At the end of their annual Passover dinner, our Jewish brothers and sisters exclaim, “Next year, Jerusalem!” This is not a wish for a change in venue, but rather a bold prayer that the next Passover will be the Final One – the one that is celebrated in the fullness of God’s Reign, in the fullness of God’s Presence.

We Catholics have a similar prayer: “Come, O Come Emmanuel!” It is a prayer we invoke every Advent, that our Lord Jesus come once again in power, might, and glory, and bring about the fullness of God’s Kingdom. We experience glimpses of this Kingdom already, at Mass, in the Sacraments, in ordinary family life, in loving service to our neighbors in need, and in other similar, graced moments.

The thing is, we so often forget this, don’t we? Because we tend to be a bit too comfortable, we don’t realize that, because we don’t yet live fully in the Kingdom of God, our lives are incomplete. There is a deep restlessness within each heart that can only be healed by Christ’s coming again, both in one’s daily life and into the world.

Advent is that time of year that makes our deep longing for the coming of Emmanuel tangible once again. During Advent, most plants and trees are bare, leaving only the sharp needles on evergreens, which we use to fashion garlands and wreaths. A few candles on the Advent wreath shed more light than we would have thought possible, and create a glow of hope. The darkness of each day envelops us, inviting us to look inward. Overall, there is a sense that something “different” is happening, soon and very soon.

Advent, the start of a new liturgical year, passionately beckons us to come to a new place, a holy place, a darkened place where our Lord will meet us in the stillness.

How might a family or parish become re-connected and re-engaged in this holy season so they might prepare their hearts and minds to meet Jesus once again at Christmas? There are many ways to do this, and you can find wonderful resources to assist in this process at Samples.RCLBenziger.com.

On this Web site, you will find RCL Benziger’s new books, Our Family Prays: Catholic Prayers and Traditions, as well as Catholic Prayers and Practices for Young Disciples. Both resources help families explore Catholic customs and traditions for the Advent season, such as using an Advent wreath at home, blessing and welcoming a new liturgical year, practicing hospitality through Las Posadas, and praying a novena to the Divine Child. Simple yet profound home rituals like these will inspire a deeper understanding of Advent, and strengthen a family’s relationship with the Lord.

May this Advent season be a time for all of us to participate in and prepare for the coming of Emmanuel. Marantha! Come, Lord Jesus, come!

Scott Rutan serves Harrisburg, Erie, Greensburg, Pittsburgh and Scranton areas in Pennsylvania, along with Albany, Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse areas in New York.

From western New York State, he has always been in professional catechetical ministry serving both the parish and diocesan levels for more than 29 years. He and his wife raised two fine, adult sons with their parish’s family education program. This makes Scott passionate about building family engagement in Faith and community with RCL Benziger resources.

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October is National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month and it's a good time for schools & communities to take stock of current efforts to reduce and prevent bullying. Consider the following: Do current school climates make students feel safe, allowing them to thrive academically and socially? Are youth comfortable speaking up if they are being bullied? Are members of the Catholic community engaged when it comes to reporting bullying stories?

Bullying can be verbal, physical, or online. It can severely affect the victim's self-image, social interactions, and school performance - often leading to insecurity, lack of self-esteem, and depression. School dropout rates and absences among victims of bullying are also much higher than among other students.

Robert Bimonte, NCEA president, said Catholic schools have an important role to play in bullying prevention. "Our Catholic faith teaches children to respect others and emphasizes moral development and self-discipline."

Although, bullying is an issue all schools must deal with. Catholic schools have a distinct advantage - the ability to incorporate the teachings of the Catholic faith. Research shows that a schoolwide character education program can prevent cruelty and promote respect by teaching prosocial skills such as empathy, listening, and conflict resolution.

RCL Benziger's Family Life is a great resource for Catholic schools; as a comprehensive moral catechesis for families, Family Life is designed to complement the religion curriculum in your school or parish. This best-selling program presents the teachings of the church with clarity, and offers unparalleled support for Catholic families!

The following resources provide information regarding RCL Benziger's Family Life program, bullying, and bullying prevention for families and their communities.

