December 15 Class Update: Gifts, Christmas, Break

Greetings 8th Graders (and Parents)!

Summary of Most Recent Class

Ms. Lawrence led our time of learning in class as we explored the 7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit, each of which was represented by a symbol.

Here is a link to the slides shown during class.

Please feel free to eat the edible symbols and blow the bubbles.

Please also share the card that was in the envelope with your family if you haven't done so already.

Recent Exit Slip Questions

Someone wondered if Confirmation will be via Zoom or in-person:

Sacraments, including Confirmation, are permitted in-person activities in Church, and sacraments must happen in-person.

Here are responses from Paul's Uncle Bernie to exit slip questions from when he visited our class on December 8:

Poverty rates: 16% US, Cook Country 21%, North Lawndale 64% (a number which Paul's uncle feels is low based on what he's seen)  - Oak Park overall poverty is 8%

Chicago Voyagers is able to host the outdoor activity programs because they developed 3 pages of guidelines based on guidelines from health agencies, which include coverings on the face, staying outdoors, keeping safe spacing, and cleaning hands and equipment regularly.

The video shown toward the end of class on December 8 wasn't necessarily an ad, but was created originally for a fundraising event which is important so that donors and prospective donors of Chicago Voyagers can see how their donations make an impact, especially when hearing from the youths who participate.

Important note: We are on break from RE class on December 22 and 29.  We resume class on January 5.  We recognize that this class falls during District 97's Break: We only realized recently that District 97 shifted its break.  However, we still intend to have class that evening because we want to maximize the amount of time we spend learning together during the month preceding Confirmation.  During that class, we'll spend time unpacking the meaning of the Christmas Season, which starts on December 25, 2020, when we celebrate Christ's birth, and extends to Sunday, January 10, 2021, and includes several major feasts.

Faith Booster Activities
During the break time, please spend some time doing one of the following activities.

You can submit your reflection in this Google form.

If you haven't yet submitted the minimum of 5 required Faith Boosters, the deadline for them has been extended.  They are now due on December 31.  Please let us know if you are unsure how many more you still need to complete.

Even if you already completed the required minimum of 5 faith boosters, you are still to complete one of these activities.

Your submission is due by class time on January 5.

1. Watch either of the following videos: Bishop Barron on The Nativity of Luke's Gospel or Bishop Barron on Christmas.  Write a short reflection on what stood out to you and why.

2. Listen to any song in this video compilation of Christmas songs on YouTube.  

You can go to the description to view the entire list, by clicking on Show More if needed, and click on any of the links to go directly to that song. Reflect on what stood out to you and why.

As an in-depth option, listen to all the songs, just under 1 hour.

3. In-depth option: Watch the Advent Vespers Prayer Service at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception for Sunday, December 20.  The livestream starts at 2:50 PM CT, with the prayer service beginning at 3 PM CT and lasting until about 3:30 PM.  You may also view an archived video of it later.  This link goes to a webpage where you can view the Vespers prayer service and it includes a PDF program booklet with the lyrics of what is sung.  The video and PDF for the Vespers may not appear until after 2:30 PM CT on Sunday.  This link goes directly to the YouTube channel video, where you may also access the videos for Vesper prayer services from previous Sundays.

4. In-depth option: Watch the movie The Nativity Story, made in 2006, starring Keisha Castle-Hughes and Oscar Isaac, rated PG. It is about 1 hour and 40 minutes long. It is available to watch in its entirety on YouTube for free.

You can check back later during the break period to see more options, as there's a good chance more may be added to the above list.

You can also pick one of the options listed in the previous update for December 8 class.

A particularly pertinent option to this time of year is G.F. Handel's oratorio, Messiah.  There is a part where the story of Christ's birth is sung.  Please see the videos in the list of Faith Boosters for the December 8 class update.

As usual, please feel free to contact us with any questions, etc.

We pray you and your families have a blessed remainder of the Advent Season, a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year from 2020 into 2021.  May you be filled with great joy deep within because God has come to us in Christ.

God's Blessings,
Debbie Lopez
Paul Rubio

December 8 Class Update: the Immaculate Conception and Chicago Voyagers

Greetings Students (and Parents),

Summary from the Last Class

We gathered most recently for class on December 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

For our opening prayer, we listened to this song, "Be Born in Me", sung by Francesca Batistelli.

