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Ann youth ministry Weekly Newsletter June 28th, 2020 13th Sunday of Ordinary Time Vol I, Issue XXI

Cover Page pg. 1 Confirmation pg. 8 2020-2021 School Year Confirmation 2021 Preparation Youth Ministry Newsletter Vol. 2 Office of Youth Ministries pg. 8 2021 Confirmation Interviews Youth Ministry Newsletter Sunday Mass Readings pg. 2 Youth Ministry Podcast 2 Kings 4:8-11,14-16A Bite Size Catechesis pg. 9 Psalm 89:2-3,16-19 Modern Dictionary Romans 6:3-4,8-11 Catechism of the Matthew 10:37-42 Code of Canon Law Pastoral Letter From Bishop Olson pg. 3 Articles pg. 10 Youth Faith Formation pg. 6 The Genesis of Creation (Part VI of VI) Youth Formation Program Saint of Lyons pg. 11 6th Grade Formation (YFF-6) Newsletter pg. 12 7th Grade Formation (YFF-7) Content Contribution 8th Grade Formation (YFF-8) Contributor 9th Grade Formation (YFF-9) 10th Grade Formation (YFF-10) 11/12th Grade Formation (YFF11/12) Future Formation Girl’s Discipleship

2020-2021 School Year January 1st begins the official beginning of the new Saint Ann Youth Ministry school year. At this time, classes are scheduled to begin August 23rd and we are currently in the process of scheduling open enrollment for Faith Formation.

Youth Ministry Newsletter Vol. 2 With the beginning of the new Saint Ann Youth Ministry school year, we will be re-starting our issue count for the Youth Ministry Newsletter. Next weeks issue on July 5th will be the first issue of Volume II.

Confirmation 2021 Preparation We are beginning the preparation process for reception of the Sacrament of Confirmation in 2021. See article on page 5 for details.

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Sunday Mass Readings

2 Kings 4:8-11, 14-16A Romans 6:3-4,8-11

One day Elisha came to Shunem, where Brothers and sisters: there was a woman of influence, who pressed him Are you unaware that we who were to dine with her. Afterward, whenever he passed baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his by, he would stop there to dine. So she said to her death? We were indeed buried with him through husband, “I know that he is a holy man of God. baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was Since he visits us often, let us arrange a little room raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, on the roof and furnish it for him with a bed, table, we too might live in newness of life. If, then, we chair, and a lamp, so that when he comes to us he have died with Christ, we believe that we shall can stay there. One day Elisha arrived and stayed also live with him. We know that Christ, raised in the room overnight. from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has Later, Elisha asked, “What can we do for power over him. As to his death, he died to sin her?” Gehazi answered, “She has no son, and her once and for all; as to his life, he lives for God. husband is old.” Elisha said, “Call her.” He did Consequently, you too must think of yourselves so and when she stood at the door, Elisha as being dead to sin and living for God in Christ promised, “This time next year you will be Jesus. cradling a baby son.” Matthew 10:37-42 Psalm 89:2-3,16-19 Jesus said to his : I will sing of your mercy forever, Lord, “Whoever loves father or mother more Proclaim your faithfulness through all ages. than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves For I said, “My mercy is established forever; son or daughter more than me is not worthy of My faithfulness will stand as long as the heavens. me; and whoever does not take up his cross and Blessed the people who know the war cry, follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever Who walk in the radiance of your face, Lord. finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his In your name they sing joyfully all the day; life for my sake will find it. Whoever receives They rejoice in your righteousness. you receives me, and whoever receives me You are their majestic strength; receives the one who sent me. Whoever receives By your favor our horn is exalted. a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a Truly the Lord is our shield, prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a The Holy One of Israel, our king! righteous man because he is righteous will receive a righteous man’s reward. And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because he is a -amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.

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th Youth Faith Formation 6 Grade Formation (YFF-6)

