Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
 
         Everyone generally likes the pageantry of Kings, I think.  Perhaps only those who have not lived under kings or those who never knew a bad king.  But a king is not everyone’s idea of a good time. 
 
         The prophet laying out the consequences when Israel rejects God as their king and desires to have an earthly king over them says that the sons of families must sign up for military service and taxes will now be levied for war and the king’s city.  Trade, craftsmans, building, and much more will be directed by the king so that his plans and construction of the kingdom can take shape and many more changes so that an earthly king can rule in Israel.  Also, all will now be SERVING THE KING.
 
         Jesus Christ, the King of Glory, is a different sort of king.  He starts by SERVING US.  He walks our walks, and talks our talk.  He gives us words of life to live by.  He cures the sick, drives out demons, and calls us to be more than ourselves.  He dies our death, to give Himself as food in the Holy Eucharist so that we might live forever in Heaven.
 
         And those of us that would make Him the king of their hearts, He only asks that we live like Him by His strength.  We must of course, “deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him.”  But He helps us with grace to deny ourselves.  He helps us to take up and carry our cross and to follow Him.  To follow Him to heaven, and with Him to lead all to their ultimate and true happiness: with God forever.
 
         Who is going to be your king this Sunday and the rest of your life?
 
Peace and prayers in Jesus through Mary, loved by Saint Joseph,
Father Robert
 
P.S.  This coming Sunday is the Solemnity of Christ the King, the 34rd and last Sunday of Ordinary Time and the Church year!  The readings can be found at: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/112623.cfm   
​(Readings with reflections and questions are at the end of the e-weekly.)

​

P.S.S.  In anticipation of Advent next week, here is a sight with incredible resources for children and families, specifically for busy families during Advent:
https://www.holyheroes.com/Holy-Heroes-Advent-Adventure-s/48.htm?utm_source=holyheroes&utm_medium=button&utm_campaign=AA

Advent Adventure - Holy Heroes
If your family is like ours, Advent is the most hectic time of the year. With all the work you do to create that joyful Christmas Day, who has the time (or energy) to make Advent into a fruitful time of spiritual anticipation and preparation for your family?
www.holyheroes.com

Part One: The Profession of Faith - Section One: “I believe” – “We believe”
1. What is the plan of God for man? (Catechism of the Catholic Church, CCC 1-25)
a) for us to be slaves
b) for us to do whatever we want, whenever we want
c) to know, love, and serve Him, and be happy with Him forever in heaven
d) to discover Him on our own accord if we want to


CHAPTER ONE: Man's Capacity for God -  “You are great, O Lord, and greatly to be praised [...] You have made us for yourself and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” (Saint Augustine)
2. Why does man have a desire for God? (CCC 27-30, 44-45)
a) God has written it on our hearts
b) if it is ignored, God still will draw by this desire
c) this intimate bond confers on us our fundamental dignity
d) all of the above


3. How is it possible to know God with only the light of human reason? (CCC 31-36, 46-47)
a) one can look at one’s self, and know that self is destined for more than death
b) one can look at one’s self, and see humanity has brought about humanity
c) it is not possible
d) Nothing is clear with only human reason


4. Is the light of reason alone sufficient to know the mystery of God? (CCC 37-38)
a) the light of human reason can shine sufficiently on all the mysteries of God
b) since God has made us, he has made us to be able to figure out all we need to know about Him by reason
c) both a and b
d) neither a and b   


(Answers below)

​

 Finally, the People of God shares in the royal office of Christ. He exercises his kingship by drawing all men to himself through his death and Resurrection. Christ, King and Lord of the universe, made himself the servant of all, for he came "not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." For the Christian, "to reign is to serve him," particularly when serving "the poor and the suffering, in whom the Church recognizes the image of her poor and suffering founder." The People of God fulfills its royal dignity by a life in keeping with its vocation to serve with Christ.
​
The sign of the cross makes kings of all those reborn in Christ and the anointing of the Holy Spirit consecrates them as priests, so that, apart from the particular service of our ministry, all spiritual and rational Christians are recognized as members of this royal race and sharers in Christ's priestly office. What, indeed, is as royal for a soul as to govern the body in obedience to God? And what is as priestly as to dedicate a pure conscience to the Lord and to offer the spotless offerings of devotion on the altar of the heart?        Catechism of the Catholic Church #786

The Way of the Lord Jesus


http://www.twotlj.org/index.html

The Way of the Lord Jesus by Germain Grisez

www.twotlj.org

The Way of the Lord Jesus —a moral theology for today’s Catholics. By sending the Holy Spirit, the Father saw to it that the truth he revealed in Jesus would ...

DESCRIPTIONThis website showcases the masterpiece of the prominent Catholic moral theologian, Germain Grisez. The three volume set of The Way of the Lord Jesus is available online, with the fourth volume to be added as it becomes available.
​
The Way of the Lord Jesus strives to respond to Vatican II’s mandate for a thorough-going renewal of moral theology, so that it would be centered on Jesus Christ, enriched by sacred Scripture, and grounded in the fundamental truths of Catholic faith.

“All Hell Broke Loose”: Family Returns to Church After Demonic Encounters in Haunted Home

• Articles
• Supernatural

by Msgr. Stephen Rosetti 

​- Nov 19
We received a frantic call from a man in Indiana who was a non-practicing Baptist, and his wife was not a believer. They had two children.They recently inherited their house from relatives.
The man who previously lived in the house was known to have molested minors and also involved in the occult. He died in April and they moved in around June.
Shortly after they moved in: “All hell broke loose,” … literally.
They saw dark shadowy figures. There were radical temperature drops in isolated places in the house, e.g. from 70 degrees to 30 degrees. The dog was barking uncontrollably. The children heard a “voice” from the basement calling to them.
They often heard strange noises and banging. At night, there was a “presence” which got on the Father’s chest and pinned him down. He couldn’t move and could barely breathe. When this happened, he commanded out loud, “In the name of Jesus, get off me!” He did this three times and it stopped.
They continued to hear loud bangs and a voice say, “hey” and whistling. It sounded like someone was jumping on the floor above and objects shook in the room.
The daughter felt something touch her leg and she saw a shadow figure. Kitchen drawers slammed shut. They heard sounds like someone walking around. The wife felt a breeze of air while in the shower and it felt like something was in shower with her.
The first priest they contacted seemed skeptical. He asked them if they had mice.
They were obviously upset and said, “These things are very real, very scary, and very nasty. I feel like until someone experiences these things that they don’t understand what we’re going through and how they have affected everything.”
The entire family was terrified and were sleeping together in the same bedroom at night.
This was an emergency. It can destroy a family and their emotional health. So, I immediately contacted the Catholic priest in the nearby parish. He said he was about to go on vacation the next day. I explained the situation to him and he dropped everything and exorcized the house that evening. God bless him!
A few days later, I contacted the father of the family. How is it? He responded, “I would say things are better because before, things were really bad. The sounds of walking on the floor and sounds of banging and tapping have returned. But it is not as bad.”
After the priest returned from vacation, I asked him to exorcize the house a second time, which he did. It has been over a year now, and all continues to be quiet in the house. The demonic infestation is apparently gone.
There was no doubt that the house was infested. First, there was a clear reason for the presence of demons.
The previous owner had molested minors and practiced the occult– two major demonic doorways. They were basically sane people and the wife didn’t even believe in such stuff (until recently).
The reported symptoms were classic signs of a demonic infestation. And they were so truly terrified that they slept in the same room. Happily, there was a generous priest nearby who assisted. Also, it was great that it only took two sessions. With deeply entrenched demonic presences, it can take more.
Not surprisingly, that family now sits in the front pews of their church on Sundays. The father told me, “We have grown a really strong bond with the Pastor and other church members.”
He added, “We have thanked God and continue to thank God for the blessings he has given us.”
This article originally appeared in the St. Michael’s Center for Spiritual Renewal’s Exorcist Diary blog.
Husband Washes Wife’s Feet at Wedding Reception Instead of Tossing Garter: “You Deserve to Be Cherished”
by ChurchPOP Editor - Nov 21, 2019
@staceysumereau, FacebookHow beautiful! Have you ever seen anything like this before?
Catholic speaker, podcaster, and television personality Stacey Sumereau shared an experience she had with her husband at her wedding reception – and the post went completely viral!
Instead of throwing her garter, her husband washed her feet.
Sumeraeu explained that “the garter toss signifies Eros,” which is “sexual attraction and a public hint of the private intimacy the newlyweds will enjoy.”
Her husband washed her feet because it signifies Jesus’ sacrificial love.
“Jesus washed his disciples’ feet the night before he gave his life for them on the Cross…Husbands vow to love their brides like Christ loves the Church.  To be the leader of our family is to be a servant.”
Here’s her full post below:
Here’s the full text of Sumereau’s post:“My husband washed my feet at our wedding reception instead of tossing a garter.
“The garter toss signifies Eros- sexual attraction and a public hint of the private intimacy the newlyweds will enjoy. Physical attraction is a wonderful and beautiful part of marriage. However, I LOVE that my groom chose to surprise me with something different… 
“Jesus washed his disciples’ feet the night before he gave his life for them on the cross. That kind of love is agape: sacrifice.
“Husbands vow to love their brides like Christ loves the Church.  To be the leader of our family is to be a servant. Whether it’s prioritizing my desire of where we go to dinner or getting up with the babies early when I’m exhausted, John lays down his life for me every day.
“And the beautiful thing is that you don’t gotta worry one tiny bit about erotic love disappearing when you work for agape love. 
“So often our culture gets it backwards: ‘test drive,’ ‘try before you buy,’ cohabitation.
“But now that I’m living marriage day-to-day, I see that sustaining a relationship purely with Eros is like trying to live on cake: the sweetness can disappear in an instant, but it’s working together that lasts.
“We didn’t need to ‘try before you buy’ to have the both depth of agape and the sweetness of Eros together. I don’t feel ‘in love’ every second of every day. (And anyone who expects that is going to be disappointed!)
“But I trust my husband and feel security in his love. That allows for joy, laughter, and a peaceful relationship.”
“Listen to Dan and Amber DeMatte’s episode of my podcast, Called and Caffeinated, for LOTS more on how to sustain a strong marriage.
“Single friends, don’t buy what the culture is selling you! You deserve to be cherished–not just for a time, but forever.”
Let us all pray for the strength to love sacrificially!


