Claire’s Corner
· Father's Day Don’t forget about Dad this month. Spend some extra time with your father figure by planning a trip to go fly fishing, rock climbing or skydiving. For a getaway minus the adrenaline-pumping thrills, we have a few Father’s Day travel ideas like a brewery tour in Portland, Oregon, or game of golf in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
o Arizona
· Do not ask everyone’s opinion, but only the opinion of your confessor; be as frank and simple as a child with him. Simplicity of life can drive out demons. Honesty is a weapon to defeat Satan, the Liar. When we lie, we put a foot in his camp, and he will try to seduce us all the more.
· Today in honor of the Holy Trinity do the Divine Office giving your day to God. To honor God REST: no shopping after 6 pm Saturday till Monday. Don’t forget the internet.
· Bucket List Trip: Around the World “Perfect Weather”
o Geneva, Switzerland
· Spirit Hour: Something with Mount Gay Rum
· Foodie-Potato Rosti
On Sundays Pray:
O Glorious Queen of Heaven and Earth, Virgin Most Powerful, thou who hast the power to crush the head of the ancient serpent with thy heel, come and exercise this power flowing from the grace of thine Immaculate Conception. Shield us under the mantle of thy purity and love, draw us into the sweet abode of thy heart and annihilate and render impotent the forces bent on destroying us. Come Most Sovereign Mistress of the Holy Angels and Mistress of the Most Holy Rosary, thou who from the very beginning hast received from God the power and the mission to crush the head of Satan. Send forth thy holy legions, we humbly beseech thee, that under thy command and by thy power they may pursue the evil spirits, counter them on every side, resist their bold attacks and drive them far from us, harming no one on the way, binding them to the foot of the Cross to be judged and sentenced by Jesus Christ Thy Son and to be disposed of by Him as He wills.
St. Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church, come to our aid in this grave battle against the forces of darkness, repel the attacks of the devil and free the members of the Auxilium Christianorum, and those for whom the priests of the Auxilium Christianorum pray, from the strongholds of the enemy.
St. Michael, summon the entire heavenly court to engage their forces in this fierce battle against the powers of hell. Come O Prince of Heaven with thy mighty sword and thrust into hell Satan and all the other evil spirits. O Guardian Angels, guide and protect us. Amen.
JUNE 15 Trinity Sunday
Father’s
Day
2 Corinthians, Chapter 7, Verse 5
For even when we came into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted in every way—external conflicts, internal FEARS.
The devil is the author of fear.
The opposite of fear is not bravery but love. Christ showed his love for us by breaking the power of the devil by overcoming death. He showed us His love by sharing our human nature. He asks us in the gospel to love as He loved. ”I give you a new commandment: love one another as I have loved you.” (John 13:34) Christ therefore restores Gods original intend to give man life eternal and voiding the death that the devil had brought into the world.
The fear of death is a fear based on the false conception that death marks the end of a person’s kindred with God. Jesus deliberately allied himself with us in order to be a merciful and faithful high priest in our behalf; expiating our sins as one who experienced the same tests as we.
We usually give in to our sinfulness when we are Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired (HALT). To halt sinful behaviors, we must practice acts of love so that when we are hungry let us give food to the hungry; when we are angry let us remember to secure justice for the oppressed; when we are lonely let us remember to keep faith with our brethren; and when we are tired let us take up the yoke of Christ; for his yoke is easy and his burden is light.
Ponder this day if the Lord is calling you to the Priesthood or the religious life.
ON KEEPING
THE LORD'S DAY HOLY[1]
CHAPTER III
DIES ECCLESIAE
The Eucharistic Assembly:
Heart of Sunday
The day of hope
38. Viewed in this way, Sunday is not
only the day of faith, but is also the day of Christian hope. To share
in "the Lord's Supper" is to anticipate the eschatological feast of
the "marriage of the Lamb" (Rev 19:9). Celebrating this
memorial of Christ, risen and ascended into heaven, the Christian community
waits "in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ".
