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AUGUST 2016 edition of The Domestic Church publication
Send E-mails to Socorro at: struchan@diokzoo.org
 
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Here is your Summer Challenge...
Your challenge this summer is to book time to play with and enjoy your children. Set aside time each and every week to “just be” with your children (whatever age they may be!).

This time should provide you and your family with a chance to reconnect as a domestic church. Activities might include;
  • A picnic in the backyard or a nearby park
  • A family bike ride or stroll.
  • Star gazing (wear your PJs!)
  • Breakfast in bed followed by recalling your favorite family memory
  • Reading a book together (pick it out together)
  • A water balloon or garden hose fight (for the less ambitious—a run through sprinklers)
  • Playing flashlight tag
  • Host a family dance off—who can rock the best moves!
Make this a summer your children will always remember as one of the best!
Find out more at http://www.twl4parents.com/  
“The family is the fundamental cell of society, where we learn to live with others despite our differences and to belong to one another; it is also the place where parents pass on the faith to their children. Marriage now tends to be viewed as a form of mere emotional satisfaction that can be constructed in any way or modified at will. But the indispensable contribution of marriage to society transcends the feelings and momentary needs of the couple.” Pope Francis, Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, no 66 (Nov 24, 2013)

References
10 Things We Want You to Know About the Catholic Faith
  1. We're Christian
  2. Catholics love the Bible
  3. A lot of good things get done when Catholics work in faith
  4. We don't always live up to our high calling as Catholics
  5. We think Mary, the mother of Jesus, is very special
  6. Catholic Church authority structure helps us offer clean & consistent teaching
  7. We believe Jesus is with us in the 7 Sacraments
  8. Catholic worship is unique... in a good way!
  9. Catholics want to build a civilization of love with ALL people of good will
  10. Our house is your house - we welcome you to visit a Catholic church
Date Night! Whether you have been married for 6 months or 60 years come and join us on Wednesday evening September 7 at 7:00 pm to learn about a new Diocesan Marriage Enrichment program that will be offered at St Monica starting in September. 

The Discovering Our Deepest Desire Program consists of a series of evenings of interaction, prayer, reflection, and activities designed to support couples in renewing their understanding of what it means to have a Sacramental Marriage and to rediscover the one they fell in love with many years ago.

We will be learning from a new Catholic marriage enrichment curriculum called “Discovering Our Deepest Desire” (DODD). Classes will begin September 28th and will run 12 consecutive Wednesdays from 7pm to 9:00pm (excluding the Wednesday before Thanksgiving) and will be held in St Monica Community Building. Please join us at 7:00 pm on Wednesday, September 7 to learn more about this exciting program for married couples.

For more information about the DODD program prior to this meeting, please go to www.ourdeepestdesire.com or call Keith and Hope Marotti at (269) 353-1213.
"Fight all error, but do it with good humor, patience, kindness and love. Harshness will damage your own soul and spoil the cause."
- St. John of Kanty
- How do you disagree with others?
Is it done with harshness or anger, or in humor and kindness?
- How can your words show mercy?
Prayer: Spirit of Wisdom, grant me the patience to tell the truth in love. Amen.
Kalamazoo Widows/Widowers Pilgrimage to Fr. Solanus Center
               Thursday, September 29, 2016                                      *Cost:  $70.00
  7:00 am      Depart St. Augustine Parking lot with rest stop in route
10:00 am     Arrive at Fr Casey’ center for 1 ½ tour.   Tour includes:
                    Creation Garden                         Visit the 8 statues of the Beatitudes 
                    Video of Fr. Casey’s life             Museum of artifacts of Fr. Casey
                    Presentation of the 4 steps to sainthood        
                    Fr. Casey’s tomb (Time for meditation
)
11:30 am      Mass with Fr. Don Klingler @ Solanus Center
                     Confessions @ 11 am  - 
          NOTE: you may leave the tour to go to confession if you wish
 12:00 pm     Full chicken meal @ Solanus Center
  1:00 pm      Gift Shop
  1:45 pm      Visit Blessed Sacrament Cathedral
                      with Pilgrimage through Holy Door of Mercy

  3:00 pm      Depart Cathedral for Kalamazoo with rest stop in route.
  6:30 pm      Approximate return to Kalamazoo.
  LIMITED SEATING ON THE BUS
SO PLEASE GET YOUR RESEVATION IN EARLY

Questions?
Please contact: Irene @ 269-365-9058 or 989-274-5889

Bus has wheel chair access                     You are welcome to bring snacks
Payment by SEPTEMBER 8, 2016 confirms your reservation, or until bus is full.
CANCELLATION WAIVER POLICY
The cancellation waiver will allow passengers to cancel up to 30 days prior to departure with full amount of refund.   Refund amounts will be returned following completion of the tour.  No refunds will be made 30 days or less prior to the departure date unless a replacement is found.
____________________________________________________
Send this form & check payable to:  Diocese of Kalamazoo – Memo line: Fr. Solanus Pilgrimage @ 215 N. Westnedge Avenue, Kalamazoo, MI 49007 – Attention: Socorro Truchan
Your cancelled check is your receipt -
*Cost includes transportation, meal & donations
FIRST NAME _____________LAST NAME______­____________________
ADDRESS ________________________________CITY ___________________
STATE & ZIP ________________________PHONE _______________________PARISH___________________
OFFICE USE ONLY - Fr. Solanus Casey Pilgrimage  
CHECK # _____________ PAID $ ____________ DATE _____________
“Please don’t judge me now – or think that I’m behaving strangely. Remember I’m grieving. I may even be in shock. I am afraid. I may feel deep rage. I may even feel guilty. But above all, I hurt. I’m experiencing a pain unlike any I’ve ever felt before and one that can’t be imagined by anyone who has not walked in my shoes…”
 
