A Prayer To the Holy Innocents

Holy Innocents, you died before you were old enough to know what life means, pray for all children who die young that God may gather them into His loving arms.

Holy Innocents, you were killed because one man was filled with hatred, pray for those who hate that God may touch their hearts and fill them with love.

Holy Innocents, you experienced a violent death, pray for all who are affected by violence that they may find peace and love.

Holy Innocents, your parents grieved for you with deep and lasting sorrow, pray for all parents who have lost young children that God may wrap a warm blanket of comfort around them.

Holy Innocents, those around you certainly felt helpless to prevent your deaths, pray for all who feel helpless in their circumstances that they may cling to God for courage and hope.

Holy Innocents, you who are now in Heaven, pray for all of us that one day we may join you there to bask in God’s love forever.

Amen.

Second Week of Advent - Video Reflection

Here's the second week's video reflection from the University of Notre Dame.  The author this time is a student.

First Week of Advent - Video Reflection

For the past few years, the University of Notre Dame has released a series of video reflections to coincide with Advent.  Below is the video for the First Week of Advent.  May it help us be patient and learn to wait!
 

What's the Advent Wreath about?

Check out this two-minute video about the history of the Advent Wreath.

Advent at St. Mark, Vienna, VA

Below are some Advent events at St. Mark you may be interested in:

FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT: December 2

Advent

• Sunday, December 2: Youth & Family Mass, 6:00pm in the Church
• Friday, December 7: Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, Vigil Mass; 7:30pm in the Church
• Saturday, December 8: Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, Masses at 8:00am and 11:00am in the Church.
• Saturday, December 8: Ticket Distribution for 3:45pm AND 6:00pm Christmas Eve Masses; 10:00am in the Activities Center

SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT: December 9

• Wednesday, December 12: Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mass at 7:30pm in Church; Fiesta in Activities Center afterward
• Saturday, December 15: First Penance celebration, 11:00am in the Church

THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT: December 16

• Thursday, December 20: Advent Taize Prayer, 7:30pm in the Chapel; Blessing of the Creche afterward

FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT: December 23

• Sunday, December 23: Advent Parish Penance Service, 7:00pm in the Church.

image credit: aharden on flickr

Four Family Advent Ideas

Wondering how you can celebrate Advent in your home? Here are four ideas for your family to use this Advent.

Use an Advent Calendar

A custom, non-chocolate Advent calendar

Advent is a season of waiting in joyful, expectant hope.  An Advent calendar helps pass on this idea by creating a time of day everyone looks forward to because something that's hidden becomes seen.  Many calendars in department stores feature chocolate treats (and everyone looks forward to chocolate treats).  There are even wacky, specialized Advent calendars you can buy, like the Lego calendar, for those with a particular interest.

Another approach is to create your own calendar as a family.  Buy a reusable Advent calendar online or create one yourself using 24 small containers (one for each day from December 2 to Christmas).  Inside the containers, write and place one small activity for your family to do together

Simple Creche

Set Up a Creche
At the manger scene, you can gather each night for prayer. An old, but good, custom is to invite your children to place one piece of straw in the cradle for good deeds they or the family did that day. The more good deeds, the softer the cradle becomes for Jesus. My family has a tradition of placing baby Jesus in the cradle when we come back from Christmas Mass on Christmas Eve.  Do that, or create your own tradition.

Pray with an Advent Wreath

Advent wreath

Light candles corresponding to the candles lit at Mass on Sundays and pray around the wreath each Sunday (here's a guide for praying with the Advent wreath on Sundays) and/or each day during your normal family prayer time.  After you assemble your Advent wreath, say a few words of blessing as a family.  Use the family Advent wreath blessing from Loyola Press or this blessing from our own US Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Make a Jesse Tree

Jesse tree in progress

What is a Jesse tree?  The Diocese of Eerie explains:

In the month before Christmas, the church anticipates the coming of Jesus through readings that span from the Old Testament creation story through Jesus’ birth. Jesse, for whom the tree is named, is the first person in the genealogy of Jesus. At the top of this family tree are Mary and Jesus. Depicted in church windows and artwork for hundreds of years, this visual tree of life may even have been a forerunner of today’s Christmas tree.

Simply put, the Jesse tree is sort of like an Advent calendar, except biblical.  It's a way to pray through the stories from the Old Testament to prepare our hearts and minds for the coming of Jesus.
To create a Jesse tree, you can follow the instructions on the Diocese of Eerie webpage, or from a blog called Catholic Style.  Those links also have instructions for praying with the Jesse tree.

image credits: Patrick Q on flickr; Jose M. Vazquez; usedcarspecialist on flickr; Silly Eagle Books on flickr

What's Advent About?

Advent is the first season in the liturgical year.  It's meant to help us focus on Jesus' coming.  It's a season of waiting, preparing, hope, praying, and joy.  Watch this two-minute video for more information:

Advent Brings Christmas Into Focus

Advent brings Christmas into focus

As November transitions into December, we transition liturgically from Ordinary Time to Advent.  Green vestments will be exchanged for violet and rose (AKA pink), the music we sing in Church will take on a different hue, and our liturgical readings change to stories of waiting and preparing for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Advent brings Christmas into focus.  The season can help us prepare our hearts and minds for the coming of Jesus.  It comes at a perfect time of the year.  As we're pulled in twenty different directions (shopping, decorating, parties, gift exchanges, baking special treats, making sure everything is "perfect"), we need the still, quiet time to even out and focus on why we're running around and why we're so busy: celebrating the birth of Jesus.

To help you and your family prepare for Advent and Christmas you'll find a series of blog posts created this week and throughout the month of December.

