Spiritual Resources
Here are some online family resources for this Sunday's June 7th Mass readings:
June 7th Readings - Click Here
Kids Bulletin Trinity Sunday June 7th 2020
Catholic Kids Media has videos on the upcoming Mass readings and other Catholic videos:
Trinity Craft Ideas from Catholic Icing.com - https://www.catholicicing.com/trinity-resources-for-catholic-kids/
June 3rd
Dear Parents,
Praying for you and your family.
Bible for the Day: 1 Samuel 17: 41-51 – David Defeats the Giant Goliath (which feels like a level from a video game)
David’s Victory.
With his shield-bearer marching before him, the Philistine advanced closer and closer to David. When he sized David up and saw that he was youthful, ruddy, and handsome in appearance, he began to deride him. He said to David, “Am I a dog that you come against me with a staff?” Then the Philistine cursed David by his gods and said to him, “Come here to me, and I will feed your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field.” David answered him: “You come against me with sword and spear and scimitar, but I come against you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel whom you have insulted. Today the Lord shall deliver you into my hand; I will strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will feed your dead body and the dead bodies of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field; thus the whole land shall learn that Israel has a God. All this multitude, too, shall learn that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves. For the battle belongs to the Lord, who shall deliver you into our hands.”
The Philistine then moved to meet David at close quarters, while David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. David put his hand into the bag and took out a stone, hurled it with the sling, and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone embedded itself in his brow, and he fell on his face to the ground. Thus David triumphed over the Philistine with sling and stone; he struck the Philistine dead, and did it without a sword in his hand. Then David ran and stood over him; with the Philistine’s own sword which he drew from its sheath he killed him, and cut off his head.
Tip for the Day: Ready, Set, PLAY!
It is important to take time each day to play together.
Today my kids decided to have a magic show in the living room.
It included sawing someone in half (it was pretend sawing), disappearing children (it’s okay we found them all – LOL), and laughing and silliness.
The magic show idea came about because the children came up with it.
It is important to let everyone share their ideas of what they want to do to play together.
The more we allowed our children to plan out the games, the more we learned about what they truly like to do.
I have found that my children like to draw, gymnastics, Monopoly Deal, and video games.
Today I want to talk about the good that can come from video games.
What? Aren’t video games evil?
LOL!
Video games are not evil.
Yes, there are some video games that can be too violent or have other moral issues, and as parents we must make the best decision for the good of our children, but that is not what I want to talk about today.
I want to focus on video games to play together as a family.
Some of my favorite memories growing up were playing video games with my siblings.
We were extremely competitive, well if you think breaking a table, lamp, and a few controllers playing Super Mario Cart is extremely competitive.
Okay, maybe we were sore losers too. LOL!
We would laugh and joke and just have fun together, we could just be our selves around each other.
Now, as a father of 4 children, I like that my children are getting into video games to play together with each other, like Lego Star Wars.
It is great to see them being silly and working as a team.
Online video games can be a blessing too.
With online video games, my son can play with his cousin or I can play with my nephew even though we are far away.
I read an article by a Catholic priest called GAME ON: WHY VIDEO GAMES APPEAL TO THE HUNGRY HEART - “KINGDOM HEARTS” TO “FORTNITE,” KEY HUMAN DESIRES MANIFEST THEMSELVES IN VIDEO GAME CULTURE.
(Here is the link to view the article - https://www.wordonfire.org/resources/blog/game-on-why-video-games-appeal-to-the-hungry-heart/6000/
I wanted to highlight what he said about why people like playing video games and what our human hearts’ desire:
These virtual worlds become places to actualize the longings of the human heart. Our yearning for communion, our need for mission, our hope for self-realization—all these innate human qualities are on full display in the world of gaming, even if it is unbeknownst to the gamer themselves.
I want to challenge you to play with your children every day.
Be silly and have fun.
If you have never played together with your child in a video game, I recommend asking to play with them or just watch them play.
Video games can be very important to children.
Showing an interest in what they are doing in their video games can be a great way to show them love.
To love someone means finding what is true, good, and beautiful about what that person likes to do.
Dance Party Song: Feel It by Tobymac - https://youtu.be/O8xGaE4S2gk
Prayer for the Day:
Lord, give us opportunities to play together as a family.
Help us to see the good, true, and beautiful in what each other is doing.
Jesus, help my family to do well in the video games they are playing.
Amen.
God bless,
Kevin Kimmel
June 1st
Dear Parents,
Praying for you and your family.
Bible for the Day: Luke 5:8-10
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon.
Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”
Tip for the Day: Turn Away From Sin! Turn to God and Your Loved Ones!
God has created us to love and want to be loved.
Sin wounds our relationship with GOD AND NEIGHBOR.
The thing I hate most about sin is people are hurt by sin and feel trapped by it.
Sin makes us trapped by putting questions like this in our head:
- How will they react if they know what I did?
- Will they still love me?
- Will they just write me off?
- Will they yell at me?
- Will they hate me?
What is Sin?
Sin is an offense against reason, truth, and right conscience; it is failure in genuine love for God and neighbor caused by a perverse attachment to certain goods.
What does the quote “We are called to hate the sin, but love the sinner” mean?
God calls us to mercy and love towards everyone.
We can never agree with someone choosing to sin; however we need to be compassionate towards them and help them when needed.
Don’t treat someone like a project.
Nobody wants to feel like they are defined as their mistake.
Jesus went to sinful people and loved them for them.
He did not love their sin, but their sin is not who they are.
We are sons and daughters of God.
Jesus forgave their sins and then challenged them to go and sin no more.
In the Our Father, we say at the end “and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen.”
We need God to free us from our sins.
God wants to bring freedom from sin through the sacrament of Reconciliation.
Allow God to bring healing and joy and peace through this sacrament of mercy and love.
Ask yourself, am I living and speaking in love and the truth of God?
Take time regularly for an Examination of Conscience.
Not just to know your sins, but more importantly, that you can prepare well for Confession and the merciful love of God.
God loves you so much and sent His only son to die for YOU!
Adult Examination of Conscience (there are many versions of the Examination online): https://www.ncregister.com/info/confession_guide_for_adults
Fr. Mike Schmitz has a great video on the Victory of Confession on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiVjwlUO9Sc
For further reflection, the distinction between the 7 Capital Sins & the 7 Heavenly Virtues:
7 Capital Sins – It is not just the severity of the sin that makes them capital sins, it is that they easily lead us into more sins.
What people are thinking when they commit the 7 Capital Sins:
- Pride - It is all about me. I am the only one that matters. If it benefits me, it does not matter what happens to others. I am better than everyone else and the rules do not apply to me.
