Faith Tidbit

Teaching About God’s Gift of Forgiveness ~ Initial Preparation to Encounter Christ in the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation: A New Evangelization Perspective Excerpts from the United Stated Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) by Ximena DeBroeck, MA

Sacramental formation is an integral part of evangelization and catechesis, or bringing our faith alive for all people. There are many teachers of the faith but parents hold a place of great responsibility and privilege as the first evangelizers and catechists of the children… We are created in the image of the harmonious and just relationship within the Trinity; we are created in right or just relationship with God and other creatures. Sin disrupted the state of “original justice.” Even so, God continues to invite humanity to return to a right and just relationship with Him. He never tires of offering us forgiveness and welcoming us back into relationship…Christ assumed human nature to fully reveal God’s love, to be a model of holiness, to heal our wounded humanity, and to reconcile us with God. Through His Passion, Death, and Resurrection (the Paschal Mystery), Jesus reconciled us to the Father and made us partakers in His divine nature so that we might have eternal life. He also gave us the sacraments as the way to grow in holiness and grow in our relationship with Him…Only God can forgive and reconcile us to Himself, yet reconciliation is brought to us through the sacraments of Baptism and Reconciliation. God extends the invitation to turn back to Him. This requires our human response and then cooperation with God’s grace…. Sacraments are not “magic” rituals. They require us to be open to the graces that God wants to give us and to be willing to live as God wants us to live. In Reconciliation, the penitent must be willing to believe in God’s grace, forgiveness, and mercy. The penitent must also be aware of the reality of his/her own sin, desire conversion of heart, and be willing to cooperate with God’s grace. This disposition of the penitent is expressed in the actions of contrition, confession, and penance assisted by and examination of conscience before approaching Jesus in the person of the priest to receive this Sacrament… Parents and catechists are trying to achieve the same goal, that of forming intentional disciples of Christ –one who desires to have a personal relationship with Christ, embarks on a lifelong journey to deepen that relationship, and is willing to seek out reconciliation when sin has occurred…Disciples are formed first by hearing the good news, even prior to formal learning or catechesis. Parents telling the story of God’s love and His invitation to a personal relationship provides good soil where the seeds of future teaching can take root. It is how Jesus formed His first disciples….Information alone cannot lead to transformation unless the heart is open to an encounter with God, which all the sacraments provide… Sin exists. It is a turning away from God and , at minimum, wounds our relationship with God and others. Some sins are more serious (mortal) than others (venial). The desire for ongoing conversion is a sign of readiness for receiving this Sacrament and is fundamental in the life of a disciple. There are many Scripture passages on the forgiveness and healing offered to others by Jesus during His public ministry. Most are found in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Another wonderful reflective piece is the song “Hosea” in which God invites us to come back to Him with all our heart and to not let fear keep us from coming to Him, based on the Old Testament Book of the Prophet Hosea (chapter 14). Many of the PREP students were able to take advantage of being reconciled with God during class time. For any who were not with us on November 24th or December 2nd, the parish is having an evening celebration of the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation on December 17th. There are usually about 20 priests here to hear confessions and it moves fairly quickly once the prayer service is competed. The children can tell you how wonderful and understanding these priests are. They are happy to help you be reconciled with God. It’s the perfect pre-Christmas gift to you for yourself.

Love Is Our Mission: The Family Fully Alive

Two Become One

“We are not made to be alone. Human beings need and complete each other. Friendship and

community satisfy that longing with bonds of common interest and love. Marriage is a

uniquely intimate form of friendship that calls a man and a woman to love each other in the

manner of God’s covenant. Marriage is a Sacrament. Married love is fruitful and offered

without reservation. This love is in the image of Jesus’ faithfulness to the Church.” (Preparatory Catechesis for the VIII World Meeting of Families, Love is Our Mission: The Family Fully Alive, Introduction to

Part IV).

Virtue, love, and goodness help fulfill our destiny (see 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, “love is patient…”).

Loving as God wants us to love is not easy and demands humility and patience. Romance is

wonderful but a marriage cannot be built or survive on romance or even sexual chemistry alone.

Interior freedom, self-mastery, and the capacity for self-gift are key; and, sacramental

commitment to do the work of love, even during the tough times, is an essential ingredient on

God’s covenant.

Christian marriage is not a romantic audition or conditional arrangement “until further notice.”

The Church offers support through Jesus, the sacraments, and the Christian community. The

Church promises that marriage is a Sacrament which offers sustaining grace that is real and

present. To love this way is something we choose to do in everyday life with all its ups and

downs. To love this way makes us more human.

People who want their marriages to work cultivate the cardinal virtues (prudence, justice,

fortitude, temperance) and theological virtues (faith, hope charity/love). Chastity helps a

marriage to flourish through forming good habits of self-denial and self-control. Mercy helps a

marriage grow. The Church’s marital vows constantly recall spouses to their better natures and

situate marriage in relation to the other sacraments, especially Penance and Eucharist, fostering

true communion between the sexes.

What can families do to celebrate and protect Christian marriages?

Please join us all in prayer as we prepare for this wonderful event.

God and Father of us all, in Jesus, your Son and our Savior,

you have made us your sons and daughters in the family of the Church.

May your grace and love help our families in every part of the world

be united to one another in fidelity to the Gospel.

May the example of the Holy Family, with the aid of your Holy Spirit,

guide all families, especially those most troubled,

to be homes of communion and prayer and to always seek your truth and live in your love.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, pray for us!

Save the Date ~ Alternate Sacrament Parent Forum Evening

Thursday, January 8, 2015

7:00 PM in the Daily Mass Chapel This evening is for those who could not be with us on September 27th.

