General interest

Wanna Pray? The Daughters Have an App for That

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Last Friday, the Jamaica Plan (NY) Gazette published an upbeat article on the Daughters of St. Paul, whose motherhouse is located in Jamaica Plain. The Daughters are known for their use of the media in spreading the Catholic faith.

The article, entitled “High-tech nuns living on the edge (of JP),” highlights many of the Daughters’ projects, including their award-winning “Ask a Catholic Nun” page on Facebook, which has 13,745 fans.  

What particularly struck me, however, was the discussion of  the Daughters’ expansion into the world of smartphone apps:

“There is a whole new audience, a whole new space to share with God,” Sister Kathryn said. “People can snatch a few moments here and there to commune with God,” she added, showing off their latest app, “Beginning Contemplative Prayer,” a companion app to Sister Kathryn’s book of the same name.

The app boasts eight 25-minute audio prayers, prayer ideas and a five-week personal plan for growth in contemplative prayer, which includes a different morning, midday, and evening prayer for each week. Sister Kathryn has written several books, mostly self-help books, for Pauline Books, their publishing arm.

Another of their apps features the Rosary being prayed out loud. It has an email function that allows the user to let others know that a prayer has been offered on their behalf.

“We pray while we create these things and we pray for the people who will receive them,” said Sister Patricia, who works on the apps.

Reflection

Think God; Trust God; Thank God!

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The following piece is by Deacon Raymond (Tucker) Cordani, who will be ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Springfield, Massachusetts on June 4th. It originally appeared at Catholic Lane and is reprinted here with permission.

In the 1980 film Oh, God: Book II, 11-year-old Tracy Richards believes that God is talking to her. In fact, God (played by George Burns) wants Tracy to tell everybody she knows that he is real. So she does. She drafts a slogan and message, just two words, is conclusive and clear:

THINK GOD.

She posts the slogan on bumper-stickers, t-shirts, park benches, and carves it into tree trunks. But when Tracy’s parents find out what she is doing they think she’s crazy and they order her to stop.  A prophet is not without honor except in his or her hometown (Mark 6:4). They didn’t believe John Denver either when he told them that God was talking to him too in the first Oh, God! movie.   Continue reading Think God; Trust God; Thank God! →

News

Vocations in the News

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Some interesting vocation news items from this past week:

Founder of Vocationists is beatified (Zenit) Don Justino Russolillo formed “a religious family dedicated wholly to the formation and education of vocations to the ecclesiastical-religious state.”

African bishops say they need help forming flourishing vocations (Catholic News Service) We are well aware of the fact that vocations are flourishing in Africa, but they do have a “shortage” when it comes to having people qualified to form them. The African bishops have invited U.S. seminary professors to come teach in Africa. They also would like to send more seminarians to the United States, where some could remain for awhile after graduation, while others would return to Africa to teach.

Fr. Clemente Vismara, “Patriarch of Burma” to be declared blessed (Asia News) This new blessed was a missionary who lived for 64 years in the forests and mountains of Kentung.

KC young adult ministry offers many opportunities to deepen faith (Catholic News Agency/Catholic Key) Kansas City is known not only as the home of world-class barbecue and the AFC West champion Chiefs, but also for its fantastic outreaches to young adults that are making a difference for the good. Examples include City on a Hill, Catholic Challenge Sports, Theology on Tap, Tuesdays at the Boulevard, Reservoir (monthly holy hour for young adults), and Band of Brothers.

Opus Dei: The Good, the Bad, and the Albino (NCRegister blog)   Interesting discussion of real-life experiences (as opposed to Da Vinci Code-type caricatures) of Opus Dei, one of the most intriguing organizations in the Church today. By way of full disclosure, while not a member or “cooperator” of Opus Dei, I have benefited greatly from their ministry and everyone I know who is actively involved with it strives the best he or she can to be a faithful Catholic. Can’t ask for much more than that.

Relic of “Blessed” nun to return to Hawaii (Wall Street Journal) This week we celebrated the feast of St. Damien of Molokai, the “Leper Priest.” What many people don’t know is that shortly before his death Mother Marianne Cope and other Franciscan Sisters of Syracuse came to carry on his amazing work in the leper colony. Mother Cope herself was beatified just a couple years ago.

Preserving a way of life (Worcester Telegram) I suppose even Trappists have to make ends meet!

