Synod Implementation 2025-2026

 Sunday is a day which is at the very heart of the Christian life. Let us open our time to Christ, that he may cast light upon it and give it direction. He is the One who knows the secret of time and the secret of eternity, and he gives us “his day” as an ever new gift of his love. The rediscovery of this day is a grace which we must implore, not only so that we may live the demands of faith to the full, but also so that we may respond concretely to the deepest human yearnings. Time given to Christ is never time lost, but is rather time gained, so that our relationships and indeed our whole life may become more profoundly human.
(Pope St. John Paul II, Dies Domini, 7)

As we give focus to “Reclaiming Sundays,” we start with the importance of participating in Sunday Mass. Jesus Christ died so that we may have eternal life; God asks us to worship Him every Sunday (and Holy Day of Obligation) so that we can become the saints that He wants us to be.

October – Rest, Recreation, and Prayer

We are called to rest on Sunday as the Lord rested (cf. Genesis 2:2). It isn’t an idleness or simply a time for entertainment but rather a restorative experience of reveling in the fullness of what has been and gratitude for God’s providence–a time to take delight in the gift of life.

As we continue our “Reclaiming Sundays” initiative for the year,  we turn to the theme of Sundays being days of “Rest, Recreation, and Prayer.” God gives us the model for treating Sundays as a day of rest when He rested on the Seventh Day of Creation (cf. Genesis 2:2). Christians’ Sundays are marked differently than Jews’ Sabbath (Saturdays), but both focus on the importance of resting on that one day a week. As Dr. Naughton of Catholic Studies at the University of St. Thomas likes to state, “If we don’t get Sundays right, we won’t get Mondays right.”

Action for October: As a family, choose activities focused on recreation, leisure, and rest. Some examples of activities that help us to recreate (literally, “re-create”) well include reading a good (especially Catholic) book or newspaper (like The Catholic Spirit), going for a long walk or playing outside, playing a game (especially as a family), or doing a puzzle. It does not matter too much what the activity is, although there are limits to fruitfulness with screens (note: the focus in February will be about making Sundays low-tech).

Actions for September:
As a family, attend Mass every Sunday this month. Sometimes just showing up (especially as your family settles into the new routine of the school year) is the first small step that is most pleasing to God.
Saying grace before a meal (note: there is also a prayer for after a meal) is a valuable way to connect with God and express gratitude for the food received. The meal prayer can be recited as a family or even silently by oneself. It can be a great witness to others of our faith when we are at a restaurant or eating in the midst of others. The traditional Catholic meal prayer goes (feel free to use modern language):
“Bless us, O Lord, and these Thy gifts, which we are about to receive from Thy bounty, through Christ, our Lord. Amen.”