My St. Joseph School family, Welcome back ! I hope your family had a wonderful Christmas holiday filled with the joy of Jesus. As we enter into 2019, it can be a fruitful time to take stock of all the life we've lived in this past year and the way God has worked in and through those experiences for our good. Often the perspective that comes with passing time gives us a greater capacity to recognize where God has been actively working in our life. His presence is not just accessible in Church on Sunday, but in the very fabric of our day. In fact, that is the primary and most natural way in which he longs to meet us. I challenge you to grab a scrap of paper and write out a physical list of at least five moments, experiences, or situations in this past year in which you can look back and find God. And with your list in hand, may you feel fueled to turn to Him in grateful prayer for His closeness to you. To begin 2019 with gratitude for God's presence in our life can give us the courage to embark ahead with the sincere belief that He will be there again. This is the very practice of the ancient Israelites wandering in the desert, unsure of what exactly the future may hold. They remembered in prayer the promises God fulfilled to them in the past, the places where He showed up. That knowledge encouraged them to keep trusting in His promises. May we find ways in this new year to become conscious of God's presence in our lives, and trust Him more deeply. All for Him, JOSEPH'S WORD Pope Francis' monthly intention Scan the QR Code for a Bio and video about the life of Max! That young people, especially in Latin America, follow the example of Mary and respond to the call of the Lord to communicate the joy of the Gospel to the world. wordy wisdom saint of the month Ciborium: The vessel (bowl) used to hold the Hosts for Communion. They are also used to reserve the Blessed Sacrament in the Tabernacle.
Transcript
My St. Joseph School family,
Welcome back ! I hope your family had a wonderful Christmas
holiday filled with the joy of Jesus. As we enter into 2019, it can be a
fruitful time to take stock of all the life we've lived in this past year
and the way God has worked in and through those experiences for
our good. Often the perspective that comes with passing time gives
us a greater capacity to recognize where God has been actively
working in our life. His presence is not just accessible in Church on
Sunday, but in the very fabric of our day. In fact, that is the primary
and most natural way in which he longs to meet us.
I challenge you to grab a scrap of paper and write out a physical
list of at least five moments, experiences, or situations in this past
year in which you can look back and find God. And with your list in
hand, may you feel fueled to turn to Him in grateful prayer for His
closeness to you. To begin 2019 with gratitude for God's presence in
our life can give us the courage to embark ahead with the sincere
belief that He will be there again. This is the very practice of the
ancient Israelites wandering in the desert, unsure of what exactly
the future may hold. They remembered in prayer the promises God
fulfilled to them in the past, the places where He showed up. That
knowledge encouraged them to keep trusting in His promises. May
we find ways in this new year to become conscious of God's
presence in our lives, and trust Him more deeply.
All for Him,
ISSUE #4 / / DECEMBER 2018
CAMPUS MINISTRY NEWSLETTER
JOSEPH'S WORD
S T . MA X I M I L I A N K O L B E
Pope Francis' monthly intention
Scan the QR Code for a Bio and video about the life of Max!
That young people, especially in Latin America, follow the example of Mary and respond to the call of the Lord to communicate the joy of the Gospel to the world.
wordy wisdom
saint of the month
A F U N C A T HO L I C WORD Y O U MA Y NO T
H A V E K NOWN B E F O R E !
Ciborium: The vessel (bowl) used to hold the Hosts for Communion. They are also used to reserve the Blessed Sacrament in the Tabernacle.
Corinne Gannotti
This prayer, the Litany of Trust, was written by Sr. Faustina Maria Pia, a Sister of Life. It has blessed so many people who have prayed through it - and I hope you find peace in it as well.
T h e L i t a n y o f T r u s t .
From the belief that I have to earn Your love
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear that I am unlovable
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the false security that I have what it takes
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear that trusting You will leave me more destitute
Deliver me, Jesus.
From all suspicion of Your words and promises
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the rebellion against childlike dependency on You
Deliver me, Jesus.
From refusals and reluctances in accepting Your will
Deliver me, Jesus.