Family Life Child Safety Scope and Sequence

Family Life Program Scope and Sequence

Confronting the Challenges of Bullying

Resources and Strategies to Address Bullying

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Pope Francis’ recent visit to the United States seemed to capture the ears, eyes, hearts, and minds of millions of Americans. While one would expect Catholics to pay especially close attention to the Pope’s words, if news reports can be taken at face value, millions of others not of the Catholic faith were also enthralled by the Pope’s message.

I say message, and not messages, for a reason. The Pope’s comments seemed to be centered on one common theme: God made men and women in the divine image. For that reason alone, every person in the world has the right to be treated with dignity and respect. Distilled to its essence, the Holy Father’s message was to respect life because it is sacred.

While it is impossible in a short essay to cover all of the Pope’s amazing words from his many talks, a look at his speech to members of the U.S. Senate, Congress, and the Supreme Court provides us with a series of action steps we can take in order to move respecting life to the top of our agendas. Here are a few of Francis’ marching orders:

1. Defend and preserve the dignity of others, working tirelessly for the good of all, not only for our own private needs and desires.
2. Care for the needs of all, helping them to grow for the good of society, especially those who are most vulnerable or at the greatest risk.
3. Base every decision you make on the care of people other than yourself.
4. Form bonds of unity across groups, forming communities of love wherever possible.
5. Strive to lead people directly to God, the only thing greater than human dignity.
6. Protect the image and likeness fashioned by God on every human face.
7. Engage people in conversation, listening carefully to their hopes and dreams, their sorrows and joys. Create a dialogue to help people grow in God’s love.
8. Recognize and respect the wisdom and dignity of those who are elderly, and the aspirations and promise of the young.
9. Look for ways to bring hope and healing to a divided community, a divided world.
10. Work for justice and peace by restoring hope, righting wrongs, maintaining commitments, and thus promoting the well-being of all.

Daniel S. Mulhall is a catechist. He is the Director of Strategic Markets for RCL Benziger.

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When we were young parents, it would dismay us when our kids complained that we were the only family who didn’t go to that movie or buy that new game. What a relief it was when we discovered other parents at church who were just as uncool as we were. Everybody was not following the crowd. We made sure we saw more of those people.

Having a group of Christian friends was essential for us through our parenting years, both as a support for our marriage and as an example to our children. One of the best things parents can do to succeed as a Domestic Church is to choose good Christian friends.

When we feel like we are in the minority with our Christian values, choosing friends who share our values can give us allies in living our faith actively. Even though it sometimes seems we are “islands of Christian life,” we actually have lots of company in the Universal Church. If our partner families have diverse age ranges and life experiences, all’s the better. Together, people of faith can cooperate to do more good than one family alone could. Catholic families that experience the joy of the Gospel are the best evangelizers of other families, as well as their neighbors and coworkers.

Developing support networks does not mean circling the wagons and withdrawing from the world into isolated enclaves. Instead, families simply accompany one another on the formative journey of trying to live their faith authentically, welcome new friends, and serve others.

Reaching out to other families, especially those who are less connected to church, is a great way to evangelize one’s neighbors by introducing them to concrete, meaningful ways of living their faith. By working together, Christian families can provide support to those trying to raise a family in a society indifferent or hostile to Gospel values.

Because our family intentionally formed a community with like-minded neighbors, we learned from each other how to be Christian families. Over the years, our friends from church got us involved in many faith-building projects – helping a refugee family find housing, painting an old rectory, hosting missionaries, making a pilgrimage – which we would never have tried on our own. Our children worked beside us, watching and learning. We discovered strength in numbers, and we had fun doing it. This is one of the many ways our family chooses life.

Dr. Lauri Przybysz is a leader in the Christian Family Movement, a network of Catholic families in 42 countries that aims to improve society by building up the Domestic Church. She holds a Doctorate in Ministry from the Catholic University of America, and she has served as an archdiocesan coordinator of Marriage and Family Life, a Pastoral Associate, and middle school religion teacher. She and her husband, John, recently participated in consultations on the Synod for the Family at the Vatican. They have been married for 42 years and have 20 grandchildren.

