Entering Holy Week, we see numerous stirring examples of Jesus' fulfillment of Old Testament prophesies. From the direction he enters Jerusalem to his mode of transport, we find again and again how he is the one intended to reclaim the temple and prove to the world that he is indeed the son of God, chosen to save us through his revolutionary example of love and forgiveness.
In times of need we turn to God through the acts of prayer and fasting. These practices draw us closer to the Lord as we seek His assistance and protection. I, along with my brother bishops in Pennsylvania, have asked Catholics across the Commonwealth to join us in dedicating the regular Lenten Friday practices of prayer, fasting, and abstinence on Friday, March 30th to the preservation of religious liberty.-Archbishop Charles J. Chaput
An assault by the federal government on religious liberty continues in the form of the HHS mandates and we must stay vigilant in our fight to preserve this important and basic right. I ask you to join me on March 30th in offering your Lenten sacrifice for the cause of religious freedom. May God bless you.
Please pray for Fr. Trigilio who was in a car accident, in intensive care for observation for 3 days and is now resting at home.
Do you desire to enter a more contemplative community? Check out the Benedictines in Oregan, Mount Angel Abbey.
What is Lent to you? What does it meant to enter into Lent and participate in this extraordinary season of our Church?
Fr. Jack Collins, CSP, walks in the streets of New York to interview individuals to share their own understanding of Lent or Ash Wednesday. Let's explore what people think of it.
Join Ave Maria Press online for a series of free, professional development webinars for parish ministers! Enjoy access to free presentations by experts in every area of parish ministry from the comfort of your home or office. Log in to the live webinars to participate in our question-and-answer sessions or watch the free recordings at your convenience.
Why Priests Are Happy
November 15
3:00 p.m. ET
Presented by: Msgr. Stephen J. Rossetti
In partnership with the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership and the National Association for Lay Ministry, Ave Maria Press is pleased to present this FREE Webinar:
Why Priests Are Happy
Presented by
Msgr. Stephen J. Rossetti
November 15, 2011
3:00 - 4:00 p.m. EST
(Show this in my timezone)
Register for the event here
Join Msgr. Stephen J. Rossetti, a psychologist, professor of pastoral studies, and frequently consulted expert on clergy and religious for a presentation on his groundbreaking study of the psychological and spiritual health of priests. From this survey of nearly 2,500 priests from twenty-three dioceses in the United States, Rossetti discovered that, contrary to popular media portrayals, American priests enjoy an extraordinarily high rate of happiness and satisfaction, among the highest of any profession.They like the priesthood and are committed to it. In fact, 92 percent say they are happy in their ministry, among the highest rate of satisfaction of any profession in the United States.
This webinar is a must-attend for every Catholic! Sign up today. Space is limited.
November 2nd is a special day for priests and those who have been a part of the Catholic educational system in Hawai'i. Because it is All Souls Day, it makes it more special to celebrate the life of a good priest and a good man, Fr. Daniel Dever. On that day also, he would have celebrated in person his 86th birthday. The gathering of the faithful at the 6 p.m. funeral Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace celebrated -- as he probably looked on and was among those present -- his very life, a life well lived.
I didn't know Fr. Dever, but the homily of Fr. Gary Secor gave a wonderful image of what a beautiful priest he was. In a gist, Fr. Dever lived his life not for himself, but truly and wonderfully, for Christ.
About Fr. Daniel Dever by Patrick Downes, Editor of the Hawaii Catholic Herald.
The Sixth annual, worldwide Lay Fast for Priests will take place on Saturday, 22 October 2011. Every lay member of the Body of Christ is invited to join the global fasters from all corners of the Universal Church who want to lift up our priests to Almighty God for their protection, divine substenance and fidelity to the ministry of Holy Orders.
Info
Fr. Donald Calloway has been to the Diocese of Honolulu as a guest speaker at least twice for Divine Mercy conferences. We certainly hope to have him again.
When you have known a haole priest-friend for awhile now, years actually, good things happen each time he comes to Hawai'i. The unfolding of his character, including likes and dislikes, all become familiar and you learn and understand that meetings do not have to be in the same usual places and that activities can be variant.
Paddling! That's something new to experience for this haole priest-friend -- not just to me but to many locals who have embraced him as one of their own. His name is Fr. Daren Zehnle and he hails from Springfield, Illinois.
To the beach...
Paddling, it is!
A Hui Hou, Fr. Daren! Yes, til we meet again.
Red roses on the front left situated beside the altar
Adoration is a great way of praying for our priests.
Any type of prayer will do, even a poem such as this...
St. Thomas More, pray for all our priests!
We continue to pray for our priests and seminarians, and for an increase of priestly vocations.
St. John Vianney Novena at EWTN.
This song, You are my God, has this wonderful quality of pulling its listener into the presence of God.
Certainly great for meditation, enjoy its simplicity. The melody is soft, and it touches the heart with a sense of joy.
You are my God
Sang by Tony Melendez
Priest is Fr. Stan Fortuna
You are my God and the rock on which i stand.
I have found my place in your arms of grace.
Oh, oh. you are my God.
Lord of heaven, king of all the universe,
Architect and poet of eternity,
Abba father, breath of life. creation s dawn,
Ever-living, one who knows and loves me.
First forgiver, ever present "God with us",
Lamb of love, who died triumphant over sin.
Risen savior, brilliant bright and morning star,
Shining in me. light of glory lives within.
He patiently walked me through scriptures related to suffering, and provided books that explored the issue from every possible angle.
Most of all, he assured me that God was not punishing me with this disease, because, he insisted, God is merciful. As he put it, “He is always gazing at you with love.”
I was unschooled in my faith, having never studied Catholicism formally, and I had many confused snippets that I’d carried along from childhood.
He never belittled me about my beliefs, but carefully explained what actual Church teachings were. We explored suffering, sin, the incarnation and the resurrection, and then went on to moral issues.
This priest was a father in the best sense of the word, gently pointing me toward the light. And as the years went on, I wept less and laughed more in his presence.
