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Mackfam
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SusanJ wrote:
What do you all do to mark the different levels of days? Do any of you elevate certain memorials when you have a particular devotion to a saint (I believe religious communities do this?)? Do any of you feast when the church says its a feast day regardless of whether you feel any particular connection to a saint?
Susan
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Susan,
These are excellent questions!!!
I'm posting for JennGM...she's having computer problems and can't get on the boards at all right now. You can imagine how difficult that is when her absolute favorite topic is being discussed!
Jenn and I have been corresponding by email and Jenn very much wanted to link you to a portion of her talk which she gave at the Kansas City homeschool conference in June. She hoped this addressed some of what you were asking, Susan!
Living the Liturgical Year: The Three P's
I know Jenn will be back as soon as she is able to get on the boards. She is receiving the emails from this thread, so she sees your responses.
__________________
Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19 , ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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SusanJ
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Thanks you Jenn and Jennifer for forwarding that talk--that is great food for thought. Since daily tea time is not a good fit for our family right now it's good to consider other ways to mark the liturgical year. We are blessed to be able to get to Daily Mass as a family but the reminder of the celebratory significance of Mass attendance was great.
I especially liked, Jenn, the idea to plan out the year and perhaps pick a theme for celebrating the memorials. Hanging around here you can get the impression that all of you have a craft, a special food, a special story, and a special nature walk for every single saint  Of course I know you don't do all of it but I, too, feel like just celebrating the Solemnities and Feasts of the Church plus our personal important days keeps us quite busy enough.
But to not lose out on the richness of the history of our faith I love the idea of focusing on soldier saints one year, or Marian days one year, or something like that.
One thing we do set up Sunday: Saturday evening I make a nicer dinner and usually dessert. We used to use our nicer china (thanks for the reminder) and a tablecloth. We have a simple "Lord's Day Liturgy" where we read the prologue to John's Gospel and light a candle. Then we read the Epistle and Gospel for Sunday Mass and close with grace. The candle stays burning until we've said Sunday Evening Prayer I and is lit for Morning and Evening Prayer on Sunday as well (we also always light tapers for prayer time). It's been a great way to "start Sunday" and for me making a Sunday dinner on Sunday felt very stressful.
Crying daughter--got to post this for now. But I'd love to hear other ideas for celebrating the various ranks of feasts in your homes.
Susan
__________________
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Life Together
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Matilda
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I really don't want to cause any pain to anyone here but I feel I have to be honest. This topic has caused me much uneasiness these past couple of days, so much so that I haven't been able to visit this beautiful place too much and it pains me to have to admit that. Certainly, there are other contributing factors to my stress and anxiety right now, but this thread has been at the front of my mind and done the most damage to my sense of peace as my role as educator in our domestic church that I wish I hadn't even read it.
While I think there is nothing wrong with asking for help in figuring out how to alter traditions in the home for special circumstances (which in itself has a very simple solution, just move the celebration if it really bothers you), it seems to me that this conversation has become one of binding up burdens for ourselves that the Church does not place on us. I have fretted and worried over whether or not my simple crafts, coloring pages, cookies and treats have only been performing a "multiplicity of acts" that instead of bringing my children closer to the communion of saints resting in the Beatific Vision has really pulled their focus away from the Our Lord and Savior. I can't even begin to describe the guilt and self doubt this discussion has created as to whether or not to continue. Thankfully, I turned to my husband who, as the head of this domestic church, put his foot down and made those decisions for me and I am obediently fulfilling his wishes although I admit there are times when my mind wanders to the dangerous "but what if it's not the RIGHT way" avenue. That's a part of my brain that I can't be allowed to wander in anyway.
After discussing it with him and some wise confidantes, I feel compelled to mention a few things:
The specifics of this conversation at times have sounded to me dangerously close to an Orthodox perspective of faith. They believe that the Liturgy is the end all and be all of their faith. There is nothing else, only the Liturgy. A knowledgeable friend reminded me that in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, there are four parts focusing on Liturgy, Morality, Theology and Prayer. Celebrating the lives of the saints is a form of intercessory prayer. It is a way to draw our children closer to Our Lord and the Church Triumphant right now; the milk that St. Paul refers to because they are not ready for the meat.