6th Grade Formation utilizes the Faith and Youth Formation Program Life Series and is devoted to the Ten

th Commandments and the Mass. Sixth graders are After 5 grade, when our children have making the transition from childhood to left CRE, they begin the journey to explore their adulthood. This period of transition is also a time faith and make the faith their own. Their journey when they are able to understand the Faith more through middle school is intended to bring them clearly and make it truly their own. The students to know and experience Christ. Through the are able to think independently and to participate middle school years, we work with the youth to in reasoned discussion. At this turning point in encourage them to begin planning their future, their lives, the students need to be guided to and discern God’s plan for them. By the age of follow Christ with their whole mind and will. 15, our youth should be ready to make their own Thus, instructing the students in the formation of proclamation of faith, renew their baptismal conscience and in the liturgical life of the Church vows, and commit to living their life as a faithful is vitally important. Catholic. Starting in the 2020-2021 school year, 6th Once they reach high school, after Grade Faith Formation will be divided into two committing themselves to the faith, we help our classrooms with a capacity of 16 youth each, to youth to discern and follow a path of discipleship prevent overcrowding and to facilitate the ability of Jesus Christ. While they begin to discern their of our youth to actively participate in the class. path as a disciple, we also engage them so they Each class will need a minimum of three can enter more deeply into their faith, and begin Catechists to take place. to prepare for the sacrament of Confirmation, which will give them the graces necessary to live th their life as a powerful witness to Christ, and to 7 Grade Formation (YFF-7) face the ridicule and persecution which they will th face as a faithful member of his Church. 7 Grade Formation utilizes the Faith and Once they have received the sacrament of Life Series and builds on the doctrine already Confirmation, our youth will continue to attend taught in earlier grades with an emphasis on formation classes where they will continue on the revelation, grace, and the moral life. Seventh journey they started leading into Confirmation, graders, facing the onset of puberty, can be and prepare for a life of not just discipleship, but idealistic and open to the gift of grace. At this age a life of apostleship with Jesus Christ. they are able to reason and abstract more than in Along with our parish Ann, the earlier grades. This year they delve into the the patron of the Saint Ann Office of Youth importance of reason in their lives as Catholics. Ministries is Saint John Paul II who had a In addition, youth at this age begin to experiment specific and great love for our youth. Through with independence. It is vitally important at this them we entrust our ministries to God and ask stage of development that youth be taught that the them to forever intercede on our behalf. virtues and the Sacraments are practical ways to Ann and Pope John Paul II, pray for us. receive and grow in grace, which will help them live the moral life to which Christ calls them. Starting in the 2020-2021 school year, 7th Grade Faith Formation will be divided into two classrooms with a capacity of 16 youth each to prevent overcrowding and to facilitate the ability of our youth to actively participate in the class. Each class will need a minimum of three Catechists to take place.

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8th Grade Formation (YFF-8) Mystery in our lives. It will present how the Church, established by Jesus Christ and guided 8th Grade Formation utilizes the Faith and by the Holy Spirit, continues the salvific ministry Life Series and focuses on the nature and history of Christ in the world today. Themes include the of the Church, and the universal call to holiness Blessed Mary, Mother of the Church, the of all her members. Eighth graders are more able Universal Call to Holiness, the Marks of the to abstract, think, and reflect. While building Church, and the teaching authority of the Church. upon these adolescent abilities, the goal of this text is to give students a generous and 11/12th Grade Formation (YFF-11/12) wholehearted love for the Church based on a clear understanding of her divine nature and the As we continue to further develop post treasures contained therein. Finally, special Confirmation formation, this year 11th and 12th emphasis is made of the various vocations to grade will be combined into one class. This class which students may be called, particularly the will utilize the Didache Parish Series, and will priesthood and religious life, that they may begin address how Jesus Christ, through his great love to develop a readiness to serve God as he desires. for us, instituted the Sacraments and entrusted Starting in the 2020-2021 school year, 8th them to the Church. It will examine each Grade Faith Formation will be divided into two Sacrament as a primary source of grace and an classrooms with a capacity of 16 youth each to intimate encounter with Jesus Christ, addressing prevent overcrowding and to facilitate the ability each sacrament individually. It will help aid the of our youth to actively participate in the class. formation of our consciences by presenting an Each class will need a minimum of three overview of the moral teachings of the Catholic Catechists to take place. Church. Following the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes, it will show how we, aided by 9th Grade Formation (YFF-9) God’s grace, can imitate the life of Christ in every circumstance in our lives. It also examines topics 9th Grade Formation will utilize the important to social justice and the sacredness of Didache Parish Series and will present a basic human life. understanding of Sacred Scripture as the inspired Word of God. It examines both the Old and New Future Formation Testaments with particular attention focused on the Gospels as the message of Jesus Christ, and With enough catechists and interest, in explains how to read and reference the bible. It the future 12th Grad Formation will utilize the will address the mystery by which there is one Didache Parish Series and will present an God in three persons, and break down the overview of the books of the Bible and their mysteries of God and the attributes associated importance to the teachings of the Church. It will with each of the Persons of the Blessed Trinity to also discuss how the covenants that God made help our youth understand its implications for with his people in the Old Testament are fulfilled living the Christian life. by the New Covenant in Jesus Christ. It will address God’s definitive intervention into human 10th Grade Formation (YFF-10) history in the Person of his Son and how it continues to the present day. It shows how God 10th Grade Formation will utilize the has acted through the Church to further his Didache Parish series and will address our need salvific mission. It examines the lives of the for Redemption and present how the salvific saints and how they – by cooperating with God’s promise made to our first parents is fulfilled by grace – helped to shape the life of the Church as Jesus Christ. It discusses the Passion, Death, and well as Christian society and culture. Resurrection of Christ and its application in the life of each Christian. It also discusses how the Holy Mass is a perpetuation of the Paschal

