Message to The Stressed from Covid-19

I cannot recommend more the following letter I received from our Chaplain where I am employed. It reminds me of Pope St. JPII!

April 19, 2020 Divine Mercy Sunday
Dear Marian Sisters and Brothers,

Happy Easter! I write this letter to you from our Chapel in the Rectory and am entrusting each one of you to Jesus through the intercession of His Blessed Mother. He is Risen! Today, He brings to us the fruit of His passion, death and Resurrection … Mercy. Blood and water poured forth from the heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, soak it in on this beautiful feast day.

I chose to write a letter, and not record a video because the exercise of putting thoughts to paper allows a person to really pour himself into the message. And writing a letter before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament creates an intimate space for both you and me. As I write each sentence to you, the Lord is able to interact with me and what you read reflects my own relationship with Jesus; this relationship is the foundation for my priesthood. But the context for which the relationship gets to bear fruit is with those Jesus has allowed me to serve, you. Therefore, this letter is not stagnant. It isn’t meant to be read in a vacuum. It’s an organic expression of yours and my participation in the Mystical Body of Christ that surpasses time and space. Prayer for each other is the vehicle for service. We are connected by the Holy Spirit, the Love of Jesus. So, my brother, my sister in Christ, let me serve you now.

How are you doing? I hope you are doing well and if so praise Jesus. But if you are struggling know you are not alone. Whether it be a physical, emotional or spiritual pain, I hurt with you; offer it to Jesus. What has you anxious? What robs your hope? What thoughts of fear or anger occupy your mind? What is the source of your frustration, your restlessness, your uncertainty? What makes you feel not needed, alone, loss of purpose? These questions may not have solutions until this tragic situation is resolved. Or maybe you don’t want a “fix” but rather just to express your pain and be heard. Know that Jesus hears you! And it is in His words we find comfort:
“It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8
“Cast all your anxieties on Him because He cares for you.” 1Peter 5:7
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous hand.” Isaiah 41:10

There is definitely a great “desolation” on our community, state, country and world. St. Ignatius describes desolation as: feelings of anguish, loneliness and despair. There is a feeling that hope has been lost, God is far away, and it will never end. However, he goes onto say that feelings don’t always reflect reality. In desolation, God is very close to us, even if we can’t “feel” His presence. Hope is still rooted in Jesus and is attainable. And most importantly, St. Ignatius tells us that desolation always ends! So today be uplifted! Be filled with joy, because Jesus offers us His mercy. The Catholic Encyclopedia describes mercy as the virtue which allows us to have compassion for another and to alleviate their misfortune. Jesus’ mercy is more active in today’s world than ever before because we are in greater need of it. Jesus tells St. Faustina “proclaim that mercy is the greatest attribute of God. All the works of My hands are crowned with mercy…My daughter, have fear of nothing; I am always with you. You are my dwelling place and constant repose”. It is so easy to be hurt with our circumstances today, but remember that God is still in control and even more so, is with us.

Right now, our boat is being tossed about by the waves of the world’s storm. The effects of the virus and the shutdown rage against our meager vessel and it seems like Jesus is asleep. We fear drowning, just as the Apostles feared it (Matthew 8: 23-27) and we cry out to Jesus to save us. “Jesus wake up…don’t you care we are drowning?” The Good Lord looks at us mercifully. He senses our fear, He knows we are empty and at our wits end. His heart feels the anguish that overwhelms ours and He is moved with compassion. With a gentle reproach He strengthens us, “Why are you afraid? Don’t you know I am with you?” His face is all tenderness. Mercy and empathy radiate out of him and we can see ourselves reflected in His eyes as He gazes on those He loves most. But then His face changes. There is resolute purpose. The tenderness in His eyes is gone and all we can see is a fire that blazes. Before we know what to think, Jesus has turned to face the raging waters assaulting our boat. He seems to have become larger than life and with a voice that could tear the sky in two, He says to the storm, “QUIET, BE STILL!” All becomes calm, all is peaceful. God’s Spirit is on us and all is in harmony. We feel joy return and we wonder how we ever could have doubted. We look at Jesus and see Him peering at us, holding us in His gaze…He says our name, and we know He will be with us always. This is the Lord of Mercy…trust in Him.
I miss you all and am looking forward to the day we can all be together again. Until then, know of my continued prayers. Please, email me or leave a voicemail if you need prayers or support. Also, keep an eye on our live streamed masses, daily email hugs and confession opportunities for support and for reception of God’s merciful grace!

May the Lord of all Consolation bless you abundantly!

Fr. Dom

Comments

This video of a young boy twerking at Pride has homophobes outraged | Gay Star News

DANCING WITH MR. D: This video of a young boy twerking at Pride has homophobes outraged | Gay Star News : 'via Blog this'

On the Contemporary U.S. Scene

M ichael Flynn made a lot of enemies inside the government during his career. When he exposed himself as vulnerable these pounced. How?? Anonymous and possibly illegal leaks of private conversations with a foreign national. Now, we aren't supposed to spy on Americans without probable cause, nor disclose the results of our spying in the pages of the Washington Post because it suits a partisan or personal agenda (overturning the results of an election). Current and former national security officials used their position, their sources, and their methods to destroy a political enemy. Why aren’t all Americans upset by this? Mr. Flynn is not the only recent occurrence of such. The New York Times reports that civil servants at the EPA lobbied Congress to reject Donald Trump's nominee to run the agency because Pruitt was critical of the way the EPA was run during the Obama years. Traditionally, civil servants follow the direction of the political ap...