Compassion is the Heart of Healthcare, Pope Francis Saysby Elise Harris
Vatican City, Nov 18, 2017 / 07:59 am (EWTN News/CNA) -Pope Francis on Saturday sent a message to health workers and organizations, saying compassion is the heart of what they do, and stressed the need for a more equitable distribution resources and services throughout the world.

“A healthcare organization that is efficient and capable of addressing inequalities cannot forget its raison d’être, which is compassion,” the Pope said Nov. 18.

This includes the compassion of doctors, nurses, support staff volunteers and all others able to “minimize the pain associated with loneliness and anxiety,” he said, and stressed the importance for healthcare workers to focus not just on good organization, but on listening, accompanying and supporting the people they care for.

Compassion, Francis said, is “a privileged way to promote justice,” since empathizing with what others are experiencing allows us to not only understand their struggles, hardships and fears, but also “to discover, in the frailness of every human being, his or her unique worth and dignity.”

“Indeed, human dignity is the basis of justice, while the recognition of every person’s inestimable worth is the force that impels us to work, with enthusiasm and self-sacrifice, to overcome all disparities.”

Pope Francis sent his message to participants in the Nov. 16-18 conference “Addressing Global Health Inequalities,” organized by the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development in collaboration with the International Confederation of Catholic Healthcare Institutions.

The goal of the conference is to launch a network connecting all 116,000 Catholic health organizations around the world through a platform of collaboration and sharing aimed at exchanging information.

Another key goal of the conference is to raise awareness about global disparities in access to healthcare.

In his speech, he quoted from the Vatican's new Healthcare Charter, released in February, which states that “the fundamental right to the preservation of health pertains to the value of justice, whereby there are no distinctions between peoples and ethnic groups, taking into account their objective living situations and stages of development.”

The Church, he said, continuing the quote, “proposed that the right to health care and the right to justice ought to be reconciled by ensuring a fair distribution of healthcare facilities and financial resources, in accordance with the principles of solidarity and subsidiarity.”

To this end, he praised the participants for establishing the new platform, which he said will concretely address the challenges faced in healthcare in different geographical and social settings.

Francis said this task is something that belongs in particular to healthcare workers and their organizations, since they are committed in a special way to raising awareness among institutions, welfare agencies and the healthcare industry as a whole, “for the sake of ensuring that every individual actually benefits from the right to health care.”

This not only depends on the services provided, but also on the economic, social and cultural factors in decision making processes.

He also stressed the need to eradicate the structural causes of poverty, “because society needs to be cured of a sickness which is weakening and frustrating it, and which can only lead to new crises.”

Welfare projects should only be considered temporary responses, he said, explaining that “as long as the problems of the poor are not radically resolved by rejecting the absolute autonomy of markets and financial speculation and by attacking the structural causes of inequality, no solution will be found for the world’s problems or, for that matter, to any problems.”

Francis also offered a special word to representatives of pharmaceutical companies present, and who were invited to Rome  to address the topic of access to antiretroviral therapies by paediatric patients.

Again quoting from the Vatican's healthcare charter, he said that while scientific knowledge and research on their part have their own laws to abide to, “ways must be found to combine these adequately with the right of access to basic or necessary treatments, or both.”

He also advocated for healthcare strategies that pursue the common good and that are “economically and ethically sustainable.”

Pope Francis closed his message thanking participants for their “generous commitment,” and gave his blessing. 

​Jesus Christ is the one whom the Father anointed with the Holy Spirit and established as priest, prophet, and king. The whole People of God participates in these three offices of Christ and bears the responsibilities for mission and service that flow from them.
Catechism of the Catholic Church #783

A bit of humor…

Little Johnny to his mom: “I shot 4 goals at the soccer match today!”  Mom: “Wonderful, looks like your team won, right?”  Little Johnny: “Not really, we played 2:2.”

Teacher asks, “Who can tell me the chemical formula for water?”  Little Johnny pipes up, "HIJKLMNO"!  The teacher is puzzled, “What on Earth are you talking about, Johnny?”  Little Johnny looks hurt, “But sir, you yourself said yesterday that it's H to O!” 

 Some Thoughts  

-I don’t suffer from insanity. I enjoy every minute of it.  
-Children seldom misquote you. In fact, they usually repeat word for word what you shouldn’t have said.  
-If Bill Gates had a penny for every time I had to reboot my computer…oh wait, he does.  
-Money talks…but all mine ever says is good-bye.Blessed Are...“What’s wrong, Bubba?” asked the pastor.
“I need you to pray for my hearing,” said Bubba.
The pastor put his hands on 
Bubba’s ears and prayed. When he was done, he asked, “So how’s your hearing?”
“I don’t know,” said Bubba. “It isn’t until next Tuesday.”Father TimeThe last time we changed from daylight saving time, a preacher friend posted, “For those who habitually show up 15 minutes late to church, allow me to remind you that tonight is the night you set your clock back 45 minutes.”
 

Holy Family in a Plane

A Sunday school teacher asked her students to draw a picture of Jesus' family. After collecting the drawings, she noticed that one little boy's drawing depicted an airplane with four heads sticking out of the windows. "I see you drew three heads to show Joseph, Mary and Jesus," she said to the boy. "But who does the fourth head belong to?"

The boy replied, "That's Pontius the pilot."========
A minister waited in line to have his car filled with gas just before a long holiday weekend. The attendant worked quickly, but there were many cars ahead of him. Finally, the attendant motioned him toward a vacant pump.
"Reverend," said the young man, "I'm so sorry about the delay. It seems as if everyone waits until the last minute to get ready for a long trip."
The minister chuckled, "I know what you mean. It's the same in my business."
========Be Careful What You Say To Children
 
One day a little girl was sitting and watching her mother do the dishes at the kitchen sink. She suddenly noticed that her mother had several strands of white hair sticking out in contrast on her brunette head.She looked at her mother and inquisitively asked, 'Why are some of your hairs white, Mom?'
Her mother replied, 'Well, every time that you do something wrong and make me cry or unhappy, one of my hairs turns white.'
The little girl thought about this revelation for a while and then said, 'Mommy, how come ALL of grandma's hairs are white?' 
​

+JMJ+
SUNDAY BIBLICAL MASS READINGS AND QUESTIONS
for Self-Reflection, Couples or Family Discussion
Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe – Sunday, November 26th, 2023

The First Reading - Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15-17
Thus, says the Lord GOD: I myself will look after and tend my sheep.  As a shepherd tends his flock when he finds himself among his scattered sheep, so will I tend my sheep.  I will rescue them from every place where they were scattered when it was cloudy and dark.  I myself will pasture my sheep; I myself will give them rest, says the Lord GOD.  The lost I will seek out, the strayed I will bring back, the injured I will bind up, the sick I will heal, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy, shepherding them rightly.  As for you, my sheep, says the Lord GOD, I will judge between one sheep and another, between rams and goats.
Reflection
Much of Ezekiel 34 is devoted to a condemnation of the leadership of Israel and Judah, both past and present.  Ezekiel denounces the “shepherds” of God’s people who did not put foremost the welfare of the sheep, but rather their own profit and pleasure, killing and abusing the sheep in order to enrich themselves. In the ancient Near East, the image of king as shepherd of his people was very common, and it is used, for example, of King David (2 Sam 5:2).  Ezekiel 34 has in mind some of the evil descendants of the Davidic line, as well as various other royal officials who took advantage of their power. On behalf of the LORD, Ezekiel promises that the day will come when God himself will come down to shepherd his people.  This was, in fact, God’s original plan at Sinai: a theocracy, or direct rule by God.  Due to the hardness of their heart, Moses allowed the people to choose a human king (Deut 17:15ff), an option they invoked much later in their history, under Samuel (1 Sam .  David eventually became king, and he was a man “after God’s own heart,” and God granted him a perpetual covenant of kingship (2 Sam 7, Psalm 89). What of Ezekiel’s promise that God himself would one day be shepherd of his people?  Is this a revocation of the promise given to David?  No, because in a passage skipped by our First Reading, God promises to restore David to the throne: “And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd” (34:23). Curiously, God promises “I myself will be shepherd of my sheep” (34:15) but also “My servant David … shall be their shepherd” (34:23) yet there will not be two shepherds, but “I will set up over them one shepherd” (34:23).  How is that going to work, O Lord?  Only if God and David become one shepherd, one person.  That is the hypostatic union.  That is Jesus Christ, fully God and fully man: king because he is divine, and king because he is the Son of David.  
Adults - How does God shepherd His people?
Teens - How are the ministers of the Church shepherds for the people of God?
Kids - What does it mean to be shepherded by the Lord?

Responsorial- Psalm 23:1-2, 2-3, 5-6
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me in right paths
for his name's sake.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Reflection
Psalm 23 was well-known already in Ezekiel’s day, and Ezekiel 34 employs imagery from the Psalm.  This beautiful poem was recited by the ancient Israelite worshiper who entered Solomon’s Temple to sacrifice to God and pray.  It has remained a favorite of the people of God into the New Covenant era.  Among the Church Fathers, together with the Song of Songs it served as one of the primary texts to use for mystagogy or sacramental catechesis.  In this Psalm, the Fathers saw images of the Sacraments through which Jesus shepherds us as his sheep.  So the “restful waters” that “renew the soul” are Baptism, the “verdant pastures” and “table set before me” is the Eucharistic banquet, the “head anointed with oil” is Confirmation and Anointing of the Sick, etc., all of which lead us to eternal life: “I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever (Heb. ‘for length of days,’ i.e. indefinitely, forever).”  Are you able to find rest in the Lord?

The Second Reading- 1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 28
Brothers and sisters: Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.  For since death came through man, the resurrection of the dead came also through man. For just as in Adam all die, so too in Christ shall all be brought to life, but each one in proper order: Christ the firstfruits; then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ; then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to his God and Father, when he has destroyed every sovereignty and every authority and power.  For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.  The last enemy to be destroyed is death. When everything is subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to the one who subjected everything to him, so that God may be all in all.
Reflection - St. Paul reflects on the kingship of Jesus Christ.  Jesus has already conquered death in principle, through his own resurrection.  Twice St. Paul calls Christ “the firstfruits,” and there is liturgical significance of this statement: the Feast of Firstfruits celebrated the beginning of the harvest, and was held on the day after the Sabbath of Passover Week, i.e. the Sunday after Passover.  This, of course, was the day on which Jesus rose from the dead: the Sunday after Passover, Easter Sunday.  Jesus rose on the Feast of Firstfruits, the firstfruits of the dead.  Jesus is the first to experience his resurrected body, but all who are united to him will also experience the transformed body at the “final harvest,” the end of time.
 -Do you ever consider life in heaven, with a transformed body, forever?

