The Family Zone

Have you heard about the Summer Journey of Faith happening throughout our diocese? With so many parish events canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions, we have taken the opportunity to invite all households to participate in a summer program and See with the Eyes of God all summer long. This opportunity will be different for all participants. You serve as your own tour guides for this virtual journey, using the weekly readings as your GPS that guides your household through the activities at your own relaxed pace. You can participate in the journey even if it isn't being sponsored by your parish. To do this, simply visit our landing page: https://oec.dor.org/seeingwiththeeyesofgod/ . At this site, you will find the "Travel Itinerary" that provides all the links and directions to activities, you can browse through weekly "Trip Planners" that help you look at some ideas for engaging the themes of the weekly scriptures into your family time, or your child's daily routine! The "Packing List" will help you gather supplies you may want to have on hand, though most activities use common household items AND there are handouts, a travel bingo game and entertaining videos created by families throughout our diocese. We hope you will take some time to explore the site. Check with your parish to see if they are planning any additional fun around the summer journey and keep reading The Family Zone for a weekly connection to the journey!

Temperance

St. John Fisher understood the need for temperance. When King Henry VIII wanted to exercise more control than was his, St. John Fisher counseled temperance for the king.

What Is It?

Restrain or Self Control.

Temperance is said to fight the sin of gluttony or overindulgence.

It is the ability to know when one has enough, and to stop hoarding or consuming.

Live It Out!

Clean out a closet of unneeded clothes and donate them. Don’t replace them.

At meals this week, only take what you will eat.

Limit your screen time if it is taking too much of your time

Before you shop, consider whether you truly need it

Fast on Friday to remind yourself that:

1. You don’t need as much as you think; and 2. Jesus sacrificed for us.

The Gospel Gestures

Before proclaiming the Gospel, a deacon receives a blessing from the priest (and a priest or deacon from a bishop). That blessing is: “May the Lord be in your heart and on your lips, that you may proclaim his Gospel worthily and well.” If the presider is to proclaim the Gospel, he silently prays “Cleanse my heart and my lips, almighty God, that I may worthily proclaim your holy Gospel.” Both are emphasizing the importance of the message we are about to hear.

Right before the priest or deacon proclaims the Gospel, he tells us from which Gospel we will be hearing. At that point, he makes a small sign of the cross on the written word of the Gospel, and then similarly marks his forehead, lips, and chest with crosses. The congregation very often does the same gesture.

Lastly, after the Gospel is proclaimed, the priest or deacon kisses the book, quietly saying, “Through the words of the Gospel may our sins be wiped away.” He is praying for everyone gathered when he says this.

These three gestures show the importance Catholics place on the proclaimed Word of God. We listen to passages of it at Mass so it is not overwhelming and we can get more out of it. In other words, we listen to what we need, practicing temperance.

How can you ask God to be in your mind, on your lips, and in your heart this week?

This weekend we pray for all our fathers who tirelessly serve their families. Please consider adding this Father's Day prayer to your grace this week!

A video from Bobby Angel to support dads in their awesome path of fatherhood, on this Father's Day weekend

HEY KIDS! Want to make a treat for dad? Here's a list of 25 ideas you could make to celebrate his big day! https://www.inthekidskitchen.com/holiday-fun/fathers-day-recipes-kids-can-make/

AND, If you are looking for an easy, throw-it-together-in-about-10-minutes-treat to celebrate the Solemnity of the Birth of St. John the Baptist (the only saint who gets to celebrate his birthday liturgically) on June 24 then here is an idea for you. St. John the Baptist, pray for us!

Grasshopper Parfaits

HERE'S A GREAT OBJECT LESSON THAT HELPS KIDS LEARN ABOUT SELF-CONTROL! It's a science experiment, message and discussion all in one!

Stop, Pray and Walk Away Science experiment: https://catsinthecradle.blog/2017/05/24/stop-pray-walk-away-object-lesson-on-self-control

For Children:

Howard B Wigglebottom Learns too Much of a Good Thing is Bad by Susan Cornelison and Howard Binkow. :

This cute little story helps young children to understand what the virtue of temperance means and why it's important to live out that virtue!

For Teens:

The HOBBIT by J.R.R. Tolkien is a great book to explore the theme of self-control. How does the sin of greed drive the characters?

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

See them all here!