This Feast Day celebrates when Mary was conceived in the womb of her mother, whom tradition has named St. Anne.  Because Mary obediently submitted to God's will for her to bear the Son of God, the Church teaches that she was conceived free from the stain of original sin.  She took up an important role in God's plan of salvation that has unfolded throughout the centuries, and participated in advancing His victory over sin, represented by how she stands over a serpent in this statue at Mary's altar inside Ascension Church.

We all have the chance to do the same as we obediently follow God's will for our lives.

It is also the Patronal Feast Day of the United States of America.

In Washington, D.C., is the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.  Paul has visited it several times since his first time there 7 years ago and highly encourages going there whenever in the city of Washington at any time in the future.

Then, we heard from Paul's Uncle, Bernie Rupe, who shared about his work with Chicago Voyagers.  He is the executive director of this organization that serves inner-city youth by providing them opportunities to go on outings in nature areas to help them heal from traumatic experiences and build strong character.  He also talked about how to put faith into action by helping those in need, especially since God has chosen us.  Please feel free to visit the link to learn more about this organization.

Here is a promotional video for Chicago Voyagers that we watched:

Faith Booster Activities for this Week

Here is the link to the submission form for this week's faith booster activities.  Please note that this link goes to a Google form, and this link is the only place where you need to submit Faith Boosters for class.  It is no longer necessary to submit them through the Survey Monkey form as previously stated.

Your submission is due by class time on December 15.  Please be sure to indicate which option you chose along with your brief reflection of 1-2 sentences.  

And if your parents were contacted about missing submissions from previous weeks, please complete them as soon as possible.  You can let us know if you're not sure which ones you're missing.

Please note: In consultation with Ms. Lawrence, any of these activities count as Faith Boosters.  A minimum of 5 Faith Boosters are due by December 15.  A minimum of 10 service hours are also due by then. Even if you have completed all the required number of faith boosters, you must still complete at least one of these options. 

1. Spend time with one of the following daily Advent reflection resources, or pick one of your own choosing.  Please click on the links to sign up for any of these programs.  Once you sign up, each day of Advent, you get a short reflection.

Relevant Radio "Advent Inspirations"

These are 1 minute long each.

Dynamic Catholic "Best Advent Ever"

These videos are about 3-4 minutes long.

Real Life Catholic "Unshakeable Joy" Advent program.

These videos are about 3-4 minutes long.  To access this program, you create a free account on the website.

Miracles Abound Advent booklet, which was mailed to all RE families

Please note that there are suggested activities for each day, and doing any of those counts as Faith Boosters.

For your activity submission, write a 1-2 sentence reflection on any 1 day of these Advent daily reflections.  You can also pick another daily Advent reflection resource not listed here, but please state in your submission which one you picked, and a web link, if applicable.

2. Watch the two videos for selections from G.F. Handel's oratorio, Messiah, in which the choir sings the words of prophecy from Isaiah 40, both "Comfort Ye" and "And the Glory of the Lord".  Write a 1-2 sentence reflection on what stood out to you in these words that were sung and why.

In-depth option: Listen to all the prophecies in part 1 of the Messiah, about 50 minutes long, or listen to the entire oratorio, just over 2 hours long.  Here are YouTube videos for part 2 and part 3.

3. Listen to any one Advent song in this YouTube video.  You can go to the description to view the entire list, by clicking on Show More if needed, and click on any of the links to go directly to that song.

For your reflection, write 1-2 sentences reflecting on what words in the song stood out to you and why.

In-depth option: Listen to all the songs in this video, about 45 minutes, and reflect on what stood out and why.

4. Go on a virtual tour of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. This church has multiple side altars that are dedicated to a different version of Mary.

Write a 1-2 sentence reflection on what stood out to you in the basilica's design and why.

5. Reflect on the 54 titles of Mary in the Litany of Loreto, in the novena that Relevant Radio offered recently.  Pick any one title, listen to the 1-minute reflection on it, or read its transcript, and write a reflection on what stood out to you about that title and why.

In-depth option: listen to all 54 titles, and write a reflection on what stood out to you and why.

