The Dominus Project

Easter is for Leisure

We are an Easter people and Alleluia is our song!

Hello families, Ansleigh here! I hope your Easter has been and continues to be a joyful season of rest in the Lord. I know for my family we are constantly feeling the tug from the Lord to slow down, be present, and rest. As one of our patron saints, St. Gianna Molla, said, “The secret of happiness is to live moment by moment and to thank God for all that He, in His goodness, sends to us day after day.”

As a mom, trying to live in the present moment looks like less screen time, choosing silence over noise (audiobooks, podcasts, voice memos), and more intentionally living the Sabbath.

I am always inspired by St. Gianna’s witness as a holy mother, wife, and medical doctor.  My prayer for this season is that I do not get so caught up in preparing for the next moment that I forget to savor the current one. St. Gianna, pray for us!

Has to be Jesus; can’t be us,

Ansleigh Munn

Project Coordinator, The Dominus Project

Practice Makes Perfect

Making Jesus Lord of our homes is not only about knowing the rights things, but also about doing the Christian life in the daily grind. If you’re looking for a way to beef up your keeping of the third commandment, “Keep holy the Sabbath,” we recommend the following:

I. Pray as a family about all of your activities. Which ones are bringing you peace and joy? Which ones consistently bring frustration, anxiety, or anger? Consider cutting these latter ones out.

II. Make Sunday a true “Lord’s Day.” St. John Paul II wrote, “when Sunday loses its fundamental meaning and becomes merely part of a ‘weekend,’ it can happen that people stay locked within a horizon so limited that they can no longer see ‘the heavens.’ …The disciples of Christ, however, are asked to avoid any confusion between the celebration of Sunday, which should truly be a way of keeping the Lord's Day holy, and the ‘weekend,’ understood as a time of simple rest and relaxation” (Dies Domini, no. 4). So, how do we do this?

1. First, by preparing our hearts for Mass. Go over the Sunday Mass readings earlier in the week as a family, at least the Gospel, during dinner. Take a moment of silence and have everyone try to listen for what Jesus wants to say to them through the reading. Then talk about it and pick a verse you want the whole family to remember throughout the week.
2. Second, be a witness that Mass is the most important thing we do. Even if there are sporting events the kids are playing in, use masstimes.org to find a nearby Mass. Or if there is a conflict, teach your kids how to talk to the coach about why they might have to miss a practice or part of a game for Mass. Help them to be witnesses in a culture that desperately needs it. Often, a coach will respect a player that wants to be a spiritual leader on the team.
3. Third, serve the poor on the Lord’s Day. Sunday is a great day to help at the local homeless shelter or soup kitchen (in our area, we have St. Vincent de Paul and St. Agnes, among others).
4. Finally, find time to relax together on the Lord’s Day. It’s a day set aside to focus on our union with God and each other, so pick something where the family gets to actually be in each other’s presence, talk, and laugh. It’s healing for the soul.

What We’ve Been Up To

How Boys Grow Up and Why Some Men Don’t

Jason Craig came to FranU in April to share about his book, Leaving Boyhood Behind: Reclaiming the Gift of Manhood and Traditional Rites of Passage. You can find a video of his talk on our Dominus Project website under Resources.

It was a spectacular night. From this event, we have small groups of men meeting to pilot one of Jason’s new programs, Ways of the Fathers, which is aimed at building community among dads as they seek to raise boys into men. Please pray for them as they begin these groups.

Heart of the Father

If you’re looking for more fatherhood content and encouragement, we’ve created a new podcast for dads entitled Heart of the Father: A Dominus Project. It’s a practical, hilarious, and honest look at being Catholic dads. You can find all the episodes on our YouTube channel and our Patreon.

The podcast has been a hit on social media! You can also listen to it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Amazon Music. If you like what you see or hear, give us a “like” or a 5-star review and subscribe. It helps the algorithms send it out to more people!

Upcoming Event: Overwhelmed!? A Survival Guide for Parents

Dr. Holly Taylor Coolman, author of one of our favorite books, is coming to town this summer to share her parenting wisdom with us! She will give a presentation on Friday, June 27th at FranU, as well as run a workshop for us on Saturday, June 28th at Our Lady of Mercy! If you are feeling bogged down by the sometimes daunting task of parenting, Dr. Holly’s presentations will lift your spirits! She’s relatable, practical, and spiritual. See the flyers below for more details!

Register for Friday Event by Clicking Here

Register for Saturday Workshop by Clicking Here

Future Endeavors

Haley Stewart, of Carrots for Michaelmas fame and now author and editor of Word on Fire’s Votive, is coming to our diocese on Friday, September 19th and Saturday, September 20th! She is coming to talk about the importance of literature in forming our children. We’re also planning a more intimate gathering for those who would like to have a conversation with her, so be on the look out for more info soon.

Check out some of her works below and get excited!

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