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Girl’s Discipleship Office of Youth Ministries

Girl’s Discipleship is a girl only Faith Formation Group for those who are already Youth Ministry Newsletter further along in both their knowledge of their faith and their relationship with Christ. Girl’s The Saint Ann Youth Ministry who join this class are from various grade levels Newsletter is a weekly publication which was from 9-12, and will be with the same group started at the direction of Trisha Vasquez as the through their whole faith formation experience, Director of Religious Education. The Saint Ann going more in depth in their faith and exploring Youth Ministry Newsletter was and is intended to more topics than they would in general faith provide weekly updates on the programs and formation. Enrollment into Girl’s discipleship is events taking place within Saint Ann Youth accomplished by invite. In addition to our parish Ministries, provide information on other pertinent patron Saint Ann, the patron saint of the Girl’s events throughout the Church, as well as share Discipleship group is Saint . Saints Ann, articles and information about the faith and the Pope John Paul II and Michael the , saints which parents can use to help teach the pray for us. faith to their children and young adults. Catechists: Sonya Wray, Catherine Along with our parish patron Saint Ann, Fuchs. the patron of the Youth Ministry Newsletter is Saint , who was arrested by the German Third Reich and sent to Auschwitz Confirmation where he eventually died. He was arrested for resuming the publication of a journal which was critical of the Nazi party. Saints Ann and Confirmation 2021 Preparation Maximilian Kolbe, pray for us.

Confirmation Preparation next year will take place on either the first or second Saturday of the month, for each month from September 2020 until May of 2021. If you wish to discern and seek the sacrament of Confirmation, you must schedule a discernment interview with the Saint Ann Office of Youth Ministries. The Youth Coordinator schedule is available at www.stanninburleson.com/saooym. You may e- mail the youth coordinator at Saint Maximilian Kolbe working for his publication [email protected], or call him at Rycerz Niepokalanej (Knight of the Immaculata). (817) 295-5621 (ext. 7) to schedule a discernment interview. You must have discerned the sacrament of Confirmation before beginning to attend Confirmation Preparation.

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Youth Ministry Podcast Bite Size Catechesis

The Saint Ann Youth Ministry Podcast was started as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak The Modern Catholic Dictionary as a way to provide yet another avenue for catechesis and evangelization on various topics Patron Saint. A saint or blessed who, since early which was easily accessible during the resulting Christian times, has been chosen as a special stay at home orders. It was decided to continue intercessor with God for a particular person, the podcast to help provide an avenue for year place, community, or organization. The custom round catechesis, and to provide a Catholic arose from the biblical fact that a change of commentary on recent events and topics which personal name indicated a change in the person, may not fit into the classroom setting. Our last e.g., Abram to , Simon to Peter, Saul to episode aired on June 24th, 2020 is titled “You Paul; and from the practice of having churches Have Received Your Reward.” This episode talks built over the tombs of . about the reward we receive from the ‘obedience of faith’ and the ways in which we may possible Catechism of the Catholic Church compromise this reward, by trading it in for earthly rewards and consolations. I. The Life of Man-To Know and Love God All podcast episodes can be found on the 2 So that this call should resound Saint Ann webpage at throughout the world, Christ sent forth the www.stnanninburleson.com/saooym-podcast apostles he had chosen, commissioning them to Requests for special topics can always be made proclaim the gospel: “Go therefore and make by sending an e-mail to [email protected]. disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.” Strengthened by this mission, the apostles “went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it.”

Pope Pius XII would give radio addresses, some of Code of Canon Law which to give veiled instructions to help the Jews without drawing the attention of Nazi spies who would Book IV, Part I, Title I. Baptism listen in on his broadcasts. CAN. 849 Baptism, the gateway to the sacraments and necessary for salvation by actual reception or at least by desire, is validly conferred only by a washing of true water with the proper form of words. Through baptism men and women are freed from sin, are reborn as children of God, and, configured to Christ by an indelible character, are incorporated into the Church.

