In this episode: swim season ends, house has granite, cultured marble, homeschooling tip, Susan Bauer, SQPN Catholic New Media Celebration, parenting tip, send us feedback for our 100th episode, feedback from Pat and Deacon Ron. Final Song: Stingray: Last Night, from the Podsafe Music Network
Call our comment line at 206-339-8993 or email us [a.t.] catholicfamilypodcast.com
In this episode: Allyson and David talk about the dedication of the Grotto at Christ Our Light, Nibbling Catholics, and a lengthy discussion of morals vs. religious beliefs. Final Song: Jessica Smith-Wright: Overcomer from the Podsafe Music Network.
David and Allyson cut this episode short with a promise to finish their discussions on nibbling Catholics and Morals vs. Religious Beliefs tomorrow. In this episode, Grace Before Meals, Catholic New Media Celebration, St. Ignatius of Antioch Podcast, Homeschool Concert.
Catholic Family Chaplain
Hello and blessings! By the time you read this, your Catholic Family deacon will be on the road to re-creation. That’s what the Servant of God Catherine Doherty called summer vacation: re-creation… a time to re-create ourselves through time away from the work-a-day world that has occupied us for perhaps fifty prior weeks or more. Catherine is the foundress of Madonna House – an apostolate of men, women and priests in northern Canada and around the world. Catherine wrote that ‘doing things together makes us know and love each other more. (Vacation) joy binds us, and laughter cements our relations.’
Interested in a unique and almost no-cost summer vacation idea? Would you and your family be interested in a way to bring Christ and his Mother along on your family vacation? No less than Pope Pius XII was the inspiration for the Madonna House founding of Cana Colony – a (virtually) free summer vacation in a rural wooded lakeside setting in Canada. Each family is assigned a simple cabin. Other vacationing families are nearby. Although in separate cabins, the week throws families of different backgrounds together and great friendships are made. The presence of a priest adds tremendously to the graces of the week through the Eucharist and Sacraments as well as the discussions on the practical application of the Gospel to their family life.’ If this sounds ‘too churchy’ – be assured there’s plenty of free time for swimming, hiking, games and cookouts.
The summer weeks that this free program is offered usually book up quickly and it may well be too late for this year. But if it sounds interesting or you’d like more information, you can go to the Madonna House website which is at www.madonnahouse.org/programs/cana.html
As a sidenote: If you don’t have a family and would like a wonderful and inspiring vacation alternative – consider a week or two of a working retreat at Madonna House in Canada. My wife did this once and it is a holy, inspiring and fun way to spend time with the loving folks of this great community. Okay – on to other thoughts….
If you were to poll our four kids about summer vacations – they would likely tell you about their favorites from our early family years. Perhaps it was the houseboat rental on a clear lake in the Ozarks? Perhaps the time we rented a lakeside cabin and a fish pulled an unattended fishing pole into the lake? We families need these vacation times – and God will help give us the graces to enjoy these times… We need to remember to take Him along.
Now I would guess that this will seem completely unrelated – but if possible, I’d like to propose that you consider some way to let the grandchildren – your kids spend time with their grandparents this summer. There is a special magic form of re-creation that happens when young ones are able to spend a week or more (alone) with their grandparents.
Carey – a seven year old puts it this way: “Grandparents are real happy to see kids because they don’t see them all the time…. Parents are different. They see their kids all the time.” (Isn’t that the sad truth?) And six year old Mandy says “Some of the best people I ever met are grandparents.” And Luther, her older brother said, “Grandparents make you feel good and they never, ever laugh at you.”
An aging Victor Hugo once said, “winter is on my head, but spring is in my heart.” The grandkids get a chance to meet and learn about a new and different form of being young-at-heart… they get a glimpse of what is important to an earlier generation. Grandkids learn about not going to the supermarket without the coupons… and getting to the restaurant so you’re in time for the ‘early-bird’ specials…
Grandkids get to help make cookies and muffins or clean the garage. They learn to not take the last hot dog on the dinner table without asking if someone else would like it. Grandkids learn about the love of a God-like figure who loves with no reservations… no holding back.
Over this summer, as we journey to a New Mexico wedding, Missouri, (Franciscan University in Steubenville Ohio and Pennsylvania, we will be in prayer for you. May God re-create you and your family.
Deacon Tom.
Here’s part 2 of the Sweeney House video. We’re in the homestretch and will probably be done by the end of June.
Feedback: us [at] catholicfamilypodcast.com Comments: 206-339-8993
In this episode: challenges, end of the school year, house update, funny sayings, Hannah’s three wishes, David’s retreat, needs vs. wants, sequence, Mail Bag: Deacon Tom, Britt, Mary.
