Archdiocese of Dubuque
Marriage & Family Life Office
1229 Mt. Loretta Ave.
Dubuque, IA 52003
(563) 556-2580, x233
www.dbqarch.org/family-life
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Marriage & Family Life Witness Article
"Marriage and Societal Trends" by Matt Selby
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Matt talks about the state of marriage in our society, why many people are choosing not to get married, and what we can do about it in this article.
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Ways to Learn and Live the Faith
as a Catholic Family
May is the Month of Mary
May 3 - National Day of Prayer
May 13 - Mother's Day
May 13 - Anniversary of Apparitions at Fatima
May 13 - Feast of the Ascension of the Lord
May 20 - Pentecost Sunday
May 21 - Memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church
May 27 - Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
May 28 - Memorial Day
Celebrating the Easter Season
Additional Resources
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Marriage Matters
 Marriage Prayer
Here's a prayer for marriage to say with your spouse, invoking the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary:
God our Father, we give you thanks for the gift of marriage: the bond of life and love, and the font of the family. The love of husband and wife enriches your Church with children, fills the world with a multitude of spiritual fruitfulness and service, and is the sign of the love of your Son, Jesus Christ, for his Church. The grace of Jesus flowed forth at Cana at the request of the Blessed Mother. May your Son, through the intercession of Mary, pour out upon us a new measure of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit as we join with all people of good will to promote and protect the unique beauty of marriage. May your Holy Spirit enlighten our society to treasure the heroic love of husband and wife, and guide our leaders to sustain and protect the singular place of mothers and fathers in the lives of their children. Father, we ask that our prayers be joined to those of the Virgin Mary, that your Word may transform our service so as to safeguard the incomparable splendor of marriage. We ask all these things through Christ our Lord.
- Amen
http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/prayers-and-devotions/prayers/prayer-defense-of-marriage.cfm
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Website Spotlight
 The mission of the Families of Character website is to “activate families to grow in joy and unity through good character.” It exists “because parents have one of the most significant jobs in the world.”
As parents, we all want to be intentional about how we raise our children. We want our children to grow up to be healthy, well-rounded individuals and positive contributors to society. With a plethora of available parenting programs out there, it can be overwhelming to figure out where to even begin.
We’ll let you into a little secret: there is no magic formula for raising children. There is no shortcut, no overnight solution. It takes hard work, dedication and intentionality. And it takes all the members of your household to create the environment for a healthy family to flourish. It’s not about abdicating your role as parents to different institutions like schools or sports programs. It’s about the small, daily decisions that you make as you interact as a family. Ultimately, a big part of parenting is about raising children to be amazing adults -- equipped to thrive in all sorts of environments as they grow up.
https://www.familiesofcharacter.com/mission/
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There's An App For That!
Mary App
 This FREE app created by the Marian Fathers offers a complete resource for information on the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus, in an easy to navigate format. The app has three main chapters with these features:
Doctrine: Introduction to Mary, Marian Dogmas, Titles of Mary, Marian Timeline, FAQs and resources; Devotion: Interactive Rosary with an audio option, Marian Consecration, Sacramentals Feasts, Chaplets and Prayers; and Mary Plus: Images of Mary, Apparitions, Pilgrimage Sites, and more.
Mary’s whole task is to lead people closer to Jesus. The more we get to know her and have a fervent devotion to her, the better she can lead us to her Son. For this reason, the Second Vatican Council states, “Everyone should have a genuine devotion to [Mary] and entrust his life to her motherly care.”
(from http://www.marian.org/app/)
Download on iOS or Android devices.
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Interest in Pinterest
May Pinterest Highlights for Families
from the Education Resource Center, Archdiocese of Dubuque
www.pinterest.com/dbqarch
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Book of the Month
 The First Society
The Sacrament of Matrimony and the Restoration of the Social Order
by Scott Hahn
In The First Society: The Sacrament of Matrimony and the Restoration of the Social Order, Scott Hahn makes the startling claim that our society’s ills and its cures are rooted in whether we reject or accept the divine graces made available through the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony.
Man, he argues, is social in his very nature. We were created for community. As it was in the beginning, so it remains today. The family, formed through the Sacrament of Matrimony, is the most basic building block of every society—whether we like it or not. We’ve corrupted marriage, and so we have a corrupt society. If we get marriage right, our society, through God’s grace, will flourish.
http://www.scotthahn.com/resources-1/2018/3/26/the-first-society
For a Free Copy (you pay shipping) click here.
For more information and to purchase the book, click here.
This book is available for sign-out from the Education Resource Center: BK #265320.
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May Movie Pick
 Check out this month's movie pick:
Mary of Nazareth
Mary of Nazareth is an epic motion picture on the life of Mary, mother of Christ, from her childhood through the Resurrection of Jesus.