- Greed – I must have everything. It is all mine.
- Envy – I hate this other person because they have …
- Anger – I hate this person for whatever the reason and want them to suffer.
- Sloth – I will not do something, because I do not want to. Or I will not do something because I have too much to do.
- Gluttony – I will overeat. Instead of one piece of cake I will eat three whole cakes. I will do other things in excess that keep me from loving God and neighbor.
- Lust – Misuse of our love for other people and God
7 Heavenly Virtues – Good habits to do, in order to not fall into bad habits or overcome the bad habits.
- Humility – To take on the tasks put before me even if I know suffering will occur. Think of others before myself and be selfless.
- Generosity – Giving out of love for God and neighbor
- Kindness – be kind and caring; use words to help someone grow closer to God
- Gentleness – patient with people, understand they are not perfect and make mistakes (hate the sin, not the sinner)
- Diligence – hard working, taking adequate time to prepare yourself for your task at hand
- Temperance – taking the good things in life and using self-control, being wise with our time with neighbor and God
- Chastity – A proper use of love towards others
Take time today to thank God for the times you have had the strength and grace to overcome the temptation to sin.
Write down these victories that you and God won together.
Pray for relationships today.
If there is anger, hurt, resentment, distrust, etc, we ask the Lord for healing and peace.
Songs for the Day: Fear He is a Liar by Zack Williams - https://youtu.be/sQTnREEtuNk
Prayer for the Day:
Lord bring healing to relationships hurt by sin.
God, the pain is real.
Help people to speak peacefully and lovingly to one another.
May our words and actions reflect the love that God has for everyone.
Amen.
God bless,
Kevin Kimmel
May 29th
Dear Parents,
Praying for you and your family.
With the school year ending/ended, it can be scary for children because they will be losing a regular get together with friends.
Make sure you take time to stay connected with family and friends.
Pray over the phone with people, have a get-together over Zoom/Facetime or other online video options, and play online games with family and friends.
Bible for the Day: Genesis 1:27
God created mankind in his image; in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
Tip for the Day: You be you today. You do not have to fill someone else’s shoes.
Picture of my son wearing my sandals. LOL!
Your family is a gift and blessing.
You are a gift and blessing.
Thank God for you.
You be you today and no one else.
I have noticed that a lot of parenting is trial and success/error.
What works for one child may not work for another child.
Each person in the family is unique and unrepeatable.
We are each beautifully and wonderfully made by God.
Here are some ideas to strengthen your family:
There is no cookie cutter model for your Catholic family to follow.
- Whatever works and draws your family closer to God, His Church, and each other, is good for your family.
- “Brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8)
Don’t be so hard on yourself
- You are a blessing and gift to your children
- Everything does not have to be perfect, things will go wrong
Be there for families in need
- If someone asks for prayer, take time to pray with them right at that moment (or text them or email them)
- Give to those who are struggling (sometimes the best thing is to offer to babysit their children, everyone needs a little break and babysitters can be expensive)
Think outside the box when asking children how they are doing.
- Emotions are good and a gift from God. It is not sinful to feel an emotion (Jesus was angry and sad too).
- It is how we act upon the emotion that can be sinful or good.
- Children can share their feelings by drawing, coloring, talking, dancing, etc.
- Instead of asking “How are you?” Or “How was your day?” – be more specific by saying “What was 2 ways that you helped out someone today?” “What made you sad or happy or angry today?”
- Make a Temper Scale
Movies and music can be great ways to talk about virtues and God.
- After watching a movie, talk about the virtues and emotions in the movie and how the characters reacted. How can this movie help us to grow closer as a family by what we learned?
- What from this song can draw us closer to each other and God?
Be a solution-based family
- Something good or bad has happened, now what little steps can we take to address the concern
- You do not have to fix the problem completely, simply take little steps
- Give children a chance to help in coming up with ways to solve the problem
- Schedule time to work, play, talk, and pray together
Teach children what a true apology is
- Say that you are sorry and do NOT put any excuses on the apology, like “I am sorry for yelling at you, but you made me made by … or if you would not have done this…”
- Simply say that you are sorry.
- Reassure the person that you will not do that in the future
- Then later on, you can talk about how to heal the relationship and move forward
Journal as a family
- Journaling will help see how God is working in your lives as a family.
- Thanksgiving - Write down people and things that you are thankful for.
- Supplication - Write down people that you are praying for
Songs for the Day: Beautiful by Mercy Me - https://youtu.be/bmUfJtsaqps
Prayer for the Day:
Lord, give us time today to talk with the people we love.
May our words be encouraging and kind.
Help those who are struggling with loneliness, that they may always know that they are not alone.
God, You are always with us.
Amen.
God bless,
Kevin Kimmel
May 26th
Dear Parents,
Praying for you and your family.
If you need prayer or to talk, email me at kkimmel@rcn.com and let me know the best time to contact you.
Bible for the Day: Philippians 3:13-14
Just one thing: forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead, I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus.
Tip for the Day: What Do You See in the Following Picture? Destruction/Bad Behavior OR Play/Learning?
I saw my 4-year-old son hitting his cars with the toy hammer.
My initial response was “stop that”, you are destroying your toys, be more respectful.
However, I caught myself before I said that and did the following instead.
I said this to him, “Why are you doing that?”
He responded, “I’m fixing the cars.”
Wow, I would have never looked at him hitting the cars with a hammer that way.
Be careful about how you respond to your child’s behavior. (Of course, if they are doing something very destructive or sinful, tell them to stop. However, make sure you talk to them about why it is important to be respectful and loving.)
How I respond as a parent to mistakes can be helpful to encourage or harmful.
Be careful to be loving when you correct your children, speak kindly to them.
Otherwise, whenever they make a mistake, they may hide it from you because they are fearful of how you will react.
Encourage them to know that they can tell you anything.
Making mistakes is a learning opportunity.
I like to see my children fail.
Not because I am an evil dad who likes seeing my children suffering – LOL.
I like to see my children fail because it is an opportunity to learn.
Think about a scientist.
When a scientist does a test and it fails, does that mean they should just give up and they have learned nothing.
No.
The results of the test, negative or positive, tells a scientist something and they have learned something from the test.
As parents, we are given the joy and responsibility to educate our children.
Take some time to reflect on learning. Ask yourself the following questions using the words who, what, where, why, and how.
- Who do you want to teach your children? Who do you want them to learn about?
- What do you want your children to learn? What do your children need to learn?
- Where are your children going to learn on the internet and social media?
- Do your children know why it is important to learn? Do your children know why the lessons you teach them are important?
