Category Archives: Rosary

CONVERSION and LENT – by Deacon Marty McIndoe

Charity, Church, Communication, Community, Conversion, Discernment, Eucharist, Forgiveness, Holy Spirit, How to be Catholic, Lent, Liturgy, Penance and Reconciliation, Prayer, Relationships, Rosary, Sacraments, Scripture, Service, Spirituality

On January 25th I wrote about the conversion of St. Paul and how he went from being a good Jew who persecuted Christians to being a Christian himself. This was a major change and a significant conversion experience. For most of us, our conversion is not as dramatic as St. Paul’s. However, I do believe that we are all in need of continual conversion and Lent is the perfect time to do this. By continual conversion (or ongoing conversion) I mean that we recognize that conversion is an ongoing process where we hear the call of Jesus to be more like him. We don’t do this all at once, it takes time and effort to even try to be more like him. As Christians, we have the responsibility to follow our Lord Jesus and to try, to the best we can, to be Christ-like. I cannot think of any better time than Lent to try to accomplish this.

The last three weeks we have looked at the three pillars (or disciplines) of Lent; Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving. Keeping in mind that these are essential to our growing close to the Lord, and thus being more like Him, we must keep these as our base. There are many other things that we can do to become more like Jesus. I would suggest that we take a look at these and try to put them in to practice also. Lent is definitely a time for us to turn away from sin and to be faithful to the Gospel message of Jesus. The Lenten season is filled with many graces, or gifts from God, to help us accomplish our goal. Here is a partial list of ways to obtain these gifts, or graces, from God. By doing these, we can’t help but to draw closer to God and to become more like Jesus.

1 – Read the scriptures: I would suggest using the Church’s readings of the day. This is easy to do, especially if you have access to a computer or smart phone. There are many smart phone apps to bring you the daily readings, and some that offer a commentary. Even an easy Google search for readings of the day can be done. Try to start with ones from Catholic sources like the USCCB (US Conference of Catholic Bishops); EWTN (Eternal Word Television Network) founded by Mother Angelica; Vatican News; Catholic Online and others. Reading the scriptures and reading their Catholic commentaries will give you a familiarity with Jesus, so you can get to know Him and follow Him.

2 – Attend Mass as often as you can. The mass has two parts: The Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. In the liturgy of the Word we concentrate on the scriptures and in the Liturgy of the Eucharist we concentrate on the Pascal sacrifice and actually receive the Body and Blood of Jesus. We partake of His very presence and He leads and guides us to grow closer to Him. There was a famous nutritional quote from a nineteenth century Frenchman made popular in the US by author Adele Davis, “You are what you eat”. I personally think that this fits so well to the Eucharist. It helps us to become Jesus present to others.

3 – Attend a retreat. I you have the time and money to go to a retreat house for a week or more, that would be tremendous. However, if you do not, most parishes offer some kind of local 2 or 4 day retreat. If your parish doesn’t, don’t be afraid to attend a nearby parish that does. A retreat gives us the time to get away from distractions and to concentrate on Jesus and what He is asking of us.

4 – Spiritual reading. There are so many good Catholic books out there that can help you to grow more in your faith and to grow closer to Jesus.

5 – Do something Christ-like. Great examples of this are to help out in a Parish Outreach or some other organization that helps the poor. You can also visit people who are in nursing homes, hospitals, prisons, or shut ins within their own home. If you are an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist, bring hosts with you to give to them (Catholics).

6 – Spend time alone in prayer. Jesus tells us to go to a place of quiet and to pray. The more we do that, the closer we get to him. Prayer can be anything from complete silent meditation to praying the rosary or chaplet of diving mercy.

7 – Spend time with other people who you know are living out the faith. The role of community, where like minded people of faith gather, is of extreme importance. This could be anything form having coffee with a friend, to attending a large prayer group.

8 – Be fillled with gratitude for all that God has given you. So ofter Jesus started His prayers by thanking the Father. The more we are filled with a sense of Gratitude, the more we will be like Jesus.

9 – Repent. Take a good look at your life and see the things that are not of God and determine to turn away from these things. Jesus started His ministry with the word Repent. The Sacrament of Reconciliation can be a big help with this, especially when there is serious sin in your life.

10 – Follow God. Make it a point to try to do what God wants you to do. Hopefully the more you are in prayer and follow the above steps, you will see what God wants from you. When you do find out, do it.

11 – Practice Humility. Jesus makes it pretty clear that He does not like people who think of themselves too highly. He loves people who are humble. His very life is all about humility. Think about how the Almighty, Powerful God humbled himself to become a man. We need to embrace this humility.

12 – Play religious, worship music. Music lifts the soul to new heights. When we play religious music, it lifts us up and helps us to embrace all that God has for us. Try it, you will like it.

Certainly there are many other ways to grow closer to God and to be more Christ-like, but since the scriptures love the number 12, I will stop there. Remember that God wants us to be His presence to others. Our call is to be more like Him. Our conversion needs to be ongoing.

SACRED BRAILLE – The Rosary as Masterpiece through Art, Poetry, and Reflections by Annabelle Moseley Review by Deacon Marty McIndoe

Anxiety and Worry, Blessed Virgin Mary, Book Review, Books, Church, Holiness, Holy Spirit, Prayer, Rosary, Spirituality, , ,

Leonardo da Vinci said, “Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen.”  It seems to me that the purpose of both art and poetry is to lift us up beyond what we normally can see and feel.  They both reach in to our very being, our soul, our essence, to lift us up higher than we can imagine.  This book by Annabelle Moseley does all of that.  It is filled, literally filled, with art and poetry about our Mother Mary.  The poetry by the author and the art work that was chosen by her help us to reach in to the depths of truth and intimacy with Mary, especially through the Rosary.  This book brought tears to my eyes several time as it helped me to internalize the love that Mary has for us.  I had just previously read Keith Berube’s book on Mary and the Rosary which did pretty much the same thing.

