Opening Prayer, Closing Prayer Welcome! 3 Opening Prayer, Closing Prayer 4 Discussion Group...

14
1

Transcript of Opening Prayer, Closing Prayer Welcome! 3 Opening Prayer, Closing Prayer 4 Discussion Group...

Page 1: Opening Prayer, Closing Prayer Welcome! 3 Opening Prayer, Closing Prayer 4 Discussion Group Participants Guidelines 5 Discussion Leader Guidelines 6 Susan …

1

Page 2: Opening Prayer, Closing Prayer Welcome! 3 Opening Prayer, Closing Prayer 4 Discussion Group Participants Guidelines 5 Discussion Leader Guidelines 6 Susan …

2

Welcome! 3

Opening Prayer, Closing Prayer 4

Discussion Group Participants Guidelines 5

Discussion Leader Guidelines 6

Susan Vogt

Your Relationship with Your Adult Children: Experiencing their Changes and Yours

7

Emily Jaminet and Michele Faehnle

Your Relationship with Your Friends: Developing Meaningful Friendships

8

Lisa Hendey

Your Relationship with Technology: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

9

Kate Wicker

Your Relationship with Your Body: Seeing Your Body as an Instrument for God

10

Elizabeth Ficocelli

Your Relationship with the Saints: Finding Companions for Your Life’s Journey

11

Sonja Corbitt

Your Relationship with God: Growing Closer to God with the Scriptures

12

Lisa Mladinich

Your Relationship with Your Aging Self: Be Who You are Meant to Be

13

Laryn Weaver

Your Relationship with Your Teenagers: Sharing, Guiding, Helping them to Grow

14

Stephanie Weinert

Your Relationship with Young Children: Building Bonds and Cultivating their Relationship to Christ

15

Sarah Reinhard

Your Relationship with Mary: Why Her and How You Should Go about It

16

Sister Faustina Maria

Your Relationship to Jesus: Through Prayer and the Ceaseless Act of Love

17

Keith and Tami Kiser

Your Relationship with Your Spouse: A Couple of Insights from Pope Francis

18

Printer-friendly Version of the Discussion Questions 19-31

Page 3: Opening Prayer, Closing Prayer Welcome! 3 Opening Prayer, Closing Prayer 4 Discussion Group Participants Guidelines 5 Discussion Leader Guidelines 6 Susan …

3

Welcome! And many blessings to you!

Catholic Conference 4 Women and Catholic Mosaic thank you

for being a part of this mission: bringing people together to

support one another and to grow closer to Our Lord.

It is our hope that you will use these videos to not only learn

from the presenters, but to share and learn from each other.

We all have so much to offer.

And in doing this, bonds of friendship, support and fellow-

ship will grow.

Christianity wasn’t meant to be experienced alone. God has

given us each other.

And please always be on the lookout for other women to invite.

Enjoy “Relationships.”

Tami Kiser, CEO CC4Women, CatholicMosaic

Page 4: Opening Prayer, Closing Prayer Welcome! 3 Opening Prayer, Closing Prayer 4 Discussion Group Participants Guidelines 5 Discussion Leader Guidelines 6 Susan …

4

Opening Prayer (Can be used at the beginning of each session.)

Our Heavenly Father,

We praise and thank you for gathering us here today. We are truly wonderfully made! We are thankful for

all of the relationships you have given to us.

Dear Jesus,

Help us to seek you in all of our relationships. As we grow closer to each other, may we draw closer to you.

Come Holy Spirit,

Teach us what we are to learn from these presentations and in our sharing with other women. Help us to

find others who need these messages and to share it with them.

Mary, our Mother, we ask your special care and guidance. We place this all under your mantle.

Hail, Mary. . .

Closing Prayer (Can be used at the end to conclude the meeting.)

Lord Jesus,

Please help us as we go out to the world to build unity and trust in our relationships. Help us to seek to

serve the other. And help us to spread the message of your love through all of our relationships.

Our Father. . .

Page 5: Opening Prayer, Closing Prayer Welcome! 3 Opening Prayer, Closing Prayer 4 Discussion Group Participants Guidelines 5 Discussion Leader Guidelines 6 Susan …

5

Guidelines for Discussion Groups

“Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in their midst.”

1. Begin with prayer. Ask the Holy Spirit to make Jesus present to in a new way. Approach the discussion group asking for an

open heart to allow the Lord to speak. A good way to begin each discussion group session is to pray together the prayer at the

beginning of this guide.

