When you feel a special joy and warmth, and are not sure where it is all coming from, thank the Lord, for it’s from him! We recently celebrated a wonderful Mass and Potluck supper in the Starfish Coffee House. 

One of the newlywed couples was there; their Joy was contagious! The young adult group is planning a “Pentecost Party’ for June 4. Young adults new to the group are most cordially welcome! Everyone please wear something Red!

Check on the progress of our ‘Repurposed” garage with that new door and protected entrance way. The project is really coming along, and the place looks attractive already!

Our sacramental activity year ends now with our 1st grade Enrollment Mass. As most know St. Francis was a “Pioneer” in instituting a family centered approach to our 1st graders. Moms and/or Dads would come four times during the year and receive a packet of several lessons to work with until the next parent meetings; we talk to parents – parents talk to children! This demonstrates to parents at the very start that religion is a different form of knowledge. It cannot be shared only in an academic or classroom setting, but must be learned in a life context with parents as the primary teachers of their children in the ways of faith. If parents find they enjoy going over their child’s lessons, it can be the start of a personal and fruitful calling for them! The Enrollment Mass makes the process “official,” as mindsets and comfort zones can be difficult to melt down!

The predominant mindset in parents and students at Confirmation can sometimes be “Thank God that’s over!” with Confirmation as another word for graduation, and “now I’m done with that little mini- school!” The comfort zones here are even more difficult to crack. People want their Sundays free for family, friends, children, and sports. “Church on Sunday” little by little has been relegated to an obvious third or fourth place. How did a church-going, devout America end up so secularized? How is it that now so many young people, when filling out an application, check the religion box marked “None”? With First Communion and the joy and belief of our children, there is an opportunity for our whole family to return to more frequent participation at Mass. The grace of God finds no obstacle, and the parents’ joy at seeing their children’s faith is motivating. Confirmation can also be a turning point for a family yet often it is difficult. God can and will use many outside events and changes to create a moment of faith for many in the family. The next step for our newly confirmed youth is our Youth “teens” Ministry. Watch our bulletin and emails for more information!

Every community and culture finds a way to honor parents – Mother’s Day fits right into our “American Style” of doing things. This holiday affords many opportunities for fun and sentimentality but also for sincere demonstration of respect and attachment! With younger kids we have “breakfast in bed” for mom and younger teens can manage “Queen for a day.” Of course, mom knows well she will have to be involved with cleanup for breakfast and putting things back in order after modeling a queenly demeanor! 

“Honor you mother and father” – at least parents get one commandment specific to them! The commandment is not directed at school age or even teen children who still need to obey their parents, but to adult children who need to provide personal care at a certain point. We have the same issues in our culture today; as the old adage goes “A mom can raise four children, but four children can’t take care of one mom!” The commandment touches all of us. May we all drive safely and thoroughly enjoy the day’s festivities. Hopefully you make a big fuss over mom! If they have passed on, work in a visit to the cemetery to honor grandma or grandpa. As the Bible says, “It is a Holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead!”

Mother’s Day – Jesus really comes through for His Mother at the end! In his last moments of consciousness dying on the cross, Jesus places his mother in the care of the disciple whom he loved and makes certain that he knows this is a solemn moment and that he is committing himself to her care. “Mother, behold your son! Son, Behold your mother!”

 

On Mother’s Day the whole family honors mom. If the children are small, they will try to do some breakfast for mom (while she appears to enjoy it, really, she’s afraid they’ll spill the coffee)! Adult children must ask themselves “Are we caring for Mom as well as we can?  Should we do some other things for her? When do we face the issue of her living alone, and not being able to manage anymore?” Candidly some families will have it easier to meet her needs, others will struggle.