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mistaken. The snake does not say “You certainly Articles will not die! God made a mistake,” rather he says “You certainly will not die! God knows well that The Genesis of Creation (Part VI of VI) when you eat of it your eyes will be opened and The Knowledge of Sin you will be like gods, who know good and evil.” The snake did not dare to call into question either Man, having the full faculty of intellect God’s knowledge or his wisdom, but rather he and free will, was given the task of keeping the called into question God’s love. His judgement. garden. Yet Eden was a paradise where the He called Eve to question if God was worthy of ground freely produced its fruit and the man did trust. not have to work for it to produce its yield. So But it was not the snake that drew her the task of ‘keeping the garden’ was instead a task attention to the tree, but the woman who herself to keep the law. “You are free to eat from any of focused on the tree. The snake did not point out the trees of the garden except the tree of the merits of the fruit, but the woman who “saw knowledge of good and evil. From that tree you that the tree was good for food and pleasing to the shall not eat; when you eat from it you shall die. eyes, and the tree was desirable for gaining The man was given the charge to keep the wisdom.” Garden, and the woman was given the charge to All three of these things, good for food, be a helper for the man. It was the man then who pleasing to the eye, and gaining wisdom are good was the priest of the garden. It was he who had things. It wasn’t the dire for nourishment, beauty charge to keep the law. It was he who had the and wisdom that were evil. It was the means by charge to ensure that the woman kept the law, and which these things were obtained that were evil. the of the woman to help the man toward this As Paul remarks “Any why not say – as we are end. accused and as some claim we say – that we Because the charge belonged to the man, should do evil that good may come of it? Their it was on him which everything hinged. As Paul penalty is what they deserve.” (Romans 3:8). Eve says speaking of “Therefore, just as wanted a good thing, but she did an evil thing to through one person sin entered the world, and acquire that good. She opposed the end for which through sin, death, and thus death came to all, she was made, to freely choose and trust in the inasmuch as all sinned….But death reigned from will of God. Adam to , even over those who did not sin But still, it was not Eve’s transgression after the patter of the trespass of Adam, who is that condemned all of man. She was a helper, it the type of the one who was to come.” (Romans was the fact that during this entire altercation, 5:12,14) Just as the devil could not attack God Adam was present. Adam was there, to watch the directly, it seems he could not attack the man serpent tempt Eve, and did nothing. He saw her directly, so he compromised the help. take the fruit, and did nothing. And she handed The snake asked “did God really say, him the fruit, and he ate it. For scripture says ‘You shall not eat from any of the trees in the “And she also gave some to her husband, who Garden?” The snake rightly knew what tree they was with her.” Adam was the priest who was were not to eat, but he could not be the one to placed in charge to keep the law, and Adam was point it out lest he coerce her into action. The the priest who failed to keep the law, by neither snake did not point out the tree, but tricked the correcting nor preventing the sin of either Eve or woman into focusing on the particular tree of himself. which she was not to eat. Then the woman tells And they became like gods, knowing the snake “it is only about the fruit of the tree in good and evil. They did not become like God, the middle of the garden that God said, ‘You shall because God can not be other than what he is. not eat it or even touch it, or else you will die.’ They became like gods. Their view of what God Then the snake makes his move. He is became distorted into what much of history doesn’t throw doubt on God’s knowledge. He considered ‘gods,’ and by eating the fruit, they and the woman rightly knew that since God rejected who god was and assimilated into their created all things, God could certainly not be very being disobedience. They ‘knew’ evil.

