Empowering Grandparents in Sharing the Gift of Faith Parish - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Empowering Grandparents in Sharing the Gift of Faith

Parish Ministry Conference - Oct. 20, 2018 Mary Kay Boase, Holy Family Parish Whitby Racquel Sevilla, Office of Formation for Discipleship

Prayer for Grandparents (1/2)

Lord Jesus, you were born of the Virgin Mary, the daughter of Saints Joachim and Anne. Look with love on grandparents the world over. Protect them! They are a source of enrichment for families, for the Church and for all of society. Support them! As they grow older, may they continue to be for their families strong pillars of Gospel faith, guardian of noble domestic ideals, living treasuries of sound religious traditions. Make them teachers of wisdom and courage, that they may pass on to future generations the fruits of their mature human and spiritual experience. Lord Jesus, help families and society to value the presence and roles of grandparents.

Prayer for Grandparents (2/2)

May they never be ignored or excluded, but always encounter respect and love. Help them to live serenely and to feel welcomed in all the years of life which you give them. Mary, Mother of all the living, keep grandparents constantly in your care, accompany them on their earthly pilgrimage, and by your prayers, grant that all families may

• ne day be reunited in our heavenly

homeland, where you await all humanity for the great embrace of life without end. Amen!

• Pope Benedict XVI

Grandparent Vocation

Pope Francis’ Prayer Intentions for Dec. 2017 https://youtu.be/c44wGdqHsUs

Grandparent Vocation

“Grandparents, who have received the blessing to see their children’s children (cf. Ps 128: 6), are entrusted with a great responsibility: to transmit their life experience, their family history, the history of a community, of a people; to share wisdom with simplicity, and the faith itself — the most precious heritage! Happy is the family who have grandparents close by! A grandfather is a father twice over and a grandmother is a mother twice over.”

• Pope Francis’ Address, Meeting of the Pope with the Elderly, Sept. 28, 2014

Snapshot: Grandparents in Canada

• Grandparents are experiencing longer relationships

with their families than ever before.

• As grandparents live in the same household as their

younger generations, they play important roles in child care and family life.

Source: http://vanierinstitute.ca/snapshot-grandparents-canada

Grandparent Roles

• Storyteller – family history and traditions
• Mentor and teacher – guidance, skills & talents
• Nurturer – emotional support & love
• Role model – faith, morality & integrity through their

witness

• Playmate – fun & adventure, mutual interests
• The Catholic Grandparents Handbook, Lorene Hanley Duquin

HOLY FAMIL ILY PARIS ISH

Grand Camp! Family ly! F Fun! F Fait ith!

Holy Family Grand Camp Prayer Grandparents:

I pray that my grandchildren will always know how much God loves them and enjoys hearing them call His name.

Grandchildren:

I pray that my grandparents will always know how much their love taught me about God. Amen.

HOLY FAMILY PARISH - Grand Cam amp! Today’s objectives:

• Outline the planning and ideas for running a

Grand Camp

• Share the experience of Holy Family, Whitby
• Highlight the impact on relationships built

through the camp

• Inspire others to pursue opportunities for

intergenerational experiences of faith at their churches

HOLY FAMILY PARISH - Grand Cam amp! Topics:

• 1. Team – leadership, volunteer, parish,
• 2. Registrations – forms, information, waivers
• 3. Advertising – early, different forms
• 4. Plans – overall, themes, week, daily, equipment, space,

handouts

HOLY FAMILY PARISH - Grand Cam amp!

• 1. The Team
• Core leadership:

passion, availability, complementary skills

• Volunteers:

youth, adults, recruiting, training, specific roles

• Parish:

furniture, cleaning staff, office staff

HOLY FAMILY PARISH - Grand Cam amp!

• 2. Registrations
• Forms:

specific information – allergies, photo waivers

• Multiple platforms:

accessibility, convenience, sign-ups

• Collate information:

spreadsheet, age groups, family groupings, t-shirt sizes

HOLY FAMILY PARISH - Grand Cam amp!

• 3. Advertising
• Early! Repeated! Specific!

families book summer camps early

• In the church:

bulletin, announcements, website, personal invitation

• Outside the church:

parish schools, social media, invitation cards

HOLY FAMILY PARISH - Grand Cam amp!

• 4. Planning
• Themes:
• verall, time of year, local resources
• Weekly plan:

schedule, balance,

• Daily plan:

timing, flow, movement, supplies, equipment, guests

HOLY FAMILY PARISH - Grand Cam amp! …and more things

• Family!

time together, shared activities, invite the parents

• Fun!

ice-breakers, variety, open-ended, safe to enjoy

• Faith!

prayers, preparation for Mass, bible stories

• Follow-up!