May God be with all of us as we start the Advent season!

image credit: vandinglewop on flickr

Mass Times for All Saints' Day at St. Mark

Thursday, November 1 is All Saints' Day.  St. Mark in Vienna, VA, will have Masses at the following times:

• 6:15am
• 9:15am
• 5:30pm
• 7:30pm

And from the St. Mark bulletin, a note:

This Thursday, we rejoice in all those who have attained the reward of their faith in the happiness of heaven, as we celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints. As well as the known and canonized Saints, all who now enjoy the presence of God are of the Communion of Saints, to which we aspire. And as a Holy Day of Obligation, falling upon a week-day, this Solemnity reminds us to be conscious of the saints’ prayers for us at all times

All Hallows Eve

Today is Halloween!  What sort of connection do we as Christians have to this day?  Watch the video below to hear about Halloween, All Saints' Day, and All Souls' Day from Fr. James Martin, S.J..

[Video is 8:14 long]

No RE on October 29 or 30

Due to Hurricane Sandy, there will be no RE today (October 29) or Tuesday (October 30). Please stay safe!

First Penance Parent Meeting: November 8, 2012

The First Penance Parent Meeting has been rescheduled to Thursday, November 8, 2012 at 7:30pm in the Activities Center.  All parents of children preparing to receive First Penance should have received an email and letter about this change.

The Year of Faith: there's an app for that

As mentioned in previous posts, we are in the middle of a "Year of Faith."  Similar to the "Year of Paul" and Year for Priest, the Year of Faith is a time to focus on a particular aspect of our Catholic faith that the Pope and Bishops think Catholics around the world need to draw their attention to.  While Paul and Priests represent a segment of our faith, this year, we're asked to look at our faith as a whole, to examine our relationship to Jesus and grow in knowledge of our faith.

The Diocese of Ft. Wayne-South Bend commissioned a website and companion smartphone app to help Catholics in Northern Indiana and across the world grow in their faith.  The website and app update daily with new posts designed to "help you learn your Catholic faith, love it more deeply and live it with passion."  So far, topics of posts include the newest American saints, a missionary in Nicaragua, and how to see the Pope when in Rome.

You can purchase the MyYearOfFaith app for your iOS or Andriod device for $.99.

Vatican II -- 50th Anniversary

Yesterday marked the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, which is partially the reason why we're celebrating a "Year of Faith" this year.  While the blog will feature articles throughout the year on Vatican II, here's a little known gem straight from the Bl. Pope John 23's heart, spoken on the night of October 11, 1962:

If your Italian isn't what it used to be, see the translation below (HT to Whispers in the Loggia)

Dear sons and daughters,

I feel your voices! Mine is just one lone voice, but it sums up the voice of the whole world.

And here, in fact, all the world is represented here tonight. It could even be said that even the moon hastens close tonight, that from above, it might watch this spectacle that not even St Peter's Basilica, over its four centuries of history, has ever been able to witness.

We ask for a great day of peace. Yes, of peace! 'Glory to God, and peace to men of goodwill.'' If I asked you, if I could ask of each one of you: where are you from? The children of Rome, especially represented here, would respond: ah, we are the closest of children, and you're our bishop. Well, then, sons and daughters of Rome, always remember that you represent 'Roma, caput mundi' ['Rome, the capital of the world'] which through the design of Providence it has been called to be across the centuries.

My own person counts for nothing -- it's a brother who speaks to you, become a father by the will of our Lord, but all together, fatherhood and brotherhood and God's grace, give honor to the impressions of this night, which are always our feelings, which now we express before heaven and earth: faith, hope, love -- love of God, love of brother, all aided along the way in the Lord's holy peace for the work of the good. And so, let us continue to love each other, to look out for each other along the way: to welcome whoever comes close to us, and set aside whatever difficulty it might bring.

 When you head home, find your children. Hug and kiss your children and tell them: 'This is the hug and kiss of the Pope.' And when you find them with tears to dry, give them a good word. Give anyone who suffers a word of comfort. Tell them 'The Pope is with us especially in our times of sadness and bitterness.'

And then, all together, may we always come alive -- whether to sing, to breathe, or to cry, but always full of trust in Christ, who helps us and hears us, let us continue along our path.

Prayer for the Year of Faith

An excellent prayer to pray during the Year of Faith (taken from the Diocese of Arlington Year of Faith website):

Heavenly Father,

Pour forth your Holy Spirit to inspire me with these words from Holy Scripture.

Stir in my soul the desire to renew my faith and deepen my relationship with your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, so that I might truly believe in and live the Good News.

Open my heart to hear the Gospel and grant me the confidence to proclaim the Good News to others.

Pour out your Spirit, so that I might be strengthened to go forth and witness to the Gospel in my everyday life through my words and actions.

In moments of hesitation, remind me:

If not me, then who will proclaim the Gospel?

If not now, then when will the Gospel be proclaimed?

If not the truth of the Gospel, then what shall I proclaim?

God, our Father, I pray that through the Holy Spirit I might hear the call of the New Evangelization to deepen my faith, grow in confidence to proclaim the Gospel and boldly witness to the saving grace of your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Amen

The Year of Faith

To enter the door of faith is to begin a journey that lasts a lifetime -- Pope Benedict XVI

Today, October 11, 2012, marks the opening of the Year of Faith, a 13-month long opportunity to deepen our faith in Jesus.  To help us all enter the Year of Faith, the Arlington Diocese has created a website designed to inspire and invite us to grow in faith.

At the national level, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) also has a website designed to help us take a deeper look at our faith.  There's a collection of videos from the website, including an introduction to the Year of Faith, a saint for each of the 13 months, and a Q&A about the Year of Faith.  The Bishops also offer a simple family prayer to pray this year.

