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Dear families,
One recommendation of mental health experts is to keep a routine during this time of intense social distancing. It's been helpful to my family to follow that advice. We get up early, pray our prayers, eat breakfast, and jump into school and work, as usual (I just have a shorter drive!).
With the nicer weather, the children are spending more time outside. We've enjoyed dinner on the patio. There's been more opportunity for leisurely conversation during meals. After cleaning up, we'll typically go for a walk. In the evening, I'll read to the kids. Sometimes, we'll play a board game (which I inevitably lose, to my children's delight). We'll watch a couple of short but hilarious Dude Perfect or Brave Wilderness Youtube videos (check them out) before family night prayer.
After the kids are in bed, Mom, Dad, and big sister get to enjoy grownup time: a cup of hot tea, some reading, maybe a movie. In other words, we're keeping much of the routine we kept before we ever heard that wretched word, "coronavirus!"
Our current, strange situation has been disorienting, to say the least, and the routine helps us to stay in a good place.
My son's Sensei has continued to instruct his students from the karate dojo using Facebook Live and Youtube. We're so grateful for the opportunity Sensei David is providing for the children, as he makes the best of a difficult situation. Joshua is happy to be able to continue to grow in his skills, using our living room as a temporary dojo. His sensei is providing him with some degree of normalcy.
In the same way, I've been asking myself how we can continue to serve your families while not meeting in person. Although it's become clear that we won't gather in person for the remainder of the academic year, CFF will continue. I believe that we need it more than ever, as so many of us are really leaning into our Catholic Faith during this crisis and need all the spiritual support we can get (I know I do!).
So, for the sake of maintaining consistency, on Tuesdays, I'll send out the CFF Family Connection newsletter, which will contain items of interest for faith formation and spiritual edification and will include links to other resources.
On Fridays, I'll send CFF Children Prepare! These short videos will offer the children a brief exploration of the readings for Sunday Mass. They'll include some discussion starters that your family might like to discuss, perhaps at breakfast or dinner. Discussing the readings ahead of time helps my kids stay focused during the live-streamed Masses. (Note: This week, CFF Children Prepare! will go out earlier due to Good Friday.)
On Wednesday night we're going to attempt our first virtual middle school youth ministry night. We've been doing small groups online, but this will be held on the night we traditionally host EDGE.
We'll also continue to update our OLMC Facebook pages.
You'll find our Holy Week liturgy schedule below, along with a video message to our families from our Holy Father, Pope Francis.
I pray that you have a blessed Holy Week and Easter.
In Christ,
Leighton Drake
Director of Children's Faith Formation / Middle School Ministry“Lay all your cares about the future trustingly in God’s hands, and let yourself be guided by the Lord just like a little child.”
Saint Edith Stein
Sent by Leighton Drake