My Franican Rosary

Tradition has it that St Francis and St Dominic met in Rome when they were both there to seek ratification for their new Orders from the Pope. The two Orders have regarded themselves as 'first cousins', even 'brothers', ever since. Where possible, Franciscans come to Dominican churches to preach on the feast of St Dominic and Dominicans go to Franciscan churches to preach on the feast of St Francis. Hence, I find it perfectly fitting, if not desirable, to count among my friends, Franciscan Friars, Franciscan Sisters, and Lay Franciscans. My Cardinal Archbishop, is a Capuchin Franciscan. We're all family.

Then when I met Brother Vito Martinez, OFM Cap, my world expanded to include Br. Vito, the rest of his Novitiate, and his world of formation. We are united in prayer.

When Fr. Vito undertook the apostolate of making rosaries. My interest was really piqued.

I make rosaries

. I've tried to make rosaries in the past. OK. I've made one. This one was for a friend making her final profession. I ordered a sterling silver cross with her name engraved. The beads were black and white. The medallion in the middle was Our Lady of Pompeii. It was very Dominican. I had Fr. Richard Fleck, OP, bless it.

The Rosary fell apart.

My craftsmanship was at fault, of course, not the Dominican blessing.

I fixed it for her. Then, again...and...again.... Every time I saw her, she handed me her Rosary to be repaired.

I went out and bought her, her own needle nosed pliers. :-/

I've never made another, although I fix people's rosaries, all the time. Since I do it for free, no one dares complain.

Anyway, I read on Br. Vito's blog that he was making a traditional 15 decade Dominican Rosary for a Dominican nun. Well, I wanted one. That's a lie. I coveted.

I asked; and I received. Br. Vito generously agreed to make a 15 decade traditional Dominican rosary. Imagine. This is great because we Lay Dominicans are buried in habit. We are not allowed to wear full habit, (we wear the scapular for ceremonies) unless it's our shroud. I have a habit. I have a belt. I was dreading making myself the Rosary. And I was going all the way, and making a 20 decade. But God had mercy on me, and brought Br. Vito in my life. Now, I have better.

Did you read what Pope Benedict XVI said about the Dominicans and Franciscans, just this year? He talked about the two Orders being intertwined in love. He spoke of their founders' zeal and apostolic mission. Their unique reading of the times and how this is carried forward today. As in a Franciscan making a Rosary for a Dominican. :-)

Did you know that until the promulgation of "Inter Oecumenici in 1964," the blessing of Rosaries was a reserved blessing, and only priests of the Dominican Order could bless them. That is why the older Roman Rituals did not contain a blessing for Rosaries. However, since Vatican II, any priest or deacon may bless a Rosary using formulas in use from 1964 to 1984 or the formula found in the new Liber Benedictionum of 1984 (LB 506):

May this Rosary and the one who uses it be blessed, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, + and of the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen. That's why I had Father Reynold Rynda, OFM Cap bless my Rosary. See pix.

Having a Franciscan make and bless a Dominican Rosary is the best of both worlds. You can't get any better than that. Note that Franciscan historian Luke Wadding (1588-1657) dates the origin of the Franciscan Crown to the year 1422. He tells the story of a young novice in the Franciscan Order who, previously accustomed to express his devotion to the Blessed Virgin by adorning her statue with a wreath of fresh flowers, was prevented from continuing this practice in the novitiate. In distress, he considered leaving the Order. But the Blessed Virgin appeared to him and instructed him to recite a rosary of seven decades in honour of her seven joys; thus, he might weave a “crown” more pleasing to her than flowers on her statue.

From that time, the practice of reciting the “Crown of the Seven Joys“ became general in the order. Thus it became known as the Franciscan Crown—or the Seraphic Rosary.

Legend tells us that St. Dominic was taught the Rosary from the Blessed Mother. Legend tells us that St. Dominic prayed the Rosary before he preached. Legend tells us that St. Dominic said the Rosary was the best weapon against heretics.

It is fact that the Dominican Pope, Pius V, had his navy pray the Rosary before the Battle of Lepanto. It is fact the a Lay Dominican, Bartolo Longo used the Rosary effectively and built the Shrine of Pompeii. Miracles occur there, today. It is a fact that the Dominicans helped spread devotion to the Rosary.

And it is a fact, that the first time I use my Dominican Rosary, the first decade will be prayed for Fr. Reynold and his intentions, since he blessed my Rosary. The second decade will be for Br. Vito and his intentions. The rest of my rosary intentions are personal.

In Spiritu Patri Dominic et Francis

The Rosary Saga

All right. This is how I figure. I mail the check today. Br. Vito receives the check tomorrow. Fr. Reynold Rynda, OFM Cap blesses my Rosary, tomorrow. Br. Vito mails my Rosary to me Wed. I receive it Fri. Please God.

This is Br. Vito finishing up MY ROSARY.

