Marriage, Family and Respect Life

August 2024

August is here! Before you know it, it will be time to gear up for school and all of the great fall activities that consume our energies. It seems like our family is never fully prepared for the fall season, but we all do our best to get back into the routine of school as we prepare for the holidays.

Hopefully, you will be able to take advantage of one of our fall ministry offerings. There's a lot happening, and I hope you are able to take some time out of your busy schedule to work on your spiritual life, especially as it concerns your marriage and family life.

Please take a few minutes to scan through the following list of offerings and resources. You might discover something helpful or that you would like to share.

Catholic Parenting

We will host a Catholic Parenting TALK by Kim Cameron-Smith on Friday, September 20 and a Catholic Parenting RETREAT on Saturday, September 21. Both will be at St. Mark's Catholic Church in Boise. For the retreat, Kim Cameron-Smith and our local Jodi Goettemoeller team up. We would love to get your RSVP well in advance of the retreat so we don't have to reschedule again. See below for more information. If you have questions, you can reach out to me directly at 208-350-7535.

Marriage Enrichment

Join us Friday, Oct 18 (evening) and Saturday, Oct 19 for our annual Marriage Enrichment Retreat. This year's theme is Banquet of Love: The Eucharist as Weekly Marriage Enrichment with nationally known speakers, Jim and Maureen Otremba. Friday evening includes social time with light appetizers and wine, and two talks with discussion activities. Saturday includes retreat talks, Mass, a boxed lunch, and a celebration dinner. Where: Holy Apostles Catholic Church, Meridian. More information and registration can be found below. If you have questions, you can reach out to me directly at 208-350-7535.

Respect Life

On the Respect Life front, we are offering a Miscarriage Remembrance Event on Friday, September 6, 2024, from 6:00 - 8:30 p.m. at St. Paul's Catholic Church, Nampa. See more information below.

On September, 7, 2024, Idaho Choose Life, Holy Apostles Catholic Community, and the Respect Life Office are hosting a Heart of a Child Ministries presentation and training at Holy Apostles Catholic Church.

Heart of a Child Ministries is coming to Holy Apostles to present age-appropriate pro-life education to our youth. There will be teaching for different grade-level groups (K-3rd, 4th-6th, 7th-8th, and high school and beyond). Additionally, there is the opportunity to complete the certification program and receive training in the 4S Model of Education so we can successfully offer live-ultrasound presentations to our diocese. See more information below.

Annual Anniversary Mass

Finally, we have the 9th Annual Wedding Anniversary Mass for couples celebrating milestone wedding anniversaries. This Mass is celebrated by Bishop Peter Christensen on Saturday, November 23, 2024 at St. John's Cathedral. The Mass begins at 11 a.m. with couples receiving recognition for their years of marriage along with an apostolic blessing from our bishop. For the anniversary couples and their guests, a lunch follows in the parish hall. Please see the information below for the registration flyer and sign up sheets. See more information below.

We hope to see you this fall at our events!

Have a great August!

Blessings,

Jay Wonacott, MTS

Marriage and Family Life

Respect Life

208-350-7535

Email: jwonacott@rcdb.org

When: Saturday, September 21, 2024

Where: St. Mark's Catholic Community, Boise - Donoghue Hall

The Marriage and Family Life Office of the Diocese of Boise welcomes Kim Cameron-Smith and Jodi Goettemoeller as the facilitators of this parenting retreat.

The titles of the retreat reflections are:

• Catholic Parenting as a Sacred Vocation
• Growing Your Discipleship Home
• Managing Weeds and Thorns

After each reflection there will be time for small group discussion and interaction with other retreatants.

The cost of $40 per couple or $25 per person retreat and boxed lunch on Saturday.

Kim Cameron-Smith describes herself as "an on-fire Catholic revert, bibliophile, armchair philosopher, mediocre cook, and 'an artist of family life.'" She is also a trusts and estates attorney with additional degrees in English, Medieval Literature, and Theological Studies. Kim the author of Rooting Your Teen in the Faith: A Field Guide for Catholic Parents and Discipleship Parenting: Planting Seeds of Faith. She hosts the Gentle Catholic Parenting podcast and blogs at Intentional Catholic Parenting. Her writing has been featured in "The Imaginative Conservative" and the "Our Sunday Visitor Newsweekly."

Jodi Goettemoeller is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in the State of Idaho. She is a certified Trust Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) Practitioner and a certified Nurturing Parent Educator.

Space is limited and scholarships are available for those needing financial assistance to attend. For more information contact Trish Campaña at 208-350-7555 or tcampana@rcdb.org.

A Catholic Parenting Talk by Kim Cameron-Smith

When: Friday, September 20: 6:30 p.m. Social; 7:00 p.m. Talk and Q&A

Where: St. Mark's Catholic Church, Donoghue Hall; 7960 W. Northview Street, Boise

FREE Event

Kim is author of Discipleship Parenting: Planting the Seeds of Faith (Our Sunday Visitor, 2020) and Rooting Your Teen in the Faith: a Field Guide for Catholic Parents (Our Sunday Visitor, 2023). She’s the founder and editor of Intentional Catholic Parenting and the host of the Gentle Catholic Parenting Podcast. Her work explores the intersection between Catholicism and the science of parenting. She has been featured on several Catholic media platforms, including EWTN, More2Life, and the Catholic Faith Network.

An imperfect mother of four children and a revert to the Faith, she knows that your journey of faith and your mission of parenting can sometimes collide, creating chaos but also wisdom and delight!