Renewed and nourished by this intense weekly rhythm, Christian hope becomes the
leaven and the light of human hope. This is why the Prayer of the Faithful
responds not only to the needs of the particular Christian community but also
to those of all humanity; and the Church, coming together for the Eucharistic
celebration, shows to the world that she makes her own "the joys and hopes,
the sorrows and anxieties of people today, especially of the poor and all those
who suffer". With the offering of the Sunday Eucharist, the Church crowns
the witness which her children strive to offer every day of the week by
proclaiming the Gospel and practicing charity in the world of work and in all
the many tasks of life; thus she shows forth more plainly her identity "as
a sacrament, or sign and instrument of intimate union with God and of the unity
of the entire human race".
Sunday is dedicated to the worship of the Triune God, and is called accordingly the Lord s day; but the first Sunday after Pentecost is appointed by the Church a special feast of the Most Holy Trinity, because this mystery, as the fundamental doctrine of the Christian religion, began at once to be preached by the apostles, as soon as they had been enlightened and strengthened by the descent of the Holy Ghost.
What
thoughts and affections should occupy our minds on this feast?
Although
the mystery of the Trinity is incomprehensible to us, we must consider:
1. That God would cease to be God,
if our limited understanding were capable of penetrating the substance of His nature.
2.
The mystery of the Blessed Trinity, though incomprehensible to our intellect,
is yet not without fruit in our hearts.
The records
of revelation show us God the Father as our Creator, God the Son as our
Redeemer, God the Holy Ghost as our Sanctifier; and should not this move us to
a child-like gratitude towards the blessed Trinity?
In
praise of the Most Holy Trinity, the Church sings at the Introit of the Mass,
Blessed be the Holy Trinity and undivided Unity; we will give glory to Him,
because He hath shown His mercy to us. O Lord, our Lord, how wonderful is Thy
name in all the earth.
Prayer.
O almighty and eternal God, Who hast created Thy
servant to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, in the confession of
the true faith, and to adore the unity in the power of Thy majesty, we beseech
Thee, that by firmness in the same faith, we may be ever protected from all
adversities.
EPISTLE. Rom. xi. 33-36.
Oh,
the depth of the riches of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God! How
incomprehensible are His judgments, and how unsearchable His ways!
For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath
been His counsellor? Or who hath first given to Him, and recompense shall be
made Him?
For of Him, and by Him, and in Him,
are all things: to Him be glory forever. Amen.
Explanation.
The
ground of St. Paul’s admiration in this epistle is the unfathomable wisdom and
love of God, by which He permitted the Jews and heathen to fall into unbelief,
that He might have mercy on all, and make all perceive that they were
justified, not through their merits, but only through His grace. But the Church
makes use of these words to express her reverent admiration for the greatness
of the mystery of the All Holy Trinity. Though we can neither measure nor
comprehend this mystery, yet no man of sound reason will hesitate to believe
it, if he considers that it is most plainly revealed by God; that as God, the
Infinite, cannot be comprehended by the spirit of man, so also He can reveal
more than we can understand; and that, finally, there are many things in man
himself, and in nature, which we acknowledge as true, but cannot comprehend.
Besides, does not our holy religion assure us, that one day we shall behold
face to face the Infinite Whose image is now reflected dimly in the mirror of
nature? Let us add hope, therefore, to our faith, and if true and sincere love
be based upon these two, our understanding and heart will have abundant
consolation in regard to this great mystery.
GOSPEL. Matt, xxviii. 18-20.
At that time
Jesus said to His disciples: All power is given to Me in heaven and in earth;
going therefore teach ye all nations: baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded you: and behold I am with you all days, even to the
consummation of the world.
What command
does Our Savior give in this gospel?
He
commands His apostles to teach all nations, and to baptize them.
Is Baptism a
sacrament?
Yes,
for by it we receive the grace of God, through an outward sign instituted by
Christ.
What is the
outward sign?
Pouring
water on the head of the person to be baptized and pronouncing at the same time
the words: “I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of
the Holy Ghost.”
What is the
effect of the grace of Baptism?
Through
water and the Holy Ghost, the baptized person is cleansed from original sin,
and from all actual sins, if he has committed such; is spiritually new-born,
and made a child of God and a joint heir with Christ (John iii. 6; Rom. viii.
17).
What is the use of sponsors?
1. In the name
of the child, they express the desire to be baptized, and make the profession
of faith, together with the promise to live according to the doctrine of
Christ.
2. In case the
parents should die, or neglect their duty, the godparents may provide for the
instruction of the children.
