The Upper Room is the place the Apostles spent time during the passion, resurrection and ascension of Jesus. The Last supper and washing of the disciples’ feet took place in the Upper Room the night before Jesus’ death. The disciples used the space as a home base during the 50 days following Easter. While in the Upper Room, they spent time discussing what they just experienced, they prayed together and finally they were given the gift of the Holy Spirit. They were then sent out unafraid to serve God and spread the Good News. With these Scriptures in mind, we were inspired to create a weekly event called Upper Room. Each Monday night and Tuesday night all are invited to join us as we dive deeper into what Jesus taught us, make time for prayer, have discussion and learn how to go out into the world to be disciples of Christ. There are two different types of programs as a part of Upper Room. One will be the Catholic basics and the other will go deeper into Catholic topics. Monday nights will go over the Basics of the Catholic Faith. All are invited to join us. If you are interested in becoming Catholic, then Monday nights is made with you in mind but all are welcome to join us. There is always so much we can continue to learn about our faith and our relationship with God. We will meet for 10 weeks from March 11 to June 3 leading up to Pentecost on June 9 when those interested in becoming Catholic will join the Church at Mass. Tuesday nights will go deeper into the faith. For 5 week from January 29 to February 26, we will take a Biblical Walk though the Mass. We are still finalizing the details on what we will do throughout Lent to continue to grow closer to God. PARISH ACCESS CODE FOR FORMED.ORG IS C98696 During the winter months we take a break so that we can all slow down to enjoy the Advent and Christmas Seasons. Between now and when we begin meeting again, you are invited to check out Formed.org. This is like a Netflix of Catholic Resources. Use our Parish Access Code to use these resources for free. Here are few suggestions to check out on FORMED.ORG: LISTEN - Audio Talks: The Case for Jesus with Dr. Brant Pitre, True Worship with Father Mike Schmitz, This Changes Everything with Ken Yasinski, Made for Greatness with Leah Darrow, Pray like a Saint with Matthew Leonard, WATCH-Movies: Joan of Arc, Bakhita From Slave to Saint, Restless Heart, Saint Francis of Assisi His life & Miracles, Mary of Nazareth, Pope John Paul II There are 168 hours in a week. We are asking for just 3 hours a week to build a relationship with Christ.
Calendar & Topics for Spring 2019 Upper Room We will meet in the Faith Formation Room at 7pm.
If you have any questions, contact Kate Tyler at 319-363-5238 or [email protected]
0 Comments
November is a time of the year when we remember all those who are no longer with us physically here on earth. As Catholic, we know that death is not the end, it is just the beginning. With this in mind, it is important to always honor and celebrate our family and friend's who have entered into eternal life.
If you have lost a loved one, celebrate their birthday, anniversary or days that meant something special to them. Visit them at the cemetery, pray for their soul and ask them to pray for you. Did you know that when you come to Mass all your deceased family and friends are with you? When we are at Mass, “we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses” (Hebrew 12:1). All Angels join us at Mass. The Communion of Saints are present too, which does included all of your loved one who are now in Heaven. So next time you are missing a loved one, come to Mass. For while you are there, you will be together with your loved ones as you are giving God glory and honor. And next time you come to Mass feeling alone, remember that you are surrounded by all those at the Mass which does include all the saints & angels. If you would like to learn more about this, please check out the Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraphs 1136-1199. If you do not have a copy of the Catechism, check out the Vatican's website. Here is a link to the exact section of the Catechism that talks more about this topic: http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s1c2a1.htm - Kate Tyler - Pastoral Associate - Summertime often includes time off from work, plans for vacation, attendance at baseball games, and time with family enjoying picnics and swimming. Summer means relaxation and a break from normal routine. The summer months can also be the perfect opportunity for spiritual growth. Here are a few suggestions to encourage your spiritual relationship with Christ, shared ways to get involved to deepen your faith, and keep God close throughout the summer: - Invite a friend or family member to join you at Mass. - Consider reading the Gospel of Mark. Start with a short prayer asking the Holy Spirit to be with you. Try and read for 5 minutes each day. - Next time someone asks you to pray for them, don't wait to leave to begin the prayer at another time. Pray right there with them. It could be as simple as an Our Father or a Hail Mary or you can pray spontaneously. - Go for a hike in nature and take pictures, write a poem or draw a picture. While you hike, thank God for everything that you see. You could even go stargazing one night. - Take a pilgrimage this summer. A pilgrimage is a journey a pilgrim makes to a sacred place for the purpose of venerating it or to ask for heavenly aid, and ultimately to come to know God better. Here are some places in Iowa you could visit