During the opening table discussion of our September GIFT we asked the question, 'What matters to you?'  The answers came quick and furious and were projected up on the screen. 

The most popular answers were family and faith.  Other answers included a dad who was thankful for his son's safe return from Afghanistan, a mom who delighted in her families health, kids happy for the pizza,  and of course many people wishing the Red Sox and Patriots successful seasons.

Father Mark lead us in a beautiful prayer service where we were invited to bless each other around the table with a simple tracing of the cross on each others foreheads like was done at many of our baptisms.  Father also share with us the importance of 'I Believe.'   He shared with us the value of saying the creed together even if we don't quite understand all the words.

We broke off into our generational learning and all shared the story of faith the size of a mustard seed. We learned that with faith, anything is possible.

So, once again we ask;  What matters to you?

Last Sunday we had our last March Lenten GIFT session.  We enjoyed sharing stories with all of you about your Catholic faith! The YouTube videos are now on our website including one of the beautiful hymn, The Litany of the Saints that our music ministers sung when we received our family blessings with the Book of the Gospels.

We would like to share one more story with all of you about our
March program. As with every session we begin with a message that will hopefully inspire, teach, allowing us to experience the Catechism in today's ever changing world.  This session began "as I have loved you" with a desire to keep all generations together evolving into the roots of our relationships - family, our church and the exploration of the question, Who am I?

There is a theory six degrees of separation that everyone and everything is six or fewer steps away from any other person in the world.  It is in this context that our roots of faith are entrenched, running deep, and far. The blessing and prayer service for the end of the program was written by liturgist Jim Alphen of Chicago who has worked Fr. Mark over the years.  It is in this relationship that Jim and Lisa Mathieu discovered that their grandmothers were not only very close friends but lived on the same street in Dorchester, MA!  Lisa’s uncle, Fr.
Joe Trainor, a missionary priest for Maryknoll, spent many a day at the Tris
family house.  It is in the root of this close relationship that Lisa had with her Nana, Fr. Joe and her mom that has helped to develop her faith and it is because of Fr. Joe that Jim became a liturgist.

It's a small world and our relationships to one another are so important.  It is in these relationships built from love and kindness that we become the people we are meant to be.

If you did not get a chance share some of your stories we encourage you or even your children to blog with us!


 

During our January GIFT we asked this question and got the following answers.

What will you CHOOSE because love leads the way?  I choose...

Compassion
I will be kind to others and a good friend.
To strengthen my faith through example...
To be with family.
To be kind.
To be more open and friendly with others.
To take a breath and pray before responding.
To do an act of kindness.
To love and care for friends and family.
Not to lie/be honest
To pray for sick people.
To spend more time together as a family,
To hug my kids way more.
To br more patient and positive.
To be more forgiving and understanding.

What do you choose?

This month the theme for GIFT is The Way.  We will just scratch the surface as we look at the laws that God handed down to Moses in The Ten Commandments,  as well as what Jesus taught us with the Beatitudes.  All these rules help us along the way and serve as our guides along the way.

During our opening you will hear a saying that one of our families has adopted to help them along on their journey, "Because Nice Matters".  This rule simple covers all The Ten Commandments as well as the Beatitudes. 

How about you?  Do you have a rule or a saying that helps you on your way?