) (Council of Trent, Sess. xiii. cap ii)

The Gift of the Holy Eucharist…The Gift of the Holy Eucharist…

Center of all the Center of all the other sacramentsother sacraments. . Mystery of faith Mystery of faith around which around which revolves the whole revolves the whole Catholic liturgyCatholic liturgy

The Gift of the Holy Eucharist…The Gift of the Holy Eucharist…

to to ““give thanksgive thanks””; ; names - Lord's Supper, names - Lord's Supper, the Table of the Lord, the Table of the Lord, the Holy Sacrifice, the the Holy Sacrifice, the Holy of Holies, the Holy of Holies, the Blessed Sacrament..Blessed Sacrament..

Vitalizing core Vitalizing core of the Church of the Church and the and the ChristianChristian’’s Life. s Life. ((Ecclesiæ de Ecclesiæ de EucharistiaEucharistia))

A Dynamic and Transforming Gift…

Three main Three main aspects of the aspects of the Eucharistic Eucharistic mystery, as mystery, as Real Real PresencePresence, as the , as the Sacrifice of the Sacrifice of the AltarAltar, or as the , or as the sacrament of sacrament of Holy CommunionHoly Communion. .

Real Presence: Real Presence: the greatest the greatest miracle of our miracle of our timestimes. .

Real Presence: Real Presence: the greatest the greatest miracle of our miracle of our times. times.

The Miracle Gift of the Transubstantiation

Sacrifice of the Sacrifice of the Altar: one priest and Altar: one priest and one victim – the one victim – the work of salvation work of salvation continues continues

Fruits of Holy Communion:Fruits of Holy Communion:

-increases our union with -increases our union with Christ and with His Christ and with His Church. Church.

-preserves and renews -preserves and renews the life of grace and the life of grace and makes us grow in love makes us grow in love for our neighbor. for our neighbor.

-strengthens charity, -strengthens charity, wipes away venial sins wipes away venial sins and preserves from and preserves from mortal sin in the future. mortal sin in the future.

(Compendium #292)(Compendium #292)

There will be a There will be a crisis in our lives crisis in our lives when we fail to when we fail to understand the Gift understand the Gift of the Mass.of the Mass.

2) 2) We are cut off from the vine of charity, that is our spiritual and human life-source.

1) Doubts about the mystery of the Real ystery of the Real Presence closes man to what is spiritual Presence closes man to what is spiritual and transcendental.and transcendental.

3) We then only We then only ““have eyeshave eyes”” for what is for what is material and temporal.material and temporal.

4) Fails to be the hub of our daily activities and dealings with our neighbor.

Preparing ourselves and our Preparing ourselves and our ChildrenChildren

1) We cannot give what we don’t have.

2) We must make the Mass our Mass.

3) In order to make it our Mass we must know and love what the mystery contains.

Some suggestions…Some suggestions…

1) Let1) Let’’s not only s not only attendattend Mass, let Mass, let’’s strive to s strive to continually pray and live the Mass.continually pray and live the Mass.

2) Try taking a 2) Try taking a ““piece of this miraclepiece of this miracle”” with us with us and appreciating it in a concrete moment.and appreciating it in a concrete moment.

3) That moment could be our prayer, work, 3) That moment could be our prayer, work, rest and family life.rest and family life.

4) Foster deep devotion to Mary, Our Mother, 4) Foster deep devotion to Mary, Our Mother, the first Tabernacle.the first Tabernacle.

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