3. They are
witnesses that such a person has been baptized.
Who is God?
God
is an infinite being, of all possible perfections, the most sublime and
excellent of all goods, existing from all eternity, and containing within
Himself the principle of His own being and substance; from Whom all other
things have received their existence and life, “for of Him, and by Him, and in
Him are all things” (Rom. xi. 36).
What is the
blessed Trinity?
It
is this one God, Who is one in nature and threefold in person, the Father, Son,
and Holy Ghost.
Is each of
these persons God?
Yes,
for each possesses the divine nature and substance.
Is any of
these three persons older, more powerful, or greater than another?
No;
they are all three, from eternity, equal in power, sublimity, and majesty, and
must therefore be equally adored.
From Whom is
the Father?
From
Himself, before all eternity.
From Whom is
God the Son?
The
Son is begotten of the Father before all ages.
From Whom is
God the Holy Ghost?
He
proceeds from the Father and the Son.
Holy Sunshine and Rain[3]
After the Son revealed His
relation to the Father through Good Friday and Easter, and the Spirit revealed
Himself at Pentecost, the most Holy Trinity can now be fully worshipped.
Though the mystery of the
Holy Trinity is the greatest dogma of the Christian faith and the Feast of the
Holy Trinity one of the beloved annual feasts of Christianity, there are not
many customs or rituals quintessentially associated with this day. It has
always been the custom, however, to keep this day with great reverence and solemnity. Festivals
after Mass featuring thunderous preachers and thunderous bands
aroused their listeners to joyful heights, while Holy Trinity
Confraternities (which were once very influential)
would sponsor special events and devotions on this their name day. Superstition
also ascribed great powers to the weather on Holy Trinity Sunday,
regardless of what it was: "Trinity rain" was considered as healthy
as "Trinity sunshine."
Trinity
Sunday Facts[4]
·
The Nicene Creed and similar Apostle's
Creed often recited during mass for many denominations affirms the Trinity.
The creeds are a profession of faith. The Catholic version of The
Apostle's Creed is:
I believe in God, the Father
Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our
Lord: Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered
under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended
into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven,
is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall
come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the
Holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the
resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.
·
The Trinity does not explicitly appear in the
Bible. The interpretation and belief in the three-in-one God came out of
several councils in the early church that wrestled with the question of the
divinity of God the Creator, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.
· St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, taught non-Christians the Trinity with a shamrock.
·
The Orthodox Church celebrates the Trinity in
its Feast of the Pentecost. Pentecost Sunday is sometimes even called
Trinity Day.
Trinity Sunday Top Events and
Things to Do
·
The
Trinity is often described as a holy mystery beyond complete human
understanding. To mark Trinity Sunday, consider other things that are
beyond human understanding, like the universe, or the concept of time never
ending.
·
Listen
to a sermon on Trinity Sunday to see what examples the pastor uses to
illustrate the concept of God in three persons.
·
Johann
Sebastian Bach wrote music to celebrate the Trinity. Listen to one of his
Trinity Sunday cantatas on YouTube.
·
Experience
the Trinity in art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
One painting that depicts this is The Trinity by Italian painter Angulo Gaddi.
The
Doudou of Mons[5]
Thousands of bystanders stand with
necks craned, cheering on Saint George as he goes into battle with the
ferocious dragon in a small circle in the middle of Mons’ Grand-Place. The curious scene is
a highlight of the Belgian city’s Doudou festival, an ancient feast of lush
parades, fights with wicker monsters, and buckets of crowd participation.
Up in the forested Belgian Ardennes, slightly bizarre folkloric celebrations
have long been a part of the annual diet – just think of Binche’s
carnival with its
white-masked, orange-pelting figures, or Andenne with its bear-filled streets.
Local identity and pride in one’s cultural heritage play a major part in these
festivities, and they are, in fact, the reason they still exist today, and this
is no less true in Mons’ case. The 800-year-old Ducasse de Mons on Trinity
Sunday, lovingly dubbed ‘le Doudou’ by locals, is perhaps the most raucous of
them all. As Saint George on horseback and a giant wicker dragon make their way
to the middle of the main square for their epic brawl, members of the crowd
jump forward to try and grab a handful of straw from the mythical beast’s tail.