The Smartie Box Take turns choosing a smartie from your box, then answer the question according to colour of the smartie. Then eat the smartie! Remember

• ne thing about your grandparent/grandchild that you learned that you

can share in the circle. yellow - an activity you really like to do alone

• range - an activity you really like to do with others

pink - what you like about learning red - favourite holiday/time of year green - favourite place to go blue - what you like to say to God purple - what Jesus teaches you brown - what you wish you could do for someone else

Holy Family Grand Camp - Day 2 words

fam amily ily

farm WindR ndReach each Far arm

God’s crea eation tion animals

flowers

hayrid ride

gentleness so

soil il

kindness ndness hor

• rses

ses cows pigs gs chicken ckens

shee eep bunnies lamb mbs babies Plant nt

Holy Family Grand Camp - Day 5 words

Mary disc discipl iples es Mass

sisters ers memories parents ents

children

Je Jesus us parables passo sover ver celebrat lebrate fa faith th pray ayer er

sacrifices light ht

love ve sho how th thanks broth ther ers relation ionshi hips ps

Writing intercessory prayers for Mass is about asking God to hear our requests, and usually follows a list of prayers for certain things:

We pray for our church leaders ___________________________ _____________________________________________________ We pray for our world leaders ____________________________ _____________________________________________________ We pray for our families _________________________________ _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ We pray for a particular world event/circumstance ____________ _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ We pray for those who are sick / suffering ___________________ _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ We pray for those who have died __________________________ _____________________________________________________ We pray for ___________________________________________ _____________________________________________________

Now choose and circle one of your intentions to share at Mass. Hand your whole sheet in.

Saint Ann, I am an anxious grandparent who worries and prays for my grandchildren. They are confronted with a life full of obstacles, dangers and difficult issues. They are not always aware of them. I beg you to take them under your maternal protection, because you took such good care of your Grandson, Jesus. Together with your husband, Saint Joachim, you taught your daughter, Mary, to

• bserve the Commandments and to love God and neighbor. Now I entrust my

grandchildren to you. How delighted you were when your Grandson Jesus was born! Out of that same love for Him, please extend your protection to my grandchildren. Some are still young while others have grown up and are facing life’s responsibilities. Bless them all. Help them discover the importance of prayer, the beauty of Christian values and love of the Lord! Keep them from danger, harm, temptations, and all obstacles to their true happiness! Good Saint Ann, please keep all grandparents and grandchildren in your loving, motherly care. Amen

We’d like to say thank-you to… • our children and their spouses for providing the joy of the grandchildren who have blessed our home. •

• ur parents who taught us that the role of a parent is to leave a good legacy while a grandparent leaves good memories. • our

grandchildren for the way they make our hearts smile

What can parishes do to assist grandparents?

1

Promote their spiritual and religious growth

2

Develop their faith forming skills

3

Equip them with the knowledge & skills for grandparenting today

• Lifelong Faith Associates, Reimagine Faith Formation Workshop 2 Handout

Ideas & Resources for Parishes

• Pray for grandparents (e.g. Grandparents Day in Sept or the

Feast of St. Joachim and St. Anne on July 26) – USCCB Blessing of Grandparents – Grandparents’ Prayer

• Host a grandparent gathering (e.g. speaker event, retreat)
• Host grandparent-grandchild gatherings that include faith,

fun and family time – GrandCamp (usually week long, day camps) – Seasonal gatherings (e.g. Lent/Easter, Advent/Christmas)

Ideas & Resources for Parishes

• Start a grandparent peer group for prayer, learning and

support – The Catholic Grandparent Ministry – Catholic Grandparents Association – Parish examples (see GEMS#64 and GEMS#65 for more ideas)

• G.R.A.P.E.S. (Grandparents Receiving and Providing

Encouragement and Support)

• Gathering Grandmothers Novena

Ideas & Resources for Parishes

• Establish a Maturing Adults Ministry to support their spiritual

growth & faith development – Contact Sally Amaral from the Office of Formation for Discipleship: samaral@archtoronto.org

• Expand your existing parish activities to involve grandparents

more intentionally (see Reimagine Faith Formation Handout for more ideas) – Sacramental preparation – Add grandparents to age-group programs like service projects, mission trips, summer camps – Prayer involving the whole community

Thank you!

Mary Kay Boase Director of New Evangelization Holy Family Parish Whitby (905) 665-6470 mk.boase@rogers.com Racquel Sevilla

• Assoc. Director, Family Life &

Special Projects Office of Formation for Discipleship Archdiocese of Toronto (416) 934-3400 x 509 rsevilla@archtoronto.org