6. Watch the short video about the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe on this webpage.  You may also click on the links to the right of the video and read the articles on those pages.

Write a 1-2 sentence reflection on what you learned from the video or from reading the articles.

7. In-depth option: Watch the December Taize Prayer Service, posted on the Ascension YouTube channel.  You can watch it when it airs at 7:30 PM CT on Friday, December 4, or watch the archived video at a later time.  Write a reflection about what stood out to you, perhaps even song lyrics.  (You may also watch the Taize prayer services for September or November. All three of these prayer services are just under 30 minutes long.)  Please note, the video will go live on the YouTube channel close to 7:30, so please feel free to tune in 5 minutes ahead of time and refresh the webpage as needed until the video appears.

7. In-depth option: Watch the Advent Vespers Prayer Service at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception for Sunday, December 13.  The livestream starts at 2:50 PM CT, with the prayer service beginning at 3 PM CT and lasting until about 3:30 PM.  You may also view an archived video of it later.  This link goes to a webpage where you can view the Vespers prayer service and it includes a PDF program booklet with the lyrics of what is sung.  The video and PDF for the Vespers likely won't appear until after 2:30 PM CT.  This link goes directly to the YouTube channel video.

Vespers prayer services will happen on this YouTube channel every Sunday of Advent at the same time.  You can watch an archived video of the prayer service for November 29 and December 6 on the Shrine's YouTube channel.  Please note that the prayer services begin around the 13:00 mark in both videos.

Looking ahead

In class on December 15, Ms. Lawrence will join us to lead a time of learning on the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.  This class is one of the Confirmation-specific focus sessions that takes the place of the quasi-monthly sessions that were to happen in-person.

As usual, please feel free to contact us with if you have any questions, seek clarification, etc.

Let us rejoice as we reach the midpoint of Advent, beholding how God is at work even now while we await the celebration of His first coming on Christmas Day and His Second Coming at the End of Time.

May you be filled with joy as we light the rose candle on our Advent wreaths this Sunday, which is Gaudete Sunday, the Third Sunday of Advent.

May Mother Mary of the Immaculate Conception intercede for all of us and the United States of America.

And we remain ever connected as Church: All my relations.

God's blessings,

Joy to you all,

Debbie Lopez

Paul Rubio

December 1 Class Update: Starting Advent

Advent Greetings!

Recent Class Summary

In our most recent class, we spent some time focusing on the meaning of Advent.

We watched this video for our opening prayer, the song "Even So Come", performed by Chris Tomlin:

And we watched this Busted Halo that summarizes Advent in 2 minutes:

Advent is a season when we look forward to the celebration of Christ's First Coming on December 25, His Second Coming at the End of Time, and how He is coming to be present with us in our lives even now.

We spent a little bit of time on the passage Isaiah 40:1-5, which is the 2nd reading for this coming Sunday's Mass.  Dr. King included words from this passage in his "I Have a Dream" speech.

During class, we also had a visit from Aura Lee and Nathan Kelly, two friends Paul knows from Valparaiso University.  They shared their perspectives on faith: Aura Lee talked about how she converted from the Presbyterian Church to the Roman Catholic Church, and they both discussed how they live faith as a married couple and in their professional work.

Exit Slip Questions

One exit slip question addressed in class was a follow-up from Father Rex's presentation on Jesus Christ back on November 17.  He mentioned that we don't know much about the early life of Jesus, and someone in class asked why.

In Luke 2:51-52, it says Jesus returned from Jerusalem to Nazareth with His parents, and "grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man."  Jesus was fully human and fully divine, and all that He did during His early years was God's way of preparing Him for HIs mission around the age of 30.

Also, remember that the Gospel writers had a specific purpose in writing their Gospels, and as part of that, they chose to focus on specific parts of Jesus's life, while not mentioning much about other parts.

Paul also addressed a comment from November 10 when we looked at the Eucharistic prayer.  It's a great mystery that the wine changes into Jesus's blood, which the Church explains in the concept of transubstantiation.  As we spend time at Mass, we can better understand this mystery.

Faith Booster Activities

For class on December 8, please pick at least one of the following activities to do.

Here is the link to the submission form.

