BE "THE GOOD SHEPHERD" TO YOUR FAMILY!

WEEKLY FRIDAY FAMILY NIGHTS!

COMBINING CATHOLIC FAMILY HOLINESS,
CATHOLIC FAMILY TOGETHERNESS AND
CATHOLIC FAMILY FUN!!!!!!!

Discuss Friday Family Nights with your parishoners and youth group leaders.
The concept is very simple, and it is guaranteed to produce tremendous spiritual fruit, because it involves Three Things
that Catholics can do best:

HOLY PRAYERFUL ACTION
CATHOLIC FAMILY DINNER
CATHOLIC FAMILY FUN!

WE will concentrate on FIRST FRIDAY FAMILY NIGHTS in this explanation, but we advocate regularly weekly Friday Family Nights for every church and parish!

FIRST: On First Friday Evenings, perform the First Friday Devotions. Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J., in his Catholic Pocket Dictionary says this: First Fridays - The customary observance of the first Friday of each month, encouraged by the Church, based on a promise made to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690) that special favors, such as the grace of final perseverance, would be given to those who received Holy Communion (worthily) on nine successive First Fridays.


 
Invite the "lost sheep" to
your local Parish Church,
The "House Of Prayer".

 We highly recommend an evening Mass followed by a Holy Rosary, and/or Chaplet of Divine Mercy, Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary, etc.   The children, or entire families, could take turns leading the decades of the Rosary and the other prayers. The time for this basic prayerful activity should be limited.  

A period of time between 1 and 2 hours for prayer is suggested.  (For Example: 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM) 
If you desire longer prayers, then that is wonderful!

SECOND: Catholic Family Dinner - In the parish hall or other appropriate area, it is now time for dinner for all participants! We suggest food that contains all natural ingredients! Please!

No EDTA, BHT, MSG, Silicates, Aluminates, Nitrates, Nitrites, Benzoates, Bromates, Pyrophosphates, Sodium Hypochlorite, Aspartame, Folic Acid etc.)

Possible Foods Could Be: 
Pizza, or vegetable soup or stew, fresh bread,
fish sandwiches, tuna salad, egg salad,
vegetable tray, hot vegetables and fruit juices
(NO SODA!  Liquified Carbon Dioxide is bad for your health.)
 
On Friday, we ask that participants abstain from meat as a small form of penance.  Everyone should pitch in to help supply the food and clean up afterwards. 
Make sure that you pray before and after meals.

 THIRD: Catholic Family Fun - Now it is time for Catholic games and activities.

We suggest the following: OPEN BOOK Bible Quiz Games, Catechism Quiz Games, Name That Saint Games, Good Catholic Movies, Guest Speakers, etc.

There are many other possible activities, and we hope that the activities listed will easily fill 12 First Friday Family Nights. (8:00 PM to 9:30 or 10:00 PM) It's now bedtime for the little ones!

If young adults would like to stay later
for a discussion or Q. and A. session,
this is possible at this time.

The main monthly activities are the quiz games, and it is "OPEN BOOK QUIZ TIME".  Every participant is encouraged to BRING YOUR BIBLE, and BRING YOUR CATECHISM, because we will ask you to find certain things in those Holy Books! 

We want to encourage the use of all Catholic Catechisms, including the Catechism of the Council of Trent, the Baltimore Catechism, and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, because they complement one another.  We also encourage the use of the most accurate Catholic Bible, the English Translation of the Latin Vulgate available from TAN Publishers
at 1-800-437-5876.

THIS WEEKLY ACTIVITY WILL HELP
TO MAKE YOUR CATHOLIC PARISH
THE CENTER OF
CATHOLIC FAMILY LIFE
AS IT WAS IN THE PAST! 
THIS CAN WORK IN MANY PARISHES! 
THIS CAN HELP TO INITIATE
FIRST SATURDAY DEVOTIONS
AT SOME POINT!

For more information, PLEASE contact us!
PRAY FOR OUR LEADERS
P.O. Box 10986,
Baltimore, Maryland 21234.
(410-254-3919)

 
IMITATE THE HOLY FAMILY!
STUDY SACRED SCRIPTURE
AND PRAY TOGETHER!

  CHILDREN HELP TO UNITE THE FAMILY!
CHILDREN CAN HELP TO UNITE THE PARISH!

THE FAMILY THAT PRAYS TOGETHER
STAYS TOGETHER 
THE PARISH FAMILY THAT PRAYS TOGETHER
STAYS TOGETHER!
A WORLD AT PRAYER
IS A WORLD AT PEACE!!! 

