The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis has launched an initiative to “Reclaim Sundays”. Archbishop Hebbda says, “… this effort is designed to meet families where they are and … help them take meaningful steps to reorient their Sundays — and their entire lives — to reflect the gift of the Lord’ s Day.”
Watch a message from Archbishop Hebda
To make this initiative more personal and relevant for our parish community, we are adapting the Archdiocesan guide to align with the activities and events offered here at St. Joseph. Each month, a new themed page will be available in the Narthex and on our parish website, featuring ideas and activities to help your family make Sunday a day of faith, rest, and joy.
July
Creation is celebrated and blessed on the day of rest and seen as good.
In July’s Reclaiming Sundays videos, Jonathan and Mary Foster, and Manuel Huerta, describe outdoor activities with their families that make for wonderful memories and ultimately enhance their appreciation for God’s creation, especially on the Lord’s Day.
Watch July Video
MAY
“It’s not just about working less or taking a break from the to-do list. It’s about slowing down our rhythm of life so that we can experience the love that He has for us and the love of all the people He has placed in our lives.”
In May’s Reclaiming Sundays videos, Karla Gergen, wife, mother and principal of Saint Helena Catholic School in Minneapolis, invites us to be present to others through real relationships in order to receive the joy and the rest God has given us in the Sabbath. Maricruz Hernández shares how life in community transforms our faith. Drawing from her experiences in a small town in Mexico and her journey in Minnesota, she reminds us that the Church is a family that makes itself present during life’s significant moments—in times of both joy and difficulty. Let’s reclaim Sundays for the Lord and our families.
Watch May Video
APRIL
“A meal is a moment that can create a meaningful encounter with those we love.”
In April’s Reclaiming Sundays video, Marta Pereira, a campus minister at the University of St. Thomas, reminisces about her traditions of breaking bread while growing up in Costa Rica — praying, telling stories and sharing a family meal on Sundays. With the busyness of today’s family life, she encourages families to be intentional about making time for the most special of guests — Christ and family. Let’s reclaim Sundays for the Lord and our families.
Watch April Video
MARCH
“A really important part of having elevated conversation is reducing or eliminating those two big distractions of busyness and digital devices.”
In March’s video of our Reclaiming Sundays series, husband, father and Catholic school teacher Deacon Joseph Block proposes three steps to moving beyond the ordinary and into more meaningful and spiritual conversations. Let’s reclaim Sundays for the Lord and our families.
Watch March Video
FEBRUARY
“We know that heavy screen use can really start giving children messages about who they are and their identity that isn’t of the Lord.”
In February’s video of our Reclaiming Sundays series, Catholic parents Jim and Alison Dahlman and Herbert and Regina Mancilla highlight their role as their children’s primary educators and their efforts to reserve the Lord’s Day for their family, sans screens. Let’s reclaim Sundays for the Lord and our families.
Watch February Video
JANUARY
“The Holy Spirit asks us to step out of our comfort zone, and a lot of times we find that works very well after Mass.”
In January’s video of the Reclaiming Sundays series, Catholic parents Mike and Krysten Fulcher recall the warm welcome they received as newcomers to their parish, and how that experience has inspired them to seek out new families to invite into a community of faith. Kari Fabrizzi and Guillermo Schroeder remind us that every Sunday is an opportunity to encounter the Lord in the Eucharist. Let’s reclaim Sundays for the Lord and our families.
DECEMBER
Music lifts our spirits to God. Singing, playing an instrument or listening to music can be a way for our whole selves to share in the glory of the Father.
In December’s videos of our Reclaiming Sundays series, Luke Spehar shares how families can simply and meaningfully incorporate music into their Sunday practices to enhance the Lord’s Day. Ibrahin Moreno and Iris Montano share how music inspires our hearts to rediscover the grace of the Lord’s Day. Let’s reclaim Sundays for the Lord and our families.
Watch December Video
NOVEMBER
In November’s videos of our Reclaiming Sundays series, Bernadette Gockowski, Catholic artist, wife and mother, shares her appreciation of the “wow factor” of beauty in our Catholic faith and what her family does to lean into the fullness of the beauty of the Catholic Church. Beatriz Lopez shares the tradition of preparing altars with creativity, prayer and recognition of the presence of God. It all comes together to reveal the beauty that comes from life. Let’s reclaim Sundays for the Lord and our families.
Watch November Video
OCTOBER
After all the work God did during the week, on the seventh day, He rested and made it holy. We should, too.
In October’s video of our Reclaiming Sundays series, Dr. Pamela Patnode, Catholic educator, author and speaker, encourages families to “keep making the effort.” She reminds us, “The more we can enter into the Lord’s Day with worship, rest and leisure as He intended, the less it feels like an obligation and the more it feels like a gift.” Let’s reclaim Sundays for the Lord and our families.
Watch October Video
SEPTEMBER
With school back in session and activities ramping up, many of us might already be feeling strapped for time. And yet, as St. John Paul II wrote, “Time given to Christ is never time lost, but is rather time gained, so that our relationships and indeed our whole life may become more profoundly human.”
In the first videos of our Reclaiming Sundays series, Pete Burds and Dr. Christine Luna Munger share insights and practical ideas for incorporating prayer into our daily lives — whether chaotic or calm — to help us keep Christ at the center. Let’s reclaim Sundays for the Lord and our families.
Watch September Video