I feel very blessed to have had these two books brought together for me at the same time.  I also find it interesting that each of these two authors write in the introductions of each other’s books.   Also the Foreword in SACRED BRAILLE is written by Bishop Richard Henning who I first got to know when he worked in my parish many years ago as a young priest.  Bishop Henning is a good and holy man and one of the most intelligent men I know.   Also much of the art used in the book is taken from the Seminary that I attended for my diaconal training, The Seminary of the Immaculate Conception.  It brings back many good memories.  More important than that, the artwork stimulates the soul and lifts us up above the ordinariness of everyday life.  It helps us to see that we are much more than we appear to be and that our God has reached down to us to help us to better realize that.

I cannot overstate that the original poetry of the author and the amazing art work inside the book are ethereal.   The poetry especially fascinated me.  It is complex, but understandable.  Some of it follows traditional elements of poetry but some of it takes on a unique nature of its own.  I was especially moved and impressed by the “Mirror Sonnets” contained throughout the book.  I cannot even imagine how difficult it is to write these sonnets where the first section is read and then the second section is read line by line in reverse order of the first and they both make complete sense.  You have to read this to believe this and to even understand what I am saying so I will, with the author’s permission, share one Mirror Sonnet with you.

                                             Mirror Sonnet*: Mary Recalls The Prophecy of Simeon

A mother knows her son’s hands like her own.

She studies them from birth—each fingernail

is halo-shaped. Soft skin over strong bone,

each line and dimple forms a Sacred Braille.

While Simeon foretold, I held Christ’s hand.

And that was when the blade first pierced my soul.

I knew that to redeem a broken land,

my child’s palms could not remain smooth, whole.

The earth is punctured, seeded, before sprouts

grow forth. Then fruit is gathered, branches pruned.

There must be something for the soul who doubts

to press their fingers into, like a wound.

The piercing of my soul provides a sieve—

for sifting death from those who long to live.

For sifting death from those who long to live,

the piercing of my soul provides a sieve—

to press their fingers into, like a wound.

There must be something for the soul who doubts.

Grow forth! Then fruit is gathered, branches pruned.

The earth is punctured, seeded, before sprouts.

My child’s palms could not remain smooth, whole.

I knew that—to redeem a broken land…

And that was when the blade first pierced my soul.

While Simeon foretold, I held Christ’s hand.

Each line and dimple formed a Sacred Braille,

was halo-shaped. Soft skin over strong bone,

I’d studied them from birth—each fingernail.

A mother knows her son’s hands like her own.

                                                                                          * a new poetic form created by the author.

Throughout this book, the author’s writing shows me the deep love that she has for Mary and the Rosary.  I can’t help but to believe that the Holy Spirit inspired her to write this about the Spouse of the Holy Spirit.  The writing is way above the ordinary, and seems quite inspired.

The Preface by Annabelle Moseley sets the stage for what is to follow.  It also contains within it some interesting date-coincidences (more like God-incidents) in Annabelle Moseley’s life.  She then begins with the Seven Sorrows of Mary before leading then to all four of the Mysteries of the Rosary.  The poetry and art reflections on each mystery will bring new life to your own reflections on the mysteries as you say the Rosary.  After completing all four mysteries, she has a section with discussion questions for all of the poetry from the Seven Sorrows through the four mysteries.  This could be used either by you or in a group.

After the discussion section, Annabelle Moseley gives us a workbook for a three day retreat.  This workbook is filled with ideas on how to do the retreat including settings, readings, exercises, activities and even music to play.  I am still thinking of ways to put this in to action for myself and for my parish.  After this section the author teaches the reader how to pray the Rosary.  She then has a section listing the fifteen promises of Mary concerning the Rosary.

As if all of this is not enough, Annabelle Moseley teaches us three different ways to enhance our reflection on the Seven Sorrows and the four mysteries of the Rosary.  The first way is the “Visio Divino” where she lists several great works of art pieces to contemplate.  The second way is the “Lectio Divino” where she gives us several scripture passages to reflect on.  The third way is the “Audio Divino” where Annabelle Moseley gives us various pieces of music to use while contemplating.  The book ends with a call to make a Living Rosary and to see the Rosary as a true Masterpiece in itself.

 I have always had a deep appreciation of art and poetry and music.  The individual pieces within this book are Masterpieces themselves, but taken together this book is a true, and very rare, masterpiece that helps to transform you in to who God calls you to be.  Mary gave the perfect YES.  We too are called by God to say our YES to Him.  What better way is there than to follow the Mother of Jesus as she leads us to her son Jesus.  This book helps us to do this with beauty and style.  Do yourself a favor, buy this book and keep it out to be used often.  You will be glad that you did.

NOTE:  I am writing this review at the time of a world-wide pandemic.  People are getting sick and dying and most stores and businesses have had to shut down.  There is no income coming in for many and everyday living seems to be quite traumatic.  People are hurting and in need of healing and consolation.  Our mother Mary is the great Consoler who can bring us to her Son, Jesus who is the great healer.  Just as Mary consoled Jesus at the foot of the cross, she can console us at the foot of our pandemic cross.  The beauty and the message of this book is a great means of receiving consolation from our Mother who loves and cares for us so much.  Hopefully this pandemic will be over soon, but all of us know that we are in need of consolation throughout so many stages of our life.  This book could be a real spiritual medicine for us.