this summer: Cathedral of St. Raphael - Dubuque Basilica of St. Francis Xavier - Dyerville Smallest Church in Iowa - Fort Atkinson - Pictures are from here New Melleray Abbey - Peosta Trinity Heights - Sioux City Outdoor Way of the Cross - St. Donatus West Bend Grotto - West Bend Grotto at Mount Mercy University or Prairiewoods are right here in town - When driving in the car, turn on Christian Music or pray. If it is a long road trip, consider praying the Rosary or Chaplet of Divine Mercy. Here is a Catholic Radio Station KMMK at 88.7fm. Here are a couple Christian Radio Stations Air 1 at 89.1fm or Life 101.9fm. - Read a faith-based book. Stop by our Parish Library in Kearn Hall to grab a book to read. Check out one of the 3 books below: - FORMED.ORG is a great place to go to learn more about our Catholic faith and to strengthen your relationship with God. Here is our Parish Code C98696 to access free Catholic Resources including ebooks, audio books, movies, audio talks and programs: ~ Watch a movie on the lives of St. Joan of Arc, St. Augustine, St. Francis, St. Rita, St. John Paul II, St. Teresa of Calcutta, St. John Bosco, St. Philip Neri, St. Maria Goretti and so many more Saints. There are also movies just for kids like Brother Francis, The Jesus Stories and more. ~ Check out the Symbolon Series to learn more about what we believe as Catholics and why. ~ Listen to an audio talk while doing the dishes. ~ Watch and discuss the Beloved Series with your spouse. ~ The best way to find out what is on FORMED.ORG is to sign up today and search around the website. You can download the app on your smart phone or go on from your computer. "Whether we eat or sleep,
Whether we work or play, May it all be for the honor & glory of God." We are one month into the new year and for some people this means they have already given up on their New Years Resolutions. The beautiful part of being Catholic is there are many new years within each year; which means we have many chances to make change our lives. The Advent, Christmas, Ordinary Time, Lent & Easter Seasons are a great time to reflect on your life and make changes to grow deeper in your faith. The Liturgical Season are just like the seasons within nature. Each season you can watch the trees change and learn from them. We are currently in the middle of winter which means the tree look bare yet on the inside they are slowly preparing for new growth. As we prepare for Lent, let us be like the trees and empty ourselves so that new growth can bloom. In order to make room for the new, one should begin with an examination of conscience. An Examination of Conscience is a “prayerful self-reflection on our words and deeds in the light of the Gospel to determine how we may have sinned against God” (— Glossary, The Catechism of the Catholic Church.) If you are looking for an Examination of Conscience to follow check out: http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/sacraments-and-sacramentals/penance/examinations-of-conscience.cfm Typically after one does an Examination of Conscience it is followed up by going to the Sacrament of Confession. It is through this Sacrament, that we are forgiven for our wrong doings and given the grace to change our ways. Once we have emptied ourselves, we can make room for growth. Lent is a great time to add some newness to your life. Throughout the season of Lent, we are invited to give something up. Most commonly people give up foods or drinks that are already meant to be had in moderation. Why not give up something or add something to your schedule that allows for you to deepen your relationship with God? Give up eating in between meals and any time you feel like a snack go pray for your family and friends who are going through a difficult time or read scripture instead of having that snack. Start a gratitude journal and daily write to God about what you are thankful for. Add Eucharistic Adoration to your Thursday Schedule and stop by St. Matthew's for a half hour of prayer in front of Jesus. Spiritual writer Henri J.m. Nouwen describe Lent as, "A time of returning to God....Lent is a time of refocusing, of re-entering the place of truth, of reclaiming our true identity." So this Lent make time for the Sacrament of Confession and time to deepen your relationship with God who loves you so much that He sent His only son to die so that you may have life and have it more abundantly (John 3:16 & John 10:10). If we are open to God and His will during the season of Lent, we will experience an Easter Season of new growth like never before. And just remember if you mess up on your Lenten Promise or New Years Resolution, every day is a great to start making changes to become the best version of yourself. If you need a refresher on how Lent works, check out the below chart from www.aleteia.org ~Kate Tyler - Pastoral Associate ~
Mary knows the pain of a pierced heart.This month is dedicated to Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows. A lot of the time we see Mary as someone full of joy, and rightly so! She is often depicted with a peaceful face, radiating with love for her blessed Son. We might forget her deep agony as she watched her Son, the Savior of the World, be tortured and crucified. Maybe some of you know the pain of loosing a child. I'm sure it is a pain deeper than most ever have to know, but Mary has gone through it. Her heart was and is so closely unified to Christ's that she did not escape His suffering, but endured it with a 'Yes' to God's will just as she did in her Fiat.
