Mass - The Source and Summit of our Faith!!!
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"If we really understood the Mass, we would die of joy." ~ Saint Jean Vianney
Links: usccb.org masstimes.org loyolapress.com
Children in the Faith Formation Program in 2019-2020 are NOT required to complete Mass Reflections, however, MASS ATTENDANCE is expected!! Catechists will challenge the children throughout the season to discuss the Mass during class both in preparation for upcoming week and in review of what they encountered in the previous Mass. Please be sure that they can confidently engage in these conversations!
Regular attendance at Mass and daily prayer, are necessary for the development of your child’s faith formation. Regular participation in the CELEBRATION of the MASS allows us to have a deeper understanding of the Mass.
A Service is not a Mass. Mass is when we witness the Consecration of the Body and Blood of Christ and possibly receive Communion/Eucharist.
Make it a family activity! We ask that you share your example of joyful and prayerful engagement in the MASS for your family! Remember, you are the DOMESTIC CHURCH and your children are looking to you for guidance in the faith journey!
At Mass we are called to “full, conscious, and active participation.”
We are not at Mass as an audience or to observe, but rather, to take part in the celebration of the Mass by means of the acclamations, responses, sung prayers, songs, listening, gesturing, (kneeling, standing, bowing, etc.) and spiritually by entering into this time, recognizing we are in God’s presence. Our participation in the celebration of Mass is an encounter with Christ. (Vatican II Liturgy Documents, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, # 30)
- When we gather together, we are the primary symbol of the Body of Christ.
- We reflect on the mercy of God.
- We listen attentively as Christ speaks to us through the proclamation of Sacred Scripture.
- We offer our lives, our joys and our sorrows to God along with the gifts of bread and wine.
- We give thanks and praise for all God has done and continues to do in our lives during the celebration of the Eucharist.
- As the bread and wine are changed, we who are nourished by His body and blood and filled with the Holy Spirit, pray that we too may be changed to become evermore, One Body, One Spirit in Christ. We pray that we will become the Living Christ for all people who are lonely, hungry or suffering.
- We are sent forth after the final blessing empowered to give witness to the world of God’s justice and peace. Throughout the week, we celebrate Christ’s presence in our workplaces with our families and friends, until we once again gather together around the table of the Lord as the “full, conscious, and active” members of the Sunday assembly!
"It would be easier for the world to survive without the sun than to do without Holy Mass."
~ St. Pio of Pietrelcina
We would like to suggest that during the week you read the gospel for the coming week with your family as a way to prepare for Sunday Mass. The following web sites have a wealth of information and resources for parents, children and catechists. Check it out and let us know what you think!