Heartland Family Festival

Aug. 2 was the Heartland Family Festival, co-sponsored by the Archdiocese of Omaha and Spirit Catholic Radio, at Creighton University’s soccer stadium. My family was among the nearly 600 people who attended the 6 ½-hour event.

The day included kids’ games, bouncy houses, vendor booths, an arts and crafts show, entertainment by Jonnie W., Mike Mangione and the Union and Collin Raye and a 12-minute fireworks display. 

We had a blast, and really enjoyed being together as a family.

Organizer Peter Kennedy of the Archdiocese of Omaha said that while he was disappointed in the number of people who missed out on the event, the joy of the Gospel was experienced in a new way that day.

"Confessions were heard, prayers were said, the flag was raised in honor of our troops, our police, and our firefighters. Jonnie W. taught us to laugh and sing as we spread the Word of God and Mike Mangione showed us how art can be more powerful than mere words," Kennedy said. "I rarely saw a cell phone unless it was to snap a picture." 

Kids were playing games with their parents on the soccer field ALL DAY, he said, and little girls played with princesses and danced in circles together to the music.  

"The kids came and sat with Archbishop Lucas and watched wide-eyed as their parents danced to their wedding songs played live by Collin Raye," Kennedy said. "Alcoholics celebrated their recovery to the tune of 'Little Rock' and we ended the day with the most amazing fireworks display that I think I’ve ever seen, courtesy of Bellino Fireworks."

"On the Monday after the event, the Chancery had already received word that someone had decided to enter the Church because of what they had witnessed there," he said. "The Spirit was moving that day."

Here are some photo highlights from the day.

The Spirit 102.7 game booth was a huge hit! 

(photo by Ann Eatherton)

Here Spirit Catholic Radio's Ann Eatherton helps kids play the Catholic matching game. 

(photo by Lisa Maxson)

A beam from the North Tower of 1 World Trade Center destroyed on Sept. 11, 2001, was on display.

(photo by Lisa Maxson)

Girls make bracelets at one of the many booths at the festival.

(photo by Lisa Maxson)

Spirit Mornings co-hosts Jen Brown and Bruce McGregor pose with the Chick-Fil-A cow.

(photo by Ann Eatherton)

Me and my sister had to try out Spirit Catholic Radio's Jesus photo board.

(photo by Jason Maxson)

The kids zone was filled with bouncy houses.

(photo by Catherine Schroeder)

Kids play soccer and other games on Creighton's soccer field.

(photo by Lisa Maxson)

Spirit Catholic Radio intern Dan Bost and Spirit Mornings co-host Jen Brown.

(photo by Lisa Maxson)

My daughter, Madelyn, got a butterfly painted on her face.

(photo by Lisa Maxson)

My daughter and nephews watch Anna and Elsa from the movie "Frozen" perform "Let It Go."

(photo by Lisa Maxson)

Spirit Catholic Radio listener Catherine Schroeder with princesses Belle and Snow White.

(photo courtesy of Catherine Schroeder)

Nikki Schaefer, wife of Spirit Catholic Radio's Bernie Schaefer, and daughter, Sophia, with their Prayer Pillows and other items sold at the arts and crafts show.

(photo by Catherine Schroeder)

Spirit Mornings co-hosts Jen Brown and Bruce McGregor with Spirit Catholic Radio listeners Matt and Andrea Mack and their sons, Aaron and Jared, from Grand Island.

(photo by Ann Eatherton)

My sister, Alicen Brandl, and I with singer Collin Raye.

(photo courtesy of Lisa Maxson)

Mike Mangione and the Union

(photo by Catherine Schroeder)

Singer Collin Raye

(photo by Catherine Schroeder)

A great fireworks display ended the festival.

(photo by Lisa Maxson)

The Archdiocese of Omaha has photos from the event on their facebook page and will add more here as they get permission. View them at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Heartland-Family-Festival/455621694566759?sk=manager#!/pages/Heartland-Family-Festival/455621694566759.

Blogged by Lisa Maxson, senior writer/reporter.

Celebrating Mary

This month we celebrate two Marian feast days: the Immaculate Conception, when Mary was conceived in her mother’s womb without original sin, and the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which marks Mary’s appearance to a St. Juan Diego in Mexico.

I’ve always felt a special devotion to Mary because my middle name is Mae – and it grew even more after becoming a mother.

Now that my daughter is almost 3, I have grand plans of celebrating saint feast days in some form or another. I thought starting with a feast for “Holy Mary” as my daughter, Madelyn Mae, refers to her, was a perfect place to start.  

Our Blessed Mother
Photo credit: stockexchange/reichinger

We started the morning of the Immaculate Conception – which normally is Dec. 8, but this year was observed Dec. 9 – with white, powdered doughnuts for breakfast in honor of Our Lady’s purity. We colored a picture of Mary I found on the Internet in the afternoon. And for dinner we had a feast, which included chicken tortellini with alfredo sauce, broccoli and blueberry muffins, and white cupcakes for dessert, all in honor of Mary. 