From anxiety about the future
Deliver me, Jesus.
From resentment or excessive preoccupation with the past
Deliver me, Jesus.
From restless self-seeking in the present moment
Deliver me, Jesus.
From disbelief in Your love and presence
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being asked to give more than I have
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the belief that my life has no meaning or worth
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of what love demands
Deliver me, Jesus.
From discouragement
Deliver me, Jesus.
That You are continually holding me sustaining
me, loving me
Jesus, I trust in you.
That Your love goes deeper than my
sins and failings, and transforms me
Jesus, I trust in you.
That not knowing what tomorrow
brings is an invitation to lean on You
Jesus, I trust in you.
That you are with me in my suffering
Jesus, I trust in you.
That my suffering, united to Your own,
will bear fruit in this life and the next
Jesus, I trust in you.
That You will not leave me orphan,
that You are present in Your Church
Jesus, I trust in you.
That Your plan is better than anything else
Jesus, I trust in you.
That You always hear me and in
Your goodness always respond to me
Jesus, I trust in you.
That You give me the grace to accept
forgiveness and to forgive others
Jesus, I trust in you.
That You give me all the strength I need for
what is asked
Jesus, I trust in you.
That my life is a gift
Jesus, I trust in you.
That You will teach me to trust You
Jesus, I trust in you.
That You are my Lord and my God
Jesus, I trust in you.
That I am Your beloved one
Jesus, I trust in you.
You know how you can walk through stores each New Year's and it's almost laughable how easy it is to predict
what's on the shelves? You could probably do it with your eyes closed. Lots of healthy options for eating,
endless workout equipment, new clothes to wear during said working out. Getting healthy is kind of the old
joke of New Years resolutions, but there is something inherently good at the root of our cultural desire to
begin again anew each year, attempting to refocus once again on becoming the best version of ourselves. Of
course, things become fuzzy and disordered if we spend too much time worried about how we look, or fall
into the trap of making certain achievements idols in place of God. But the desire to cultivate habits that are
healthy - that's a well ordered thing. As we approach this New Year, maybe you already have specific personal
resolutions that you hope will become habitual in your life, reorienting you towards the things that are most
important to you. We can carry this same sentiment into our spiritual life, and in fact I would argue that it's
necessary if we wish to grow. But just like we'll likely give up on a radical diet or ridiculously difficult exercise
routine, it's not helpful to try and go from 0 to 60 in our spiritual life. Here are some little and manageable
ideas you can choose from and consider incorporating into your personal and family life as healthy spiritual
resolutions this year.
N E W Y E A R S R E S O L U T I O N S F O R Y O U R H E A R T .
Commit to praying a specific prayer every day when you brush
your teeth. It can be a classic Hail Mary or Our Father, or
perhaps a specific bible verse or a short prayer written by a
saint, or even the Morning Offering prayer. Write it out on a
post it and stick it to your bathroom mirror. By associating
prayerful practices with the normal steps of our day, it's so
much easy to remember them.
P O S T I T P R A Y E R
P A R I S H L I B R A R Y V I S I TDid you know our parish has an incredible library? Right
behind the reception desk in our new Parish Office is a library
room full of amazing books and movies to borrow. Especially if
you've never visited before, commit to visiting at least once this
year and borrowing something that looks good. St. John Bosco
once said "Only God knows the good that can come about by
reading one good Catholic book." I think he knew what he was
talking about.
C O N S U M E G O O D C A T H O L I C M E D I A
C H O O S E A P A T R O N S A I N T F O R T H E Y E A R
M O N T H L Y C O N F E S S I O N A S A F A M I L Y
The things we spend our time reading, watching, and listening
to all affect us. Choosing to intentionally consume even a little
bit of media that is true, good, and beautiful on a regular basis
can impact our life radically. Consider setting aside time once a
week to watch an episode from a study series on formed.org
(we have a parish subscription - check the bulletin for the
code!) , listen to a Catholic podcast, or read a spiritual book.