I'm not comfortable making a decision based on "what would the saint want or do" because it seems kind of presumptuous. I don't really know what St. Nicholas or St. Lucy would want. St. Charles of Borromeo said that even if Christ were at hand, he would continue with his game of chess "for that he had begun it for the glory of God, and should continue it for the same end". Celebrating the saints with my children is done for the glory of God, not the glory of the saint, so why shouldn't we continue with it after we have celebrated Mass or even before? I mean, we are going to be eating breakfast anyway on the 13th, why can't it be cinnamon rolls in bed?
When the Church talks about the primacy of feast days, she is speaking liturgically, not culturally. The Church obviously sets the liturgical calendar and its season but leaves a lot of room and respect for local customs and celebrations so long as they are in keeping with the liturgical season and not contrary to Christian sentiment. It would be inappropriate for the priest to read the collect of St. Nicholas's day on a Sunday, but only if you ascribe to the Orthodox idea of Liturgy or the strict early Protestant notion of doing nothing on the Sabbath does it mean that all else must cease.
If this in not a moral issue, why are we discussing it outside of the context of offering suggestions for solutions to one person's original question? It's not a sin if we celebrate the saint on a Sunday and it's not a sin if we don't provided we have fulfilled our Sunday obligation?
I am writing here only to make you aware of how this discussion might be interpreted not just by someone who isn't coming from the same perspective as all of you but as someone who IS. Someone who has called you all friends and sisters in Christ and truly loves and respects everyone here even if we don't always agree on every minor issue or find ourselves fascinated with the same intellectual pursuits all the time.
With a heavy heart...
__________________
Charlotte (Matilda)
Mom to four (11 , 10, 9 & 5 ) an even split for now
with bookend boys and a double girl sandwich
Waltzing Matilda
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JodieLyn
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Charlotte, I think there is often a mis-reading of tone with topics that some feel very strongly and state their position very strongly. It's not that they are saying anything else is actually wrong, just that they are very sure of what they are doing and why. I think this is why some topics tend to go "bad" quickly. Such as breastfeeding your baby or cloth diapers vs disposable or staying at home or homeschooling even.
Surely you've had someone get upset or feel condemned because you stated your position so positively. Even if you say.. "homeschooling is so much better for our family because.." it's very possible that someone will feel like that means you're condemning them for a different choice. I see it happen all the time.
And it just happens that this thread was very positive toward ideas to move other celebrations off of a Sunday. It wasn't to condemn any other practises.
I do know how it can feel to get caught up in the compelling words of others and start to panic that I must be doing something wrong or to start feeling comdemned for that choice. It's not fun, you're right. But in the end it's usually about *me* and not that the other person really said anything that actually meant how I took it. Usually, stepping back until my feelings aren't ruffled will allow me to look at the posts and assume the best intentions of the others and see that it was my perception all the time.
This is what my earlier post was about when I said I had mistaken the thread.. that those involved didn't want discussion on whether to use Sundays or not but rather ideas on how and when to move some things off of Sundays.
I'm really sorry that you're feeling hurt and confused by this thread.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
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Matilda
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One of the reasons I read this thread was because I thought the original discussion was about problem solving. The conversation very quickly morphed into what felt like a lesson in disobedience to the Church in choosing to celebrate saints on their feast day when the day falls on a Sunday. Perhaps you are correct, and it is only my personal sensitivity (and that of the other women who have PM'ed me with similar feelings of depression and discouragement) but I tend to get sensitive when I feel as though someone is telling me I haven't been celebrating the Liturgical Year the right way. Maybe there are only a handful of us who do and I guess I should apologize for my participation in this thread on that account.
My only hope in posting my thoughts was to enlighten the participants of this discussion to the discouragement that it was inspiring. Since this is a place that seeks to encourage moms and families and since we all are striving to follow the teachings of the True Church and lead our families along that path, I thought it might be appreciated on some level.
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Charlotte (Matilda)
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MicheleQ
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Quote:
The specifics of this conversation at times have sounded to me dangerously close to an Orthodox perspective of faith. They believe that the Liturgy is the end all and be all of their faith. There is nothing else, only the Liturgy. A knowledgeable friend reminded me that in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, there are four parts focusing on Liturgy, Morality, Theology and Prayer. Celebrating the lives of the saints is a form of intercessory prayer. It is a way to draw our children closer to Our Lord and the Church Triumphant right now; the milk that St. Paul refers to because they are not ready for the meat.
