St. Joan of Arc (Feast Day May 30) 

January 6, 1412 – May 30, 1431 

Joan was born to pious parents of the French peasant class near the province of Lorraine. When Joan was only twelve years old, the great miracle of her life unfolded. One summer day, she heard a mysterious voice, which was accompanied by a bright light. She identified the speaker as Michael the Archangel. He spoke to her many times, gradually revealing a mission. “You have been chosen to restore the kingdom of France,” said the voice, “and to protect King Charles.” She was to accomplish these things as the head of the army! In obedience, Joan offered her services to the commander of the royal forces. After telling the commander a fact that could have only been known by revelation, he was persuaded to take her seriously and outfitted her with white armor adorned with the names of Jesus and Mary. 

During the Hundred Years War, Joan led French troops against the English and recaptured the cities of Orléans and Troyes. This enabled Charles VII to be crowned as king in Reims in 1429. Captured near Compiegne the following year, Joan was sold to the English and placed on trial for heresy and witchcraft. The English resented France’s military success–to which Joan contributed. 

Although Joan is most remembered for her military exploits, she had a great love for the sacraments, which strengthened her compassion toward the poor. Popular devotion to her increased greatly in 19th-century France and later among French soldiers during World War I.

Joan was burned at the stake as a heretic after a politically motivated trial. A second Church trial 25 years later nullified the earlier verdict. Joan was a martyr, but not in the technical sense. She was killed for her politics, not for her faith. She died because she did what she thought God wanted her to do. She was beatified in 1909 and canonized in 1920.

·       How would you describe the three Persons of the Trinity? Draw a picture if it helps.

·       Which person of the Trinity do you pray to the most? Explain your answer.

·       Jesus commands us to make disciples of all nations. What can your family do to respond to this commission?

·       How was the Holy Spirit at work in the life of St. Joan of Arc?

Water Fun

Water reminds us that we are baptized with water in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Take some time to play water games today. You can play with water balloons or run through a sprinkler. Here are some other water games to consider:

·    Water Balloon Baseball—Use a plastic bat and use a water balloon instead of a ball

·       Ice Breaker—Freeze something (toy, laminated paper, etc.) in a baggie of water and then “break” the ice to get the item out. For older kids, consider putting a large t-shirt in a baggie filled with water and freeze it. Then challenge them to get the item out of the bag, unfreeze it, and wear it.

·       Wet Chalk—Wet the ground and create a drawing with chalk. Watch it change as it dries! (Bonus: You can do this inside on a chalkboard or another safe surface such as a bathtub wall).

·       Toe Swim—Fill a large bowl with small toys, water, and ice cubes on top. Put your toes in the water to fish out a toy.

Grammie’s Cheesecake

This recipe reminds us of the Most Holy Trinity as it has three distinct parts that make one delicious dish!

Crust Ingredients:

 9 oz vanilla wafers, crushed

¼ cup butter, melted

1 Tbsp. sugar

Filling Ingredients:

3- 8 oz packages of Philadelphia Cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

5 eggs at room temperature

1 ¼ tsp. vanilla

dash of salt

Topping Ingredients:

1 pint sour cream

½ cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Mix all the crust ingredients. Pat into a 9 x 13 Pyrex dish and set aside to make filling. Place cream cheese in mixing bowl and beat adding eggs one at a time, beating in between each addition. Add sugar, vanilla, and salt till blended, pouring over crust. An electric hand-mixer works best, but it is not required. Layer filling over the crust. Bake at 325 F for 40-45 minutes until slightly brown around the edges and center is bouncy to the touch. (If you overcook cheesecake begins to crack and will not be as moist.) Refrigerate overnight before topping. Mix the topping. Spread over filling at least an hour before serving. Serve a bowl of berries alongside for added flavor.

The Glory Be

The Glory Be honors the Most Holy Trinity. Reflect on the words of this traditional prayer using the questions below. Have one person read the prayer and reflection question one line at a time. Pause for a minute or two after each line in order to think about the question. Invite family members to share their reflections.

Glory be to the Father – How do I show glory to God?

and to the Son – How would I describe Jesus to my friends?

and to the Holy Spirit – Where have I seen the Holy Spirit working in my life this past week?

as it was in the beginning - What is my earliest memory of God?

is now – What is God speaking to my heart right now?

and ever shall be world without end. – What do I think Heaven will be like?

Amen.

We begin and end Mass with the same action. What is it, and how does it relate to today’s feast day?

St. Patrick had a strong devotion to the Trinity. He was known to make the Sign of the Cross many times throughout the day, whether in times of trouble or in thanksgiving. Count how many times you make the sign of the cross this week.

Water balloons were originally intended to be waterproof socks to protect people’s feet. After the inventor, Edgar Ellington, filled one with water, he found a rip that would cause a leak. Upset, he threw it down on the table. The splash inspired him to change course and market the invention as a water balloon.