Alright, so you may have noticed I haven't posted a Catholic Family Meeting for a few weeks.  Or you may not have noticed.  Haha.  But things have been really busy around here, and obviously blogging for a hobby is not high on the priority list.  Our family is actually attempting to simplify our family meeting a little, after listening to Matthew Kelly's Raising Amazing Children and generally feeling like we are tight on time.  

We are opting for a less formal version with many of the same parts, but less technology (ie. slideshow) and structure.  

So what are we doing?

We set aside about 30 minutes one night during the week, preferably at the beginning of the week.  We open with a prayer.  Then we read the upcoming Sunday gospel (just like we've been doing).  But, as Kelly suggests, we ask each person in the family to share a word or phrase that stood out to him or her.  Then we read it again, and discuss again.  This makes for a more kid-driven discussion of the gospel and gently forces each person to be engaged.  If we want to go further with the "meeting", like a fun activity or something we can, but we don't have to, which is kind of liberating.  At the end, we finish with prayer.  

Now we still use some internet resources for our meeting or to plan feast days during the week, so the following may be helpful this week:

Readings for the 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Sunday Connection - Background on the readings

June Liturgical Calendar

10 June Activities for Catholic Families

Catholic Family Meeting {Pentecost Sunday, Cycle B}

This Sunday, with the celebration of Pentecost, completes the season of Easter.  Pentecost celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit and the start of the Church.  What wonderful things to celebrate!

Imagine being present as the Holy Spirit was sent down to the apostles with a "noise like a strong driving wind" and "tongues as of fire which parted and came to rest on each one of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues."  From there, the apostles went out and proclaimed the gospel.  (Acts 2:1-11).  

What would seem to be a terrifying event (what with wind and fire and all), leads to God providing His apostles with the only means of doing His will in the absence of Jesus - the Holy Spirit.  

Just as with the apostles, the Holy Spirit provides us with what we need in order to do God's will in our lives.  

I really love St. Augustine's Prayer to the Holy Spirit:

Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy.  Speak in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy. Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love but what is holy.  Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy.  Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, that I always may be holy.  Amen.

The Holy Spirit can be difficult to understand as adults, and therefore challenging to explain to children.  The Catechism thoroughly explains the Holy Spirit.  Obviously, Pentecost and the Holy Spirit are the focus of this week's family meeting.

Click here for the Google Drive slideshow

Catholic Family Meeting {Seventh Sunday of Easter / Ascension, Cycle B}

This Sunday is the Seventh Sunday of Easter, but many parishes (including mine) also celebrate the Ascension, which is 40 days into Easter.

Jesus ends His work on earth to take His place at the right hand of the Father.  Beforehand, He tells His disciples

He does not leave them to do His work on their own, as it says in Mark 16:20, "But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs".  

We too are not alone.  We do not have to do God's will all by ourselves.  Jesus is in heaven helping us.  All we have to do is to ask and be open to His grace.

When I am attentive to my relationship with Jesus, I am best able to do His work and live out His will.  

I hope to continue to grow in this area in my own life and pass this on to my children. 

 
Click here for the Our Catholic Family Meeting slideshow document.