Saint Peter Church at Huber Heights Ohio - Home 2 Home Catholic Family Gatherings via Online

GATHERING GUIDE
Home 2 Home Catholic Family Gatherings via Online

What is the purpose of this Gathering Guide?

Before participating in the gathering it is important that families understand the norms of each gathering and how they are structured. This guide is purposed to assist your family on their journey through the Home 2 Home Catholic Family Gatherings via Online format so that it will be a joyful and fruitful experience. The Host Family is also here to guide your family and answer any questions you may have about the gatherings.

How do I register my family for the gatherings?

Register by contacting Allan Cruz via email fccatholicfoundation@gmail.com or through mobile text at 567-686-2424.  In the subject line type in: “Home 2 Home Registration”.  Please include all the names in your family household, your phone number and email, as well as a brief description of your family’s interests and hobbies and your family’s expectations of the online gatherings? If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Allan at either of these contacts.

If my family misses one or more online gatherings can we still join other online gatherings?

Yes. The Home 2 Home gatherings are designed so that families can join any of the  scheduled dates.

What does my family need to bring to every online gathering? 

Each Home 2 Home Series Online has a completed digital workbook. Every participating family will receive a digital version before their first gathering. It is important that your family print out or open the digital workbook on a desktop, laptop, or tablet and read the material prior to each of the online gatherings. The Holy Bible, a notebook and pen are recommended but not required. Remember, only those registered can attend the online gatherings. (see above on how to register your family)

When can Home 2 Home Catholic Family Gatherings be held at a family’s home?
If and when the US government, along with the Ohio Department of Health declares that it is safe for large groups (2 or more families) to physically meet with one another and that archdioceses/dioceses in the USA are fully supporting the growth of parish ministries in a physical social setting, only then will Home 2 Home Catholic Family Gatherings pursue a course to arrange ministries that are conducted in the homes of families.
For more information regarding the current health crisis and its effects on communities:
US Government – Coronavirus –
https://www.usa.gov/coronavirus
Ohio Department of Health - Coronavirus –
https://odh.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/odh/home
CDC – Coronavirus - Community and Organizations https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/organizations/index.html
USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic of Bishops) Communications – Covid-19 https://www.usccb.org/committees/communications/covid-19

*To understand more about Living Catholic Social Teaching during the Coronavirus pandemic please visit Archdiocese of Cincinnati Website – Covid-19 living catholic social teaching - http://www.catholiccincinnati.org/ministries-offices/catholic-social-action/ministries-offices-catholic-social-action-covid-19-living-catholic-social-teaching/

What is the structure of every Home 2 Home catholic family gathering via online? 

There are two main parts.

Part I – Families Join Online / Kids 2 Kids Ice Breaker / Opening Family Prayer – [20 mins]

Participating families join online meeting platform (e.g. Google Meet or Zoom) There are usually 2 or more families that attend. During the icebreaker the children are asked specific questions about things they learned and did with their parents in the last week or so. Sometimes the kids are asked questions to that are connected to the theme of the gathering. Each child (2 years or older) from every family is encouraged to share. Parents can help enlighten their child as to what to share. Depending upon the number of children present each child can share for at least 1 minute.
Part II - Home 2 Home WORD format– [40 mins]
 Home 2 Home WORD format - Married couples begin reading, reflecting, sharing the prepared material for that gathering. Those children 7 and older are encouraged to participate with their parents.
*For more detailed information see below, the section: “What are 5 Steps of the Home 2 Home gatherings?”
Closing Prayer - Part II ends with a closing prayer.



Additional Online Meetings
Online Family 2 Family Fellowship – [30 mins–1 hour at least once a month]

Online Family 2 Family Fellowship is separate from the main gathering of families. Here families who are participating in the online gatherings build more intimate friendships with one another by spending time together online.

Fellowship is an integral part of our Catholic faith and the Home 2 Home format. It is important that husbands, wives and children build friendships and support one another in their challenges, as well as share the joys they have experienced in their family life. It is essential that families cultivate an atmosphere of wholesome and genuine conversation that fosters what the Church has described as “a communion of persons.” Examples of discussion topics: birthplace, family background, how couple met, interests, hobbies, work, education, faith-life, travel (places visited and want to go), children.


Why is Part II essential? 

Each session in Part II revolves around the WORD format which was developed specifically for the Home 2 Home Catholic Family Gatherings via Online. For about 40 minutes, families will engage in reading the material provided, reflecting on those readings, observing how those readings relate to them and society at large, sharing with the group some personal, marital, or familial experiences that convey a link between both the readings and the observation, and listening to the moral and spiritual direction God has given them through the current session. Families will also try to actively plan how and when they can integrate their direction it in their marriage and family life. There are questions associated to the readings which the group can individually go through during the sharing session.