- How are your children going to learn with you? How are you helping them to learn? How does each child learn best or prefer how to learn?
Lastly, do not just learn how to do something, take time to do it together.
Repair a car engine, wash laundry, build a tree house, do a cartwheel (I’m still working on this one).
Here is an example: My daughter asked me how to make banana bread.
Instead of having her watch a show on making banana bread, we went into the kitchen and made it.
Children love the experience of learning with you.
Share the experiences of learning and making mistakes together.
Song for the Day:
Broken Things by Matthew West - https://youtu.be/WdUu6ZsdVfM
Prayer for the Day:
Lord, help us to know that we are beautifully and wonderfully made in your Image and Likeness, sons and daughters of God.
We do not have to be perfect to be loved by you.
Thank you for your love for us.
Give us the wisdom to know what your will is for us.
Help parents to encourage their children to experience the joy of learning.
Help us to experience the joy of learning.
Amen.
God bless,
Kevin Kimmel
May 20th
Dear Parents,
Praying for you and your family.
Bible for the Day: 2nd Corinthians 11:25-27, 30 (St. Paul writes about his hardships in order to boast about the grace of God)
Three times I was shipwrecked, I passed a night and a day on the deep; on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own race, dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, dangers among false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many sleepless nights, through hunger and thirst, through frequent fastings, through cold and exposure…
If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.
2nd Corinthians 12:9
[God] said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” I [St. Paul] will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me.
Tip for the Day: When the ground is lava and you’re not sure how you are going to get from one couch to another.
Use the gifts you have to build a bridge.
The bridge was not strong enough for me to go across - LOL!
We need God’s grace in our lives.
Grace is like the oxygen for our spiritual bodies, without we die.
What is grace?
Grace is the participation in God’s life.
I love the quote that says: God does not call the perfect, He perfects the called.
We do not have to be perfect to do God’s will and do good for others.
God gives us His grace to help us make loving decisions.
God has also put important people in our lives to help us.
Parents & godparents are a gift from God to help children grow in holiness through God’s grace.
Thank God for the gift of parents & godparents.
The role of the parents/godparents is to help children grow in the practice (prayer, knowledge, sacraments, etc.) of the Catholic Faith.
I want to encourage all godparents to embrace the promise they made at their godchildren’s Baptism.
I want to encourage godparents to regularly contact their godchildren and encourage them through pray and to talk about their faith and life, write a letter of encouragement about the blessing their godchildren are in their life, and celebrate the children’s baptism, birthday, and other important religious events in their life.
How is God’s grace at work in your life?
Any good we do for others is because of God’s grace.
Here are some ways to reflect on how God is at work in your life through grace.
The Holy Spirit is at work in our lives through the Fruits and Gifts of the Holy Spirit:
- Fruits of the Holy Spirit: charity, generosity, joy, gentleness, peace, faithfulness, patience, modesty, kindness, self-control, goodness, chastity
- Gifts of the Holy Spirit:
- Wisdom: helps us judge what is important, meaningful, purposeful, etc.
- Understanding: to know something is different from truly understanding it. I can know a lot of facts about someone, but that is different from truly understanding that person.
- Counsel: helps us differentiate between right and wrong.
- Fortitude: courage and endurance.
- Knowledge: helps us to know God.
- Piety: proper reverence for God, helps us obey God out of love.
- Fear of the Lord: proper disdain for sin and awe of God’s goodness and love.
Through grace, humans have supernatural powers called the theological virtues: Faith, Hope, and Love.
- Faith is a gift of God which helps us believe in Him.
- Hope is the gift of confidence in Him.
- Charity is to love as God loves, giving ourselves to Himself and being selfless and sacrificing for others.
Cardinal Virtues (sometimes called moral virtues because they help us live the moral life)
- Prudence is the grace to form correct judgments
- Justice assists us in dealing equitably with others
- Temperance helps us subdue our sensual appetites and make proper use of God’s creation
- Fortitude helps us persevere despite temptations to sin and despair
Grace gives us the strength to give love to others through the Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy.
Spiritual Works of Mercy:
- Instruct the ignorant
- Counsel the doubtful
- Admonish sinners
- Bear wrongs patiently
- Forgive Injuries
- Comfort the Sorrowful
- Pray for the living and the dead
Corporal Works of Mercy:
- Feed the hungry
- Give drink to the thirsty
- Give alms to the poor
- Shelter the homeless
- Visit the sick
- Visit the prisoners
- Bury the dead
As parents, we do Corporal Works of Mercy all day long with our children.
As a father:
- I feed the hungry by making breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
- Give drink to the thirsty by bringing up a water bottle to my child in bed.
- I give shelter to my children with the home we live in.
- When they are sick, I bring them juice and a blanket.
- When they are in trouble and have to go to their room/step to think about what they did, I come to them and talk about what they did wrong, which is kind of like visiting the imprisoned.
Take time today to thank God for grace in your life.
Here are two videos to help explain what grace is to children:
Catholic Kids Media - https://youtu.be/wQENqPe-5Wk
Theo Matters - https://youtu.be/9PW3gaImhbg
Songs for the Day:
Your Grace is Enough by Matt Maher - https://youtu.be/LISbMRp0Y64
Prayer for the Day:
God, help me to see your grace at work in my life.
Thank you, God, for all the blessings in my life.
Give me the grace to help others.
Amen.
God bless,
Kevin Kimmel
May 18th
Dear Parents,
Praying for you and your family.
Bible for the Day: Matthew 6:34
Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself.
Tip for the Day: One of the scariest sentences in the human language. School is almost over!
Ahhhhhhhh! (this is the G-Rated version of what I was thinking while I was curled up in the corner – LOL)
Take a deep breath and just breathe. YOU GOT THIS!
I’m not ready for school to end, teachers have been a blessing to our children.
THANK YOU TO ALL THE TEACHERS! YOU ARE A BLESSING AND A GIFT!
What are my children going to do all summer?
It brings the question we dread to hear, “Dad, I’m bored, what should I do?”.
Be Not Afraid!
You are their parent and God gives us the grace to work for the good of our family.
Be the amazing parent you are through God’s grace, and take it one step at a time.
Take time to prepare.
First of all, you need to find out the needs of your children by sitting down and talking about what they want to pray about, learn about, how they want to play and with whom to play with (this may mean some virtual play dates and video games), talk to, and work projects to complete.
Each family is unique and unrepeatable, so each families list will be different.
Have a regular routine, not necessarily a strict schedule.
Example of a family routine: wake up and eat breakfast and start work/school and pray together.