Prayer to our Sorrowful Mother for a particular graceO, mother most holy and sorrowful, Queen of Martyrs, you who stood by your Son as He agonized on the cross; by the sufferings of your life, by that sword of pain that pierced your heart, by your perfect joy in heaven, look down on me kindly as I kneel before you, sympathizing with your sorrows and offering you my petition with childlike trust. Dear Mother, since your Son refuses you nothing, ask of His Sacred Heart to mercifully grant what I ask, through the merits of His sacred passion, along with those of your sufferings at the foot of the cross. Mother most merciful, to whom shall I go in my misery if not to you who pities us poor sinful exiles in this valley of tears? In our name, offer Jesus but one drop of His most precious blood, but one pang of His loving heart. Remind Him that you are our sweetness, our life and our hope, and your prayer will be heard. Amen
Honoring Mary's SorrowsThere are many ways to honor Mary's Seven Sorrows during the month of September. Here are a few ideas for you and your family to try out! Click each one to find out more! -Emily Gignac, Director of Faith Formation
In Part One, I shared that your perspective affects your experiences and therefore affects your ability to rejoice in the good times and difficult times. Today I would like you to consider what it means to Pray Always. How can we pray at all times? Let's first begin by looking at what prayer is. Prayer is the communication that exists between us and God. It is about talking to God and listening to Him. It is about asking the Saints and Angels to pray for us. Prayer can be difficult some days and easy other times. The best way to create the habit of prayer in your life is to set aside time each day to pray. Morning, meal time & before you go to bed are great times to begin praying at if you are not yet doing so. During Meal Time, you can say the meal prayer: "Bless us Oh Lord, and these thy gifts, which we are about to receive, from thy bounty, through Christ, Our Lord. Amen." Or consider finding a fun, family-friendly prayer to say together. I know my daughter likes to teach us the meal prayers she has learned from pre-school. In the morning or before bed time, read the scripture of the day which can be found at USCCB.org There are also formal prayers such as the Rosary, Our Father, Morning Offering, Prayer to the Holy Spirit and more. You can download an app on your smartphone to help you to prayer. I have two on my phone that I use regularly: Laudate and Daily Examen. You can also create your own prayer and speak openly from your heart. Tell God what you are thankful for. Tell God about how good or bad your day has been. Ask God for what you or others you know need. My parents never taught me how to pray. I briefly learned how to pray during Religious Education but nothing really stuck with me. Once I got involved in Youth Ministry, I would regularly visit my youth minister and ask her a million questions about how to pray. It is thanks to her, other adults from that parish and friends throughout my life that I have learned how to pray. It has not been an easy journey towards understand prayer. It took me a while to create a habit of daily praying. I still struggle to pray regularly in the morning. I have recently become aware of the importance of praying for all those who I encounter throughout my day. Why not pray for:
I often wonder how many people that I see throughout my day have no one to pray for them? That makes me sad. Praying for other is so simple. I just ask God to be with that person. I don't need to know their name or their story. Everyone is in need of prayers. Let's start lifting each other up in prayer. If we all prayed for each other more often, imagine the change that would take place in the world. So next time you see a stranger or consider talking behind someone's back, try praying for that person to hear God’s voice and be open to God’s will. - Kate Tyler - Pastoral Associate - "May the God of peace himself make you perfectly holy and may you entirely, spirit, soul, and body, be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Thessalonians 5: 23
I have recently been meditating on the phrase pray always. As I reflected this led me to reading the Bible and praying about what God meant by the words from 1 Thessalonians 5: 16 – 18. “Rejoice Always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” Rejoice means to feel or show great joy or delight. The first Service Trip I ever attend was to Nazareth Farm in West Virginia. After arriving, we headed out on a hike up the mountain. I did not know we would be hiking that first day and it was not an easy hike plus there were tons of stranger. We all quickly learned that strangers are just friends we haven’t met yet. As we reached the top of the mountain, we read scripture together and sat in God’s beauty for a while before heading back down the mountain to begin our service to those in need within the valley. Throughout the week, I experienced joy while on the mountain top and also while serving the people and making new friends. I feel like this is a great way to understand the phrase “Rejoice Always.” It is easy to be filled with joy when we are on top of a mountain, in those moments when life is truly beautiful yet in the hard moments in the valley, we might not experience joy as easily but once our attitude is one of gratitude and openness to God, joy is easily accessible. Your perspective affects your experiences and therefore affects your ability to rejoice. When my grandfather passed away, all of my family was by his side but my husband, kids and I because we live four hours from them all. I found joy in the fact that as my grandpa was born into eternal life, he was surrounded by his family and we were there through prayer. Even in the difficult moments, we can experience joy with a grateful heart open to God’s will. If you continue to struggle to rejoice always, all you have to do is ask God to give you joy. - Kate Tyler - Pastoral Associate - Part two will be posted soon and dive into what it means to pray without ceasing. 