December 7th 2014, 12:30PM-6:30PM

12:30 pm Registration with Refreshments/Snacks (Main Dining Hall)1:00–1:30 pm Welcome and Music (Upper McShain)1:30–2:30 pm Talk #1 (Upper McShain) Activities (Children ages 4-12) (Main Dining Hall)Confessions available through the day3:00–4:15 pm Mass (Upper McShain) and a short break4:15–5:15 pm Spaghetti Dinner (Main Dining Hall)5:15–6:30 pm Talk #2 + Benediction (Upper McShain)

TEAM: Fr. Louis Marie Leonelli, CFR, Father currently serves at St. Crispin’s , a men’s homeless shelter in the Bronx, with his brother Franciscan Friars of the RenewalFr. Christopher Rogers, Chaplain, Immaculata UniversityFr. Stephen DeLacy Vocation Director, Archdiocese of PhiladelphiaFr. Bill Ga�ney, CSsR Redemptorist MissionaryMarty Rotella Award-winning Catholic songwriter and evangelistBob & Anna Iatesta Co-Founders and Directors of Living Bridges

Registration by Friday November 14th – (Checks to “Living Bridges”)

COST - $7/Child $17/Adult $60/Family (max) (4 to 17 years) (Parents & more than 3 children)

Talks, Mass, Confession, Activities & Spaghetti Dinner

Register by phone, fax or email to: Living Bridges:

136 Garrett Ave, Rosemont, PA 19010 www.LivingBridges.org

A MarianCelebration for families atMalvernRetreatHouse

�ese words of mercy were spoken to St. Juan Diego, in 1531 by Our Blessed Mother, �e Virgin of Guadalupe:

“I am your merciful Mother…Mother to you, to all who dwell in this land and to all who con�de in me with love….Here I will listen

to their weeping and their sorrows, and will remedy and alleviate all their multiple su�erings, necessities, and misfortunes…”

Malvern Retreat HouseMalvern, PA

DREs, Catechists, Parents & Clergy are invited to this Mini‐Conference focused on the

Religious Education of Children with Special Needs

PARTNERS IN FAITH FORMATION OF CHILDREN with ASD, IDD & Other Disabilities

Click here to register on line.

Jan 24th 8:30am- 1:30 pm at Gwynedd Mercy University

National, Regional and Local leaders in the fields of disability and faith formation

will be presenting.

NEW ADDITION:12:30-1:30 PM: Join us for a light lunch at which Loyola Press will present

the Adaptive Finding God Program,

a groundbreaking new faith formation program for

children with special needs.

If you already registered please email to sr.kschipani@archphila.org to confirm that you will attend the luncheon. New registrants please check Luncheon to attend.

Affordable Cost: $20 (Parents of Children with Disabilities- $10)

One elective or annual update credit for catechetical certification will be granted to catechists and school teachers of the Archdiocese.

Co ‐ Sponsored by:

The Office for Persons with Disabilities, Archdiocese o f Philadelphia The Office o f Catechetical Formation, Archdiocese o f Philadelphia

Autism Institute, Gwynedd Mercy University Loyola Press

2014-2015 St Joseph PREP CalendarPREP@stjosephrc.org www.stjosephrc.org/PREP

S M Tu W Th F S S M Tu W Th F S

Aug 1 2NO PREP CLASSES

1 - Mary, Mother of God, Holy Day28 29 30 31 1 2 3 Jan

20143 4 5 6 7 8 9 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 2015

10 11 12 13 14 15 1615 - Assumption of the BVM Holy Day

11 12 13 14 15 16 17

17 18 19 20 21 22 23 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

24 25 26 27 28 29 3028 & 29 - First Penance

31- CONFIRMATION RETREAT25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Sept 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 1-Labor Day 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Feb2014

7 8 9 10 11 12 13 ALL PREP volunteers meet 18- ASH WEDNESDAY 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 2015

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 PREP classes beginNO PREP classes

inclement weather make-up days if 2 days are missed 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

21 22 23 24 25 26 2727 - Parent Sacrament Forum At least one Parent of children

28- CONFIRMATION Masses 10:00

AM & 2:00 PM22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Oct 28 29 30 1 2 3 4receiving Sacraments to attend

begins at 8:00 AM with Mass 2,3 PREP confessions Level 2 -5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Mar2014

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 8 - Daylight Savings time BEGINS 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 2015

12 13 14 15 16 17 18 NO PREP classes 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

19 20 21 22 23 24 25 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Nov 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 1 - All Saints Day 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 Apr2014

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 2- Daylight Savings time ENDS 5 - Easter 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 2015

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

16 17 18 19 20 21 2225- First Holy Communion Masses

9:30AM & 12 noon19 20 21 22 23 24 25

23 24 25 26 27 28 2924- PREP confession Level 3-6

27 - Thanksgiving NO PREP classes 26 27 28 29 30 1 2 May

Dec 30 1 2 3 4 5 6 2- PREP confession Level 3-6 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 2015

20147 8 9 10 11 12 13

8- Immaculate Conception Holy

Day

LAST PREP CLASSES

14- Ascension Thursday10 11 12 13 14 15 16

14 15 16 17 18 19 20Holy Day

17 18 19 20 21 22 23

21 22 23 24 25 26 27NO PREP Classes

25 - Christmas , Holy Day 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

First and Last PREP class

PREP classes meet -Liturgical season: Ordinary Time

PREP classes meet -Liturgical season: Advent or Lent

PREP classes meet -Liturgical season: Christmas or Easter time

NO PREP classes