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The following was written by parishioner Dawn Abbate, giving us a glimpse into her family’s amazing approach to faith formation in their home this year.

A Year of Family Works of Mercy

I’m known for some really crazy ideas. But sometimes, those crazy ideas, really do produce greatness. I decided on homeschooling for Religious Education for my two children this year (and so the reader is aware, JUST religious ed, not complete homeschooling. Even I know my limits and patience level). I felt called to practice the Corporal Works of Mercy and thought it would be wonderful to teach them to my children as well. Going about doing this has taken some time and researching, but we’ve found a few ideas thus far to at least start us on our way and I’m happy to share them with other families who may be interested in doing this.

With a 6 and almost 9 year old, I knew the activities related to each work would have to be short, fun, and engaging otherwise it was a no go. First we chose a Saint that would embody charity and selfless giving. We chose St. Elizabeth of Hungary because the kids thought it was neat that she was a Queen but yet would sneak away with food in her dress to give to the poor in her village. When her husband found her sneaking away one day, he asked what she had hidden in the folds of her dress and when she showed him, beautiful flowers fell out and he believed she was a Saint.

We then found a large box and cut the shape of a cross out of it. We bought some colored paper and cut out circular type “flowers” that we label and staple on to our Cross of Mercy. Our hope is to have it filled up by Easter (or if not, maybe within a year).

Next step was performing the acts of mercy.

FEED THE HUNGRY

There’s no shortage of ways in which to fulfill this work of mercy. Donating for collections at church, donating to local shelters, helping out at local soup kitchens, and feed the homeless programs. Pretty much everywhere you go you can find boxes that are collecting for the less fortunate in our area. We came across a total gem about a year and a half ago called Feed My Starving Children.

Feed My Starving Children is a non-profit Christian organization committed to feeding God’s children hungry in body and spirit. The approach is simple: children and adults hand-pack meals specifically formulated for malnourished children, and we ship these meals to our distribution partners. FMSC meals have reached nearly 70 countries around the world in our history www.fmsc.org

Not only is FMSC easy to schedule, get to, and pack at, but it’s FUN! There are always a bunch of young children helping their families, the music is always cranking with great tunes, and everyone is having a great time!! My kids love going there and I love that we are helping save children’s lives.

GIVE DRINK TO THE THIRSTY

While this goes along with feed the hungry, I was trying to really make it “drink” related for my kids. Over the summer they had a lemonade stand, and all the money they made (and they made bank on it too!) we donated to Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and specified for it to go to CRS Ethiopia to provide clean drinking water over there. We’ve also helped out at 5k charity races handing out water to the runners. We’ve paid for the coffee of the car behind us at the drive-up and also donated baby formula to local help centers.

CLOTHE THE NAKED

We’ve gone through our closets and cleaned out what we don’t wear and doesn’t fit and donated to local organizations (there are many in the area including St. Vincent de Paul, the Sharing Center, and Love, Inc.).

SHELTER THE HOMELESS

My children are still too young to participate in Habitat for Humanity, so we’ve found other ways in which to help. We’ve helped volunteer at a homeless shelter, serving food and providing companionship for the people there. We offer up our prayers for others that are without homes. We donate money and items needed for the homeless in our community.

VISIT THE SICK

We visit with members at a local nursing home. We bake treats for our friends who are sick. We make cards for those we know are sick or in the hospital. Another cool opportunity that we found was sending our medals for races that we’ve done to our local chapter of Medals 4 Mettle (www.medals4mettle.org) They give the medals to children with severe illness or disabilities. It’s great to see the medals being re-used for a great cause!

VISIT THE IMPRISONED

Another tough one for families because we can’t exactly just walk in a jail and start helping. Thanks to one of my beautiful friends, we crafted some letters to prisoners offering words of encouragement. We also pray for those in prison and their families.

BURY THE DEAD

This was going to be a tough one as well. We pray at Adoration for those in our family who have left us (and yes you can go with your children to Adoration. I was terrified the first time, but my kids actually do really well. Plus it is amazing how wonderful that 1 hour of quiet can be for everyone. I always gauge it by my children – if they can’t make it the whole time, it’s not a big deal. I’ve been known to bribe with cookies and/or Cherry Berry from time to time) Another great idea (and I cannot take credit for this, my beautiful friend does this and has invited us to join) is to purchase inexpensive angel statues and go to the cemetery and find graves of children and place an angel on their gravesite and say a prayer for them. It’s so heartfelt and teaches such a beautiful message. We also volunteer for a local hospice program, and bake treats and make cards for patients for their birthdays.

There really is no shortage of what you can do as a family to perform an act of mercy. Prayer is always a powerful tool that families can do together, but that also teaches our children to love and honor our Lord. Whether you choose to do one act or more, each family can find what works for them. I’ve learned that letting my children lead works wonderful, as they are more inclined to keep with it if they know it was their idea! God bless!!

As the Triduum approaches, I was talking to my children about the schedule of Mass times and devotions we’ll be participating in as a family. My children are 15, 13, and almost 9 years old so you can only imagine the ecstatic response I got at the thought of spending the first 4 days of their Easter break going to church. After the usual amount of grumbling my son said, “But mom, we ALL know how the Easter story ends so WHY do we have to go to church ALL THREE DAYS?” It was at this precise moment I had an instant flashback to earlier days of changing diapers, wiping sticky peanut butter and jelly fingers, counting Cheerios as I spread them out on the high chair tray, and spending many sleep deprived days pretending to be Wendy for this little Peter Pan boy. “Really?” I replied. “Do you know how many times I read Goodnight Moon to you? And after the 4,897 time I still read it to you AGAIN even though we ALL knew how the story ended!