You can visit Annabelle Moseley’s website by clicking here.  www.annabellemoseley.com

MARY – The Rosary, the Relationship, and Dragons by Keith Berube – review by Deacon Marty McIndoe

Anxiety and Worry, Blessed Virgin Mary, Book Review, Books, Church, Communication, Death and Dying, Demons, Healing, Holy Spirit, Miracles, Prayer, Purgatory, Relationships, Rosary, Saints, Scripture, Spirituality, Women

Books are one of the true treasures of mankind.  They entertain us, they move us, they help us to grow and they are so readily available to us today.  Keith Berube’s new book (Mar 2020) on Mary is all of that and more.  This book is one of the best treasures I have found in a long time.  It did something to me that I thought was impossible.  It helped me to love the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Rosary more than I ever had; and I am a person who says the Rosary every day and have been doing that for well over 20 years.  It has caused me to grow in an intimacy with Mary that I never had before.

There is one thing that you need to understand.  I was brought up as a Protestant (Methodist) and converted to the Roman Catholic faith when I was 25 years old.  My conversion was based mostly upon my reading of the 6th Chapter of St. John’s Gospel about the Eucharist and my study of the Vatican II documents.  One thing that I had trouble accepting was the role of Mary in the Church.  Like most Protestants, I thought that the Church overdid devotion to Mary.  However, gradually I was drawn to read more about Mary and to start praying the Rosary.   This helped me to develop a strong (at least I thought) devotion to her.  This book has brought me much closer to her than I ever imagined.  I can see her now in so many different ways.  She is not only MY Mother, but also my Queen.  She is not only an example of faith but she is THE best example of faith.  She is the Mother of the Son, the daughter of the Father and the Spouse of the Holy Spirit.   She is the Immaculate one and the one who loves to spend time with me.  She is the one who protects me.   She is the one who keeps leading me closer to God.  Keith Berube’s book helped me to know all of that with a new enthusiasm.

Keith Berube divides his book in to three parts.  The first part is all about the Rosary.  After saying the rosary daily for over 20 years, I thought that I knew it well.  This book revealed to me so much more about the Rosary that I never knew.  It especially helped me to see the Rosary as a time when I was present to a Mother who loved me so much, and earnestly desired to be with me.   The book taught me that saying the Rosary was the living out of a love story.   It was where I could meet the Mother who always wanted to hear from me.  It was where I could tell her I love her, in response to her love of me.  It was a way that I could touch her, through the tactile feel of the beads.  It was also a time where I could join her in her own mission of praying for others and leading others to her loving Son.  The Rosary is life changing to those who pray it and to those who are lifted up in its prayers.  The Rosary is something quite mystical in the way it lifts us up in to Spiritual joy.   It is also one of the strongest weapons we have to use against the evil one.

The second part of the book is entitled, “The Veiled Dynamics of the Rosary”.  In this section we hear more about Mary as woman (or girl as the author often refers to her) and the way her femininity causes not only us, but the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit to relate to her.  It shows how her being a woman affects our communication with her and her communication with us.  This femininity also shows how the Rosary is relational to us and how we in our own sexuality (male or female) relate back to Mary.   This part also talks about how we see Mary not only as Mother but also as friend and one who reveals to us the secrets of her heart and also consoles us.

The third part of the book provides a short synthesis of Parts I and II.  It helps us see that in praying the Rosary, we are giving flowers to the one who loves us so much.  Every Hail Mary that we say is also a way of saying, “I love you” to Mary.  The mysteries that we contemplate help us better understand the way God the Father has loved us through the Son and the Holy Spirit.  The Rosary itself is very scriptural and helps us to meditate on the stories of our Salvation.  It is also a time when we are joined by our guardian angel and the other Angels and Saints in prayer to God.

In the first Appendix Keith Berube includes some beautiful and moving poems.  In the second Appendix he lists some other forms of the Rosary.  In the third Appendix he talks about the CONSOLATIO MARIAE, a Private Association of the Catholic Faithful.

Throughout the book Keith Berube uses scriptures, stories and quotes from various Saints , and illustrations to enhance his writing.  You can most readily see the author’s own love for Mary.  As I said earlier, this book taught me to appreciate and form a new INTIMACY with Mary and a new appreciation of the Rosary as both a form of relational prayer and as a true weapon  to fight those “dragons” that attack us.  There is no way that this short review can tell you of the wonders of this book.  You need to experience this yourself.  Do yourself a favor and read this book.

Note:  A publisher friend of mine sent me a copy of SACRED BRAILLE by Annabelle Mosely and asked me to review that.  It is interesting that both books are about the Rosary and really complement each other.  I love God’s timing.  Annabelle Mosely did the forward to Keith Berube’s book.  I really loved her book and will post a review shortly.

Epic Saints: Wild, Wonderful and Weird Stories of God’s Heroes by Shaun McAfee – Review by Steven R. McEvoy

Anxiety and Worry, Apologetics, Book Review, Charity, Church, Communication, Community, Converts, Death and Dying, Demons, Ethics, Eucharist, Evangelism, Forgiveness, Heresy, Holiness, Holy Orders, Holy Spirit, Life in the Spirit, Liturgy, Marriage, Miracles, Morality, Mystics, Penance and Reconciliation, Prayer, Priesthood, Pro-Life, Purgatory, Relationships, Relics, Resurrection, Rosary, Sacraments, Saints, Scripture, Service, Sin, Soldiers, Spirituality, Teaching, Trust, Vocation, Women,

I enjoy writing book reviews of books that I have read and then posting them on my website.  However, I didn’t feel comfortable writing a book review for this book since I am one of the contributors to it.  I did read the book and really enjoyed it and would recommend it to my readers.  For the review, I turned to my friend, Steven R. McEvoy and obtained his permission to post the review that he had written and originally appeared on his website:  www.bookreviewsandmore.ca  .  Steven does a great job of reviewing books and you should check out his website.  Here is his review of Epic Saints.