A strict schedule we would do the same things, but it would be more like this: wake up exactly at 7a.m., eat breakfast exactly at 7:25a.m., start work exactly at 7:45a.m.
The difference between a strict schedule and a regular routine:
The routine is more easy-going and not strict on times to make things easier on everyone.
The strict schedule can easily lead to parents or children getting frustrated if we did not do things at the exact time.
Every year the end of school brings about children mourning the loss of regular connection with their friends.
As Catholics, we know that grieving is not just when we lost a loved one, it is when we have any loss.
The end of school will bring the loss of regular connection virtually to friends.
It is time to plan out as a family how all of you will be staying connected with friends.
This may mean researching and checking out certain video games, social media options, and video chatting.
Now regarding the question, “I feel bored, Dad, what should I do?”
Here is a strategy.
Have three jars in your house:
- Jar filled with game/play ideas
- Link with some ideas: https://www.care.com/c/stories/3775/101-indoor-games-and-activities-for-kids/
- Jar filled with family work/volunteer projects
- Link with some ideas: https://www.doinggoodtogether.org/
- Jar filled with talk ideas
- Link with some ideas: https://www.ahaparenting.com/parenting-tools/communication/family-discussions
Take time as a family to come up with your own ideas too and add them into the jars.
Go to those jars regularly and pull out one of the ideas, then do that as a family.
As a side note: This is your chance as a parent/spouse to sneak in one of those household projects that no one ever does – LOL.
Songs for the Day: Breathe by Jonny Diaz - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnjeMwxFuBA
Headphones by Britt Nicole - https://youtu.be/Lrg6Q7j7KjA
Prayer for the Day:
Jesus, I do not know what the future will hold.
Help me to trust in you.
I love you Lord.
Thank you, God, for all the blessings in my life.
Guide my family as we transition from school ending with summer almost here.
Holy Spirit, guide me in doing what is best for my family.
I love them so much.
I love you God.
Amen.
God bless,
Kevin Kimmel
May 15th
Dear Parents,
Praying for you and your family.
If you need prayer or to talk, email me at kkimmel@rcn.com and let me know the best time to contact you.
Bible for the Day: Ephesians 4:31-32
All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling must be removed from you, along with all malice. [And] be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.
Tip for the Day: Give people a true apology. Otherwise it feels like a slap in the face.
LOL! I love this game!
There is a great talk by Dr. Greg Popcak & Lisa Popcak on giving a true apology from May 14, 2020 on the More 2 Life Podcast.
A good apology involves three things:
- Person apologizing owns what they did (saying to the person you offended “you have a right to expect more from me”)
- Not to say, “I’m sorry you are offended, or you should have had a thicker skin, or I’m sorry I behaved that way but if you hadn’t done what you did then I would not have said it”
- Recognize the pain that they caused you and empathize with you.
- Willing to fix it
- Sitting down with the person we hurt and say if this comes up again, how can we handle this differently so that it does not happen again.
Here is the link to listen to the podcast called “To Forgive…Divine”: https://avemariaradio.net/audio-archive/more2life-may-14-2020/
Giving an apology is difficult.
No one likes telling someone else that they messed up and made a mistake.
Apologizing is not a sign of weakness; it is recognizing that a one could have handled a situation more appropriately to respect the dignity of the other person.
Everyone is wonderfully made in the image and likeness of God.
We deserve to be spoken to kindly and lovingly.
Be careful when people use a fake apology to just move on from a situation.
They say sorry sarcastically and then blame you for the way they acted.
Hold people accountable to their words.
Let them know that you deserve a true apology.
Lastly a few ideas for when children are sent to think about what they did wrong and calm down.
The following is what should happen before they are ready to come out by Dr. Greg Popcak:
- The child tells you what they did wrong.
- Give a sincere apology.
- Tell you what needs to be done differently. (Parents can help with coming up with ideas with the child. Do not just tell the child how they must act differently, it is better for the child to come up with the ideas on how to change their behavior.)
- Child must be calm enough to role play what happened over again and to do it appropriately.
Song for the Day: Rise by Danny Gokey (Lyric Video) - https://youtu.be/8eUGUC4Ko30
Prayer for the Day: Video of Religious Sisters using play cups to pray the ‘Prayer of St. Francis’ - https://twitter.com/i/status/1257819816414461953
God bless,
Kevin Kimmel
May 13th
Dear Parents,
Praying for you and your family.
If you need prayer or to talk, email me at kkimmel@rcn.com and let me know the best time to contact you.
Bible for the Day: Proverbs 16:24
Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
Tip for the Day: Don’t Push Each Other’s Buttons With Mean Words.
Do you remember the saying "sticks and stones may break your bones, but words will never hurt you"?
This saying is false.
Negative words do hurt and can be extremely painful, especially when they come from those who are closest to you.
One of the blessings of family, is they know you very well.
But that can also be one of the downfalls of family, they know you very well, and they know exactly the right buttons to push to hurt you the most.
Be careful today to make choices to use your words to affirm one another, instead of tearing each other down.
We have the choice of how we use our words.
One situation in my life is the following with my son.
He forgot to turn off the lights before coming downstairs.
Now I have the choice of how I can respond.
The negative way to respond
Tear into him and say, “You never turn off the lights” and yell at him to go up and turn off the lights. And then to bring up ways that he has forgotten to turn off the lights in the past and how disappointed I am at him.
The positive way to respond
Remind him to turn off the lights and tell him to do it immediately. Then, come up with a plan together on how to remember to turn off the lights.
In both ways, the lights would get turned off.
However, the negative way would build resentment towards each other and distrust.
I encourage everyone to take the way of affirmation.
Never let the hurt from the past dictate how I will treat someone in the present.
This does not mean let them do and say whatever they want, bad behavior needs to be addressed.
If someone cannot be trusted, then appropriate boundaries must be in place for your families’ safety.
Do not let the past hurts control how you want to live your life now; you are an amazing child of God that has been beautifully and wonderfully made.
When we struggle with being affirming, here are a few suggestions:
- Before giving a response, ask God how I should respond to this person in love. Reading stories from the Bible can be helpful, especially stories of how Jesus responded to difficult people.
- Write down what you want to say ahead of time, then run it by someone you trust to read through it. You do not have to send it. Writing it down can be helpful in getting your thoughts in order.
- Don’t assume that the person meant to hurt you, ask questions to find out why they said what they said or did what they did.
- Think about the advice that you would give to a friend who is struggling with speaking kindly to their family. What would you say to them? Write it down. Then, give that advice to yourself.
How do we want people to remember us by, words of negativity or affirmation?