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I don't have a lot of time to post as I am in the midst of preparing for a welcome home party but I do feel the need to address this at least because I find it very puzzling. The liturgy IS the summit of our Faith --that's Church teaching:
Quote:
"For the liturgy, 'through which the work of our redemption is accomplished,' most of all in the divine sacrifice of the Eucharist, is the outstanding means whereby the faithful may express in their lives, and manifest to others, the mystery of Christ and the real nature of the true Church." Sacrosanctum Concilium #2
"Nevertheless the liturgy is the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed; at the same time it is the font from which all her power flows. For the aim and object of apostolic works is that all who are made sons of God by faith and baptism should come together to praise God in the midst of His Church, to take part in the sacrifice, and to eat the Lord's supper."
"The liturgy in its turn moves the faithful, filled with 'the paschal sacraments' to be 'one in holiness'; it prays that "they may hold fast in their lives to what they have grasped by their faith"; the renewal in the Eucharist of the covenant between the Lord and man draws the faithful into the compelling love of Christ and sets them on fire. From the liturgy, therefore, and especially from the Eucharist, as from a font, grace is poured forth upon us; and the sanctification of men in Christ and the glorification of God, to which all other activities of the Church are directed as toward their end, is achieved in the most efficacious possible way. Sacrosanctum Concilium #10 |
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I am sorry if something I have written previously upset anyone as it was not meant to. I am constantly learning more about the Church and our Faith and finding myself in need of conversion and personal preference adaptation as I discover even the little ways in which I am often off track.
The liturgical year celebrations are part of that journey for me and I would hope we could all look at it in that sense rather than being upset over what we may perceive others are telling us we are doing wrong.
It is my understanding that one of the reasons (among many) that we are here is to help one another grow in holiness, not make anyone feel bad and that certainly has always been my intention.
Peace,
__________________
Michele Quigley
wife to my prince charming and mom of 10 in Lancaster County, PA USA
http://michelequigley.com
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Matilda
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I don't have time to edit the post above, so I will just apologize for any perceived snarkiness.
My only hope was to inform and maybe suggest that the conversation be focused on solutions instead of discussing perceived Church preferences so as not to discourage others trying to do the best they can.
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Charlotte (Matilda)
Mom to four (11, 10, 9 & 5) an even split for now
with bookend boys and a double girl sandwich
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JodieLyn
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oh yes Charlotte, I did read your post as simple concern for others, that the posts effected you in a negative way and you wanted others to know. And you are right, we have to be careful on BOTH ends.. the "speaking" and "listening". Charity in all things. Assuming the best intentions for everyone. When something can be taken two ways, assuming it's the good way it can be taken.
Online communication is difficult at times. So much of how we percieve the written word is left to our imagination without tone or expression. And emoticons only go so far.
It can be good to bring to another's attention how something might be taken. But we also have a responsibility to take things in the best possible way ourselves.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
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Matilda
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Michelle,
I don't think we are disagreeing here regarding the Liturgy as the summit of our Faith and maybe I wasn't clear in expressing the Orthodox view of their faith since I am not Orthodox and only have a limited experience with Orthodoxy. The notion I am disturbed by is the intimation that all liturgical celebrations culturally and in the home should unite us to the Liturgy to such exclusion that if the Church is not celebrating a feast day liturgically, then neither should we. Which then means that on those occasions that I have chosen to celebrate a feast day on a day other than the appointed liturgical day, I have in some way, disunited myself and my family with the primary focus of our faith and the preferences of the Church. Perhaps I have misinterpreted something.
Isn't choosing to come home from Mass and celebrate St. Nicholas or to eat cinnamon rolls in bed before Mass in honor of St. Lucy a way to hold fast in our lives to what we have grasped by our faith?
__________________
Charlotte (Matilda)
Mom to four (11, 10, 9 & 5) an even split for now
with bookend boys and a double girl sandwich
Waltzing Matilda
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Red Cardigan
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In reading all of this I can't help but be a little confused. Here's why:
In religious orders it's customary to celebrate the order's particular saints. During weekday Masses the optional memorials for the saints of the order will be chosen over other optional memorials, of course. But if a major order saint's feast day falls on a Sunday, the Sunday Mass takes precedence, but the order will go on to celebrate in some way the life and works of the saint in question; one example I found was that of an order of Carmelite nuns celebrating St. Teresa of Avila even though the Sunday Mass had preceded the celebration and, of course, the feast was not liturgically observed.
Are religious orders wrong to do this? It seems to be a long-standing custom in many different religious houses. Why is it different for private celebrations of a saint's life and work in one's home following the Sunday Mass?
