Liturgy and the Catholic Church

February 12



Last week we learned about the Liturgy of the Eucharist. We learned that that the Liturgy of the Eucharist is the second part of Mass. The most important part of the Liturgy of the Eucharist is the Eucharistic Blessing. When the priest says the Eucharistic Blessing, the bread and wine are transformed into Jesus' body and blood.

After reading the chapter, we wrote prayers for people in our lives.

Dear Lord, we ask for your prayers today:



L-Thank you for my blanket pasa. Thank you for my grama and grampa's pet dog Jake. Thank you for my mom.
M-Thank you Jesus for my cusins and the homeless and my four xstra Gramas and Grampas.
K-Thank you Jesus. Thank you for food. Thank you for are money. Thank you for are school. Thank you fanily. Thank you for are Love. Thank you.
M-Homeles people. My skateboards. My friends. My Master.

D-Pray for animals, homeless people, famils, friends.

M-Pray for Jesus Christ. I will pray that homeless people will soon have a home.

J-Homelis people. Def people. Blind people.

A-I pray for the poor and homelese. And I pray for the people that pick up the litter.
C-I pray for the poor. I pray for the people that pick up the litter. I pray for the people that are in the armey.

R-I pray for the poor. I pray for the army. I pray for my grandma that shy lives longer.
S-I pray for the poor. I pray for my bruther. I pray for the arnmet.

G-My God could you take away my sins. Will you forgive me what I have done wrong. God help all of the people who are indaerger. I want you to take care of the people.

S-Forgive our sins from today. Help my mom to come. Help my sister to feel better.
E-My Grama. My dog. My family. Peple on the street.

B-My frog died, good weather, my gramma, my great grandma, me.
M-I am praying for the army men and women to be safe. And I am praying for my moms paceints.

N-That freddy has a good time in heaven. for the homeless to have gomes. for the animals to have shelter. for the soliders in afganistahn for Lulu to have a good time in heaven.

A-My dads arm to heal. My mom to feel better. My sister to not get frustrated in homework. My other sister to have a good life. Poor people that need food sheleter. Animals for food, shelter and homes with good famlys.

B-Thank you god for food. Thank you god for clots. Thank you god for shelter. Pray for the need. And sick. Thank god for us to be safe.

O-Thank you for all of the food. Thank you for the shletr pray for the need and sick. Thank you for keeping us safe in the storm. Thank you for the clothes.
N-Thank you god for on food. Tank you god for shelter. Pray for heel Daddy sick.

M-Thank you for food. Thank you God for shelter. Thank you God for cloths. Pray for the need. Pray for people how are sick. Thank you for keeping us safe in the storm.

?-A-My dad, mom, thoms, mary, God, Tom, Bill, Samsam, my dog, miss sefunee.

?-Forgive my famly. People how are haveing babeis.

After we wrote our prayers, Ms. Rosi came to talk to us about Liturgy. We helped set up a table like the altar and we learned the imporance of all the people involved in Liturgy.

February 19

Fr. John came to talk to us about being a priest. We had LOTS of questions for him and he spent a lot of time answering our questions and explaining lots of things to us!

Q: Does it take a lot of practice to be a priest?

A: I practice all the time. I went to the seminary and learned what to do. The seminary is a school for people learning to be a priest.

Q: How do you become a priest?

A: When I was young I didn't think about being a priest. My dad had a mold shop and I thought about being a mold maker. I started working in the parish office to earn extra money. I got to know the priest by working in the office. I saw priests experience all important times in life such as funerals and weddings. After high school, I went to the seminary. Then attend Mundelein Seminary for four more years. It take 4 years of college and 4 years in seminary. I was ordained in 1991. I studied a lot! I felt like God called me.

Q: How old are you?

A: 45

Q: Did you go to church when you were little?

A: Every Sunday

Q: Do you have kids?

A: Priests cannot have kids because priests make a promise not to get married.

Q: Why can't you get married?

A: In the Bible, the apostles wives were not mentioned. Jesus talked about dedicating your life to God. Priests give up marriage to focus on the church.

Q: When you retire can you have kids?

A: If you stay a priest, you cannot ever get married or have kids.

Q: What was your first day of being a priest like?

A: Very long and tiring. It was my ordination day. I woke up early, went to Holy Name Cathedral, the ordination was 2.5 hours long. It went by fast for me. We had a really good party afterwards.

Q: Have you ever been to California?

A: Yes. My Grandparents used to live there. And I went on a sabbatical there.

Q: Do you like being a priest

A: Yes. I like celebrating the sacraments. But sometimes it is hard, like running a business.

Q: What's it like?

A: I wake up and exercise. Then I have morning Mass. I go work in the office, meet with people (like couples getting married). On Saturdays I have confession.

Q: How do you get baptised?

A: Water and oil are used. There are special words said. Babies get baptized. But sometimes adults do too.

Q: What are you doing on Presidents Day?

A: When is that?

Q: Do you have a dog?

A: I have been thinking about it. I had a pet parakeet when I was little. My mom was afraid of letting it fly around the house.

Q: Do you read a lot?

A: I love to read.

Q: What's your favorite book?

A: The Shining. I also love Harry Potter.

Q: What do you do for fun?

A: Golf!

Q: Is Holy Spirit the only church you go to?

A: I am the pastor at CHS. I will be for 6 years. Then I could renew for 6 more years. The most is 12. Before this I was at St. Gall's in Chicago for 10 years.

Q: When is your birthday?

A: November 2

Q: Did you have a different job before?

A: I had part-time jobs: bookstore, dad's shop, rectory

Q: Do you get money for being a priest?

A: Yes, I get a paycheck.

Q: Do you go on vacation?

A: I just went to Disney World a couple weeks ago with friends. I have been to Thailand to visit my sister.

Q: Where did you grow up?

A: On the North side of Chicago.

Q: What is your favorite movie?

A: Scary movies

Q: What is your favorite color?

A: Red

Q: What is your favorite animals?

A: I'll have to think about it.

Q: What is your favorite food?

A: Mexican and Italian. But not liver tacos. I had those once!

Q: What is your favorite season?

A: Fall

Q: Do you pray every night?

A: Yes. It is the best time because I have time to reflect on the day. I also have Mass in the morning.

Q: How many siblings do you have?

A: One sister and she and her husband live in Thailand with their son, my only nephew. I miss them.

Q: Where do you live?

A: In a church building. When you go to church, you see the church, the office, and the other building is where I live.

Q: When did you make your First Communion?

A: In 1972. I remember there were a lot of people. I was 7 years old.

Thanks for chatting with us Fr. John!

HW:

-Chapter 23 review

Notes:

-Don't forget that class next week will be at CHS. You will park and bring your child inside the worship space to find our class. Then please be back by 10:55 to pick up your child (park and meet us back in the same spot in the worship space). We will be doing the stations of the cross and taking a church tour.

-March 5 we will be "taste testing" the bread and the wine in class. If your child is unable to make it, please call the Religious Ed office to make an appointment for your child to try it.

-First Eucharist and First Communion books are due (completed) on April 2nd at our last class. Please make sure they have your child's name inside and bring them to the last class.