Lastly, I want to challenge everyone to use social media for affirmation instead of negativity.
Make sure to limit your negative intake on social media. If needed, set a timer for how long you are on social media.
Songs for the day:
Speak Life by Tobymac - https://youtu.be/ZeBv9r92VQ0
Words by Hawk Nelson - https://youtu.be/Bf_H7Lwl0FI
Hello My Name Is by Matthew West - https://youtu.be/ZuJWQzjfU3o
Prayer for the Day (Prayer of St. Patrick):
Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
Amen.
God bless,
Kevin Kimmel
May 11th
Dear Parents,
Praying for you and your family.
Bible for the Day: John 14:1
Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me.”
Tip for the day: Don’t let the unknown of the “new normal” stop you from being an amazing parent. Take it one game at a time.
I am frustrated and scared hearing words like the “new normal” because of COVID-19.
I understand things are going to have to be different to keep our families and others safe.
I am not frustrated/scared about that.
My frustration and fear comes from news/internet sources that say the "new normal" will be terrible and will be impossible for people to do and we should just give up.
We can’t live in a spirit of fear and defeat.
Could you imagine a coach of your child’s sports team saying, “Go out there and lose. I know we can’t win, but at least we are playing the game.”
This coach would be ridiculous and no one would want to play for that team.
As Catholics, we are a resurrection and alleluia people.
Be Not Afraid.
We need to be solution-based families.
If there is a problem or concern, what can we do as a family to solve this problem.
First, we need to turn to God in prayer and seek His will for our lives.
Say to God, “God, thank you for all the blessings in our lives, now what can we do as a family to address this concern/problem.”
Here is an example of a concern my family had last week:
The other day my daughter and I had to take the dog to the vet to get well shots.
I talked with God & my wife and shared that I was nervous to take my daughter out, but I knew the dog would be calmer with her in the car.
My wife and I talked about it and we thought my daughter going was the best solution.
We had to take a little longer to get ready and plan it out.
We both wore masks and gloves and the vet nurse came out to take the dog in and out.
It all worked out.
Sometimes we will not be able to solve the whole problem, but we can still do little things as a family to make it easier on one another.
When those problems come along that we can not solve, be there for each other so we do not have to go it alone.
Go through the struggle/hardship together.
While you are going through it, be care-taking of one another.
Take care of one another by helping each other out, cleaning up something without being asked, writing a note that says I love you, sending someone a funny video.
Also, things will be stressful and difficult; each of us is experiencing this COVID in different ways.
Make sure you take time to play games with each other.
Just enjoy being silly and playing together.
Games are a great way to teach your children (like the picture up above, the game of operation gave us a chance to test out our children wearing masks/gloves).
My family loves to play charades, Hide & Seek, Monopoly Deal (no longer 3 hours of Monopoly – LOL), Lego Star Wars, Uno, and Go Fish.
If you have younger children, help the older children come up with ways to adapt the game for the younger ones.
It is helpful when the older children are apart of the planning process for making it fun for everyone.
When my older son and I play Risk or Chess, we have a rule that if my 4-year-old comes along, he can play too.
The rule is that any piece he adds or removes to the game is now removed or added to the board.
Songs for the Day:
Like You Love Me by Tauren Wells - https://youtu.be/HHrxS4diLew
When We Pray by Tauren Wells - https://youtu.be/9YZZzgJB33E
Prayer for the Day:
Lord, help us to be solution-based families.
Give us the wisdom and knowledge to address the concerns/problems in our lives.
Help us to trust in Your will for us.
Give us time today to play games with each other and laugh with each other.
Thank you, God, for the gift of our family.
Amen.
God bless,
Kevin Kimmel
May 8th
Dear Parents,
Praying for you and your family.
If you are in need of prayer or to talk, email me at kkimmel@rcn.com and let me know the best time to contact you.
Bible for the Day: Psalm 139:14
Tip for the Day: You be you today! If you want to, it’s ok to dress like a lion.
LOL!
Each of us has been beautifully and wonderfully made by God.
You are made in the Imago Dei (the image and likeness of God), created with both a body and soul.
“The body, in fact, and only the body, is capable of making visible what is invisible: the spiritual and the divine. It has been created to transfer into the visible reality of the world, the mystery hidden from eternity in God, and thus is to be a sign of it” – from Theology of the Body by St. John Paul II
By your prayers, acts of charity, and kindness to others, you show them the love and mercy of God.
You are a gift and blessing to those you love.
Take time today to be you.
What gifts and hobbies do you have?
Share those gifts and hobbies with those you love.
Help your children to find out what they are good at (or want to become good at) and encourage them to try those things.
When you love someone, you appreciate the things that they love and love to do.
You may not like the same thing, but it is important to find the goodness, truth, and beauty in what they like to do (If your children like video games, offer to watch or play with them).
Also, what are your loved one’s love languages – [how they show love and how they receive love]
- Words of Affirmation, Physical Touch, Acts of Service, Gifts, Quality Time
Take time to talk about what each other’s gifts and hobbies are.
Here are a few ideas of gifts and hobbies:
- Acts of Generosity and Kindness
- Art
- Athletics: Name all the Sports/Activities:
- Beauty/Grace
- Carpentry
- Communication {Speaking Clearly and People Understand You)
- Computers
- Cooking/Baking
- Creativity
- Dance
- Debate/Negotiations
- Drama
- Encouragement
- Engineering
- Enthusiasm
- Financial (good with money)
- Joy/humor
- Leadership
- Mathematics
- Mechanics and Cars
- Music
- Organizing
- Outdoor Activities and Nature
- Peace Maker
- Reading
- Science
- Sewing / Fashion
- Taking Care of Animals
- Writing
- Gifts of the Spirit: Counsel (giving advice) Courage Right Judgment (making good decisions) Piety (being holy, praying) Fear of the Lord (trusting & respecting God) Wisdom Knowledge
Song for the Day: Gold by Britt Nicole (*video contains some mature content) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9PjrtcHJPo
Prayer for the Day:
Lord, help us to be ourselves today.
Give us your grace today to be kind, patient, and loving.
God, help us to know our true value and worth in Your eyes.
Thank you for beautifully and wonderfully creating us in your Image and Likeness.
Amen.
