Diocese of Rockville Centre Propagation of the Faith and Mission Office
Rev. Joseph V. McCabe, MM Director www.drvc.org/mission
Volume 3, Issue 5
HCA Mission News
March/April 2010
Thought for Lent: “We know whether or not we are imitating Christ or simply rationalizing our own desires by what begins to flow into our lives. If I am truly imitating Christ, I can expect to experience in my life the things that Jesus experienced in his, namely, a certain vulnerability that leaves me existentially incapable of protecting myself against certain kinds of pain. When I am genuinely imitating Christ, I will find myself "weak" in the same ways that Jesus was weak - more liable to physical pain and weariness, more sensitive to human rejection and contempt, more affected by love and hate, more pained over the state of things, more overextended, more prone to humiliation.” Ron Rolheiser, OMI
Mission Awareness Day
Resurrection!
Sponsoring a Mission Awareness Day at your parish or school is a great way to introduce students to the concept of mission and what it means in their lives. There are many creative ways to teach compassion for others, build respect for other cultures and consider God’s call for all of us to be “missionaries” wherever we are.
One of the best pictures to come out of the earthquake in Haiti was the rescue of little Kiki, below. He had been buried for nearly eight days when rescuers pulled him out of a heap of debris. Although dehydrated and weak, when he saw his mother he opened his arms in victory, and a triumphant smile crossed his face. What a symbol — even though his body was in the shape of the Cross, how the Resurrection broke through!
Choosing a theme will help you to select the appropriate activities, crafts, decorations, service projects, music, food, etc. Some ideas are: •
Country/Geographic Focus: Mexican fiesta, African safari, Rainforest, etc.
•
Globetrotters: Travel from country to county to learn about other cultures; get your Passport stamped.
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Mission Possible: We are “special agents” through Baptism who bring the Good News to all people.
•
Bible J.A.M. (Jesus and Missions) - Using music and Scripture to get into the mission arena.
Please share the story of Kiki with your students; so many have sacrificed and made donations to the people of Haiti, and I am sure they would love to see Kiki’s smile (pictures are readily available on the internet). Let us hold the Haitians, and also now the people of Chile, in our prayers this Lent and Easter.
These are only a sample of ways that children can have fun and learn. For more ideas, check out the HCA website at onefamilyinmission.org, where we obtained this information. .
And Speaking of Mission Awareness… Our Director, Fr. Joseph McCabe, MM, will be starting a monthly column in The Long Island Catholic this month. It will be entitled “Mission Paths” and will highlight missionaries from around the world. His first column focuses on Lent and his experiences with Catechumens in Russia.
Kiki being rescued in Haiti
“We Carry Each Other” is published bi-monthly.
Diocese of Rockville Centre Propagation of the Faith and Mission Office
Reality Check
Editor: Brenda Pistani bpistani@drvc.org 516-678-5800 x519
The Children’s Page
Easter Blessing Basket Old St. Patrick Oratory in Kansas City, Missouri wrote online about a beautiful Polish tradition known as the “Blessing Basket”. In Poland and perhaps other Eastern European countries they prepare a special Easter Basket to be blessed by the Priest on Holy Saturday. Items for the basket include: Colored eggs: In Poland they can be painted and carved wooden eggs, but most times it is the Pisanki eggs. These are the ones dipped in a succession of color and then the color covered in wax, drawn on, then the next color, then more wax until the egg is completely covered in wax. Then the wax is removed to reveal the designs. The designs also have various symbolic meanings. Eggs symbolize the Resurrection, life and springtime. Bread: Christ, who is the bread of Life. Sausage/Ham: Abundance and God's generosity. Horseradish: The passion of Christ. Salt: Prosperity. Butter: Sweetness and good will. It usually pressed into a mold to make a lamb, as Jesus is the Lamb of God. Flowers: Joy of the Resurrection. You line your basket with fine small linens (large napkin size), stitched with flowers or religious symbols. Keep covered until they are ready to be blessed. The basket is carried to the parish priest who blesses it. At home after your basket has been blessed, boiled eggs in the shells are cut into wedges. (Sometimes the eggs are cracked with nails to remember the Crucifixion.) The head of the family carries a plate to each member of the family to take a piece of the egg and wish a everyone a blessed and happy Easter. (source: ourparishtoo.blogspot.com)
Dear Heavenly Father - thank you for the gift of Easter, of Jesus coming to life and bringing us to new life!! Help us to share that gift of love and life with other children all around the world by joyfully making sacrifices and offering up our prayers for them. May every Easter egg we see remind us of the Resurrection and of our call to be missionaries all of our lives. In Jesus’ name we pray this, Amen!