Have you ever chosen a patron for the year? The practice of
picking an annual saintly companion has been something
common in many Italian towns through the ages, and there's
something beautiful in it. We learn so much from the lives of
the saints, but we also believe we are a Church family and are
united those in heaven. Have a random saint chosen as a patron
you can learn from and ask to interceded for you this year at
saintsnamegenerator.com!
Getting to confession every month might seem like an
impossible tack in the midst of wild schedules and constant
events. But put in perspective, the choice to get to confession
monthly as a family means intentionally planning for 12 trips to
the Church one evening or Saturday afternoon out of the 365
days of the year. Even that may seem like an undertaking, but
the experience of receiving this sacrament together bonds our
families and helps us forgive each other with more freedom.
Prayer for the New Year by Loyola Press
God, thank you for a new year. May everyone in our family be willing to begin anew with a clean slate. We know that you are always ready to forgive
us. Help us to be willing to forgive ourselves and to forgive one another. As we begin a new year, remind us of our truest values and our deepest
desires. Help us to live in the goodness that comes from doing what you want us to do. Help us to put aside anxiety about the future and the past, so
that we might live in peace with you now, one day at a time.
B i s h o p s R e t r e a t .
The bishops of the United Sates are currently in the midst of a spiritual retreat called by Pope Francis, held at Mundelein Seminary in Illinois. The retreat, which is being led by Fr. Ranerio Cantalamessa OFM, preacher of the papal household, began on January 2nd and continues through the 8th. This is a pretty important turn of events, as the Holy Father called this national retreat as a time for American bishops to reflect, unite in prayer, and spiritually prepare for the worldwide summit to in Rome this February concerning the devastating crisis of sexual abuse within the Church, particularly after the reports that have come to light in the past year. This time of retreat - involving spiritual talks, periods of silence, and extensive time for prayer is meant to serve as a prelude to Vatican summit next month which will seek to" forge a comprehensive response to the crisis that has lashed the church" according to the Chicago Herald. The Holy Father's decision to call this retreat speaks deeply of what he sees as a necessary part of the process of healing and purification in the Church in response to this crisis. There is an essential need for our bishops as servant leaders to model that the only way towards truly effective healing is to turn toward Jesus, our merciful Lord, in serious reparation for the evils committed and from prayerful union with him move forward in making practical and effective changes. Our Church must continue moving forward with a new level of concern and transparency to begin rebuilding the trust that many faithful have lost because of the scandal of these horrific abuses and how they were mishandled by many in power. Those who were called to protect and guide the faithful have been the very ones who have hurt many. The Holy Father has recently spoken with some directness about this issue to the Roman Curia last month, in seeming preparation for what will come in February. His words can give us a sense of hope in what is to come as the Church works to heal. "Let it be clear that before these abominations the Church will spare no effort to do all that is necessary to bring to justice whosoever has committed such crimes. The Church will never seek to hush up or not take seriously any case. It is undeniable that some in the past, out of irresponsibility, disbelief, lack of training, inexperience – we need to judge the past with a hermeneutics of the past -
M u n d e l e i n S e m i n a r y i n I l l i n o i s
B i s h o p s R e t r e a t .
or spiritual and human myopia, treated many cases without the seriousness and promptness that was due. That must never happen again. This is the choice and the decision of the whole Church. This coming February, the Church will restate her firm resolve to pursue unstintingly a path of purification. She will question, with the help of experts, how best to protect children, to avoid these tragedies, to bring healing and restoration to the victims, and to improve the training imparted in seminaries. An effort will be made to make past mistakes opportunities for eliminating this scourge, not only from the body of the Church but also from that of society. For if this grave tragedy has involved some consecrated ministers, we can ask how deeply rooted it may be in our societies and in our families. Consequently, the Church will not be limited to healing her own wounds, but will seek to deal squarely with this evil that causes the slow death of so many persons, on the moral, psychological and human levels...To those who abuse minors I would say this: convert and hand yourself over to human justice, and prepare for divine justice." Along with the bishops, we can continue to pray. The theme of their retreat is “He appointed Twelve, to be with Him and to Send Out to Preach” based on Mark 3:14. As the bishops engage in time of quiet reflection, silent meal times, daily masses, personal and communal Adoration, vespers, and confessions, we can find little pockets of our days to do the same. Try to intentionally pray for the work of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of so many faithful bishops who are also deeply hurt by the sins of their brothers and what this crisis has meant for the Church they deeply love. Two practical ways to pray in a particular way for our bishops and the Church's action formulating a systemic response and future approach to this crisis of abuse is by adopting a bishop and praying for him each day! Visit www.prayforbishops.com to adopt a bishop and pledge to pray for him. A good option is always our own Philadelphia shepherd, Archbishop Charles Chaput! Also, consider praying the novena for the abuse crisis (find it on praymorenovenas.com) - for survivors and their healing, and healing within the Church. God never abandons us, and even in this time of difficulty and trial in the Church we can see the fruit of His Spirit at work as those who are truly faithful stand up in defense of the exploited and hurt and work for justice and change.
