Mission – Online Spiritual Guidance

Posted on September 9, 2011 by Be Open to God

“Remain in me… Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit,” (John 15:4-5).  We are all called to be formed not by the culture of this world but by the culture of Christ’s love.  His heart is the reference point that will guide our footsteps to freedom, beauty, and fulfillment.

This website is designed to help you be rooted and grounded in love.  Here you will find spiritual guidance to help you travel your daily journey with the mind of Christ.  Simply subscribe for your own account, and you can sign up to follow guidance given regarding chosen categories.

easy payday loans and secure !

In this world, we are constantly bombarded by media.  Choose, instead, to be bombarded by the love of Christ!

Posted in Mission | Comments Off

The Virtue of Eutrapelia

Posted on June 12, 2013 by Be Open to God

Posted by Fr. Thomas Fitzpatrick, Rector of St. Joseph Cathedral

Is there such a thing as too much play? Now that’s a question my Dad and I went round and round about when I was younger, and of course he was right pretty much every time. A lot of times my study of theology in the seminary was punctuated by remorse over how untrusting I was of his wisdom…I’m definitely not as smart as I thought I was.

 There is however a little known virtue called Eutrapelia, which is the ‘habit of a pleasant and cheerful turn of mind’. It’s a habit of solid and good recreation, the human need to relax and play; to turn away from the pressure and drudgery of work and recharge our batteries. We all must pay attention to our rest, but part of this equation is relaxation through games, especially to relieve tension. We all recognize this need, and luckily, so does God.

The question is how and when we play. Balance is the key, because we don’t want to be addicted to our pastimes, and they must never be indecent or cause injury through carelessness or malice. A big factor, and one my Dad was always careful to monitor is the question of timing. Missing Mass for the sake of games is just plain sinful, and a needless omission of our spiritual duties. Blowing Mass off cannot be justified, especially in light of the number of Masses available in our area and around the state on Saturday and Sunday. Hopefully we put more effort in fulfilling our weekly Mass responsibility than we do in pursuit of games and vacations. We all have our experiences of dread when trying to find Mass in a strange place, or if the Mass times were listed incorrectly and we are stuck, and when this happens the Church provides for these situations. The question then becomes whether we planned for this possibility as well as we planned for our vacation or pastime in the first place.

When we render the praise that God is due, wherever we are, we are content and avoid sin…needless sin at that. If you are away from home, there are many ways to find Masses near your location. I googled “Mass timesUSA” and found numerous websites and telephone services that can help us to find Mass anywhere. There is no vacation from the 10 Commandments, and our steadfast observance of them in all situations provides the proper example for children and loved ones alike. Develop the virtue of Eutrapelia. Play hard, play well and go to Church.  Summer is fun, but it is short, so make the most of it in a well-rounded, spiritual way.


 

Posted in Apologetics, Joy, Love, Mission, Prayer, Youth | Comments Off

Search 2013 – Be one of God’s troopers

Posted on June 1, 2013 by Be Open to God
Ephesians 6:10-17

Battle against Evil.

10  Finally, draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power.

11  Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil.

12  For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens.

13  Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground.

14  So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate,

15  and your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace.

16  In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all [the] flaming arrows of the evil one.

17  And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

To all you holy men and women out there – a journey of a man in search of something greater than himself:
I want to be a Saint

Posted in Addiction, Apologetics, Chastity, Evangelization, Freedom, General, Masculinity, Prayer, Sainthood, Temptation, Youth | Comments Off

Love Mary with Joy

Posted on May 31, 2013 by Be Open to God

“This evening we are celebrating together the close of the Marian month. But the month of May cannot end; it must continue in our lives, because veneration, love, devotion to Our Lady cannot disappear from our hearts, on the contrary they must grow and be expressed in a testimony of Christian life, modelled on the example of Mary” –  Blessed John Paul II


 

Posted in Blessed Virgin Mary, Evangelization, Femininity, Joy, Love, Mission, Prayer | Comments Off

Pray to the Holy Spirit

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Be Open to God

“I would like to ask you a question: how many of you pray to the Holy Spirit every day? Probably few, but we must satisfy this desire of Jesus and pray every day to the Holy Spirit, so that he opens our heart towards Jesus.”

