ALWAYS BURNING An Edge Social Night This week at Edge your son or daughter learned about St. Basil the Great and played a game where they were challenged to complete tasks based on three titles of the Holy Spirit. The teaching gave the youth a brief introduction to the Holy Spirit, and they had time in small groups to get to know one another and make s mores. The Edge Night concluded with the Litany to the Holy Spirit. There may be a lot of symbols that come to mind when you think of the Holy Spirit a dove, fire, water, breath, wind, etc. but the truth is that the Holy Spirit is a person. (CCC 685, 694-701) The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, which means that He is one with the Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit helps us know the Father and the Son and can help us grow in our faith. (CCC 683-690) No one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit. God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba! Father! This knowledge of faith is possible only in the Holy Spirit: to be in touch with Christ, we must first have been touched by the Holy Spirit. He comes to meet us and kindles faith in us. By virtue of our Baptism, the first sacrament of the faith, the Holy Spirit in the Church communicates to us, intimately and personally, the life that originates in the Father and is offered to us in the Son. (CCC 683) If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him; you know him, for he dwells with you, and will be in you. (John 14:15-17) What do you think of first when you think of the Holy Spirit? What symbol of the Holy Spirit helps you best understand who the Holy Spirit is? Why is the Holy Spirit important to your life?
IGNITION An Edge Night on the Mission of the Holy Spirit This week at Edge your son or daughter learned about St. Ambrose of Milan and built straw rockets with their small groups to symbolize how the Holy Spirit propels us forward. The teaching discussed how the Holy Spirit works in and through the Church. The youth then had an opportunity to see how the Holy Spirit is present in their lives and discuss the teaching. The Edge Night ended with the youth praying for the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has been at work with the Father and the Son since the beginning of time and continues to work with them until the end of time. (CCC 702) Just before Christ died on the cross, He promised that the Holy Spirit would come to be with us forever to teach us, to remind us of what Christ said, and to help us bear witness to Him in the world. (CCC 729-730) We are called to share our faith in the normal circumstances of our lives: at school, at home with our family, and with our friends. From the beginning until the fullness of time, the joint mission of the Father s Word and Spirit remains hidden, but it is at work. God s Spirit prepares for the time of the Messiah. Neither is fully revealed but both are already promised, to be watched for and welcomed at their manifestation. So, for this reason, when the Church reads the Old Testament, she searches there for what the Spirit, who has spoken through the prophets, wants to tell us about Christ. (CCC 702) When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:1-4) How does the image of a rocket blasting off into space relate to how the Holy Spirit works in our lives? What happened on the day of Pentecost? What gift of the Holy Spirit do you need the most at this point in your life?
KINDLING An Edge Night on the Church This week at Edge your son or daughter learned about St. Philip Neri. They did an activity where each small group had to gather items for a camping trip and think about the importance of teamwork. During the teaching, they learned about the Church and how it affects them. The youth then had an opportunity to work together and discuss the importance of the unity of the Church. The Edge Night ended with prayer in small groups. The word church means convocation or assembly and what belongs to the Lord. The Church is not created by humans but by God. (CCC 751-752) God desires that, through the Church, we should be brought into one family with Him and with one another. (CCC 772-776, 781) It is through the Church and the sacraments that we are able to physically encounter God and come into communion with Him. There is not a more direct way to God. The word Church (Latin ecclesia, from the Greek ek-ka-lein, to call out of ) means a convocation or an assembly. It designates the assemblies of the people, usually for a religious purpose. Ekklesia is used frequently in the Greek Old Testament for the assembly of the Chosen People before God, above all for their assembly on Mount Sinai where Israel received the Law and was established by God as his holy people. By calling itself Church, the first community of Christian believers recognized itself as heir to that assembly. In the Church, God is calling together his people from all the ends of the earth. The equivalent Greek term Kyriake, from which the English word Church and the German Kirche are derived, means what belongs to the Lord. (CCC 751) Jesus said to him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me. (John 14:6) What did you learn about St. Philip Neri? What did you learn about the Church? Why is the Church so important? How does the Church help us encounter Jesus?
EVERLASTING An Edge Night on One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic This week at Edge your son or daughter learned the story of St. John Vianney. The Edge Night was broken into four mini Edge Nights, each covering one of the marks of the Catholic Church. Each mini Edge Night consisted of a quick game, a five minute teaching, and three small group questions. The youth remained in their small groups throughout the Edge Night, and the Edge Night ended with the youth praying the Peace Prayer of St. Francis. The Church is united as one. All Catholic churches around the world are a part of the one Church. (CCC 813-816) The Church is holy because Jesus is holy. Jesus is always present in the Church and the Catholic Church has the fullness of salvation. (CCC 823-830) The Church is Catholic, or universal, and recognizes goodness in and some similarities with other religions, but the Church holds that the fullness of the truth remains in the Catholic Church. (CCC 843-846) The Church is apostolic, which means that it was founded on the apostles. (CCC 857) This is the sole Church of Christ, which in the Creed we profess to be one, holy, catholic and apostolic. These four characteristics, inseparably linked with each other, indicate essential features of the Church and her mission. The Church does not possess them of herself; it is Christ who, through the Holy Spirit, makes his Church one, holy, catholic, and apostolic, and it is he who calls her to realize each of these qualities. (CCC 811) Go therefore and make 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. (Matthew 28:19-20) What stood out to you the most about St. John Vianney? What mark of the Church mini Edge Night did you like the best? Why? Why is it important for us to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with other people?