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Recuerdo una ocasión en que las palabras de alguien me inyectaron la fuerza que necesitaba para seguir viviendo; otra vez, al abrazarme solidariamente un amigo sentí que Cristo me animaba y consolaba. En otra ocasión recibí el agradecimiento de alguien que se inspiró en mí para cambiar el curso de su vida. A mi mente vino también la sonrisa de un desconocido cuyo gesto iluminó una dolorosa oscuridad que me invadía haciendo mi día rico y productivo. También recordé cuando al compartir con mi padre la carrera que deseaba seguir me respondió despectivamente enfatizando las probabilidades de fracaso de esa ocupación. Al escucharlo sentí que algo en mi moría. Concluí que muchas veces, quizá más irreflexivamente que intencionalmente, sembramos vida o damos muerte..

Recordemos ocasiones en que con nuestras palabras, actitudes o acciones hemos aplastado autoestimas, hemos hecho miserable la vida de aquellos con quienes convivimos o tratamos; en que por egoísmo hemos fragmentado nuestra familia al imponer sin consideración nuestra voluntad o por la irresponsabilidad de nuestros deberes. ¡Cuántas veces hemos ignorado a alguien necesitado de apoyo y afirmación, o que añoraba una caricia o validación de sus sentimientos y aspiraciones; ocasiones en que nos hemos hecho sordos a voces que claman por justicia y paz!

Fuimos creados por amor y para amar. Es nuestra misión en la vida. Al aceptarla adoptamos nuevas perspectivas y responsabilidades comenzando en el seno familiar pero extendiéndose a muchas otras áreas. Optar por la vida es convertirnos en instrumentos de Cristo, ser sus brazos, pies y oídos en este mundo; es ser ‘la sal de la tierra’, es dejar que su luz brille a través de nuestras acciones. Es amar como él amó.

Nuestra comunión con Dios mediante la oración y la práctica de la caridad riegan y mantienen fértil nuestro terreno para producir semillas que perpetúen una cosecha de vida. La ausencia de ellas gradualmente lo seca y lo hace improductivo. El Papa Francisco dice que “Lo que la Iglesia necesita con urgencia es capacidad de curar heridas y dar calor a los corazones… Como un hospital de campaña tras una batalla”. Cumplamos nuestra misión, curemos las heridas; descartemos el egoísmo y el propio interés. Empleemos nuestros esfuerzos en sembrar vida atendiendo a quienes sufren o están en peligro de fallecer. Recordemos que no solo sembramos muerte con nuestras malas obras, egoísmo e intereses propios sino también al ser indiferentes al sufrimiento de los demás. ¡Optemos por la vida!

Dra. Fanny Cepeda Pedraza es consultora nacional en el área de catequesis y formación teológica.

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La Iglesia es evangelizadora por naturaleza. La Iglesia es madre, maestra y familia de familias. San Juan Pablo II insistía en que la familia es la “iglesia doméstica.” La familia es el lugar donde se aprende, se vive y se interpreta la fe (DGC 226-227; CCE 2222-2226).. Por ende, toda la familia está llamada a ser santa (Mateo 5,48; Lumen gentium 39- 42).

El Bautismo es la mejor herencia que he recibido. Mis padres me llevaron a bautizar cuando tenía dos meses de nacido. Mi papá me enseñó el Padre Nuestro. Me enseñó que Dios es amoroso y lleno de misericordia. Mi mamá me enseñó el Ave Maria. Me enseñaron a ser cristiano y a amar a la Iglesia de Cristo. ¿Quién te presentó a Dios por primera vez en tu vida?

Una de las preocupaciones de nuestro tiempo es que la mayoría de los padres de familia dejan a sus hijos en la catequesis y no asisten ni a la formación para adultos ni a misa. En el Bautismo, tanto la familia como la comunidad eclesial prometen transmitir la fe a los nuevos cristianos. La Iglesia tiene el deber de apoyar a los padres en la tarea de transmitir la fe a los hijos. De la misma manera los padres de familia tienen la responsabilidad de conocer su fe para ayudar a los hijos a entender la fe que profesan para vivirla al servicio de los demás.

Por tanto, parroquia y familia son corresponsables en mantener viva la llama de la fe en los adultos, jóvenes y niños (DNC 20). Familia y parroquia están llamadas a colaborar en la formación de todos. Mis padres fueron mis primeros catequistas con su testimonio de vida y continua oración (DNC 54C). La formación que recibí de mis catequistas en la parroquia reforzó las semillas de fe que mis padres sembraron.

