Office of Marriage & Family Life

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Celebrate the joy of the Easter!

Visit the Archdiocese of Seattle Easter page for ways to celebrate all season.
Celebrate Easter
- May 22, 2022
  6th Sunday of Easter
  
  Our Faith: Different hows. The same what.
  
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  After his resurrection, Jesus prepares the disciples to receive the Holy Spirit and found the Church. This requires them to remain true to what he teaches and learn different ways in how they share it.
  
  During the Council of Jerusalem, discussed in Sunday’s second reading, this meant putting the peace Jesus offers Jews and Gentiles ahead of some long-standing practices. As our Church conducts the Synod process, we trust the Holy Spirit will guide in the same way he guided the Council of Jerusalem.
  
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- Year of the Family: Live the Joy of God's Love
  
  "At times we find it hard to make room for God’s unconditional love in our pastoral activity. We put so many conditions on mercy that we empty it of its concrete meaning and real significance. That is the worst way of watering down the Gospel. It is true, for example, that mercy does not exclude justice and truth, but first and foremost we have to say that mercy is the fullness of justice and the most radiant manifestation of God’s truth. For this reason, we should always consider “inadequate any theological conception which in the end puts in doubt the omnipotence of God and, especially, his mercy."
  
  Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love) #311
  
  In the spirit of the Council of Jerusalem, Pope Francis continually encourages us to focus on the mercy of Jesus even if that calls us to encounter situations where our own loved ones have neglected God’s justice or truth. In these situations, when we communicate the essentials of the faith, including God’s justice and truth, we may not be able to do so using the language, symbols and style we prefer. Nevertheless, we can be confident God’s grace will accompany us when we share his mercy.
  
  Parish Resources Available!
  
  If you are a pastor, parish staff member or volunteer looking for Year of the Family resources for your parish, please visit this link.
- Read
- Talk
- Watch
Read
- Take time to read and reflect on the Scriptures for this Sunday.
  
  Don’t have access to a Bible?
  
  Visit www.usccb.org/bible/readings or download an app such as Laudate or iBreviary to access the Mass readings.
  
  Acts 15:1-2, 22-29
  
  The Holy Spirit does not place burdens on the gentiles.
  
  Psalm 67
  
  May all the peoples praise you!
  
  Revelation 21:10-14, 22-23
  
  I saw no temple in the city.
  
  John14:23-29
  
  The Holy Spirit will teach you everything.
Talk
- Share with your child the essentials:
  
  Ask your child about things they like about Church. Let them share whatever may come to mind.
  
  Ask your child which of those things might be things that always have been part of the faith and which might be something that could come and go. See if your child can notice the consistency of things like God’s love for us, the 10 Commandments, the need for mercy in the faith. See also if they recognize that some things might be more changeable.
  
  Let your child know that WHAT the faith teaches is consistent. Here it’s a good idea to make sure your child knows that on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24) Jesus taught the disciples from the beginning that the scriptures promised his arrival. We want them to know that WHAT God says to us always remains consistent and loving.
  
  Encourage your child to be open to changes in HOW we share the faith. Let you child know that HOW we communicate WHAT God says to us can change. We may celebrate the Mass in one parish or another, but it’s the same Mass. We might use different songs or even different languages when we pray, but WHAT we pray remains the same. Being Catholic means that in many different places around the world, we all are doing what Jesus asked us to do.
Watch
- Resources Free Resources for Family Prayer
- Prayer Praying Together as a Family
- Mass Going to Mass as a Family
- Coronavirus, anxiety and children
  
  Buiding Family Bonds during the Coronavirus
  A collection of resources to help families build stronger bonds in spite of the challenges of the COVID-19 outbreak.
  
  Coronavirus, Anxiety, Children and the Church
  A helpful guide for parents who wish to talk to children about COVID-19 in an empowering and reassuring way.
  
  Explaining the News to Our Kids
  This article provides parents with guidance on how to talk with our children when there are disturbing things in the news.
- Caring for those who are alone
  
  The Office of Pastoral Ministries offers excellent resources that can help us care for those among us who are lonely or suffering from anxiety during this time.
  
  Want to call someone in need, but not sure what to say? Click here for a guide (available in English and Spanish).
  
  Want to pray for someone who is experiencing anxiety? Click this link to find text for prayers that can help (available in English and Spanish).
- Domestic violence during the pandemic
  
  Domestic Violence is an all too real part of the lives of many families. Parish leaders can and should play a role in protecting those at risk. Below are some resources that can help us begin to respond:
  
  Archdiocese of Seattle Domestic Violence Resources
  
  When I Call for Help: A Pastoral Response to Domestic Violence by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops