Category Archives: Resources

News, Resources

He Speaks To You

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Sr. Helena Burns, FSP, has written a book that is the perfect gift for any young woman starting out in life. But while geared to women in particular, it is a wonderful exercise in spiritual formation for anyone seeking to grow in God’s grace. The goal of everyone should be to become the person God created us to be and with the help of this gem of a book, Sr. Helena invites us to open our hearts “to let the Word Himself love you and become incarnate in you.”

The book has a series of reflections, to-do’s, suggestions and scriptures for each day of the year (even a leap year day is included!). Timeless thoughts from saints, reflections by sisters from other congregations,  recommendations for book reading both old and new, websites to visit, Church documents to pray over are just a few of the items in this content-rich book.

Each month has a theme: God’s love, His life, His Cross, His Will, His family, His majesty, His ways, In His image, In His service, His Mother, His Kingdom and In His arms (last things). Here is one sample of a day.

May 28

Do you know where you came from? From Me! But your existence is the culmination of a long chain of history!

God’s Word: Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet unborn may praise the Lord” (Psalm 102:18) .

Words of Wisdom: It is commonly said that whoever doesn’t know history is bound to repeat it. Get to know your roots: your family history, ethnic history, and world history, but most of all get to know your spiritual history by reading and studying salvation history: the Bible and Church history.

To Do:  Read the Acts of the Apostles and watch A.D. or Peter and Paul. Read Church history like A Compact History of the Catholic Church by Alan Schreck. Get a good Bible commentary to help you verse by verse like The New Jerome Biblical Commentary or Collegeville Bible Commentary.

To Journal: How would you describe your little place in the universe? Read Max Ehrmann’s famous poem, “Desiderata” for inspiration.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, no one is an outsider, unplanned, or an accident. Each of us was loved by You from all eternity. I rejoice in my little place in Your creation and kingdom!

I plan to give this book to a young women who is considering religious life. But it is a book that will speak to everyone. I have made a New Year’s resolution (a little early) to faithfully read this book every day starting January 1.

News, Resources

Buy Local (Monastery)

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Here is a wonderful picture of Fr. Cassian Folsom, OSB, the recipient of the IRL’s 2012 Pro Fidelitate et Virtue Award, presenting Pope Benedict XVI with a bottle of his community’s newly brewed beer. Since the community’s home is at the birthplace of St. Benedict of Nursia, it is appropriately enough called Birra Nursia (Nursia Beer).

Which is a reminder. Whenever possible, I buy gifts or order cards from our monastic communities, supporting them in the work that helps them to keep their lights on. Try some of these favorites from a few of our IRL communities:

Brigittine fudge: The only community of Brigittine men in the US. Originally founded by St. Bridget of Sweden. Fudge is tops with my mother.

Seignadou Soaps from the Summnit, NJ, Dominican Nuns. Seignadou means “sign from God” and commemorates the sign received by St. Dominic confirming his work. Caribbean Coconut, Citrus Basil, and Cedarwood Sage are some of the scented varieties.

Hand drawn cards – the word “card” does not do justice to these hand-drawn and colored calligraphy cards. I simply tell the Passionist Nuns in Ellisville, MO, what I want (birthday greetings, condolence card, ordination, etc ) and they do a customized card for the recipient. For $25.00 I got a beautiful 8 1/2 x 11 folded, hand-drawn card, sent out immediately.  Smaller sizes available. Must call or write to them: 15700 Clayton Road, Ellisville, MO, 63011 or 636-527-6867. I should add that the receiver is remembered in the nuns’ prayers and masses for all time. What a gift!

The Holy Transfiguration Skete in Eagle Harbor, MI, offers homemade jams in not your usual run-of-the-mill varieties – bilberry, chokeberry, wild crabapple, red currant. They are a Catholic Monastery of the Byzantine rite.

Bon appetit!

Resources

The New Media’s Effect on Vocations

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At the 2011 National Meeting, Sr. Marysia Weber, R.S.M., a Religious Sister of Mercy, gave a very popular talk on the effect of the new forms of media on priestly and religious vocations.