Epic Saints 
Wild, Wonderful, and Weird Stories of God’s Heroes

by
Shaun McAfee 


TAN Books
ISBN 9781505115123
ASIN B083Y67LD7

I love books like this one. I love reading about saints and am currently reading books from 4 different series about saints. But what a book like this does is introduce me to a few new saints, it gives me some more information and examples from saints that I am more familiar with. This was an EPIC READ that I could hardly put down. It is mostly eBook about specific saints and But there is also a lot of great information about the process of saint making, and the canon and calendar of saints. But the volume is not just the work of Shaun McAfee there are several contributors. Those contributors are:

Alex R. Hey
Sarah Spittler
Jessica Mcafee
Theresa Zoe Williams
Brooke Gregory
Deacon Marty Mcindoe
Shaun Mcafee
Laura Hensley
Mike Panlilio
Maggie Van Sciver

The essays interspersed through the biographies are:

Have Saints Always Been Canonized The Same Way?
What Is The General Roman Calendar?
Can These Stories Be Allegorical?
Are We Really Expected To Believe These Stories?
Why Are Some Saints Not On The Calendar?
What Is The Process For Canonization?
What Should We Do With Saint Narratives That Contain Errors Or Inconsistencies?
Why Are Some Canonized Quickly While Others Have Been In The Process For Centuries?
Can I Become A Saint?

And on top of that are profiles of 74 saints. Shaun and the other contributors do an amazing job or highlighting so many saints in such a short space. There are almost a dozen saints I need to go find further readings on. And my son is already looking forward to my rereading this book with him. 

In this volume there are a few tales about dragons. Saints pulling practical jokes and pranks. A bilocating death and many, many more stories of saints, of Martyrs and holy men and women. 

Though I will be honest with you, the pieces in this volume are so well written you might have a hard time picking a favorite. And you will definitely want to read more on at least some of the saints. An excellent read that I highly recommend. 

I’M CATHOLIC. NOW WHAT? By Shaun McAfee – a book review by Deacon Marty McIndoe

Abortion, Apologetics, Blessed Virgin Mary, Book Review, Church, Community, Converts, Creation, Death and Dying, Demons, Diaconate, Divine Mercy, Early Church Fathers, Easter, Ethics, Eucharist, Evangelism, Family, Fatherhood, Forgiveness, Gnosticism, Healing, Heresy, Holiness, Holy Orders, Holy Spirit, How to be Catholic, Lent, Life in the Spirit, Liturgy, Marriage, Miracles, Morality, Mystagogy, New Age, Penance and Reconciliation, Pope Francis, Prayer, Priesthood, Pro-Life, Purgatory, Relationships, Relics, Resurrection, Rosary, Sacraments, Saints, Scripture, Service, Sin, Social Media, Spirituality, Teaching, Trust, Vocation, Women, , ,

I’M CATHOLIC.  NOW WHAT?   By Shaun McAfee – a book review by Deacon Marty McIndoe

Shaun McAfee, founder of EpicPew.com, blogger at National Catholic Register, contributor to Catholic Answers Magazine and many other Catholic resources has written a new book published by Our Sunday Visitor.  Personally I think that this is the best book he has written; and I really enjoyed his other books.  When I first saw the pre-publication announcement for this book, I immediately put in an order for it.  The title and description led me to believe that this book would be a great resource for my parish RCIA program.  I have been involved in the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) program for many years and know that those who have gone through it need a really good resource book to continue their journey after the time in the program has finished.  After reading this book I not only realized that the book is perfect for that, but that the book is perfect for all Catholics on their journey of living out the beauty of the Catholic faith.

The author of this book is a convert and has gone through the RCIA process to become a Catholic.  How I wish that all of the people who go through RCIA become as good a Catholic as Shaun and his wife have become.  Shaun’s overall knowledge of the Catholic faith and Catholic Theology (he has a graduate degree from Holy Apostles College) is amazing.  The way he lives out that faith with his wife and family is even more amazing.  Faith is made to be put in to action and Shaun certainly does that.  I have followed Shaun and his family on Facebook for almost six years and although I have never met him in person, I see the faith filled life that he leads.  That faith filled life pours over in to this book.  Shaun tells us all the things we need to know to be a good Catholic and he gives us personal examples of how to be a good Catholic.

This 335 page book consists of 100 chapters that give us a lot of information on the Catholic Church and why we do the things that we do.  I find it very refreshing that he takes the times to not only tell us the things that we should be doing to be a good Catholic, but also tells us why we do those things.  He often refers to the Holy Scriptures as well as the Catechism of the Catholic Church.  He also uses stories from the early church Fathers and the Saints to explain.   Besides that, he gives us plenty of personal examples from his own life.  He covers just about everything that you can think of that speaks of Catholicism.  He not only covers different topics but also gives us things to do.  For example, not only do we learn about Baptism, but he also gives us ideas on how to celebrate our Baptism day.  He talks to us about the priesthood and then encourages us to invite a priest over for dinner.

Shaun’s section on BEING A MODERN CATHOLIC has so much richness to it when discussing evil, relativism (a must read), marriage, sexuality, abortion, euthanasia, immigration, gossiping, giving, and consumerism.  His discussion of the current sex abuse scandal and cover up is enlightening.  He deals with all of the current issues in the Church today.  His way of facing these issues clearly shows the HOPE that we as Catholics are called to have.  Shaun ends his book with a section on EVANGELIZATION: IT’S FOR EVERYONE.  The chapters in this section remind us of our calling as Catholics to share the Good News that we have received.  He explains the “New Evangelization” and encourages us to reach out to those around us, especially to our children.