Links in this episode:
Deacon Tom’s article with our picture in it
Sex in the Sacrament Podcast
Catholic Family Kids Episode #10
Final Song: Davis Coen - Since I Laid My Burden Down from the Podsafe Music
Visit our Website, Subscribe to our Podcast, call our comment line at 206-339-8993, email us [at] catholicfamilypodcast.com
KFC CHICKEN ‘FIX’ AND FATHERING AND FAMILY
“So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” (Luke, Chapter 15, Verse 20)
Hello dear family and friends. Blessings from the ‘deke.’ That’s what one of my RCIA Adult Faith Class students used to call me: ‘deke!’ Her last name is Sweeney by the way – but she’s not related to the Sweeney’s of Catholic Family Podcast fame. At any rate – thanks for taking the time to read or skim this unusual sounding deacon’s column. What in the world do KFC Chicken and fathering have to do with one another? Here goes.
We have just returned from a trip to the majesty and beauty of Colorado – our old stomping grounds. Thanks be to God, we sold our home back there… a truly bittersweet experience. On our return trip through the southwest, we stopped for a meal at KFC. Now I don’t often eat this food – it probably is not good for me. But like a junkie – I need a KFC ‘fix’ about two times a year. Our drive brought us to Cortez, Colorado, and on the outskirts of town, we stopped for an evening meal.
A very large family gathering came in just after us – maybe upwards of fifteen folks. They ordered buckets of chicken and sides and drinks. A father and his son happened to sit in the booth directly behind my back – so I couldn’t help hearing parts of their conversation.
At one point, the dad said to his young boy something like this, “You like the taste of that soft drink – but what you really need to do is drink lots of water. Young children need lots of water… water helps your roots so you can grow up to be tall and strong like a tree.” Wisdom of the ages – passed from a father. Okay – so we may discuss or quibble about whether they should be eating KFC fried foods or drinking pop at all. But the point that came to me was that simple wisdom of father mentoring a son. I wasn’t close enough to hear much of any conversation of the women as they sat with young girls – but I’d bet there was the wisdom of the ages happening over there at those tables. Ever since I started listening to Catholic Family Podcast – I recognized a wholesome family dynamic at work. In David, there is the example of God the Father. The father loves and cares and leads. The young ones are raised in a setting that demonstrates what fatherhood really means. They will come to understand the love of a father even when dad has to say, “Luke – I love you… I don’t like what you did at all, but I love you.” And Luke Sweeney (or others raised in this model) will then come to understand that the Father may even have to mete out punishment for an improper action… Luke will come to understand consequences. Luke will come to understand growth. Look back at the recent podcast about how Luke was given guidance about taking small steps to become a man. The quote I placed at the beginning of this column is from another Luke – the Gospel writer who brought us so many examples of the love of a father… a love that helps to make a family into a unit of love and common vision. Now if we who know this – if we who intuit that this is true – if we could apply this model to all of our thinking… we wouldn’t have any fussing about the importance of the (male) shepherd in our parish as the father of the local flock. We’d also be able to see the importance of the bishop as the father of the ‘local church.’ And for sure, we’d be wise enough to see the beauty of Papa Benedict who recently brought such joy to we who understand that the Catholic Church is the ‘family of God’ and that B XVI is the earthly head of the family. None of this means an end to the importance of women in the family unit. Not at all. This eleventh of May will bring us Mother’s Day – God bless you dear mothers. The earthly Mother of Jesus must have touched the heart of the Gospel writer Luke. He is the only one who came to Mary and asked her for stories of the birth of her son and of the early years in that family. We know – we honor you mothers. But let us recognize and affirm the importance of fathering to the family according to God’s plans. June 15th will bring us Father’s Day. For Father’s Day – dads be at home. Be attentive. Be caring and loving. And help your offspring to understand the importance of water… the gift on earth of water… and the gift of eternal water – the water promised by Jesus. Blessings.Deacon Tom @ www.deacontomonline.com
In this episode, David and Allyson interview Tarek Saab on his views of family life, marriage, and the most important thing young people contemplating marriage should know.
Visit Tarek Saab’s website at http://tsaab.com
Buy Tarek’s book, Gut Check: Confronting love, work & manhood in your TWENTIES at http://buygutcheck.com/
In this episode: Allyson’s reunion, great gifts, Luke grows up (a little), Mailbag: Sam, Ozguru, Naomi, Pat. Don’t miss Catholic Family Kids Episode #9
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