Catholic priest nominated as chaplain of the House of Representatives (Washington Post)  Jesuit Father Patrick J. Conroy was recently named to succeed another Catholic chaplain for the House, Fr. Daniel P. Coughlin. What seemed to be a non-partisan process got a little ugly, as Rep. Nancy Pelosi (a Catholic) and others opposed Fr. Conroy’s nomination for a time because his community has paid out a large sex abuse settlement. (Never mind that Fr. Conroy was not personally involved in the activity or any alleged “cover up” and in fact blew the whistle on one of the offending priests!) The issues have been resolved, however, and his nomination now looks secure. One does wonder how Fr. Conroy’s nomination can be opposed on moral grounds by the same people who are actively opposing efforts to cut government subsidies for Planned Parenthood. Mother of God, pray for us! 

The Mother of God is the defender of orthodoxy (Catholic Online)   Short, well-written article on Mary’s vocation as “Theotokos” by Fr. Dwight Longenecker.

General interest

No Double Standards

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While this vocation blog focuses primarily on vocations to the priesthood and religious life, I thought today I would introduce our readers to the work of Anthony Buono, who for many years has been a leader in assisting those who believe that God is calling them to the vocation of Christian marriage.

His Ave Maria Singles site has assisted countless Catholic singles in their quest to “find the right person, the right way.” The Road to Cana site helps single Catholics become “marriage material” and prepare them for meeting that one person they are praying for when God puts that person in their path.  

Anthony also has an outstanding blog called 6 Stone Jars (see John 2:6-11), which gives solid advice on Catholic dating, courtship, relationships, and marriage—all with the goal of fostering successful marriages that are permanent, faithful, and fruitful.

Surely such marriages will become the seedbed for many priestly and religious vocations in the years to come.

Anthony has an article on his blog that was picked up this week by the Catholic News Agency. It’s called “Dating with a double standard.” In very practical terms, Anthony calls readers to a deeper faith. He invites them to get off the fence and abandon themselves to Christ—not only intellectually, but also in matters of the heart, especially issues pertaining to the vocation to marriage. Such abandonment is the source of peace, and it leads to a greater personal integrity.

Check out the article yourself.  I also encourage our consecrated brothers and sisters to refer those who believe they are called to marriage to these dynamic resources.

General interest

Chants Occurrence

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When my daughter Virginia was about a year old, I twice received calls that she was unconscious and being rushed to the hospital. (I hope you fathers out there never receive such a call.) Thanks be to God, on both occasions, by the time I arrived at the emergency room, she was awake and fine.

The second time she was knocked out, however, the doctors understandably wanted to do a CT scan to ensure that she didn’t have any lingering internal head injury. The problem is keeping a one-year old still during the procedure. The nurses suggested sedating her, but instead I asked if I could just sing to her.

So, I started gently singing various Marian antiphons, from the Ave Maria to the Alma Redemptoris Mater and Regina Caeli. These chants calmed her so that she was perfectly still and relaxed during the medical procedure.

I mention these chants here, because now that it’s Easter, the “Marian antiphon” of choice is the Regina Caeli (”Queen of Heaven”), which our family sings each evening after our Rosary. Here are the words for this beautiful chant:

Simple tone (Mode VI):
Regina Caeli

The English translation is:

Queen of heaven, rejoice, alleluia.
The Son whom you merited to bear, alleluia,
has risen as he said, alleluia.
Pray to God for us, alleluia.

Marian antiphons like the Regina Caeli are not only part of our rich Catholic patrimony, but they can also become part of the daily rhythm of our own families’ lives as well as the lives of religious communities.

 As the episode with Virginia shows, even on a natural level, these antiphons can be “holy lullabies,” gently leading our children to a deep, filial love for our Blessed Mother.

This article was originally published by Catholics United for the Faith.

General interest

Vocation Vision

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I just noticed that Vision, the blog of the National Religious Vocation Conference, has graciously linked to our site.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has especially commended Vision, also known as the Catholic Religious Vocation Network, for its innovative “Vocation Match” feature to assist the discernment process. The USCCB has also praised the site for connecting visitors to dioceses, religious communities, and retreat opportunities.

Vision has several other interesting features. One feature I really like is its “Religious life timeline,” which is downloadable here.

I think the simple name of the site is most appropriate. Men and women discerning God’s personal call in their lives are invited to “come and see” (John 1:39). We need grace-filled “vision” to see the wonderful plan God has for our lives.