I highly recommend that ALL Catholics read this book.  The book covers serious subjects but is very easy to read.  It is informative as well as interesting.  It is a wealth of information on the Catholic faith.  This book is not only for those who have just recently come in to the Church, although it is great for them, but it is for all of us on our journey towards Jesus in His Church.  We can all benefit from the explanations and the suggestions that Shaun makes in this book.  As I write this, we are approaching the LENTEN season.  I highly suggest that every Catholic get this book and read it and study it and live it out for Lent.  It might be the best thing that you ever did for Lent.

MYSTAGOGY – AN EXPERIENCE FOR ALL OF US – by Deacon Marty McIndoe

Apologetics, Blessed Virgin Mary, Charity, Church, Community, Converts, Easter, Eucharist, Evangelism, Holiness, Holy Spirit, Holy Week, Internet Resources, Life in the Spirit, Liturgy, Miracles, Mystagogy, Mystics, Penance and Reconciliation, Prayer, Resurrection, Rosary, Sacraments, Saints, Scripture, Service, Spirituality, Uncategorized

MYSTAGOGY – EXPERIENCING THE MYSTERIES

In the RCIA program, the period following the reception in to the Church is known as a period of Mystagogy.  Mystagogy is a time where the mysteries of the Church are revealed to the new Catholics.  It is revealed through their experience of the Sacraments and through all that the Church offers them.  Although teaching is involved, experience and sharing about that experience is the way the mysteries are revealed.  The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (Chicago, 1988) manual states: “. The purpose of the mystagogy is to enable the newly baptized to draw from their sacramental experience a new sense of the faith, the Church, and the world”.  As a leader in the RCIA program in my parish, I try to encourage our Neophytes to experience as much as they can, the resources that the Church offers them.  Truly, I believe that this is good for all the people of the Church as well.

Those who have gone through the RCIA program have experienced at Easter NEW LIFE.  They are, in a spiritual sense, born anew.  I have truly seen, throughout the years, a big change in them.  They are more alive in the faith.   We established Catholics have also been enlivened by experiencing all that Lent and Easter has given us.  Our faith should truly be renewed.  I believe that a period of mystagogy is appropriate for us too.  We need to experience all that the Church offers us, and there is so much.  We are constantly called to grow in our faith by using the sacraments and other tools that the Church gives us.  When we grow in our faith we become more of who God wants us to be.  When we do that, we become happier, more fulfilled and more at peace.   We can grow in our experience of all that the Holy Spirit gives us by receiving the Spirit’s gifts and fruits.  Literally, we can set the world on fire.

I would like to share some of my thoughts on how to do this.  I thought that I would do this in a list format.  Sometimes it is good to have a list of some of the things that the Church can offer to us so that we can grow in our faith.  Here is a list (certainly not a full one) of things that will help us to grow in our faith:

TWELVE STEPS TO HELP US GROW IN OUR FAITH

1 – Go to mass at least every Sunday.  The mass is the Summit and Source of our faith.  In the mass we hear God’s Word proclaimed and explained and we receive the most precious gift of His Body and Blood.   We pray together and experience community and are sent forth.  I attend daily mass because I believe it can do more for me than anything else.

2 – Pray.  When you are in Love with someone, communication is a natural expression of that Love and a way that Love can grow.  Prayer is communication with God.  There are so many ways to pray.  I love praying the Liturgy of the Hours.  It is now so easy to do and so available by placing an app on your smart phone.   I use the ibreviary app.  It is a no cost app.   Try it out, you will be glad that you do.  I would suggest at least praying Morning prayer and Evening prayer.

I also like to use what I call “gut” prayer.  This is totally spontaneous and can be done at any time.  It comes from deep within us, our “gut”.   Sometimes my gut prayer is filled with praise and thanksgiving.  Often it is filled with “why me God?”  And “why are you allowing this to happen?”   It is a prayer of honesty and truth and feelings.

3 – Eucharistic Adoration.  This is also a form of prayer, but it goes beyond regular prayer.  It is a time to adore the Lord as he is present to us in His Risen Body in the Eucharist.  It is certainly a time for prayers of thanksgiving and praise but can also be a time for prayers of supplication.  I go to Eucharistic Adoration at least once a week.

4 – The Sacrament of Reconciliation.   St. Paul tells us that we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  All means all.  Christians too sin.  Even the Pope goes to confession.  There is no doubt that when I do something that I know is wrong, or more often, fail to do something I know that I should have done, I immediately ask for God’s forgiveness.  However, it is very freeing to regularly confess our sins to a priest and to hear him give us God’s forgiveness.

5 – The Rosary.  I love praying the rosary.  I try to do it every day.  In the rosary you can meditate on the mysteries of God’s touch to mankind.  The rosary is meant to be a meditative prayer where we literally focus on many of the stories from the scriptures about our salvation.  I look at it as a mini-course on God’s love and action.

6 – The Bible.  The Bible is a special gift that the Church has given to the world.  In it we hear God’s Word and receive direction and support for our lives.  Every liturgy that the Church does has at least one reading from the Bible.  We should listen closely to it at every liturgy but it also should have a special place in our homes.  The Catholic Church has given us the Bible and it is up to the Catholic Church to help us understand it.  I highly recommend using a Catholic study guide; My favorite is The Word Among us.   Going to a good Catholic Bible study is great (stay away from Protestant ones as they can misinterpret the Bible).  There are many online resources to help us (see last page).

7 – Charity and Service.  Every Christian is called to be a person of action.  We are called to feed the poor, heal the sick, visit the lonely and those in prisons etc.  Every parish has some sort of ministry to help us do that.  Check it out and become involved.  Put your faith in to action.

8 – The Blessed Virgin Mary.  The Lord literally gave His mother to us to help us in our journey towards Him.  Since the very beginnings of the Church Mary has been held in high esteem and has helped the Church and all Christians in many ways.  It is good to learn about Mary and to ask her intercession in your life.  She loves you as her own son or daughter.