¿Qué van a hacer con los dones del Espíritu Santo que van a recibir en la Confirmación?, nos preguntó Doña Emma Pasten antes de la celebración del sacramento. Esta pregunta resuena en mi corazón y en mi mente desde mi adolescencia. Si la familia es la “iglesia doméstica” donde se aprende, se vive y se interpreta la fe, la parroquia y la familia deben forjar lazos de colaboración para fomentar la fe de los adultos, jóvenes y niños en una catequesis de por vida. Así las familias, a la pregunta: ¿Quién les ha permitido sobrellevar y superar los problemas y retos en la vida familiar? podrán responder: “Dios”.

José Amaya es director de formación en la fe para la Arquidiócesis Castrense de los Estados Unidos de América.

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The other day my stepmother visited and brought with her two boxes that had belonged to my deceased mother. One contained her college yearbooks, the other held a variety of sports trophies she had won.

The boxes, sitting now in my foyer, present me with a quandary. While they represent a wealth of memories, relationships, and achievements dear to my mother, they have limited meaning for me. I am one generation removed from the joys and struggles they represent. If I put them in my garage, they will have little or no personal meaning to my sons when they find the boxes on my demise. Yet, to dispose of them seems somehow sacrilegious. How fleeting is the mark we make here on earth!

One of the great blessings of the Catholic faith is the belief that our lives have infinite meaning. As part of the Communion of Saints, we continue to live on in the entire faith community, not just in the memories of our succeeding generations. We are blessed in the Catholic Church with a family that offers us the promise of eternal life in Christ and in the Communion of Saints.

As Mother, Teacher, and Family, the Church also strengthens our earthly families with ties of love, purpose, and meaning that are unbounded by space and time.

The Church is our Mother, a source of life. There is perhaps no other bond that matches that of a mother and child as to the depth of love and devotion. Through her role as the parent, she opens her arms to embrace us in good times and bad. She never abandons us, no matter how far we may go astray. She is the vehicle of our sanctification in Baptism. It is through the Sacraments that she nurtures our faith and keeps it vibrant and alive in Christ.

My best teachers were the ones who believed in me and my ability to succeed. The way they lived was equally as important as what they said. While the Church teaches our families about Christ, she also models for us what the Christian family can be by her characteristics of universality, holiness, and unity. She not only teaches, she is Teacher by her very nature.

The wonderful reality about the Church is that in her, we are members of the “Family of families.” Our earthly families are embraced by a truly extended family that is eternal. Through our membership in the Church and the Communion of Saints, our lives and their significance do not fade away like unrecognizable faces in a yearbook, but are destined to shine forever in the heavenly kingdom with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Dr. Patricia Mann holds a Ph.D. in Religious Education from The Catholic University of America. She has more than 20 years of experience as a DRE, with a special emphasis on adult faith formation and initiation..

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The theme for the new catechetical year is “Safeguarding the Dignity of the Human Person.” In its simplest form, this means living a virtuous life. On a practical basis, what does this mean for us as catechists and catechetical leaders working with children, youth, and families?

In 1965, the bishops of the Second Vatican Council approved the Declaration on Christian Education (Gravissimum Educationis). It states, “Therefore children and young people must be helped, with the aid of the latest advances in psychology and the arts and science of teaching, to develop harmoniously their physical, moral, and intellectual endowments so that they may gradually acquire a mature sense of responsibility in striving endlessly to form their own lives properly and in pursuing true freedom as they surmount the vicissitudes of life with courage and constancy.”

This means that those of us who are serving in our Church’s catechetical ministries have an obligation to teach and support the teaching of the Cardinal Virtues of justice, fortitude, temperance, and prudence as well as the Theological Virtues of faith, hope, and love (charity). The dignity of every person is rooted in the reality that each person has been created in the image and likeness of God. While the unique qualities of each individual can be scientifically proven, using science without a solid “valuing” of human life violates the dignity of that human person. By having an understanding of Catholic values and virtues and by practicing virtuous living, we are able to appreciate and value each person.

