St. Dominic Savio (Feast Day March 10)

April 2, 1842 – March 9, 1857

Dominic was born into a peasant family in Riva, Italy. Dominic joined St. John Bosco as a student at the Oratory in Turin at the age of 12. He impressed St. John Bosco with his desire to be a priest and to help him in his work with neglected boys. A peacemaker and an organizer, young Dominic founded a group he called the Company of the Immaculate Conception, which, besides being devotional, helped John Bosco with the boys and with manual work. Dominic was called home to heaven at the age of 14. The members of his group joined the Salesian congregation that John Bosco started. As a youth, Dominic spent hours rapt in prayer. Even in play, he said that at times, “It seems heaven is opening just above me. I am afraid I may say or do something that will make the other boys laugh.” Dominic would also say, “I can’t do big things. But I want all I do, even the smallest thing, to be for the greater glory of God.”

·       What is Jesus trying to teach us in this Gospel?

·       Do you know anyone who brags? What’s it like to be around someone like that?

·       What does it mean when Jesus says, “you have but one Father in heaven”?

·       St. Dominic Savio was concerned with how others would react to his deep faith. Do you worry about what others will think of you if you share your faith? What would help with that?

Neighborhood Rake Rally

Just as St. Dominic Savio’s group would help with manual labor, help around your neighborhood today. 

Rake the leaves off the lawns of the elderly in your neighborhood and spend some time getting to know them better.

Pumpkin Muffins with Chocolate Chips and Medieval Spices

This recipe will certainly take a place of honor at your table!

Muffins:

1 tsp canola or vegetable oil for greasing

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup old-fashioned oatmeal

3 Tbsp ground flax seed

¾ cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice*

½ cup or 1 stick of butter, melted and cooled slightly

2 eggs

½ cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup canned pumpkin 

1 cup chocolate chips

Topping:

1 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp light brown sugar

1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

*Pumpkin Pie Spice = 1 tsp ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground ginger, ¼ tsp ground nutmeg, 1/8 tsp ground cloves, 1/8 tsp ground allspice.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan. Combine flour, oatmeal, flax seed, sugar, baking powder, salt, and 1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice in a large bowl. Whisk butter, eggs, milk, and vanilla together in a small bowl. Add pumpkin and stir. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. In a small bowl, mix sugar, light brown sugar, and Pumpkin Pie Spice. Sprinkle mixture on top of each muffin. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean or with dry crumbs. Cool slightly before serving.

The Prayer of St. Gertrude for the Souls in Purgatory

On November 2^nd, the Church celebrated the feast of All Souls; we observe the Month of Remembrance for the entire month of November. Remember those loved ones who have gone before as you pray this prayer as a family.

Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal Church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen.

Find an image of your Parish's patron saint. See if you can learn something about him or her from the image.

Practice the virtue of humility this week. Let others go before you, when possible, and try not to boast.

The Big Bang Theory was proposed by a Catholic priest, Monsignor Georges Lemaitre.