The Holy Gospel according to Matthew 25:31-46
Jesus said to his disciples: "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him.  And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father.  Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’  Then the righteous will answer him and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?  When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?  When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’  And the king will say to them in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me.’  Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.  For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’  Then they will answer and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?’  He will answer them, 'Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’ And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
Reflection  This Gospel Reading is one of the most sobering in the Lectionary, not the least because it implies that those who face Christ at the final judgment may be surprised at the sentence awaiting them.  Actually, both the sheep and the goats seem not to realize their true spiritual standing, whether that is righteousness or wickedness, which calls to mind our own need to make a serious examination of conscience. The criteria by which the Son of Man makes judgment is based on “whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine.”  We generally assume that this refers to acts of kindness to the poorest of the poor.  However, we can’t jump to that conclusion immediately. The first and primary sense of this text is Christ’s unity with his members, that is, which his Church.  The point of the parable is: the nations are judged based on how they treated Christians, those identified with Christ.  The meaning of Matt 25 is similar to Acts 9:4: “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” Jesus says to the pre-conversion St. Paul.  Persecution of Jesus’ disciples is persecution of himself.  Therefore, the first level of meaning of Matt 25 here is that Jesus regards the least service done for one of his disciples—the “least of my brothers”—as service done to him. By extension, there is application to the poor, because we do not know the identity of Jesus’ brothers.  Among the poor, the marginalized, and the downtrodden may be many who are “brothers of Christ.”  So we must assume that all persons are brothers of Christ either in spe (in hope, i.e. potentially) or in re (in fact).
Adults - Do you see other Christians as true members of your family - the family of God?
Teens - How can you remind yourself to see the dignity in ever person?
Kids - What does it mean to see others as members of God’s family too?

LIVING THE WORD OF GOD THIS WEEK! - With an ever-growing desire, all Advent awaits the "coming King"; in the chants of the breviary we find repeated again and again the two expressions "King" and "is coming." On Christmas the Church would greet, not the Child of Bethlehem, but the Rex Pacificus — "the King of peace gloriously reigning." Within a fortnight, there follows a feast which belongs to the greatest of the feasts of the Church year -- the Epiphany. As in ancient times oriental monarchs visited their principalities (theophany), so the divine King appears in His city, the Church; from its sacred precincts He casts His glance over all the world....On the final feast of the Christmas cycle, the Presentation in the Temple, holy Church meets her royal Bridegroom with virginal love: "Adorn your bridal chamber, O Sion, and receive Christ your King!" The burden of the Christmas cycle may be summed up in these words: Christ the King establishes His Kingdom of light upon earth! — Excerpted from The Sunday Readings Cycle C, Fr. Kevin O' Sullivan, O.F.M.


1. What is the plan of God for man? c) to know, love, and serve Him, and be happy with Him forever in heaven   
God, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created man to make him share in his own blessed life. In the fullness of time, God the Father sent his Son as the Redeemer and Savior of mankind, fallen into sin, thus calling all into his Church and, through the work of the Holy Spirit, making them adopted children and heirs of his eternal happiness.
2. Why does man have a desire for God? d) all of the above   
God himself, in creating man in his own image, has written upon his heart the desire to see him. Even if this desire is often ignored, God never ceases to draw man to himself because only in God will he find and live the fullness of truth and happiness for which he never stops searching. By nature and by vocation, therefore, man is a religious being, capable of entering into communion with God. This intimate and vital bond with God confers on man his fundamental dignity.
3. How is it possible to know God with only the light of human reason? a) one can look at one’s self, and know that self is destined for more than death    
Starting from creation, that is from the world and from the human person, through reason alone one can know God with certainty as the origin and end of the universe, as the highest good and as infinite truth and beauty.
4. Is the light of reason alone sufficient to know the mystery of God? d) neither a and b    
In coming to a knowledge of God by the light of reason alone man experiences many difficulties.  Indeed, on his own he is unable to enter into the intimacy of the divine mystery.  This is why he stands in need of being enlightened by God’s revelation, not only about those things that exceed his understanding, but also about those religious and moral truths which of themselves are not beyond the grasp of human reason, so that even in the present condition of the human race, they can be known by all with ease, with firm certainty and with no admixture of error.

​

​Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
 
        Why is a church dedicated, set apart, made holy through sacred rites?  For whom and for what purpose is a church anointed, consecrated, washed, and clothed as if it were a living being?  For GOD that He may live there, and for the purpose of saving and the making holy of human persons!  Why?  So that they can become living temples carrying God to family, work, indeed the whole world that God may do there what He does in His Temple, His church!
 
      The Church has some great Feasts of Dedication, namely, the Feast of the Dedication of the Basilica of St. John Latern, the Pope's Cathedral (this past Nov. 9th), (no, the Pope's Cathedral is not St. Peter's Basilica) and the Feast of the Dedication of the Churches of St. Peter and St. Paul (coming this Nov. 18th).  These days mark the moment when these buildings were set apart for the service of God.  So important that a day on the Roman Calendar is taken just to commemorate this event!


        Every Catholic Church is either Blessed or Dedicated for sacred use, which means that it is set aside for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the celebration of the Sacraments.  If consecrated with sacred chrism, the church can only be used for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.  And as I said above, if God does this for mere stone, wood, and steel; how much more holy, sacred, and precious is your body & soul and mine made a Temple of the Holy Spirit by our yes and the power of the Church's Sacraments.
 
     When the tempter knocks at the door of your soul, or you are tempted to use your body for something other than the glory of God, think of these things and then pray and strive like crazy to keep holy the place that God dwells in you so that you may continue to be the Temple which brings Him to your family, your school, your work, indeed to all the world who needs Him so desperately now!
 
Peace and prayers in Jesus through Mary, loved by Saint Joseph,
Father Robert
​
P.S.  This coming Sunday is 32nd Sunday of Ordinary Time.  The readings can be found at: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/111223.cfm


P.S.S. Also, at the end of this e-weekly are the readings with reflections and questions for further reflection.

"Helpful Hints of Life"


Ways to Save Energy During Winter
*Decide on a setting for your thermostat and leave it there. Adjust your clothing by wearing layers. This will stop your heating unit from constantly turning on and off which will run up your bill.
*If your appliances are over ten years old, you can bet on a savings by replacing them with newer energy saving products such as those with high Energy Star ratings.
*Double paned windows are a win, win purchase. These windows have two panes with a layer of gas sandwiched in-between, which acts as insulation to slow the transfer of heat or cold through the window. 
*Installing a heat pump might be your best bet depending on the mean temperature where you live. Check out the advantages as well as the disadvantages of owning one and always find out how long it will take to get your investment back in savings before buying.
*Have your furnace checked out the duct-work cleaned on a regular basis. Change the filters when the manufacturer recommends and don't place furniture to block air vents.

"Certain blessings have a lasting importance because they consecrate persons to God, or reserve objects and places for liturgical use. Among those blessings which are intended for persons - not to be confused with sacramental ordination - are the blessing of the abbot or abbess of a monastery, the consecration of virgins and widows, the rite of religious profession and the blessing of certain ministries of the Church (readers, acolytes, catechists, etc.). The dedication or blessing of a church or an altar, the blessing of holy oils, vessels, and vestments, bells, etc., can be mentioned as examples of blessings that concern objects."
Catechism of the Catholic Church #1672

An initiative to help former inmates reenter society and grow in their Catholic faith is the winner of a $10,000 award sponsored by the University of Notre Dame and MDKeller, the holding company of two-time NFL champion Harrison Butker.

The award recognizes and supports individuals or organizations with bold ideas to best use underutilized Church property.

The winning initiative, called the Serenelli Project, is a nonprofit organization in Cincinnati that has a goal of creating a “monastic village” for former inmates who wish to live in an intentional Catholic community as they readjust to life outside prison, the website says.
​
Additionally, those community members will work together to refurbish an abandoned and decommissioned Catholic church to hone labor and trade skills and to restore the historic building in order to enrich the local neighborhood.

“We’re simply trying to help people stay in their faith when they get out of prison,” Marty Arlinghaus, founder and volunteer CEO of the project, told CNA on Thursday, after winning the award on Oct. 31.

The Serenelli Project was chosen among more than 130 applications at Notre Dame’s Church Property Conference run by the school’s Fitzgerald Institute for Real Estate in October.

Austin Wright, MDKeller’s co-founder, said that “we could not be more excited for Marty and everyone at the Serenelli Project for being the first recipient of the MDKeller To the Heights Award.”

“Organizations like this are going to create positive shifts in the culture for generations to come,” he added.
David Murphy, the program director for the Church Properties Initiative at the Fitzgerald Institute for Real Estate, said: “How better to use a closed church than to meet the needs of prisoners who feel marginalized that can serve as a beacon of hope for both the community in Cincinnati and indeed the world?”
​
“The Serenelli Project embodies the highest and best social, fiscal, and spiritual use of property,” he said.

A faith community

Arlinghaus, 31, said that the project will first focus on men who were former inmates and hopes to have individuals living in the community as early as May 2024. 
​
The plan is for the men to live in houses, owned by the Serenelli Project, surrounding Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, in Sedamsville, a neighborhood of Cincinnati. Currently, the project owns and is renovating one house with a chapel inside near the church.

The 19th-century Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church was closed in 1989 by the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and was sold to a developer years later but is now owned by the The Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority.
Arlinghaus is hoping to buy the church and its rectory from the port authority with the intention of refurbishing the historic establishment to be used once more. 

The ex-inmates living in the community will play a large role in the renovation of the church, he said.
The Serinelli Project will partner with tradesmen and construction companies and offer their members as laborers. Through this work, the former inmates will begin to develop a craft in the trades and use these skills to develop a career, as well as to refurbish the church. 

Eventually, Arlinghaus hopes to have trades professionals who work for Serenelli Project that will train community members and lead the work on the church and with external jobs. 

Arlinghaus said that his vision is for the members of the community to receive spiritual formation from a priest in residence during their time of labor and reentry.

The total cost of buying the church, rectory, and their restoration will cost millions, he said, but he’s not worried about reaching the fundraising feat. 

“We have the next thousand years to make this look like what God wants it to look like,” Arlinghaus said. “I’m not worried about raising that much money to do the full restoration in a quick amount of time. This is something that gets built up slowly in the Spirit more than it does physically.”

