Saint Aidan Catholic Church - Livonia, MI
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  • Discover
    • Schedule >
      • Holy Week
    • Livestream Masses
    • Lent Fish Dinners
    • Contact
    • Register
    • About >
      • Our Patron Saint
      • Church Tour
      • PRES Plan
    • Groups >
      • Women of St. Aidan
      • Men's Club
      • Men's Prayer Group
      • Young(ish) Adults
    • Links
  • Grow
    • March Enrichment
    • Lent '23
    • Families
    • Blog
    • Bible Studies >
      • Exodus
    • Sacrament Prep >
      • Reconciliation & Holy Communion
      • Confirmation
    • Young(ish) Adults
    • Youth Ministry
    • Ongoing Enrichment >
      • Online Studies
      • Sacraments
      • Faith Basics
      • Library Database
    • Children's Liturgy of the Word
    • Become Catholic
    • VBS
  • Service
    • Assistance
    • Pray
    • Vocations
    • Volunteer
  • Give
    • Electronic Donations
    • CSA
    • Endowment

St. Aidan on the Cutting Edge of Faith Formation

7/25/2018

 
The Archbishop’s Pastoral letter “Unleash the Gospel” identified the need to “empower parents to be the primary witnesses of the faith to their children.”  Many Catholic parents ended their faith formation in 8th grade.  Besides a refresher course on Baptism and participation and the liturgy, the typical parent responsible for a raising a newborn child Catholic today, has very little to work with.  Before the letter had made it to the print shop, St. Aidan had already started changing its approach to Faith Formation.
​
If you don’t have a little one, you may not understand the bold change that took place last year.  We went from weekly catechism classes that were often poorly attended to a monthly gathering that includes the whole family.  On the second Sunday, families fill the 9:30 Mass, and then move to the activity center for a continental breakfast together, where they can talk to other parishioners.  Then, the students go off by grade level with a catechist while the parents are treated to a session that empowers them to be witness to their children.  The families are sent with projects to work on together during the next month.  Instead of 24 mediocre sessions, we now have 9 home runs every year.  It was exciting for all our catechists to see the impact they were making each month.

And now the word has spread.  We have families from other parishes not only making inquiries but registering!  Parishes, not just in the Archdiocese, but all over the country are asking how we do it.  Our own families are reaching out to those who initially did not like the idea of change and encouraging them to come on board this year.  Parents are talking to peers about their faith developing at St. Aidan.

I say all this not to pat our team on their backs, but for two reasons.  One, to thank Fr. Kevin and our community for supporting the idea and generously funding the endeavor.  Also, as a reminder that each of us should be sharing this cutting-edge approach whenever we hear complaints of lackluster formation or identify a Catholic parent who stopped their child’s formation after Baptism.  We have one year under our belts and worked to improve every step.  Year two of this approach is only going to get better.  Led by the Holy Spirit, both the Archbishop’s letter and St. Aidan’s Family Formation are going to make a difference and empower our parents to be witnesses.

Paul Pyrkosz

Jesus - The Bread of Life

7/25/2018

 
On the Sundays throughout this year B in our liturgical cycle, we have been hearing the Gospel according to St. Mark. Today, and for the next four Sundays, however, we will hear sections from the sixth chapter of John’s Gospel drawing us into the image of Jesus as the Bread of Life. In the first three Sundays of this Bread of Life discourse of St. John, we see how God sent Bread (Jesus) from heaven. We are to believe and that is how we are led to eternal life. The Old Testament Readings of these three Sundays are miracle stories of being fed from heaven, and the Responsorial Psalms call us to bless the Lord for the wonderful ways in which we are fed by God.
Today, this Seventeenth Sunday of Ordinary Time, both the Old Testament reading from the second Book of Kings and the Gospel of John, are about a multiplication of loaves to feed the people—with plenty left over! The Responsorial Psalm today is: “The hand of Lord feeds us; He answers all our needs.” Listen closely to the verses of this Psalm about God’s great generosity!
In the Gospel today we hear the familiar story of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes and how all who come to Jesus are fed. This miracle took place during the Passover (the liberation of the Exodus), and the Feast of the Unleavened Bread—all of which adds another element of mystery in the miracle story of the sharing of the bread with Jesus. When we are present and join in the Eucharist at Mass, we share the many mysteries of this history, and in the Paschal mystery itself.
The loaves and fish were multiplied by the incredible miracle of the sharing of the people—overcoming our natural human, fearful and selfish tendencies—all present acted in love. Many times in our seasons and cycles I have witnessed this love of Community working together here at St. Aidan—it is the multiplication of talent, generosity and love!
St. Paul reminds us today to “live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love…” We are to be fed the Bread of Life and then transformed in our joining together at the table of the Eucharist. This is food for our journey in life. This is the nourishment for endurance and for change—in order to be what we profess to be: disciples and believers in Christ. 
Every Sunday We Remember how he loved us to His death, and we know Him in The Breaking of the Bread. We Are Called and we sing the Song of the Body of Christ together. We Come in Joy to Meet the Lord, and We Gather Together at the Table of Plenty to Taste and See His goodness. We Come and Eat This Bread, knowing, Lord, that You Satisfy the Hungry Heart. So Take and Eat, and Look Beyond the obvious. Behold the Lamb of God who Now in This Banquet gives us Life-Giving Bread, Saving Cup. Make of Your Hands a Throne to Receive the Living God. He makes of us One Bread, One Body. He is The Bread of Life, Bread for the World and Our Blessing Cup. Keep singing!

Elizabeth Dyc

    Authors

    David J. Conrad, M.A. Theology. Our Director of Faith Formation.

    Paul Pyrkosz. Our Youth Minister & Bookkeeper.

    ​Elizabeth Dyc. Our Director of Music Ministry.

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St. Aidan Catholic Church
17500 Farmington Rd. 
Livonia, MI 48152
Phone: 734-425-5950
office@saintaidanlivonia.org

Weekend Mass Schedule
Saturday Vigil: 5:00 p.m.
Sunday: 7:30, 9:30, 11:30 a.m.

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