God bless,
Kevin Kimmel
Week 8: Jesus' Power Lives in Us
Week 7: Jesus’ Power Brings Hope
Week 6: Jesus' Power Helps Us When We're Lonely
Week 5: Jesus' Power Takes Action
Week 4: Jesus’ Power Means We Don’t Have to Fear Death
Week 3: Jesus’ Power is Unexpected
Week 2 - Jesus' Power Calms Our Worries
Week 1 - Jesus' Power Calms Our Fears
Global Teen/Young Adult Life Event on May 31st at 5:00 p.m. - Lonely Together
Global Teen/Young Adult Life Event from May 17th: Featuring Joel Stepanek – God in the Mirror
Global Teen/Young Adult Life Event from May 10th: Featuring Joel Stepanek – God in the Uprising
Global Teen/Young Adult Life Event from May 3rd: Featuring Ennie Hickman – God in the Pain
Global Life Event from April 26th: Featuring Mari Pablo - You Won't Find Jesus Here
Global Life Event from April 19th: Featuring Mark Hart
Global Life Event from April 9th: Featuring Fr. Mike Schmitz
Global Life Event from April 5th: Featuring Jackie & Bobby Angel
Global Life Event from March 29th: Featuring Emily Wilson
Most Current Podcasts
More 2 Life Podcast:
On Edge – More 2 Life – June 4, 2020 – https://avemariaradio.net/audio-archive/more2life-may-28-2020-2/
Description: Are you at odds with someone you care about? Are you struggling to see eye-to-eye with somebody? Do certain discussions with people always break down into a fight? Are there certain argumentative people you’d like to handle better? We’re here to help you manage conflict...gracefully!
Fighting Words – More 2 Life – June 3, 2020 – https://avemariaradio.net/audio-archive/more2life-may-29-2020encore-presentation-from-may-28-2019-2/
Description: Are you at odds with someone you care about? Are you struggling to see eye-to-eye with somebody? Do certain discussions with people always break down into a fight? Are there certain argumentative people you’d like to handle better? We’re here to help you manage conflict...gracefully!
Being There – More 2 Life – June 2, 2020 – https://avemariaradio.net/audio-archive/more2life-june-2-2020/
Description: Are you struggling to know how to help someone who is struggling? Are your attempts to “be there” for someone blowing up in your face, or just making things worse? Maybe you’re not sure what to do to be helpful in the first place. Today, we’re exploring the art of accompaniment.
Overcoming Outrage – More 2 Life – June 1, 2020 – https://avemariaradio.net/audio-archive/more2life-may-11-2020-2/
Description: Recent events make this a good time to reflect on our relationship with anger and how we manage it. Do you struggle with anger? Do you tend to feel guilty any time you feel angry? Does your anger make you lash out and say or do things you regret?
Love Lust with Jason Evert:
Q & A with Jason Evert and Crystalina – June 3, 2020 - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/6-q-a-with-jason-and-crystalina/id1511825543?i=1000476751257
The Burrowshire Podcast:
True Friendship – Burrowshire Podcast – June 3, 2020 - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/007-true-friendship/id1504904663?i=1000476636568
Video Games & Culture – Burrowshire Podcast – May 20, 2020 - https://burrowshirepodcast.com/video-games/
Girlfriends (A Podcast for Catholic Women):
4 Ways to Support Your Kids’ Faith Lives – Girlfriends with Danielle Bean – Ascension Press – June 2, 2020 - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/4-ways-to-support-your-kids-faith-lives/id1073361940?i=1000476591850
Catholic Answers Live:
Overcoming Anxiety – Dr. Greg Popcak – Catholic Answers Live – June 3, 2020 – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/9611-overcoming-anxiety-gregory-popcak/id129684370?i=1000476748592
Tips for Defending the Faith – Trent Horn – Catholic Answers Live – June 3, 2020 – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/9610-tips-for-defending-the-faith-trent-horn/id129684370?i=1000476748591
Do Something Beautiful by Leah Darrow:
A Teenage Pregnancy and the Saving Power of Family– Do Something Beautiful Podcast – Leah Darrow Speaks with Sarah Padgett & Chris Padgett – June 1st, 2020 – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/90-a-teenage-pregnancy-and-the-saving-power-of-family/id1159764896?i=1000476411762
Description: Chris Padgett is back on the podcast - this time, with his daughter Sarah. They tell the story of Sarah's teenage pregnancy, the immense importance of the love of parents for their children, how welcoming little Audrey affected their whole family, and...
The Catholic Talk Show:
Powerful Catholic Conversions Story of Jim Wahlbert – The Catholic Talk Show – June 2nd, 2020 – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-powerful-catholic-conversions-story-of-jim-wahlberg/id1436358056?i=1000476539714
Description: On this episode of The Catholic Talk Show, the guys are joined by filmmaker Jim Wahlberg, the older brother of Mark & Donnie Wahlberg, who shares his powerful conversion story.
Ask Christopher West:
A Beautiful Challenge – Ask Christopher West – June 1, 2020 - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-beautiful-challenge-acw74/id1448699486?i=1000476509475
Girlfriends (A Podcast for Catholic Women):
4 Ways to Support Your Kids Faith Lives – Danielle Bean – June 2, 2020 - https://media.ascensionpress.com/podcast/4-ways-to-support-your-kids-faith-lives/
Pints with Aquinas:
Why Sr. Natalia Became a Nun – Pints with Aquinas Podcast – June 2, 2020 - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/208-why-sr-natalia-became-a-nun/id1097862282?i=1000476499649
Catholic Sprouts:
John Chapter 6 - Tuesday, June 2, 2020 – Catholic Sprouts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cs-482-6-2-20-john-6-tuesday/id1406174660?i=1000476500368
John Chapter 6 - Tuesday, June 1, 2020 – Catholic Sprouts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cs-481-6-1-20-john-6-monday/id1406174660?i=1000476387310
Ask Father Josh Podcast:
Healing the Racial Divide – Ask Fr. Josh Podcast – June 2, 2020 – https://media.ascensionpress.com/podcast/special-episode-healing-the-racial-divide/
Word on Fire:
Kids Q&A with Bishop Barron - June 1, 2020 - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wof-234-kids-q-a-w-bishop-barron-june-2020/id1065019039?i=1000476429326
The Tightrope (Reflections for Busy Catholics):
The Center Did Not Hold - Ascension Press – June 1, 2020 - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-center-did-not-hold/id1379108973?i=1000476449995
Jeff Cavins Show:
10 Ways to Know If God is Speaking to You - By Jeff Cavins - May 29, 2020 - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/10-ways-to-know-if-god-is-speaking-to-you/id1201282412?i=1000476233950
Counsel of Trent:
Racism, Riots, and a Catholic Response – by Trent Horn – June 2, 2020 - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/312-racism-riots-and-a-catholic-response/id1354647807?i=1000476558656
All Things Catholic with Dr. Edward Sri:
Should Physical Health Be Our First Priority? – All Things Catholic – June 2, 2020 – https://media.ascensionpress.com/podcast/should-health-be-the-1-priority-for-catholics/
Catholic Answers Focus:
Gifts of the Holy Spirit (with Fr. Hugh Barbour) – Catholic Answers Focus – June 1, 2020 – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/252-the-gifts-of-the-holy-spirit-fr-hugh-barbour-o-praem/id955874270?i=1000476534161
May 23rd - May 28th
More 2 Life Podcast:
Cooperation Collapse – More 2 Life – May 28, 2020 - https://avemariaradio.net/audio-archive/more2life-may-28-2020/
Description: Do you feel like you’re the only one working to solve a particular problem? Are you feeling resentful because everything seems to fall to you? Do you feel guilty asking for help or struggle to get the help you’ve asked for.