What is the WORD format?

The WORD format is established upon the acronym W.O.R.D.

“W” refers to the Words in Scripture & Church Teachings which highlights the main theme. These readings break open the theme for that particular Home 2 Home session. To begin, one representative of every family present will read aloud one of the several scriptural passages. Once all scriptural passages are read the Host Family will read a short excerpt from John Paul II’s Apostolic Exhortation Familiaris Consortio. These passages and excerpts are included in the digital copies sent out to those families who have registered for the online gatherings.

“O” refers to a real Observation of something that is challenging families in society today in relation to the readings of that session. Alongside the observation may be several questions that can assist in one’s reflection.

“R” refers to Reflection on personal experiences in relation to the theme of that session. It could be a sharing of some personal, marital, or familial experiences that convey a link between both the readings and the observation of that session.

“D” conveys a Direction for that participant who is sharing. The direction is what God is enlightening that person to do in-order to enrich their personal relationship with God, their spouse, their children and others whom they encounter throughout life. The direction should foster meaning, intimacy and virtue in the life of the person sharing.

Note: All participants are encouraged to listen attentively to the Holy Spirit in prayer and share with one another the intentional plans God wants them to pursue. It is important that participants keep those things that were shared within the group “SACRED.” (see the directives regarding the norm of SACRED)

In addition, the participants have the role to hold one another accountable for their direction and follow up to see how their progress is coming along. If it is a direction that needs pastoral guidance, the families will be encouraged to meet with their pastor(s) before its pursuit.

At the end of the session there will be a suggested familial ritual project to do together. These projects are simple ways of cultivating an abundant joy-filled family life of faith, hope and love.
What is the norm of “SACRED?”
The norm of “SACRED” are the norms that the family participants in the gathering have committed to follow during and after a gathering. S.A.C.R.E.D. is an acronym for:

• “S” KEEP Secret.  Participants will keep secret what was shared. Meaning, they will commit to NOT share what was shared to others outside of the session.
• “A” NO Advising When a participant is sharing, another participant(s) may not advise them while the other participant is sharing or when it is their turn in sharing.
• “C” Christ-centered. When a participant is sharing, they will promote a Christ-centered reflection. This also means not talking about others present or not present, revealing names of individuals during their sharing that could cause scandal. They will center their sharing on personal experience and not the experience of another. Being Christ-centered embraces the heart of Christ. A Christ-centered sharing is accomplished when a participant shares sincerely from depths of their heart totally, faithfully, freely, fruitfully.
• “R” Real Reflection. A participant will only reflect on a real-life experience that occurred to them. Participants are discouraged from creating false or altered stories during their sharing. 
• “E” Encouraging Encounters.  A participant is permitted to share encouraging stories relating to the participants sharing and the current theme of that session. This could be an encouraging story about a saint that they read about or a catholic lay, religious or clergy they have encountered or heard of.
• “D” NO Disturbing. Participant(s) will not interrupt verbally and disturb, through actions or sounds, when a participant is sharing.

Note: The Host Family has the role to remind participants regarding the norms of SACRED before, during and after the session. They also have the role of re-directing a participant(s) when they forget or fail to uphold the norms of SACRED. Moreover, they have the duty to encourage the family participants to resolve any disagreements, misunderstandings or challenges that may have with one another during the gatherings.
What are 5 Steps of the Home 2 Home gatherings via ONLINE?
STEP 1 – INTRODUCTION

One couple from the group can volunteer to read the Introduction. If the families have already read it on their own time, then this step can be omitted.

Note: Some gathering groups may want to encourage the participating families to read the introduction, the versus from the Holy Bible and the excerpts from Pope John Paul II’s exhortation “Familiaris Consortio” prior to attending that particular Home 2 Home gathering. In this way the families would be better prepared and have had enough time to reflect before sharing.

STEP 2 – OPENING PRAYER
                       
                        Pray the Holy Family Prayer that is provided in every gathering.



STEP 3 – SHARING
 

• WORD

1. Read the following versus from the Holy Bible.

GATHERING GUIDE: The following readings are centered upon a particular theme. Each of the readings can be assigned to one of the participants who are present in the gathering. Some gathering groups have the option to read the readings twice. Once in the beginning of the gathering and another at the end of the gathering after the last participant finishes the final section called “Direction.”

In addition, participants are encouraged to re-read these readings to themselves quietly and absorb them more fully in their heart. It is appropriate that when there are no participants engaging or sharing in the “Observation, Reflection and Direction” sections of the gathering that this be done.  The purpose is to better prepare the thoughts of the participant, so that, they can engage or begin sharing the “Word(s)” or “Verse(s)” that they believe the Holy Spirit has touched them with.
 

