The Rhodes Ahead

This time of year, I fondly remember and pray for so many of my deceased friends and relatives. It's fun to relive the lessons that they taught you - whether intentional or just by their life.

When my children were middle school and older, my in-laws moved to the area. They were over 75 at the time, so naturally we started spending a lot of time with them. At one visit, with all of us around and the kids being silly, my mother in law said, "I can't believe we missed this all these years." How I would have loved to have some help around in those early years.

At one point, she told me, don't make your kids come to see us each Sunday if they don't want to. I responded that if no one makes them come see her, no one will make anyone come see me! Up to this day, and she has been gone 9 years, Sunday lunch is a priority to our family.

I feel that some of the same is true for my children and going to Mass. I have heard that some families say that it is hard to get their kids to go. Habits are hard to form and hard to break.

I did find this on the internet as well (https://www.archbalt.org/10-ways-to-help-your-young-children-enjoy-mass abbreviated here):

10 ways to help your young children enjoy Mass

A few weeks ago I received an email from a mother of two. “Do you have any tips for helping kids to like church?” she asked. “I just can’t tell if taking my son to church more frequently gets him more used to it, and therefore comfortable with the experience, or if it just gives him more reasons to hate it.” I was intrigued by her question, especially because she wasn’t asking how to get her children to behave, but how to help them like going to Mass. So I called Gina Magyar-Russell, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and assistant professor of pastoral counseling in the Loyola Clinical Centers. I hope you find her advice helpful, too:

1. Help your children to feel the Mass is for them. Walk them up to receive a blessing during Communion. Take your child to talk to the priest after Mass. Find ways for them to participate.

2. Find a parish where you feel comfortable parenting in a way that you can expose them to God and to your faith.

3. Look for programs within the parish that work for your child.

4. Choose a Mass time that works well for your child’s schedule. You don’t want your child to be hungry or tired during Mass.

5. Sing church music outside of Mass to make it familiar and fun.

6. Identify aspects of the Mass that interest your child and make the most of them during Mass. A child who is learning to read can make a game out of bookmarking the songs in the hymnal, or trying to follow along with the music on the page. Another child might love to watch the musicians, so you may want to choose a seat near the instruments.

7. Include your children in the conversation. That might mean talking about the stained glass or the statues or even the readings.

9. Try not to discipline your child during Mass. “I don’t discipline that much unless it’s really, really distracting,” says Magyar Russell. “My kids sit on the floor and take their shoes off and go through the hymnal like they’re at the library. Where I draw the line is teaching that someone else is trying to hear or you’re in someone else’s way.”

10. Try to see their behavior through Jesus’ eyes. “If you can see it how Jesus might see it, I think he might see it as these are kids,” she says.

There are many things that come up when you look at the internet to give you ideas on what might be needed. We live in a world full of distractions, but in the end, moms and dads have the most influence.

Strength in Surrender,

Kathy Rhodes

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeZE0TtYgk7C_SenyYIO1SPdNJkMpsNRaqwgAOwmh7pexKrYw/viewform?usp=sf_link

Nov. 1 Holy Day of Obligation, Students will attend 8:15 Mass, Spirit Day

Nov. 6 Veteran's Day Mass and reception

Nov. 15 No School SOF

See the attached flyer to learn about the schedule and the cost. The Sign-Up Genius link is below to sign up for the October session. You do not need to commit to every session and if the first date doesn't work out - you can still sign up for upcoming months.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A4FA8AE22A5F4CE9-52471448-blooming

Blooming Girls Workshops

Bishop Miege Open House: November 9th

Come explore the campus and discover what makes Miege so special. Mark your calendars and join us for a day of fun, information and Miege spirit!

Registration Link:

https://bmhs-us-ks-878.app.digistorm.com/forms/open-house

Here is the link for the social (info below). https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B49ABA729AAFC1-52407791-miege

"Teach us to give and not count the cost." St. Ignatius of Loyola

We would like to invite you to make a difference and participate in nationwide Family Volunteer Day on Nov. 23, 2024. We know that there are many students out there trying to log hours for Confirmation and/or the President's Volunteer Service Award. This day serves as a wonderful opportunity to do that while also making an impact in our neighborhoods and community. There are many ways to get involved whether they be as a larger group or as an individual family. It can be as simple as raking leaves for a neighbor, making cards/writing letters to the homebound, or filling red bags for our local food pantry. More ideas can be found here! When one family volunteers and encourages others to join, the effect spreads far and wide touching the lives of many. Feel free to take pictures of your family doing service and send them our way! We'd love to post them to our social media accounts.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, A HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION – After consultation with the Holy See, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has announced that whenever the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is transferred from Sunday, December 8 to Monday, December 9, it remains a holy day of obligation, beginning this year. This is a change of past practice, whereby the obligation to attend Mass was previously lifted with the transfer of the solemnity from Sunday to Monday. The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception has always been transferred to Monday when December 8 has fallen on a Sunday. But from now on, the transfer includes the obligation of the faithful to assist at Mass. The Roman Catholic Church in the United States is dedicated to the patronage of Mary under the title of her Immaculate Conception. The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception is therefore the patronal feast of the U.S. Church.

EVENTS & ACTIVITIES

Knights Pancake Breakfast: Join us! The Knights of Columbus are hosting a Pancake Breakfast this Sunday, November 3 from 8:00 - 11:30 am in the MPC. Free will donation accepted.

New Parishioner Cocktail Hour: If you are new to Sacred Heart and have not attended a New Parishioner event in the past, please join us! The Cocktail Hour will be held on Thursday, November 7, from 6:30-8:00 p.m. at the Rectory. Meet Fr. Zarse and other new parishioners with yummy appetizers and drinks. Click here to register.

Couples & Cocktails Kick-off Event: Our NEW Marriage Ministry is here -- Join us on Saturday, November 9 from 7-9 pm in the MPC for a relaxing evening with your spouse! Fr. Zarse will share his vision for marriage in our parish and announce upcoming events. RSVP here by November 6. For childcare assistance, contact Erin Rodriguez.

Family Advent Workshop: Join our Family Advent Workshop on Sunday, November 10, from 3:30–5:00 p.m. in the MPC. Bring the whole family for an afternoon of Advent preparation! Learn to live out the advent season at home. Enjoy yummy treats, story time and fellowship. Click here to register before Nov. 6.

Advent Mini Retreat: Join us for a half-day Advent retreat on Saturday, November 16, from 8 am - Noon in Meeting Rooms 1 & 2. Optional small group meeting on Saturday mornings during Advent! See registration link for more details. Cost is $8.25 if you register before Nov. 6.

Vaughn Trent Christmas Baskets: Sacred Heart has been given the opportunity to serve the Vaughn Trent Community Center by providing food for 200 Christmas Dinner Baskets so families in need can prepare a Christmas dinner. Click here to donate food items and bring back to Sacred Heart by November 9-10.

Prayer Partners for RCIA: We are in need of a few more prayer partners for our wonderful friends who are joining the Church through RCIA. Click here to sign up to pray and help with writing notes on a few specific dates. See link for details.

St. Mary's Food Kitchen: Our next opportunity to feed the hungry is on Tuesday, November 12. Please click here to donate a food item or sign up to volunteer on that day.

Angel Tree: Our 26th Annual Angel Tree starts this weekend! Angel Tree pulls together hundreds of gifts for local community members and families in need! Gift lists are mostly virtual here, but we do have a small amount of tags available on the trees in the Narthex for those without computer access. Envelopes are also available for monetary donation. See link or tag for instructions. Return wrapped gifts to Sacred Heart the weekends of Nov. 30 and Dec. 8.

Mrs. Rockers talked to all the students about this volunteer award. These forms are in the documents menu in the miscellaneous file or here is a link to the forms:

St. Benedict Rosary Prayer Group will meet on the little playground at 3:06 each Wednesday to pray The Rosary (or at least part of it) for SHOJ school. All are welcome, even littles can come play while you pray. Please join us.

Email: kathy.rhodes@shoj.org
Website: school.SHOJ.com
Location: 21801 Johnson Drive, Shawnee, KS, USA
Phone: 9134225520
Facebook: facebook.com/SacredHeartCatholicSchool