St. Patrick Religious Education Family Update
10-24-2017
Wed, Oct 25 -Eucharistic Adoration for All students.
Parents are welcome to join us for the evening. Optional CAFE after Adoration!
OVERVIEW OF THE EVENING:

  • Fr. Adrian will lead us in Eucharistic Adoration for the first 30 minutes or so of class
  • (at 4:30 and 6:30pm). (If you have never been or you want to explain it to your child(ren) -See explanation of Eucharist Adoration below)
  • Because next week is All Saints Day - A Holy Day of Obligation, we will be talking about Saints tonight! After Adoration, most classes will watch a Brother Francis Video on Saints, if there is time, they will talk about choosing a Patron Saint in their classes. -(Information on Saints and Patron Saints below)
  • If there is time, there will also be an OPTIONAL - CAFE night for parents during 4:30 or 6:30 session on why we Honor Mary and the Saints and we will talk about Patron Saints if there is time.
  • The parents of children in the 2nd year of RCIA adapted for children will also have class from 5:30-6:30, as normal!
REMINDER: Next Wednesday, November 1st is ALL SAINTS DAY.
There will be no CLASSES, however it is a Holy Day of Obligation.
We will have mass at St. Patrick at 8:30am and 6:00pm.
Saints - Our Heavenly Friends
We are all called to be Holy and be Saints! (Right now, we are Saints in the Making!)
In fact, if we want to go to heaven for all eternity, we will be saints! Being Holy can be a challenge today, can't it? One way to learn about overcoming the challenges of life, is to read about the Saints. Ask for their intercession (They are cheering you on!)
They were real people like you and me, with real struggles and challenges, but they kept their eyes on Jesus and with the Holy Spirit Power, they became Recognized Saints in the Church! This gives us encouragement and strength to keep our eyes on Jesus and follow the path that God has designed for us! Nothing is impossible, with God!

Catholic Saints Info Website - Learning about Saints

Finding more about Saints - So many Saints. You can look at the many Official Church Saints and Blesseds - here - some videos and stories.

Picking a Patron Saint - Patron saints are Christian role models who led lives of heroic virtue. Parents are encouraged to give their children strong names and persons to emulate throughout their lives, because . . . "A good name is more desirable than great riches" (Proverbs 22:1). Many saints are named the patrons of certain causes. For example, St. Joseph is the patron of workers, and St. Maria Goretti is the patron saint of purity.

Some of the students will be picking out Patron Saints at class (if there is time). But you can do this as a family!

Check out these sites and pick a Saint that inspires your family to Live a life of Holiness!
EUCHARIST ADORATION
" DURING A HOLY HOUR we grow more and more into His likeness ." Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen.
What is Eucharistic Adoration?
Eucharistic Adoration is when we spend time in prayer with Jesus in teh form of the Blessed Sacrament. You can pray in any Catholic Church or Chapel for a short amount of time or a long amount of time. Jesus could be in a Tabernacle or a Monstrance while we are praying.
What is the Blessed Sacrament?
Once a host has been Consecrated at Mass, we call it the Blessed Sacrament, or the Eucharist, or a Sacred Host, because it is no longer bread but is Jesus' Body.
What is a Holy Hour?
A Holy Hour is when we spend a set amount of time (like an hour) in Eucharistic Adoration where a priest has Exposed the Blessed Sacrament and we pray together with other people. A Holy Hour will often begin with Exposition and ends with Benediction.
What is Exposition?
Exposition is when a priest starts a Holy Hour by taking the Host out of the Tabernacle and placing it in the Monstrance. We call this exposing the Eucharist. We usually sing the song O Saving Victim during Exposition.
What is Benediction?
Benediction is when we close a Holy Hour with Special prayers. The word Benediction means blessing, and we are blessed with the Eucharist by the priest. We usually sing the song Down in Adoration Falling during Benediction.
What is a Monstrance?
A Monstrance is a special stand that looks like a golden sunburst which holds the Eucharist up high so everyone can see it!
What do you do during Adoration?
  • Sit quietly and look at Jesus, listening to Him.
  • Talk to Jesus in your heart about how you love Him, what you are sorry for, ways you want to thank Him, and for things you and other people need.
  • Pray a Rosary or the Chaplet of Divine Mercy
  • Read a story from the Bible or the life of a Saint.
  • Write or draw a prayer to Jesus
  • Say prayers that you have memorized, like the Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, etc.
  • Sing a song to Jesus
  • Listen to a Bible story being read out loud
  • Listen to a priest teach or lead the group in prayer.
Bible Verses about Adoration
  • Jesus asks the disciples to pray an hour with Him - Matthew 26:40
  • The Eucharist is Jesus' Body - John 6:35, 53, 57, Matthew 26:26-28, 1 Corinthians 11:27
  • About prayer - Psalm 4:1, Psalm 145:18, Proverbs 15:29, Matthew 7:11, Luke 11,
  • Romans 8:26, Philippians 4:6
Sit. Kneel. Stand?
  • We always kneel during Exposition and Benediction. Kneeling is a way to show honor and devotion to Jesus as King of the Universe.
  • We stand while we sing Holy God We Praise Thy Name at the end of a Holy Hour.
  • If you leave the spot you are sitting during Adoration, you should genuflect on two knees and bow your head instead of genuflecting on your right knee like normal.
  • During the Holy Hour, kneeling is always appropriate, but it is also ok to sit while yu are praying.
" The greatest love story of all time is contained in a tiny white host." - Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen.
St. Patrick
Religious Education
2500 :Limmer Loop, Hutto, Texas
Nancy Longo, DRE
(512)759-3712