Welcome to the Forum! What a great topic! Thank you for your thoughtful questions.
I come from a very large Family (the oldest of 31 grandkids : ) I have three adopted cousins from South Korea.
Here are my answers to your four questions:
- What does family participation in liturgy look like at your parish?
At our Parish, we do what is called the “Children’s Liturgy,” which is where the children are invited to come up for a blessing right before the Sacred Readings and then are dismissed to go hear the readings read to them in a simplified telling, so that they can understand. They may also have other quick activities like coloring pages or a small craft to remember what they have just heard. And then they return back to the Liturgy before Holy Communion.
- What kinds of family-oriented activities does your parish offer?
We have a yearly Parish Picnic. We have a Family Board Game Night. Family Rosary. My home-town Parish used to have Generations of Faith, which was where people of all ages would come and have a meal in fellowship, then someone would present on a topic of our Faith (I gave a talk on Catholics & The Bible, where I shared how we Got the Bible, The different ways we interpret Sacred Scripture, and gave examples of each. I still get complements nearly two decades later on this talk and how it encouraged their Families to read their Bibles). This year I participated in a 7-Church Pilgrimage and it was neat to see how many Families participated and how Reverent they were.
- What opportunities does your parish create for teens and adults (parents, grandparents) to naturally connect and build relationships across generations?
Our Parish does a pen-pal exchange each year. This is where children and the older generation are randomly paired together and write each other letters. This is a fun way for the older and wiser generation to share their wisdom with the younger generation and for the younger generation to connect with the older generation. - Have you seen any concrete positive changes in young people’s faith lives through family-centered or intergenerational activities?
I once heard a Pastor say that we look at our phones more than we look at our Family. We touch our phones more than we touch our spouses. And he is not wrong. We have a disordered relationship with our phones than we do with those we hold most dear to us. Any time we make a point to put down the technology and form real relationships and moments with our Family & Friends, the more that we are Blessed.
I’ve been toying around with an idea of making a pilgrimage to our local Shrine. We would start at one Parish and walk, while Praying the Rosary and other Prayers, chanting and singing hymns, and in moments of silence, taking in the beauty of God’s creation around us. We would stop at other Churches along the journey where we would partake in Adoration and maybe a meal before we journey onward. I have also thought about maybe camping half-way in tents and sit around camp-fires, before waking up the next morning and journeying on. Once we arrive at the Shrine, there will be Priests there to hear Confession and then we could celebrate Mass together. Then maybe we could camp again and then journey Home a different way (like how the Magi left by a different way after encountering Christ in the manger). What gave me this idea was a documentary I watched about a Pilgrimage in Scotland/Ireland where Catholic Christians who are struggling with addictions participate as step towards sobriety. These are individuals who are addicted to some serous drugs, but many of us are addicted in small ways to social media, the news, YouTube, Video Games, etc.
My daughter wants to go to Japan, and I would love to visit South Korea some day!
If you ever come to the United States and find yourself in Ohio, I would love to show you around : ) If you are into baseball, we have two Major League Baseball Stadiums within driving distance of us and a Minor League Stadium also very close. You can attend Mass with my Family.