Reminders for April!

     I love First Communion classes!  We meet four extra times with parents and children before First Communion day.  Their favorite class is the tour of the church that students and parents do together.  We talk about the structure of the church, the symbolism of the ship sailing into the harbor of safety, what the tabernacle and the altar are for, why we have candles, a sanctuary lamp, stained glass windows, Stations of the Cross, etc.  
      This time as we reached our Jesus, the Good Shepherd window, Matthew asked me why Jesus was carrying a lamb (I think he meant rather than a puppy or a kitten!).  I explained that we are the lamb and that Jesus holds each of us with love and compassion.  I could have gone on and on, but that seemed to be enough for him because then he asked what the staff was for.  I said that the shepherd leads the sheep and keeps them safe.  They know him and he knows each of them by name.  His next question was even more interesting:  "How could Jesus hold both without dropping the lamb?"   That is such a deep question for us to think about!  Jesus never drops us.  We might drop Jesus from time to time, but he always holds us close to his heart like in this picture!  He is always ready to lead us from pain and suffering, to joy and gladness.   What a beautiful Easter message!

Bishop Gregory Mansour wanted us to extend an invitation to all pastors, coordinators and catechists to attend the NAM 2017 Convention  Here is a message from the chairpersons!
We wish to invite each of you to prayerfully consider sending your Catechetical leaders, Catechists, School Teachers, Religious Coordinators and Educators to attend the major Maronite Catechetical Workshop at the NAM 2017 Convention in Greenville, South Carolina from June 28-July 2, 2017.  This exceptional workshop featuring Rev. Vincent Farhat and Rev. George Hajj as presenters is titled: “A Pastoral Approach to the Catechesis of the Maronite Church in the United States; Practical Resources and Challenges.”   This distinctive event hopes to gather all Catechists together from around the country to develop and further empower with reliable information, networking and excellent resources for our Catechists to spiritually instruct, ignite and guide our children and adults in the Maronite Faith.


Additionally we highly encourage your promotion to send your Choir Directors and Choir Members from your parish to gather for melodic insights and artistic instruction by gifted presenter and recently ordained Rev. Aaron Sandbothe at our major Maronite Music Workshop at the NAM 2017 Convention in Greenville, SC.  This Workshop titled: “Maronite Music – Towards a Proper Implementation of the 2005 Maronite Missal” will provide Choir Directors and Choir Members, and interested laity with the tools they need in order to fully realize the potential of Syro-Maronite chant within the parish setting and produce dignified worship that the liturgy demands and the faithful deserve.


Please support and encourage your Catechesis Instructors, Choir Directors and Choir Members to attend these two very special workshops.  Please copy and pass this information along to your parishioners.

Pray with us that many will attend these workshops and bear abundant fruit for the Kingdom of God within our Maronite parishes.  Through the love of Christ Jesus and for His glory,                                                            

Greg and Mary Anne Lepak, NAM 2017 Chairpersons                                                   Greenville, SC
     

Please share this link with your older students!  The deadline is early May!  This is a great opportunity for them!
NAM Scholarships For High School And College Students

Don't forget the NAM Vocations Contest:
Vocations Contest Brochure

Sister Therese Maria Touma has sent us the following April Going Deeper article:

What is Divine Mercy?

by Dr. Anne Borik

Divine Mercy is simply a gift from God and is the manifestation of His love for each and every one of us. We believe that the devotion itself comes directly from Jesus through apparitions received by a young Polish nun named Faustina Kowalska.  According to documents found in her diary, Jesus said, “Now is the time of mercy and I want to give especially great graces to the human race.”

This brings to mind a Scripture verse in Romans when St. Paul writes ’Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.’

How do we tap into this Divine Mercy? There are five components to the devotion and I would like to suggest a simple way to remember them. Think of CHIN- F. (The chin is on the face, that is how to remember the ‘F’.)

