Hello Faith Formation Families!
Last week, we learned about St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr.
This week, we'll learn about funerals. Praying at a funeral is a wonderful way to live out the Corporal Work of Mercy "Bury the Dead." Today is also the Feast of St. Joseph, so we have some great activities to celebrate!
All of the materials you'll need for this month's lessons will be printable or accessible online, so there's no need to pick up a packet in the Parish Center.
In case you missed it or want to pray it again, here's the Virtual Stations of the Cross performed and illustrated by our Blessed Sacrament Faith Formation kids:
"Bury the Dead "
Family Lesson #26
Let's begin our lesson as we begin all things, with the Sign of the Cross.
"In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen."
Then pray the Apostles Creed together. This is what we believe as a community of Catholics around the world.
Here's a printable version of this prayer along with the opening prayers from October-February. Consider putting them all together in a prayer book!
Activities: St. Joseph's Feast Day
When Jesus gave us the Corporal Works of Mercy, he told us that whenever we do one of these things for "the least of my brothers or sisters, you do it for me." But many people were caring for their neighbors long before Jesus said they should. I'll bet Mary and Joseph taught Jesus about caring for others from the time he was little, and I'll bet they were a great example for Jesus and his friends, too.
I can imagine Joseph building coffins for people who had died, or inviting a poor traveler to spend the night in their home, or helping to dig a well. I can imagine Mary quietly caring for the sick, or visiting people who were too weak to leave home, or inviting a poor neighbor to dinner.
Today, March 19, is the Feast Day of St. Joseph. Additionally, Pope Francis, back in December at the beginning of the liturgical year, declared this to be the Year of St. Joseph, so we have two reasons to celebrate him today! (St. Joseph also has a second Feast Day on May 1, when we celebrate him as a worker and provider for his family.)
To celebrate, I have two St. Joseph's Day activities for you. First, try this St. Joseph Trivia Scavenger Hunt! Look in your family Bible or online to find the answers!
ST. JOSEPH
TRIVIA SCAVENGER HUNT
1. Who was St. Joseph's Father? (Hint: Look in Matthew Chapter 1)
David
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Jacob
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Eleazar
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Matthan
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2. How did God often speak to St. Joseph? (Hint: Look in Matthew Chapters 1&2)
Dreams
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Letters
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Messengers from Jerusalem
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Only through Mary
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3. Which of these is St. Joseph NOT the patron saint of?
Immigrants
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The Universal Church
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Sailors and ships
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The sick and dying
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4. Who said this about St. Joseph? "Saint Joseph was a just man, a tireless worker, the upright guardian of those entrusted to his care. May he always guard, protect and enlighten families."
St. John Bosco
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St. John Paul II
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St. Josemaria Escriva
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Venerable Fulton J Sheen
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*Answers at the bottom of the Flocknote!
SLEEPING ST. JOSEPH
The Gospels tell us that God spoke to St. Joseph in his dreams. God told him that the baby growing in Mary was the Son of God, and that Joseph shouldn't be afraid to marry her. Later, when the Holy Family was in danger from King Herod, God spoke to Joseph in his dreams and told him to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt to stay safe, and he told him again when it was safe to return to Nazareth. Each time, Joseph trusted in God and did his will.
Pope Francis once spoke about his devotion to St. Joseph. On his desk, he has a statue of a Sleeping St. Joseph. Pope Francis often asks St. Joseph to pray for him, and he writes his prayers on a slip of paper and places them under the statue of Sleeping St. Joseph. Isn't it a comforting thought to imagine St. Joseph caring for us as he dreams?
"I have a great love of St. Joseph, because he is a man of silence and strength. On my table I have an image of St. Joseph sleeping. Even when he is asleep, he is taking care of the church."
In this activity from the Look to Him and Be Radiant blog, you can make a Sleeping St. Joseph Prayer Pillow. Print the pdf, color, and fold it into an envelope with one end open. Then write your special prayers on slips of paper, put them in the Prayer Pillow, and ask St. Joseph to pray for you, just like Pope Francis does!
If your kids are upper elementary aged, consider reading Pope Francis's whole address where he talks about Sleeping St. Joseph praying for us. The address is about families and how we're called to "pray together so we can stay together!"
Special Bible Verse
As a family, read this Bible verse a few times slowly. Take a quiet moment to think about what Jesus is telling us.
"The angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, 'Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home... She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus."
If you wish, you could also write out this Bible verse in fancy letters, or even try to memorize all or part of it!
God Sightings
I love religious art, and when I was looking through my grandma's box of prayer cards while I was preparing for today's lesson, I was just inspired by the God-given talent of all the artists who create these cards!
Remember to share your own God Sightings in the "Share your faith work" section below!
Share Your "Faith Work"
Faith Formation and Parish News
Vacation Bible School Interest Survey
Planning has begun for this year’s Vacation Bible School, June 14-17, at Assumption! VBS is traditionally a joint venture among the three Midland parishes for children entering preschool through Grade 5. As we continue into the next phase of Covid time, we would like to get your input on how we structure our week. This is not a commitment, just a survey for planning purposes to help us get an understanding of where your comfort level is. If you haven't taken this survey yet, please take a moment to let us know your thoughts.
Sharing Some Easter Love
Want to share the love of Jesus with some of the home bound members of our church family? We have two opportunities: Easter cards or Easter cookie deliveries! Contact Lyn Pajk at lynp@blessed-midland.org if you're interested in helping with either project... or both! We are really in need of card-senders to make this project happen!!! Can you help?
Easter Egg Hunt!
We hope you'll be able to join us for this year's Easter Egg Hunt on Sunday, April 11! We're also looking for donations of eggs or candy!
Parish Survey
If you haven't already, please take 10-15 minutes to fill out the parish survey! Your time and input is greatly appreciated and will help our parish plan and vision for the future! The survey closes on Monday, so this is your last chance to share your thoughts! Thanks so much for your help!
Registration for 2021-2022
In the past, Faith Formation has held a Registration Weekend each March. This year, with Covid still a factor, we're not going to have our registration quite so early. We'll update you with more information soon, but for now, don't worry about March Registration.
St. Joseph Trivia Scavenger Hunt Answers
1. Who was St. Joseph's father? Jacob.
(see Matthew 1:16)
2. How did God often speak to St. Joseph? Dreams
(see Matthew 1:20, 2:13, 2:19)
3. Which of these is St. Joseph NOT the patron saint of? Sailors and ships
4. Who said this about St. Joseph? Pope John Paul II