- Pope Francis, General Audience, May 15, 2013


 

Posted in Discernment, Prayer | Comments Off

St. Joseph the Worker

Posted on May 5, 2013 by Be Open to God

Posted by Fr. Andrew Young, St. Joseph Cathedral

This past Wednesday, the Church celebrated the Feast Day of Saint Joseph the Worker. Since our parish is the Cathedral of Saint Joseph it was a blessing to be able to celebrate with those that attended our daily Mass but also to begin what we hope to be an annual choral concert. It was a fine job by our choir and all those who participated…special thanks to Dr. Ostermann for all his hard work!

Saint Joseph is a model for each of us, both men and women, by his commitment to serving God through his self-sacrificing love for Mary and Jesus. Saint Joseph did not have an easy life, but one which required him to work by the sweat of his brow. One of my favorite images in the Cathedral is the rose window near the altar of Saint Joseph. In the center we have the beloved spouse of Mary, Joseph, who is surrounded by all the different images of men carrying out their vocations in their lives. It might just be my way of looking at this rose window, but in my mind, the image that appears directly above Saint Joseph, the one at 12 o’clock would be the pinnacle, most important. What is man doing in this image – working, hard labor! Saint Joseph was a worker and he passed this human trait along to Jesus who also was a carpenter like Joseph.

The work that each of us does has a purpose and it is not just simply for financial gain. Our work has not only a natural, human purpose but a supernatural one as well. When we work, we truly participate in the creative work of God, we join ourselves to Saint Joseph and to Christ, who both worked. But in doing this creative work, we also are able to provide a living for our loved ones, feel a sense of accomplishment in our lives, and contribute to
society by giving needed help to others. When our work loses the supernatural aspect or simply becomes a means for ourselves to benefit, we forfeit the chance of allowing our efforts and work to sanctify us and grow in closer communion with Christ.

Take a minute to think about one person in your life, and it could even be yourself, who loves the work that they do. Why? I guarantee you that if the reason they love their work is based simply upon their paycheck, vacation dates or luxurious lifestyle – they really don’t love the job. They love their work because they feel like they are making a difference in the world, they are able to reach someone, they are able to participate in the work of Christ by being Christ to others. I absolutely love being a priest! Why do I love this “work”? Because I am able to carry out the work of Christ, whether it be in baptizing a baby, preparing a couple for marriage, grieving with a family who lost a loved one, or hanging out with the junior high kids at O’Gorman – seeing both the natural and supernatural purposes – and making me a better man and priest!

Saint Joseph the Worker, help each of us to realize and come to know how the work that we do, no matter how ordinary, can be made holy, which in turn can make us holy and allow us to truly participate in Christ’s work of salvation.


 

Posted in Humility, Joy, Marriage, Masculinity, Mission, Prayer, Priesthood, Saints, Suffering, Youth | Comments Off

Weathering the Storms of Life

Posted on April 21, 2013 by Be Open to God

Posted by Fr. Thomas Fitzpatrick, Rector of St. Joseph Cathedral

The weather has certainly given us something to talk about for the last week. It is funny how the warm summer days pass by with such ease and the wretched weather is remembered and lamented. Then again, last week the power was out, trees crashed to the ground and the ice was a monster. All that was followed by six inches of snow and the weather this week; so I guess it is fair to hold on to this latest round of winter discomfort a bit.

At the same time, we have experienced another example of the tyranny of the present. We want the good times to last and the frustrating ones to flee. The Lord calls us to be forward looking people of faith and gives us a way of living and being that is way easier said than done. The world is full of turmoil, violence and sin. God is ignored or used a means to justify sins of our day. We feel like we are up against the ropes being pummeled and all we really want to do is what is right and good.