Although its first large undertaking will be a community for men, the Serenelli Project also serves women and anyone else reentering society who doesn’t want to live in community but still wants help in their faith. Some of those services include connecting these individuals to parishes in their area, counseling services, and “spiritual encouragement.” 

Namesake

The Serenelli Project is named after Alessandro Serenelli, the man who in 1902 attempted to rape and then murdered Maria Goretti, who was later canonized a saint. 

Serenelli served a 30-year prison sentence but repented for his sins after the saint appeared to him in a vision and offered him 14 lilies representing her 14 stab wounds. 

His life was changed in that moment and when he left prison he asked forgiveness from Goretti’s mother, which she gave. Serenelli lived the rest of his life as a Third Order Franciscan, working on the religious order’s monastery grounds until his death. 

In a letter dated May 5, 1961, Serenelli wrote: “At the age of 20, I committed a crime of passion, the memory of which still horrifies me today.”

“Maria Goretti, now a saint, was my good angel whom God placed in my path to save me. Her words both of rebuke and forgiveness are still imprinted in my heart. She prayed for me, interceding for her killer,” he wrote.
Arlingaus said: “We’re trying to create the same community for guys like him.”

Recruiting

Attracting men to live in the community is a large task, but Arlinghaus is hoping that his position in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati as the director of prison ministry can help. 
Arlinghaus oversees the ministry’s three prisons and spends much of his workweek in the prisons with inmates. 
He said that in one of the prisons there are about 25-30 men who show up each week to the prison ministry and many are joining the OCIA (formerly RCIA) program for those coming into full communion with the Catholic Church.
He hopes that through his relationships with men in the prison, the project will be able to identify individuals who will be interested in living in the community. 

The idea for the Serenelli Project, after all, began in prison. 
One day, an inmate said to him, “Marty, could a guy like me become a priest?”
“And this just was a question that blew me away because I’d never thought these guys would be thinking about that,” Arlinghaus said. 

Researching the answer, Arlinghaus began to think about the simple difficulties of “making it in a Catholic parish.”
Many of the inmates come to faith while in prison, but when released, “know nothing of the Church on the outside.”
From that one inmate’s question, The Serenelli Project was born.
To hear Marty Arlinghaus speak more about The Serenelli Project, check out the video below:
https://youtu.be/tdBK53nHAWc​

By Francesca Pollio Fenton
CNA Newsroom, Nov 12
When Madeleine Sri and Caden Bennett met as students at Benedictine College, little did they know they would end up engaged to be married and co-owners of a thriving business that helps people grow in their faith through coffee. And they haven’t even graduated yet.
Sri and Bennett came up with their business, Little Way of Perfection, soon after they met during their freshman year at Benedictine, a Catholic liberal arts college in Atchison, Kansas.
Originally known as Religious Roast Coffee, the soon-to-be married couple’s business has grown to include clothing, accessories, stickers, and more, in addition to their popular roasted coffee, available in a variety of flavors, ground or as whole beans.
The two started dating the week before the country went into lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic and, as was the case with many others, they found themselves bored while at home. One day Bennett had the idea to start a Catholic coffee business. And the next day he had a website, logo, and business plan ready.
“Caden is a big go-getter, [an] ideas person, and I am good at making a plan happen and working out all the little details to get there, so we make a pretty great team,” Sri said in an interview with CNA.
Bennett explained how he felt the Lord calling him and how his own morning routine inspired the idea for Religious Roast Coffee.
“I was inspired to start this company from my own prayer. Jesus kept leading me to become more aware of him and let him encounter me in every moment of my day so that I could give every moment to him,” he said. “As I grew in this invitation from our Lord it centered around beginning my day with a morning offering so that the first thing I did each day was talk with Jesus and give him everything.”
“One morning as I was making coffee and praying the morning offering,” he continued, “I had the idea of pairing the first thing we all do in the morning — make a cup of coffee — with also inviting God into the first moments of our day. From this came the idea of Religious Roast Coffee.”
In the fall of 2020 the two launched several labels with an image of a saint on each, along with a morning offering asking for the intercession of that particular saint. The idea was to have people pray while their morning coffee brewed.

Early Church, Early Morning Saints Peter and Paul Roast. Credit: Madeleine Sri / Little Way of Perfection“Nobody else had this idea at the time — now there are a few who’ve hopped on the idea — so it was so much fun to name all the different coffee flavors after different saints and invite our customers to grow closer to them in their mornings,” Sri explained. “Ultimately, we started this business to be a tool to help people grow in deeper intimacy with Christ.”
“One of our favorite professors here at Benedictine said about prayer that ‘in order to pray at all times, you must first pray for a time,’ and this is really what the heart of our business is all about,” she continued.
“We don’t want people to just stop and ‘check the box’ of their morning prayer by praying the morning offering on our bag, but we hope that it is a tool to begin a time of longer and deeper contemplation in order to be in dialogue with God for the entirety of their day.”
Bennett added: “Just as the saints lived so beautifully united to Jesus in every moment from the early mornings, washing dishes, the joy of the day, and even the mundane task, so too are we called to live with Christ at all moments.”
The pair will graduate this December with degrees in theology and get married soon after.
Recently they had more ideas of ways people can be reminded to pray throughout the day —  such as stickers with prayers that can be placed on a bathroom mirror — and so the company expanded from Religious Roast Coffee to Little Way of Perfection.
“We then changed our brand name to Little Way of Perfection because, ultimately, what we want to do is to invite people to reach spiritual perfection through being brought further into God through prayer but also to embrace the ‘little way’ of allowing God’s grace and mercy to always work through you,” Sri said.

​

For One Young Catholic, Music is an Apostolate of BeautyBy Hillary MastAnn Arbor, Mich., Nov 15 (EWTN News/CNA) - An up-and-coming Catholic musician in Michigan aims to expose listeners to God in the same way she did during her school years – through beauty found in “truly good” forms of art.

“My desire with this music and this album is to reach anybody, anywhere and hopefully open their hearts to the reality that transfiguration and transformation is real,” singer/songwriter Alanna-Marie Boudreau told EWTN News recently.

Growing up, she said that her parents made it a point to expose their children to “the transcendental truth, goodness and beauty” through beautiful literature and art. Since they believed that was not available in the upstate New York schools where they lived, her mother decided to homeschool them.

Learning from a Catholic curriculum, Boudreau says excellent books and beautiful music were a regular part of her education.

“It was a very natural part of the fabric of our life and it was interwoven with a really sacramental understanding of life and of family,” she said.

“The faith, it always fit like a hand in the glove with our upbringing and with our education.” That integration of faith, beauty and truth is something the 23-year old woman says she hopes permeates her music, especially in her new, full-length album, “Hints and Guesses” – a follow-up to her 2012 EP, “Hands in the Land.”

“And anybody – everybody – is affected by beauty, no matter what their life experience is, where they’re from, or what they’ve done, there’s something about beauty that bypasses those preconceived ideas and it just sets the heart in a very good position to hear God.”

But Boudreau doesn’t label her work as “Christian music” – not because it doesn’t deal with the faith, but because of the inclination of some to automatically be turned off by such a label or assume that it will sound a certain way without listening to it.

“I’m a Catholic woman and that affects the way that I write and the way that I understand the world, but I have noticed there’s a tendency when people hear about a label like ‘Christian’ they misunderstand it, so they feel threatened by it and they close their hearts to it.”

However, when music or other art forms simply expose the listener to beauty instead of assigning labels, that’s when conversion of the heart can begin, she explained.

“God, in His wisdom, he knows that beauty is a way of bypassing the intellect and softening the heart to make it receptive.”

That’s something she hopes “Hints and Guesses” will do – open listeners’ hearts up in a way that allows them to be more receptive to authentic beauty, and in turn, God.

“I hope that the album would act kind of as a question mark for them – that it would bring up certain things or inspire certain movements that would make them examine things a little more deeply – to have a more examined life and to ask those big questions, whether it has to do with relationships, inner healing, if it has to do with seeking God more ardently, or if it has to do with just being more receptive to life in general.”

One of the songs on the album, “The Weight of Glory,” is based on a sermon of the same name by C.S. Lewis and deals with asking questions and developing a thirst for God.

Another track, “Solitudes,” focuses on how human relationships can never fully satisfy us, while at the same time revealing something eternal.

“There will always be a part of us that is incommunicable to another person and that’s what sets us above creation and it’s what makes us like God, in a sense. And yet, there’s that tension: we are made for community,” Boudreau explained.

Her new album – which was completed after a successful Kickstarter campaign back in March – was received enthusiastically and reached number 22 on the top 100 “Singer/Songwriter” category on iTunes the day after it was released in September.

Boudreau toured for a month over the summer and is now playing shows intermittently, but says right now is a “waiting period” while she discerns her next move.
"Cloud and light. These two images occur together in the manifestations of the Holy Spirit. In the theophanies of the Old Testament, the cloud, now obscure, now luminous, reveals the living and saving God, while veiling the transcendence of his glory - with Moses on Mount Sinai, at the tent of meeting, and during the wandering in the desert, and with Solomon at the dedication of the Temple. In the Holy Spirit, Christ fulfills these figures. The Spirit comes upon the Virgin Mary and "overshadows" her, so that she might conceive and give birth to Jesus. On the mountain of Transfiguration, the Spirit in the "cloud came and overshadowed" Jesus, Moses and Elijah, Peter, James and John, and "a voice came out of the cloud, saying, 'This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!'" Finally, the cloud took Jesus out of the sight of the disciples on the day of his ascension and will reveal him as Son of man in glory on the day of his final coming."
Catechism of the Catholic Church #697
 ​

A bit of humor…
-Teacher: Tell us, Johnny, where is your father staying on business?   Johnny: In Vishakhapatnam.  Teacher: How interesting. And now tell us all how it is spelled.  Johnny: Oh, I just remembered he got reposted to Goa.
-Little Johnny comes home and his father sighs, "Alright, boy, out with your report card."  Johnny says, "I don't have it, dad."  "What? Why not?" asks his father.   "I borrowed it to my friend. He wanted to freak out his parents."


Some Thoughts:
-When in doubt, mumble.  
- I used to be indecisive. Now I’m not sure. 
-  I like work. It fascinates me. I sit and look at it for hours.  
-  If at first you don’t succeed, skydiving is not for you!


New Generation
I was visiting a friend who could not find her cordless phone. After several minutes of searching, her young daughter said, “You know what they should invent? A phone that stays connected to its base so it never gets lost.”
 