Your submission is due by class time on December 8.  Please be sure to indicate which option you chose along with your brief reflection of 1-2 sentences.  

And if your parents were contacted about missing submissions from previous weeks, please complete them as soon as possible.  You can let us know if you're not sure which ones you're missing.

Please note: In consultation with Ms. Lawrence, any of these activities count as Faith Boosters.  Even if you have completed all the required number of faith boosters, you must still complete at least one of these options. A minimum of 5 Faith Boosters are due by December 15.  A minimum of 10 service hours are also due by then.

1. Spend time with one of the following daily Advent reflection resources, or pick one of your own choosing.  Please click on the links to sign up for any of these programs.  Once you sign up, each day of Advent, you get a short reflection.

Relevant Radio "Advent Inspirations"

These are 1 minute long each.

Dynamic Catholic "Best Advent Ever"

These videos are about 3-4 minutes long.

Real Life Catholic "Unshakeable Joy" Advent program.

These videos are about 3-4 minutes long.  To access this program, you create a free account on the website.

Miracles Abound Advent booklet, which was mailed to all RE families

Please note that there are suggested activities for each day, and doing any of those counts as Faith Boosters.

For your activity submission, write a 1-2 sentence reflection on any 1 day of these Advent daily reflections.  You can also pick another daily Advent reflection resource not listed here, but please state in your submission which one you picked, and a web link, if applicable.

2. Watch the two videos for selections from G.F. Handel's oratorio, Messiah, in which the choir sings the words of prophecy from Isaiah 40, both "Comfort Ye" and "And the Glory of the Lord".  Write a 1-2 sentence reflection on what stood out to you in these words that were sung and why.

In-depth option: Listen to all the prophecies in part 1 of the Messiah, about 50 minutes long, or listen to the entire oratorio, just over 2 hours long.  Here are YouTube videos for part 2 and part 3.

3. Listen to any one Advent song in this YouTube video.  You can go to the description to view the entire list, by clicking on Show More if needed, and click on any of the links to go directly to that song.

For your reflection, write 1-2 sentences reflecting on what words in the song stood out to you and why.

In-depth option: Listen to all the songs in this video, about 45 minutes, and reflect on what stood out and why.

4. In-depth option: Watch the December Taize Prayer Service, posted on the Ascension YouTube channel.  You can watch it when it airs at 7:30 PM CT on Friday, December 4, or watch the archived video at a later time.  Write a reflection about what stood out to you, perhaps even song lyrics.  (You may also watch the Taize prayer services for September or November. All three of these prayer services are just under 30 minutes long.)  Please note, the video will go live on the YouTube channel close to 7:30, so please feel free to tune in 5 minutes ahead of time and refresh the webpage as needed until the video appears.

5. In-depth option: Watch the Advent Vespers Prayer Service at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception for Sunday, December 6.  The livestream starts at 2:50 PM CT, with the prayer service beginning at 3 PM CT and lasting until about 3:30 PM.  You may also view an archived video of it later.  This link goes to a webpage where you can view the Vespers prayer service and it includes a PDF program booklet with the lyrics of what is sung.  The video and PDF for the Vespers likely won't appear until after 2:30 PM CT.  This link goes directly to the YouTube channel video.

Vespers prayer services will happen on this YouTube channel every Sunday of Advent at the same time.  You can watch an archived video of the prayer service for November 29 on the Shrine's YouTube channel.  Please note that the prayer service begins around the 15:00 mark.

Here is the link to the submission form for recording your service hours and faith boosters for Confirmation.  Please enter your submissions here for the RE office records in addition to the link above where Paul will check submissions and look at the reflections.  The reflections are only needed in the above link, not the one in this paragraph.

Looking ahead

In class on December 8, we'll spend some time on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. We're also scheduled to have another guest speaker who will talk about the social justice work of the organization Chicago Voyagers.

Please contact us if there are any questions, etc.

God's blessings on your Advent journey, that you may be ready to welcome Christ even in today's circumstances.

Debbie Lopez

Paul Rubio

Above is a photo of the Advent wreath in Church. Below is a photo of the Advent wreath in Paul's home.  Both photos are by Paul.

November 17 Class Update: Jesus Christ

Christ the King Sunday Greetings 8th grade class (and parents)!