‘C’ is for CHAPLET: The Chaplet of Divine Mercy is a simple prayer that we believe was given to us through the apparitions of Our Lord received by Sr. Faustina in 1930’s in Poland.  According to Faustina’ Diary, Jesus said, “When this Chaplet is said by the bedside of a dying person, unfathomable mercy envelops the soul, and the very depths of My tender mercy is moved.

The Chaplet can be prayed on ordinary rosary beads for example:

Large bead: “Eternal Father, I offer you the body, blood, soul and divinity of your dearly beloved son, our Lord Jesus Christ in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.”

(10) Small beads: “For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.”

At the completion of all five decades, the ending prayer of the Chaplet is:

“Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

‘H’ is for HOUR of MERCY: At 3 o’clock hour, Jesus died on the cross for us. It is considered the hour of Great mercy between 3-4 p.m. During this hour, Jesus asks us to pray the Stations of the Cross. If you are unable to do that, then at least for a brief moment, think about and immerse yourself in the thought of His Passion.

‘I’ is for IMAGE: What image? The Image of Divine Mercy.  Jesus told Sr. Faustina to have this image painted with the signature at the bottom that says, Jesus, I TRUST in you.  He said, “ By means of this Image, I shall grant many graces.”

‘N’ is for NOVENA: The Novena to Divine Mercy is a nine-day prayer novena where Jesus asks that a different group of people be entrusted to him each day.

Day 1: Today bring to Me all mankind, especially sinners.

Day 2: Today bring to Me the souls of priests and religious.

Day 3: Today bring to Me all devout and faithful souls.

Day 4: Today bring to Me those who do not believe and those who do not yet know Me.

Day 5: Today bring to Me the souls of those who have separated themselves from My church.

Day 6: Today bring to Me the meek and humble souls and souls of little children.

Day 7: Today bring to Me the souls who venerate and glorify My mercy.

Day 8: Today bring to Me the souls who are detained in purgatory.

Day 9: Today bring to Me souls who have become lukewarm.

‘F’ is for FEAST Day: The Feast day is the Sunday after Easter referred to as Divine Mercy Sunday. Jesus said, “On that day, the very depths of MY tender mercy are opened. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy on that day.”

In conclusion, the devotion to Divine Mercy includes praying the Chaplet, remembering the 3 0’clock hour of Mercy, reflecting on the Image of Mercy, praying the Novena and attending Mass on Divine Mercy Sunday which is the Sunday after Easter. But for whatever reason, if you can’t remember all that, remember the ABC’s. The message of Mercy is as simple as the ABC’s…

A: Ask for mercy

B: Be merciful

C: Completely Trust

Lenten Greetings!

The Season of Great Lent is upon us.  Here are some activities with which religion teachers can supplement their Faith of the Mountain lessons.  But first make sure you go through your textbook and activity book to see if there are chapters specific to Lent and Easter.  

Here are two PowerPoints that can be used to explain the difference between Lent in the Maronite Church and the Western Church:

Season of Great Lent
What Is Lent?

Pinterest has many activities that can be adapted to the classroom setting:
Lots of Lenten Activities Here!

As we prepare for Lenten retreats and confessions, perhaps you might want to use some examinations of conscience with your children, teens or adults. Try some of these links:

Teen's Examination of Conscience
Examination Based On The Beatitudes
Fill Our Lamps Reconciliation Service
Children's Examination of Conscience
Examine Your Conscience With The Ten Commandments

Randa Yazbeck writes, "During this Great Lent I gave the Sunday school children this activity calendar to post on their fridge and personalized it, in addition to learning about the Maronite Cross every day as well as the CSR Rice Bowl!" 