A handful of its hairs, legend has it, will bring brave audience member’s luck.
Before the meticulously choreographed
“Battle of the Lumeçon” begins, however, visitors are reminded that the dragon
isn’t the only adversity Mons has had to reckon with in its history. Indeed,
true fans have started the day’s celebrations off much earlier in the
Sainte-Waudru Collegiate Church. Here, the shrine of Sainte Waudru, foundress of
the city and miracle worker, is taken out in the morning to meet a temple
overflowing with worshippers. Believed to have saved Mons from a sweeping
plague in the 14th century, the holy woman’s relics are loaded onto an
elaborately decorated wagon called the Car d’Or (“the Golden Cart”).
A whole parade of local organizations dressed up in medieval garb join the procession, and when the draft horses pulling the ornate wagon invariably struggle on one particularly steep alley, the watchful masses never fail to reunite forces and help them up the slope. Locals especially have a stake in this: superstition has it that if the cart doesn’t get up in one try, bad things await the city. Meanwhile, the daredevils who plan on doing some tail-grabbing later have had the opportunity to gain a little liquid courage at the food and drink stalls lining the parade’s route. With each victory – getting the cart up the hill, the slaughter of the wicker dragon – the audience yells out joyously: “Et les Montois ne périront pas!” (“And the people of Mons will not perish!”). Folklore fans who are longing to join in know where and when to plan their next trip.
Which are the fruits of the Holy Ghost? They are the twelve following:
1. Charity.
2.
Joy.
3. Peace.
4. Patience.
5. Benignity.
6. Goodness.
7. Longsuffering.
8. Mildness.
9. Faith.
10. Modesty.
11.
Continency.
12.
Chastity.
These fruits
should be visible in the Christian, for thereby men shall know that the Holy
Ghost dwells in him, as the tree is known by its fruit.
Notice I have
placed the Fruits of the Holy Spirit in stairstep fashion so we may
reflect on them seeing that by concentrating on each step of our growth in the
spirit we may progress closer and closer to our heavenly Father. Today we will
be focusing on the sixth step which is goodness.
It is evident from Holy Scripture that God is pleased to make
frequent use of the ministry of the heavenly spirits in the dispensations of
His providence in this world. The Angels are all pure spirits; by a property of
their nature, they are immortal, as is every spirit. They have the power of
moving or conveying themselves at will from place to place, and such is their
activity that it is not easy for us to conceive of it. Among the holy
Archangels, Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael are particularly distinguished
in the Scriptures. Saint Michael, whose name means Who is like unto God?
is the prince of the faithful Angels who opposed Lucifer and his followers in
their revolt against God. Since the devil is the sworn enemy of God’s holy
Church, Saint Michael is given to it by God as its special protector against
the demon’s assaults and stratagems.
Various apparitions of this powerful Angel have proved the protection of Saint Michael over the Church. We may mention his apparition in Rome, where Saint Gregory the Great saw him in the air sheathing his sword, to signal the cessation of a pestilence and the appeasement of God’s wrath. Another apparition to Saint Ausbert, bishop of Avranches in France, led to the construction of Mont-Saint-Michel in the sea, a famous pilgrimage site. May 8th, however, is destined to recall another no less marvelous apparition, occurring near Monte Gargano in the Kingdom of Naples. In the year 492 a man named Gargan was pasturing his large herds in the countryside. One day a bull fled to the mountain, where it could not be found. When its refuge in a cave was discovered, an arrow was shot into the cave, but the arrow returned to wound the one who had sent it. Faced with this mysterious occurrence, the persons concerned decided to consult the bishop of the region. He ordered three days of fasting and prayers. After three days, the Archangel Michael appeared to the bishop and declared that the cavern where the bull had taken refuge was under his protection, and that God wanted it to be consecrated under his name and in honor of all the Holy Angels. Accompanied by his clergy and people, the pontiff went to that cavern, which he found already disposed in the form of a church. The divine mysteries were celebrated there, and there arose in this same place a magnificent temple where the divine Power has wrought great miracles. To thank God’s adorable goodness for the protection of the holy Archangel, the effect of His merciful Providence, this feast day was instituted by the Church in his honor. It is said of this special guardian and protector of the Church that, during the final persecution of Antichrist, he will powerfully defend it: “At that time shall Michael rise up, the great prince who protects the children of thy people.”