Globally, the Vatican's English Year of Faith website provides us with a wider view of our faith, more focused on what the Pope and other Church officials offer us during this year.  For example, below is the video produced with Pope Benedict announcing the Year of Faith:

With the proliferation of these Year of Faith websites, the Church recognizes the need to be present where people work and live part of their lives: the digital realm.  Throughout the year, you can join us here at the blog as we highlight the best of what the Diocese, USCCB, and Vatican have to offer us during this Year of Faith.

No RE on October 7, 8, and 9

We will not have Religious Education classes on October 7, 8, or 9 due to the Columbus Day holiday.  Classes will resume on October 14, 15, and 16.

Turn! Turn! Turn!

There is an appointed time for everything, 

and a time for every affair under the heavens. – Ecclesiastes 3:1 

For the leaves, a time to die.

Popularized by the Byrds in 1965 with their song “Turn! Turn! Turn!” this Bible verse is one of the most recognized from the Hebrew Scripture (Old Testament). In a strange twist, the underlying current of the Scripture passage is easy to lose amid the familiarity and popularity of the words. As the passage continues to tell us there’s a “time to be born, and a time to die” and “a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant,” a basic quality of knowing the “appointed time” screams to be recognized: discernment. Without proper time, space, and silence for discernment, it is difficult to know whether it’s “a time to keep,” or “a time to cast away;” whether it’s “a time to be silent” or “a time to speak.” In a world that places a premium on what’s now (see: the series of commercials saying “that was so 15 seconds ago”), on knowing the latest news (“did you hear about the NFL refs?”), and on having the latest gadgets (iPhone 5!), I have to work to carve out a part of my life to discern the “appointed time.” No clock, no calendar, can tell me the time or the season. Only in conversation with God and those who love me can I properly discern the time.

Image Credit: joiseyshowaa on Flickr

Fall Festival this Sunday!

The St. Mark fall festival is this Sunday, September 30 from 1pm to 4pm.  And you're invited!  Check out the flyer below for the details.

Junior High kick off Friday, September 28

All 7th and 8th graders are invited to the Junior High kickoff on Friday, September 28!  Watch the video below (or get your youth to watch it).  It looks like it'll be a ton of fun!


Contact Angie Pometto in the youth office for more info on the Jr. High kickoff or other youth ministry offerings.

CYO Basketball - 2012-13

Registration Deadline: October 1, 2012 

CYO Basketball Representative: Mark M. | stmarkbball@gmail.com

St. Mark CYO basketball is back once again, and stronger than ever (more than 250 players and 25 teams total last year)!  Come join the long tradition of fun and success in our CYO basketball program.  Our goal is to have at least two teams (boy and girl) for 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grades.

Participation Fee(s): $70.00*
Participation fees will NOT be collected during registration. Coaches will collect registration fees, once teams are assembled.

*Discount: For your first child, the fee is $70.00; take $10 off for each additional child. For example, if you have three children registering: $70 (1st child) + $60 (2nd child) + $50 (3rd child) = $180 registration fee.

Participation Requirement: All children from St. Mark Parish are welcome to participate. Children MUST attend either St. Mark Religious Education or St. Mark Catholic School.

Registration Form: There is a new registration process this year. ALL registration will be completed online. I will send you an email to confirm I have received your completed registration form. If you do not hear back from me within 3 days of your registration submission, contact me at stmarkbball@gmail.com.

Click or enter the URL to register: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dDZ2TGxLSXJSdDR6ZzZmT1NWN1NnZlE6MQ

Any basketball or registration related questions should be directed to stmarkbball@gmail.com.

Looking forward to another successful season of St Mark Hoops!

Parent Handbook (2012-2013)

Just in case you missed the Parent Orientation, below is the updated parent handbook for this 2012-2013 RE year:

Reminder: we follow FCPS on school closings

With the potential of severe weather today, we follow the lead of the Fairfax County Public Schools for closings and cancellations.  If afternoon or evening activities are canceled for FCPS, we will not hold classes on that afternoon and evening.  If Sunday activities are canceled, we will not hold classes on Sunday.

To find out the latest, check the Fairfax County Public School website or their twitter.

Catechists Needed: is God calling you?

Each year, Fr. Pat makes a plea for catechists during August and September. And each year through the generosity of parishioners young and old, God provides catechists who hear and answer the call to hand on our Catholic faith to children who seek to know God and the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Christ is our teacher

During the plea, I stand in the narthex ready to talk to anyone interested in learning more about being a catechist. Sometimes parishioners approach me after Mass and say, “I don’t know why I’m saying yes, but I feel like this is the year I need to come forward.” Their subtle hesitation is found in many of us who hesitate from further involvement with children and youth: “I don’t know what to say;” “I’m too young/old;” “You wouldn’t believe my schedule;” “I’m afraid.” These concerns are valid and we can only decide the right time to say yes to God through honest, prayerful discernment with ourselves and our families.

But over 2500 years ago, the prophet Jeremiah had a similar response to God’s call: “I do not know how to speak. I am too young!” (Jer 1:6). Reading into Jeremiah’s deeper hesitancy, God answers: “To whomever I send you, you shall go; whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you.” (Jer 1:7f). These powerful words are meant not merely to pacify Jeremiah into saying yes to God, but to reassure Jeremiah of God’s presence and guidance on what would be a rocky road ahead – imminent death at speaking God’s word to powerful people.

Although catechists do not face the same circumstances, their work can be prophetic to a generation in need of people to energize and criticize; to inspire and teach; to lead them to encounter Christ, the ultimate aim of all catechists.

YouthMassBand at this weekend's 11:45AM Mass

The following is a public service announcement:

This Sunday, August 19, the 11:45AM Mass will feature the YouthMassBand.  This group provides the music for the 6:00PM youth and family Mass, typically held on the first Sunday of the month from October to May.  Their style is praise & worship/contemporary.

See you at Mass!