Papal Address

The Word of God and the Consecrated Life

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My men’s group has been reading Verbum Domini (“Word of the the Lord”), a 2010 apostolic exhortation by Pope Benedict XVI. This document synthesizes and puts the Pope’s stamp on the deliberations of the 2008 Synod of Bishops at the Vatican devoted to the topic of the Word of God in the life and mission of the Church.

This past week, we came to paragraph 83, which is devoted specifically to the relationship between the Word and consecrated life. Leaving out only the footnotes, that section is reproduced below:

With regard to the consecrated life, the Synod first recalled that it “is born from hearing the word of God and embracing the Gospel as its rule of life.” A life devoted to following Christ in his chastity, poverty and obedience thus becomes “a living ‘exegesis’ of God’s word.” The Holy Spirit, in whom the Bible was written, is the same Spirit who illumines “the word of God with new light for the founders and foundresses. Every charism and every rule springs from it and seeks to be an expression of it,” thus opening up new pathways of Christian living marked by the radicalism of the Gospel. Continue reading The Word of God and the Consecrated Life →

News

JPII Priests and More

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Archbishop Dolan with JPII in 2003

Some interesting vocation-related stories and articles I’ve come across this past week:

Archbishop Dolan on John Paul II priests (Catholic Education Resource Center) The Archbishop and former seminary rector reflects on how Blessed John Paul II inspired an entire generation of bishops, priests, and seminarians.

Sister finds calling for those in need at hospital (St. Petersburg Times) Franciscan sister discerns religious vocation following the 9/11 tragedy.

Baseball’s religious followers (Albany Times Union) Talking baseball with three N.Y. Yankee fans who happen to be Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet.

Vocation to priesthood a life, not a job (Catholic Globe/CNS) Detroit-area priest shares his story, stressing that prayer is the “lifeblood” of priests.

Rally encourages students to listen to God (Catholic Sentinel) “We need people to create a culture of vocations so young people can at least think about it,” says Jim O’Hanlon, who with his wife Terry helped to organize the event. “God will call them, but they need to be able to respond.”

And closer to home, the Topeka Serra Club announced the winners of its vocation essay contest.

Men's communities

Band of Jesuits

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In the Fall 2010 issue of Jesuit Journeys, Jesuit Michael Rossmann describes his community’s new “Hearts on Fire” retreats for young adults. During the summer months, a group of young Jesuit  priests and scholastics travel from city to city, opening the treasures of Ignatian spirituality to eager audiences.

Some excerpts from Rossmann’s article:

“It was deeply exciting to share our spirituality. I did not completely recognize just how helpful the Spiritual Exercises and Ignatian spirituality were for people today until a retreatant expressed how she felt as if she were the only one in the room as we went through the ideas of consolation and desolation and Ignatius rules for discernment in that it was connecting with her on such a deep, personal level. . . .

“We targeted young adults in their 20s and 30s. Many expressed they had gone on retreats during high school and college but had not been to a retreat in a long time and had never encountered something like this.We shared the Spiritual Exercises and the spirituality of the Apostleship of Prayer, and people found it remarkably fresh and relevant.

“Really, we were simply messengers. We discussed Ignatian contemplation, led them through a Gospel scene, and then gave them time to practice on their own–an experience many found deeply valuable and something that they could integrate into their own prayer lives. While we expressed this through our own voices with particular stories and insights from our own experiences, for the most part, we simply shared with others the immensely rich gifts that lie at the heart of our Jesuit spirituality. . . .

“There were four or five of us Jesuits there each weekend to give talks, play music, and lead prayer. . . . Not only did we have a blast hitting the road, but we grew in community and in our own vocations. And people saw this. It was illuminating to read many evaluations that noted our evident camaraderie and how this contributed to a great retreat atmosphere.”

Click here for a blog post by Fr. James Kubicki, S.J. of the Apostleship of Prayer on the “Hearts on Fire” retreats. And check out this vocation website for the Chicago-Detroit and Wisconsin provinces of the Jesuits.

News

Blogfest at the Vatican

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Irish Dominican Father Gerard Dunne was one of the 150 bloggers from around the world invited to the meeting of bloggers at the Vatican this week. Check out the complete list of bloggers in attendance here. Good to see that Whispers in the Loggia, Catholic Mom, and the American Papist, among others, were represented.

This conference is just one further indication that the Holy See is really trying to put the new means of social communication at the service of the new evangelization.

For more coverage of the event, click here.