We ended the day with a bedtime story about Mary and praying the Hail Mary.

I know Madelyn didn’t get all the connections to Mary throughout the day, but I enjoyed keeping “Holy Mary” the focus of the day.

And I plan to continue our celebration of Mary with the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe Dec. 12. I won’t be able to do as much with it because I work that day, but I know we’ll have Mexican food for dinner. And perhaps color a picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe for our evening activity. I’ll buy I’m sure we’ll end the day reading the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe (see below).

Incorporating the lives of the saints into our family life will be a great way for my daughter – and my husband, Jason, who was baptized just five years ago – to get to know more about the holy saints in heaven. 
Doing so will definitely be one of my goals for the coming year. I invite you to consider doing the same. 

Share your ideas on celebrating saint feast days with us by commenting on this posting.

If you’d like to learn more about the Immaculate Conception and Our Lady of Guadalupe, I’ve included a few paragraphs on each.

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
This excerpt is taken from catholicanswers.com.

It’s important to understand what the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception is and what it is not. Some people think the term refers to Christ’s conception in Mary’s womb without the intervention of a human father; but that is the Virgin Birth. Others think the Immaculate Conception means Mary was conceived “by the power of the Holy Spirit,” in the way Jesus was, but that, too, is incorrect. The Immaculate Conception means that Mary, whose conception was brought about the normal way, was conceived without original sin or its stain – that’s what “immaculate” means: without stain. The essence of original sin consists in the deprivation of sanctifying grace, and its stain is a corrupt nature. Mary was preserved from these defects by God’s grace; from the first instant of her existence she was in the state of sanctifying grace and was free from the corrupt nature original sin brings. 

When discussing the Immaculate Conception, an implicit reference may be found in the angel’s greeting to Mary. The angel Gabriel said, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you” (Luke 1:28). The phrase “full of grace” is a translation of the Greek word kecharitomene. It therefore expresses a characteristic quality of Mary. 

The traditional translation, “full of grace,” is better than the one found in many recent versions of the New Testament, which give something along the lines of “highly favored daughter.” Mary was indeed a highly favored daughter of God, but the Greek implies more than that (and it never mentions the word for “daughter”). The grace given to Mary is at once permanent and of a unique kind. Kecharitomene is a perfect passive participle of charitoo, meaning “to fill or endow with grace.” Since this term is in the perfect tense, it indicates that Mary was graced in the past but with continuing effects in the present. So, the grace Mary enjoyed was not a result of the angel’s visit. In fact, Catholics hold, it extended over the whole of her life, from conception onward. She was in a state of sanctifying grace from the first moment of her existence. 

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE
This is taken from the website for Our Lady of Guadalupe Church and Shrine in Port Arthur, Texas, www.patx.us/olgchurch/story.

At dawn Dec. 9, 1531, on Tepeyac Hill near Mexico City, Mary appeared to Juan Diego, an Aztec Indian (canonized in 2002 as St. Juan Diego by Pope John Paul II). While on his way to attend Mass he heard sounds of chirping birds and beautiful music, wondering where it was coming from and its meaning. Then he heard a voice calling him. There she revealed herself to him as “the Ever Virgin Mother of the True God,” and made known her desire that a shrine be built there to bear witness to her love, compassion and protection. She sent him to Bishop Juan de Zumarraga in Mexico City to request her great desire.
The bishop dismissed the humble Indian without paying attention to his story. Two more times Our Lady appeared to Juan, requesting him to deliver the same favor. He did as she asked and finally the bishop asked for a sign. So, Juan reported this to her and she promised to grant a sign the following morning.

Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Photo credit: kconnors/morguefile.com 

On Dec. 12, while on his way to bring a priest to his dying uncle, Our Lady appeared to him for the fourth time. She assured him of his uncle’s recovery and told him to gather fresh roses he would find growing on the frosty summit of the rocky and barren hill. This done, she arranged the castilian roses in his tilma (cloak) and hurried him to the bishop, giving him an account of their origin. This is what is known as “The Miracle of the pink roses.”

To the bishop’s amazement, when Juan opened up his tilma before him, there was painted upon it a miraculous image of Our Lady exactly as she had appeared on Mount Tepeyac. The bishop prostrated himself in veneration and soon after began the building of the shrine on the top of Mount Tepeyac. The basilica in Mexico City is the most important shrine to Our Blessed Mother, under the title of Our Lady of Guadalupe in all the American continents.

Juan Diego’s cloak, marvelously preserved, can still be seen behind the main altar in the new Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which is near the original basilica site she requested. Millions from all over Mexico and the world make their way to venerate Our Blessed Mother and to implore her intercession. She stated to Juan, “Am I not here as your Mother?”

 Blogged by Lisa Maxson, Senior Writer/Reporter

Advent – Patiently waiting for the coming of Christ

It’s hard to wait for Christmas, especially when stores display holiday decorations before Halloween, radio stations begin playing Christmas music before Thanksgiving and Black Friday – and this year Brown Thursday – and Cyber Monday shopping sales push you to buy now and buy more.

