CathFamily April 2016 | Joy

Joy

The Science of Happiness, Seeking Joy, & more...

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FROM THE EDITOR ............................ P.

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SEEKING JOY Francine Pirola

COVER STORY ................................... P.

THE SCIENCE OF HAPPINESS

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Francine Pirola

INSPIRATION........................................ P.

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MASTERS OF JOY Kiara Pirola

LIFESTYLE........................................... P.

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FIVE TIPS FOR A MORE JOYFUL LIFE Francine Pirola

SEASONAL NOTES.............................. P.41

EASTER OCTAVE & SPECIAL FEASTS ACTIVITIES, RECIPES, CRAFT

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From the Editor

Pope Francis is big on joy.

Not only is he always smiling and delighting in the people he meets, many of his writings express the joy he has in his faith. His first two (not counting the one he finished for Pope Benedict), The Joy of the Gospel and Praised Be!, are firmly planted in the theme of joy.

A related topic, happiness, is one of the hottest trends in pop psychology. Based in a relatively new branch of psychology known as ‘positive psychology’,

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the ‘Happiness Movement’ has spawned conferences, books, talks, reality tv shows and more.

Not surprisingly, much of the positive psychology research is affirming some of the long held principles of the Judeo-Christian tradition. Read on as we unpack some of the insights.

Enjoy!

Francine Pirola

CathFamily Founder & Interim Editor

THIS MONTH Apr 2016 Sun 3

Easter 2 (Divine Mercy)

Mon 4

The Annunciation

Tue 5

St Vincent Ferrer

Thu 7

St John Baptist de la Salle

Sun 10 Easter 3 Mon 11 St Stanislaus Wed 13 St Pope Martin I Sun 17 Easter 4 Thu 21 St Anslem Sat 23 St George & St Adalbert Sun 23 Easter 5 Mon 25 ANZAC Day (Australia) Tue 26

St Mark

Wed 27 St Louis de Monfort Thu 28 St Peter Chanel Fri 29

St Catherine of Siena

Sat 30

St Pius V

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The Science of Happiness | Francine Pirola

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We all strive for happiness. One would think that it would be a fairly simple project: minimise pain and maximise pleasure.

Turns out, it’s not that simple and instinct often leads us in the wrong direction. We expect that money, comfort, possessions and power, for example, will deliver happiness and that more of them will deliver more of it.

While there may be some transitory delight in these things on initial acquisition, none of these things are capable of providing enduring happiness.

Beyond a sufficiency in the basic needs for food, clothing and shelter, more resources don’t add up to more happiness.

This is borne out in research: citizens in wealthier countries are not happier than those in poorer ones provided that basic needs are met.

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The popularity of the ‘Happiness Movement’ was preceded by extensive study across multiple disciplines from philosophy, religion, and sociology. Called ‘Positive Psychology’, the insights are extremely helpful in explaining how we experience positive emotion. One of the key insights is that there is more than one type ‘happiness’.

The Happiness Experiences

1.

Hedonism:

This is a kind of positive experience that results from the satisfaction of a desire, such as desiring a delicious food or consumer item. The experience of happiness tends to be transitory.

3.

2.

Engagement:

This is the experience of being ‘lost in time and space’ when fully engaged in a task. Sometimes called ‘flow’, it may also result in emotions of satisfaction and pride beyond the event itself.

Meaning:

This is the experience of fulfilment associated with living a ‘good life’, sometimes called virtues or spiritual strengths. It often involves the activity of service of others and is generally more enduring in its impact.

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The Happiness Paradox Surprisingly, one of the best ways to experience happiness is to NOT directly pursue it. Happiness can be more reliably experienced as a by-product of focussing on making others happy.

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Joy or Happiness?

Joy is counted among the fruits of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5: 22-23), and is different to happiness.

Happiness can be defined as the feeling of pleasure when a need or desire is met. Unhappiness results when we expect that need or desire to be met, and it isn’t.

Happiness is a superficial, fleeting emotion. It fades quickly unless the need or desire is met again and again.

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Joy on the other hand, is a deep seated attitudinal emotion. It is associated with spiritual values and is more lasting than happiness.

The joyful person knows their

value and goodness

and remains positive about their life even in the face of great suffering.

Thus, it is possible to be unhappy and joyful at the same time.

Too many people, including married couples and parents, focus on happiness rather than joy.

We focus on satisfying superficial desires and of the heart.

overlook the deeper longings

An obvious example is the parent who caves in and buys their child a new toy, when really what the child desires is more attention and time.

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Attention and time (in other words, love) gives a child (or a spouse) a sense of their value, of their inestimable worth. It develops within them an attitude, a certain perspective that sees and experiences life as a privilege.

We say, ‘we just want our children/spouse to be happy’, but happiness really is a very low goal. Rather,

aim for joy: a lasting and empowering perspective that gives us meaning and

fulfilment that endures. |

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Masters ofJoy |

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Definition of JOY 1. a: the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires. b: the expression or exhibition of such emotion 2. a state of happiness or felicity 3. a source or cause of delight "Joy." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 21 Mar. 2016.

Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be alright, and the determined choice to praise God in every situation.

- Rick Warren

Joy is a state of mind and an orientation of the heart. It is a settled state of contentment, confidence and hope. It appears 88 times in the Old Testament in 22 books; 57 times in the New Testament in 18 books.

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“Everyone should be able to experience the joy of being

loved by God, the joy of . It is the gift that one cannot keep to oneself, but it is to be

salvation

shared.�

- Pope Francis

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Ours is not a joy born of having many possessions, but of having encountered a Person: Jesus, in our midst.� ― Pope Francis, The Church of Mercy

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Joy is prayer; joy is strength; joy is love;

joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls.

Bl. Teresa of Kolkata

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“

Joy is the

sign

infallible

of the presence of

God.”

― Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

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“Christians should appear as people point to a horizon of beauty and who

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who wish to share their joy, who invite others to a delicious banquet.”

― Pope Francis, The Joy of the Gospel: Evangelii Gaudium

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Five Tips for a More Joyful Life Francine Pirola April 2016 | 29

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1. Gratitude Gratitude is the superfood of the soul. It has been noted as an important tool in resisting depressive thinking and can have an immediate positive impact on our mood.

Gratitude fosters the habit of counting our blessings, of noticing the many, often over-looked, goods in our life, thus helping us to be more optimistic and resilient in the face of challenges.

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2. Presence Memories and dreams are both important: they keep us in touch with our history and connected to our future. However, authentic joy can only be experience in the present moment.

It’s amazing how little time and attention we often give to the miraculous present.

Also called 'mindfulness', presence is the practice of attuning our attention to the moment. It helps us to appreciate unnoticed details, listen deeply, gaze intently and connect profoundly with the one in front of us. It is a powerful strategy for awakening our sense of the divine in every day moments.

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3. Forgiveness Nothing kills our joy faster than resentment. It’s like a poison that pollutes our soul and cripples our spirit.

Resentments accumulate and become toxic to spiritual and bodily health when we fail to forgive. The one harmed most in this dynamic is ourselves and those close to us, especially our spouse and children.

Forgiveness is not to deny that we have been injured, sometimes severely and unjustly, rather it is to redeem it. Remember that forgiveness is not an emotion; it’s a decision of the will to let go of your resentment.

Ultimately, it is one of the greatest acts of self-love.

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4. Humility Sometimes the hardest person to forgive is ourselves. We berate ourselves for being stupid, lazy, undisciplined, selfish, or any number of inadequacies or mistakes we may have made.

Such negative self-accusation can hold us captive in the past and prevent us of accessing one of the most powerful ‘feelgood’ traditions of our faith: the mercy of God. Surprisingly, our pride and lack of humility is often the biggest barrier to seeking God’s mercy. Humility should not be confused with negative self-esteem. In the words of C.S. Lewis

“Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less”.

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5. Compassion Literally meaning ‘with feeling’, compassion helps us connect with the interior experience of others and develop an awareness of the needs of others.

Compassion motivates us for service of others and helps to develop selflessness.

It may seem counter-intuitive because we assume that pursuing our own needs and goals would be more likely to make us happy, in fact, it is when we think about and serve others that we are more likely to experience joy.

About Francine Pirola

Francine is the founder of CathFamily and its first editor. She is the mother of five children and has been married to Byron for 28 years. She has been working in marriage enrichment and prepartion with Byron for over twenty years.

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Seasonal Notes |

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Recipes, Activities & Prayers Easter Octave

CRAFT & RECIPES

7 Ways to Enjoy Easter Eggs Easter eggs have a long and rich history that goes back well before the invention of chocolate....

PRAYER

Stations of Glory Easter is not just a weekend, it’s a whole season! This variation on Stations of the Cross focus on the Resurrection and what happened next...

PARENTING

Family Flick Pick: Easter Easter is the perfect time to organise a family movie night! Pop some popcorn and get comfy with these Easter themed family-friendly short list that CathFamily has compiled...

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Special Feasts

PRAYER

Embracing Divine Mercy Everyday Why not try some of these simple things with your family to introduce them to Divine Mercy?

INSPIRATION

God is Here: The Eucharist The feast of Corpus Christi gives us an opportunity to reflect anew on the real and living presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. ..

CRAFT

Corpus Christi Stained ‘Glass’ Window Celebrate the feast of Corpus Christi with this simple craft activity. Younger kids might need help with the cutting part but are free to go nuts with colour and materials in the taping part…

For more ideas and inspiration visit www.CathFamily.org

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Mercy

Print Edition

A special limited print edition for the Jubilee Year of Mercy, MERCY contains a refresher guide to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, testimonials, Pope Francis’ reflections on God’s mercy and tips for taking mercy into our relationships. Limited quantities. For more information and orders visit CathFamily.org

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