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The Domestic Church

- "It is here that the father of the family, the mother, children, and all members of the family exercise the priesthood of the baptized in a privileged way "by the reception of the sacraments, prayer and thanksgiving, the witness of a holy life, and self-denial and active charity." Thus the home is the first school of Christian life and "a school for human enrichment." Here one learns endurance and the joy of work, fraternal love, generous - even repeated - forgiveness, and above all divine worship in prayer and the offering of one's life."
  Catechism of the Catholic Church 1657
- HOW YOU CAN CELEBRATE THE LITURGICAL YEAR AT HOME
  Set up a prayer space in your home. This space can be a table set aside in the corner of your main living space or it can be the center of your dinner table. Decorate the space with colors and images of the season or holy day. Gather around the family prayer space and read, act and discuss the “Family Activities” published on the CCE page in the parish bulletin each week. On feast days or special liturgical seasons, decorate the table with images and colors of the holy day.
  
  JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEPT | OCT | NOV | DEC
  
  * denotes a Holy Day of Obligation
  SPECIAL DAYS TO OBSERVE AT HOME
  
  December 6: Feast Day of St. Nicholas
  One custom, especially in the Eastern Church, includes children placing their shoes outsite their door the night before. In the morning they find that St. Nicholas has left them goodies such as candy, chocolate coins and oranges.
  On St. Nicholas's Feast Day, it is also customary to serve Speculaas cookies, a spicy Dutch cookie, cut into shapes relevant to the life of St. Nicholas (coins, mitres, ships, balls, money bags), and painted with colorful icing:
  Speculaas Cookies (makes 3 dozen depending on size)
  
  Cookie:
  1 Cup (2 sticks) sweet butter, at room temperature
  2 cups dark brown sugar
  2 eggs
  Grated rind of 1 lemon
  2 teaspoons cinnamon
  1 teaspoon ground nutmeg or mace
  1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
  1/8 teaspoon cardamom
  1/8 teaspoon salt
  4 cups flour
  1 teaspoon baking powder
  
  Icing:
  Powdered sugar
  Water
  Lemon juice
  A little beaten egg white for consistency, if desired
  Food coloring
  
  In a large bowl, cream the butter with the sugar until fluffy. Stir in the eggs one at a time, blending thoroughly after each addition. Stir in the lemon rind. Sift the spices and salt with the flour and baking powder, and stir gradually into the butter mixture. Wrap in waxed paper or plastic wrap and chill for several hours or overnight. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to about 1/8 inch, or for larger figures to about 1/4 inch. Cut into shapes (Bishop, Bishop's staff, Bishop's mitre, ship, coins, etc.) and bake at 350 degrees until lightly browned (don't overbake). When cool, mix together icing ingredients and paint cookies as desired.
  
  December 8: Feast of the Immaculate Conception*
  Around your prayer space, pray the rosary as a family, focusing on the words "full of grace."
  Then read the Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 490 - 493.
  Discuss: What do you think we mean when we say that Mary is "Full of Grace?"
  
  In this Advent season we prepare for the Incarnation of God in Jesus Christ.
  Discuss: What is Mary's role in God's plan for salvation.
  
  December 12: Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe
  CLICK HERE to print a coloring page of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Place it on your family prayer table. Wake up early on Dec. 12 and sing songs to Our Lady of Guadalupe.
  Celebrate with the parish family at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Day festivities Dec. 12. CLICK HERE for more information.
  
  December 30: Feast of the Holy Family
  
  January 1, 2013: The Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God*
  
  January 6: The Epiphany of the Lord
  
  January 13: Feast of the Baptism of the Lord
  Around your family prayer space, read the accounts of Jesus' Baptism in the three synoptic Gospels. (Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:1-11; Luke 3:21-22) Then, play the board game "The Baptism of Jesus" to see how much your learned, courtesy of Catholicmom.com. Click on the following to print the game: GAME BOARD | GAME CARDS |  GAME INSTRUCTIONS
  
  February 2: Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
  
  February 13 - March 30: The Season of Lent
  Visit our Lent Pages for lots of ideas for the home.  CLICK HERE
  
  March 24 - 30: Holy Week & the Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday)
  Visit our Lent Pages for special Triduum activities and family pages lots of ideas for the home.  CLICK HERE
  
  March 31: Easter Sunday
  Visit our Easter Page for lots of ideas for the home.  CLICK HERE
  
  April 7:   Divine Mercy Sunday
  CLICK HERE to print a "Divine Mercy" coloring page. Color the picture with red and blue rays of light and place it on your prayer table. Gather around the table and pray the Divine Mercy Chapletas a family.
  