First of all, those of you who sing or play a musical instrument may be interested to know that November 22 is the Feast of St. Cecilia, the patron saint of music.  Perhaps you'll want to play a joyful tune to celebrate.

As the "Circle of Life" moves us toward the end of the liturgical year, we celebrate on this Sunday the Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe.  Christ died and rose again, and now rightly has earned His Kingship over all.

As Paul discussed this important feast in our class this past Tuesday, we had the opportunity to hear Father Rex share about Jesus Christ.  He described how Jesus Christ is an important figure in humanity.  Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah of the Jewish people.  During His adult life, Jesus preached the Kingdom of God, and ministered to meet people's needs, and chose 12 apostles to be part of His mission.  The Jewish religious authorities felt threatened, and so decided to crucify Him.  This crucifixion happened the day after the night when, at supper with His disciples, He offered His Body and Blood.  Then Jesus rose from the dead and ascended to Heaven.

The important question for us to consider is what Jesus means to each of us, and why we are still talking about Him 2000 years after His time on earth.  Ultimately, Jesus Christ makes an impact on each of us when we enter into a personal relationship with Him.  Father Rex used the example of John Newton, whose life was changed by faith in Christ, so that he ended his work as a captain of a slave ship, and then became a pastor in London, during which time He wrote the famous hymn "Amazing Grace."

We are off from class this Tuesday evening, November 24.

We resume class on December 1.

During this time, there are again several options for spiritual activities to do.  Please pick at least one of these activities to do.

Here is the link to the submission form.

Your submission is due by class time on December 1.  Please be sure to indicate which option you chose along with your brief reflection of 1-2 sentences.  

And if your parents were contacted about missing submissions from previous weeks, please complete them as soon as possible.  You can let us know if you're not sure which ones you're missing.

Please note: In consultation with Ms. Lawrence, any of these activities count as Faith Boosters.  Please note, even if you have completed all the required number of faith boosters, you must still complete at least one of these options. A minimum of 5 Faith Boosters are due by December 15.  A minimum of 10 service hours are also due by then.

1. Write down one thing you're thankful for each day, big or small. Towards the end of these two weeks, write a reflection on one thing you wrote over the course of the two weeks and what it felt like to give thanks each day.  You can also include everything you wrote.

2. Write a thank-you note to someone who has done something for you: a teacher, a friend, an employee at a store or business you patronized in-person or online, someone who delivered something to your home, or even your baptismal godparents.  Write a reflection on what it meant to you to write a note of thanks and why you chose that person, and what kind of response you got.

3. Read President Washington's and Lincoln's Thanksgiving Day proclamations, and reflect on what was similar and what was different about each, and what phrase stood out to you in each.

4. Read about the places associated with the Thanksgiving celebration of September 8, 1565, Mission Nombre de Dios and the St. Augustine Cathedral Parish in St. Augustine, Florida, and write about what you learned.  

5. If you attend Mass on Thanksgiving Day at 9 AM at Ascension, write a 1-2 sentence reflection on what stood out to you.

6. Listen to one of Bishop Barron's homilies from a previous year's Christ the King Sunday, and write a short reflection about what stood out to you in any of those homilies.

7. In-depth option: Watch the November Taize prayer service, posted on the Ascension YouTube channel. Write a reflection about what stood out to you.  (You may also watch the September Taize prayer service. Both of these prayer services are just under 30 minutes long.)

8. We will start a new liturgical year on November 29, with the First Sunday of Advent.

Here are several daily Advent reflection resources to help you enter into the spirit of this season.  Please click on the links to sign up for any of these programs.  Once you sign up, each day of Advent, you get a short reflection.

Relevant Radio "Advent Inspirations"

Dynamic Catholic "Best Advent Ever"

Real Life Catholic "Unshakeable Joy" Advent program.

Miracles Abound Advent booklet, which was mailed to all RE families

For your activity submission, write a 1-2 sentence reflection on any 1 day of these Advent daily reflections.