9 – The Saints.  The Saints were all ordinary people just like you and me.  They struggled with the same things we struggled with and they were able to grow so close to Jesus and follow Him that the Church assures us that they are in heaven.  They intercede for us in prayer and they love it when we ask them to do so.  Try to learn as much as you can about the Saints and learn from them how to follow the Lord.

10 – Go on a Retreat.  A retreat is simply a time set aside for you to get away from the normal distractions in life and to draw closer to the Love that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit have for you.   Some retreats have themes, and some are simply quiet time with the Lord.  Try one, you will love it.

11 – Visit Holy Sites.  Throughout the world there are places that one would consider a Holy Site.  It might be one because of its history and what happened there, or it could be just an ordinary place that has been set aside for people to visit and grow closer to God.  I have been fortunate to visit many Holy Sites throughout the world, including the Holy Land, Rome and several places where Mary has appeared.  I have one Holy Site nearby, The Shrine of Our Lady of the Island that I love to visit and spend time with the Lord.

12 – Be Proud to be Catholic.  The more you learn about the Church, the prouder you will be.  Yes, the Church is not perfect (the priest sex scandal shows us that), but it is something that Jesus Himself started and maintains.  No other organization on this planet has lasted as long as the Church has.  It is an instrument of God’s grace.  Let your pride in the Church show.  Tell others about it.

There are so many other resources that the Church offers us that we should take advantage of.  I have compiled a partial list of some important Internet Resources and include that here.  There are also so many great books out there that you could (should) read.  Perhaps another time I will look in to that.  May our good Lord bless you in your walk with Him.

CATHOLIC    INTERNET    RESOURCES

CATHOLIC WEB SITES

SITES EVERY CATHOLIC SHOULD USE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR FAITH:

The Vatican:                                       www.vatican.va    (choose English in the menu at top right)

EWTN:                                                 www.ewtn.com

New Advent:                                       www.newadvent.org

Catechism of the Catholic Church:   www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm

US Conference of Bishops:                www.usccb.org

Catholic Answers:                              www.catholic.com

News Vatican:                                     www.news.va

Catholic News Service:                       www.catholicnews.com

Rome Reports:  (video news)                        www.romereports.com    Choose English at top right

Jimmy Akin:                                        www.jimmyakin.com

Life Teen:  (for Youth, but….)                        www.lifeteen.com

Amazing Catechists:                           www.amazingcatechists.com

Cardinal Newman Society:                www.cardinalnewmansociety.org

Strange Notions:                                www.strangenotions.com

uCatholic                                            www.ucatholic.com

Catholic Lane:                                     www.catholiclane.com

Institute of Catholic Culture:            www.instituteofcatholicculture.org  FREE Catholic Courses

Word on Fire:                                     www.wordonfire.org

Dynamic Catholic:                              www.dynamiccatholic.org

CATHOLIC APPS FOR YOUR SMART PHONE:

Search your play store for these apps

Liturgy of the Hours:                          ibreviary

Catholic prayers and readings etc.   laudate

Novena prayers etc                            pray

Catholic radio                                     Relevant Radio

The Bible                                            Bible

Eternal Word Network                      EWTN

Mass times                                         Catholic Mass times

Catholic Dating                                   Ckiss

How To Achieve Constant Prayer – by Matthew Leonard

Church, Early Church Fathers, Prayer, Rosary, Scripture, Spirituality

How To Achieve Constant Prayer – by Matthew Leonard

Did you know that every part of our life is meant to be powered by prayer…everything!
Is that even possible?
Since “with God all things are possible” (Mt 19:26) , the answer is a resounding “Yes!”
How?
Well it starts with what we call “finite prayer.”
A finite prayer is one that has a beginning and an end. It’s active prayer. Examples would the rosary, a litany, or any spontaneous prayer.
But while it has starting and a stopping points, finite, active prayer is meant to lead us to something deeper – habitual, or constant, prayer.
Constant prayer is the name of the game, the golden goose of the spiritual life.
Quoting the ancient monk Evagrius Ponticus, the Catechism states “we have not been commanded to work, to keep watch and to fast constantly, but it has been laid down that we are to pray without ceasing” (2742, italics mine).
Of course, we’re all familiar with St. Paul’s admonition to “pray constantly” in 1 Thessalonians 5:17. As a kid I remember thinking, “Seriously, Paul? Not only are people going to think I’m nuts as I walk around muttering to myself, but multi-tasking is not natural to my gender.”
But before we knock Paul off of his high horse (again), let’s take a moment to see what we he means.
Constant prayer is not an act of prayer, so to speak. Otherwise we’d never be able to focus on our duties in life. It might even be dangerous! (Forget about texting, I’ve nearly wrecked my car on several occasions while attempting the rosary on the freeway.)
So what is Paul talking about?
He’s referring to a permanent attitude, one rooted in trustful surrender and merging of our will to God’s. It’s an inner peace that accepts whatever happens as God’s good will for our life.
Now don’t think he means we just sit back and do nothing. Rather, he means we have to develop an attitude of cheerful compliance founded on the knowledge that what God wants us to experience in life is best.
How do we attain this peaceful, permanent attitude of constant prayer? Again, primarily through finite prayer.
You see, constant prayer is fed by acts of finite prayer which operate on the “surface” of the soul.
Think of constant prayer as glowing embers down in your soul. They’re always hot, but not enflamed, so to speak.
Finite prayers are like little gusts of wind that come down, blowing across these embers, igniting a fire of love in our hearts that bursts into flame.
Finite prayers feed the flame so that we develop a life of constant prayer.
Of course, the reverse is also true.
Constant prayer feeds and fuels our acts of finite prayer so they become more focused and fruitful. And when we can establish a state of constant prayer, submitting ourselves gladly to God’s will, everything we do becomes an act of prayer.
God bless!
Matthew