Scan this QR code to read Pope
Francis' letter to the Bishops for
the beginning of their retreat.
Wha t c a n we d o ?
LITURGICAL LIVING
On Sunday January 6th, we celebrate the feast of the
Epiphany - when the three wise men arrived to honor
Jesus with their gifts of Gold, Frankincense, Myrrh.
This is the traditional 12th day of Christmas, although
in the U.S. it is always celebrated on the Sunday
between Jan 2nd -8th. The magi encounter the baby
Jesus as their savior before them, this revelation of
God in their hearts an epiphany in every sense. They
enter into the "home" of Jesus, and by encountering
him are changed. One of the traditional practices on
this feast is for families to bless their home - a way to
remember the hospitality of the Holy Family towards
the wise men and to ask for protection and blessing in
the new year on all who enter our homes.
The home blessing is done by writing on your door or
door frame in chalk the symbols 20+C+M+B+19. The
20 and 19 represent the current year. The + reminds
us of the cross on which Jesus died to save us from sin.
The C, M, and B stand for the traditional names of the
three wise men - Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar. It
also stands as an abbreviation for the Latin phrase
“Christus mansionem benedicat”, meaning “Christ
bless this house.” Writing on the door also brings to
mind the Passover of the Jews during the final plague
in Exodus, when the blood of the lamb protected the
inhabitants within.
Feast of the Epiphany
20 + C + M + B +19
I n f o & I d e a s f r o m l o o k t o h i m a n d b e r a d i a n t . c o m
"Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage." ~Matt 2:2
Scan this QR code for an easy
Epiphany Home Blessing Kit -
with prayers and instructions !
This is a really simple way to celebrate the Epiphany
at home - you can do it as a family after mass, and it
only take a few minutes. Even if you find chalk
doesn't work for a light colored door frame or door,
you can always hang a little piece of paper with the
door blessing above your home's entrance. The
beauty of this etching is that it becomes a small
physical reminder of our faith this year that can
draw us into prayer when we happen to notice it in
the midst of our daily routine.
Adoration of the Magi by Alexandre-Francois Caminade, 1831
Feasts &Holy Days this month...1st - Mary, Mother of God 2nd - St. Basil 3rd - The Most Holy Name of Jesus 4th - St. Elizabeth Ann Seton 5th - St. John Neumann 6th - The Epiphany 13th - The Baptism of the Lord 17th - St. Anthony
21st - St. Agnes 23rd - St. Vincent 24th - St. Francis de Sales 25th - The Conversion of St. Paul 26th - Sts. Timothy & Titus 28th - St. Thomas Aquinas 31st - St. John Bosco
Want to ignite your faith in a low key, manageable way? Listening to good Catholic podcasts feels like
hearing a conversation among friends - discussions about really important and rich spiritual topics,
interviews about experiences of people living the faith today, explanations of the readings at mass each week.
Below are some of my favorite Catholic podcasts - you subscribe to them on your smartphone and even be
reminded when a new episode comes out, or listen on your computer. You can listen in the car during a daily
commute, or while doing dishes and prepping school lunches. I hope listening to real people talk about the
faith in real life will be life giving for you - it has for me.