9. In-depth option: Watch the Advent Vespers Prayer Service at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception for Sunday, November 29.  The livestream starts at 2:50 PM CT, with the prayer service beginning at 3 PM CT and lasting until about 3:30 PM.  You may also view an archived video of it later. Vespers prayer services will happen on this YouTube channel every Sunday of Advent at the same time.  If you want to have a worship program booklet to look at to refer to the lyrics of what is sung, please contact Paul, who has a copy.

We will talk more about Advent during our class time on December 1.

As usual, please feel free to contact us with any questions, etc.

We pray you and your families have a blessed week with all its celebrations, as we conclude this liturgical year with Christ the King Sunday, and then enter into the season of Advent.  Let us rejoice that He is our King, and He has called us to be part of advancing His Kingdom on Earth through works of righteousness, justice, and mercy.  He is the King Who has come and is coming again.  May we open our hearts to welcome Him even now.

We pray your families have a blessed Thanksgiving.  It is a fitting holiday for us as Roman Catholics, because the Eucharist comes from a Greek term that means "thanksgiving", so we celebrate this holiday every time we gather for Mass.  May we on this occasion, and each day, give thanks for how God blesses us, even with the gift of His presence with us, which we can always count on.  And let us give thanks for the many ways, even in the difficult circumstances of our world, that God shows His goodness to us each day.  We are certainly thankful for the opportunity to be part of Religious Education class with you.

Enjoy your time off, and we look forward to seeing you on December 1.

Christ is the King, let us rejoice!

Thanks be to God!

Debbie Lopez

Paul Rubio

P.S. If you would like to refer to it again, we read Psalm 100 at the beginning of class this past Tuesday, which speaks about Thanksgiving to God.

Above is an image of Christ the King that appears on the outside of Ascension Church at the East Avenue doors.  Below is an image of Christ the King that is visible inside the church in the rose window by the organ.

Above is an icon image of Christ the King that we have at Ascension Church.

May this hand turkey be a symbol that represents the many blessings for which we offer thanks, on Thanksgiving Day, and each day of our lives, just as we do at the Eucharist each time we gather for Mass.

Class Update: the Eucharist and Remembrance

Greetings everyone,

In our most recent class, for our opening prayer time, we had the chance to reflect on those we know who have passed away, remembering that "We believe all the ties of friendship and affection which knit us together as one in this life do not unravel with death."

Paul then shared about his Grandpa Martin, who was a World War II veteran, and also spoke about Veterans' Day and Election Day.

The inscription on the grave of Paul's grandfather is inspired by 2 Timothy 4:6-8, in the New International Version of the Bible.

We hope that if you know a veteran who is still living that you will take the chance to contact that person and thank her/him for serving in the US armed forces.

Subsequently, Paul shared more about the story of faith in his life.

We then turned our focus toward the Mass and the Eucharist, when we remember the sacrifice Jesus Christ offered for us, just as we have many ways in our own lives and in society that we remember important people and events of the past.  When we gather at Mass, we re-present the sacrifice, reliving it.

Here again is the video for the Eucharist Prayer II we watched, and here is a link for the complete text.

While we didn't watch this video in class, it shows the text as someone chants the prayer.

This week's activity has options that offer an opportunity to ponder the meaning of the Eucharist, which is at the heart of the Mass.  One of the in-depth options is to view the Ordination Mass for the three new bishops of the Archdiocese of Chicago.  It will be streamed live at 2 PM on Friday, November 13, on the Archdiocesan YouTube channel.  If you choose to watch it, you can also it view the archived video at a later time.  It will likely be 2 hours long.  Again, you can pick an option that takes much less time, as we generally expect you to spend 10 minutes or so with the weekly activities.

Here is the link with instructions for the activity options and to submit your reflection on the activity you choose: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/R6H6QJ5

Please be sure to state which option you chose when you submit your reflection.

Looking ahead, our class time on November 17 will be a special Confirmation preparation session, with the topic of Jesus Christ, led by Father Rex.

Also, more information is forthcoming about some service opportunities that are available during the next few weeks to get gifts to people in need.

One opportunity that is taking place over the next week is Operation Shoebox: https://www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/

If you, students, provide the money for buying the gifts that you give, using allowance money or doing extra chores, it counts for your service hours.

As usual, please feel free to contact us with any questions, etc.