Things Catholic

In my second chapter I discuss why the political terms "liberal" and "conservative" are misnomers for adjectives modifying the term "Catholic." This is especially important now, when, following the resignation of Benedict XVI, pundits will misuse these terms in discussing the Holy father's legacy. Read more on this here.

Women Warriors?

A s a Catholic man and history teacher, I always tell my classes that, for reasons of masculinity and chivalry, I oppose women in the military (I teach at an all-female Catholic girls high school). So this article gives a better explanation of my view from a Catholic man's perspective: WOMEN DON'T DESERVE COMBAT by Mr. Gabe Jones “For whenever man is responsible for offending a woman’s personal dignity and vocation, he acts contrary to his own personal dignity and his own vocation.” (Pope St. John Paul II, Mulieris Dignitatem, 10) December 3, 2015 ought to be remembered as the date that any remaining vestiges of our country’s collective sense of chivalry died a tragic death. It was on this day that Secretary of Defense Ash Carter announced his decision to require combat positions in every branch of the United States military – including the Marine Corps – be opened to women. Despite being one of the most significant news items in recent memory, if you did not p...

Pope Francis' Family

S ince his elevation to the Chair of Peter Pope Francis has almost tripled the size of crowds attending papal audiences, Masses and other events in Vatican City. What explains this suddenly renewed interest in Catholicism? What need is Pope Francis meeting in people? As is well-known, the Church was beset by allegations of scandal and mismanagement in its bureaucracy and its bank, its reputation besmirched by the sexual abuse scandal. John Allen of the National Catholic Reporter: "The dominant narrative about the Catholic Church today is 'rock star Pope takes the world by storm'….If that's not a revolution, at least at the level of perception, then we have never seen one." The revolution is seen in the Pope's decision to include a Muslim woman when he washed the feet of young offenders last Easter, and his instinctive hug for a man whose face was badly disfigured by disease. It is seen by his refusal to live in the papal apartment or to wear the re...

Desperate Despair of Hooking Up

I have posted here and here on the hook-up culture, but am unlikely to surpass Maloney's analysis, printed here in its entirety. This makes for a reality check for parents excited about sending their offspring off to university and for anyone concerned about the real war on women (and men). The best defense for serious Catholics? Right Here . JUNE 14, 2016 What the Hook-up Culture Has Done to Women ANNE MALONEY A stereotyped but unconscious despair is concealed even under what are called the games and amusements of mankind. There is no play in them, for this comes after work. But it is a characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate things. ∼ Henry David Thoreau, Walden A few months ago, a young woman at Stanford University was raped by a virtual stranger, and her rapist received a ridiculously light sentence. The story grabbed headlines everywhere, and caused a firestorm on social media. This “dumpster rape” is being blared about eve...

DANCIN' WITH MR. D: The Anti-Christian Alt-Right by Matthew Rose | Articles | First Things

The Anti-Christian Alt-Right by Matthew Rose | Articles | First Things : 'via Blog this'

Nuns' Story, or Call the Sisters

(Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham / Fr James Bradley) I have been watching the PBS series, Call the Midwives , which f ollows the nurses, midwives and nuns from Nonnatus House, who visit the expectant mothers of Poplar, providing the poorest women with the best possible care. As I observe the way these Anglican nuns are portrayed, it strikes me that they are more like Catholic nuns than many Catholic nuns after Vatican II (see chapter 5 of my book). Thus, the story featured in this post does not surprise me, especially after Pope Benedict's launching of the United States’ ordinariate for disaffected Anglicans seeking communion with the Catholic Church. From the Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus , given in Rome, at St. Peter’s, on Nov. 4, 2009: “In recent times the Holy Spirit has moved groups of Anglicans to petition repeatedly and insistently to be received into full Catholic communion individually as well as corporately.”

Lord Save Us

I was saddened to hear of the following death of a great evangelizer.. .

The End of Fortress Catholicism?!

John Gehring in the Post editorializes: Something unexpected and extraordinary is happening in the Catholic Church. Pope Francis is rescuing the faith from those who hunker down in gilded cathedrals and wield doctrine like a sword. The edifice of fortress Catholicism – in which progressive Catholics, gay Catholics, Catholic women and others who love the church but often feel marginalized by the hierarchy – is starting to crumble. I, as one endlessly pointing out the fruitlessness of using adjectives to describe Catholics , could not resist the following, penned by Pat Archibold of the NCR (NOT Reporter!!) Proof of Liberalism in the Pope: "It is true that the Muslim world is not totally mistaken when it reproaches the West of Christian tradition of moral decadence and the manipulation of human life." "It is deplorable that homosexual persons have been and are the object of violent malice in speech or in action. Such treatment deserves condemnation from ...

Search This Blog