2. Everyone should speak from her own experience. Look for the best way to share how the speaker’s words are true to your

own personal experience. This kind of sharing is beneficial for all, because spiritual gifts and graces given to one are meant to bless

the entire community. The small group discussion is not a theological forum but rather an opportunity to learn ways one can

grow in love and support with one another.

3. We will not use the discussion group as a pulpit from which to condemn others nor boast about one’s own ways. It’s perfectly

fine to share your own victories and good deeds as these can be helpful to others. The motive for sharing is what distinguishes

between bragging and simply sharing.

4. We will respect the experience of others who share. Even if we would not have expressed it the way he or she did, we will look

for what is true in our own experience regarding what has been said so as to better understand and accompany others.

5. We will not dominate the conversation. We will be open to the possibility that others have something more interesting and

helpful to say than we do.

6. We will not challenge what the speaker is saying. The point of the discussion group is not to call the Church’s teaching into

question. Of course, one should feel free to ask questions in order to better understand what the speaker is saying and what the

Church teaches. One should also feel free to express how they find the presenter’s words challenging and hard to put into prac-

tice.

7. We will not attempt to fill every awkward silence with empty chatter. We will give the Holy Spirit room to move someone to

speak.

8. Kindness and generosity should rule!

Page 6: Opening Prayer, Closing Prayer Welcome! 3 Opening Prayer, Closing Prayer 4 Discussion Group Participants Guidelines 5 Discussion Leader Guidelines 6 Susan …

6

10 Tips for the Discussion Group Leaders: Anyone can be a good discussion leader. Here are10 tips that should help you keep the discussion on a positive track. Tip #1: Pray. Pray for guidance not only for yourself, but also for the members of your discussion group. Also remember to pray silently to the Holy Spirit throughout the meeting, asking for guidance in leading the discussion. Tip #2: Prepare. If you have the chance to watch the presentation beforehand, please do. Write down your thoughts and ide-as. Decide which questions will take up more time to discuss with the group and which will take the least. Tip #3: Think: “Guide on the Side,” not the “Mentor in the Center.” Even though you are all set and bursting with answers, your job is to propose the questions and wait. However, you are also a member of the group and your opinions and experiences are valuable, too. You should participate about the same as everyone else, but you should not dominate the conversation. Tip #4: Don’t be afraid of a little silence. Let there be time for people to gather their thoughts and sometimes, gather the courage to speak. Tip #5: Create a safe environment for sharing. The discussion group leader is responsible for setting and maintaining an affirming tone and the positive mood of the discussion group. You can control this by affirming and supporting what individuals say. Even if you don’t support what they are saying, you can validate their willingness to express their experiences. A good way to help women to open up to the group is to be honest and truthful about your own experienc-es. Share your own struggles and weaknesses (always within reason). Tip #6: Do not tolerate church-bashing or gossip. If needed, simply remind everyone that we are not allowed to say anything negative about another. That’s not to say that women can’t share episodes about making mistakes. Your wisdom and prudence is needed to tell when sharing is on the verge of turning into bashing or gossip. Remind others that what is said in the discussion group should stay in the discussion group. Tip #7 Do not let any one person dominate the conversation. This can be a little awkward, but it is vital that you learn to include everyone. If someone is dominating the conversation, you can simply say, “Let’s hear from someone who hasn’t had a chance to speak yet.” If it gets too out of control with a particular person dominating every session, don’t be afraid to confront her pri-vately, by saying something similar to the following: “I am so glad you have so much interesting and worth-while information to share, but could you hold back just a little. We only have so much time, and I was hoping to get Ethel a little more involved.” Tip #8 Be a good listener. Don’t worry about planning for the next question, or always checking the time, but really listen to what the people in your group are saying. Sometimes we can be too busy forming our next comment and miss what is being said. Tip #9 Stay to the point. Even if the tangent seems very interesting to you and everyone else in your group, you’ve got to do your best to guide the discussion back to the topic of this document and these questions. If you start to get off topic, don’t be afraid to interrupt and say, “Hey, does anyone else have something to say about question #X?” Tip #10 Watch the Time. Keep a good pace. Estimate how long you will need for each question. Sometimes a question may be done in a matter of a few minutes. At other times, a discussion may continue at length with everyone sharing interesting and helpful experiences. It will be your job to make the decision on when to keep moving or when to wait. Plan ahead to when you want to arrive at the last question, maybe with 10 minutes left.