God's blessings on your week,

Debbie Lopez

Paul Rubio

P.S. In class, Paul mentioned Brecklynn Brown, who wrote a winning essay in a contest to write a question for the recent vice presidential debate hosted in Utah.  Here is a link for the text of her essay, and here is a link to view the final 4.5 minutes of the debate, with her question and the responses from the two candidates.  I hope that, like Brecklynn, you, students, seek out ways to be involved as a citizen now, even before you are eligible to vote.

And here's the link to the video to listen to Kate Smith's original 1938 performance of "God Bless America".  The song was originally written in 1918 by Irving Berlin, and this performance on November 10, 1938, was the first time it was performed on the radio, in the year that November 11 became an annual holiday to commemorate the Armistice that ended World War I.  In the 1950's, it became a holiday to honor all those living veterans who have served in the US military.

Here is the Mount Soledad Veterans' Memorial in San Diego, CA, which Paul visited last month.

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.

October 20-27 Update

Greetings everyone,

We started off class with "Baba Yetu", the Lord's Prayer sung in Swahili, which Paul heard on the day he graduated from Valparaiso University.  Here's the video if you want to watch it again:

Then, we heard from our special guest speaker, Mrs. Baer, an Ascension parishioner.  She talked about what faith means to her in life and in her work as a special education teacher at OPRFHS.  She also shared about her trip to Israel a few months ago, including photos.

Subsequently, we spent time on Scripture.  We looked at the Gospel reading for this coming Sunday, Matthew 22:34-40.  We also briefly looked at Deuteronomy 6:4-5, which Jesus mentions in the Gospel reading.

The activity for this week is an opportunity for you to spend time reflecting on Scripture.

Here's the link for the submission form, which includes the instructions for what options you have.

It is due by class time on October 27.  Please be sure to complete it by then so you don't fall behind with these activities.

Also, if you haven't had the chance yet, you can still sign-up to help out with the Coat Drive.  Here's the sign-up link.

Thanks to those of you who volunteered last weekend, especially on the rainy Sunday.

Here is a link to the Ascension Parish Confirmation webpage.

If you click on the header entitled "Calendar, Online Forms, Documents", in the drop-down menu will appear the link "Activity Online Submissions" that goes to a form for logging faith boosters and service hours.

We look forward to seeing you in class this coming Tuesday.  As usual, the Zoom access info, which was sent to your parents, remains the same.

We pray your week is blessed as you open yourselves up to encountering God's presence.

Today, October 22, is the Feast of Pope St. John Paul II, who was installed as Pope on October 22, 1978.  Throughout his ministry from the priesthood to the papacy, he cared deeply about young people, wanting to encourage them in faith, and in an effort to do so, one initiative he started was World Youth Day.  May he intercede for you, so that you grow strong in faith.

This past weekend, Paul visited Five Holy Martyrs Church on Chicago's Southwest Side, where Pope St. John Paul II celebrated Mass when he visited Chicago in October 1979.  The altar for that outdoor parking lot Mass is still there, as you can see in the photo below, and includes a phrase from the Bible which he became famous for saying: "Do not be afraid!"

We all remain connected:

Mita Kuye Oyasin,

All my relations,

Debbie Lopez

Paul Rubio

P.S. From our class on October 13, some of you wanted to know more about Christian schools.

Here is a list of Christian universities.

Here is a list of Roman Catholic universities.

Here again are the answers to the exit slip questions from October 13.

Will we have to complete any worksheets during class?

The activities during the week will be more reflective, rather than answering rote questions about content.

Is the Holy Spirit the essence of belief?

I'm not fully sure what this means, but the Holy Spirit is the presence of God within us that makes real all that we believe.

How many service hours are we doing?

10 hours

When are we being confirmed?

Confirmation is scheduled for Saturday, February 6, 2021, at 10:30 AM for RE students.

Is the parade with Pope Francis still a thing?

Outside of a pandemic, he has motorcade rides in St. Peter’s Square, and special rides to greet the crowds in cities he visits.

What do you like on your pizza?

I, Paul, like ground beef or Italian beef with green peppers, kind of like a sandwich on pizza.  That's what I had recently from DiNico's to celebrate the 15th Anniversary of my Confirmation, as is shown in the photo below.

The exit slip questions from October 20 will be addressed in our upcoming class.