Sunday, February 26, 2017

If you had your child baptized Catholic, do you have ANY idea what you agreed to?




"Husband and wife, raised to the dignity and the responsibility of parenthood, will be zealous in fulfilling their task as educators, especially in the sphere of religious education, a task that is primarily their own."

Vatican II
Gaudium et Spes
Paragraph 48




The question every parents is asked before Baptism starts:  "You have asked to have your child baptized. In doing so you are accepting the responsibility of training him (her) in the practice of the faith. It will be your duty to bring him (her) up to keep God's commandments as Christ taught us, by loving God and our neighbor. Do you clearly understand what you are undertaking?"


WOW!  That's awesome.  Humbling,  Challenging.  And scary. And Wonderful

Thursday, February 16, 2017

Annual Lenten Reminder

Annual reminder:

Going to Mass EVERY weekend is INFINITELY more important than giving up something for Lent

The Church NOWHERE requires Catholics to give up anything throughout Lent.

The Church does say that it is a grave sin to not attend weekend Mass (exceptions of illness/caring for someone who is ill/dangerous or overly burdensome travel etc.)

Sadly, some ignore the commandment concerning weekend Mass but would run through a brick wall in order to keep their Lenten pledge

Don't get me wrong - it is good to have zeal for a Lenten commitment, but it makes no sense if the more basic apparatus of the Faith is not in place as well

It doesn't make any sense to say "I'm giving up sweets for Lent even though the Church doesn't require it, but I go to Mass once a month even though the Church says Sunday/Saturday pm Mass is what I am to build my life around"

Said yet another way: don't give up anything for Lent until you have first committed to going to Mass every weekend of Lent


clarifiers:
1) I'm not saying "do something positive instead of giving something up for Lent" I'm saying go to Mass every Sunday before worrying about doing something for Lent

2) Also, this isn't me "judging" anyone. Neither is this me saying I'm better than anyone. This is me pointing out an ACTION that is problematic and in need of correcting in order for a person to find true happiness. I share this out of love - weekly Mass is critical for a person to find peace