Where You Want to Be

"Where is Pearl Harbor?" I asked my fourth-grade history class. "Here’s a hint: It’s a place where everyone wants to go." One student blurted out, "Candy Land!"


UNANSWERED PRAYER?              The preacher's 5 year-old daughter noticed that her father
always paused and bowed his head, for a moment, before starting his sermon.
One day, she asked him why.
 
              "Well, Honey," he began, proud that his daughter was so
observant of his messages, "I'm asking the Lord to help me preach a good
sermon
               "How come He doesn't do it?" she asked.
 
 
UNTIMELY ANSWERED PRAYER:
 
              During the minister's prayer, one Sunday, there was a loud
whistle from one of the back pews. Tommy's mother was horrified.  She
pinched him into silence and, after church, asked, "Tommy, whatever made you
do such a thing?"
 
              Tommy answered, soberly, "I asked God to teach me to whistle,
and He just then did!"
 
TIME TO PRAY:
 
              A pastor asked a little boy if he said his prayers every night.
 
              "Yes, sir," the boy replied.
 
              "And, do you always say them in the morning, too?" the pastor asked.
 
              "No sir," the boy replied.  "I ain't scared in the daytime."
 ​

+JMJ+
SUNDAY BIBLICAL MASS READINGS AND QUESTIONS
for Self-Reflection, Couples or Family Discussion
32nd Sunday of Ordinary Time – Sunday, November 12, 2023

The First Reading - Wisdom 6:12-16
Resplendent and unfading is wisdom, and she is readily perceived by those who love her, and found by those who seek her. She hastens to make herself known in anticipation of their desire; Whoever watches for her at dawn shall not be disappointed, for he shall find her sitting by his gate. For taking thought of wisdom is the perfection of prudence, and whoever for her sake keeps vigil shall quickly be free from care; because she makes her own rounds, seeking those worthy of her, and graciously appears to them in the ways, and meets them with all solicitude.
Reflection
To the Jew, wisdom is the knowledge of how to conduct oneself in speech and conduct in such a way as to dispose others favorably, to foster one’s own success and advancement, and to live free of the anxiety which arises from hostility, opposition, and failure. Young men were trained in the manners of a good scribe when they learned their letters. Israelite wisdom differed from the wisdom of other cultures in that it was modified by its relation of faith in the Lord. Only God is truly wise – his wisdom is exhibited in creation.
Adults - How would you define wisdom? How does our faith call us to see wisdom?
Teens - What is the difference between wisdom and knowledge?
Kids - How can you grow in wisdom?  

Responsorial- Psalm 63:2,3-4, 5-6,7-8
R.My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
O God, you are my God whom I seek;
for you my flesh pines and my soul thirsts
like the earth, parched, lifeless and without water.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Thus have I gazed toward you in the sanctuary
to see your power and your glory,
For your kindness is a greater good than life;
my lips shall glorify you.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Thus will I bless you while I live;
lifting up my hands, I will call upon your name.
As with the riches of a banquet shall my soul be satisfied,
and with exultant lips my mouth shall praise you.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
I will remember you upon my couch,
and through the night-watches I will meditate on you:
You are my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I shout for joy.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Reflection
How do you seek the Lord?  Seek him more this week.

The Second Reading- 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
We do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, about those who have fallen asleep, so that you may not grieve like the rest, who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose, so too will God, through Jesus, bring with him those who have fallen asleep.  Indeed, we tell you this, on the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will surely not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself, with a word of command, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God, will come down from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive, who are left,
will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.  Thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, console one another with these words.
Reflection -     We hope in the resurrection of our bodies at the end of time, when our Lord comes again in glory. Saint Paul describes this second coming as an event of great solemnity in our reading today, an event accompanied by an angel’s call and the sound of a trumpet. The language Saint Paul uses to describe this event (called apocalyptic language) highlights the mystery and power of God. After the parousia (Greek for “appearance” or “showing”) will come the resurrection of the dead. Each body will be brought back to life by its own soul, and those who are still alive on that day will, together with their brethren who are dead and have risen, go to meet the Lord. However, the bodies of both will be glorified and therefore those who died before the parousia will have no advantage or disadvantage compared to those who are still living at this point.
 -Do you ever think of heaven?

The Holy Gospel according to Matthew 25:1-13
Jesus told his disciples this parable: "The kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones, when taking their lamps, brought no oil with them, but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps.  Since the bridegroom was long delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight, there was a cry, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps.  The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise ones replied, 'No, for there may not be enough for us and you. Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’ While they went off to buy it, the bridegroom came and those who were ready went into the wedding feast  with him. Then the door was locked. Afterwards the other virgins came and said, ‘Lord, Lord, open the door for us!’ But he said in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour."
Reflection  Last week we heard Jesus take the scribes and Pharisees to task for not “fathering” the people; for not setting the proper example and treating them fairly. We now move to the parable of the wise and 5 foolish virgins; a parable peculiar to Matthew. There is little detailed information about wedding practices at the time of Christ, but there was a solemn procession from the home of the bride to the home of the bridegroom: the taking of the bride from her father’s house to his own by the bridegroom was the symbolic act of marriage. Since the bridesmaids went to welcome the groom, this indicates that they went to accompany him and his party to the house of the bride and from there, presumably to the house of the groom. It is from the wedding feast that the foolish virgins are excluded – and since it is the bridegroom who denies them, the feast must be at his house.  We must keep our own lamps lit so we are ready for the Bridegroom when He arrives.
Adults - How can you keep the light of the Lord burning in your life?
Teens - How do you daily prepare your soul for the coming of Christ?
Kids - What do you do when it is hard to do the right thing?

LIVING THE WORD OF GOD THIS WEEK!  - Providing themselves with oil was the obligation imposed on the bridesmaids in the parable. It was surely a trivial condition when compared with the reward offered them: a very special place at the marriage feast. The obligations imposed on us Christians are surely trivial too when compared with the reward offered us in return: an eternity of happiness in heaven. It seems incredible that there are many among us this very day who, like the foolish bridesmaids, doze and sleep contentedly holding empty lamps in their hands, while at any moment they may be awakened by: Behold, the bridegroom comes! Go forth to meet him. It will be too late then to do anything; even their best friends cannot help them. Each one must stand before the judge just as he is: there can be no borrowing of the oil of merit from others and there will be no time to buy any.
Now is the time for all of us to say "Lord, Lord, open to us." open to us the doors of your mercy and kindness. Open to us the eyes of our understanding that we may see our defects and remedy them while there is yet time.
It is up to us now to decide, aided by God's grace, where we shall be found on the last day—with the wise bridesmaids or with the foolish.  -Excerpted from The Sunday Readings by Fr. Kevin O'Sullivan, O.F.M.







595. How is forgiveness possible? c) it is only possible if we ourselves learn how to forgive
Mercy can penetrate our hearts only if we ourselves learn how to forgive – even our enemies. Now even if it seems impossible for us to satisfy this requirement, the heart that offers itself to the Holy Spirit can, like Christ, love even to love’s extreme; it can turn injury into compassion and transform hurt into intercession. Forgiveness participates in the divine mercy and is a high-point of Christian prayer.


596. What does “Lead us not into temptation” mean? d) all of the above   We ask God our Father not to leave us alone and in the power of temptation. We ask the Holy Spirit to help us know how to discern, on the one hand, between a trial that makes us grow in goodness and a temptation that leads to sin and death and, on the other hand, between being tempted and consenting to temptation. This petition unites us to Jesus who overcame temptation by his prayer. It requests the grace of vigilance and of final perseverance.


597. Why do we conclude by asking “But deliver us from evil”? d) “evil” indicates the person of Satan who opposes God and is “the deceiver of the whole world.”  “Evil” indicates the person of Satan who opposes God and is “the deceiver of the whole world” (Revelation 12:9). Victory over the devil has already been won by Christ. We pray, however, that the human family be freed from Satan and his works. We also ask for the precious gift of peace and the grace of perseverance as we wait for the coming of Christ who will free us definitively from the Evil One.


598. What is the meaning of the final Amen? a) ‘so be it’   “At the end of the prayer, you say ‘Amen’ and thus you ratify by this word that means ‘so be it’ all that is contained in this prayer that God has taught us.” (Saint Cyril of Jerusalem)

​

Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
 
      The seventh corporal (bodily) work of mercy is: To bury the dead.  We have sometimes lost sight of this because we want to distance ourselves from death.  But as it was a priority among Jews because the person was made in the image of God and His desired dwelling place, all the more do Catholics honor the body with Christian burial.
 
       Today we perform the work of mercy of burying the dead by attending wakes and Funeral Masses.  When our loved ones die, to fulfill this we make sure that they have a Funeral Mass offered for them and that their bodies are buried in blessed ground (ground that has been blessed by prayer and holy water). 
 
      While the Church does allow cremation for those who do not use it to deny the resurrection of the body, the Church requires that the cremated remains of loved ones are buried in ground that is blessed.  The cremated mortal remains of our loved ones are not to be kept as if we could ever possess them, or to be distributed or spread over an area even if they request it.  The reason is that we belong to God, we did not create ourselves, so while we have the power, we do not have the authority to ever misuse the body, alive or dead.
 
      Try to attend parish funerals, especially if you do not think many people will attend, and see that the dead receive a proper burial.  The dead need your prayers and mine and this work of mercy, as you and I will when the Lord calls us from this life!
 
Peace and prayers in Jesus through Mary, loved by Saint Joseph,
 
Father Robert
P.S.  Check the green sections in this e-weekly for the exact words of the Church concerning this.

P.S.S.  This Sunday is:  31st Sunday of Ordinary Time.  The readings can be found at:  https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110523.cfm
​

592. What is the sense of the petition “Give us this day our daily bread”? (Catechism of the Catholic Church, CCC 2828-2834, 2861)
a) God is the only one who can feed us
b) that our trust must be a demand we make upon God
c) it is the daily nourishment that helps us recognize how good God is
d) none of the above


593. What is the specifically Christian sense of this petition? (CCC 2835-2837, 2861)
a) applies equally to hunger for the Word of God and for the Body of Christ
b) it is a hunger for the Holy Spirit
c) We ask this with complete confidence for this day – God’s “today”
d) all of the above


594. Why do we say “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us”? (CCC 2838-2839, 2862)
a) we say it for our neighbor to hear, it does not apply to us.
b) it is an ideal that we only accomplish in heaven
c) we acknowledge that we are sinners and yet proclaim his mercy
d) we are not forgiven our sins until our enemies forgive us
 (Answers at the end)

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CFL bulbs, or compact fluorescent light bulbs: energy savings
Commonly referred to as CFLs, compact fluorescent lamps or compact fluorescent light bulbs, the energy-saving bulbs have escaped the stereotype of buzzing, flickery, washed-out lights to become one of the poster children for consumers taking action in the modern green movement. The bulbs, which can replace incandescent, halogen and other electric lights around your house, use between 60% and 80% less energy than their incandescent counterparts, making them an increasingly popular way to cut energy use without having to make any radical changes, like replace your lighting fixtures or rewire your house, in many cases.