P.S. Matthew is leading a pilgrimage to the Holy Land with Jim Caviezel, star of The Passion of the Christ!  We’ll also be joined by Fr. Don Calloway and John Michael Talbot! It’s going to be epic!  CLICK HERE for details!  HOLY LAND

P.P.S. If you’d rather go to Italy, Matthew is heading there on pilgrimage, too!
Join him in March 2019 for a time of deep spiritual renewal and amazing adventure in Rome, Assisi, Orvieto, LaVerna, and much, much more!   CLICK HERE for details!  ITALY

Are You Really Ready to Win the Battle? – By Deacon Marty McIndoe

Anxiety and Worry, Blessed Virgin Mary, Church, Demons, Divine Mercy, Eucharist, Evangelism, Family, Holy Spirit, Life in the Spirit, Liturgy, Penance and Reconciliation, Prayer, Rosary, Sacraments, Saints, Scripture, Service, Sin, Spirituality, Teaching


I was fortunate to have parents who saw that Scouting could be very beneficial to the formation of a child in to an adult. I was in Scouting from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts to Explorer Scouts (in High School). I learned a lot from them to help build my character. One of the primary things that they taught me was to BE PREPARED. This helped me in school, family and social life, in business, in being an Army soldier and especially in being a good Christian. I would like to look at BEING PREPARED as a Christian.
The question is, what are we supposed to be prepared for? There are several things but I find three that stand out the most. First of all we must be prepared for the LAST DAY. That last day may be when Jesus comes again, or more likely it will be when we die and go to meet him. We have a judgment to experience when we see Him face to face. All that we do as a Christian should lead us to be ready for this judgment. I am so happy that our God is a merciful God, but he is also a JUST God. Everything that we have said and done (and thought) or failed to do, will come before us; and we must answer for that. If we live out the words of Jesus and His Church, we should be prepared. The Church gives us the tools to prepare for this judgment. Those tools are the Sacraments and the Scriptures and prayers and examples of the Saints. We should use them to the fullest.
The second thing that we need to be prepared for is our battle against evil. For those of you who fail to believe in evil and the battle that we fight, you are sadly not prepared. The Church has always, from the very beginning, recognized the power of evil in the world. Our first Pope tells us: “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith.” 1 Pet. 5:8-9. Unfortunately today, too many people dismiss the devil and demons and evil as old fashioned and untrue. The devil and his demons are real, and we need to fight them. The war is already won in Jesus, but Satan still continues to battle and tries to confound us. He attacks us in our weaknesses. We must use the tools that Jesus and the Church gives us to fight him. St. Paul tells us, “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Eph. 6:11-17. These words of St. Paul are so much more than words of wisdom; they are words to lead us in our battle with evil. Do you hear the battle cry?
The third thing that we need to be prepared for is sharing the Good News. This is what we are supposed to be doing as Christians. It should be so much a part of us that it just comes naturally. I will spend more time on this topic on another post, but it is so important that it needs to be placed in context with this post. Probably the best way we share the Good News is by being a good Christian.
Being a good Christian is hard enough on its own, but when you have the legions of evil and darkness trying to keep you from being a good Christian, it becomes even more difficult. However, God knows the battle we fight and if we use the tools He gives us, we overcome easily. I would like to share with you some of the ways that I have found to use these tools. First of all, You MUST make them part of a daily routine. Just as you start out the day by washing and grooming, the tools need to be sharpened and put to use. I find that my morning routine is most important.
Daily I wake up at 6:30 (even though I am retired and could sleep) and I first say a rosary carefully meditating on each mystery. I then go to the local YMCA for my morning workout (the physical body and spiritual self are very connected). I then go to daily mass early enough to sit in front of the Blessed Sacrament for 15 to 20 minutes. I then carefully pay attention and serve at mass asking the Lord to strengthen me to be the person He wants me to be. I see the Eucharist as such a precious gift to strengthen me for the journey and the battle. I then go home to eat breakfast with my wife (she also attends daily mass with me) and then I do my morning prayer (Liturgy of the Hours). The rest of the day I intersperse other prayers. These prayers vary from spontaneous forms of praise to the various hours of the Liturgy of the Hours. Every Tuesday I do Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. Each evening my wife and I pray together. All of this is a life giving experience for me. I never see it as a burden. I find my strength in this routine.
Throughout the day I love to give thanks and praise to God for the many beautiful things that happen. I love to see Him in the beauty of creation and the gift of other people. I also try to do a lot of spiritual reading such as the Bible as well as books from great Christian authors. In the evenings I “surf” many Christian/Catholic websites. I also try to continue my learning through the New Saint Thomas Aquinas Institute and ClaritasU. As I read this over it sounds like all I do is “religious” things, but that isn’t true. I enjoy many aspects of life and do many activities from going out with the guys to the local pub for beer, to visiting with friends with my wife. However, the “religious things” are what help to make me who I believe God calls me to be.
I know that Jesus wants us to live an abundant life (John 10:10) even though the thief (Satan) would love to snatch it away from us. When I immerse myself in prayer, the sacraments and good study, my life is abundant and Satan doesn’t have a chance to snatch it away from me. I am prepared; are you?

