Adoration is the highest form of praise due only to God. To me Adoration is a place to talk to God without distractions. It appeals to all five senses. I feel like every part of me is worshipping God. It gives me a sense of awe in God's presence. I feel all of the days stress and worries slip away...finally finding a sense of peace. (Emily P. 8th)
Adoration is a time for me to relax and talk to God. It is a peaceful time to talk and think. I enjoy Adoration. It brings me closer to God. (Kristen S. 8th)
My time during Adoration was very peaceful. I had time to think about school, my life and problems in my life. I had time to talk with God and tell him about my problems. I also had time to pray for friends, family and other things I wanted to pray about. (Sofia O. 8th)
Adoration is very important because it is the highest form of praise that we can give to God. I like it because I can talk to God. I like to talk to God through Adoration because it is always quiet and reverent. (Kristen N. 8th)
Adoration is the highest form of praise due only to God. Adoration is time in church when you can be closer to God. During Adoration you use all your senses to become closer to God. For example, during Adoration you use your sense of smell when you smell the incense making you focus on God. (Jake F. 8th)
Adoration to me is a very solemn and holy time. It is a time to be calm and quiet while you spend one-on-one time with God. Adoration on Thursday gets the stress from the week released. (Ben #2 8th)
The definition of Adoration is the highest form of praise due only to God. That is true. When I am in Adoration I feel like I have entered a very calm place. It is very peaceful. (Josh C. 8th)
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Students reflect on Adoration Part 2
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Fr. Matthias Neuman's Homily for the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time
28th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Oct. 11, 2009
Readings: Wis 7:7-11; Heb 4:12-13; Mk 10:17-30
The latest document from the Vatican Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life is entitled, "The Service of Authority and Obedience" (2008). I have to admit that there was a time when any statement from the Vatican with either of those words in the title used to immediately create a knot in my stomach. There was a little one when I started to read this document. But about a third of the way through I found myself saying, "This isn’t bad at all." By the time I got halfway, I was saying, "This is really good."
The first major section of the document is a reflection on obedience as listening; listening to the Word of God and the word of the Church is for all Christians. For those in consecrated life listening includes a further listening to the Rule and the charism of the community, to the community itself and to the voice of the superior. In one very insightful section the Instruction notes: "Obedience is the only way human persons, intelligent and free beings, can have the disposition to fulfill themselves." (#5) In other words, obedience is not a deterrent to self-fulfillment, but rather establishes the parameters for self-fulfillment. Obedience is a reminder that no matter what goals we have for ourselves, they are always going to be limited by this finite and fallible world we live in. I may desire with all my might to become a major league baseball player. But if I can’t hit a ninety mile an hour fastball, it’s not going to happen. One of my favorite sayings is from Pope Alexander VI, who tried hard to instill some changes in the early 16th century Catholic Church, but was always thwarted by the mechanism of the Vatican. On his tomb he wanted these words etched: "The efforts of the best individuals remain subject to the age in which they live." Obedience reminds us that there are always parameters in our world.
The document notes that it is also the responsibility of the community’s superiors to listen: to listen to the Church, to the scriptures, to the community charism and to the community members. The second and largest section of the document describes the responsibilities of the community’s superiors and is a virtual handbook on how to be a superior today. I want to give you some of the titles of this section. a) In consecrated life authority is first of all a spiritual authority. b) Persons in authority are called to guarantee the time for and the quality of prayer. c) Persons in authority are called to promote the dignity of the person. d) Persons in authority are called to inspire courage and hope in the midst of difficulties. e) Persons in authority are called to keep the charism of their own religious family alive. The major lens for viewing authority is that it is an authority of service to the community and requires that the superiors have "confidence in the responsibility of the brothers or sisters. (# 14)
The document describes beautifully at length the superior’s responsibility to listen. "The exercise of authority implies that persons in authority should gladly listen to those who have been entrusted to them. Listening is one of the principal ministries of superiors for which they should always be available. Persons in authority will have to be concerned with creating an environment of trust, promoting the recognition of the abilities and sensitivities of individuals, and of creating an atmosphere favorable to dialogue, sharing and co-responsibility." (# 20)
The last section of the document deals with hard cases of obedience, and it deals with them very sensitively. All in all it’s a very worthwhile document and the first section on Obedience as Listening would be excellent for Lectio Divina.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Students reflect on Adoration Part 1