Maronite 2017 Lenten Calendar

Taking Up Spiritual Reading

By Sr. Natalie Sayde Salameh and Sr. Marla Marie Lucas

“Spiritual reading is as necessary as the air you breathe,” St. Padre Pio

“Don’t neglect your spiritual reading.  Reading has made many saints,” St. Josemaria Escriva

If these two saints and many more recommend and insist on spiritual reading, then we should find out more about this powerful practice of prayer.  Spiritual reading can be explained simply as reflective reading of spiritual writings to help deepen our understanding of faith, and more so, our relationship with Our Lord.  St. Athanasius said: “You will not see anyone who is truly striving after his spiritual advancement who is not given to spiritual reading.”

The best sources of spiritual reading are the Scriptures (especially the Gospels), then the biographies of the saints, and spiritual writers from the early Church to our present day.  Many of these books can be found at Ignatius Press or Sophia Press, among several catholic sources on-line.  The lives of the saints offer a wealth of inspiration.  It is refreshing to find out that the saints are human too, just like us, with their own struggles and inner battles, giving us hope in our own.

I recently read the Life of St. Anthony of the Desert written by St. Athanasius. This Father of Monks was a formidable warrior in the struggle against demons and his approach to evil spirits was actually healthy and quite modern (considering he lived in the third century). He would often consider them of no importance at all, like flies at a picnic. These days there is so much fear surrounding demonic powers, but St. Anthony encourages us not to be afraid for they are powerless in the face of a baptized soul.

The benefits of spiritual reading are numerous. Our time in holy reading provides candid advice and counsel, and corrects and encourages us in our faith. Spiritual reading also enlightens our souls about the dangers and temptations that we may encounter, while giving us insight on how to handle these challenges. Most importantly, spiritual reading provides an opening for Our Lord Jesus to speak to our hearts to help us in our continued conversion. In the words of St. Jerome, “when we pray we speak to God; but when we read, God speaks to us”.   

The important point to remember is to go about this holy reading prayerfully, taking one’s time when reading, even if we can only devote 10 or 15 minutes a day. Spiritual reading is like meeting up with a dear friend for a chat. If there are points in your reading that have touched you, talk about them with the Lord, he is waiting to hear what you have to say because it is he who touches hearts.

Here is a site of suggestions for reading: www.listchallenges.com/50-books-every-catholic-should-read.  If you have any questions or would like suggestions of good spiritual reading, please contact the Maronite Servants of Christ the Light Sisters at 508-996-7753 or sister@maroniteservants.org

Eucharist and Gratitude!

Eucharist means "Thanksgiving."

This is the season that we prepare our students for First Communion.  Please take a moment to read Chorbishop Seely Beggiani's article on the Eucharist from www.stmaron.org:

The Eucharist in the Syriac Tradition

Try this presentation on the Eucharist based on Bishop Gregory Mansour's Pastoral Letter:  

On the Mystery of the Eucharist

Here is a great article about gratitude and how to teach it in a classroom:  

10 Classroom Activities About Gratitude

By: Janelle Cox    from Teach HUB.com,

http://www.teachhub.com/10-classroom-activities-about-gratitude

Gratitude is a powerful practice that has received quite a lot of attention lately. There are some real benefits to being a person that cultivates gratitude. Some of the many benefits of gratitude that research has found include overall happiness, stronger relationships, higher self-esteem, a better outlook on school and life in general, just to name a few. Here are ten classroom activities to help you start practicing gratitude.

1. Classroom Activities: Keep a Gratitude Journal

Have students keep their own gratitude journal. Challenge them to write down three things that they are grateful for each day. You can do this as part of your morning routine or as a quick activity for those fast finishers. If you want to make it a little more challenging for students, then ask them to expand upon what they are grateful for, and tell you why they are grateful. Allow students to share their thoughts whenever possible.

2. Create a Gratitude Jar

A gratitude jar is a great way for your shy students to be able to have a voice. As part of your morning routine, as soon as students walk into the door, have them write down one thing that they are grateful for that day. Then, when you have time, pass the jar around the classroom and have students take turns closing their eyes and picking random notes from the jar to read aloud.