Solemnity: Assumption of Mary

This is a little late, but here is the schedule for the remaining Masses at St. Mark in Vienna, VA for the Assumption of Mary:

• 5:30PM
• 7:30PM

Hope to see you there!

RE Registrations -- in the mail!

Registration packets for Religious Education classes at St. Mark starting in September of 2012 were mailed out to all families with children registered at the end of April 2012.  You should receive them in the mail soon.

If you're a new family, you can pick up registration materials at the information desk in the narthex after all weekend Masses or by visiting the RE/parish office.

Thank you for your patience!

Vacation Bible School: Day 4

Apollo the Caterpillar

In our penultimate VBS day we learned that no matter what happens, we can trust in God!

In the morning we learned the verse for the day: "I am convinced that [nothing] will be able to separate us from the love of God."  This passage (maybe familiar because it was featured in yesterday's post in the music paragraph) is from Romans 8:38-39.

During the Bible story, we got to carry a real wooden cross as we learned about the crucifixion and the resurrection (Matthew 27:32-28:20).  Jesus trusted in God even in the midst of his very real pain and questioning.  We can do the very same!

Musically, we learned "We Can Trust Him" (track 10 or you can listen to a bit by pressing the play button next to the tittle).  This song, based on Psalm 33:43 reminds us that we can trust in God and in God's works.

Due to Friday's busy clean up, there will be no blog.  But check back next week for a final blog wrap-up piece.

Vacation Bible School: Day 3

Scout the Bald Eagle

Day 3 of Sky VBS saw us exploring how no matter what people do, we can trust in God!

In the morning, we learned the key verse (along with hand motions) taken from Isaiah 40:31 -- "But those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles."

We began our two-day trek into the Paschal Mystery as we journeyed into the Garden of Gethsemane in search of Jesus and heard about his arrest and trial (Matthew 26:36-27:31). This story reminds us that Jesus faced betrayal and still trusted in God in the end.

Music brought out a slower song, "Nothing Could Keep Me From You," (track #4; or press the play button next to the song here) which is based on Romans 8:38-39.  This song and verse remind us that God's love breaks through all potentially divisive powers of the universe.

Come back tomorrow for installment #4 VBS blogging.

Vacation Bible School: Day 2

Orville the Flying Pig

During day 2 of Sky VBS, we learned that no matter how we feel, we can trust in God!

Our key verse for the day was taken from the Gospel of John, Chapter 14, verse 1 -- "Do not let your hearts be troubled, believe in God."

In our Amazing Blue Bible Adventures, we learned about the raising of Lazarus (John 11).  Even when we feel our worst (and who hasn't said "I feel dead!"), we can trust in God to bring us new life.

During music, we learned yet another catchy song, "Counting on God."  Listen to it on CD track 7 or click on the play button next to the song here.  No matter what's going on in our life, we can count on God to be there for us.

Check back tomorrow for more VBS fun!

Vacation Bible School: Day 1

Pat the Bat

At today's Sky VBS, we learned that no matter who we are, we can trust God!

Our key verse for the day was from 1 Samuel 16:7: "The LORD does not see as mortals see...the LORD looks on the heart."

We also heard about the faith of the Roman centurion from Matthew 8:5-13.  Jesus healed his daughter after Jesus saw the faith the Centurion had.  May we have that same faith in our lives!

During music, we learned "You, You, You," which you can listen to by clicking on the play button next to the title on this page.  This song reminds us that it doesn't matter who we are, we can trust God!

Visit tomorrow to see what we have in store for Day 2 of VBS!

Feast of Sts. Peter & Paul

St. Paul in the Vatican

St. Peter in the Vatican

Today, the Church celebrates two of our most beloved early Christians, Sts. Peter & Paul.  Peter was the leader of Jesus' handpicked disciples and, together with Paul, the leader of the Early Church.  Paul's influence lives on in his letters to the earliest Christian communities in Rome, Corinth, Thessolonika, and other places.  Although they clashed on at least one recorded occasion (see Galatians 2), their passion for Jesus and their intense desire for discipleship helped them overcome any disagreements and focus on spreading the Good News of Jesus the Christ.

Want to learn more?  Watch this video and St. Paul.

St. Paul

Image Credits: Mary Harrsch on flickr (Paul); Mr. G's Travels on flickr (Peter).

8 Ways to Celebrate Sacred Time as a Family

Family fun

Meaningful moments are lurking around every corner!  Each day presents us with a new opportunity to encounter God as a family.  An article on Loyola Press' website lists eight different ways to harness ordinary daily and yearly moments to bring us closer to God and one another.  Some you can try today, some may require some waiting.

Pay close attention to number five, "make more of your time in the car together."  This summer, as we travel from place to place for camps, hangouts and roadtrips, try to harness that time together in the car.  Besides the recommendation they give, you can try these four other ways of having car conversations.

Check out the rest of the article for other suggestions.

How do you mark sacred moments as a family?  What special things do you do together?

Image Credit: Pink Sherbet Photography on Flickr

Sacred Heart of Jesus

A traditional rendition of the Sacred Heart

Today is the Feast day of the Sacred Heart of Jesus!  We've all seen the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (see image to the right).  As a child, I always thought that must have been painful and, very practically, asked the question, how could Jesus be alive with his heart outside his body?  Now as an adult, I ask a different question: what's the point of the Sacred Heart?

For an answer, let's take a look at an excellent article by Fr. James Martin, SJ, on the Sacred Heart.  It really gets to the heart of this devotion.

For the Sacred Heart is nothing less than an image of the way that Jesus loves us: fully, lavishly, radically, completely, sacrificially. The Sacred Heart invites us to meditate on some of the most important questions in the spiritual life: In what ways did Jesus love his disciples and friends? How did he love strangers and outcasts? How was he able to love his enemies? How did he show his love for humanity? What would it mean to love like Jesus did? What would it mean for me to have a heart like his? How can my heart become more "sacred"? For in the end, the Sacred Heart is about understanding Jesus’s love for us and inviting us to love others as Jesus did.