Page 7: Opening Prayer, Closing Prayer Welcome! 3 Opening Prayer, Closing Prayer 4 Discussion Group Participants Guidelines 5 Discussion Leader Guidelines 6 Susan …

7

Your Relationship with

Your Friends:

Developing Meaningful

Friendships

EMILY JAMINET MICHELE FAEHNLE

1. Emily and Michele talked about 4 types of friendship: Utility, Pleasure, Virtuous, and Spiritual. What do

you think the difference is between a virtuous and spiritual friendship? Do you know many people who

have spiritual friendships? What are some examples of that?

2. Do you think it is possible to have good friendships with non-Christians? (St. Augustine said that all

things that are good in a friendship are from God. . .) What are some of the challenges?

3. What are some of the problems that women have today in establishing friendships—of any kind?

4. Emily and Michele list some ideas to develop spiritual friendships: 1)Introduce yourself to someone at

Mass. 2) Form an exercise group. 3) Adoration and appetizers, or Mass and coffee 4) Book Club 5) Vol-

unteer somewhere. 6) Do a work of mercy together. 7) Pray for someone.

Which of these have you tried? Which of these would you like to try? What other ideas do you have

for developing friendship?

5. What other ideas or inspirations do you have from this talk to improve your friendships?

Page 8: Opening Prayer, Closing Prayer Welcome! 3 Opening Prayer, Closing Prayer 4 Discussion Group Participants Guidelines 5 Discussion Leader Guidelines 6 Susan …

8

Your Relationship with

Your Aging Self:

Be Who You are Meant

to Be

LISA MLADINICH

1. Where do you see the most evidence of our culture’s definition of beauty? How does our culture’s view

of a woman’s beauty differ from God’s?

2. Have you personally felt this unattractiveness or invisibility as you’ve gotten older? How have you dealt

with this?

3. Do you like idea of the “sacramental” signs in our own bodies—meaning that our bodies are signs of

God’s interactions with us? Have you ever thought this way before? Lisa gave the example of her hot

flashes pointing out to her God’s presence in her life. Do you have another example of this?

4. Aging is full of challenges and suffering. How do you handle this suffering? Is there a way to remember

to bring this suffering to the cross? How does thinking of heaven help?

5. Sometimes as we age, we get complacent with our faith, even joyless. What have you found either in

your own life or looking at others’ lives, that can help us get out of this rut? (Lisa mentions a few. . .quiet

prayer time, Lectio Divina, sacraments—like Confession. )

6. What other ideas or inspirations do you have from this talk to improve your relationship with your aging

self?

Page 9: Opening Prayer, Closing Prayer Welcome! 3 Opening Prayer, Closing Prayer 4 Discussion Group Participants Guidelines 5 Discussion Leader Guidelines 6 Susan …

9

Your Relationship with

Your Teenagers:

Sharing, Guiding, Help-

ing them to Grow

LARYN WEAVER

1. How comfortable are you with sharing stories from your own life with your teens? Do you think you err

on the side of sharing too much or too little? What has kept you from sharing yourself in this way?

2. Have you had to talk about uncomfortable matters with your children? Did you bring it up or was it

thrust upon you? What particular topics or words do you think you should discuss with your children be-

fore they hear it from others? What age do you think is appropriate?

3. How have you encouraged your kids to grow in different areas without imposing your own ideas onto

them? (She suggests helping them to be the “best version of themselves.” Has this been easy? Do you

need to do this more?

4. Laryn suggests firm boundaries but lots of room within those boundaries. What are some “firm bounda-

ries” that you have set with your teen? (An example of this would be—no dating until you are 16.)

5. What are some ways that you have encouraged sharing or talking with your teen? Do you have a teen

who doesn’t seem so willing to share? Has anything worked with him or her?

6. What other ideas or inspirations do you have from this talk to improve your relationship with your teens?

Page 10: Opening Prayer, Closing Prayer Welcome! 3 Opening Prayer, Closing Prayer 4 Discussion Group Participants Guidelines 5 Discussion Leader Guidelines 6 Susan …

10

Your Relationship with

Young Children:

Building Bonds and Cul-

tivating their Relation-

ship to Christ

STEPHANIE WEINERT

1. Does the “Tyranny of the Urgent” and other busy matters keep you from spending quality time together?

Is there a solution that works for you?

