The Family Zone

Welcome! We hope you enjoy our summer format! You won't find any PDF's or long articles...just a few ways to keep faith and fun flowing through your family life over the next few months!

GRATITUDE

St. Juliana Falconieri showed gratitude in her life when she asked for the Eucharist at her death. Her devotion to the Sacrament was one way she lived a life of gratitude to God for his blessings.

What Is It?

An acknowledgement of God’s generosity.

It inspires us to be generous to others in return.

Live It Out!

Say “Thank You” even when you wouldn’t normally.

Each time you’re thankful, try to do something to make others thankful too.

Eucharist comes from the Greek word meaning thanksgiving. Each time we celebrate the Eucharist, we are giving thanks to God. Listen to the words of the priest during the consecration: “It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Father most holy…”

Even in the midst of a pandemic and social unrest, we can find things to be thankful for. Gratitude is more than a simple virtue, it is Liturgical. St. Juliana understood this, and was so grateful when the Eucharist was brought to her at her death.

Can you find time to pray with a streaming Mass? How are you grateful for this technology that allows us access to these prayers even when not at Mass in person? Maybe you can safely go to Mass and show your gratitude in person.

Litany of Thanksgiving from the Jesuits

O gracious and generous God, we give you thanks for the many blessings we have in our lives:

For the gift of life: We thank you, Lord.

For your steadfast love: We thank you, Lord.

For this astonishing, complex planet and all you have created: We thank you, Lord.

For faith and the example of your saints: We thank you, Lord.

For the Church and our family in faith: We thank you Lord.

For our families and friends: We thank you Lord.

For health and for those who care for the sick: We thank you Lord.

For food, warmth and shelter: We thank you Lord.

For our nation, for freedom, security and peace: We thank you Lord. Lord, let us always be aware of your great kindness to us, your children.

In gratitude for your gifts, may we: … respect all life … care for creation … tend the sick, the hungry, the homeless and the migrant … work to create a just nation … love one another as you have loved us.

Amen

TIP OF THE WEEK: In an anxious moment, stop and take 10 deep breaths before moving on. Allow yourself to feel the breath fill your lungs deeply and exhale deeply. This breathing technique can have a calming effect and open doorways to talking about the anxiety instead of panicking within it.

The Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is celebrated on Friday, June 19 and reminds us of the love found in the Heart of Our Lord Jesus. These sweet treats are a reminder of the sweetness and mercy found in the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Strawberries are nature's own sweet little hearts and are the "sweet heart" of these cupcakes.

Strawberry Cupcakes: https://catholiccuisine.blogspot.com/2010/06/o-sacred-heart-how-sweet-are-thee.html

This week, try using your movement time to focus on mindfulness and all we are thankful for. Try taking a prayer walk in silence or engage in a stretching and breathing type of exercise such as Tai Chi. Tai Chi is a practice that helps you reflect on gratitude, energy and inner calm. It is also a great way for kids to redirect some of their pent up energy! Here are some simple moves to begin this exercise:

https://www.livestrong.com/article/431042-tai-chi-basic-steps-for-beginners/

Create a Gratitude Jar or Gratitude Tree for everyone in your house to add to when they are thankful for something/someone (You could even start that outside your house and allow neighbors to leave their messages!), leave notes of gratitude in your windows or at your Parish, create a gratitude collage of all the things you are thankful for!

FOR ADOLESCENTS: HATCHET by Gary Paulsen

In an unimaginable accident, 13 year old Brian must learn to be grateful for the blessing of survival, his own instincts and the family he is separated from during his time in the wilderness.

FOR CHILDREN: The Blessings Jar by Colleen Coble

Teaches even the youngest children the value of gratitude!

Children can enjoy the Berenstain Bears Read Aloud below. It is a wonderful story about being grateful for what you have!

Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester

Debtor in Possession

Email: oec@dor.org
Website: oec.dor.org
Location: Diocese of Rochester, Buffalo Road, Rochester, NY, USA
Phone: 585-328-3210

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