To emphasize that point, the end of the article tells a story of a priest showing the image to schoolchildren.  The priest asks the students, "why do you think Jesus' heart is shown outside his body?" A girl responds, “because he loves us so much that he can’t keep it in!”


Read the rest of Fr. Martin's article for more information on the history and development of the Sacred Heart devotion. 

Br. Michael Moran's Sacred Heart

40 Hour Devotion: A Time For Prayer

Please join St. Mark on our annual 40 Hour Devotion leading up to this weekend's Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ.  The remaining times are:

• Thursday until 10pm
• Friday after 6:15am Mass to 10pm
• Saturday from 8:00am to Benediction at 3:30pm.

What is Adoration?

Confused about what Adoration is and why we do it?  Read this quote below, which is taken from a small book produced by Ligouri Press called In the Presence, by Sr. Joan Ridley, OSB (PDF).

When we sit in silence in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, we are being gazed upon by the Lord. Actually this is true every moment of our lives, but in church or chapel, we have intentionality in gazing at the Lord. That is why we are there. It is an experience of adoration. We do not have to be rationally aware of this reality. It does not depend on our mind so much as our heart... Adoration is our fundamental stance before God, the essential act of relating ourselves to the Absolute. It involves worship. We worship and adore God alone.

"Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest." -- Jesus, Matthew 11:28

Simply put, Adoration is a time for us to pray, to listen, and to be in the presence of Jesus.  Give it a try.  Bring your family.  Time with God is never wasted.

Image Credit: ElectricDisk on flickr

4 Ways to Grow in Faith this Summer

Summer and faith go hand in hand

Tomorrow we turn the calendar to June.  Children all across Fairfax County will wave goodbye to their school buildings for the summer and engulf themselves into summer activities: camps, sleep overs, and (hopefully) reading a book or ten.

The summer is also a great opportunity to continue their faith formation in the home.  Here are three ways your child (and your family) can grow in your faith this summer.

Weekday Mass
Try attending a weekday Mass once or twice a week with the family.  At St. Mark, the weekday Mass is in the chapel, providing an intimate worship setting you and your family might not be familiar with.  Make sure to place an unconsecrated host from the glass bowl to the gold ciborium for every person receiving communion.  Before going to Mass, check out the readings with your family beforehand using the United States Conference of Catholic Bishop's website dedicated to Mass readings.  Use the calendar on the right hand side to find the day.

Mass is celebrated at 9:15AM Monday through Friday, at 7:30PM on Monday and 6:15AM on Friday.

Vacation Bible School

This year, give VBS a try.  It's a week full of faith, fun, and community.  Each day focuses in on a different Bible story about Jesus, with each activity reinforcing the story.  Whether it's children interacting with the story during the story time or singing songs with similar themes beforehand, they will learn about God while having fun.

This year's VBS is from July 9-13 and features Sky VBS, which focuses on trusting God in all situations.  Watch a trailer about this year's VBS to learn more information.  Or visit Our Sunday Visitor's website dedicated to the Catholic version of Sky, which we'll be using.

We also need teenage and adult volunteers to help run VBS, so the whole family can attend or help!

Read the Bible
Public schools often have "summer reading lists," with dozens of books teachers recommend (or require) their students to read during the summer.  Why not add the Bible to the list?  Read a Bible story out of a children's Bible before going to bed at night with little kids.  Or if you have older kids, pick and read a Gospel together (maybe Mark's Gospel, since he is our patron saint!).  Any Gospel is a good place to start, as are the Old Testament stories of Abraham (Genesis 11-25), Joseph (Genesis 37-50), and Moses (Exodus 1-15).  Some of the Old Testament stories can be complicated!  Talk to Isaac if you have any questions.

Watch a Movie
A few times this past year, the blog has highlighted teachable faith moments within two popular Disney movies, The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast.  This summer will also feature Friday Family Movie Nights at St. Mark with kid-friendly movies focused on positive values.  Check the bulletin and information desk for more details.

What do you recommend?  How does your family grow in faith during the summer?

Image Credit: Bonnie Woodson on Flickr

Pentecost in Two Minutes

Continuing Busted Halo's "...in Two Minutes" series is our Church's celebration of the coming of Holy Spirit to the Apostles and to the world in Pentecost.  Check it out:

Come Holy Spirit!

Where do you need inspiration in your life?  Where do you need the gifts of Wisdom, Counsel, Knowledge, Understanding, Fortitude, Piety or Wonder/Awe/Fear of the Lord?

Trouble Praying?

Prayer Hands

Pope Benedict XVI gave some advice to those of us who struggle in our prayer life:

We want to pray, but God is far off, we do not have the words, the language, to speak with God, nor even the thought to do so. We can only open ourselves, place our time at God’s disposition, wait for Him to help us to enter into true dialogue. The Apostle says: this very lack of words, this absence of words, yet this desire to enter into contact with God, is prayer that the Holy Spirit not only understands, but brings and interprets before God. This very weakness of ours becomes -- through the Holy Spirit -- true prayer, true contact with God. The Holy Spirit is, as it were, the interpreter who makes us, and God, understand what it is we wish to say.

Is this advice helpful?  What do you think?


Image Credit: Connor Tarter on flickr

Power Out at St. Mark

Due to the power outage, all activities the evening of May 16, 2012 have been cancelled. Our email and phone system are also down.

Confirmation is expected to happen as scheduled tomorrow. If you are helping with the reception, expect and email first thing on Thursday.