Resource for families who have lost a baby from miscarriage, stillbirth or infant death within the first few months after birth... For more information, visit the website: http://allembrace.com/
DO Good
Do Good. This is not an uncommon sentiment. Many of us have heard this throughout most of our lives as we were growing up. In fact, I remember seeing this ‘do good’ common theme in the comic strips, a boy scout doing a good deed by helping an elderly lady cross the street. Here is the question I would like to invite you to reflect upon: why do good?
  • Is it so that we feel better about ourselves?
  • Is it because we innately care about others?
  • Is there an innate part of us that wants to love our neighbor?
Because we are human, there is a selfish desire in all of us to feel good about ourselves.  No matter what culture you live in, there will be some fraction of this woven into your society. We want to feel like we have accomplished something because of our own doing, strength, knowledge, etc. This describes the average, normal human being, thinking within their normal human capacities.

However, as Christians we are new creations in Christ. Scripture tells us that we now possess the mind of Christ (cf. 1 Cor. 2:16). In John’s gospel we can see that Jesus now calls us friends and has made known to us “all that I have heard from my Father” (John 15:15b). We are no longer to think as we did before salvation, we are now called to think in a new way.

As Christians we are to understand that the life we live is not for ourselves, but it is for Christ. We now echo with Paul “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me”. Paul goes on to explain that he lives this way because he understands that Christ loves him so much that he laid down His life for him (Gal 2:20). This is key to understanding why we should do good.

Jesus is Lord over the Christian’s life (cf. Rom. 10:9). Christians are to live in a way that testifies that He indeed is their Lord. Jesus says “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matt 5:16).

Good deeds will not earn anyone salvation, but true salvation will bring about good deeds. We are to emulate our savior. Live in a way that brings honor and glory to His name. We are to love like He loves, care as He cares, and uphold truth as He is Truth.

This is not an easy task. In fact, we cannot accomplish it on our own and that is why we need the help of the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised us the “Helper” because He knew that we would need help (cf. John 14:16-17). With the guidance of the Spirit and the Truth found in God’s Word we can do good, for the right reason. We do good because of the good that God, by His grace, did for us and in us. We love because He first loved us (1 John 4:19).

CDM is the ministry of the North American Conference of Separated and Divorced Catholics, Inc., a nonprofit corporation. CDM provides parishes with literature and training.

To obtain more information: visit the CDM/NACSDC web site at www.nacsdc.org; send email to office@nacsdc.org; call the CDM/NACSDC Central Office at 855-727-2269; or write to CDM, P.O. Box 10, Hancock, MI 49930.

Worldwide Marriage Encounter

 Rekindle the romance in your marriage and make it even better! Join a Worldwide Marriage Encounter to renew and enrich your marriage and your faith, too! Weekends are scheduled for Aug. 5-7 at St. Mary’s in Westphalia, Sept. 16-18 at the Augustine Center near Petoskey, and Oct. 21-23 at St Pat’s in Brighton. For more information on these and other Weekends or to apply, please visit www.wwme.org or call Harry & Karen Porter at (888) 628-7433.

Are you a widower? Widowed Men's Fellowship
Join other widowed men for a time of fellowship and discussion... we gather monthly...so you are welcome to participate anytime...
DATES: 2nd Wednesday of each month: August 10, September 14
TIME: 4 to 5:30 pm
LOCATION: Diocesan Pastoral Center
215 N. Westnedge Ave., Kalamazoo

Questions? Please call Fr. Don Klingler at 269-254-8138 or Socorro at 269-903-0199

"Pray, Hope, and Don't Worry." - St. Pio of Pietrelcina

The Domestic Church Newsletter SPANISH edition is now available! A wonderful resource for Spanish-speaking (reading) families. To subscribe please contact Socorro at 269-903-0199 or via e-mail struchan@diokzoo.org

Diocese of Kalamazoo
New Evangelization Convocation
OCTOBER 21-22, 2016

THEME: The Art of Accompaniment
SAVE-THE-DATE

Joy Filled Marriage Weekends for the Engaged 2016 & 2017
 
 Joy-Filled Marriage - A marriage preparation weekend for engaged couples. The Joy-Filled Marriage is a comprehensive marriage preparation program rooted in virtues as well as the Theology of the Body. The program incorporates rich Catholic theology with sound psychology.

September 24-25 and November 12-13, 2016
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


2017 Joy-Filled Marriage Weekend Dates - 2017:

January 21-22

March 25-26
May 20-21

PLEASE REGISTER EARLY in order to guarantee your place!

LOCATION: Transformations Retreat Center at 3427 Gull Road
Kalamazoo, MI 49048 (directions). To register for a weekend, please visit our website here: http://www.diokzoo.org/marriage-preparation or contact Socorro at: struchan@diokzoo.org via phone at: 269-903-0199
Widowed Friends as pilgrims through the Holy Door at St. Augustine Cathedral
"Widowed Friends" Support Group
for men and women who have lost a spouse...

"Widowed Friends" Support Group for Men and Women 
widowed men and women - are invited to gather on the 4th Wednesday of each month:
DATES: Wednesday, August 24, September 28
LOCATION
: Diocesan Pastoral Center - 215 N. Westnedge Ave., Kalamazoo
TIME: 4 - 5:30 pm
Questions? Fr. Don Klingler at 269-254-8138 or Socorro at 269-903-0199

"Love, Mercy, and the Gift of the Family"

The 2016 Theology of the Body Congress will be held in Ontario, California, from Thursday, September 22 through Sunday, September 25.

Congress resources and link

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