Living as Missionary Disciples | July 26, 2023

Did Jesus have grandparents?
While Jesus is the son of God, he also had earthly grandparents but only one is mentioned in the Bible. Tradition has it that Mary’s parents were Joachim and Anna. The Church celebrates their feast on July 26. We know nothing of Joseph’s mother but his father’s name was Jacob (Matthew 1:16).

Quote from Living as Missionary Disciples

Being a disciple means being constantly ready to bring the love of Jesus to others, this can happen unexpectedly and in any place: on the street, during work, on a journey.” (pg. 14)

Grandparents

Do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and their children after them. (Deut. 4:9)

Did you know?

  • In 2022, 486,000 children under the age of three lived in a household where both a grandmother and grandfather were present.
  • One tenth of American children live with a grandparent. Most of these households include at least two grandchildren, and many include more.
  • About 15% of grandparents care for grandchildren while the parents’ work.
  • The average American will be a grandparent for half of his or her adult life.
  • The average age of a U.S. grandparent is 48, and more than half are Baby Boomers.
  • Some people who were raised by their grandparents: Maya Angelou, Carol Burnett, Bill Clinton, Willie Nelson, Jack Nicholson, Barack Obama and Oprah Winfrey.

 

CELEBRATE GRANDPARENTS DAY!

When is Grandparents Day?

Pope Francis proclaimed the World Day for Grandparents to be celebrated on the fourth Sunday in July (The date was chosen to be near the liturgical memorial of Saints Anne and Joachim, July 26).

In the United States the national celebration of Grandparents Day is on the Sunday after Labor Day. This year – on September 10.

Roles that grandparents play in family life:

  • Storyteller, who passes down family history and preserves family traditions.
  • Mentor and teacher, who offers guidance and assistance in all areas of life.
  • Nurturer, who provides emotional support and unconditional love.
  • Role model, who demonstrates the importance of faith, morality, and personal integrity through the witness of their lives.
  • Playmate, who creates an element of fun and adventure. (Dr. Arthur Kornhaber)

 

This is one of the quotes from Pope Francis on Grandparents.

“Grandparents are the ring linking generations, to transmit to young people the experience of life and faith.”


How to Celebrate Grandparents in your Family of Parishes:

  • On Sunday, Sept. 10 – celebrate Grandparents Sunday (if this date doesn’t work in your FoP pick a Sunday of your choosing)
  • At a designated Mass in each parish, ask grandparents to bring their grandchildren to Mass*
  • Ask grandchildren to bring their grandparents to Mass
  • At some point of the liturgy invite grandparents and grandchild(ren) to stand.
  • Bless the grandparents (see possible prayer below). Have the community and the grandchildren raise their hands in a blessing over the grandparents.
  • Bless the grandchildren in a similar way. (possible prayer below)

Additional suggestions:

  • After Mass offer refreshments.
  • Tour the other parishes in your Family
  • Give out Holy Water so they can continue to bless each other

*Note:

  • Invite grandparents or grandchildren to live-stream the mass if they can’t be present.
  • If grandparents or grandchildren live far away and cannot attend, bring their pictures to hold up during the blessings.
  • If the grandparent figure is another relative or a significant friend, invite them.

Prayer for Grandparents 

Lord Jesus, you were born of the Virgin Mary, the daughter of Saints Joachim and Anne. Look with love on grandparents the world over. Protect them! They are a source of enrichment for families, for the Church and for all of society. Support them! As they grow older, may they continue to be for their families strong pillars of Gospel faith, guardians of noble domestic ideals, living treasuries of sound religious traditions. Make them teachers of wisdom and courage, that they may pass on to future generations the fruits of their mature human and spiritual experience. (Pope Benedict XVI)

Prayer for Grandchildren

Lord, thank You for my grandchildren. I pray that You would put Your hand on their lives. I pray that You would put inside their hearts a thirst to live by Your standards and to always seek Your love every single day of their lives. Lord, I thank You for the blessing that are these beautiful grandchildren. (Billy Hallowell)

Young Grandchildren

Lord, I pray for my grandchildren. Please be with and guide them. Please equip our family with the mental, physical and emotional resources to help raise their child up right. God, I don’t know what the future holds, but I do know that it’s in Your hands. Please guide us all and help this child each and every day. I pray for good influences in school and with friends. I pray You would put the right people in their path so that they can be further encouraged to make the right choices. Lord, I lift this child up to You. In Jesus’ name. Amen. (Billy Hallowell)