2. Words from Saint John Paul the Great

Read the following excerpts from Pope Saint John Paul II’s Apostolic Exhortation “Familiaris Consortio.” The words highlighted in red are given significance in accordance with the theme of the gathering. Their definitions are taken from the Modern Catholic Dictionary which have been approved by the Catholic Church.
To access the Modern Catholic Dictionary visit http://therealpresence.org/dictionary/adict.htm
Participants can access the dictionary on their to help them prepare for their sharing and so to better understand the catholic language being used.
   
GATHERING GUIDE: After reading the above Scripture and the words from Saint John Paul the Great, those present at the gathering are encouraged to take a moment to reflect in silence and open their hearts and minds to the leading of the Holy Spirit. A participant is ready when they have been struck by a word(s) or verse(s) from the readings of Sacred Scripture and those from Pope Saint John Paul II. At this point, the ready participant can begin sharing the word(s) or verse(s) that has touched their hearts and proceed to share their Observation, Reflection and Direction.
 

• OBSERVATION

GATHERING GUIDE: In relation to the readings of this gathering and from your own experience, describe the challenges that families are encountering today. Using the questions below to assist you in forming your thoughts you can begin expressing your Observation, begin sharing your personal Reflection, and declaring God’s Direction for you and your family.

“Questions that may assist in your sharing:” – In this section are several questions that may help you formulate your reflection in conjunction with the readings of the current gathering.
 

• REFLECTION

GATHERING GUIDE: Reflect on your own personal experiences in relation to the theme of this gathering. It could be a sharing of some personal, marital, or familial experience(s) that convey a link between both the readings and the observation of that session.

For all those present at the gathering, it is suggested that the Host Family remind and encourage the norm of SACRED before participants begin to share. For more detailed information on the norm of “SACRED” please refer to the section “Starting a Home 2 Home Catholic Family Gathering.”

                        SACRED is an acronym for:
                        “S” KEEP Secret
                        “A” NO Advising
                        “C” Christ-centered
                        “R” Real Reflection
                        “E” Encouraging Encounters
                        “D” NO Disturbing
 

• DIRECTION

GATHERING GUIDE: The direction of the participant sharing is what God is enlightening that person to do in-order to enrich their personal relationship with God, their spouse, their children and those others whom they encounter throughout life. The direction should foster meaning, intimacy and virtue in the life of the person sharing

*Note: Not every person has to share and should never be pressured to share. However, it is the Host Family that has the task of encouraging the families present to share. They can do so by building fellowship among the families. A great way is by engaging them before the format to converse with one another in a non-pressured way. Other ways may include spending time with them aside from the Home 2 Home gatherings. (See Additional Online Meetings: Online Family 2 Family Fellowship in this guide)

STEP 4 – CLOSING PRAYER

GATHERING GUIDE: After the last participant finishes sharing, the gathering participants can close with the suggested prayer that is provided. If a properly ordained priest or deacon is present and is in full communion with the Church and the faculties of their office preserved, it is encouraged that a blessing be given to all those present (including the children and those caring for them during the WORD sharing.

STEP 5 – FAMILIAL RITUAL PROJECT

In this section families present are given a project to do together as a family. The couples of the family are encouraged to integrate this project




in their daily life. Familial rituals are an important part of safeguarding, revealing and communicating God’s mission for the family. 

The Host Family has the special task to follow up on the families and see how they are doing with engaging in their project. The Host Family can make suggestions when the gathering families need guidance in engaging their familial ritual project.

When families meet again for the next gathering online it would be beneficial if each family briefly share how they are doing with their familial ritual project. This can be done during an Online Family 2 Family Fellowship meeting. 


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The family finds in the plan of God the Creator and Redeemer not only its identity, what it is, but also its mission, what it can and should do. The role that God calls the family to perform in history derives from what the family is; its role represents the dynamic and existential development of what it is.
Each family finds within itself a summons that cannot be ignored, and that specifies both its dignity and its responsibility: family, become what you are.

Accordingly, the family must go back to the “beginning” of God's creative act, if it is to attain self-knowledge and self-realization in accordance with the inner truth not only of what it is but also of what it does in history. And since in God's plan it has been established as an “intimate community of life and love,” the family has the mission to become more and more what it is, that is to say, a community of life and love, in an effort that will find fulfillment, as will everything created and redeemed, in the Kingdom of God.

Looking at it in such a way as to reach its very roots, we must say that the essence and role of the family are in the final analysis specified by love. Hence the family has the mission to guard, reveal and communicate love,
and this is a living reflection of and a real sharing in God's love for humanity and the love of Christ the Lord for the Church His bride. Every particular task of the family is an expressive and concrete actuation of that fundamental mission.

We must therefore go deeper into the unique riches of the family's mission and probe its contents, which are both manifold and unified.

St. John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio, n.17

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