Virtue formation is included, to some degree, in many catechetical programs. If we do not include an intentional focus on these parts of our lessons, however,

this vital component may be overlooked. This year, our catechetical theme suggests and challenges us to be certain we are teaching and offering opportunities for practicing virtuous living in our faith formation programs. This will contribute to safeguarding the dignity of the human person.

Learning about virtues and integrating virtuous living as a habit in our lives is a lifelong and arduous process. Here are some simple and practical strategies to encourage virtue catechesis in our catechetical sessions and in the home:

Justice:
Strengthens us to act responsibly and give to God and others what is due to them. Set reasonable, age appropriate rules and stick to them. Constancy in following rules and the consequences for not following helps children develop a sense of dependability and justice.

Fortitude:
Ensures firmness in difficulties and the courage to always do what is right. Be vigilant about helping children and young people understand their feelings. Help them identify and practice appropriate responses to emotional shifts. This will help develop confidence and a commitment to do what is right.

Temperance:
Teaches us to do all things in moderation, having power over our “instincts.” Practice healthy habits and establish boundary lines for acceptable behavior. Whether it is eating, talking, sleeping, exercising, praying, or watching TV/video games; there is a point where too much is “too much.” Setting limits for children can build temperance.

Prudence:
Learning the process of discernment, learning how to make good decisions and right judgements; to choose to do right and avoid what is wrong. Give children the latitude to make mistakes and a chance to fail. Giving them opportunities to make age-appropriate decisions/rules for themselves and by allowing them to work through the process (even if results are less than ideal) will assist them in making right judgements in the future. Helping them practice steps of discernment -- asking God for guidance, discovering what the Church teaches, and consulting trusted adults -- will help them live prudently.

Faith:
We believe in God and we believe in all that he has said and has revealed to us. Helping children and young people to embrace what they believe is a catechetical challenge. Supporting children to take ownership of our beliefs so that they become their beliefs entails making faith relevant to them in the lives they lead when they leave the church property. Encouraging them to look for God in all things will support their ability to believe God can be found in all things and their faith will grow deep roots.

Hope:
The aspiration to happiness that God has placed in the heart of every human person. In today’s social climate, it can be difficult to help young people know the true meaning of happiness. The focus on the idea that “personal possessions equal personal happiness” has swayed many from following the Holy Spirit to real happiness. When the Cardinal Virtues, with the help of the Holy Spirit, become habits, we are able to grasp the Theological Virtue of hope.

Charity/Love:
We love God above all things and love our neighbor as ourselves. Caring for others, in our homes and families and in the broader community, is a common theme in all catechetical lessons. Putting the needs of others before our own is a necessary concept to develop. Unselfish living has become another unpopular social idea lately, but must be practiced in order to truly live out this virtue.

By developing an understanding and application of virtues within our faith formation programs, we can contribute to safeguarding the dignity of the human person.

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Pixie Smith has been active in catechesis and liturgy for over 25 years as a catechist, children’s liturgy and music director, and coordinator of children/family/sacrament formation programs. She has numerous catechetical and leadership certifications in the Archdiocese of Atlanta, Lay Ecclesial Ministry Certification from Springhill College in Mobile, Alabama, and advanced studies in Theology and Organizational Leadership. She is the Southeast and International Sales Representative for RCL Benziger.

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por Arturo Monterrubio

Hace más de veinte años, leímos en nuestro boletín dominical un mensaje que precisamente pedía un hogar para los que sufren, un hogar para aquellos que no lo tienen. Pedía abrir nuestro hogar a niños que habían sido abandonados, con necesidades especiales, que habían sufrido de adicciones, discapacidad y que necesitaban una familia que los recibiera como uno de ellos “como uno que me pertenece” (Novo millennio ineunte 43). Al aceptar la invitación, empezó una jornada llena de emoción, gozo, esperanza y sufrimiento, que aún no ha terminado.

Al abrir las puertas de nuestro corazón y de nuestro hogar, de un día para otro, nuestra familia que constaba de tres hermosos hijos, aumentó a seis. Emprendimos esta jornada con miedo pero sobre todo con mucha esperanza. La realidad de la que venían estos tres chiquitos era tan diferente a la nuestra, con tantas necesidades y carencias, con tanto dolor y sufrimiento.