But by focusing on the season of Advent instead of the Christmas decorations, holiday parties and presents, we can hopefully slow down and remember what Christmas is all about. And for what and for whom we are waiting.

Dec. 1 marked the first day of the Advent season – a season of waiting and preparing for the coming of Christ into our world and our lives. We prepare for the celebration of the mystery of God becoming one with our human condition in Jesus Christ.

During Advent, we also prepare for Christ’s second coming at the end of time.

“Christ has come to us in history. Christ comes to us in Word and sacrament and Christ will come in glory,” said Father Denny Hanneman, pastor of St. Mary Parish in Bellevue. “We stand in the midpoint and we dare to hope and, in fact, eagerly await his coming in the present and in the future.”

The themes of this season invite us to ponder our longing for the gift of salvation, the waiting with patience, and anticipation for the full realization of the Christian mystery, which we now hold in our hearts with hope, he said.  

Advent provides an opportunity to practice how we will respond when Christ comes again, and learn to recognize Christ and receive him whenever and however he comes into our lives, said Father Jim Golka, pastor of St. Patrick Parish in North Platte.

“Christ will be born in us if we accept the fact that we need him,” he said.

How much do you need Christ in your life? That’s something to ponder during Advent.

Advent also is the season of gift-giving. Now giving and receiving gifts can either make you crazy or it can help you share more fully in God’s life. How you celebrate Advent will make all the difference, Father Golka said.

“During this time of year we are contemplating the great mystery of our God who is by nature a gift-giver. God has given God’s self into our world to be one with us,” he said. “We give gifts because we are participating in the most wonderful gift ever exchanged: the life we are able to share in Christ Jesus.”

Celebrating the season

Advent provides ample opportunity for us to grow in our faith either as individuals or as a family. Both Fathers Golka and Hanneman suggested ways to celebrate Advent. Here are some ideas:

1.      Use an Advent Wreath, a Jesse Tree or pray together as a family. 

2.      The beauty of the season is captured uniquely in the Scripture readings for the days of Advent. Take the time to read and ponder these beautiful readings.  

3.      Use the themes of Advent and Christmas to deepen your understanding of our Church’s teachings on social justice. For example, Jesus who is born into straw poverty calls us to help care for all impoverished children and all who are less fortunate.  The birth of Jesus and the murder of the innocents call us to continue our work against abortion and to develop greater respect for the gift of human life. The miraculous pregnancy of Mary can provide an opportunity to speak about sex-education and especially the wonder and respect for our bodies and the reproductive process. The gifts of the Magi might help us better understand stewardship principles which call us to nurture and tend to God’s gifts in responsible and loving ways.

4.      Parents, take time to discuss with your children who Jesus is to you. Why have you decided to follow Jesus with your life? What helps you to better follow Jesus? What gets in the way of your following Jesus? Why is it important to you that your children know Jesus?

5.      Simplify Christmas preparations so that they don't become burdensome.  I think it's important to remember the reasons why we give gifts and try to focus on the importance of passing on Christmas customs to future generations.

6.      Advent is a good time for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, even though this season is not strictly penitential like Lent. What are the barriers that currently prevent me from receiving the Lord who comes?  What are the distractions that keep me from embracing the Lord who comes?

7.       Observe the family tradition of the Advent wreath at the principal family meal. Participate in the spirit of the season by buying gifts for the poor through local Advent Angel projects.

Blogged by Lisa Maxson, Senior Writer/Reporter

Keep the "Hallow" in Halloween

It's Halloween, friends! And while in our culture Halloween is often synonymous with costumes and miniature candy bars, you may be searching for a way to incorporate your Catholic faith into this holiday.

How can you keep the "Hallow" in Halloween?

Bruce McGregor and Jen Brown of Spirit Mornings
 with several members of the Dulac family.

Today on Spirit Catholic Radio's morning show, Spirit Mornings, we featured the Dulac family. Dr. Michael Dulac and two of his children – Colette and Gabriel – were in our studio this morning talking about how they celebrate Halloween. Instead of dressing as ghosts and ghouls, the children dress as saints as a way to evangelize. This year Gabriel will be a soldier representing Father Vincent Capadanno, who is the process of being canonized a saint, and Colette will be dressed as an Egyptian princess, representing St. Barbara, an early Egyptian martyr. 

The blog Catholic Icing, has some great suggestions as well. In one post, the author talks about explaining Halloween to children. You can read that entry here. 

Catholicculture.org also has a page with fantastic resources for Halloween including ideas for planning a Catholic Halloween party. You can read more here. You'll even find a recipe for a Halloween treat called "Soul Cakes." 

The website Catholic Mom has an entire resource page dedicated to Halloween activities, recipes and ideas to help families have a Catholic Halloween. Visit the page here. 

Finally, check out these creative, "Catholic" pumpkins from the Catholic Cuisine blog.

Photo from CatholicCuisine.blogspot.com

However your family decides to celebrate, the team at Spirit Catholic Radio wishes you a safe, blessed and happy Halloween. 

Blogged by Kelly Miller, Marketing and Promotions Manager.