During the Easter season, the Book of Revelation is a great salve for what pains us and a powerful reminder of what we are living for and how to attain it. This is a time of great distress, as it was in the times when John was writing. Our victory will never be found in our checkbooks, smooth faces or a perfect day well-spent; our victory is won through a long, hard slog of faith with Christ as our guide and support. Biological life is fleeting and changes like the day to day weather…our ultimate purpose is to join the great multitude in heaven and stand before the throne and before the Lamb where hunger and thirst are no longer worries like they are during this day we find ourselves in.

The pursuit of holiness is an experience of great effort, failings and growth. It is an aspiration of the soul for union with God that is forced to weather many storms. This beautiful aspiration also allows us to appreciate the good stretches of smooth sailing as well. In the midst of it all, our Easter season of joy allows us to be resolute and confident because our faith finds its truth in the Resurrection and the surety of Christ’s victory over sin and death. The gates of heaven have been opened and what awaits us makes the journey absolutely worthwhile.


 

Posted in Discernment, Forgiveness, Love, Mission, Prayer, Sainthood, Suffering, Temptation | Comments Off

Divine Mercy Sunday

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Be Open to God

Posted by Fr. Thomas Fitzpatrick, Rector of St. Joseph Cathedral

Divine Mercy Sunday is an Easter gift from Christ to His Church that invites us to indulge and revel in His unfathomable mercy while we celebrate the Resurrection. It makes sense really, because the two go hand in hand. The God-made-man suffered and died for our sins, and through His singular intent to carry out the Father’s will, was raised from the dead to crown His victory over sin and death. Mercy and the power of God: this is our refuge as sinners, the means through which our intention and hope in life is fulfilled and brought to its true destination in heaven.

The message of Jesus’ Divine Mercy was given to Sister Faustina, a simple Polish nun, who
became one of the great saints of the twentieth century. Her simple diary described the incredible visions and revelations that Christ provided her for the singular sake of redeeming souls. She was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2000, and it was his wish that the entire message of Christ as spoken through St. Faustina be observed and applied on the Second Sunday of Easter.

Today’s readings speak of this mercy as they point to Christ’s invitation to trust in His benevolent mercy and desire to forgive our sins. It is a call to face the trials and tribulations of the present day and future with a steadfast participation in Christ’s mercy by performance of corporal works of mercy, prayer to His Divine Heart and meditation on the meaning of His great love and mercy. Divine Mercy is Christ’s Easter gift to His Church. We only need to gaze upon the blood and water flowing from His side to see that this blood of Golgotha speaks of His willingness to die for us as the water of Baptism recalls the forgiveness of sins at Baptism and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Christ’s singular attention was focused on completing His Father’s will. His sacrifice brought about our Redemption, which is mercy itself. Seek the meaning of this mercy in your prayer today, and the ways in which you apply it to your daily life.


 

Posted in Discernment, Evangelization, Forgiveness, Freedom, Joy, Mission, Mortal Sins, Prayer, Religious Life, Saints, Suffering, Temptation, Venial Sins | Comments Off

This is our Easter Joy!

Posted on April 1, 2013 by Be Open to God

Posted by Fr. Andrew Young, St. Joseph Cathedral

Happy Easter! Today we celebrate the greatest day of the Church year – the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Imagine yourself back in the time of Christ, putting all of your hope and trust in this man who seemed to be what you expected in a Messiah.They had been waiting for the Messiah to come. This man seemed like the one. He was a guy who healed, cared for, welcomed and loved everyone, not just those who thought or acted like Him. They must have thought, this is HIM – the person who all the Scriptures had foretold would come and save His people. Great news! But then, in the dark of night He is arrested, beaten, crucified and hung on a cross for death. The one they had placed all their hope and trust in was a fake! Now what?

If we ended the story here, there would have really been no point to the coming of Jesus into the world. Death would still happen, sin would still prevail and there would be no hope for the gates of Heaven to be opened. We would have no hope – life would be a cruel trick. Fortunately, this is not where the story ends, but Jesus Christ truly did rise from the dead, opening the gates to Heaven for each of us – so that we too might enjoy eternal paradise with God.