  April 8: The Announciation of the Lord
  
  May: The Month of Mary
  CLICK HERE to print off a Prayer Bouquet for Mom to give to her on Mother's Day.
  CLICK HERE to print a Prayer Bouquet for Grandma this Mother's Day.
  
  May 9: The Ascension of the Lord*
  CLICK HERE to print a beautiful coloring page depicting the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ.
  
  May 19: Pentecost Sunday
  Did you know that our elder Jewish brothers and sisters also celebrate Pentecost this weekend? The Hebrew name for Pentecost is Shavuot and it celebrates the descent of God's Word at Mount Sinai when the Torah was given to Moses. In commemoriation of this event, Jews spend all night studying Torah, even into the wee hours of the morning. This Pentecost, spend time as a family reading the Bible and talking about where you see the Holy Spirit at work in Scripture and in our Church.
  
  Also, CLICK HERE to print a beautiful coloring page depicting the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
  
  May 26: Feast of the Most Holy Trinity
  CLICK HERE to print a beautiful coloring page with one depiction of the Most Holy Trinity.
  
  June 2:   Corpus Christi (Feast of the Most Holy Body & Blood of Christ)
  CLICK HERE to print a beautiful coloring page depicting Jesus Christ offering us his Body and Blood in the Holy Eucharist.
  
  June 16: Father's Day
  CLICK HERE to print a Prayer Bouquet for Dad to give to him on Father's Day.
  CLICK HERE to print a Prayer Bouquet for Grandpa this Father's Day.
  
  August 15: Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary*
  CLICK HERE to print a beautiful coloring page depicting the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven.
  
  September 27: Priesthood Sunday
  Write a letter or an email to our parish priests thanking them for their Vocation to the Church. You can mail your letter to: Cathedral Centre, 1701 San Jacinto, Houston TX 77002. Or email our priests by clicking on their names below.
  
  October: The Month of the Holy Rosary
  Pray the Rosary at least once a week throughout the month of October. Have each child take turns leading the Rosary, with older children helping younger ones. As a family, discuss and decide for what each Rosary will be offered. Pray a Rosary for a particular person, such as your child's catechist. Or pray a Rosary for a particular cause, such as to end poverty.
  CLICK HERE to print a "How to Pray the Rosary" instruction sheet.
  
  CLICK HERE to print a "Pocket Rosary Booklet". Follow THIS LINK for instructions on how to assemble the booklet.
  
  November 1: All Saints Day*
  Saint Charades:  This activity is a variation on the popular game of charades. Write the name of a different saint on separate index cards. Hand each family member a complete list of the saints. Ask one person at a time to stand in front of the room and choose a card. The family member must then act out the name on the card using only hand motions, while the rest of the family tries to guess the saint. For instance, a person could act out delivering a piece of mail to signify St. Gabriel, the saint of mail carriers. Allow the family members to use the list as a reference. After the correct name is guessed, discuss with your family that saint's role in our faith and in the Church. The goal is to help children to understand the significance of our belief in the "communion of saints".
  
  November 2: All Souls Day
  Research online about Dia de los Muertos. Find a nearby celebration to attend.
  
  Novembe 24: Feast of Christ the King

The Domestic Church

HOW YOU CAN CELEBRATE THE LITURGICAL YEAR AT HOME

SPECIAL DAYS TO OBSERVE AT HOMEDecember 6: Feast Day of St. NicholasOne custom, especially in the Eastern Church, includes children placing their shoes outsite their door the night before. In the morning they find that St. Nicholas has left them goodies such as candy, chocolate coins and oranges.