Dimmable compact fluorescent light bulbs
In addition to using a fraction of the energy, compact fluorescent light bulbs have a much longer usable life than incandescents, typically lasting between 6,000 and 15,000 hours, compared to 1,000 hours or so for incandescent bulbs. Recent improvements in technology have improved both the light quality and versatility of CFLs -- many now emit a more pleasant "soft white" light and work in dimmable and three-way fixtures. All of this adds up to a bulb that can save the user upwards of $30 over its life and save 2000 times its own weight in greenhouse gas emissions.
 
Respect for the dead
2299 The dying should be given attention and care to help them live their last moments in dignity and peace. They will be helped by the prayer of their relatives, who must see to it that the sick receive at the proper time the sacraments that prepare them to meet the living God.
2300 The bodies of the dead must be treated with respect and charity, in faith and hope of the Resurrection. The burial of the dead is a corporal work of mercy;92 it honors the children of God, who are temples of the Holy Spirit.
2301 Autopsies can be morally permitted for legal inquests or scientific research. The free gift of organs after death is legitimate and can be meritorious.
The Church permits cremation, provided that it does not demonstrate a denial of faith in the resurrection of the body.
Catechism of the Catholic Church #2299-2301

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Catholic Websites of the Week

St. Peter Bascilica Website

http://www.vaticanstate.va/content/vaticanstate/en/monumenti/basilica-di-s-pietro.html
 https://www.vaticanstate.va/it/monumenti/basilica-di-san-pietro/basilica.html

This extensive site covers the art, history and architecture of the Vatican Basilica.  It includes numerous pictures, an interactive floor plan map and the entire text of several books and scholarly articles. If you have ever wondered which saint was on top of the Colonnade or are doing historical research, St. Peter's Basilica.org is the place to visit for this and much more.


St. Peter's is not only home to the Pope, but is our spiritual home, where the Church has nurtured and raised Christians through her two thousand year history. However, for many of us St. Peter's is too far away to visit. This website is a wonderful way to experience her beauty and richness from your own home.

By Julieta Villar
ACI Prensa Staff, Nov 3, 2023 / 18:30 pm
During the month of October under the theme “Like the martyrs, together with Mary, firm in the faith,” thousands of people from the northern province of Jujuy in Argentina make pilgrimages to the shrine of their patroness, the Virgin of Río Blanco and Paypaya. Last weekend more than 40,000 young people turned out for the pilgrimage.
The pilgrims, coming from different parts of the province, began to arrive at Río Blanco on Friday, Oct. 27, some after walking more than 60 miles. Once there, they camped on the shrine grounds.
On Saturday afternoon the activities began, organized by the diocesan youth ministry.
Saturday culminated with the celebration of Mass and a night of adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, which lasted until 11 p.m.
The pilgrims continued to arrive until Sunday to participate in the main Mass, which was offered by the bishop of Jujuy, César Daniel Fernández.
In his homily, the prelate encouraged the young people to feel personally loved by God. “God is tattooed on the hearts of those who were baptized and never abandons us,” he said.
Throughout Sunday, Masses were celebrated at the shrine and the rosary was prayed.
Speaking with Todo Jujuy online news, Fernández said: “With great joy we receive so much sacrifice, effort, and enthusiasm from these young people who want great things for their lives.”
“We as adults must wish them the best and build the best for them through the conditions so that they can work, study, and give meaning to their lives,” he urged.
The prelate considered that this “date” that the young people meet every year in Río Blanco “will give them a lot of strength to continue the fight in their everyday lives.”
“We always hope that this sanctuary, which is emblematic for the province, which is the religious heart, has the best to offer everyone a place to encounter God. Faith does not slacken,” he concluded.

​

'Authentic Racial Reconciliation,' From the Heart of the ChurchNews: Racism
Adora Namigadde

Oct 26, 2017

2The founders of a new initiative say the Catholic Church could be a leader on discussions about racism and discrimination — but right now, it’s not. Their new project, the Before Gethsemane Initiative, aims to address that. 
Chenele Shaw, co-founder of the Before Gethsemane Initiative. Courtesy photo.

“The Church should be leading on these issues, and she’s not right now, unfortunately,” the project’s co-director, Maria Benes, laments. 
She told The Pillar that in recent months, she’s been told about incidents of racism and Catholic contexts.
“I’ve heard at Catholic schools, Asian students being told to go back to Wuhan, many of whom are not even Chinese. Wrong regardless, but a lot of them in this case were being told to go back to Wuhan because of the pandemic. I’ve heard even of the n-word still used in some Catholic schools.”
That kind of language is a problem, and Benes wanted to be part of the solution. 
Benes reached out to Chenele Shaw, a former youth minister and theology teacher who is passionate about creating a welcoming environment for racial minorities in the Church.
Benes and Shaw hit it off. Soon, the women decided to launch the Before Gethsemane Initiative. 
The name is meant to evoke Christ’s prayer for unity and conversion in John 17, before his agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.
The founders of the Before Gethsemane Initiative say there are a lot of obstacles to Christian unity — and attitudes about race are among them.
“There’s a lot of political allegiance that happens in the Church that kind of strays us away from our universal call to holiness and the idea that we’re called to love one another,” Shaw told The Pillar. 
“Sometimes that can get muddied up into the truth of what we’re being called to be -- Catholics that live consistent life ethics. It can get muddied up by believing we have to be perfectly aligned with one political party or the other. Therefore, there’s a lot of gaps on either side.”
That’s why the group’s co-directors put adherence to Catholic teaching at the forefront: every publicly-associated member signs a fidelity statement declaring strict adherence to key Catholic teachings: the inherent dignity of every person from conception to natural death, the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, and abortion as an intrinsic evil. 
The group’s co-founders want to bring racism and xenophobia to the fore of conversation among Catholics. 
Benes said the group aims to address racism and xenophobia from a Catholic lens – promoting prayer and fasting, education and difficult conversations as the road to repentance for those who inflict racism on others, and forgiveness for those who have experienced it. They hope to help people suffering from wounds related to racism to find healing, and to help unify the Church, and inspire conversion, through fasting and prayer.

The vision for Before Gethsemane 
When Benes and Shaw started telling people about their project a few months back, interest in the group grew quickly. Within 24 hours of reaching out to people about the initiative, Benes was connected with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Fr. Josh Johnson, and former EWTN Radio host Gloria Purvis, who saw her show cancelled in December 2020, after complaints from a radio syndicate about her discussion of George Floyd and other topics connected to racism.
“Finding Chenele and a lot of people on our board was honestly through me saying a prayer to the Holy Spirit, then doing a Google search,” Benes says. “I found this site for Catholic speakers of color. Honestly most of us have not met in-person before, except for a few of us.”
Benes and Shaw say Catholic groups and a few bishops have expressed interest in their work. 
Before Gethsemane hosted its first conversation Oct. 14, with a virtual gathering of 30 Catholic school principals, and a school has agreed to partner with them. 
Benes and Shaw say they aim to help lead conversations in different settings to help people at all education and age levels recognize and address racism. 
“Our hope with our initiative is to be able to address people in the Church with both education and with healing opportunities,” Shaw says. “So we’d like to provide education like workshops, bible studies, etc., but also healing and mental health resources for Black and brown Catholics.”
They’d also like to offer racial reconciliation retreats, collaboration with Catholic counselors and awareness and sensitivity training to Catholic organizations like schools and parishes. 
Shaw heads the spiritual and mental health pillar of the organization, while Benes handles the piece on facilitating challenging conversations. 
Shaw stresses that as Catholics, racial reconciliation necessarily involves forgiveness.
“We like what Fr. Josh Johnson has said a lot about that,” Shaw says. “People that commit acts of racism are not only called to say sorry and apologize, but also to change their ways. And the people called to forgive acts of racism are not only called to forgive but to also go through the process of healing, which works together.”



Authentic racial reconciliation
Difficult conversations are right up Maria Benes’ alley – as a second grader, she feared she would have to watch her parents get divorced. 
“My parents almost got divorced over political and religious differences. But they decided to stay together, and they learned to work through things,” Benes recalls.
“They still don’t agree on everything, and in fact there’s a lot they still don’t agree on. But I grew up learning how to have difficult political conversations at the dinner table. I think that’s why I’m so passionate about helping bridge the political divide with God at the center.”
Benes carried that skillset into her career and expanded upon it. She holds a masters in international affairs, with a concentration in conflict resolution, and she has spent five years teaching students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln the art of participating in tough political discussions.
Maria Benes, co-founder of the Before Gethsemane Initiative. Courtesy photo.“I developed a curriculum for how to teach students how to have controversial political conversations,” Benes says. “A lot of it is related to emotional intelligence.”
Her eight tips for difficult conversations are preparation, relationship, avoiding “whataboutism,” vulnerability, listening, using “I” over “we” statements, admitting when one is wrong, and assuming the other person has the best of intentions.
“Whataboutism” refers to an attempt to divert attention away from the topic at hand by making a counter-accusation.
“It’s like if someone says, ‘Well, your political party doesn’t care about healthcare,’ or ‘Your political party doesn’t care about abortion,’” Benes says. “Certainly some mortal sins are worse than others. If something is a mortal sin, we can acknowledge that without having to say, ‘Well, this mortal sin is worse.’ At that point, we are not striving for excellence.”
In the years Benes taught people how to have challenging conversations, she says students only broke out into fights twice. Both times, they were breaking one of her rules.
“In one case where there was this open fight between two students, it was actually because they broke [the rule on using “I” instead of “we” statements]. It was two Latino students that had very different past experiences -- one, his father was a legal immigrant who had a six-figure salary and was doing very well in the United States. The other one, she grew up super poor, had a ton of family members, some of whom were not here legally. And they were both using ‘we’ statements as if they were speaking for all Latino people.”
Before Gethsemane will modify its approach based on the age and education level of participants. The organization is using a Catholic human dignity curriculum from the perspective of Catholic social teaching. For older students and adults, it will make use of a multimedia curriculum about Catholic social teaching, called Connected. 
“When I talked about controversial issues with my students, I would pray and fast for them at least a week, if not more in advance. Then I’d get to the classroom early and sprinkle holy water around the room, sprinkle blessed salt,” Benes says. 
That’s a tradition the leadership of Before Gethsemane will continue. 
“So we actually do a lot of this stuff when we go into schools. We will start praying and fasting,” Benes says. “So the group we have right now, we will pray and fast for them as a team before we even go and see them.”
In the words of board member Janine Christiano, “We are not going to solve this problem without God.”

