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My late grandmother had a tremendous devotion to Our Lady.

I remember before I was a teenager, I would often see a rosary in my grandma’s hands. Near the end of her days, she would quietly move from one bead to the next, knowing in her heart that she was getting closer to the other side of eternity. 

My mom also has a great devotion to Our Lady. Although she now has dementia, she still has a rosary by her favorite recliner chair and also by her bedside. 

Forgotten are the names and faces of almost everyone she once knew, except for a few close family members. What I find remarkable is, she still remembers all of her childhood prayers and loves to pray the rosary. After forgetting that we had just prayed the rosary together, she would soon ask me, “Would you like to pray the rosary with me?” I would chuckle and say, “Sure mom that would be great!” and we would pray another decade. 

My wife Denise and I are so grateful that both of our parents have passed onto us the importance of having a sincere devotion to Our Mother Mary. Our Lady has certainly played an important role in many aspects of our family life and our Cat.Chat apostolate. We have often sensed her presence in the major decisions we’ve had to make as she would lead us and guide us, in what I believe, were key moments of ministry and discernment. 

 

The apostles and the saints were people who were filled with the Holy Spirit. They were on fire for God and it transformed their lives, and changed the world around them. They knew without a doubt that the message of Jesus Christ was not just a nice suggestion for a happier life, but was the only thing that really mattered.

The same Spirit that filled the apostles is with us today. The Holy Spirit who came upon the apostles with tongues of fire, who descended from heaven as a dove when Jesus was baptized, and who worked in the lives of countless men and women throughout the centuries is alive and active. 

The question is: how can we invite the Holy Spirit to work powerfully in our lives and in our VBS?

I often get easily distracted and consumed during Lent… with my perpetual list of to-dos.

If all of my attempts at fasting, small sacrifices, increased devotions, and generosity during Lent were not helping me to become more like Jesus then I’ve missed the point of Lent. Lent is simply a time to look more like our Saviour, whose very nature is love. 

More of Him and less of my selfishness, my distracted mind and heart, my petty attachments, and my judgments towards others.  

 

“Jesus is the reason for the season.” We hear this often and it couldn't be more true, however, sometimes it’s hard to know how to make it a reality in our own family. Thankfully, there are some practical ways to help stay focused on Christ during this Christmas season. Whether you need a reminder for yourself or for your family, here a few ideas for you to use. 

 

During the Christmas season, there is no better gift you can give to your kids than for them to witness the joy of your married love. While you are planning your holidays, be sure to incorporate time together as a couple. Your marriage comes first, and you can’t let the kids have all the fun. 😄

Here are a few ideas that you can use to bless your spouse this Christmas! 

 

Our fireplace was lit and I was all alone sitting on our family living room couch. I felt unsettled; an unhappiness within me. “I’m tired of thinking of myself!” I said aloud. Picking up my guitar, I began to play, singing my heart to Jesus. This internal ache resulted in this song called “Selfless.” The Great St John Paul II says that, “Man cannot fully find himself except through a sincere gift of himself.” (Gaudium Etpes , 24)  Jesus is calling each of us to be selfless. Why? As JPII exclaims, in giving of ourselves we find ourselves. A weird paradox. 

 

Advent is a beautiful time of anticipation and preparation. It's a great opportunity for families to be more intentional about spending time together. We encourage you to set aside one evening a week to do something that involves your whole family. We've included three fun activities you can do during these weeks before Christmas. 

 

December is fast approaching and with it the frenzied chaos of preparing for Christmas. During this busy time of lights and trees and gift-giving, we tend to forget what season we’re really in: Advent. It’s a time of hopeful anticipation for the birth of Christ.

Christmas is important, but we should make it our goal to do more than just decorate, shop and bake in the weeks beforehand. Let’s find ways to prepare our hearts and homes for what can truly be the “most wonderful time of the year”.

Here are a few ways that our family prepares for Christmas, as we do our best to incorporate the joy of the season with the prayerful waiting of Advent.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

May this video be a reminder for us of the great things we need to do in order to spark love and joy in marriage. 

 VBS games

 

Have you been searching for the perfect game to play at your youth group, birthday party, or at home with your kids? Have fun playing a few of our favorite games from the Cat.Chat VBS programs.

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