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Saint Irenaeus of Lyons

Irenaeus was born to Greek parents in the being a pastor for his own people, and a missionary town of Smyrna in Asia Minor sometime between to those who did not know Christ. the years 120 and 140 AD. This was also the During this time he came across the hometown of the Bishop , who had growing ‘Gnostic’ Heresy, whose followers would received his instruction directly from the claim to have special, hidden knowledge which was John before his imprisonment on the Isle of Patmos. not available to the Bishops at the time. Irenaeus Unlike many of the Christians of the time which engaged the adherents to , and especially were converts, Irenaeus was raised in in a Christian Marcus the Magician and his followers, to develop from his birth. a thorough understanding of the heresy. As Under the tutelage of Polycarp, the Bishop Irenaeus would soon discover, there were as many of Smyrna, Irenaeus was instructed in the faith and competing theories and beliefs in Gnosticism as eventually became a priest of the Catholic Church. there were Gnostics. Irenaeus studied the prevailing During their time together, Polycarp would share theories, detailing them in a book, where he then with Irenaeus stories about his time with John, and proceeded to refute them. His work became the first teach what he had learned from the Apostle himself. great systemic work of apologetics of the Catholic Polycarp would eventually send Irenaeus to Church as well as polemics against Gnosticism. In Lugdurnum in , which is modern Lyon, , this work, among many other teachings, he to serve under Bishop Pothinus. Unfortunately, defended the authority of the Catholic Church and after the departure of Irenaeus, and during the the Papacy, and denounced the so called “secret proconsulship of Lucius Statius Quadratus, knowledge” of the Gnostics, stating that if there was Polycarp was arrested and taken to the coliseum, any secret knowledge which the Apostles had, it where the Romans attempted to burn him at the would be known to the Bishops who were the stake before a crowd. When his teacher could not legitimate successors of the Apostles, chosen by the be burned, the Romans stabbed him with a spear. Apostles and their successors on down to his own Irenaeus continued to serve the Church day. The book he wrote became called Adversus under Bishop Pothinus, who had been the first Haereses, or otherwise called “Against the Bishop of Lyon. During the reign of the Roman Heresies.” Emperor Marcus Aurelius, from 161-180 AD, the Up until and through his own time, there Emperor initiated a persecution against Christians. had been a difference in the dating of Easter In the region around Lyon, many clergy and lay observed by the Catholic Church in , and the Christians were being imprisoned and suffering for churches in Asia Minor. During the Papacy of Pope their faith. While still free, Irenaeus worked to Victor I, who reigned from around 189-199 AD, he support the Church and to spread the faith, but a new attempted to standardize the observance of Easter, heresy was spreading called . As a so it would always be celebrated on Sunday, as result, Bishop Pothinus sent Irenaeus to Rome with opposed to the 14th of Nisan, regardless of what day a letter to concerning the heresy. of the week it was. were held all over Asia During his trip to Rome, the persecutions in Lyon Minor, including in Gaul by Irenaeus, which were renewed with great fervor by the Roman disapproved of the practice of always observing Empire. Pothinus and many other of the clergy and Easter on Sunday. While the disagreement did the faithful were arrested. Bishop Pothinus and continue with Rome, Irenaeus convinced Pope many of his companions were seized by a mob, and Victor I not to excommunicate the churches in the taken to the magistrate who imprisoned them. east which celebrated Easter only on the 14th of Bishop Pothinus died as a result of the abuse he Nisan. suffered in prison, while his companions were killed About the year 202 AD, Saint Irenaeus by wild animals in a local amphitheater. With the died, and has been long considered a death of Bishop Pothinus, Irenaeus was appointed although no account of his death exists today. He the new Bishop of Lyons, and returned to Gaul. was canonized before the formation of the Sacred As the persecution of Marcus Aurelius died Congregation of Rites was founded by Pope Sixtus down, a Bishop Irenaeus divided his time between V in 1588 and his feast day is June 28th.

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The Newsletter

Content Contribution

We are currently looking for content contributors who may want to write on various subjects pertaining to the Youth Formation, Youth Fellowship and Youth Ministry programs. All youth from grades 6-12 are also welcome to create content for the Newsletter for which they will receive service hours. Publishable submissions will range between 300 and 500 words.

Contributors

August Klein: August Klein is the Youth Coordinator at Saint Ann Catholic Church and currently writes the entirety of the Saint Ann Youth Ministry Weekly Newsletter. He published the first issue on February 4th, 2020 at the direction of the Director of Religious Education, Trisha Vasquez. August is a revert to Catholicism. After leaving the church around 2001, he returned to the Catholic Church with his family at the end of 2014 the last Sunday of Ordinary Time before the beginning of advent. In 2015 after Lent, he had his children Baptized and his wife Kelly joined the Church the following year through RCIA. During his children’s first year of faith formation, August began to fill in for teachers who could not make it on a given day and was subsequently asked to teach his own Children’s Faith Formation starting in 2016. In 2017 he was asked to help teach Youth Confirmation and with parent formation for Children’s Holy Communion. In 2019 when his children began attending Middle School Faith Formation, August was again asked to teach Middle School Formation, during which time he was hired as the Youth Coordinator for Saint Ann Catholic Church. His patron saint is Saint Augustine.

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