Sister made the point that studies have shown that people today are more narcissistic, hardly a good foundation for religious life. There is also more of a blurring between fantasy and reality. One example was that of a youngish priest who spent hours on a social networking site after 11:00 pm each night. As a result, he was late for Mass, lost his prayer life, and could not fulfill his pastoral duties.

And how do people hear the voice of the Lord when they are glued to technology 24 hours a day? Can they really give it up for, say, monastic life?

“The internet is a useful tool, but it can be harmful if not used with discretion or excessively,” she said.

If you want a very thoughtful and insightful perspective on these questions and issues, please visit our website to order Sister’s talks. Three topics are covered: The Church and Electronic Media, Unanticipated Effects of Regular Internet Use, and The Interface of Virtual Reality with Actual Reality. They are available on CD and also in MP3 format.

Men's communities, Resources

Searching for Someone

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Often, educational debt is a stumbling block to a religious vocation. Take the case of Friar Anthony Serviam Maria, a simply professed Franciscan Friar of the Immaculate. In a story in Our Sunday Visitor (4/22/12), Friar Anthony tells how as a layman he went on a retreat with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal where Fr. Stan Fortuna challenged him to name his passion. What he realized was that what he loved (wilderness survival and primitive skills) did little for God. Feeling called to religious life but needing to pay down his debt, he applied for a grant from the Mater Eccelsiae Fund for Vocations, an organization that helps  to eliminate the obstacle an aspirant’s student loans present to answering his vocation.

Today Mater Eccelsiae is making payments on his remaining debt.  The man who lived a “pagan life” searching for something found Someone.

 

News, Papal Address, Resources

Pope Benedict, Vocations and the Apostleship of Prayer

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The Holy Father’s prayer intention for the month of April as announced by the Apostleship of Prayer is:

“that many young people may hear the call of Christ and follow him in the priesthood and religious life.”

Amen to that! And the Pontiff’s mission intention is “that the risen Christ may be a sign of certain hope for the men and women of the African continent.”

The Apostleship of Prayer promotes among other things the offering of each person’s daily prayers, works, joys and sufferings to the Lord. Begun in France in 1844 by a group of Jesuit seminarians, the Apostleship of Prayer is truly the Pope’s own “prayer group.” It is, as Pope John Paul II wrote in 1985, “a precious treasure from the Pope’s heart and the Heart of Christ.”

The US National Director is Fr. James Kubicki, S.J., an IRL Board Member. Visit their website for morning offering prayers, the monthly intentions, reflections and much more.

 

Resources

Truth & Life New Testament – FREE APP

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For those of you hoping to find something special to listen to during Lent, here it is! The Truth & Life New Testament (Revised Standard Version – Catholic Edition) on CD! It is a dramatization of the entire New Testament voiced by internationally-renowned actors including: Sean Astin, Michael York, Julia Ormond, Stacey Keach, Malcolm McDowell and many more.

To get a sampling of this beautiful work, a FREE app is available! It includes the entire written text of the RSV-CE New Testament along with the fully-dramatized two hour audio presentation of the Gospel of Mark. This free app is available in formats for a variety of mobile devices at www.truthandlifeapp.com.

I played the Gospel of Matthew at home, intending to listen to a few minutes of it and found myself still glued to my seat 90 minutes later. It was amazing how the Gospel leaped to life in a new and riveting way.

The entire set is available for purchase. It includes a forward by Pope Benedict XVI and an Imprimatur from the Vatican. It is the perfect Confirmation or RCIA gift or something wonderful to listen to during Holy Week.

 

Resources

Religious Vocations and Educational Debt

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The National Religious Vocation Conference (NRVC) in collaboration with the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) at Georgetown University recently published the results of a study on religious vocations and educational debt.