Faith & Life – More 2 Life – May 27, 2020 - https://avemariaradio.net/audio-archive/more2life-april-7-2020-2-2-2/
Description: Is your faith complicating your life or relationships? Is your faith causing conflicts between you and your spouse or kids? Are you struggling to experience God’s presence, his forgiveness or love?
Parenting Puzzles – More 2 Life – May 26, 2020 - https://avemariaradio.net/audio-archive/more2life-may-26-2020/
Description: What challenges have you been facing in your parenting life lately? Are your kids struggling to behave or manage their emotions--especially with all the disruptions to normal life that we’ve all been experiencing?
Fr. Mike Schmitz:
How to Practice the Presence of God – Fr. Mike Schmitz – May 28, 2020 – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-practice-the-presence-of-god/id1200915759?i=1000476090191
Messy Family Project:
The Pray + Play Challenge – Messy Family Project – May 28, 2020 - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mfp133-the-play-pray-challenge/id957216506?i=1000476066412
The Play and Pray Challenge is a way for us to spread the kingdom of Jesus Christ into every home in a fun, interactive way. We have learned that if you are going to PRAY with your family, you need to PLAY with them! This June from the 12th to the 21st, we are challenging families to do three things: Organize and execute an amazing FAMILY DAY, plan and go on a DATE NIGHT, and proclaim Jesus Christ as the KING OF THE HOME by placing the image of the Sacred Heart in their house and “enthroning” Him as King. We want to make this a fun and rewarding experience for families, so we have created some resources to help you out. Go to our website messyfamilyproject.org/challenge to get our Play and Pray Challenge Kit. We want this challenge to go viral, so spread the word to get other families to do it too!
Counsel of Trent Podcast by Trent Horn:
The World’s Biggest Fakers Exposed – Counsel of Trent – May 27th, 2020 - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/311-the-worlds-biggest-fakers-exposed/id1354647807?i=1000476186121
Women Priests, Married on the Beach, Slavery and More – Counsel of Trent – May 27, 2020 - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/310-women-priests-married-on-beach-slavery-more-open/id1354647807?i=1000476063465
Girlfriends (A Podcast for Catholic Women):
How Busy Is Too Busy? (with Rachel Balducci) – Girlfriends with Danielle Bean – Ascension Press – May 26, 2020 - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-busy-is-too-busy-with-rachel-balducci/id1073361940?i=1000475947160
Ask Christopher West:
Fertility in Suffering – Ask Christopher West – May 25, 2020 - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fertility-in-suffering-acw73/id1448699486?i=1000475767539
Love Lust with Jason Evert:
Christopher West on Sex, Gender, and Nacho Libre – Jason Evert – May 23, 2020 - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/5-christopher-west-on-sex-gender-and-nacho-libre/id1511825543?i=1000475487109
Catholic Sprouts:
Our Lady of Kibeho: Tuesday, May 26, 2020 – Catholic Sprouts - https://youtu.be/FAHX4W0Y7y8
Our Lady of Kibeho: Monday, May 25, 2020 – Catholic Sprouts – https://youtu.be/p1E8pzxOCtk
Saint Stories for Kids:
St. Philip Neri – Shining Light Dolls Podcast – May 24, 2020 – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-73-st-philip-neri/id1448514363?i=1000475638305
Ask Father Josh Podcast:
All About Prayer – Ask Fr. Josh Podcast – May 26, 2020 – https://media.ascensionpress.com/podcast/all-about-prayer/
The Tightrope (Reflections for Busy Catholics):
Offer Good News and Ask Good Questions - Ascension Press – May 25, 2020 - https://media.ascensionpress.com/podcast/offer-good-news-and-ask-good-questions/
All Things Catholic with Dr. Edward Sri:
Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit – All Things Catholic – May 26, 2020 – https://media.ascensionpress.com/podcast/seven-gifts-of-the-holy-spirit/
Catholic Answers Focus:
Why Is Marriage a Sacrament (with Fr. Hugh Barbour) – Catholic Answers Focus – May 25, 2020 – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/250-why-is-marriage-a-sacrament-fr-hugh-barbour-o-praem/id955874270?i=1000475793420
Christ is the Answer Podcast with Fr. John Riccardo:
God’s Will For My Life - Christ is the Answer with Fr. John Riccardo – May 25, 2020 – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/christ-is-the-answer-may-25-2020/id726437663?i=1000456250677
Articles:
Holy Friendship in a Hypersexualized World – Bill Donaghy – June 2nd, 2020 - https://tobinstitute.org/holy-friendship-in-a-hypersexualized-world/
Thank God for the blessing of technology. However, be careful how much time is spent on devices for your family. Here is a great website with a lot of ideas for activities & games for children other than electronics: https://www.screenfreeparenting.com/screen-free-activities/
You are a Parent Forever In the Line of Malchizedek–The Common Priesthood in the Liturgy of Domestic Church Life – By Rachael Popcak and Dr. Gregory Popcak – May 27, 2020 - https://www.patheos.com/blogs/faithonthecouch/2020/05/you-are-a-parent-forever-in-the-line-of-malchizedek-the-common-priesthood-in-the-liturgy-of-domestic-church-life/
Kids Aren’t Projects: The Myth of Parenting “Techniques” (And What To Do Instead) – By Rachael Popcak and Dr. Gregory Popcak – May 26, 2020 - https://www.patheos.com/blogs/faithonthecouch/2020/05/kids-arent-projects-the-myth-of-parenting-techniques-and-what-to-do-instead/
“Imperfect People Need Not Apply” Does the Domestic Church Discriminate? – By Rachael Popcak and Dr. Gregory Popcak – May 21, 2020 - https://www.patheos.com/blogs/faithonthecouch/2020/05/imperfect-people-need-not-apply-does-the-domestic-church-discriminate/