Next steps
“We have so many secular initiatives that I think are doing a great job on the education and awareness piece, but this is really ultimately about a change of heart in all of us. And that’s not going to come apart from God,” Christiano said.
Benes and Shaw say they’ve both experienced God at work in their project, and they know it is possible for all Catholics to feel welcomed in the Catholic Church, whose very name speaks to the idea of universality. 
The group submitted paperwork for the organization to reach 501c3 nonprofit status earlier this month. 
“I hear the IRS is really backed up right now, unfortunately. With the pandemic, it may be up to a year before we get that back,” Benes says. “Once we get that, we can do state filings for non-profit raising. In the meantime, we’re able to start going into schools and parishes.”
For now, they’re fundraising, and praying for the work ahead.

O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being loved...
From the desire of being extolled ...
From the desire of being honored ...
From the desire of being praised ...
From the desire of being preferred to others...
From the desire of being consulted ...
From the desire of being approved ...
From the fear of being humiliated ...
From the fear of being despised...
From the fear of suffering rebukes ...
From the fear of being calumniated ...
From the fear of being forgotten ...
From the fear of being ridiculed ...
From the fear of being wronged ...
From the fear of being suspected ...
That others may be loved more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be esteemed more than I ...
That, in the opinion of the world,
others may increase and I may decrease ...
That others may be chosen and I set aside ...
That others may be praised and I unnoticed ...
That others may be preferred to me in everything...
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should… ​

All Saints Day Readings:  https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110123.cfm

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All Soul's Day Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110223.cfm

585. With what spirit of communion and mission do we pray to God as “our” Father? (Catechism of the Catholic Church, CCC 2791-2793, 2801)
a) a spirit that prays with all people and for all people
b) one that acknowledges that it is a common blessing for the baptized
c) a mission that joins in Jesus’ prayer for the unity of His disciples
d) all of the above


586. What does the phrase “Who art in heaven” mean? (CCC 2794-2796, 2802)
a) it is a place in the sky only
b) it is the place where God creates artwork
c) with Christ we already live there
d) none of the above


587. What is the structure of the Lord’s Prayer? (CCC 2803-2806, 2857)
a) there is no particular structure to the Our Father
b) it is has nearly 100 petitions
c) it goes from least important to most important
d) God-centered petitions with our poverty and expectations


(Answers below)​

protodulia (from the Latin word proto”first”)
-first veneration or honor given to St. Joseph after Blessed Mary but before any other saints or angels
 
 term review
latria (from the Greek latreia “service, worship”)
- Latin word used in English meaning worship due to God alone
 
 dulia (Latin word used in English)
-veneration or honor given to saints as servants of God
 
 hyperdulia (Latin word used in English)
-higher veneration or honor given to Mary as the most exalted of all creatures
 
 purgatory (from Late Latin purgatorius “purging”)
- A temporary state in which the souls of those who have died in grace must be made perfect by being fully conformed to Christ Jesus.  (All souls in purgatory will eventually go to heaven.)  [Read more in the Website section.]

October 15 : The Catholic News Service featured a review of CATHOLICISM on their website.  Read the review below. 

A visually splendid and intellectually satisfying introduction to Catholic Christianity is provided by the 10-part video series “Catholicism.” Written and hosted by Father Robert E. Barron, the complete documentary is available for purchase on DVD at Word on Fire.

A priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago, Father Barron is certainly not lacking in academic credentials. He holds a doctorate in sacred theology from France’s Institut Catholique de Paris and serves as the Francis Cardinal George professor of faith and culture at the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary. He’s also been a visiting professor at the University of Notre Dame and Rome’s Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas, colloquially known as the Angelicum.

Like his august – and equally well educated — forerunner Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, however, Father Barron displays a knack for conveying complex ideas in easily grasped, television-friendly terms. His enthusiasm as a narrator also serves to keep the pace pleasingly rapid.

As he explores the identity of Jesus, the main topic of “Amazed and Afraid: The Revelation of God Become Man,” the first episode screened, the globetrotting Father Barron visits lushly photographed holy sites in Bethlehem, Galilee and Jerusalem before traveling on to various sacred locales around Rome. Classical religious artwork – smoothly panned and zoomed in the style justly known among broadcasters as the Ken Burns effect — provides further engaging imagery.

The substantive discussion carried on behind these visuals introduces viewers to the messianic expectations laid down in the prophecies of the Old Testament and to the surprising, sometimes paradoxical, manner in which Jesus — by his life, death and resurrection — fulfilled them.

A first-rate DVD resource for teen and adult religious education, whether in a parish setting or at home – and must-watch public television programming for all old enough to profit from it – “Catholicism” enlists sophisticated production values
and an elegantly crafted script in the service of explaining — and celebrating — the faith.
                                                                                                                                                                             

By Francesca Pollio Fenton
CNA Staff, Oct 28, 2023 / 07:00 am

Twins Gianna and Andrew Renwick were born on July 18, each weighing slightly less than 6 pounds. One month later, on Aug. 20, they were baptized at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Reynoldsville, Pennsylvania, by Father Ben Daghir and Deacon Luke Daghir, clergy from the Diocese of Erie who happen to be twin brothers.

Luke and Kristin Renwick are parents to four under 4: Arthur, Grace, Gianna, and Andrew. The Catholic couple told CNA that they always prayed for twins knowing that it runs in the family. Kristin’s mom is a twin and her mother’s grandfather was a twin. But, after suffering a miscarriage last fall, twins were not on the Renwicks’ mind.

“When we got pregnant again, we were blessed with twins so we ended up doubling up the family,” Luke Renwick said.
Kristin added: “We had always prayed for twins. You just never actually think — will God grant us these prayers? But, certainly, prayers were answered and God is good.”

Parents Kristin and Luke Renwick with Father Ben Daghir, Deacon Luke Daghir, and their baptized twins, Gianna and Andrew Renwick. Credit: Don Wojtaszek


When the Renwicks found out they were expecting twins, they were excited to share the news with their parish priest, Father Ben Daghir, who was ordained in the spring of 2022, since he is also a twin.

Luke explained that as they got closer to the delivery date, they spoke with Daghir about setting up the baptism.

“We asked him to do it and within that conversation he’s like, ‘Hey, would you be open to my brother being a part of it as well? Because he’ll be a [transitional] deacon at that point and then it would be twins baptizing twins,’” he shared.
​
“We just thought that was the coolest thing in the world, and I mean, how unique is that?” Luke said.

​The Renwicks decided that instead of having a separate ceremony, they would do it during Mass “because we really wanted other people to experience it as well,” Luke said.

Kristin added: “I think it was the witness of it, what made it so much more special.”
​
Another unique circumstance was being able to have two sets of godparents — one set for each baby. Gianna’s godparents are Kristin’s sister and brother-in-law and Andrew’s godparents are Luke’s sister and a close family friend who is currently in seminary.

​For Kristin, having three sets of twins present at the baptism was special.

“It was the Daghir twins and then my mom and my aunt, and then the babies, and we have this really cool picture of all of them together,” she said.
​
The Renwicks shared that the meaning behind each of their twins’ names also has a special significance.

Andrew Renwick is presented to St. Mary's of Reynoldsville, Pennsylvania, as their newest baptized Christian. Credit: Don Wojtaszek

Since 2015, the couple has been involved in “Alpha,” a program for adult faith formation that emphasizes evangelization. During a talk one day, the speaker said: “We can’t all be St. Peters, but we can all be St. Andrews” — referring to the fact that Andrew introduced Peter to Jesus. This resonated with Luke.

“I’ve always loved the fact that that’s kind of what we’re here for is just to introduce people to Jesus,” he said.
One of Kristin’s favorite saints is St. Gianna Molla.

“I’m a family physician. So, I was always drawn to St. Gianna because she was a pediatrician, of course, and led the pro-life movement as well, which is so special to me. So, it was kind of a no-brainer,” Kristin explained.
​
Gianna and Andrew, who are now 3 months old, already have a unique “connection.” Kristin shared that seeing the two snuggle up together and interact “is incredible” and a “miracle from God.”

Kathy Schiffer BlogsOctober 29Helping people has always been important to Connor Farrell. His parents set an example, taking into their home foster children who were facing a crisis situation. And as the Farrells drove to and from school, they often saw homeless individuals along their route; so the Farrell children — Mary Kate, Connor, Evan and Maggie — helped to distribute snacks and toiletries to those in need.

During the pandemic, the problem loomed even larger: With people isolated at home, there was an increase in demand; but at the same time, supply chain delays meant that common self-care products were often hard to obtain. Additionally, there was an increase in the homeless population in Greenville, South Carolina, where the Farrells made their home.

Connor and his family, members of St. Mary Magdalene parish in Simpsonville, sat down and discussed how they could better help those in need. Driving to and from school, they had passed the Triune Mercy Center, a non-denominational church that ministered to the homeless population, and had often seen people in need gathered there; so Connor and his siblings reached out to the pastor to ask how they might help. The four Farrell children began packaging hygiene kits which included basic necessities such as toothpaste and toothbrushes, lotion, shampoo, deodorant, razors and washcloths. In addition, they tucked into each hygiene kit an inspirational Bible quote. Each month, the family dropped off the hygiene kits at the Triune Mercy Center and at the Upstate Office of Catholic Charities.

Things have changed in the ensuing years. Mary Kate, the oldest of the Farrell children, has gone on to attend college at Villanova University, and the younger children have gone on to pursue other interests. Connor Farrell, now a junior at St. Joseph High School in Greenville, has continued the project and has taken it to a new level. With support from his father, an attorney, Connor founded a nonprofit organization, Bright Lights Greenville, to better meet the needs of the area’s homeless population. Connor applied for and received a 501(c)(3) status for his charitable organization, making it easier for people who sympathize with his cause to join in support. Earlier this year, Connor’s Bright Lights Greenville was awarded a $1,500 Global Youth Mobilization Grant sponsored by the World Health Organization. That grant enabled Connor to expand the outreach and to launch a new website (www.brightlightsgreenville.com).

