Sunday, April 16, 2017

Have a Blessed and Happy Easter



The Resurrection of Jesus

After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ This is my message for you.” So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” 

(Matthew 28:1-10)

Photograph by Loci B. Lenar

Saturday, April 15, 2017

Celebrating Fatima's 100 Years


CATECHIST Magazine: Five Lessons from Fatima 

In the April/May 2017 issue of Catechist Magazine there's a feature story on the Five Lessons of Fatima by Patrice Fagnant-Macarthur.

Patrice writes in her article that it provides "tips for guiding children into the heart of the message" of Our Lady of Fatima.  

In addition, a colorful stained glass window - photographed by Loci B. Lenar provides a graphical depiction of Our Lady of Fatima in this article.



Here is an excerpt from the article: One of the most fantastic aspects of Our Lady of Fatima’s message is that she entrusted it to children. Here are five lesson ideas to share and discuss with the children you know.

The importance of praying the Rosary for peace.

One of Our Lady of Fatima’s central messages was to pray the Rosary every day for peace. While the particulars of world conflict have changed since 1917, we continue to live in a world full of anger, violence, and war. Children are aware of this. Depending on their ages, they may be more or less aware of the global stage, but they are certainly aware of fighting in their own families, schools, or neighborhoods. They may feel powerless to help or make a difference.

Praying the Rosary is one thing that they can do to help change lives and hearts, starting with their own. While prayer is not a magic wand and God certainly does not always answer prayer on our timetable or in the way we think best, following the instructions of Mary to pray the Rosary can only help.


Read more: Five Lessons from Fatima