******* 

FIRST SATURDAY DEVOTIONS
AS REQUESTED BY OUR LADY OF FATIMA

The apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima did not end in 1917, but they continued for some years thereafter. On December 10, 1925, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared once again to Sister Lucia.  Holding the Christ Child in her arms, the Blessed Mother spoke these words to Lucia:

"My child, behold my heart surrounded with the thorns which ungrateful men place therein at every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. You at least try to console me. Announce in my name that I promise to assist at the hour of death with all the graces necessary for salvation, all those who, on the first Saturday of five consecutive months, go to confession and receive Holy Communion, recite the Rosary, and keep me company for a quarter of an hour while meditating of the mysteries of the Rosary, with the intention of making reparation to me."

Our Lady Of Fatima
with Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco

So you can see
the five constitutive parts of
Our Lady of Fatima's request:

   1.  Go to Confession,

   2.  Receive Holy Communion (worthily),

   3.  Recite the Rosary (one five decade Rosary),

   4.  Keep Mary company for 15 minutes while
         meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary,

  5.  Have the intention of making reparation to
       the Immaculate Heart of Mary. 

In order to properly fulfill these conditions, and
in order to keep this intention of reparation in mind,
we suggest the following method:
Precede each part of the conditions listed above with these words: "In reparation for the offenses committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you this... (1, 2, 3, 4.)"

Confessions may be made during 8 days before or after the First Saturday, and Holy Communion may be received at either the morning or evening Mass on the First Saturday.

For a better understanding of the Theology of the Mass, we ask that you obtain a copy of the picture entitled, "The Last Vision of Fatima" It is a beautiful rendition of the vision given to Sister Lucia in 1929. This picture should be readily available at every Catholic bookstore and gift shop. If not, then
contact The Blue Army at 1-866-513-1917.

This information about the First Saturday Devotions
is taken from the book entitled,
"Our Lady Of Fatima's Peace Plan From Heaven".
It is published by
TAN Books and Publishers, 1-800-437-5876.

First Friday Family Nights are an excellent tool which can be utilized to introduce First Saturday Devotions. If you are able to develop both activities in your parish, then you will be encouraging Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary in a most holy and profound way.

The spiritual fruit
of such an effort
will be tremendous!
That is why Satan
will put roadblocks in your path!
Do not be discouraged: Persevere!  

PRAYER OBTAINS GOD'S GRACE!!! GOD'S GRACE SOFTENS HEARTS!!!
A WORLD AT PRAYER IS A WORLD AT PEACE!!!
"BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL: FOR THEY SHALL OBTAIN MERCY."

******* 

Promises of the Sacred Heart
And First Friday Devotions

Pious souls consecrate to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in the spirit of reparation, the First Friday of each month. Jesus, Himself, made twelve promises to those who practice and promote this devotion.

 
The revelations given to 
St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
greatly increased Devotions to
the Sacred Heart of Jesus! 
www.tanbooks.com 

HERE ARE THE 12 PROMISES

1.  I will give them all the graces necessary for their state in life.

2.  I will give peace to their families.

3.  I will console them in all their troubles.

4.  They shall find in My Heart an assured refuge during life, and especially at the hour of death.

5.  Tepid soul shall become fervent.

6.  Sinners shall find in My Heart the source and an infinite ocean of mercy.

7.  I will bless the homes in which the image of My Heart shall be exposed and honored.

8.  Fervent souls shall speedily rise to great perfection.

9.  I will give to priests the power to touch the most hardened hearts.

10.  Those who propagate this devotion shall have their names written on My Heart, never to be effaced.

11.  I will pour abundant blessings on all their undertakings.

12.  I promise thee, in the excess of the mercy of My Heart, that its all-powerful love will grant to all who receive Holy Communion (WORTHILY) on the First Friday of every month, for nine consecutive months, the grace of final repentance, and that they shall not die under My displeasure, nor without receiving the Sacraments, and My Heart shall be their secure refuge at that last hour.

These 12 promises of the Sacred Heart
and First Friday Devotions are taken from: 

I PRAY THE MASS SUNDAY MISSAL
Arranged by Rev. Hugo H. Hoever, S.O. Cist. PhD.

Published by Catholic Book Publishing Company,
New York. Copyright in 1942-1958.

Nihil Obstat: Michael A. Mathis C.S.C., S.T.D. 
the Censor Deputatus.

Imprimatur: John Francis Noll, D.D. 
The Bishop of Ft. Wayne.

******* 

Fr. John Hardon, S.J., in his
CATHOLIC POCKET DICTIONARY
says this:

First Fridays - The customary observance on the first Friday of each month, encouraged by the Church, based on a promise made to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690) that special favors, such as the grace of final perseverance, would be given to those who receive Holy Communion (worthily) on nine successive First Fridays.


The appearance of Jesus
to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
Dec. 27, 1673

Please remain after each Mass to pray some special prayers of thanksgiving for every Mass! 

 We encourage everyone to pray THE HEALING ROSARY and Chaplet of Divine Mercy daily!

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