LIFE IN THE FIRE An Edge Night on the Structure of the Church This week at Edge your son or daughter learned about St. Vincent Pallotti. They played a game where they were challenged to figure out who the leader of the game was. The teaching focused on the structure of the Church and how the roles of the hierarchy and laity help carry out the mission of the Church. The youth then built a web to see how everyone is connected. The Edge Night ended with prayerful, silent journaling. Structure is important for many areas of our lives, and structure is important for the Church. Jesus gave the Church a specific purpose and mission to accomplish, but He also gave the Church a specific structure so that these things could be accomplished. (CCC 874) The hierarchy was established first by Jesus, who gave Peter the role of leading the Church and, along with the other apostles, His authority to forgive sins, lead, and govern His people in the faith. (CCC 875-887, CCC 976-983, Matthew 16:18) The hierarchy is not the only structure that is essential to the Church to accomplish her mission and purpose the laity are also an essential part of the Church. The Christian faithful are those who, inasmuch as they have been incorporated in Christ through Baptism, have been constituted as the people of God; for this reason, since they have become sharers in Christ s priestly, prophetic, and royal office in their own manner, they are called to exercise the mission which God has entrusted to the Church to fulfill in the world, in accord with the condition proper to each one. (CCC 871) And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18) Why is it important for most things to have a leader? Why is it important for the Church to have a clear leader? What role do you play in the Church?
OXYGEN An Edge Night on Vocations This week at Edge your son or daughter learned more about Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin. They played a game to see how well they know various people in religious vocations around the diocese. During the teaching, they learned about the different types of vocations, specifically the lesser known vocation to consecrated life. They then had an opportunity to hear from a panel of people in different vocations and were able to ask the panel members questions. The Edge Night ended with a brief small group discussion to reflect on what they learned about vocations and a prayer for the different people from the panel. We are called by God to achieve holiness through a specific state of life, or vocation. Consecrated life is when a man or a woman makes a permanent decision to live a life of poverty, chastity (celibacy), and obedience. (CCC 914-915) Your vocation is a part of the grand plan that God has for your life; a plan that will bring you the greatest happiness. (Jeremiah 29:11) From the God-given seed of the counsels a wonderful and wide-spreading tree has grown up in the field of the Lord, branching out into various forms of the religious life lived in solitude or in community. Different religious families have come into existence in which spiritual resources are multiplied for the progress in holiness of their members and for the good of the entire Body of Christ. (CCC 917) For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11) What did you learn about vocations? Who on the panel stood out to you the most? Why? Have you ever thought about what state of life or vocation God might be calling you to?
FLAMETHROWER An Edge Night on the Communion of Saints This week at Edge your son or daughter learned more about the life of St. John Paul II and played a ball game to demonstrate how saints help us in our lives. The teaching explored how, just as flamethrowers harness the power of fire, other members of the Church particularly the saints can help us embrace the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. They then created saint devotional candles which were lit as they prayed for the intercession of the saints at the end of the Edge Night. The Holy Spirit always wants good things for us, but sometimes those things seem intimidating and we need help from others who know how to follow the Spirit. We cannot live our faith alone; the communion of saints and Church exist so we can support one another spiritually and practically. The communion of saints is made up of those on Earth, in purgatory, and in heaven. The saints are united to the Holy Spirit in heaven and are one of our best resources when we need help understanding and following God. Since all the faithful form one body, the good of each is communicated to the others... We must therefore believe that there exists a communion of goods in the Church. But the most important member is Christ, since he is the head... Therefore, the riches of Christ are communicated to all the members, through the sacraments. As this Church is governed by one and the same Spirit, all the goods she has received necessarily become a common fund. (CCC 941) Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2) Who are the saints? How can the saints help us in our daily lives? Who is one saint you have learned about so far that you really like? What do you like most about his or her story?
FIRE INSIDE An Edge Issue Night on Mary This week at Edge your son or daughter learned more about St. Maximilian Kolbe. They played a scavenger hunt game to find different Marian images. The teaching explored Mary s relationship with the Holy Spirit. Your son or daughter then joined his or her small group to pray a decade of the rosary while reflecting on the joyful mysteries. The Edge Night ended with the youth continuing to pray and reflect on Scripture passages about the life of Mary. Mary s perfection should not alienate us because Mary wants us to share in her perfect connection to the Holy Spirit. When Mary said, yes to being Jesus mother, she said, yes to being our mother too. She has been a mother for the Church. Mary pondered everything she experienced, good or bad, in her heart with the Spirit. One way to be more like Mary is to offer our experiences to the Holy Spirit like she did. Mary s role in the Church is inseparable from her union with Christ and flows directly from it. This union of the mother with the Son in the work of salvation is made manifest from the time of Christ s virginal conception up to his death ; it is made manifest above all at the hour of his Passion: Thus the Blessed Virgin advanced in her pilgrimage of faith, and faithfully persevered in her union with her Son unto the cross. There she stood, in keeping with the divine plan, enduring with her only begotten Son the intensity of his suffering, joining herself with his sacrifice in her mother s heart, and lovingly consenting to the immolation of this victim, born of her: to be given, by the same Christ Jesus dying on the cross, as a mother to his disciple, with these words: Woman, behold your son. (CCC 964) My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden. For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. (Luke 1:46-49) Why is Mary so important? What role does Mary play in the Church? Why should Mary be an important part of our lives?