Getting Ready for April e-Classes

Families, let's get ready for e-Faith Formation on Wednesday, April 1.  

PreK - Grade 3, login at 6:30 pm.  We will begin with the City of Jerusalem and finish with discussion about First Holy Communion.  Three document were sent in an e-mail to be used for City of Jerusalem at home.  Keep in mind, as we fast from Jesus in the sacraments during our sheltering at home, we all are preparing for a "First" communion, of sorts.  2nd graders, have your home-study books handy.  

Grades 4-8, login at 7:15 pm.  Get prepared by watching two videos.  Remember we are blending grades and lessons for fantastic group learning!   

7-minute whiteboard video about 1 Samuel from  Bible Project  

Overview 1 Samuel (Bible Project)

8-minute whiteboard video about Matthew 1-13 from Bible project 

Overview Matthew, Chapters 1-13 (Bible Project)

High School, login at 8:00 pm.   Ray and Mary will lead us in a great discussion!   Come prepared by studying the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and completing your Saint Report. 

e-Community and the Domestic Church

Dear Friends and Families,

Life is a "both/and" experience.  You know, like Jesus is both fully human and fully divine; or, He teaches us about both justice and mercy; He is present in both Word and the Eucharist; and, the Eucharist is both Source and Summit (CCC 1333). 

Today, I feel strong urges to both isolate my family in physical security and reach out to everyone I love using technology!  Similarly, e-faith formation is a time to build up our "Domestic Churches" while creating an online community of education and support.  We "shelter in home" with a new, simple formula:  prayer + study + works + service.  Hopefully, the church helps us meet our needs.  We resolve, let's be alone together. 

I love what Father Benny shares with us.   A letter from Father Benny

e-Faith Formation is scheduled for every Wednesday night in April using Zoom as our classroom.  THANK YOU to our lead catechists for your extra time in preparing for our new format.  We will follow these timelines strictly so that we use just one Zoom classroom, which is easier for families and free for our church. Follow the same Zoom login in procedures for all meetings (see previous blog post or reminder e-mails).

6:30 to 7:10 pm   PreK - Grade 3
7:15 to 7:55 pm   Grades 4 - 8
8:00 to 8:40 pm   High School / Confirmation. 

Hope to "see" you at Stations of the Cross, Friday March 27 at 3 pm. 

Log In and Let Us Pray!

Here is our schedule for the coming days.  Use the Zoom login details from Monday’s blog.  Also, 20 minutes before we are scheduled to begin, I will send out a reminder e-mail with a link.  Remember that each meeting lasts no more than 40 minutes.  Come for all or part! 

Wednesday March 25:   Looking forward to our e-class!  Log in at 6:30 pm using your Zoom invitation.  I pray that our time together will be uplifting and faith-filled.  Have your Bible handy and be ready to share where you found the message “Be Not Afraid” in scripture.

Thursday March 26:  Log in at Noon for a group Rosary.  Kids are encouraged to help by taking turns leading one decade of the Luminous Mysteries. 

Mysteries of the Rosary

Friday March 27:  Log in at 3:00 pm for Stations of the Cross.  We will blend together these two versions: 
Stations of the Cross for Children - Loyola Press
Scriptural Stations of the Cross

Sunday March 29:  Log in at 11:00 am following your own at-home viewing of Mass on-line.  Grab your coffee and donut and share in hospitality!

Of course, e-Faith Formation is new for all of us.  Feel free to share your comments!

And ... join Pope Francis spiritually:

 THE FEAST OF THE ANNUNCIATION ~ Noon on Wednesday  

This Wednesday, March 25, Pope Francis is inviting Catholics worldwide to join him in praying the Our Father in continued intercession for aid and consolation during the coronavirus outbreak.

e-Faith Formation

On Wednesday March 25, from 6:30 to 7:00 pm, I will host our first online Faith Formation meeting using Zoom, which is a platform using video, audio, and a chat box for a large group to communicate online.  Download the Zoom app.  It’s free and easy.  I have account details listed below.  You will also receive an e-mail invitation.