My children have grown so much since those days and my now 6’1” teenager looked at me and smiled. “I remember mom, but that’s totally different.”  Yes, and everything is different now. We live in a different house in a different town in a different state. They attend a different school, have different friends, and we belong to a different church. Our lives have changed, the world around us has changed, and nothing is the same as it was last year, last month, or yesterday. Nothing except for the Easter story; which is exactly why we tell it, and participate in it, again and again. Easter hasn’t changed because Christ remains the same. He is ever-faithful and nothing can ever separate us from his love – no earthly problems or worries, no sin, no sickness, no shame. Not even death.

This story reminds us that God’s love and sovereign reign are constant and fixed like constellations anchored in the dark night sky. And each year we stop the mad pace of life as we all know it, enter into that story, awaken our hearts to His suffering, and turn our gaze up toward the cross in beautiful somber adoration; to console Him one more time and weep with our mother Mary at the moment of His final breath.

Yes, we will go to church again this Easter, all three days even though we know how the story ends. And we’ll sit beside one another feeling the sadness, thinking deeply, praying quietly, and thanking Him with our whole hearts for choosing to be the victim of God’s justice for our redemption over and over again.

This is one story that must never be forgotten.

 

Perhaps it’s not so much the dinner but rather what the Fish Fry represents. In a way, the atmosphere of a Fish Fry represents Lenten Catholic nostalgia in Wisconsin.  It’s what many of us did during Lent growing up. Situated in a church basement, parishioners of all ages – from the elderly to the very young – come together to share a simple meal. You’ll find paper placemats, coffee in a carafe, milk served in good old fashion plastic cups and cafeteria serving trays.

Oh! And, yes, you will find a good meal: fried cod, your choice of baked potato or fries, coleslaw and a warm roll.  Perhaps, the greatest treat is the assortment of desserts baked, personally, by the very gifted and talented St. Anne parishioners who love to bake!

At this Fish Fry, we collect money and tickets, we cook, we serve each other and we clean up just as a family does.

In today’s fast-paced, hectic world, a Fish Fry offers a time to slow down and be present for each other…to our family members of St. Anne.  Maybe you didn’t have the Fish Fry experience growing up, and so you’re not so inclined to spend a Friday night in a church basement.  Either way, let me share with you five reasons to consider attending the St. Anne Fish Fry on Friday, April 11 at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church.

1)   It’s a good meatless meal. Running out of meatless meal ideas?  Or, better yet, who isn’t tired on a Friday night? Why don’t you just skip cooking and enjoy a really good meal. Your kids can enjoy grilled cheese if they don’t like fish.

2)   Fellowship. You’d be amazed at how good it feels to get to know your fellow parishioners.  I met many people at our first Fish Fry in March, including a young couple and who are relatively new to the parish, Troy and Yolanda. They have a 2^nd grader making his first communion this year, and 4^th grader who just joined the server ministry. Oh, they were such a cute, sweet couple. They are thrilled with our new altar server ministry. What a joy it is to move out of my comfort zone, and actually have a bit of time to learn who sits next to me at Mass.

3)   Service. This event is open to the community.  As a parish, many volunteers come together to handle all the service elements of the Fish Fry, from cooking to serving to cleaning. It’s quite humbling and rewarding to be a host for the community…in a way to see the many faces of Christ! In fact, it can even be sacrificial at times, serving coffee to a curmudgeon, who thinks he’s in his local diner…which brings me to the next point:  charity.

4)   Charity.  A Fish Fry allows us to love our neighbor.  Those who have volunteered actually say they receive more than they give.  Those who attend say that it’s just nice to visit and chat with someone for more than five minutes after Mass.  Truly, it can actually be a heartwarming experience.

5)   It’s Lent. During Lent, we are called to slow down. We are called to prayer, fasting and almsgiving.  Perhaps a stretch, but I contend  the Fish Fry experience calls us to experience all three aspects of the Lenten practices. Prayer is one of the three pillars of Lenten practice.  Through prayer, we raise our hearts and minds to God in thanksgiving and praise.  At this Fish Fry dinner, we pray and give thanks to our Lord for the meal, the many blessings of our parish and for each other!  With ‘fasting and abstinence’ the Fish Fry allows us to reflect on why we abstain from meat on Fridays during Lent…to empty ourselves in order to make more room for Him in our hearts. Almsgiving means donating money or goods to the poor and performing other acts of charity.  Almsgiving is “a witness to fraternal charity” and  “a work of justice pleasing to God.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 2462).  Did you know that all proceeds from this Fish Fry will go toward the finishing of our St. Anne Gathering Area? 

I invite you to experience the St. Anne Fish Fry!  Make new memories with your own family and get to know your St. Anne family.  You might even leave with a fresh new feeling of church basements.

Special thanks to St. Elizabeth Parish and Fr. Sean Granger for generously sharing their facility and their long-standing Fish Fry for the benefit of St. Anne; and special thanks to our own Rich Mich for tirelessly organizing this wonderful family event.

Hope to see you there:  Friday, April 11, 2014, 4:30-7:30 p.m. St. Elizabeth, 4816 7th Avenue. (Then head over to Living Stations at 8 p.m. at St. Anne https://saint-anne.org/events/)