Apostolic
Exhortation[6]
Veneremur Cernui – Down
in Adoration Falling
of
The Most Reverend Thomas J. Olmsted, Bishop of Phoenix,
to Priests, Deacons, Religious and the Lay Faithful of the Diocese of Phoenix
on the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist
My beloved
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Conclusion
Apostolic
Exhortation[7]
Veneremur
Cernui – Down in Adoration Falling
of The Most
Reverend Thomas J. Olmsted, Bishop of Phoenix,
to Priests, Deacons, Religious and the Lay Faithful of the Diocese of Phoenix
on the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist
My
beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Conclusion
107. What we should humbly and
fervently ask from God, then, is a deepening of our love for Him with our whole
heart. We should ask for this gift because love of God is the only way to God.
What rouses us to love God more than the Sacrament of Love, the Eucharist? But
as Saint Thomas Aquinas wrote, the mystery of love in the Eucharist is
available not to our unaided senses but only to faith: “Sight, touch, taste
fail with regard to Thee, but only by hearing does one believe surely; I
believe whatever God’s Son said: nothing is truer than the word of Truth”. The
Church’s ultimate reason to believe in the Eucharist is because she trusts
Jesus. She has faith in her Lord’s words spoken up and down the centuries on
the lips of her priests: “This is My Body given up for you”. The Blessed
Sacrament is thus the greatest sign given by God to stir up love in the hearts
of His people until He comes again. Let us beg God for the grace to be on fire
with the divine love which flows from the heart of Christ in the Sacrament of
His Body and Blood.
108. My dear sons and daughters
in Christ, the Eucharist is the heart of our faith. It is the center of the
faith of the Church for it is Christ Himself. All the concrete expressions of
Eucharistic faith I mention above represent our humble response to this
mystery. If done in trusting surrender to God, they are meant to draw us closer
to the eternal wedding banquet to which every Eucharistic celebration is a
foretaste. May we never tire of discovering that the Eucharist is the source
and summit of Christian life! As from the source of a great river, everything
that matters in life flows from it. As to a great mountain peak, all the
striving and struggle of life seeks it.
109. For this reason, while we
continue this earthly journey towards the eternal Promised Land, we rejoice
that the Eucharistic Christ is our protection against powerful currents of
selfishness and worldly temptations. In all of his Eucharistic hymns, Aquinas
always ends them pointing out the connection between the Eucharist and heaven.
In the hymn “Panis Angelicus”, he gives voice to the ultimate desire and
longing of every human heart: “We ask You, O God Three and One, to visit us
just as we celebrate You; along Your paths, lead us to where we are headed, to
the light where You dwell”. He reminds us that the most effective way for
us to prepare for eternal life is to seek to be nourished by Jesus in the
Eucharist.
To be continued
Catechism
of the Catholic Church
Day 363 2838-2845
PART FOUR: CHRISTIAN PRAYER
SECTION TWO-THE LORD'S PRAYER
Article 3-THE SEVEN PETITIONS
V. "And Forgive Us Our Trespasses, as
We Forgive Those Who Trespass AGAINST US"
2838 This
petition is astonishing. If it consisted only of the first phrase, "and
forgive us our trespasses," it might have been included, implicitly, in
the first three petitions of the Lord's Prayer, since Christ's sacrifice is
"that sins may be forgiven." But, according to the second phrase, our
petition will not be heard unless we have first met a strict requirement. Our
petition looks to the future, but our response must come first, for the two
parts are joined by the single word "as."
and forgive us our trespasses .
. .
2839 With bold
confidence, we began praying to our Father. In begging him that his name be
hallowed, we were in fact asking him that we ourselves might be always made
more holy. But though we are clothed with the baptismal garment, we do not
cease to sin, to turn away from God. Now, in this new petition, we return to
him like the prodigal son and, like the tax collector, recognize that we are
sinners before him. Our petition begins with a "confession" of
our wretchedness and his mercy. Our hope is firm because, in his Son, "we
have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." We find the efficacious
and undoubted sign of his forgiveness in the sacraments of his Church.
