St. Frances Xavier Cabrini ~ Industry

“O my God, I will do everything for the love of Thee.”

I held my last Little Flower’s meeting of the 2010-2011 session on March 5 – First Saturday .  LF moms and I decided to opt out of rescheduling a meeting in April so that we could observe the Lenten season.  I will, however, provide all members with their Saint/Virtue packet so that they can complete their study at home.  The May meeting will be our participation in a May Procession.  It will be a splendid way to officially close this year’s LF session.

Ad Jesum per Mariam

  

May Procession 2010

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The girls attended Mass with help from two Sodality members.  We had 25 girls in attendance.  The First Communicants joined us after their lessons with Father L.

I had a limited time to introduce the Little Flowers lesson since we were expecting special visitors.  As we waited, we briefly recapped last months saint and virtue – St. Jane Frances de Chantal & Love of Our Neighbor.

~ St. Frances Xavier Cabrini & Industry ~

Then I introduced St. Frances Xavier Cabrini and the virtue of industry.  I used the following excerpt from Fr. Lasance, Catholic Girl’s Guide.

Christianity teaches us to regard work as something sacred, honorable, and exalted.  Work is your duty.

You must not only value work very highly, you must also love it.

We are taught by daily experience that industrious, active girls who are fond of work are almost without exception virtuous and pure.

A girl ought to learn every kind of work which she will be expected to know later in life; she ought to help her mother as much as she possible can.

~ Fr. Lasance, Catholic Girl’s Guide

I was able to share fresh daffodils since they had just bloomed.  Majority of the girls immediately recognized the industrious flower.

I mean the daffodil.  I have chosen it from among its brethren and sisters, the fair children of spring and I have called it industry’s flower because of hastens to blossom as soon as possible.  I wish to place it before your eyes, Christian maiden, as an emblem of industry, that virtue which should find a place in the garland which decks your youthful brow. ~ Fr. Lasance, Catholic Girl’s Guide

The girls brainstormed ways in which thy could be industrious (or work) at home.  I also prepared them for this month’s activity in place of the usual craft.  I planned for the girls to be industrious around the parish.

~ Special Visitors ~

Our lesson led into the introduction of our special visitors, two Missionaries of Charity sisters.  Father L coordinated this visit for all the girl groups of the parish.  Sr. Miram and Sr. Lourdes spoke to the Little Flowers and Sodality members.

The sisters shared their beautiful testimony and gave a brief on their daily lives.  They encouraged the girls to find silence in their hearts among a world full of noise.

“God speaks in the silence of our heart.” Sr. Lourdes, MC

The sisters also emphasized the need to grow close to Jesus through Our Blessed Mother.  They were a beautiful witness on finding “simple JOY” in all we do.

The sisters left and the girls immediately went to apply their direction, work for Jesus with great love.

~ Industrious Work ~

My local Lowe’s Build and Grow Workshop donated aprons and craft kits.  Unfortunately, I requested the donation prior to this year’s registration and I only estimated 20 girls – I’m short by 10 aprons. 

A few Sodality members generously offered to help the LF clean the parish.  I had 4 groups:

• trash pick-up
• office
• narthex
• 3 bathrooms

I tried to have the girls rotate through the different stations.  My goal was to have the girls experience the work that they can do for their community, to serve and share their JOY with others.

“Little things with great love.” ~ St. Therese of Lisieux

 

~ Handouts ~

• Divider Sheet
• Industry Virtue Activities
• St. Francis Xavier Cabrini Bio for Kids – Holy Spirit Interactive
• Industry Memory Verse
• St. Francis Xavier Cabrini Coloring Page – Waltzing Matilda
• St. Xavier Cabrini Info Sheet

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Keep your gaze constantly fixed upon that workshop [of the Holy Family] and thence learn to be faithful and assiduous in your work, and to regard it as honorable.  Whether it be easy or difficult, servile or otherwise, consider it to be a precious remembrance, a priceless relic of the house at Nazareth.  Within those walls was work also exalted and sanctified…~ St. Frances Xavier Cabrini