Adoration is a special time with Jesus. I LOVE it! It is very peaceful. (Deven L. 8th)
Adoration means a lot to me. Adoration is our alone time with God. I can talk to God about anything because it is between the two of us. Adoration should be important to everyone. (Brianna S. 8th)
Adoration is important because I get time to sort out my problems and think what I have to say to Jesus. I also like that I can think. It brings me closer to God. I know that He is listening so I tell Him how thankful I am and about my problems. I like going to Adoration because it is very good for me. Having my own pew helps me a lot, too. I can concentrate better and I can't look around that much to see what others are doing. (Lucy M. 8th)
Adoration is when I go to church to pray and I see Christ. I like it because I have time to pray for my family and friends. It is so peaceful to go to church during Adoration. It is like being with Jesus all alone. It feels like no one else is there...just Jesus and me! (Nicole D. 8th)
Adoration is very peaceful. I enjoyed sitting by myself because it helped me focus on Jesus. Adoration relaxes me and it helps me get closer to God. (Samantha A. 8th)
Adoration is important to me because I get to spend time with Jesus by myself. When I go to Adoration, I talk to God about my problems and what is going on in my life. I think Adoration is important. (Liam M. 8th)
Adoration to me means thanking God for all He has done. Which in turn will get me closer to God and His kingdom. All of our senses are focused on God in some way. Smell...I can smell the incense, allowing me to concentrate. Hearing...I hear silence, except for God and myself having prayer time together. Taste...smell affects my taste...I can taste the incense. Seeing...I see God...Jesus...in the Monstrance. Touch...? almost all five! (Jamaica H. 8th)
Adoration means being able to express my emotions fully to God. It means getting to know Him better. Getting to know God's creation and God's plan for me. I also tell God my secrets during Adoration. (Taylor B. 8th)
Adoration today was very calming. I liked that we got to sit in our own pew. I think that brought me closer to God. It is good to take some time during the day and go to church to solemnly pray to God. (J.C. E. 8th)
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Fr. Matthias Neuman's Homily for the 27th Week in Ordinary Time
27th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Oct. 4, 2009
Readings: Gen 2:18-24; Heb 2:9-11; MK 10:2-16
We are continuing our series of homilies on recent teachings of the Church on communities of vowed men and women. Last week we looked at the taking of vows as an act of consecration to follow exactly the life of Jesus as obedient, single and poor. The issue today is: how are these communities to live together? What should be their style of life? In Starting Afresh from Christ, the Congregation on Institutes of Consecrated Life states directly: "The spiritual life must have first place in the program of the families of consecrated life; it should be above all a spirituality of communion suitable for the present time. To make the Church the home and school of communion is the great challenge facing us." (# 28) ) The phrase, spirituality of communion, appears over and over in these Vatican documents. What exactly are they referring to? (Let me say right now that you aren’t going to hear very much new in this phrase; it’s what all of you have been trying to do for years. But it’s good to have this official approval from the Vatican documents.)
This "spirituality of communion" is rooted in the Second Vatican Council’s Constitution on the Church. It is a community where there is unconditional love and respect among the members. It is a community in which everyone seeks to share their own gifts with others in the community. It is a community where members feel that other members are part of themselves. This is especially to be shown in Chapter meetings and other meetings of the community. These meetings should proceed by methods of dialogue and discernment. This requires the active participation of all, and not just a few. These documents are going to be quite challenging for those communities who have retained a pre-Vatican II notion of community where the superior did everything and consulted with practically no one. I remember visiting the monastery in Heidelberg, Germany in 1974, nine years after the Council closed. There was no evidence that the Council ever happened. At community recreation they all sat in a circle of chairs. The abbot introduced the topic of conversation and invited a monk to comment about it. After the monk finished, the abbot corrected what was deficient in the monk’s observations and moved on to the next monk. The entire recreation period passed that way. It’s that style of community that these Vatican documents say "has to go."
To make this "spirituality of communion" work, each individual member has to have the courage to speak his or her views. And for a lot of people raised in the old system, that’s not easy. The Vatican documents know this. So much effort should be devoted to revamping formation programs. If there’s anything that we might find new and striking, it’s the emphasis given to continuing formation in a community. There’s as much attention given to ongoing formation as there is to initial formation. Learning how to dialogue is not easy. Dialogue begins by listening without judging. Way back in the third century the old Egyptian desert monks knew that was one of the hardest things to achieve. Seventeen hundred years later it still is. The Vatican documents note that dialogue and discernment should be the methods of interchange between superiors and community members.
The Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life wants to see this spirituality of communion aimed at in all communities. At the World Synod of Bishops in 1994 it was asked that all institutes draw up a ratio institutionis , that is, a formation program inspired by their particular charism, presenting clearly all the steps in the course to be followed to assimilate fully the spirituality of the institute. (This coming Apostolic Visitation has been 15 years in the making.) The spirituality of communion is something to be sought for, and one that you already practice. Keep up the good work.
Friday, October 2, 2009
The Feast of the Guardian Angels
My students wrote Haikus on the Guardian Angels. We are grateful God created these spiritual beings to guide and protect us!
Guardian Angel,
Who loves me so protect me,
From death below.
(Ashley K. 8th)
8th Graders serve at the Cathedral Kitchen
Giving soup and bread isn't all that the rich can do. The poor are your masters, terribly sensitive, exacting as you will see. But the uglier and dirtier they are, the more unjust and bitter, the more you must give them your love. It is only because of your love...only your love...that the poor will forgive you the bread you give them." (St. Vincent DePaul)
As all three of us "Bens" were riding in the car to the soup kitchen, Mrs. Buckley was explaining to us what to expect. I didn't know really what to expect. When we arrived at the soup kitchen Ben #3 and I were assigned to juice duty. Most of the people we served were male African Americans who didn't have jobs. I felt special being able to serve people less fortunate than I. The people had great manners and I always had a smile for them. Many asked how my day was going. Overall, it was a very special experience. (Ben #2)
Working in the soup kitchen was overwhelming. When we arrived we were given a short tour. Then we were given our jobs. The other two Bens handled the juice. I got the job of a runner. I took trays of donuts back to the main room. I saw some of the people we were to serve. Most of the people were male, African American adults. I over heard one of the kind volunteers talk about her car window being smashed out. I wondered how anyone can expect the food and then try to rob one of those who just fed them. Later I cut pies and put them on plates to the main room. I fixed trays of sweets and served them. After I finished serving the sweets I helped dry plates, trays and silverware. Soon it was time to leave. I felt good that I had helped. (Ben #1)
At the soup kitchen I had a good experience. I served juice with Ben #2. We got to see a lot of people. We helped many of the volunteers. It felt good to make the neighbors smile. (Ben #3)
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Jesus' October Message
Each month, Anne, a lay apostle, receives a message from Jesus. This is the message for October. To read more about the locutions Anne receives from Jesus and His Blessed Mother click on this link: Direction For Our Times.
My dear children, I am with you. I watch closely as you struggle for holiness. Often, you are uncertain of your spiritual condition. You strive to serve but feel conflicted by the times in which you are serving. There are some things that all humanity deals with regardless of where in history they are placed. First, there will always be a difference between the world’s path and heaven’s path. These two paths, while they can run along side each other for increments, will always separate. Ultimately, each man will have to choose. Every man, to a greater or lesser degree, will have to contend with choosing first good over evil and then he will have to make another choice and that is the choice of choosing My plan for his life over his own plan for his life. After that, the choices become even more studied in that the man must choose My plan in each day, in each task and even in each moment. You may say, dear apostle, that this is a difficult call for a man, to study his actions in each day. You may say, this is asking a lot. You are right. I, Jesus, am asking a lot of you. I ask for your full commitment and I do so without apology. Dearest apostles, if you give me your full commitment, there is no limit to what I can do. Look at your life. You have said yes to me on many days. Examine what I have done with your yes answers. Consider what I am building with the commitments of so many children of God who are willing to be directed by the Saviour, their King. I am building a structure of love. I am building a structure through which many are returning. Truly, your hearts, open and filled with My love, call out to others. You provide for Me a welcome to those who feel separated. If they can be taken into your heart for even a brief moment and experience Me, with My love, then they will have the courage to both approach Me directly and to accept Me directly. Please, do not count the sacrifices when you consider your service. Do not count the loss of worldly respect. Count only the souls who are comforted and consoled. Count the repentance and healing of so many who have been restored to unity with heaven. Count the humility that I have bestowed on you, dear apostle, since you began to learn about true holiness. I am your King. I can give you anything. I choose to give you peace and holiness. I choose to make of you a resolute servant. Accept My will in your life and you will then be able to accept all of the graces heaven has stored up for you.