Registration is not necessary for this event, but we'd appreciate knowing how many will attend. Please follow button below to register. For more information contact Trish Campaña at 208-350-7555 or tcampana@rcdb.org.

When: Wednesday, September 18, 2024 through Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Where: Two in-person meetings; seven online meetings

The Life-Giving Wounds peer support group is a unique opportunity for adults (18+) whose parents have divorced, separated, or left broken families to reflect intentionally and heal from the wounds caused by their family’s breakdown. This support group will be comprised of others who know this pain as well as knowledgeable, compassionate leaders, who are also predominantly adult children of divorce or separation themselves. The support group is a hybrid experience of two in-person experiences and a 7-week online experience to deepen your healing journey.

The only cost associated with this support group is the cost of the materials. These needed to be purchased by each participant.

Find more information in the attachments below or contact Trish Campana at 208-350-7555 or tcampana@rcdb.org.

When: Friday, October 18th, 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Saturday, October 19th, 9:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Where: Holy Apostles Catholic Church, Meridian

Banquet of Love: The Eucharist as Weekly Marriage Enrichment teaches Catholic married couples the true center of intimacy, or “innermost sharing,” by examining how Jesus Christ shares Himself intimately with us in the Eucharistic celebration. Using each part of the Mass, Jim and Maureen trace eight “Foundational Intimacies” (Spiritual, Verbal, Emotional, Intellectual, Temporal, Familial, Physical, and Intimacy of Absence) and connect them to married life, offering research-tested and psychologically- and spiritually-based skills for improving communication, sharing, purpose, empathy, and a host of other graces.

Friday evening begins with light appetizers and social time followed by two talks. Saturday continues with light breakfast snacks, two talks, lunch, two talks, Mass, and a catered dinner. For more information contact Trish Campaña at 208-350-7555 or tcampana@rcdb.org.

It is time to celebrate your milestone wedding anniversary!

Saturday, November 23, 2024

Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist

Check-in: 10:30 a.m. Mass: 11:00 a.m.

Registration Required; Closes Nov. 15

To register, go to: www.catholicidaho.org/event

See attachments below for printable flyer and registration forms in English and Spanish. Please print out and use in your parish.

When: Friday, September 6, 6:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Where: St. Paul's Catholic Church, Nampa

Have you lost a child through miscarriage? Please join us for an evening of remembrance. We will come together in prayer, candle lighting, and fellowship to remember the lives of these children gifted for a short time on earth to enjoy for eternity in heaven.

6:00 - 7:00 p.m. - Refreshments, candle decorating, fellowship

7:00 - 8:00 p.m. - Communal Prayer Service and candle lighting with Fr. Tim Segert

8:00 - 8:30 p.m. - Adoration

For more information contact Tami Gieseke at 916-201-5964 or CatholicMiscarriage@gmail.com.

When: Saturday, September 7, 2024; 11:45-1:30 p.m. (Includes a Free Pizza Lunch)

Where: Holy Apostles Catholic Church, Meridian

Heart of a Child Ministries is coming to Holy Apostles to present age-appropriate pro-life education to our youth. Click https://heartofachildministries.org/ to see presentations on the Heart of a Child Ministries website.

At Holy Apostles on September 7 there will be teaching for different grade-level groups (K-3rd, 4th-6th, 7th-8th, and high school and beyond). Additionally, there is the opportunity to complete the certification program and receive training in the 4S Model of Education so we can successfully offer live-ultrasound presentations in our diocese.

Parents are expected to attend with their children of any age. Registration is required; more information will be coming soon. Lunch will be provided for all who are interested.

For more information, please call Cindy Lange at 208-794-9230 or info@chooselifeidaho.org.

Eight hundred years ago, Saint Thomas Aquinas described with profound clarity the inner workings of the human soul. Today, his writings continue to offer valuable insights into mental health because the truth of how God designed us provides a light to reveal how and why some modern therapies work better than others, and why some may pose a danger to our souls. For the mental health crisis in our world today, Thomistic Psychology offers hope for true healing. See links below for each presentation.

“Marriage for Life” English and Spanish decals are available. The cost of a single decal packet in English or Spanish is $3.00. However, the bulk rate price is $2.50 for the purchase of 25 or more decals. These funds go toward sustaining the Marriage for Life Campaign. Each packet includes a decal, instructions for application and a beautiful Marriage for Life prayer.

“Marriage for Life” lapel pins are also now available. The cost is $2 per pin. Orders can be made through the Marriage and Family Life Office. You can contact us directly at 208-350-7535 or email jwonacott@rcdb.org.

Please continue to support this effort by directing your parishioners to the www.marriageforlifedecal.com webpage.

Tenemos calcomanías disponibles en inglés y español de “Matrimonio para toda la vida”. El costo de un paquete de calcomanías en inglés o español es de $ 3:00. Sin embargo, el precio de mayoreo es de $2.50 por la compra de 25 o más calcomanías. Estos fondos se destinan a sostener la campaña Matrimonio para toda la vida. Cada paquete incluye una calcomanía, instrucciones para la aplicación y una hermosa oración de Vida Matrimonial.

Los pines de solapa “Marriage Life” ahora también están disponibles. El costo es de $2 por pin. Los pedidos se pueden hacer a través de la Oficina de Matrimonio y Vida Familiar. Puede contactarnos directamente al 208.350-7535 o enviar un correo electrónico a jwonacott@rcdb.org

Continúe apoyando este esfuerzo dirigiendo a sus feligreses a la página web http://www.marriageforlifedecal.com/