3. Make Gratitude Artwork

This activity is a fun one -- the sky is the limit. There are all kinds of creative ways that students can artistically show their gratitude. The most popular way is to create a gratitude tree. This is where students trace their hands and write one thing they are grateful for on each finger of the hand they traced. Then, the hand is pinned to a fake tree called the “Gratitude Tree.” An alternative to this is to challenge students to think of one specific thing they are grateful for and draw a picture of it, then place it on the tree..

4. Model What Gratitude Looks Like

Research shows that people are more likely to value gratitude when they can see it firsthand. The best way to do this is to model it yourself. Let the students see you be grateful to others and they will know that it is a meaningful practice to you. Tell them stories about what you are grateful for, and make sure that they always hear (and see you say) thank you.

5. Implement a Gratitude Group

Gratitude groups are a great way for students to get to know one another on higher level. It helps build a strong classroom community, and students will find that the more they get to know one another, the more they will appreciate each other. Each week, change up the gratitude groups to include different students. When students are in the groups, encourage them to talk about what they are grateful for personally, as well as one thing they are grateful for, for each person in the group.

6. Show Gratitude to Others

There are many people right in your school that do so much for others. Each week, have students choose one person that they are all collectively grateful for in the school. Then have them do something nice for that person, like write a thank-you note, bake them food (if allowed at your school), or draw them a picture. Showing gratitude in a meaningful way can really make a huge impact on the overall school community.

7. Expand Upon Your Gratitude Words

Sometimes just saying the words “Thank you” is enough to make someone’s day. However, if you want to really make an impact not only on the person you are grateful for, but for yourself, you can expand upon those words. For example, the next time a student does something nice for you, instead of just saying thank you, try saying, “Thank you, Jenny, for picking up the floor around your desk without being asked, that was really thoughtful of you.” By expanding your thank you into a reason why you were so grateful, it will make it that much more powerful.

8. Learn Self-Gratitude

Self-gratitude is often the hardest to practice, but most of us learn at young age to think of others before ourselves. While putting others first is a great quality to have, it can also hinder you from being self-aware. Teach your students self-gratitude by having them think of a few things about themselves that they are grateful for. If they feel so inclined, allow them to share their thoughts with their classmates.

9. Form a Circle of Gratitude

Instruct students to sit down in a circle on the floor and invite each student to say one thing they are grateful for. Once each participant has had a turn, then invite them to say one thing they are grateful for about the person to their right, then their left. Each day, switch up where the students sit, so new students will get a chance to talk about each other.

10. Plan a Gratitude Party

At the end of your gratitude series of activities, plan a party to give thanks for all that you have accomplished. Invite all of the people that you showed gratitude towards in your school, as well as the students’ parents.

Teaching students about gratitude, as well as having them partake in daily gratitude practices, can and will change their lives.

Reminders for the New Year!

May the peace of Christ touch each of your hearts!   Every time you have an encounter with a parishioner, whether it is a student, parent, or adult learner; you have touched a child of God.  That is an awesome responsibility!  Most of the time the job of a coordinator, a catechist,  or a substitute teacher, has no compensation--no thank you notes, no stipends or gifts.   It is the calling from Christ and the love of the children of God that keeps each one of us moving forward to make our parishes the best they can be!  

Here are some reminders for the beginning of the year:

• Put out a schedule for Religious Education classes for Winter/Spring.
• Include extra First Communion sessions with the parents if you have them!
• Decide on Lenten activities now.  If you need speakers for parish events, they may be difficult to get if you wait.
• Make sure there is something for your teens to look forward to---a Lenten retreat or regional retreat or a service project.
• What a about a multigenerational event?  Don’t forget to get  the Religious Education classes involved.  That brings the children in and their parents and grandparents.  Some suggestions are:  game shows, talent shows, church history days, movie days, saints performances, plays, grandparent events.   Don’t forget to include food!
• Make sure your teachers and substitutes are all trained to be aware of child abuse.  Our church uses the VIRTUS program (virtusonline.org), but your church  may use another approved program.  Make sure your classrooms are open and available to the coordinator, parents, and pastor and that no child is with untrained adults.  
• Thank your teachers in some way.   We are in such a rush at the end of the school year that we forget to extend our gratitude to those who have spent hours each week planning activities for the children and adults of our parishes.  