“The Parish Exists To Support the Family Not The Other Way Around.” Popcak Interview with The Angelus on Domestic Church Life – By Rachael Popcak and Dr. Gregory Popcak – May 20, 2020 - https://www.patheos.com/blogs/faithonthecouch/2020/05/the-parish-exists-to-support-the-family-not-the-other-way-around-popcak-interview-with-the-angelus-on-domestic-church-life/
“It’s Just Easier to Do It Myself” (And Other Lies Satan is Using to Undermine Your Domestic Church) – By Rachael Popcak and Dr. Gregory Popcak – May 13, 2020 - https://www.patheos.com/blogs/faithonthecouch/2020/05/its-just-easier-to-do-it-myself-and-other-lies-satan-is-using-to-undermine-your-domestic-church/
“I’m Just Not Affectionate” A Wound God Wants To Heal – By Rachael Popcak and Dr. Gregory Popcak – May 7, 2020 - https://www.patheos.com/blogs/faithonthecouch/2020/05/im-just-not-affectionate-a-wound-god-wants-to-heal/
Catholic Teacher Offers Homeschooling Tips for Parents - May 5, 2020 - https://media.ascensionpress.com/2020/05/05/catholic-teacher-offers-homeschooling-tips-for-parents/
How to Pray the Rosary Everything You Need to Know – by Jeannette Williams – May 4, 2020 – https://media.ascensionpress.com/2020/05/04/how-to-pray-the-rosary-everything-you-need-to-know/
Your Family: On a Mission From God – by Rachael Popcak & Dr. Gregory Popcak – April 30, 2020 - https://www.patheos.com/blogs/faithonthecouch/2020/04/your-family-on-a-mission-from-god/
The Point of Family Prayer Is “Love” Not “Getting it Right” – By Rachael Popcak & Dr. Gregory Popcak – April 30, 2020 - https://www.patheos.com/blogs/faithonthecouch/2020/04/the-point-of-family-prayer-is-love-not-getting-it-right/
Serving the Spirit of Others: Spiritual Works of Mercy – by Allison DeBoer - https://media.ascensionpress.com/2020/04/29/serving-the-spirit-of-others-spiritual-works-of-mercy/
Discipleship Discipline: A Saintly Approach to Parenting – By Rachael Popcak & Dr. Gregory Popcak – April 28, 2020 - https://www.patheos.com/blogs/faithonthecouch/2020/04/discipleship-discipline-a-saintly-approach-to-parenting/
Hey Parents. Tired of “Losing It?” Here’s What To Do Instead.- By Rachael Popcak & Dr. Gregory Popcak – April 24, 2020 - https://www.patheos.com/blogs/faithonthecouch/2020/04/hey-parents-tired-of-losing-it-heres-what-to-do-instead/
“Watching Mass” With Your Family. Futile or Fulfilling? What Makes the Difference. - By Rachael Popcak & Dr. Gregory Popcak – April 23, 2020 - https://www.patheos.com/blogs/faithonthecouch/2020/04/watching-mass-with-your-family-futile-or-fulfilling-what-makes-the-difference/
A Tribute to Our Furry Quarantine Companions by Allison DeBoer – From Ascension Press – April 16, 2020 - https://media.ascensionpress.com/2020/04/16/a-tribute-to-our-furry-quarantine-companions/
Older Articles:
Stuck at Home? Your Family Can Still Be a Blessing To Others – By Rachael Popcak & Dr. Gregory Popcak – April 22, 2020 - https://www.patheos.com/blogs/faithonthecouch/2020/04/stuck-at-home-your-family-can-still-be-a-blessing-to-others/
Gentle Discipline: The Power of Catching Them Being Good – By Rachael Popcak & Dr. Gregory Popcak – April 17, 2020 - https://www.patheos.com/blogs/faithonthecouch/2020/04/gentle-discipline-catch-them-being-good/
Nailed It! Do I Have to Be “Crafty” to be a Catholic Parent? - By Rachael Popcak & Dr. Gregory Popcak - https://www.patheos.com/blogs/faithonthecouch/2020/04/nailed-it-do-i-have-to-be-crafty-to-be-a-catholic-parent/
Parents, Is Sheltering In Place Burning You Out? There Might Be a Simple Solution - By Rachael Popcak & Dr. Gregory Popcak - https://www.patheos.com/blogs/faithonthecouch/2020/04/parents-is-sheltering-in-place-burning-you-out-there-might-be-a-simple-solution/
How are You Coping With Corona Take Our Quiz by Dr. Gregory Popcak
Finding Spiritual Consolation in Times of Pandemic - by Dr. Gregory Popcak
Understanding the Liturgy of the Domestic Church - Dr. Gregory Popcak
Seven Ways to Manage 'COVID Stress Syndrome' - Dr. Gregory Popcak
Talking to Children About COVID-19
The coronavirus has been upsetting to everyone. Our usual coping mechanisms of coming together in times of stress are now being discouraged and we are forced to keep our distance from each other. For families caring for a child, youth or young adult, not seeing friends and worry about the possibility of getting sick may heighten anxiety. The following resources are to help families support their children in through this difficult time:
- Resources from Common Sense Media: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/resources-for-families-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic
- Supporting Kids During the COVID-19 Crisis: Tips for nurturing and protecting children at home https://childmind.org/article/supporting-kids-during-the-covid-19-crisis
- How to Avoid Passing Anxiety on to Your Kids https://childmind.org/article/how-to-avoid-passing-anxiety-on-to-your-kids/
- Video Talking to Kids About the Coronavirus https://www.facebook.com/HumanityCrew/videos/201670141106110/
Articles by Jim Gontis:
(Director of Religious Education for Harrisburg Diocese)
12 Promises of the Sacred Heart
Parent-Booklet-on-Divine Mercy and Rosary
Prayer - the Fuel for Our Spiritual Engines
The Importance of Parents Bringing Their Children to Holy Mass
More Catholic Resources
About Us
St. Jane Parish is a family rooted in our faith in Jesus Christ and our devotion to his Church. We strive always to be a welcoming community, with our doors open to all who seek the Lord.
Address: 4049 Hartley Avenue
Easton, PA 18045
Phone: 610-253-3553
Fax: 610-253-5711
Email: info@stjanesofeastonpa.com
Mass Times
Daily:
6:30 a.m., 8:15 a.m. (Mon-Fri)
Saturday:
9:00 a.m.
Sunday Vigil: 5:00 p.m.
Sunday:
7:30 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m., Noon
Holy Day: Consult Bulletin
Reconciliation:
Wednesday: 8:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Saturday: 3:45 - 4:45 p.m., or by appointment
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