Teen and older grandchildren

Lord, it is never too late to pray for my grandchildren. I thank You for the blessing of having them in my life and I ash that you protect them from a chaotic culture. Help them to see through the fog of chaos to find the beacon of Your love. I pray, Lord, that You would protect them at work and at school. Give, give them the discernment to know what’s right and wrong and to understand Your truth. Thank you, Lord, for all You do. In Jesus’ name. Amen. (Billy Hallowell)

Here are three wonderful resources on Grandparents: 

We need your help: 

Here at the Road to Renewal, we would like to hear from the grandparents in your FoP to see how we can continue to support them in their role. Attached is a questionnaire. Please print out or connect people to the link so that we can hear from them. 

Please take a minute to fill out his questionnaire and send it back to: lalff2@buffalodiocese.org; or send the hard copy to Sr. Louise Alff, Diocese of Buffalo, 795 Main Street, Buffalo, NY. 14203. Please return by August 31. 

Put this questionnaire on your website and/or Facebook page. 

IMPORTANT ALPHA NEWS:

Click on this link to: Train – Prayer – Launch Alpha in your parish. The link is customized to our diocese and will get you started in setting up Alpha for our September 17 launch, as well as provide the links to the training sessions for host and helpers, prayer ministry training and signing up for the Nov. 4 retreat.

Other Alpha events you may want to consider:

  • A NIGHT WITH ALPHA Thursday, Aug. 17. 8:00 – 9:30 PM. Eastern Time. (Note when you register it will say 7-8:30 PM because that is CDT). More Alphas are offered in the fall than at any other time of the year. On Thurs. Aug. 17 we invite you to join Alpha USA Executive Director John Wentz and special guests as we kick off the fall season with a night of celebration, prayer, and vision casting. You are encouraged to bring together anyone interested in Alpha so you can watch it as a group. Alpha will provide a watch party kit for you closer to the date of the event. Click here to register.
  • An Interactive Online Training to Experience: WHAT IT IS LIKE TO RUN ALPHA. August 29 or August 31. Alpha is a space for people outside the church to explore faith within the context of the local church. Gather with other churches and leaders from across the country for an interactive training to develop an understanding of Alpha and how to get the most out of running a course in your context. We will cover topics like ‘What is Alpha?’, the 7 best practices of Alpha, the Alpha small group and leading prayer ministry.

September 17: Start of Adult and Youth Alpha in FoP.

Please let the Road to Renewal know if you are thinking of doing the Alpha program in the Fall. Contact Sr. Louise at lalff2@buffalodiocese.org. Indicate Family of Parish and contact person.

 

WANT TO HOST A WORKSHOP?

I am looking for parishes to host the “Life in the Eucharist” training and “Do You Hear What I Hear?” Training. For more information contact S. Louise: lalff2@buffalodiocese.org. 

AROUND THE DIOCESE:  

Saint Bernadette Parish Open Doors Ministry invites you to their annual summer picnic party for adults and children with different abilities. August 26, 2023 from 11AM – 2 PM at Saint Bernadette Church Parish Ministry Center, 5930 S. Abbott Rd., Orchard Park, NY 14127. Lunch will be provided and served at noon. RSVP: 716-649-1051 or cozmo3631@gmail.com   

New priest assignments as Road to Renewal continues

Bishop Michael W. Fisher has announced the next round of priest assignments in the Diocese of Buffalo as the Road to Renewal program continues to place pastors and parochial vicars in the collaborative model of Family of Parishes.

Father Michael Brown has been named pastor in Family #32 that includes St. Bernard Parish, Buffalo; Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish, Cheektowaga; St. Andrew Parish, Cheektowaga; and rector at St. Casimir, Buffalo; effective July 1. Father Czeslaw Krysa, SLD, has been appointed senior parochial vicar.

Father David Tourville

Father David Tourville has been named pastor in Family #5 that comprises St. Mary of Lourdes Parish, Bemus Point/Mayville; Christ Our Hope Parish, French Creek/Sherman; and St. Dominic Parish, Westfield/Brocton; effective July 1. Father Romulo Montero has been appointed parochial vicar.