2. If you have multiple children, what have you tried to encourage that one-on-one relationship with you or

your spouse?

3. In your experience, have you found that your children love simple time spent with you? Do you have

some examples of this? Are there ways to ensure that your time together isn’t spent distracted by your

phone or other multi-tasking that would distract you from this?

4. Stephanie mentioned the importance to memorizing Scripture. Have you tried this with your kids? What

other ways ideas have you tried or would like to try to help your children cultivate their relationship with

Christ?

5. Can you think of anything that your parents or grandparents did for you when you were growing up that

helped you to be open to a relationship with Christ?

6. What other ideas or inspirations do you have from this talk to improve your relationship with your young

children?

Page 11: Opening Prayer, Closing Prayer Welcome! 3 Opening Prayer, Closing Prayer 4 Discussion Group Participants Guidelines 5 Discussion Leader Guidelines 6 Susan …

11

Your Relationship with

Mary:

Why Her and How You

Should Go About It

SARAH REINHARD

1. Is Mary an important part of your faith?

2. Do you like the idea of being “mothered?” What are the different ways you feel about a mother versus

any other type of relationship? How does this help us to approach Mary?

3. What are your feelings about praying the Rosary? What has helped you to pray the Rosary better or

more often?

4. Do you have any other practices or any other resources that have helped you get to know Mary better,

perhaps a book, app ?

5. Do you have a “go to” prayer such as the “Hail Mary” or “Mary , Be a Mother to Me, “ or the

“Memorare” that you pray when you need help? What has helped you get into this habit? Is there a

prayer to Mary that you’d like to become one of your “go to” prayers?

6. What other ideas or inspirations do you have from this talk to improve your relationship with Mary?

Page 12: Opening Prayer, Closing Prayer Welcome! 3 Opening Prayer, Closing Prayer 4 Discussion Group Participants Guidelines 5 Discussion Leader Guidelines 6 Susan …

12

Reproducible Pages (Feel free to print out for discussion group leaders and participants.)

Page 13: Opening Prayer, Closing Prayer Welcome! 3 Opening Prayer, Closing Prayer 4 Discussion Group Participants Guidelines 5 Discussion Leader Guidelines 6 Susan …

13

1. Susan listed one tip for each young adult stage:

Boomerang children: “List expectations. . .”

Single: “Do what moves them to more independence.”

Married: “Support spouse choice, and don’t help too much with wedding plans.”

Grandchildren: “Remember that they are not your children, and don’t give advice unless asked.”

Crisis: “Support, but help them to more independence.”

Which point did you feel most true to your experience?

2. What additional points would you add for each stage?

3. Which idea under “What I Learned,” do you think is the hardest to learn? (“You can’t control your chil-

dren,” “Some must lose their faith in order to find it,”and “You must love your children unconditional-

ly,”)

4.What virtues have your children taught you?

5.Did you find the glasses illustration helpful? In what ways?

6.What ideas or inspirations do you have from this talk to improve your relationship with your adult kids?

Susan Vogt Your Relationship with Your Adult Kids: Experiencing Their Changes and Yours

Page 14: Opening Prayer, Closing Prayer Welcome! 3 Opening Prayer, Closing Prayer 4 Discussion Group Participants Guidelines 5 Discussion Leader Guidelines 6 Susan …

14

Keith and Tami Kiser Your Relationship with Your Spouse:

A Couple of Insights from Pope Francis

1. What are some of the things that make you lose your patience with your spouse? Do you think trying to

see his point of view or simply respecting that “He has a right to live in the world just as he is,” can help?

Have you tried other ideas to help with not growing frustrated with your spouse or losing your temper?

2. How far along are you with “not being the center” of your marriage relationship? Are you just beginning

to realize this? Do you struggle with this? What helps you to remember to see things from your spouses

point of view?

3. Tami talks about how helpful it was for her to understand temperament types and love languages. Have

you looked into anything like this? How has it helped you or your husband?

4. Keith likes the Pope’s idea of a marriage being like a fine wine or a craftsmanship? A good marriage takes

time and work. How does knowing this help you to face difficulties in your marriage?

5. There are lots of ways to “work” on your marriage. What has been something that you have done that

has helped your marriage relationship to grow? Is there anything you’d like to try?

6. What other ideas or inspirations do you have from this talk to improve your relationship with your

spouse?