December 12, 2012 + Our Lady of Guadalupe  

Dear CCD and Youth Group Parents,                                                        

Advent is an exciting time of year; decorating, shopping, eating, parties, traveling, cooking, hosting, dressing up, …  and going to church!  All children love the story about baby Jesus and we love to tell it; angels singing and shepherds watching, Mary and Joseph, the Magi from the East, animals, and stars; the greatest of stories; real historic facts.

Two small boys were happy to show me the other day that they knew how to genuflect; it was cute. Recently, one lad with a smile on his face said to me, “I should do this more often!” I happily agreed with him as he stood up and left the Confessional.  Children are great teachers to priests.

Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, and our Bishop are active on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.  Look for them; learn from them.  This is an easy way to engage our faith.  Please, I beg you, share what they say, send on the link.  Tell everyone at work and at home and at the mall.  Good News and bright lights cannot be hidden.

Each night pick up your Rosary and pray one Hail Mary as a family.  “A family that prays together stays together.”  If you are too busy to pray, then you are too busy to be a parent.
Children often have a great respect for their grandparents.  Invite your parents to share their Catholic faith with your children.  I will never forget that my grandma always had her Rosary.  I wish I would have asked her more questions.

I can only remember one gift I received as a young boy.  It was a blue 4-wheel drive remote control truck; it was really neat.  As you know it eventually broke and was trashed.  Spiritual gifts never go bad.

Please take a minute to thank our CCD teachers and coordinators.  Passing on the faith is fun, challenging, and essential.

Young families are a priority to me.  Let me know if I can do anything to make your experience at church better; softer chairs, shorter homilies, valet parking, louder music, more friends, …

The Blessed Virgin Mary is the perfect one for us to look to as we await Christmas Day!

-Fr. John Cyr