The organizations which Connor’s ministry helps have been more than grateful for his generous contributions to the homeless in the local community. Jennifer Foust Sheorn, pastor and director of the Triune Mercy Center, had met Connor when she began her work at the Center in July 2020. She reported that she had enjoyed getting to know the young man through emails, which he had initiated, asking what he and his family could do to help those experiencing homelessness in the Greenville area. “I’ve been most impressed with this young man,” she said.

Connor is a self-starter. He’s kind, intelligent, considerate, friendly and hardworking, and he has such a tremendous passion for service to the least of these.

Connor learned about Triune through his church, and now once a month he leads the way by packing and delivering over 50 hygiene kits to bring along with over 100 meals to serve to our parishioners. I wish that every freshman in high school had Connor’s drive and dedication to the disadvantaged. One of the common things we hear from our parishioners is how many of them feel like others look right past them and don’t really see them nor take the time to show them respect or grant them dignity. Connor is an exception to the rule. Through the generosity of Connor, his family and church community, we’re able to feed people and offer them a bag of dignity and respect in a hygiene kit. More than that though, Connor is setting an example for his peers through his selfless acts of service and approach to caring for others.Jessica Thrall, site administrator for the Upstate Regional Office of Catholic Charities of South Carolina, said:

Connor is a bright young man who exudes a passion for serving his community. It is a pleasure for Catholic Charities Upstate to partner with Bright Lights Greenville because through their partnership we are able to meet more of the community’s hygiene needs.Connor Farrell talked recently with the Register about his project, and about his hopes for expanding the service to a wider area — even as he approaches his college years. “Originally, it was a family project,” Connor said, “However, it became a personal project for me because I’m the one who’s taken it to a new level. And when the pandemic hit, there was a greater need — because of higher demand for hygiene products, and because of supply chain issues, coupled with an increase in the homeless population in Greenville.”

Connor has somehow managed to balance his schoolwork, athletics (he is a competitive swimmer on his high school team as well as a community team), and his management of Bright Lights GVL. With college on the horizon, Connor plans to continue managing the website and handling the organization from his dorm room. He hopes that his younger siblings can help to pack the hygiene packages, and he will continue the project as his time permits.

Connor described himself as “a very independent person” — so it made sense that he would pursue his goal of helping the homeless. Asked whether his Catholic faith played a part in his empathy for those in need, he answered:

Absolutely! Something that wasn’t mentioned in most of the news articles [about Bright Lights Greenville] is that usually we package in our hygiene kits a motivational Bible verse, along with personal care items. That’s one way that we bring the aspect of faith into our organization.The young entrepreneur understood that there are certain legal restrictions which prohibit a non-profit association from affiliating with a church. “Nevertheless,” he added, “we recognize that the homeless are valuable human beings, made in the image and likeness of God.”
​
Asked how readers could support his efforts, Connor suggested that they check out his website, Bright Lights Greenville, to make a donation or to learn more about the organization.

​

​For the Doucette family, rosary-making is a family activity. (photo: Courtesy of the Doucette Family)
Joseph Pronechen FeaturesOctober 24

When Matt and Elizabeth Doucette were students at Franciscan University of Steubenville and first dating, she wanted to get him a rosary for a Christmas gift. Shopping for one, she couldn’t locate “the” rosary she wanted, so she ended up gathering beads for a rosary and other parts, including the crucifix and medal, and making the special rosary she really had in mind but couldn’t find.

“That was the little seed all the way back,” Matt said, because at that time neither realized that six years after they would marry in 2006, they would launch Design My Rosary (DesignMyRosary.com), their family business run from home. Elizabeth already had experience making rosaries with her mother for the Fathers of Mercy in Kentucky. “My mom was making rosaries for them. That’s how I learned,” she said. Then Matt presented the inspiration to start Design My Rosary. With his experience, Matt designed their website and worked with his wife to make rosaries. 

The family is always happy to hear the stories behind the unique rosary creations. As Matt shared, “We find we often make them for children being baptized.” The Doucettes share this family tradition, he said: “We make a rosary for each of the children and have it blessed at their baptism.”

“And lots of people tell us about one for a convert entering the Church,” he added. The Doucettes feel honored and privileged “to be included in those stories and those moments. We feel we’re part of it when they ask us to make that rosary.”

There are the sad stories, too, whether for funerals or the loss of a child. These stories stick out for Elizabeth. “As a mother we’ve done several memorial rosaries for infants that have passed away. I’ve always been touched by that. We had a close friend who we did that for as well.” 

Many happy occasions include making rosaries for weddings. Often people buy rosaries to go in the bride’s bouquet. “One of the most fun things is when we have made rosaries for the entire wedding party,” Elizabeth said.

In fact, it might be said the Rosary led to the Doucettes’ marriage. The time-honored devotion brought Matt and Elizabeth together in 2002, when they were students at Franciscan University. “We met because of the Rosary,” Matt explained. “We happened to be in a similar random collection of students that began praying the Rosary at the grotto,” Elizabeth added, referring to a popular devotional site on campus. 

“Over time we’d hang around talking, then developed a friendship and started dating.”

Naturally, the Rosary has always continued to be a big part of their lives, including as Matt transitioned to working full time with Elizabeth.

“One of the first things I did when I left teaching and Elizabeth was making the rosaries was to produce a Rosary DVD,” he said. “Our children inspired us to create ‘Pray the Rosary,’ a DVD that has helped us as a family pray the Rosary together, which can be a challenge with children.”

An animated Rosary is seen below each decade, each illustrated with beautiful artwork through all four mysteries, helping even the youngest pray-ers to keep their place.

The Rosary anchors their family life with eight children — Maximilian, 14; Isabella Clare, 12; Olivia Irene, 10; Benjamin Joseph, 8; Dominic, 7; Samuel, 5; Gabriel, 3; and Violet, who is going on 2 months — amid home schooling. As Elizabeth explained, “We’ve had times where we’ve really struggled to sit together and pray the Rosary as a family. We make a recommitment to pray it each day. I feel like the grace that comes from God and knowing I’m helping my children develop this prayer life and carry it into adulthood is wonderful. We struggle like any family. The baby will throw things across the room, and that gets giggles. That’s all part of the beauty of it.”

As she also shared, “I enjoy how as the kids have gotten older they can help lead each one of the decades, and it feels more like praying it as a family.”

In terms of the family business, the children assist with packing the rosaries into the gift boxes in which they’re shipped, labeling packages and mailing them. The two older girls learned how to make rosaries from their mother. Of the scores of different beads, Bella said, “There’s Cats Eye I really like working with.” Another favorite is a Christmas-themed one “that’s really pretty.” Livy has her favorites, too. “My favorite kind of bead is called tree agate.”
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They may make rosaries as a family, but praying the Rosary is the most important legacy. As Elizabeth said, “We make a recommitment to pray it each day.”  

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WORLD |  OCT. 24
Mexican Beauty Queen Discerns ‘Radical’ Move to Religious Life
Young woman joins the Poor Clare Missionaries of the Blessed Sacrament.
Catholic News AgencyMEXICO CITY — Esmeralda Solís Gonzáles is a young Mexican woman who was crowned last year as a beauty queen in her hometown — and now she’s joined the Poor Clare Missionaries of the Blessed Sacrament.


Twenty-year-old Gonzáles has watched her story go viral over the last week on social media over a post on the “Miss Mexico” Facebook page.


Gonzáles was born April 12, 1997, in Valle de Guadalupe, Jalisco State, to a Catholic family. She currently resides at the convent of the Poor Clare Missionaries of the Blessed Sacrament of Cuernavaca in Morelos State, after leaving her career as a nutritionist.


“You really don’t know what religious life is until you’re within it. So far, I have been able to see from another perspective what the world is and what it offers you,” the young novice told CNA.


“I was very happy with everything I had, but it does not compare with the happiness that God now places in my heart.”


The young postulant met the Poor Clare Missionaries five years ago, at the age of 14, when her concern for a religious vocation “was awakening” through “vocational days, missions and camps.”


In addition, she pointed out how it was hardly a month after this process of discernment concluded, when on March 2017, she gave her first Yes to her vocation on the Solemnity of the Annunciation.


“God’s timing is perfect. During this time [of discernment] he allowed me to have some experiences, such as being a beauty queen and other experiences, which forever left their mark and which allowed me to learn a lot for what was to come later.”


The discovery of the vocation to which she had been called was always present in her life like a “little thorn,” she said.


“I realized that I had to make room in my life to know what it was that God had planned for me. In the process of discerning my vocation, there was also fear and doubts, but the love that Our Lord was showing every day made me overcome any feeling of discouragement,” she said.


She said she had discovered that God was calling her “to serve him in a radical way,” that is, changing her “life to embrace the cross of Christ and live it more closely.”
“I have been in religious life very little time, but I truly have been very happy,” she said.


In order to discover her vocation, she spent a lot of time in prayer and charity, “knowing from the outside or from the world” what this change would involve.
“Change is hard for the family because it involves detachment, but I have always had the support of my parents, siblings and true friends. Even though I could have developed myself in some other setting, I feel that if the Lord needs me, then I can bear fruit in a different way,” she told CNA.


Offering advice for young people, she said that in any vocation there will be difficulties, “but if you go and take God’s hand, you'll always be able to take the next step.”
“In religious life every new day is a new beginning and a new opportunity to extend the Kingdom of God. This involves making a lot of sacrifices, but they are always rewarded with happiness,” she said.


The young novice also said that it is true that “the reality and the supposed happiness that the world sells is very attractive,” but “it is necessary to fix your eyes on what lasts.”
The Poor Clare Missionaries of the Blessed Sacrament are a Religious Institute of Pontifical Right founded by Blessed María Inés Teresa Arias in 1945 in Cuernavaca, Mexico.
The spirit of the order is Eucharistic, Marian, priestly and missionary and is centered on Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.


The missionaries work in clinics, youth groups, preschools and schools, university dorms, centers for the spiritual exercises and missions, among others. They are present in Mexico, Costa Rica, Argentina, the United States, Spain, Italy, Ireland, Russia, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Vietnam and India.


“You mustn’t be afraid,” the young novice encouraged her peers. “If God is calling you, he’ll take care of everything. All you need to do is receive him with a lot of peace, joy and confidence. I believe fear is a big excuse that is responsible for truncating the true happiness that only God can offer.”
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