Sr. Therese Maria, MSCL, Eparchial Coordinator for MYO & MYA brings us a new

Going Deeper article by Dr. Anne Borik:  

Prayer Warrior’s Inner Room

Clear the space that clutters your heart and mind and prepare to live today to the fullest; play to the fullest, work to the fullest, and pray to the fullest.

Jesus said, “Go to your inner room, close the door and pray to your Father in heaven.”  That ‘inner room’ is your heart, the depth of your being. How do you connect with that place in a way that empowers you, motivates you, encourages you and gives you hope for tomorrow?

I would like to suggest three things that will help you to quiet the inner chatter that often distracts and gets in the way of life, especially prayer life.

The first is Breath. Not necessarily to practice deep breathing, but to simply use your breath to remind you that God is always with you! The breath is one of the functions of the body that is there whether you think about it or not.  God is always there, even if you are not thinking about Him, He is always with you. When you find yourself feeling anxious or angry, take a deep breath and be reminded that even in the storm of the day, God is always there.

           Next is your Posture or Attitude. This is not referring to the physical posture, but rather to stand firm in your faith.  Do not be indifferent, but instead be rooted in your Maronite faith. Colossians 2:7 says, ‘Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.’ Desire to be a Eucharistic person, that is, one who is filled with gratitude and thanksgiving.  By doing this you will find yourself growing deeper in the Spiritual life.  

Finally is Prayer. Prayer has the power to transform any situation, condition, problem or person. Like any deep and lasting friendship, your relationship with the Lord will be strengthened by frequent, honest, open communication. So when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door and pray to your Father who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.  Matthew 6:6

December Thoughts

Do you remember the Fire and Spirit filmstrips?  We have tried to update them into PowerPoints that might be useful for your classrooms or for adult workshops.  I am including the first one here:
  Maronite Way to Maron

As we rapidly approach Christmas, we wanted to share two activities with you.  
The first is how to say the rosary, since December 8th is the Immaculate Conception and the 12th is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.  Here is a worksheet that the teacher can use to explain how to say the rosary. The prayers are right there on the sheet. Print them out back to back. The students can dedicate each Hail Mary to someone who needs it by writing their names along side. In this way, they can pray for 50 different loved ones if they wish!
  How To Pray The Rosary

The second activity is a  paper nativity scene created by Good Ground Press.  The students should color the scenes first, then cut them out.  They can glue the pictures to upside-down paper cups so they stand up.  Then they can arrange their nativity!  Even high students love doing this one!
  Nativity Cut-Outs


Here is also a Nativity play that you can adapt for your church community:
  Nativity Narration


Sister Therese Marie sent us the December Going Deeper article:  
  Spiritual Direction

Do Not Lose Hope!

St. Pope John Paul II wrote "I plead with you--never, ever give up on hope, never doubt, never tire, and never become discouraged. Be not afraid." In today's culture, we are faced with a number of challenges to religious education: secularism, religious indifference, adults who become disengaged in church and do not place their children in religious education programs.

Jared Dees in his book, 31 Days to Becoming a Better Religious Educator, said that first, we must be good disciples, following and learning from Christ. We have to have a passion for learning the content of our faith, spend time in prayer, experience the sacraments, strive to live a moral life and participate in our communities of faith.

