Sts. Cornelius and Cyprian (Feast Day September 16) 

d. 253, 258 

St. Cornelius was elected to succeed St. Fabian as the Bishop of Rome (pope), after Fabian was killed in a persecution in the year 250. The Church faced not only persecution, but also opposition from within. A priest named Novatian denied the Church’s authority to forgive apostacy. Novatian and his followers believed that those who renounced the faith could not be accepted back into the Church even if they had repented. Novatian had himself consecrated as a rival Bishop of Rome, thereby becoming an anti-pope. St. Cornelius called a council of bishops together to settle the dispute. The council condemned Novatian’s view. Pope Cornelius, backed by St. Cyprian and other bishops, upheld the Church’s teaching, and allowed sinners to do penance and return to the Church. In 253, St. Cornelius was exiled by the authorities, and died a martyr soon afterward.

St. Cyprian was a famous lawyer and orator in North Africa. He didn’t become a Christian until age forty-six, then later became a priest and the bishop of Carthage. St. Cyprian went into hiding during the Roman persecution of 250, to allow himself to continue ministering to his people. He, like Cornelius, had to deal with the beliefs of Novatian. During this time another priest took over his position and then forgave all those who renounced the faith without requiring any penance of them at all. This position was too lenient, and Cyprian succeeded in having it condemned by the Church. New persecutions broke out under Emperor Valerian. St. Cyprian was arrested and tried for being a Christian. When he was read his death sentence, he exclaimed “Blessed be God!” He was martyred in 258.

·       What is the difference between how the Scribes behaved vs. how the poor widow behaved in today’s Gospel? What can we learn from this?

·       Do you know someone who displays the virtue of humility? Tell a story about that person and why you admire him or her.

·       Why is it important to contribute to the needs of the Church by sharing our time, talent and treasure?

·       What strikes you about the story of Sts. Cornelius and Cyprian?

Thankful Bunting

Start preparing for Thanksgiving by taking on an attitude of gratitude! Gratitude increases our overall happiness, helps us to be less self-centered, and helps us to be the people God calls us to be. Reflecting on what you are thankful for is a great way for your family to cultivate a generous spirit and a sense of contentment. Collect all of your family’s sentiments of gratitude and make a thankful bunting (a string of colorful triangular flags) today. Here’s what you’ll need:

Sturdy white paper, such as cardstock or watercolor paper

Scissors

Tape                                

Black permanent markers, such as Sharpies

Paint/crayons/markers

(Optional) Sewing machine

Instructions: First, cut your paper into triangles big enough to draw and write on. Cover your work surface to protect it from the paint/markers. Next, tape a series of triangles down on your work surface, to hold them in place. Invite family members to draw pictures and/or write words of the things they are thankful for. Then color the images with paint, markers, or crayons. Once finished, remove the tape. Arrange the triangles and sew them together into one long bunting. If you don’t have a sewing machine, use a hole punch to punch holes in the top corners of each triangle, then weave yarn through all the holes to string them all together. Finally, hang your new thankful bunting up where everyone can see it!

Pumpkin Muffins                    

In honor of the widow’s contribution of two coins, make this simple seasonal two-ingredient recipe.

1 spice cake mix

1 can pure pumpkin (not the pumpkin pie filling)

Mix ingredients well. Preheat oven to 350 F. Put cupcake holders in muffin tin or spray muffin tin to prevent sticking. Fill each muffin well ½ to 2/3 full. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clear. Let cool and enjoy!

Praying with Music

As a family, listen to the song Open My Eyes by Jesse Manibusan. You should be able to find the song on YouTube or wherever you stream music. Reflect on the lyrics and share with your family what speaks to you through this song.

At what point during Mass do we make contributions to the church? What do we contribute?

Practice the virtue of humility by being mindful not to brag or talk about yourself excessively this week.

One of the Spiritual Works of Mercy is praying for the dead. In November, the Church does this in a special way with the celebration of All Saints Day, All Souls Day, and praying for the deceased throughout the month.