Father F. Patrick Melfi

In Family #14, Father F. Patrick Melfi has been named pastor for St. Michael Parish, Warsaw; Mary Immaculate Parish, East Bethany; and St. Isidore Parish, Perry/Silver Springs effective July 1.

Father Michael LaMarca has been appointed pastor in Family #18 for St. Amelia Parish, Tonawanda; St. Christopher Parish, Tonawanda; St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Tonawanda; St. Andrew Kim RC Mission, Tonawanda; St. Jude the Apostle Parish, North Tonawanda; and Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish, North Tonawanda; effective July 1.

The following appointments were conferred Thursday, June 29, and priests had their weekend Masses to communicate their new assignments to their parishioners. All the following appointments are effective July 15. 

Father Leon Biernat has been named pastor for Family #19 for St. Pius X Parish, Getzville; Good Shepard Parish, Pendleton; and St. Gregory the Great Parish, Williamsville.  Father Robert Wozniak has been named senior parochial vicar and Father Daniel Ulmer has been appointed parochial vicar.

Father Jozef Dudzik has been appointed pastor of Family #8 that includes St. Josaphat Parish, Cheektowaga, Our Lady Help of Christians Parish, Cheektowaga, Queen of Martyrs Parish, Cheektowaga, and Resurrection Parish, Cheektowaga. Father Louis Klein has been appointed senior parochial vicar and Father Marcin Porada has been appointed parochial vicar.

Father Gerard Skrzynski has been appointed pastor of Family #6 for Immaculate Conception Parish, East Aurora; Church of the Annunciation Parish, Elma; St. Joseph Parish, Holland; St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Springbrook; and St. George Parish, West Falls. Father Karl Loeb has been named senior parochial vicar, and Father Aaron Kulczyk has been appointed parochial vicar. 

Father Gregory Faulhaber was named priest In Solidum and moderator of priests In Solidum for Family #7 that includes St. Gabriel Parish, Elma, St. John Vianney Parish, Orchard Park; Fourteen Holy Helpers Parish, West Seneca; Queen of Heaven Parish, West Seneca; and St. John XXIII Parish, West Seneca. Father Walter Grabowski has been named priest In Solidum and Father Mark Itua and Father Ryan Keating were named parochial vicars.

In Family #12, Father Patrick O’Keefe has been named parochial vicar for the family that includes Resurrection Parish, Batavia; Ascension Parish, Batavia; St. Brigid Parish, Bergen; Our Lady of Mercy Parish, LeRoy; and St. Padre Pio Parish, Oakfield.

Article can be found on wnycatholic.org

Missionary Disciples | June 28

July 4

  • Thomas Jefferson and John Adams both died on July 4, 1826 — on the 50th anniversary of the country’s independence. 
  • Americans eat around 150 million hot dogs each Independence Day.
  • In 1776 there were 25 thousand Catholics in the U.S.
  • In 2022 there are 73 million. 
  • Pray for those still under oppression. 

Quote from Living as Missionary Disciples

Once we have encountered Christ, as did the disciples, we are sent forth on mission “to the ends of the earth” to invite others to this encounter. (page 14)

RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE OF AMERICA!

Fr. Frank DeSiano, the head of Paulist Evangelization ministries, did a webinar last week on the Religious Landscape of America. I am attaching the link to this 40-minute presentation and the slides he used. Some things you will learn from this presentation: 

  • 16% of Americans feel that religion is important in their lives. 
  • 40% attend religious services a few times a year. 57% attend seldom or never. 
  • 32% of Hispanic Catholics do not see the Church as welcoming. 
  • 43% of White Catholics see the Church as divided.

SINGLE ADULTS MAKE UP 46% OF YOUR PARISHIONERS

46% of Catholic adults in the US are single. This comprises of widowed (6.4%); never-married (27.7%), separated (3.3%) or divorced (8.7%). They range in years of age and variety of careers.

Sitting alone in the parish pew can be a lonely experience. Many singles have been unintentionally left out of family-focused church life. Parishes need to raise their awareness to the needs of this unique component of their population. Singles can bring an infinite number of gifts to the parish family.  They desire to share their gifts with the Church. Their experiences of their own family, religious education, youth programs, college and life have given them a key foundation to serve others. But if they come to church, feel unwelcome and leave discontented, a precious gift of a person has just left the building and maybe the parish. 