2840 Now - and
this is daunting - this outpouring of mercy cannot penetrate our hearts as long
as we have not forgiven those who have trespassed against us. Love, like the
Body of Christ, is indivisible; we cannot love the God we cannot see if we do
not love the brother or sister we do see. In refusing to forgive our
brothers and sisters, our hearts are closed and their hardness makes them
impervious to the Father's merciful love; but in confessing our sins, our
hearts are opened to his grace.
2841 This petition is so important that it is the only one to which the Lord returns and which he develops explicitly in the Sermon on the Mount. This crucial requirement of the covenant mystery is impossible for man. But "with God all things are possible."
. . . as we forgive those who trespass against us
2842 This
"as" is not unique in Jesus' teaching: "You, therefore, must be
perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect"; "Be merciful, even as
your Father is merciful"; "A new commandment I give to you, that you
love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one
another." It is impossible to keep the Lord's commandment by
imitating the divine model from outside; there has to be a vital participation,
coming from the depths of the heart, in the holiness and the mercy and the love
of our God. Only the Spirit by whom we live can make "ours" the same
mind that was in Christ Jesus. Then the unity of forgiveness becomes
possible and we find ourselves "forgiving one another, as God in Christ
forgave" us.
2843 Thus the
Lord's words on forgiveness, the love that loves to the end, become a
living reality. the parable of the merciless servant, which crowns the Lord's
teaching on ecclesial communion, ends with these words: "So also my
heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother
from your heart." It is there, in fact, "in the depths of the
heart," that everything is bound and loosed. It is not in our power not to
feel or to forget an offense; but the heart that offers itself to the Holy
Spirit turns injury into compassion and purifies the memory in transforming the
hurt into intercession.
2844 Christian
prayer extends to the forgiveness of enemies, transfiguring the disciple
by configuring him to his Master. Forgiveness is a high-point of Christian
prayer; only hearts attuned to God's compassion can receive the gift of prayer.
Forgiveness also bears witness that, in our world, love is stronger than sin.
the martyrs of yesterday and today bear this witness to Jesus. Forgiveness is
the fundamental condition of the reconciliation of the children of God with
their Father and of men with one another.
2845 There is no limit or measure to this essentially divine forgiveness, whether one speaks of "sins" as in Luke (⇒ 11:4), "debts" as in Matthew (⇒ 6:12). We are always debtors: "Owe no one anything, except to love one another." The communion of the Holy Trinity is the source and criterion of truth in every relation ship. It is lived out in prayer, above all in the Eucharist.
God does not
accept the sacrifice of a sower of disunion, but commands that he depart from
the altar so that he may first be reconciled with his brother. For God can be
appeased only by prayers that make peace. To God, the better offering is peace,
brotherly concord, and a people made one in the unity of the Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit.
Father's Day is the day to
recognize, honor and celebrate the sacrifices and accomplishments of fathers.
In 1910, Washington State Governor declared Father's Day on the 19th of July.
It then became a permanent federal holiday in 1972 when President Richard
Nixon proclaimed that the third Sunday in June would be further known as
Father's Day. On this day, children celebrate their fathers and father
figures to show their love and appreciation.
Father's
Day Facts & Quotes
·
In
1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson declared the third Sunday in June as Father's
Day. It became a permanent holiday in 1972 when President Richard Nixon
proclaimed that the third Sunday in June would remain Father's Day.
·
Mrs.
Sonora Smart Dodd first came up with the idea for Father's Day after hearing a
Mother's Day sermon in church. She was raised by her father and wanted to
honor him.
·
In
2014, 4% of all U.S. children lived only with their fathers.
·
It
is easier for a father to have children than for children to have a real
father. - Pope John XXIII
·
When
one has not had a good father, one must create one. - Frederich Wilhelm
Nietzsche
Father's Day Top Events and Things to Do
·
Attend
a Baseball game. Father’s Day occurs in the midst of Baseball season.
·
Arrange
a BBQ and invite all of the fathers in your family.
·
Spend
the day with Dad doing one of his favorite activities: fishing, golfing,
hiking.
·
Complete
one of dad's chores or projects as a surprise. If it's something you don't know
how to do, offer to help and learn.
·
Take
the President's Fatherhood’s Pledge.
·
Teach justice,
prudence, temperance, and fortitude to children.
