Dara’s Corner-
· Joe Biden and Robert F. Kennedy’s Birthday
· How to celebrate Nov 20th
o Moving forward, embrace the spirit of learning and knowledge on GIS Day. Explore online maps, learn about geographic information systems, or even try your hand at creating your own map. Dive into the world of geography and discover new places from the comfort of your own home.
o Next, acknowledge the importance of children on Children’s Day in the UK and World Children’s Day. Spend quality time with the children in your life, engage in fun activities, and create lasting memories together. Show them love, care, and support.
o Transitioning to the future, embrace Future Teachers of America Day. Reflect on the impact teachers have had on your life and consider mentoring or supporting aspiring educators. Share your knowledge and experiences with those who are passionate about teaching.
o Finally, treat yourself to a sweet delight on National Peanut Butter Fudge Day. Whip up a batch of this delicious treat or visit a local bakery to enjoy some fudgy goodness. Indulge in the creamy, nutty flavors and savor each bite.
NOVEMBER 20 Wednesday
UNIVERSAL
CHILDRENS DAY
Luke, Chapter 19, Verse 20-21
20
Then the other servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your gold coin; I kept it
stored away in a handkerchief, 21 for I was AFRAID of you,
because you are a demanding person; you take up what you did not lay down and
you harvest what you did not plant.’
When
I read this verse; I thought of Mathew Kelly’s writing from his book,
“Rediscovering Catholicism.” Kelly speaks about the various attitudes and
philosophies which shape and define the mindset of the modern secular world. He
identifies three key lifestyles: individualism, hedonism, and minimalism.
First, what’s individualism?
Individualism
is an attitude whereby I come to see myself as the center of the universe. The
individualist will typically go through the course of his or her day asking
himself or herself one question: “What’s in it for me?”
Secondly, what’s hedonism?
Essentially,
it is an attitude whereby I come to see the pursuit of my own personal pleasure
as my primary concern in life. The hedonist will typically ask himself or
herself this question: “How
can I maximize the amount of pleasure in my life while minimizing the amount of
pain and inconvenience which I must endure?”
Thirdly, what is minimalism?
This
is a attitude whereby I look to put in the minimum amount of effort that I
possibly can into life, while reaping the maximum amount of reward. The
minimalist will typically ask himself or herself questions such as these:
·
“What’s the least amount I can possibly
do at the workplace and still keep my job?” Or perhaps:
·
“What’s the least amount I can possibly
do at school and still get a good grade?”
There are many people in the world today who might “self-identify” as being “Christian”, if not “Catholic”, who are still giving their hearts very much to the so-called “spirit of the world”; whether we’re talking about the spirit of individualism, hedonism or minimalism. For instance, we can say that there are many Catholics in the world who go to Mass, say their prayers, and perhaps even occasionally eat fish on Fridays – who still govern most of their conduct by asking themselves this one simple question:
“What’s in it for me?”
Many of these people might still be very “kind” and “generous” to certain persons that they happen to know.
Who isn’t from time to time?
But perhaps, this sense of “kindness” and “generosity” is still governed by a pervasive sense of selfishness and self-interest. In other words: “I’ll be kind to you, but only insofar as you’re being kind back onto me!” And what is that but the spirit of individualism. Let’s take a different example. Again, we can say that there are many Catholics in the world today who go to Mass, say their prayers, and perhaps belong to certain religious clubs or organizations who still govern the bulk of their conduct by asking:
“How can I get through the course of my day while incurring the least amount of pain or inconvenience to myself?” Many of these people might still be saying their prayers, perhaps even every day, but what’s often the real substance behind these prayers?
“O Lord give me the things that I want, the things that I desire, the things that I believe to be essential to my own sense of happiness and well-being. But Lord, whatever you do: do not make me suffer, do not give me inconvenience, and do not give me pain! In other words, do not give me the Cross!” And that is the spirit of hedonism: the relentless and almost single-minded pursuit of one’s own personal pleasure as one’s ultimate concern. This takes us to our third example. Again, there are many Catholics in the world who go to church, go to confession, and even follow the Commandments who still perhaps ask themselves this question repeatedly:
“How can I get myself into the kingdom of heaven, while putting the least amount of effort into my relationship with God?”
These people might try their very
best to avoid all sorts of serious sin. But, as we know from personal
experience, there is a huge difference between simply trying to avoid “serious sin”, and actually trying our very best
to please the Lord in all things, especially in those little details which
perhaps no one else would ever notice, except Christ Himself! But that’s really
the difference between being a “lukewarm Catholic” (or a “minimalist”) and
being a true disciple of the Lord.[1]
Universal
Children's Day[2]
Universal Children's Day
aims to create a day of international fraternity and understanding between
children all over the globe. The holiday's secondary purpose is to promote the
objectives and ideals of the Declaration of the Rights of the Child and the
Convention on the Rights of the Child through activities and awareness.