Ideas to reach out:  

  • Continue to support widows and widowers: This group often describe feeling abandoned by both friends and their church when a spouse dies.
  • If a single adult registers in the parish (Including single parents, divorced, widowed, never married) get them involved immediately. Even a small task with be beneficial to the whole parish. 
  • Invite single people to be engaged in liturgical ministries. Too often we look for families to do this. (Ministers of Hospitality, Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors, Choir, etc.) 
  • Don’t schedule all your activities around the school year. E.g., refreshments after Mass, adult faith formation, parish gatherings. 
  • When you see a single person sitting alone, join them at Mass or at a gathering. 

From your Mobile Phone – QR code. Open your camera on your phone and aim toward the QR code and the link should appear or search for “Diocese of Buffalo” through the App Store/Google Store. Tap the link with your finger and this will direct you to the app store. Then, Install and open the app and you’re ready to go!

From your Computer via this website: dioceseofbuff.vyten.app

IMPORTANT ALPHA NEWS:

Please read the following opportunities for running Alpha in your Family of Parishes. Please note when you register for any of the following events that it may give you CDT (Central Daylight Time). Which means the session will start an hour later for Eastern Daylight Time.

  • A NIGHT WITH ALPHA Thursday, Aug. 17. 8:00 – 9:30 PM. Eastern Time. (Note when you register it will say 7-8:30 PM because that is CDT). More Alphas are offered in the fall than at any other time of the year. On Thurs. Aug. 17 we invite you to join Alpha USA Executive Director John Wentz and special guests as we kick off the fall season with a night of celebration, prayer, and vision casting. You are encouraged to bring together anyone interested in Alpha so you can watch it as a group. Alpha will provide a watch party kit for you closer to the date of the event. Click here to register.
  • An Interactive Online Training to Experience: WHAT IT IS LIKE TO RUN ALPHA. August 29 or August 31. Alpha is a space for people outside the church to explore faith within the context of the local church. Gather with other churches and leaders from across the country for an interactive training to develop an understanding of Alpha and how to get the most out of running a course in your context. We will cover topics like ‘What is Alpha?’, the 7 best practices of Alpha, the Alpha small group and leading prayer ministry.
  • Alpha Administrators Meeting. Every Wednesday starting Aug. 30 – Nov. 27. 11:00 to 12:00 EST. This is for any parish that is running Alpha and wants to hear and share insights and best practices to maximize your opportunity to have a successful Alpha. Hosted by Alpha Catholic Context. (These online gatherings will last one hour). Click here to learn more.
  • Sept. 5: 7-8:30 PM. Alpha Host and Helper Training. Click here to learn more.
  • Sept. 7: 7-9:00 PM. Alpha Prayer Ministry Training. Click here to learn more.

September 17: Start of Adult and Youth Alpha in FoP.

Nov. 4: Retreat day 10:00 – 4:00 P.M. for Parishes doing Alpha. There will be two tracks – a track for Adults and a Track for Youth. This will be held at St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Springbrook. The theme of the retreat will be the 4 sessions of the Holy Spirit that are part of the Alpha course.

Important:

Make the most of your Run Alpha experience and visit our online training center for leaders before you attend. Visit the site, click login and enter your email address—new users will be asked to create a password.

WANT TO HOST A WORKSHOP?

I am looking for parishes to host the “Life in the Eucharist” training and “Do You Hear What I Hear?” Training. For more information contact S. Louise: lalff2@buffalodiocese.org. 

AROUND THE DIOCESE:  

Sunday, June 25, there was a gathering of women from the 4 parishes that make up Family 21 – Blessed Trinity, St. Lawrence, St. Martin de Porres and Ss. Columba/Brigid. Parish representatives spoke about the women’s organizations, and they talked about how the Family parishes could support one another. They left knowing that it was only the beginning of a strong relationship. 

Prayer for July 4th

God of all nations and ages,

We recall the day when our country claimed its place among the family of nations;

for what has been achieved we give you thanks, for the work that still remains we ask your help, and as you have called us from many peoples to be one nation, grant that, under your providence, our country may share your blessings with all the peoples of the earth.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you

in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.