The second step is to be a better servant, following Jesus' command to love as he loved. We have to recognize our students' needs and strengths. The third step is to become a better leader. We follow Jesus' example by examining our practical skills of leadership: classroom organization, discipline and motivation. Finally, Jesus showed us how to be better teachers. He was multi-dimensional, using words, signs, and wonders to teach others. We use stories, our Faith of the Mountain textbooks, projects, music, lesson plans and class activities. We all should be witnesses to the Gospel. Think about the following:

• Make a list of the reasons why you are teaching.
• What lessons about God would you want your students to hear the most?
• What beliefs do your students struggle with the most?
• What is a spiritual practice that your students could benefit from the most?
• If you could help your students make a change in their lives, what would it be?
• What aspects of the faith are the missing most in their lives?

November's Going Deeper Article

What is your Second Nature? by Dr. Anne Borik

What is your ‘second nature’?  For some it might be kindness and hospitality, for others it might be joy, laughter and humor.  For Mother Teresa, her  ‘second nature’ was love and mercy.  She was able to see the face of Christ in every person she met and extend love and mercy to them without even thinking about her own health or safety.  For St. Sharbel, his ‘second nature’ was prayer and deep love for God. He was in complete union with God every step and breath of his life!

One’s ‘second nature’ stems from within and is beyond comprehension.  As Christians, our ‘second nature’ should be our automatic response in any given situation powered by the Holy Spirit.  Each situation might be different, but our response must be consistent in order for it to be considered ‘second nature’.

Let us look deeper at what our ‘second nature’ is by turning to Galatians 5:22, against which there is no law.  The Fruit of the Holy Spirit is love. God is Love

(1 John 4:8) and from love all other qualities grow such as joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  It is important to realize that in Scripture it says the Fruit of the Spirit, not Fruits.  Therefore, we must always respond with love, which is then manifested in the different qualities stated above. My ‘second nature’ response may manifest itself as patience while another person’s ‘second nature’ response may be gentleness,  but regardless, we must always respond with love.

Once these seeds are planted, as is the case when we are baptized, it is then our job to grow in the Spirit so that they become ‘second nature’.  To grow in the Spirit is to grow in relationship with Jesus, with others and even with our self.  A simple way to remember this is the word JOY…

J =  JESUS    

Love, Joy and Peace come through a strong relationship with Jesus.

O= OTHERS

Patience, Kindness and Goodness are qualities that are strengthened through  healthy relationship with others.

Y=  YOURSELF

Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control are qualities that are strengthened within oneself.

In conclusion, as Christians, it is important for us to take note of who or what is growing in our lives.  How do we respond in a given situation?  What is our ‘second nature’? If it is not love, then we must consider re-fertilizing the soil within so that His seeds of joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control grow and overtake any outside weeds that might be strangulating our ability to love!

How Is It Going?

Now that we are in the first week of November, many of you have had several weeks of religious education classes.  Some of the children have been coming regularly, but have you noticed that others are dropping out already?  That is not unusual with today's busy schedules!   Call or email the parents with a "I haven't seen your child in class for a couple of sessions.  Is everything alright?  Is there anything I can do for you?"  If the child is in a sacramental preparation class, remind the parents how important it is to be prepared for Penance and Eucharist.  If necessary, enlist the pastor's help.  

The Saints Party
We tried an all-community event that actually can be done at any time during the year--in November at All Saints Day, or on your patron saint's feast day!   Our teachers chose a saint to represent each class.  Between our liturgies, we had a Saints Party.  The Pre-school class did a parade of angels with wings and halos.  The Pre-Kindergarten class also had a parade of saints.  The Kindergarten through Seventh grades each presented the life of a saint to students, parents, grandparents and friends. The costumes were amazing!  After the presentations, the Eighth grade and High School students supervised "saints" games they had created for the children with candy as prizes.  Coffee, juice and pastries were available for the congregation.  It was great to see so many people fill the hall to see our parish children!

Below are several links that may be helpful to you.

Structuring A Lesson Plan (Pre-School Through 6)

For Reconciliation classes:

The Seven Mysteries
Me and God: Examination of Conscience
The Child's Moral Development
Reconciliation/Penance