Teach on the Christmas Novena

 Teach on the Christmas Novena

Invite your class to follow the Christmas Novena time by using a Christmas tree with nine ornaments (see handout link and explanation.) Encourage them to attend the parish novena prayers with their parents. 

Link

Explaining the Immaculate Conception

Explaining the Immaculate Conception to children - December 8th  The feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary is Dec. 8 and is a holy day of obligation. Why are we celebrating? A lot of Catholic kids (and adults) don’t actually know, so here’s a little crash course that you can share with your kids. Link

Thanksgiving Placemat Project

 

Thanksgiving Placemat Project

Set the atmosphere for a faith-filled Thanksgiving by sending children home with a Thanksgiving prayer placemat. Fun for kids of all ages (even adults!), the center of the placemat includes a child’s prayer of gratitude...see the link

LINK

Jubilee of Hope

 

Jubilee Year 2025

Prepare for the Jubilee - Read More From the Letter of Bishop Gregory: I have decided to embrace the Jubilee Year with the following Eparchialrequests of clergy, religious and laity: Read More

Up-dated and Stream-line Requirements for Catechist Certification

Franciscan At Home Catechist Training

This on-line Eparchial Certification of Catechists is an easy way to conveniently sharpen your faith knowledge, catechetical teaching skills, and it's free! 

We are now in the fourth year of utilizing this excellent program from Franciscan University, and with Bishop Gregory's permission, we are simplifying the requirements:

You may now receive Level One Certification as a catechist after viewing the 12 required one-hour workshops and only answering the last question. Please see our up-dated and stream-lined requirements here -LINK-

You are encouraged to give this formation program a try. Reach out to Mother Marla Marie if you need assistance.

Maronite Music Jeopardy

Maronite Music Jeopardy Game

Created by one of our catechists' from the parish in Boston. This fun tool will help your class to learn words of the parts of the sung Liturgy and prayers.

click here - Jeopardy

Catechetical Sunday Materials - September 15th

Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Ministry:

 

I hope you are having a very good summer. 

 

Please find attached the 2024 Catechetical Sunday packet. It is sent to you electronically, as has been the norm for the last few years. This should allow you to prepare for Catechetical Sunday which falls on September 15, this year.  Print a copy for your parish file.  Also print another copy and pass it to your Religious Education Coordinator in order to start preparing for this worthy celebration.  

 

Please check the last paragraph in the Table of Content page. You might find it helpful also if you frequent the 2024 Catechetical Sunday website of the USCCB. 

 

Should you need any assistance regarding the 2024 Catechetical Sunday Celebration or should you have any question regarding the use of the packet please do not hesitate to contact me,

 

Sincerely yours,

 

Msgr. Georges El-Khalli, Ph.D., Pastor

Our Lady of the Cedars of Lebanon Maronite Catholic Church

Here is the link to the USCCB resource page for Catechetical Sunday.  

Here is a link to our Eparchy Catechetical Sunday Certificate to be presented to the parish catechists, preferably at the Divine Liturgy on September 15th or the day your pastor chooses.  

Introduction to Syriac Spirituality Zoom Sessions

 Introduction to Syriac Spirituality 

with Chorbishop Seely Beggiani 

Zoom Series Hosted by the St. Sharbel Spiritual Life Center

Please register and received the Zoom link, its FREE

April 18: The Syriac World View

April 25: The Early Period (The Demonstrations of Aphraat and the Book of Steps)

May 2: The Foundations of Spirituality (Faith, Baptism, The Holy Spirit, Eucharist)

May 9: The Foundations of Spirituality Cont (Penitence, Humility, Hope, Charity, Mercy)

May 16: Stages of the Spiritual Life: The Corporeal Stage (Faith and "Fear of God", Observing the Commandments, Asceticism, Passionlessness)

May 23: Stages of the Spiritual Life Cont: Eight Major Temptations, Abstinence, Vigil, Almsgiving, Discernment

May 30: The Stage of the Soul (Private Prayer, Luminosity, Purity of Heart, Simplicity, Stillness and Solitude)

June 6: The Stage of the Soul Cont: (Contemplation, The Divine Presence in Creation, Divine Providence, Sacred Scriptures)

June 13: The Stage of the Spirit (Silent Prayer, The Spiritual Senses, Unknowing, Spiritual Wisdom, Ecstatic events)

June 20: Summaries and Conclusions

A New Maronite Saint

Good news to share with your catechists and children.

Patriarch Estephan El Douaihy, a pillar of the Maronite Church, will soon be beatified, joining the long list of holy Maronite saints.

Text Link

More classroom resources for Great Lent

Saintly Tips on Discipline

LINK

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Praying Stations with Kids

Link

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Great Lent Resources

Letter of Bishop Gregory on the Year of Prayer

  

5 March 2024                                                                          Prot. No. 058/1/24

Cir.24.32

 

 

Dear Brother Priests, Deacons and Subdeacons, Consecrated Men and Women, Lay Faithful, 

 

 

On January 21, 2024, Pope Francis opened the Year of Prayer in anticipation of the Jubilee Year 2025. The Holy Father’s intention is to have us look closely at how we relate to the Church, to the family, and to the world, according to the wisdom of the Second Vatican Council, and then apply this practically to our own life of prayer. 

