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How do you reach out to the poor as a family?
How do you cultivate a heart of gratitude in your children?
Email your answers to yyoung@osv.com.
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The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops website has brochures and resources to find out what is happening for Respect Life month. Click here.
Locks of Love, www.locksoflove.org, is seeking donations of hair and money to provide wigs for children who have lost their hair as a result of medical conditions. What a great way for girls to help other girls!
Volunteers of America, www.voa.org, links families who want to help with local programs supporting the homeless, the sick and the elderly.
Make-a-Difference Day is Oct. 28. This site has an Idea Generator to help come you come up with ideas for getting involved in your community. Click here.
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul was founded in 1833. Their goal is to provide aid and empowerment to those who are suffering. They need volunteers to serve meals, deliver or pack food baskets and visit the needy. www.svdpc.org is a website for the Chicago group.
Catholic Charities has been around since 1727 focusing on the needs of children and families. See www.catholiccharitiesinfo.org to find a group in your area. This is one of the nation's largest voluntary social service networks.
In Iowa City, Iowa a group has rescued over 5 million pounds of food that would have gone to waste from food suppliers. They redirect this food to needy families! What a great idea! Click here.
Teddy bears are a universal symbol of caring. School groups and families often organize drives to collect bears and donations to give to the sick. See www.goodbearsoftheworld.org to find out about one group organizing these donations.
The Catholic Network of Volunteer Service, established in 1963, organizes domestic and international mission programs. Some of these are short term opportunities and can use the help of families or high school students. For more information see www.cnvs.org.
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me…I was sick and you took care of me…Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these…you did it to me.” (Matt. 25:35-40)
Are there times I feel competitive with people I think are different than I am?
Is there some characteristic I/we have, some possession I/we own, or way I/we act that keeps me/us from being the best I/we can be, from being close to God? How can I/we remove that from my/our lives?
Are there times in our family when we each think only of ourselves rather than of working together in peace and harmony?
Do we see good in each other (in our family, in the people we meet each day) or is it easier to find the faults in each other?
What can we do this week so there can be more peace and unity in our family? How can we then spread that peace to others?
Who do you know that has a very good marriage? Why do you think it is so special?
How could you improve one of your relationships; one of your friendships?
Marriage is a covenant, a friendship promise, a call to live together in respectful love. Write and put in a special place a covenant statement of your love for your family or friends. Invite each family member or friends to sign this covenant. Decorate it with a symbol of your love, your unity.
If you were given $500,000, what would you do with it?
What is the most important possession you have? Why?
In what way could a person who has a lot of money be really poor? How can a person who has a little bit of money be rich?
If you were the rich young man in this story, what questions would Jesus ask you? What would be hardest for you to give up?
Do you think we live in a wasteful society? a throw-away society? Is there a difference between wants and needs? What is something you need? something you want?
What is one “possession” our family might give away to someone who needs it more than we do?
James and John had their picture of Jesus. What picture of Jesus do you have, do you especially like?
Jesus reminded the disciples he came to serve. Do you know someone who is an example of Christlike service and generosity? What effect have they had on your life?
As a family, plan how you can help someone who needs it at this time.
How can you be a servant – in your family, with your friends, at school, in your neighborhood, at work, in the parish?
If Jesus asked you, “What do you want me to do for you?” what would you say to him?
Bartimaeus was not shy about telling Jesus what he wanted. Why is it good for us to go to God in prayer with our concerns and needs? What does our family need right now?
Blindness can mean many things. Sometimes we’re blind to the goodness in ourselves and in other people. Make a placemat for each person in the family. During the week write on them; write all the good things you know about each other; write all the good things you see each other doing.
What if we saw the world as God does? What would it look like?
Ingredients:
6 cups thinly sliced apples
3/4 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch single-crust pie
Directions:
1. Prepare your pastry for a two crust pie. Wipe, quarter, core, peel, and slice apples; measure to 6 cups.
2. Combine sugar and cinnamon. The amount of sugar used depends on how tart your apples are.
3. Arrange apples in layers in pastry lined pie plate. Sprinkle each layer with sugar and cinnamon. Dot top layer with small pieces of butter or margarine. Cover with top crust.
4. Place on lowest rack in oven preheated to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake for 30 to 35 minutes longer. Serve warm or cold.
(All rights reserved © 2005 Allrecipes.com. Recipe submitted by: Carol.)
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups flour (sifted)
1/8 teaspoon almond flavoring food coloring
1. Cream butter, sugar, food coloring and flavoring. Stir in flour.
2. Shape as desired using 2 tablespoons of dough.
3. Place cookies on ungreased cookie sheet
4. Chill 30 minutes.
5. Bake at 300 F for 30 minutes (these cookies do not brown).
Ideas for shapes Oranges -- Roll dough into ball. Insert clove in top. Texture cookie with blunt end of toothpick.
Apricots -- Roll dough into ball. Make crease down side with toothpick. Stick clove in end.
Banana -- Roll dough into bananas shape.
Apple -- Roll dough into ball. Stick small piece of cinnamon stick in top for stem, and clove in bottom. (recipe courtesy of www.robinsfyi.com)
A simple, concise, yet thorough explaination of how to pray the Rosary. Click for more information.
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