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June 18.  11th Sunday Fathers Day.   When the youth were preparing for Father’s Day Deacon Samuel shared the passage from Pope Francis in Amoris Laetitia  with them.   They reflected and shared some of their joys and their pain about present, absent, abusive , loving and supportive fathers. In the end they decided, “Let’s use the whole passage to give that wonderful message to our dads”  Pope Francis:  God sets the father in the family to be close to his wife and share everything, joy and sorrow, hope and hardship.  And to be close to his children as they grow – when they play and when they work, when they are carefree and when they are distressed, when they are talkative and when they are silent, when they are daring and when they are afraid, whey they stray and when they get back on the right path.  To be a father who is always present I do not mean controlling.  Fathers who are too controlling, overshadow their children, they don’t let them develop.  Some fathers feel they are useless or unnecessary, but the fact is that child need to find a father waiting for them when they return home with their problems.   They may try hard not to admit it, not to show it, but they it need it. It is not good for children to lack a father and to grow up before they are ready. AL 177.   Andrew said. “I want to say a big thank you to Pope Francis, for that.” 

Reflect, share, act. Scripture: If you will obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my own possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine.   Ex 19:2-6