The topic on March 25 is “Be not afraid.”  Plan on a brief teaching and time for discussion.  Do you know how many times that message is revealed in scripture?  To prepare for the 25^th, find one example of where we hear that message and be willing to share your findings and insight. 

During April, we plan to use Zoom to meet online every Wednesday night; however, we will break into three smaller groups based upon ages PreK-grade 3, grades 4-8, and High School (Confirmation).  Plans will be finalized after our first online meeting. 

With so many websites and online resources available to us, I hesitate to overshare.  That said, I will suggest the following website, especially for our families with CGS students in PreK- grade 3.
The Way of the Shepherd Atrium

The Way of the Shepherd Atrium website can help you set up your home as the Domestic Church, with you (parents) as primary catechists.  Involve those older siblings, too.  I will direct you to two tabs.  One is “Atrium Updates,” under which a new category was just added, called “At Home Review” to help connect the Sunday scripture with the child’s prayer at home.   The other tab is “Prayer in the Home.”  It includes a link to help you set up a prayer table in your own home. 

"See" you Wednesday night! 

Zoom info

Meeting id:

956-172-7453

https://us04web.zoom.us/j/9561727453

password: 

461828

Please note:  Zoom does not recommend dialing-in right now due to increased usage. 

Keeping Holy the Sabbath Day ... and EVERY Day

How can my family keep Sunday holy?  Second Vatican Council taught us that the family is "the Domestic Church," which means that the context of the family is where we first learn who God is and prayerfully seek his will for us. Visit www.usccb.org to read about "Tools for Building a Domestic Church."

Reconciliation is available on Saturdays from 3 to 4 pm and on Sundays from 10 to 11 am.  Confessions are in the Reconciliation Room, behind the screen only.

Adoration is from 8 am to 3 pm every day.  Monday - Saturday in the chapel, for a maximum of four people.  Sunday in the church, for a maximum of ten people.  

What about Mass?  When circumstances prevent one from receiving Holy Communion, it is possible to make an Act of Spiritual Communion, which is a source of grace. Spiritual Communion is an ardent desire to receive Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament.  One idea is to watch Mass online as a family and make an Act of Spiritual Communion (see below).  

How can my family keep every day holy?  One idea is the Laudate app, which meets all your catholic needs, right at your fingertips. Another idea for kids and families is a daily podcast called Catholic Sprouts which uses short episodes to "plant one seed of faith each day." Listen to one; share your comments; and build up our online, faith formation community. 

You may have also receive a letter via e-mail from Father Benny sharing similar thoughts.  
Please reach out with any questions or concerns.  cahill@blessedsacramentsp.org

Jesus, we trust in You! 

Spiritual Communion Prayer

My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love you above all things and I desire to receive you in my soul.  Since I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace you as if you were already there and unite myself wholly to you. Never permit me to be separated from you.  Amen.

Options for mass online include: 

• Word on Fire Daily Mass
• Daily Holy Mass Live Online
• Vatican News Live Stream of Pope Francis’ Masses
• Catholic TV Mass
• EWTN Daily Mass
• Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception Mass
• Catholic Faith Network Masses
  
  
  
  

Online Learning, Resources, and Support

March 20, 2020

Good morning Families and Friends!

Today, we kick-off our online Faith Formation program with a blog and a you tube channel.  Both are titled, "Blessed Sacrament Faith Formation."  We also may use Zoom to give some classes the opportunity to meet face to face, virtually.  Let's keep the learning going!

No doubt you have many resources being suggested to you.  Today I will highlight FORMED.org as a high-quality and expansive tool for studying the faith.  The home page of our church website has directions for how to get started.  FORMED Live is brand new; just yesterday they uploaded new content about the Word of God during these times of uncertainty and global crisis. 

Foremost, your church should be your place of support. The Archdiocese invites us all to join in reciting the beautiful prayer, "Litany in Time of Need," at 11:05 am each day.  Personally, I invite you to participate in our online community as a way to cultivate spiritual and mental wellness.  We are made for relationship, with God and with one another. 

May we all have faith that surpasses understanding (Philippians 4:7).
Light for one step.
Stay well and pray well!