Highlights from the 477 respondents include:

  • There are currently about the same number of men as women in initial formation. Institutes of men are more likely than institutes of women to have more than ten in initial formation.
  • Institutes with at least one serious inquirer in the last ten years report that for about a third of these inquiries (32 percent) the person had educational debt.  The average amount of debt was $28,000.
  • Religious institutes with at least three serious inquirers in the last ten years who had educational debt at the time of their inquiry, seven in ten (69 percent) turned away at least some inquirers because of their educational debt.
  • Although there are a small number of organizations that provide funds to assist candidates with educational debt, most responding religious institutes (or their candidates) have not received funds from any of these sources.

The IRL collaborates closely with two organizations that do assist with educational debt. They are The Labouré Society and the Mater Eccelsiae Fund for Vocations.  The Mater Ecclesiae Fund for Vocations has helped 67 men and women follow their vocations (and have helped another 39 to try their vocations). The Labouré Society has assisted over 220 individuals into priestly and religious formation since 2003 while currently helping over 30 men and women pursue their vocation.

Please support these organizations who do so much to support the priesthood and religious life.

Resources

Lord of the Harvest

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The latest publication of the Institute on Religious Life is the Lord of the Harvest, the messages of Pope John Paul II for the World Day of Prayer for Vocations.This 48-page booklet compiles his messages issued 1979 through 2005.

Cardinal-elect Timothy Dolan, who wrote the Forward, says that many vocations were the result of the witness and words of Pope John Paul II. It is his hope that this booklet “might provide the grace needed so that young people prayerfully discern their calling to total service of the Kingdom.”

When one feels helpless in the fight against the assaults on religious liberty in our country, it is good to remind ourselves that the Lord has: 1) already won the battle, and 2) given us the most powerful weapons in heaven and on earth: the Mass and our prayers. Let us pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life to build up the army of the faithful.

Lord, send laborers into Your harvest and do not allow humanity to lose its way for a lack of pastors, missionaries and people vowed to the cause of the Gospel.  Pope John Paul II, 1987

See our website to order. The cost is $3.95 but bulk discounts are available.

 

Liturgical Year, Resources

World Day for Consecrated Life

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In 1997, Pope John Paul II designated February 2, the Feast of the Presentation, as the World Day for Consecrated Life. This special day, one of the “forgotten legacies” from this beloved Pope’s pontificate, will be celebrated this year on February 5th.

The World Day for Consecrated Life helps the entire Church “to esteem ever more greatly the witness of those persons who have chosen to follow Christ by means of the practice of the evangelical counsels and is intended to be an occasion for consecrated persons to renew their commitment and rekindle the fervor which should inspire their offering of themselves to the Lord.”

To encourage all members of the Church to pray for vocations to the consecrated life, the IRL has a novena, “Living Signs of the Gospel,” containing Pope John Paul II’s messages for this important day. For a free copy of this novena, please call the IRL offices at (847)573-8975. For bulk purchases, please visit our website.

Resources

D Is for Deacon

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Last week the Kathryn Jean Lopez reviewed a new children’s book by author Elizabeth Ficocelli entitled Where Do Deacons Come From? This is the latest of a series by Ficocelli (other titles so far include Where Do Priests Come From?; Where Do Sisters Come From?) to introduce vocations to children.

Ficocelli comments on the reason for her book:

“Deacon Greg Kandra recently blogged that his friend, Deacon William Ditewig, had made the following statement: ‘The diaconate will only become fully accepted as a vocation when young people say, “When I grow up, I want to be a deacon.”‘

“Well, Deacon Ditewig, I hope my book Where Do Deacons Come From? will help make that a reality.

“For many kids today, the vocation of deacon is being brought home–literally–as fathers, grandfathers, uncles, and other adult males they know are answering the call for this special role of service in the Church. This book sets out to clarify what a deacon is–and isn’t–through kid-friendly text and charming illustrations.”

Adults will also appreciate this book.

“As with all my books for children, Where Do Deacons Come From? is written keeping in mind the parents or teachers that may be sharing the book with young people. I, myself, learned new things about the diaconate, as I did with each book in this vocations series.”