How to Be a Good Father[9]
The
father's role in our modern society has dwindled to almost nothing. But as a
Christian the father's role is important in molding and giving example to his
children, especially to his sons.
Probably
nobody denies that the typical father exercises less authority in his home
today than at any time in history. Reasons for this decline probably are of no
interest or help in the present discussion; but the effect of it cannot be
overlooked. For evidence accumulated by psychiatrists, social workers and
similar experts proves unmistakably that when children lack a strong father to
guide them, they suffer serious damage in many important ways. Consider these
facts:
There
is a startling growth in homosexual tendencies among the young, and most
authorities agree that the boy who develops feminine characteristics usually
has had unsatisfactory relations with his father in one or several important
respects. Increases in juvenile delinquency — a headlined trend
in every part of the country —
are also due to the weak position of the father; the lack of an affectionate
and understanding relationship between father and son is a prevalent
characteristic in the background of boys charged with criminal offenses. Many
authorities also blame the shocking rates of divorce and marriage breakdowns to
this cause. The fathers of those who cannot succeed in marriage often never
gave their children a realistic example of how a man should live with his wife
in this relationship.
The
importance of the father as an example of manhood to his son and daughter
probably cannot be overestimated. For example, one day your son may marry and
have a family. To be a successful father, he should know how to train his
children; how to treat his wife and their mother in their presence; what to
discuss with them about his work; how to show them manual skills, such as
repairing a chair or painting furniture; how to perform in countless other
important areas. The best way to learn how to act as a father is to observe one
in action.
What
ideals will he display as husband and father? To a large extent, that answer
will depend upon those he has learned from you, his father, in your own home.
What part will he play in the religious education of his children? The answer
will largely depend upon whether you have led the family to Mass each Sunday,
whether you say grace before meals in your home, whether you take an active
part in the spiritual life of your parish. How should he act toward his wife — aloof,
affectionate, domineering, docile? Here too the answer will mainly depend upon
your example.
The
adage, "Like father, like son," is firmly based on fact. No matter
how much he may resist your influence, your son will be like you in many
different ways. If your influence is wholesome, the effect upon him will be
wholesome. If you are a bad father, you will almost surely corrupt him in some
significant way. Remember also that you represent God before your child because
you are —
or should be —
the figure of authority in your home. He will be taught that he can always
depend upon the mercy and goodness of the eternal Father; but it will be
difficult for him to grasp the full importance of that teaching if he cannot
rely upon the goodness of his earthly father.
It
has been said that, in addition to giving wholesome example, a good father
follows four fundamental rules in his dealing with his children.
·
First,
he shows himself to be truly and sincerely interested in their welfare.
·
Secondly,
he accepts each child for what he is, and encourages any special talent which
the youngster possesses.
·
Thirdly,
he takes an active part in disciplining his children.
·
And
finally, he keeps lines of communication open with them at all times.
Each
of these rules is worth detailed consideration, because the typical American
father often ignores one or more of them.
1. Show an interest in your
child's welfare. You can do this by devoting time to him, every day if
possible. Try to discuss with him his experiences, problems, successes and
failures. By giving yourself to him in this intimate way, you give him the
feeling that he can always depend upon you to understand and help him in his
difficulties. In a large family, it is especially important that you
find time for intimate moments with each child. Every youngster should know
that his father is interested in him as an individual, and is sympathetic with
him and devoted to his welfare.
Modern fathers may find it more
difficult to make their children an intimate part of their lives than did men
of a few generations ago. Today's fathers often work many miles away from home.
They leave for their jobs early in the morning and do not return until late in
the evening, perhaps after the children are in bed. Unlike the men of an
earlier age who often worked close to their homes, today's fathers may seldom
see their youngsters during the week. To offset this condition, they should try
to devote as much of their weekends to them as possible. This does not mean
that you should be a "pal" to your children or that you must act like
a juvenile, when aging bones may not permit this. But at family gatherings,
picnics, trips to the ballpark or even visits to the school, you are sharing
leisure moments with them.
2. Accept your child and
encourage his talents. One man hoped for a son, and found it impossible
to conceal his disappointment when a girl was born. He now spends much time
trying to inculcate masculine virtues in her and berates her constantly because
she is not proficient at sports. A successful lawyer prides himself upon his
intellect and once hoped that his son would achieve great scholastic success.