2016 has ended. A new year has begun. For the past week people have been reflecting on everything that happened last year and have started their resolutions for 2017. It is easy to reflect on the big events that happened during the past year whether they were positive or negative. I encourage you to consider two deeper questions "What did you learn in the past year and how do you hope to grow this year?" These questions help me to reflection on how God has been working in my life this past year as well as come up with my goals for the new year. I spend time reflecting on the past and then begin planning for the future. Yet it is in my daily actions that I form habits which then create the person I will become. Every year, I make it a goal to grow closer to God. I think this is a new year's resolution for everyone. There is always more to learn about God and our Catholic faith. We can all work on our prayer life. Thankfully our parish has access to a great resource to help us to learn more and grow spiritually. FORMED.ORG offers plenty of ways to grow closer to God and deeper in knowledge about our Catholic Faith. If you do not yet have our parish access code contact the Parish Office at 363-8269 or email [email protected] or [email protected] Here are few suggestions of things to check out on FORMED.ORG: Programs: - ECHO: A 36 part video-based study of the United States Catholic Catechism of Adults (USCCA) presented by Bishop Donald Hying of Gary, Indiana. These short and engaging videos introduce each chapter of the USCCA and provide an inspiring start to personal or group study of our rich Catholic Faith. https://formed.org/course/581cb21072e0ff781f728326 - LECTIO - PRAYER: In six video sessions, Prayer: Finding Intimacy with God captures the secret to opening our hearts and minds to Scripture as the means to hear from God and then respond in conversation, basking in his presence and resolving to live in and through his love. The Lectio Divina approach includes Reading, Reflecting, Responding, and Contemplating. https://formed.org/course/5661d4098d0f20c00f1075c4 - BELOVED: This series has 6 videos to help couples to understanding the true meaning of marriage is one thing, living it out is another. Beloved: Living Marriage examines the day-to-day challenges of being united as husband and wife, while maintaining individuality. Whether you are preparing to get married or have been married for years this is a great resource to use with your spouse or spouse-to-be. https://formed.org/course/55a92486505d8ba80aa99c21 FORMED also has Audio Talks to listen to, Movies to watch and Ebooks to download and read. There are even resources for Children to check out on FORMED. The best way to find out what is available on FORMED.ORG is to go search and find what interests you.
So next time you are doing the dishes or clean, consider turing on an audio talk instead of the radio. The next time you are waiting in a doctor's office, consider downloading a book and reading it while you wait. Instead of renting a movie, consider picking one of the movies about the lives of a Saint. What program, movie, audio talk or book have you enjoyed on FORMED.ORG? We love to hear your suggestions. - Kate Tyler, Pastoral Associate -
Gospel Luke 11:1-13 Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples." He said to them, "When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test." And he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him,' and he says in reply from within, 'Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.' I tell you, if he does not get up to give the visitor the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence. "And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?" Recently, I started feeling that I was bad at prayer. I was good at asking for help getting through the day, I was good at asking about His will, and I was good at talking to God about my life. But when it came to just talking to God in the good times, I was lost. I had this realization when my brother gave me a book called Prayer For Beginners*. I was slightly offended by the title at first- I've been a practicing Catholic my entire life! How am I a beginner? After thinking about it a while and talking with close friends, I realized I was, in fact, a beginner at prayer. I didn't know how to sit with God, just for the sake of growing in relationship with Him. I was bad at just listening to Him, and not asking for anything! No matter what our age, we can all be beginners at prayer. In this Sunday's Gospel, Jesus breaks it down for us. Be persistent in prayer. I love the line that says "I tell you, if he does not get up to give the visitor the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence." Jesus is persistently asking us to enter into relationship with Him. He is standing at the door, waiting for us to answer. In the middle of the night, He is pounding at our hearts, needing us to give Him ourselves. We can all take a step back and examine how we pray. First we just need to come to the Lord. "Be still and know that I Am God." (Psalm 46:10) Remember that we can ask God to help us pray! The disciples asked Jesus how to pray, and He told them. Sit in front of the Eucharist, read the Bible, journal, pray with others, do anything and dedicate that time to God. A lot of us are still beginners at prayer, but practice makes perfect! This week, take a look at different types of prayer and push yourself to enter into a deeper relationship with Christ through prayer. I can't just talk at God and expect my life to improve! I'm learning to sit with the Lord in praise, and not ask for anything. Just thank him and worship for a while! It's very freeing and I recommend it wholeheartedly. I have to work at hearing His voice. Its okay if we are still beginners at prayer: we'll never be perfect at it until we are in Heaven! - Emily Gignac St. Matthew's Director of Faith Formation * Buy Prayer For Beginners by Peter Kreeft on Amazon here
|
Archives
November 2018
Categories
All
|