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Mackfam
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Matilda wrote:
My only hope was to inform and maybe suggest that the conversation be focused on solutions instead of discussing perceived Church preferences so as not to discourage others trying to do the best they can. |
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Charlotte,
Please don't feel you must apologize or edit! I think you have asked some very good questions.
I need to research this, and I don't want my time away to be misinterpreted in a way that makes you think I might be ignoring your concerns. Please give me some time.
First, I need to say that I am still learning and this is a topic that has prompted great thought. Also, let me say that I love the richness in living the liturgical year and all the beauty and many varied ways that takes. I think we can all say with great confidence that Our Lord on Sunday holds pride of place in our liturgy. The goal in my domestic church is that all the ways we mirror Holy Mother Church point as she does to Christ for His glory. I think that is accomplished in my home when I allow my children to color a beautiful picture you have shared and in so many other ways. I don't think that is in dispute at all!
The question you ask, and that I don't know the answer to is this: Does the universal Sunday liturgy necessarily mean that local and family traditions and customs cannot also take place on a Sunday - things like celebrating a name day, or a beloved celebration of St. Nicholas? That there doesn't seem to be a ready and definitive answer makes me wonder if this is an area that leaves room for prudence - one in which Holy Mother Church offers guidance in terms of ensuring that our attitudes and celebrations are Christ-centered.
I'm so sorry that this conversation has left you feeling hurt and judged - or that it has left others feeling hurt and judged. That was certainly never my intent! This is a good topic though, and one that I want to learn more about, approach with humility and seek with the mind of Christ and the heart of Mary. I think we can do that here - seek to know while assuming the best of all, knowing that we are all trying to be faithful images of God. I'm sorry if I've fallen short of that example!!
Please...let's see if we can work through this topic in charity - assuming the best of one another and allowing room for prudence.
__________________
Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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SusanJ
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I had read this thread with enthusiasm and my understanding was that each family, bearing in mind what the Church has to say on the topic, could decide for themselves how best to observe their own domestic church traditions. For what it's worth my dh, who is a theologian, saw nothing wrong with keeping the Advent feasts in question on Sunday. He also doesn't particular want our family doing anything special for those days so maybe he would feel differently if we had big traditions associated with them. But as someone who teaches courses on the liturgy his knee-jerk reaction to this thread was, "There's nothing wrong with doing your stockings on a Sunday if that's your family tradition."
If found this thread helpful as a reminder that the domestic church celebrations throughout the year can be most meaningful when the focus is on the right place and done perhaps more simply. As an all-or-nothing type it felt overwhelming to me to find a celebration or craft for every saint all year long. I found Jenn's thoughts on the subject sort of liberating and and excellent tool for reflection as my children grow and we decide what to celebrate in our family.
But I can imagine the situation being very different for a family who has been at this for a long time and has lots of practice incorporating a lot of "domestic church" activities throughout the year. The same load of liturgical activities might be rich and wonderful for one family and distracting and burdensome to another.
I think I may have contributed towards taking the thread in an unintended direction and I offer sincere apologies to Charlotte or any lurkers here who may have felt hurt by this thread.
Susan
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Mom to Joseph-8, Margaret-6, William-4, Gregory-2, and new little one due 11/1
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CrunchyMom
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Red Cardigan wrote:
In reading all of this I can't help but be a little confused. Here's why:
In religious orders it's customary to celebrate the order's particular saints. During weekday Masses the optional memorials for the saints of the order will be chosen over other optional memorials, of course. But if a major order saint's feast day falls on a Sunday, the Sunday Mass takes precedence, but the order will go on to celebrate in some way the life and works of the saint in question; one example I found was that of an order of Carmelite nuns celebrating St. Teresa of Avila even though the Sunday Mass had preceded the celebration and, of course, the feast was not liturgically observed.
Are religious orders wrong to do this? It seems to be a long-standing custom in many different religious houses. Why is it different for private celebrations of a saint's life and work in one's home following the Sunday Mass? |
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Would it make a difference if it were, say, once in a year (every few years) as the patron of your family vs. a few less significant days throughout the year? For most, a devotion to St. Lucy is not as principle a part of our life in Christ as devotion to St. Theresa is to a Carmelite nun.
I'm not disagreeing with your overall point. Again, there is nothing *wrong* in keeping it on Sunday just like I assume no one is saying there is anything wrong in a family choosing to move it. I'm just not sure the example is quite the same.
I do think that my own perspective is that, liturgically, a Sunday in Advent would be even harder to combine with another celebration and maintain the proper focus, but idk, we haven't been doing these things that long.