REFORM YOURSELF – a review by Deacon Marty McIndoe

Books, Church, Converts, Evangelism, Miracles, Relics, Rosary, Sacraments, Saints, Scripture, Spirituality, Teaching

REFORM YOURSELF! How to Pray, Find Peace, and Grow in Faith with the Saints of the Counter-Reformation: written by Shaun McAfee – review by Deacon Marty McIndoe

If the main title, REFORM YOURSELF! doesn’t catch you; take a good look at the subtitle: How to Pray, Find Peace, and Grow in Faith with the Saints of the Counter-Reformation. The subtitle is exactly what this book is all about. For me, it lived up to what it promises. I love to read and some books are really great…..this is one of them. It is easy to read, informative, interesting and causes a change to the very Spirit within us.
I have read two other books by Shaun McAfee; Filling our Fathers House (2015) and St. Robert Bellarmine (2016). I enjoyed both of those and in reading them, saw Shaun as an upcoming author. This last book proved me correct. His writing style has grown to the point that I would say that he definitely is a great author. I am anxious to see what he comes up with next.
Shaun belongs to the same “club” as Brandon Vogt, Jennifer Fulwiler, Peter Kreeft, Scott Hahn, and so many more people do that I don’t have room to mention including myself. That “club” is that we are all converts to the Catholic faith and live much of our life trying to spread the good news of new life in Jesus, especially through Catholic spirituality. It makes me proud, as a convert, to see Shaun do such a great job of this. Shaun is a lay Dominican (Order of Preachers) and this book shows that he continues the Dominican tradition of preaching and teaching.
The book is timely as we recognize the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation in 2017; it looks at the Catholic response to the Reformation by choosing ten Saints who ministered during the Catholic Counter-reformation. The importance of this book is that it not just a historical book, but rather a book where we can look at these Saints and bring about REFORM within us. The ten Saints that Shaun chose are all great examples of what we need to do to walk with Jesus and respond to His call to share the Good News. They are all powerhouses of faith. Shaun also shows their true humanity which helps us see that we too can strive to achieve what they did.
There are ten chapters, one for each Saint. The ten Saints are; Francis de Sales, Ignatius of Loyola, Teresa of Avila, Robert Bellarmine, Aloysius Gonzaga, Pope Pius V, Philip Neri, John of the Cross, Frances de Chantal, and Charles Borromeo. In each chapter Shaun tells us about the Saint and shares some stories from their lives. He includes some of their quotes and makes suggestions on how we can be more like them. He includes a number of scripture passages to augment his suggestions. When reading many of Shaun’s suggestions I felt like I was listening to a Spiritual Director. Shaun ends each chapter with a conclusion, information for further study and a prayer to the Saint. I definitely grew spiritually through the experience of reading, and praying, this book. I believe that you will too. I highly recommend this book. It is available from its publisher, Catholic Answers (www.catholic.com), Amazon (www.amazon.com) and other bookstores.

Bringing Jesus to a 105 year old – by Deacon Marty McIndoe

Church, Eucharist, Family, Healing, Life in the Spirit, Pope Francis, Prayer, Rosary, Uncategorized

This afternoon I had an absolutely wonderful experience. It all started last week when I was talking to a Eucharistic Minister who brings the Holy Eucharist to some people who are homebound. I asked her about an old friend of mine who used to come to our Charismatic prayer meeting many years ago. She was also always in church and I enjoyed talking to her. Her family has been very active in our church and community and I know so many of them.  It has been a while since she has been in church and I missed her. The Eucharistic Minister told me that this woman was doing well and has mentioned to her that she would love to see me.  I told the EM that I would love to go with her the next time she went.  Today was the day. It was to be a surprise visit.

I don’t want to mention this woman’s name, because I didn’t ask her for permission to use it. But I do want to tell you some interesting things about her and our visit and the presence of Jesus.  This friend has been homebound for several years. She has a really good excuse, she is 105 years old. When you see her she certainly doesn’t look her age. When you talk to her she seems so young at heart. Her mind is as sharp as a tack. When we first walked in her daughter (who I also know well), who didn’t know I was coming, greeted us with a huge smile and welcomed us in. We then went in to the room where the 105 year old was sitting at the kitchen table. The smile on her face when we walked in lit up this rainy, dark and dreary day. It was enough to absolutely warm your heart.

We spoke for a while reminiscing about old times in the prayer group and in the parish. I was so surprised at the details that she remembered. She seemed so happy to talk about the old times, but also seemed so happy about talking about her present life. She related how she loved Jesus and Mary and the prayers that she can offer. She was sad only because she couldn’t be a part of the church activities. She also was quite concerned for a dear relative who had fallen and broken some bones. We prayed for that relative.

After talking for a while, we prayed the rosary. She knew every prayer so well. She was so excited to tell me about her rosary. It seems that a friend of a friend had gone to Rome and had an audience with Pope Francis. This friend mentioned that he had a friend who was 105 years old and still prayed the Rosary. The pope then reached in his pocket and pulled out a rosary, blessed it and told the man to give it to the 105 year old.  That is the rosary that we used. It is absolutely beautiful and to know that the Pope had sent it to her, was very uplifting.

We then did what this person does every time before receiving the Sacred Host.  We prayed an Act of Contrition and then an Our Father.  She then received the Host with such a beautiful, warm, glow on her face. It was so moving to watch. We then talked for a while and prayed together.  I prayed for her specifically while laying on hands.  I also gave her and the EM and her daughter a blessing. Truth be told……I was the one who received the blessings.

So why do I bring this one occasion up? It is because things like this happen continuously in the Church. Bringing Jesus to the homebound (or nursing home etc.) is one of the most satisfying things a Minister of the Eucharist can do, whether they are ordained or an Extra-ordinary Minister. This last Sunday I brought the Eucharist to several people in one nursing home and then on Monday I brought the Eucharist to another nursing home.  The experience of doing that is so satisfying.

I really encourage all Eucharistic Ministers to reach out to the homebound and bring them Jesus.  So many EM’s help out at mass with the distribution of the Most Blessed Sacrament, and this is great and well needed in most parishes.  But an even better way to minister to people is by visiting the homebound. It is a ministry that brings Jesus to others and allows Jesus to come to you in a very special way. God is good.