So where does the story end for you? Do we simply stop at the cross and never proceed or do we advance to the resurrection? Do we get stuck in the grind of the day or the sufferings of this world, or do we look to the hope of the future? This world we live in passes away as will we. Our hope is in the resurrected Christ. Our hope is our own entry into Heaven to share in the heavenly banquet of Christ. Getting simply caught up in the things of this world, we will be like the disciples today that simply “seek the living one among the dead.” If we want to seek life, eternal life, we must look beyond the cross, beyond the daily struggles, beyond life on earth – to the resurrection!

This is our Easter Joy! Christ came among us not simply to live and die – but to rise again! Live today with this Easter Joy! Live this year with this Easter Joy! Live with Easter Joy, all the days of your life! Jesus Christ Is Risen, Let Us Rejoice and Be Glad!


 

Posted in Apologetics, Discernment, Evangelization, Forgiveness, Freedom, Grief, Humility, Joy, Love, Mission, Prayer, Sainthood, Suffering, Temptation, Youth | Comments Off

Build Unity in Holiness Under the Banner of Christ

Posted on March 21, 2013 by Be Open to God

Posted by Fr. Thomas Fitzpatrick, Rector of St. Joseph Cathedral

Last Wednesday Bishop Swain celebrated the Mass of the Blessing of the Oil of Catechumens, the Oil of the Sick and the Consecration of the Sacred Chrism. As explained in the liturgical guide, “this Mass, which the Bishop concelebrates with his college of presbyters and at which he consecrates the holy Chrism and blesses the other oils, manifests the communion of the presbyters with their Bishop. Presbyters are brought together and concelebrate this Mass as witnesses and cooperators with their Bishop in the consecration of the Chrism because they share in the sacred office of the Bishop in building up, sanctifying and ruling the people of God. This Mass is therefore a clear expression of the unity of the priesthood and sacrifice of Christ, which continues to be present in the Church”.

Implicit in the theological explanation of this Mass is also the unity of the People of God with our Bishop and priests of the diocese. Founded upon the common priesthood of our Baptism, the unity of the Church with Christ is the first of the four marks of the Church; One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic. This order is not arbitrary.

The rancor and fear that exists today in everything from politics to family life emanates from disunity; they are the byproducts of a deviation from God’s will and His Natural Law. The four marks of the Church are marching orders, it is what we should strive for and how we are called to live. This is Christ’s will for His Church.

At the same time, we have witnessed disunity in the Church that exists at its highest echelons. It exists in our diocese as well. This doesn’t mean the Church itself is less than holy, it means the humans who comprise it are in the same boat as all the sinful people Christ came to save. The Church is holy because of Christ, not its leaders or people. His Gospel, Sacraments and grace are what help us to be holy in His Church. We are all disappointed in the way the world is going, including the public sins of our beloved Church. That is why we will do well to heed the Gospel lesson Christ gives us today of the woman caught in adultery. Instead of throwing stones at each other or giving up on the Church because of the sins of others, wouldn’t we do well to concentrate on reforming our sinful ways and strive to build unity in holiness under the banner of Christ?

Lent is rapidly building to a crescendo to Palm Sunday, the start of Holy Week. Use the confessional in the days ahead to confess sins and strive to fully enter into this most holy time of the year through an increase of fasting, prayer and alms-giving. The Church exists for the sanctification of the world and the salvation of souls. Now is the time to avail ourselves to the mercy Christ exemplified in today’s Gospel…our pathway to living in peace through unity and holiness before the Lord.


 

Posted in Discernment, Forgiveness, Freedom, Humility, Masculinity, Mission, Mortal Sins, Prayer, Priesthood, Suffering, Temptation, Venial Sins | Comments Off

We Have a Pope!!

Posted on March 13, 2013 by Be Open to God

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for granting us your servant, Pope Francis.  May you inspire in his heart the spirit of St. Francis, a spirit of humility, spiritual poverty, and tireless devotion to your love.  Grant him a sincere understanding of your will that he may rebuild your Church and offer her new strength.  Remain close to his heart that he may reflect to the world the love of your Son.

Amen


 

Posted in Discernment, Evangelization, Freedom, Joy, Love, Mission, Prayer, Priesthood, Religious Life, Sainthood, Saints, Youth | Comments Off