My gut says, move the stockings, keep the sweet rolls, so that's probably what we'll do
SusanJ wrote:
| The same load of liturgical activities might be rich and wonderful for one family and distracting and burdensome to another. |
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Well said.
__________________
Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
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stellamaris
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God has blessed each married couple with the graces of the sacrament of Matrimony, and among these graces are all the graces necessary for each couple to raise their own family in the Faith. In areas where the Church has not made a definitive statement (such as how saints are celebrated in the home), this great grace gives parents the necessary prudence to discern the best course of action for their family. The variety within the families of the Church is a wonderful thing which we can all celebrate. We have a "glorious freedom" in our personal devotions and in our family devotions.
I am certain that everyone's intention in their posts on this thread were charitable. I hope each one of us can be at peace and be confident in the choices we have made in our own homes regarding these celebrations. It is one of the common struggles of homeschooling mothers to feel anxious and even guilty about whether our own choices are "the best", but there is not always a "best" way. Each of us strives to unite ourselves to Christ as completely as possible, and this is an on-going effort. As we learn more about our Faith, we may change the ways we choose to live it in our homes...and that's OK. But we are all at different places in this pilgrimage, and we all have so many variables in our families that it wouldn't even be possible for us all to be doing the same thing at the same time. It is only in areas where the teaching of the Church is definitive that we can say "this way" and "not that". But I really don't think anyone was trying to say that these celebrations need to be done (or not done)in any particular fashion.
If my own post in any way contributed to anyone's sense of anxiety, uneasiness, or guilt, I am truly sorry. I truly would never want to put such a burden on a sister in Christ.
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In Christ,
Caroline
Wife to dh 30+ yrs,ds's 83,85,89,dd's 91,95,ds's 01,01,02,grammy to 4
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MicheleQ
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Matilda wrote:
| The notion I am disturbed by is the intimation that all liturgical celebrations culturally and in the home should unite us to the Liturgy to such exclusion that if the Church is not celebrating a feast day liturgically, then neither should we. Which then means that on those occasions that I have chosen to celebrate a feast day on a day other than the appointed liturgical day, I have in some way, disunited myself and my family with the primary focus of our faith and the preferences of the Church. Perhaps I have misinterpreted something. |
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I think you may have misunderstood. If we felt that we should never celebrate a feast day when the Church does not then we wouldn't have been discussing moving St. Nicholas and St. Lucy --we wouldn't be celebrating them at all.
I do still stand my my earlier comment about the upset over St. Patrick and St. Joseph a few years ago. St. Joseph was moved specifically because his solemnity is important to the Church but ranks below Holy Week (when it fell) and yet some still insisted on celebrating on the 19th and not the day it was moved to. That was personally sad to me and felt like a disconnect.
But maybe this is just how I see it and maybe it's important to me in a way it isn't to others. The documents regarding all of this aren't specific. I have asked and gotten different answers from different priests (all of whom were knowledgeable) so who can say what's exactly right? While it matters to me it doesn't matter so much that I want people to feel badly about their choices or like they are being judged.
I like discussion and I like to ask questions and think about things in a different and perhaps challenging way, but it seems as though I ruffle too many feathers with too much regularity and I think perhaps my time would be better spent elsewhere.
I have become rather thick skinned from so many years online that I probably am not careful enough how I word things. In any case I sincerely apologize. Please know that you are all in my prayers and I do wish you well.
Peace,
__________________
Michele Quigley
wife to my prince charming and mom of 10 in Lancaster County, PA USA
http://michelequigley.com
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CrunchyMom
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MicheleQ wrote:
Matilda wrote:
| The notion I am disturbed by is the intimation that all liturgical celebrations culturally and in the home should unite us to the Liturgy to such exclusion that if the Church is not celebrating a feast day liturgically, then neither should we. Which then means that on those occasions that I have chosen to celebrate a feast day on a day other than the appointed liturgical day, I have in some way, disunited myself and my family with the primary focus of our faith and the preferences of the Church. Perhaps I have misinterpreted something. |
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I think you may have misunderstood. If we felt that we should never celebrate a feast day when the Church does not then we wouldn't have been discussing moving St. Nicholas and St. Lucy --we wouldn't be celebrating them at all.
I do still stand my my earlier comment about the upset over St. Patrick and St. Joseph a few years ago. St. Joseph was moved specifically because his solemnity is important to the Church but ranks below Holy Week (when it fell) and yet some still insisted on celebrating on the 19th and not the day it was moved to. That was personally sad to me and felt like a disconnect.