The film vividly captures the essence of Mary’s profound faith and trust in God amidst the great mysteries that she lived with as the Mother of the Messiah, as well as her compassionate humanity and concern for others, and the deep love that she and Jesus shared for one another. The movie underscores her special role in God’s plan for our redemption, her unique relationship with Christ, and the tremendous suffering that she endured in union with his passion and death, as well as her serene joy at his Resurrection.
After viewing this movie, Pope Benedict XVI said: “ Mary of Nazareth is the woman of a full and total ‘Here I am’ to the Divine Will. In her ‘yes’, even when faced with the loss of her Son, we find complete and profound beatitude.”
(from www.amazon.com)
- Watch the movie trailer by clicking here.
- Purchase a DVD of this movie here.
This movie and accompanying discussion guide are available for sign-out from the
Education Resource Center: DV #31288.
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Prayers and Reflections
A Blessing for Mother's Day
Father, we give you thanks for the many gifts you have given us;
the gift of life, the gift of those who love us.
We thank you today for the gift of our mothers.
We give thanks for our mothers who have died
and for the unique way they have revealed for us your love.
We ask that you bless them and keep them in your care
until the time comes for us to join them in your Kingdom.
We ask your blessing upon the mothers
who are unable to be with us here today.
May they know how much we love and care for them.
We pray for birth mothers who have loved their children so much
they have shared the gift of their child with those who could
better care for them and their needs, and give them a secure home.
And we pray for adoptive mothers, that they may always know
their special role of being a true mother,
a revelation of God’s love for their children.
We ask your blessing upon mothers who have lost children
through stillbirth, crib death, accident and tragedy, war and violence
that they may have your continuing strength and courage.
We ask your blessing too, upon those who would very much
like to be mothers but who are having trouble having a child.
We ask your blessing upon all mothers and mother-figures in our lives.
Give them the strength to live the
faithful and loving lives you call them to live.
Protect and guide them. Keep them in your care.
We ask this blessing in the name of Jesus, our Lord.
Amen.
http://www.stthomasmoresrq.org/a-blessing-for-mothers-day/
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All Are Welcome
May is Mental Health Awareness Month
It is essential for all of us to welcome persons with mental illness by reaching out to them and their family members. Following are things that your family and all members of the community of faith can do to give hope to those who live with mental illness:
- Prayer: We have an obligation to pray for one another, affirming our relationship as the family of Christ. We show our care and support through prayers that include the concerns of persons with mental illness, their families and those who care for them. The National Day of Prayer is May 3, 2018. A Mental Health Month Prayer Service is available here.
- Bring Awareness: Many of your friends, family members, and co-workers will have a form of mental illness at sometime in their lives. Often “hidden,” it nevertheless carries a stigma. Sharing experiences and open discussion can help reduce the stigma. Encourage all parishioners to be aware and involved in outreach to persons with mental challenges, and their families. Check out the newest resources from the National Catholic Partnership on Disability (NCPD) Council on Mental Illness.
For more information about Mental Health Awareness Month and for other resources for inclusion of persons with diverse abilities, please contact Mindy Hart, Director of the Office of Disability Inclusion.
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Upcoming Events
Catholic Men's Conference - April 28, 2018
The Catholic Men’s Fellowship of the Archdiocese of Dubuque will host their annual men’s conference on Saturday, April 28, 2018 at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids. The keynote speaker this year will be Matt Fradd. For more information and to register, please visit their website.
50th Anniversary of Humanae Vitae Celebration - July 22, 2018
Join in celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the release of Pope Paul VI’s encyclical Humanae Vitae, which expresses the beautiful teachings of the Church regarding human sexuality and family planning. The celebration will take place on Sunday, July 22 from 5:00-7:30 PM at St. Pius X in Cedar Rapids and will include a catered dinner and keynote address entitled “The Message of Humanae Vitae 50 Years Later” by internationally renowned speaker Dr. Janet E. Smith. For more information and to register, visit www.dbqarch.org/humanae-vitae-event. For questions, contact Matt Selby, Director of Marriage and Family Life, at (800) 876-3546, ext. 233 or m.selby@dbqarch.org.
 Grandparenting: Leaving a Legacy of Faith Conference - August 25, 2018
All grandparents are invited to participate in a day to celebrate the important role of grandparenting in family life. Connect with other grandparents and hear from dynamic speakers on how to leave a legacy of faith for your children and grandchildren. The day includes keynotes, breakout sessions, Mass with Archbishop Jackels, lunch, and more. The Grandparenting: Leaving a Legacy of Faith conference will take place on Saturday, August 25th from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM at St. Mary’s in Waverly. For more information and registration, please visit www.dbqarch.org/grandparent-day. For questions, contact Matt Selby, Director of Marriage and Family Life, at (800) 876-3546, ext. 233 or m.selby@dbqarch.org.
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