But the lad, now in high school, has shown no pronounced ability in academic
work; however, he is skilled at working with his hands. He must face unending
sneers from his father about his "stupidity." A third man married a
beautiful woman and expected his daughters to be beauties too. One girl is
extremely plain, however. Even at the age of ten she knows that she is a
complete disappointment to her father.
All of these examples indicate ways
in which fathers display a lack of acceptance of their children. It is a fact
that the qualities a child inherits — his physical attributes,
aptitudes, and many other characteristics — are the result of chance. He may
be a genius or an idiot: you should not claim credit if the first possibility
occurs any more than you should feel ashamed for the second. The moral is
plain: your children are a gift from God, and you should always accept each
of them in a spirit of gratitude. In fact, the saintly father will accept a
defective child with greater gratitude, for God has offered him an opportunity
to provide more love, affection and direction than the ordinary youngster might
need.
Remember also that your child is an
individual, with talents which you perhaps cannot appreciate. Let him develop
them in the best way possible. In attempting to learn why many gifted children
do not go to college, researchers have found that their parents often have
actively discouraged them. In a typical case, a father became wealthy through
real estate investments and could easily afford college for a son with a strong
aptitude in science. But the father accused the boy of trying to "put on
airs" whenever college was discussed. Thanks to him, the son is now a
misfit.
3. Don't shirk unpleasant
tasks of parenthood. "See your mother; don't bother me" is a
remark commonly made by one type of father. He returns from work, eats his
dinner and then settles down to an evening behind his newspaper or before the
television screen. When his children seek his aid with their homework or when
they become unruly and require a strong parental hand, he is "too
busy" to pay attention. Such an attitude tells a child that his mother is
the true figure of importance in the family, while Dad is only the boarder who
pays the bills.
It is not fair for fathers to enjoy
all the pleasures of parenthood —
to play with the children, to boast about their growth — and to give
mothers all the painful duties. A father should discipline as often as the
mother. If he fails to do so, he gives the children the idea that he does not
stand with the mother in her efforts to instill proper manners and acceptable
forms of behavior. As a matter of fact, in major matters the good father is
likely to be the court of last resort. This is as it should be for his
authority is more impressive and its effect more lasting than that of the
mother.
4. Keep lines of
communication open with your children. Teenagers often say that they
cannot talk to their fathers about questions which disturb them. This breakdown
in communication usually stems from one of three factors, or a combination of
them. The father may be so severe in his discipline that he appears as a
dictator in the youngster's mind; in the past he has always been "too
busy" to keep on close terms with his boy; or he has not given his
youngster the respectful attention he should have.
Stalin-type fathers fortunately are
on the way out in America, for most men have learned that it is easier to train
a child with loving kindness than with brute force. But some stern unyielding
fathers remain. They may beat their child into patterns of behavior that offend
no one, but in the process, they often create a bitter adult who is never
able to confide fully in another human being.
The second and third possible
explanations for a child's unwillingness or inability to confide in his father
may have even worse effects than the first. In the first instance, unless the
father is a calloused brute, his child may at least discern evidence that his
father is interested in his welfare. But when a father does not even care
enough to concern himself with the child's upbringing in any serious way, he
evidences a complete absence of love or interest.
There
are many things that human beings prefer to keep to themselves, and it is
probably good that this is so. Your child should not feel that he must
lay bare his innermost thoughts and desires. But he should know that in times
of stress and strain he has a sympathetic and loving adviser to turn to. You
will fulfill that role if you strive always to treat him with courtesy and
sympathy, and with an understanding based upon your memory of the difficulties,
problems, fears and aspirations of your own boyhood. Never ridicule him:
it is the opposite of sympathy and probably locks more doors between father and
son than any other action.
Activity Source: Catholic Family Handbook, The by Rev. George A. Kelly, Random House, Inc., New York, 1959
Daily Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters
of St. Joseph by joining them in fasting: Families of the
Porters of St. Joseph
·
Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus
·
Offering to the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
[2]Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896.
[5]https://theculturetrip.com/europe/belgium/articles/a-brief-history-of-belgiums-doudou-and-why-you-should-attend/
[8] https://www.wincalendar.com/Fathers-Day
[9]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/activities/view.cfm?id=128
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