But maybe this is just how I see it and maybe it's important to me in a way it isn't to others. The documents regarding all of this aren't specific. I have asked and gotten different answers from different priests (all of whom were knowledgeable) so who can say what's exactly right? While it matters to me it doesn't matter so much that I want people to feel badly about their choices or like they are being judged.
I like discussion and I like to ask questions and think about things in a different and perhaps challenging way, but it seems as though I ruffle too many feathers with too much regularity and I think perhaps my time would be better spent elsewhere.
I have become rather thick skinned from so many years online that I probably am not careful enough how I word things. In any case I sincerely apologize. Please know that you are all in my prayers and I do wish you well.
Peace, |
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Michelle, I have learned a lot from this discussion, and I am glad you shared what you did! I hope you will continue to share your knowledge and wisdom you acquire on your journey. It aids me in my own.
__________________
Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
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[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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Matilda
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Michelle,
I do appreciate your very charitable conversation. The difference I would point out with regards to St. Joseph's day is that his feast day is a Solemnity in the Church and because of that the Church chose to actually move the celebration to another, more appropriate day so that we would be best able to give St. Joseph the due respect and festivity his day deserves, not to mention the fact that it could be celebrated in the Liturgy without taking precedence during Holy Week. When St. Nicholas's feast day or St. Lucy's feast day falls on Sunday, people might refer to the day as having been "bumped" but in reality, the feast is not moved. In Mass, the Sunday rightfully receives primacy of place, but not to the exclusion of all other cultural or local celebrations including those in the home.
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Charlotte (Matilda)
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MarilynW
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Edited after a substantial amount of tea and a quick nap to make up for lots of sleepless nights:
I think Jenn's original discussion is a good one. I think all opinions expressed kindly and respectfully (as they have been on this discussion I think) are good. And I see a lot of good things to think about in Charlotte's post - the main one being my view too - let us not put unnecessary burdens upon ourselves like the Scribes and Pharisees did - or as my prosaic British husband would say - let us not make things so complicated that we don't see the wood for the trees.
As an aside - I think that the last few weeks have been so very tough and sad for so many on this forum that many are more sensitive and feelings are possibly running higher than usual.
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Marilyn
Blessed with 6 gifts from God
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Angie Mc
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MicheleQ wrote:
I like discussion and I like to ask questions and think about things in a different and perhaps challenging way, but it seems as though I ruffle too many feathers with too much regularity and I think perhaps my time would be better spent elsewhere.
I have become rather thick skinned from so many years online that I probably am not careful enough how I word things. In any case I sincerely apologize. Please know that you are all in my prayers and I do wish you well.
Peace, |
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You don't ruffle my feathers...or if you do, it is my choice to let them be ruffled because ruffling can be good for me  . I find you very careful with your words and you are courteous in how you stay with a difficult topic and offer clarification when needed. No one is expected to have perfect wording...there really is no such thing.
Thank you for your contributions. The door is always open to you, here, Michelle.
Love,
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Angie Mc
Maimeo to Henry! Dave's wife, mom to Mrs. Devin+Michael Pope, Aiden 20,Ian 17,John Paul 11,Catherine (heaven 6/07)
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Angie Mc
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Matilda wrote:
| While I think there is nothing wrong with asking for help in figuring out how to alter traditions in the home for special circumstances ....it seems to me that this conversation has become one of binding up burdens for ourselves that the Church does not place on us. |
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Charlotte, your post helped to clarify the main confusion for me at first about this topic...where do the prudential decisions come in? Thank you. Honestly, I'm so detail impaired that I wasn't able to easily read through more than a few posts of this topic before I simply added it to my "Favorites" to read in the future when I have some peace and quiet! I look forward to reading this topic more carefully later and am very grateful to everyone who has contributed. I don't see this as an issue of taking sides...as much as clearly drawing the line about where Church teachings and obedience ends and prudential decisions begin (that sentence didn't come out right, and I don't know how to make it right, so I hope you get what I mean.) I don't know...this topic may be among the most tricky this board has tackled when looking at it from this angle! I'm glad that we've even tried to tackle the gray area. Plus, I'm grateful to those who have really considered the practical "how to" options of this matter. I really depend on others who I trust to sort through such details for me.
Praying for peace for all...
Love,
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Angie Mc
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: Keeping Sundays a Priority