Where Communion Hosts Come From

Have you ever wondered where Communion hosts are made?  Well now you can find out with a look inside the Cavanagh Company, the good folks who make the bread we use at St. Mark and throughout the United States.  I like to think of this video as a Mr. Rogers-esq trip into a religious bread company.

This video requires Flash.  If you're using an iOS device, sorry!


You can read the entire article here.

Note: There's been a lack of posting and updates on the blog mostly due to the flurry of preparation time that goes into First Eucharist.  After first Eucharist and Confirmation are completed, we'll be back to regularly posting.

First Eucharist at St. Mark: Welcome Guests!

Welcome to any guests who will be joining us May 5-6 or May 12-13 for our parish-wide celebration of First Eucharist!  To help make this day beautiful for everyone, here are some pointers:

• Please be aware that the front parking lot may be full, meaning you may be required to park in the rear parking lot.
• Contact the parents of the First Communicant for information on where your family will be sitting on that day.
• Arrive inside the Sanctuary no later than 5 minutes before the start of Mass if you wish to sit with the family members of the First Communicant in the reserved pew.  Ushers are instructed to fill in any empty seats at this point.
• Mass times are:
• Saturday at 5:30PM
• Sunday at 8:15AM, 10:00AM, and 11:45AM
• No photographs are allowed during Mass, with the exception of when the First Communicants are processing in during the Gathering Song at the beginning of Mass.  After Mass, children will congregate around Fr. Pat for a picture near the altar.
• Please join us with full heart and full voice to help make our worship of God and our celebration of the Mass fuller and more meaningful.
• For more information on what we believe about the Eucharist, watch this short, 5-minute video.

Please pray for all our First Communicants as they begin this new and exciting part of their journey with God!

Photo Credit: m.gifford on flickr

The Eucharist (how we receive)

With First Eucharist coming up the next two weekends at Mass, it's a good time to brush up on what we believe about the Eucharist.  Check out this quick video that explains a little of what we believe and a little on how to receive:

Keep these children in your prayers!

April 25: Happy Feast Day!

Happy Feast Day, St. Mark Community!

St. Mark, the Evangelist, pray for us!

Image Credit: Lawrence OP on flickr

Praying With Children At Night: the Examen

I see the moon, and the moon sees me...

The day is drawing to a close.  It's time to get ready for bed and prepare for tomorrow.  Practically speaking, this means brushing teeth, putting on PJs, and packing the backpack for another big, big day.  But what about our day with God?  How do we wind down the day with God and prepare for tomorrow -- and help our children to do this too?

Enter Ignatian spirituality, a branch of Catholic spirituality that prays through the events of the day.  I wrote a blog post on praying the Examen as an adult in the winter, but didn't mention a way to pray this way with children.  Well, now you can.

With the help of this blog post on praying with 12-year olds, I developed a worksheet to help children and adults to pray.  Below is a five-step prayer:

1. Start with a period of relaxation.  Throughout the day events and choices can overwhelm and pull at us.  Not even children are immune from tension.  This period of calmness allows us to ask the Holy Spirit to inspire us in our prayer.
2. With the strength of the Spirit, we work our way through the day, from beginning to the present moment, and list at least three things that we're thankful for.  Big or small; meaningful or seemingly irrelevant; whatever you're thankful for write them down.
3. Again, working back through the day, we think about what happened.  What sort of feelings or emotions came to us today?  When did these occur?
4. From this list, we focus on one item and ask God to teach us.  Spend a few moments in conversation with God, then complete the sentence "Maybe the message is/Maybe God is trying to tell me..."
5. Finally, we ask God to help us learn from our day today and live a better tomorrow.  Complete the prayer, "God, please help me to..."

The worksheet is embedded below.  The top half of the contains the guidance for praying the examen while the bottom half can be filled out as you pray.  A PDF version of this form can be downloaded by clicking here and pressing Ctrl + S.


May God be with you and your family as you pray your nightly prayers!

Photo Credit: Patricia Kashtock on flickr

Sky VBS - Coming July 9-13 to St. Mark Catholic Church!

Sky VBS is coming this summer to St. Mark Catholic Church!  More information forthcoming.  For now, check out this video:

The Hunger Games

Have you seen the Hunger Games movie?  It's all the rage right now with tweens, teenagers and young adults.  If you're considering taking your child to the movie, watch this three-minute review by Sister Rose, who reviews movies from a Catholic perspective for the benefit of parents.



And that's not all.  She also provides a few questions to help you think about the movie after the fact.  Click on the purple "Download Study Guide" button on this page to check it out.

Did you see the Hunger Games?  Are your children into the books?  What do you think?

Easter Sunday

He is risen!  Death, where is your sting?  Alleluia!

Holy Saturday

On Holy Saturday, the Church keeps vigil, as we wait for and celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord.

"Receive the Light of Christ," we tell one another at the Vigil

Where do I need Christ's light in my life?  Where do I need to shine light in my family, community, and world?


image credit: Lawrence OP on flickr

View from the Cross

For Good Friday, a painting depicting what Jesus saw from the cross called "View from the Cross," by James Tissot.

For a quick synopsis of what you're looking at, read this entry in Art and the Bible.

Where would you be in this picture (be honest)?  Far away, close by, or somewhere in between?

Holy Thursday

To prepare for Holy Thursday's liturgy (Mass of the Lord's Supper), take a look at this video from Fr. Robert Barron's Catholicism series.  In it he talks about the words of Jesus in John 6.



What's my experience of the Eucharist?  Do I believe with my actions as well as with my mind that Jesus has the words of everlasting life?