 

As you know, Pope Saint Paul VI beatified Saint Sharbel at the end of the Second Vatican Council in 1965, along with a missionary priest martyr, Jacques Berthieu, who served in Madagascar, Africa. What an honor for us as Maronites, to have shared in this spotlight, and what a message the Saintly Pontiff gave to the world (and to us!) that prayer, silence, sacrifice, and a missionary spirit are the ways forward to the renewal of the Church, the family, and the world!

 

In the Apostolic Letter by which Sharbel was declared blessed, we read this:  

 

“We should mention that we recently decreed the same honors (Beatification) for Jacques Berthieu, who won the prize by struggling in the action of life as though in a spiritual combat. Now, a monk, removed from all human association and given over to contemplation of divine things in solitude, is extolled. Both lives are commended by the Church…. Sharbel who represented anew the life, distinguished by the sanctity of the ancient hermits, kept his mind unperturbed…so that from the happiness of his soul would flow the cheerfulness of his countenance.”

 

Brothers and Sisters in Christ, during this Year of Prayer, let us use this opportunity, in the same spirit that animated Pope Saint Paul VI at the end of the Second Vatican Council when he pointed to Saint Sharbel as a model of prayer and devotion, so that we may keep our “minds unperturbed” and thus from the “happiness of our soul” God will cause to “flow the cheerfulness of our countenance.”

 

+ Gregory

 

 

PS: Please see the link below for some of the offerings of our new Saint Sharbel Spiritual Life Center on prayer and life of the holiness. https://saintsharbelcenter.org/

 

YEAR OF PRAYER RESOURCES

>Year of Prayer 2024 - How can we live it?  Read More Here

>Weekly Rosary with our Eparchy every Thursday

Join every Thursday at 5:00 PM via Zoom to pray the rosary for all the souls of the faithful departed. Father Vince, pastor of Our Lady of Purgatory, and Bishop Gregory, along with many from our Eparchy participate in this devotion. 

Join via Zoom 

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89038899691?pwd=TEdKWXErZU44eDZjdHg1U05qbWI3dz09

Meeting ID: 890 3889 9691

Passcode: 011387

>The Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization has issued a new resource on prayer aimed at inviting the faithful to “intensify prayer as a personal dialogue with God” and to reflect on their faith and commitment in today’s world.

Read More Here

>HALLOW APP https://hallow.com/        ...Discover new ways to grow closer to God alongside millions of other Christians worldwide: family prayer; prayers for children; Scripture; ...

Lenten Scripture Sharing 2024

 

Guest Presenters:

Feb 22: Healing of the Hemorrhaging Woman – Fr. Rudy Wakim

* Feb 29: Parable of the Prodigal Son—Msgr. Jim Root

 

* Mar 7: Healing of the Paralytic -- Bishop Gregory Mansour

 

* Mar 14: Healing of the Blind Man -- Maronite Servants of Christ the Light

 

* Mar 21: Hosanna Sunday – Fr. Vince Farhat

Feast of Saint Maron - February 9th

 Saint Maron is the spiritual father of the Maronites, and the saint from whom the Maronite Church draws its name. The Maronite rite is one of 23 Eastern Catholic Churches that is in full communion with the Holy See of Rome. Of all the Eastern Churches, the Maronite Church is the only one known by the name of a person—Saint Maron.

The only source we have on Saint Maron’s Life is from his biographer, Theodoret of Cyrrhus, who wrote “Historia Religiosa” in the fifth century (The Religious History, also known as A History of the Monks of Syria). He describes the life of hermits in Cyrrhus and vicinity. In chapter 16 Theodoret mentions that Saint Maron was one of those hermits.

The Diocese of Cyrrhus was west of Euphratia in northern Syria. Cyrrhus was at a distance of two days north east of Antioch and about 70 kms north west of Aleppo. [1]

READ MORE

Vocations Curricula

Vocation Curricula (can be taught at anytime in your catechetical year)

Grade K-3

Grade 4-6

MYO

An excerpt from a letter to the pastors from His Excellency, Bishop Gregory January 2024;

In reference to the curriculum:

"They were created intentionally to help our parishes, catechists and families teach on the different vocations, or ways, God calls each one of us to serve. In these interactive lessons, the sisters have taken time to collect age-appropriate resources, videos and activities for children and youth in grades K-3, grades 4-6 and for our youth MYO age. The videos that our eparchy produced are quite good. They are embedded in the lesson plans with live links. 

 

It is my hope that these Vocation Curricula will help you and your catechists to share and teach on the different vocations: marriage, subdiaconate/diaconate, priesthood, religious life and the generous single life. 

Icons of the Three Sundays of Commemoration

 Ahead of the Season of Great Lent, the Maronite Church celebrates three Sundays of Commemorations. 

First, she commemorates all the deceased priests of the Church, as Christ has established the priesthood for his Church and entrusted it with great responsibilities. 

Next, she commemorates the Righteous and the Just, which is the Maronite Church’s equivalent to the feast of All Saints in the Latin Church. On this day, the Church calls to mind all the men and women, children of the Church, who have followed the path of justice and righteousness. She remembers the prophets, apostles and martyrs, the hermits, ascetics, men and women religious, as well as all Christians who have led holy lives. 

The final commemoration is that of all the faithful Christians who have departed this life in the faith. This feast is the Maronite Church’s equivalent to the feast of All Souls in the Latin Church. (excerpt from the Maronite Synaxarion)

Sunday of the Priests

Sunday of the Righteous and Just

Sunday of the Faithful Departed