Class Update: Sacred Tradition

All Saints' Day Greetings Everyone!

First, we want to acknowledge and thank all those of you who helped with the coat drive, as our parish continued the effort to provide for those in need with winter on the way.

In our most recent class, we started off with this prayer the US bishops wrote for before an election.

We also watched about a minute of this song, "Love the Lord", based on the Shema in Deuteronomy 6:4-5, which Jesus talks about when He states what the two greatest commandments are in Matthew 22:34-40.

Then we posed the question, What makes us unique as Roman Catholics?

Everyone gave great responses, which all spoke in some way to our Sacred Tradition, which we learned about in a short video.  Christ established a Church, and then handed responsibility for safeguarding it to the Apostles, which includes passing on the teachings of Christ, and they handed on that authority to their successors, the Pope and the Bishops.

Father Kevin Ripley then joined us.  He had been assisting at Ascension while he was in seminary, which included taking the role of a small group table leader for the in-person Confirmation meetings.  Now he's a priest at St. Raphael the Archangel Roman Catholic Church in Oshkosh, WI.  He shared about how he discerned his calling to the priesthood, his ordination, and what he's been doing so far.  He also encouraged everyone to be intentional in how they can discern what God is calling them to, especially through spending time in prayer.

At the conclusion of our time, he offered a blessing, which is based on an ancient priestly blessing written in Numbers 6:22-27.

Please note, we are off from class on Tuesday, November 3.

For these two weeks, the options for the activity are an opportunity to think about the great traditions of the Roman Catholic Church related to All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day.

The submission form is at this link.  Reflections are due by class time on November 10.

There are several options available:

One option is to pray the prayer for the canonization cause of a proposed saint.

Three examples are Servant of God Nicholas Black Elk, Blessed Carlo Acutis, Venerable Father Augustus Tolton, and Blessed Father Michael McGivney.

The above examples are not an exhaustive list, so you can choose another individual whose canonization cause is currently active.  If you choose someone else, please include a link to the website for that canonization cause when you submit your reflection.

After offering up the prayer, reflect in 1-2 sentences on a line that stood out to you from the prayer.  You're also welcome to look around at the websites for the canonization causes to learn more about each of these proposed saints.

Two other options are to read all four readings for either All Saints' Day or All Souls' Day and then write a 1-2 sentence reflection.  (Please note, that there are multiple options given for All Souls' Day, so you may see more than 4 readings provided.)

In addition to using a print resource, the readings can be found on this website.  Please be sure you're on the November calendar, and then click on November 1 for All Saints' Day or November 2 for All Souls' Day.

Another option is to spend time reflecting on someone you know who has passed away, whether recently, or before you were born.  It can be someone in your family, or a family friend.  Assemble a memorial with items or symbols representing something about that person. Write a 1-2 sentence reflection on what items or symbols you used.

New this time are 3 in-depth options.  Generally, the expectation is to spend about 10 minutes doing whatever activity you choose.  The in-depth options will take much longer, and are not required, but are a great opportunity to experience more of our Tradition.  One option is to watch the Beatification Mass for Father McGivney, which just happened on October 31.  It is just under 2 hours long.  The second option is to watch Father Kevin Ripley's ordination Mass, which is just over 2 hours long.

After watching either Mass, write a 1-2 sentence reflection on what stood out to you.

A third in-depth option is to watch a documentary about Father McGivney and write a 1-2 sentence reflection on what you learned about him.  It is about 27 minutes long.

Also, while you are only required to do one option, you can also pick more than one.  You can include the reflections you write for each additional option you choose in the same form when you submit.

We look forward to seeing everyone back in class on November 10.

We are planning to spend time focusing on the text of the Eucharist prayer.

We encourage you to print out the document attached to the e-mail sent to your parents.  Please also bring to class something to write with and the notebook you received at the start of the year.

As usual, please let us know if there are any questions about the activity or anything else.

On this All Saints' Day, may all the holy men and women of God pray for us, so that, like them, we faithfully answer the call to holiness and live our lives as the saints God desires us to be.

God's blessings,

Debbie Lopez

Paul Rubio

This artwork, entitled "Universal Call to Holiness" is in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. It speaks to a new understanding that arose from the Vatican II Council, that each of us as part of the baptized faithful are called to by God to live as saints.  An explanation of the artwork appears below.