Virtual Stations of the Cross

If you're looking for a way to pray the Stations of the Cross at home, I recommend taking at look at the Virtual Stations of the Cross put together by Busted Halo, a website run by the Paulists (in addition to the two I previously recommended).  These stations are very well done, combining our Tradition with contemporary artwork and reflections written for people trying to follow Jesus in the world today.  The Stations are pray at your own pace, so you can reflect on and pray with one station for as long as you wish before moving on to the next Station.

I've embedded the first two below, but you can pray with the rest by clicking here.

First Station: Jesus is Condemned to Death


Second Station: Jesus Carries His Cross
 

A Guide to Holy Week's Liturgical Colors

Many colors, many meanings

"Wait, is Holy Thursday a white day or a red day?"

"Father wore red on Palm Sunday -- why not purple?" 

"What color should I wear on Good Friday?"

If you've asked yourself one of these questions, or many related questions, in the past few days, you're not alone.  During Holy Week, Catholics use three different colors liturgically: red, purple, and white.  Below is a quick guide to these colors, which days they're associated with, and what they symbolize.

Red: Palm Sunday & Good Friday

On Palm Sunday, celebrants wear red

Used twice during Holy Week (Palm Sunday and Good Friday), red is associated with passion and love in the world at large.  Red is the liturgical color for exactly this reason, to help drive home the point that Jesus loved us to death -- and beyond.  The two times that we read the Lord's Passion in it's entirety are Palm Sunday and Good Friday, so it's no coincidence that the liturgical color these two days is red.  Also associated with feast day of martyrs (those who witness to our Catholic faith to the point of giving their lives), the red liturgical color on these two days symbolizes the blood shed by Jesus.

Purple
Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of Holy Week all use the Lenten color of purple.  These days are the regular Lenten days and so get the regular Lenten color, symbolizing the penance we are undergoing in preparation for Easter.

On Holy Thursday, celebrants wear white

White: Holy Thursday & Easter Vigil/Sunday

*Did you know Lent officially ends on Holy Thursday?  On Holy Thursday, our mood turns celebratory as we poignantly celebrate the Last Supper the day before we commemorate Jesus' death on Good Friday, a day with no Mass.  Holy Thursday is the day we dust the Gloria off and represent it to Catholic communities world wide, singing triumphantly the song of praise and glory to God that we have not sung together in weeks.  And of course on Easter we joyously and triumphantly celebrate the Resurrection of Christ from the dead, singing "death, where is your sting?"  Jesus reigns and we celebrate!  So the liturgical color of white symbolizes joy, triumph, and glory.

*note: we don't end our fasting after Lent ends, but instead enter into the Triduum fast as we continue and intensify our preparation for Easter.


Image Credits: chelmsfordblue on flickr; bquad on flickr

Holy Week Basket

Fill your basket

With Holy Week around the corner, here's an idea for your family that will help make Holy Week a special week: Holy Week baskets!  Bust out the fake green grass a little early and scrounge up your Spring-colored plastic Easter eggs: we're repurposing them in a non-candy way.

Put the green plasticy grass in the basket, and place the basket in a prominent place in your house.  Inside the eggs, place slips of paper with different actions or ideas for keeping Holy Week.  For ideas, check out the description of a classroom version of this activity.  Here are some that are St. Mark specific:

• Attend the Palm Sunday parish penance service (at 7:00PM on Palm Sunday)
• Donate a household item for those who cannot afford it (see bulletin for details)
• Attend a Holy Week service at St. Mark

What other ideas could you include in your Holy Week basket?

Image credit: tracitodd on flickr

Palm Sunday Video

Here's a video (not intended for children) about Palm Sunday.  How do we approach the only Sunday Gospel of the year where we, the assembly, have speaking parts?



Do I just go through the motions of Palm Sunday?  Where in my life do I need to turn away from sin and embrace the Gospel?

Holy Week in 2 Minutes

This two minute video which runs through the holiest week of the year, Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday.
What did you learn from this video?  What could you pass on to your children?

Holy Week Services at St. Mark Catholic Church in Vienna, VA

Below is the Mass and service schedule for St. Mark Catholic Church in Vienna, VA for Holy Week 2012 (Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday).

Palm (Passion) Sunday, April 1

• Mass Times: 8:00AM; 10:00AM; 12:00 noon
  The outdoor procession will take place at the noon Mass only, and will begin with the blessing of the palms in the Activities Center.
• Parish Penance Service: 7:00PM

Holy Thursday, April 5

• Mass of the Lord's Supper: 7:30PM
• Adoration: post-Mass until midnight

Good Friday, April 6

• Stations of the Cross: 12 noon
• Celebration of the Lord's Passion: 3:00PM
• Living Stations of the Cross: 7:30PM

Holy Saturday, April 7

• Blessing of the Food: 12 noon
• Easter Vigil: 8:30PM

Easter Sunday, April 8

• Mass Times: 8:00AM; 10:00AM; 12:00 noon 

Note: Mass times on Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday are a bit different for the early and late Mass: 8AM instead of 8:15AM and 12 noon instead of 11:45AM.

2 Online Stations of the Cross

A wooden cross

Each Friday at 7:30PM during Lent, St. Mark has a communal Stations of the Cross.  But what if you're unable to make the Stations on Friday?  Below are a few options for your family to pray the Stations at home.

Stations for Children
Loyola Press has put together a multimedia Stations of the Cross that can either be downloaded or viewed online in Flash format.  Each station features a brief description as well as a non-gruesome picture.  The primary audience for these stations are children.  If you're interested at engaging your children further with these stations, ask them to come up with their own picture of each Station.  You'll be surprised at what they come up with!

Shadow Puppet Stations
Put together by Jesuit Brother Edward Sheehy, the YouTube video below features a different take on Stations of the Cross, with shadows playing the part of the characters with "Were You There?" playing in the background.  This almost 9 minute video is more of a meditation than the traditional Stations of the Cross, as the only words spoken announce each Station.  Everything else is dependent on your imagination.