Children are the future of the planet, but they are a vulnerable group exposed
to abuse and exploitation on a daily basis. As young dependents, children rely
on adults for everything from food to shelter to education and it is imperative
that their rights be heard if they are to survive and develop into the next
generation of world citizens. Universal Children's Day was declared on in 1954
by the United Nations General Assembly as a day to be celebrated on
November 20, the anniversaries of the Declaration of the Rights of the Child
and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, both of which protect the human rights
of children.
Universal Children's Day Facts
& Quotes
·
The
UN General Assembly adopted the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the
Child in November 1989. The United States drafted and signed the treaty;
however, it is currently the only member county that has not ratified it,
meaning that the US is not legally bound by the Convention. Ratifying the
treaty would go against certain laws currently in place in the US, most
notably, the treaty forbids life imprisonment without parole for children under
18.
·
According
to UNICEF, 22,000 children die every day as a result of poverty, often due to
preventable diseases such as diarrhea and pneumonia.
·
As
of 2013, 21.8 million children worldwide in their first year of life had not
received adequate vaccine doses against diseases such as tetanus, diphtheria
and pertussis.
·
The
poor are hungry and their hunger traps them in poverty. - The World Food Program
·
What
is at stake is nothing less than the survival and well-being of a generation of
innocents. - Antonia Guterres, UN High Commissioner for Refugees
Universal Children's Day Top Events
and Things to Do
·
Read
the Declaration of the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Rights of
the Child to learn more about how these treaties can impact your community.
·
Spend
the day playing with your children, your nieces and nephews, your grandchildren
or other children that you know. Take them to the beach, a playground, a movie,
or any other outing of their choosing.
·
Donate
your time to American organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
or UNICEF that constantly need volunteers to organize and execute activities
for children in needy communities.
·
Watch
a movie that touches on children's rights. Our picks are In This World (2012),
Arna's Children (2002) and Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
Catechism of the Catholic
Church
Day 161
The Liturgy of the Hours
1174 The mystery of Christ, his
Incarnation and Passover, which we celebrate in the Eucharist especially at the
Sunday assembly, permeates and transfigures the time of each day, through the
celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours, "the divine office." This
celebration, faithful to the apostolic exhortations to "pray
constantly," is "so devised that the whole course of the day and
night is made holy by the praise of God." In this "public prayer
of the Church," The faithful (clergy, religious, and lay people)
exercise the royal priesthood of the baptized. Celebrated in "the form
approved" by the Church, the Liturgy of the Hours "is truly the voice
of the Bride herself addressed to her Bridegroom. It is the very prayer which
Christ himself together with his Body addresses to the Father.
1175 The Liturgy of the Hours
is intended to become the prayer of the whole People of God. In it Christ
himself "continues his priestly work through his Church." His
members participate according to their own place in the Church and the circumstances
of their lives: priests devoted to the pastoral ministry, because they are
called to remain diligent in prayer and the service of the word; religious, by
the charism of their consecrated lives; all the faithful as much as possible:
"Pastors of souls should see to it that the principal hours, especially
Vespers, are celebrated in common in church on Sundays and on the more solemn
feasts. the laity, too, are encouraged to recite the divine office, either with
the priests, or among themselves, or even individually."
1176 The celebration of the
Liturgy of the Hours demands not only harmonizing the voice with the praying
heart, but also a deeper "understanding of the liturgy and of the Bible,
especially of the Psalms."
1177 The hymns and litanies of
the Liturgy of the Hours integrate the prayer of the psalms into the age of the
Church, expressing the symbolism of the time of day, the liturgical season, or
the feast being celebrated. Moreover, the reading from the Word of God at each
Hour (with the subsequent responses or troparia) and readings from the Fathers
and spiritual masters at certain Hours, reveal more deeply the meaning of the
mystery being celebrated, assist in understanding the psalms, and prepare for
silent prayer. the lectio divina, where the Word of God is so read and
meditated that it becomes prayer, is thus rooted in the liturgical celebration.
1178 The Liturgy of the Hours, which is like an extension of the Eucharistic celebration, does not exclude but rather in a complementary way calls forth the various devotions of the People of God, especially adoration and worship of the Blessed Sacrament
Every Wednesday is
Dedicated to St. Joseph
The Italian culture has
always had a close association with St. Joseph perhaps you could make
Wednesdays centered around Jesus’s Papa. Plan an Italian dinner of pizza or
spaghetti after attending Mass as most parishes have a Wednesday evening Mass.
You could even do carry out to help restaurants. If you are adventurous, you
could do the Universal Man Plan: St. Joseph style. Make the evening a family
night perhaps it could be a game night. Whatever you do make the day special.
·
Devotion to the 7 Joys and Sorrows of St.
Joseph
·
Do the St.
Joseph Universal Man Plan.
Daily Devotions/Practice
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: Reparations
for offenses and blasphemies against God and the Blessed Virgin Mary
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary.
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