No fue una transición fácil, pero especialmente en esos primeros meses, nos conmovió el apoyo de nuestros vecinos, familiares, feligreses, amigos, y compañeros. Se unieron a nosotros al celebrar la llegada de estos tres niños a nuestra familia y en varias ocasiones nos ayudaron y prestaron un oído atento, haciendo realmente lo posible para que sintieran amados, aceptados, que no están “fuera” (Benedicto XVI, Discurso “Fiesta de los testimonios”, Milán, 2 de junio de 2012).

Pasamos por muchos momentos muy difíciles, ha habido muchas lágrimas y dolor, pero también gozo, alegría y mucho agradecimiento a Dios al ver cómo en nuestra familia crecía su amor. Dando un vistazo al pasado, agradecemos a Dios por lo mucho que nos enriqueció con esta vivencia llena de gracia en la que nos enseñó a ser compasivos, misericordiosos, pacientes, generosos y agradecidos por tantas bendiciones.

Ya sea, por adopción, enfermedad, diferencias, al abrir la puerta de nuestro hogar, de nuestro corazón a aquellos que sufren, nos enseña a sufrir con ellos y caminar junto con el resto de la comunidad cristiana el camino de Jesús hacia la cruz. Lo que nos llena de esperanza, es que no acabó todo en la cruz, sino que Jesús resucitó, así como esperamos sean los frutos de abrir nuestro hogar para los que sufren: tener una nueva vida en Jesús confiados en que “El Señor está cerca del corazón deshecho y salva a los de espíritu abatido” (Salmo 34,18).

Arturo Monterrubio es un diácono permanente de la Arquidiócesis de Galveston-Houston, es además director de la oficina arquidiocesana de la Vida Familiar y está casado por 34 años con Esperanza con quien tiene seis hijos. Ambos conducen el programa semanal “En Familia” de Radio María.

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When we enter into a home or church and feel warmly welcomed, we soon realize the love among those who are already there is what makes that welcome possible. Everyone longs to enter such a place, where all are welcome, where we can lay our burdens down, where we can heal the wounded heart.

This kind of welcoming community begins with an inviting hospitality, where the stranger feels safe to discover his or her own gifts. This invitation is more than an expression of love for the guest. It is a living sign of God’s friendship offered to all people. This powerful love of a Christian community conveys an authentic message: we love you, we need you, and we are incomplete without you.

As simple acts of trust and kindness build intimacy, there is an increasing openness to risk and vulnerability. We know the wounds in our own lives and in the lives of others. We know we are hurting. We deeply long to know in our hearts that we are loved by God and the Christian community as we are: hurt people. We want to break the cycle of hurting and personally know God’s gentleness, mercy, and forgiveness. And loving relationships are a direct sign of God’s healing grace.

Early in our marriage, my wife and I prayed that if God helped us to own a home, it would also be his home and we would share it with whoever came our way. We ended up in a 100-year-old house with many rooms and a large yard. For many years now, it has been a place for people to gather for food, song, and stories. It has been a safe haven for the weary traveler. It has been a place for friends, strangers, and several refugees to share love and life, laughter and tears, hopes and dreams fulfilled, and losses mourned. Visitors have gifted us with music, pumpkin carvings, Christmas stories, children, and pets.

Our home has been a place where God’s friendship has healed hearts through conversations and prayers, stories and songs, and breaking bread. In this holy space, we discovered that the walls of fear and indifference are broken down through listening, forgiveness, gratitude, prayer, and relationships. When gathered around the table with people of all races, religions, and cultures, we share in God’s amazing gift of the diverse human family. We discover the connection between the Lord’s table in our home and the Lord’s table in our parish community.

“The joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the men of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, these are the joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the followers of Christ. Indeed, nothing genuinely human fails to raise an echo in their hearts” Gaudium et Spes (On the Church in the Modern World).

Greg "Dobie" Moser, D.Min, is the Executive Director, Youth and Young Adult Ministry and CYO in the Diocese of Cleveland. He holds an MA in Family Systems Counseling, and his doctoral work focused on leadership development within the family. He and his wife, Lisa, are proud parents of seven children.

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