How does your family pray during Lent?  Do your children know about the Stations of the Cross?

Image: Janaka Dharmasena / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

"Spring Forward" on Sunday!

Add an hour Saturday night.

Remember to change your clocks Saturday night before you go to bed -- or wake up at 2AM and change them Sunday morning.  "Spring forward" by adding an hour to your time.  Don't be late to Mass and Religious Education classes!

Image Credit: Jörg Weingrill on Flickr

Raising Children of God

A February 27th article in the American Magazine pointed to four tested ways to raise your children Catholic.  Written by a mother of four, these ways resonate with my (Isaac's) upbringing.

Below are two of the the four ways (another post later in the week will cover the other two).  The entire article can be read here, but only if you have a subscription to the American Magazine.

Involvement
Consider your own participation in the life of the community.  Your children will mirror your modeling of the faith, for better or for worse.  Try to involve them in however you volunteer at the parish.  Are you a catechist? Ask them for help on a lesson plan.  Are you a Eucharistic Minister?  Pray with your family before Mass for you to be the EM God wants you to be.  Are you a lector?  Practice reading with your child.  When they get old enough (5th grade for St. Mark) they can become an altar server.  And when they get even older (middle school) they can become a lector.  Eventually, they'll see the good that you do and want to follow in your footsteps.  My mom played flute in the choir, and now I share my musical gifts with our community.

Intellectual Engagement
Do you have an 8th grade understanding of literature?  Or math?  Or science?  Our religious education shouldn't end with 8th grade either.  As an adult, continue your own intellectual development of our faith.  Visiting the RE blog or other faith-filled websites is a start.  So is reading a good book or two about our faith.  Encourage your children to think about our faith off the St. Mark property.    Prepare for Mass before going to Mass.  Talk about Mass afterward, asking if anything stood out, a particular prayer or phrase.  Quiz them on the Gospel.  Ask them good question after their RE classes.  Read the Bible together once a week or more.  Whatever works for your family, do it.

Check back later this week for the other two ways.

What do you do to engage our faith intellectually?  How are you involved?  Or how would you like to be involved?

2 Family Lenten Events at St. Mark

How is your family’s Lent this year? Okay? Good? Not so good?

There are two opportunities (both at St. Mark) in the next week for your family: (1) (Youth Mass +) Parish Lenten Mission and (2) Pizza + Children’s Stations of the Cross.

(Youth Mass +) Parish Lenten Mission
On Sunday evening, we have our monthly youth Mass at 6PM followed by a family dinner at 7PM in the Activities Center. After dinner, children (grades preschool through 8th) are invited to join in a Lenten Workshop. Parents are encouraged to attend the Parish Mission at 7:30PM being held in the church at the same time (starting at 7:30PM). (We would ask one parent to remain in the activity center if your children are in 2nd grade or below.) The title of the Mission is Lent: Our Journey into the Mystery of God.

On Monday and Tuesday Evenings, you’re invited to the other two nights of the Mission, also beginning at 7:30PM. Check out our awesome flyer (PDF) for more info.

Pizza + Children’s Stations of the Cross
Join us next Friday, March 9 for Pizza + Children’s Stations of the Cross. Pizza will be served at 7PM in the Activities Center and Stations will begin at 7:30PM in the Church. This particular Stations of the Cross caters to children in the primary grades, but is suitable for all ages. Donations will be accepted to help offset the cost of the pizza.

Please RSVP to Isaac by noon on Thursday, March 8 so we can order enough pizza.

Website Wednesday: 3 Lenten Reflection Sites

Lent is a very popular time for parishes.  It's popular because people know that Lent is a special time in the year, a time to focus on God.  To help us "rend our hearts," many different communities provide a series of one-a-day reflections.  Below are three online series that I've found helpful.

Fast | Pray | Give

It's like an Advent calendar...that's fasting from chocolate.

Busted Halo does a great job of coming up with daily, relatable content 366 days of the year.  [Insert Leap Day joke.]  Their yearly Lenten offering does not disappoint.  Each day features a quote from a cultural figure, real or fictitious, along with one way you can fast, pray, and give that day.

Take a look at Saturday, February 25.  Yoda's famous "Do or do not -- there is no try" quote is featured.  Then below we see our three Lenten disciplines:

FAST from overthinking decisions.
PRAY to be more confident in your abilities and more active in your faith.
GIVE a call to a parish or community ministry today to schedule time to volunteer in a parish or community ministry this week.

If you're a techie, they tweet these every day.  You can follow them on twitter @BustedHalo.  Or bookmark this page to visit the calendar every day.

Lenten Dimensions

"You had me at hello."

Romero Center Ministries is an urban retreat and social justice education center in the heart of East Camden, NJ.  Their daily Lenten offerings (Lenten Dimensions) are themed through alliteration.  For example, today is "Wednesday Word" and yesterday was "Tuesday Television."  Frequently focusing on social justice, these reflections take on a different flavor than others by sifting through our world and engaging our culture with the Gospel.

For example, take a look at yesterday's Tuesday Television.  Using a clip from the movie Jerry Maguire, seminarian Kevin Mohan shows how important it is to say what you mean in prayer (and in life) and not be okay with God (or your spouse) knowing that you love them.  Interested piqued?  Read the rest of the reflection.  Or subscribe to their calendar and get the link in your Google calendar daily.

Lent with the Saints

Short and sweet daily moments of prayer.

Lifted from a Daily Reflection book with the same name, Lent with the Saints has a short reflection on each day's Gospel followed by a prayer.  Some days the reflection is replaced by a short profile of the saint of the day.  To get the most out of each day's reflection, you should make sure to read the readings of the day (or go to Mass) beforehand.

Do you have a favorite Lenten reflection series?  How does it stretch you during Lent?