Interfaith Dialogue

Mother Teresa once said that listening is the beginning of prayer. If that is true, then my "cloistered brothers" and I spent the afternoon praying. We faith shared.
Before our meeting we were told to bring a prayer with us. We Catholics also had read the Letter to Presidents of Bishops' Conferences on the Spirituality of Dialogue, 1999, in preparation for this meeting. We began by trying to sit next to someone of a different faith. This was hard to do, since there was an over abundance of Catholics. But we managed to make ten groups, and each group had a least one member of another faith.

For some reason, Protestants don't come to this. No one is sure why. It seems that they're always arguing among themselves. But they're always invited.

The Jews never come. Some said it's because they don't encourage interfaith dialogue. They don't actively seek converts, so they don't seek opportunities to share their faith. I don't know. But we always invite them, too.

And the strangest, but most wonderful thing happened. The Wiccan High Priest who came to our first interfaith dialogue, has converted. It seems that he went to a Cursillo a few weeks ago, and was zapped by the Holy Spirit. Yeah, my jaw dropped, too.

Anyway, the meeting began with the groups sharing our prayers. In explaining why we chose that certain prayer, we were explaining our faith. Questions were asked to understand, and this helped to open up the conversation. It went very well. Everyone was so kind and friendly to each other.

After a while, the ten small groups went back to their big circles and one spokesperson from each group shared what went on. One enlightened questioned was asked about the Muslim saying that we were created to submit to God. I didn't think anything wrong with this, but a discussion arose. I was thinking of the catechism question, "Why did God make us?" The answer, "God made us to love and serve Him." Isn't serve and submit the same?

So we had a majority of Catholics, then a few Muslims, and only two Buddhists. But it was enough to make the dialogue meaningful.

"Sam'i Allahu liman hamidah, Rabbana wa lakal hamd" (God hears those who call upon Him; Our Lord, praise be to You). --part of Islamic daily prayer

It's Coming!

Br. Vito is mailing it. Well, as soon as payment arrives, and it will. Then Fr. Reynold Rynda, OFM Cap will bless it.

Can't wait!
'

My Rosary is Finished!

Is it my birthday? Is it Christmas? Am I making Profession? No--it's just a special day that I am blessed! So very blessed. Br. Vito Martinez, O.F.M. Cap. made me a traditional 15 decade Rosary.

Br. Vito posted on my Face Book Wall that is was ready. Yeah! God is good.
Now, it's just the mammon details: price and shipping and handling and waiting for it.

What ever it costs will be worth it. Brother had to order more supplies than usual, and different ones than he was accustomed to. He even had to switch to a stronger metal because he must intuitively know, being a Capuchin Franciscan, that Dominicans pray the Rosary often and very earnestly. This Rosary will get plenty of use.

It took Br. Vito 2 1/2 hours just to make six decades. This is a 15 decade Rosary. Literally, this is a Labor of Love. See Br. John Nguyen,O.F.M.Cap., holding it up.

St. Catherine of Siena, patron of Lay Dominicans, ask your Beloved Jesus to bless Br. Vito Martinez, O.F.M. Cap., in a very special way, for being so kind and generous to make this 15 decade traditional Dominican Rosary. May Br. Vito persists in his vocation. May he be full of grace. May he fulfill all that he is meant to be. In Jesus' Name I beg that this be done according to God's will. Amen.

Telling the Pope Where to Go

St. Catherine of Siena is famous for telling the Pope, Gregory XI, to leave Avignon and return to Rome. In watching this You Tube Video of Fr. Thomas McDermott, OP talk about St. Catherine, I was struck how the times in which she lived, were even worse than our own. Talk about scandals! Not only were the politicians and priests corrupt, but the pope, too! War surrounded her. Diseases, immorality, death, family dysfunction... what else!

In the first place, she couldn't have done what she did, if she weren't a Lay Dominican. Really? Yeah, really. Think about it: fourteenth century woman, who's going to pay attention to her? She was a pious woman so you would think that she'd have become a nun. But then how could she have traveled around to make peace between warring Italian cities, never mind travel to Avignon? She would have had to obey her religious superior. She was attractive, not only in appearance, but also in personality (in and out)so she would have had plenty of suitors, if she wanted. But if she were married, she would have had to obey her husband. How could she have left her children? The perfect place for her was with the Lay Dominicans. There she has the religious spirituality, peace, community, that the Dominicans offer, combined with life on the outside. As a Lay Dominican, she was a contemplative in the market place.

Perfect. Well, this isn't heaven, so even saints run into the wall, especially when it's dark. I'm talking about Catherine's "dark night of the soul." Here's Catherine of Siena, confident of God's love; she converses with Jesus; she has such a personal, loving relationship with God; and one day she finds that its gone. You know how that is?

You don't?

Then thank God. It's depression. It's a sudden feeling of loneliness, abandonment, blackness, coldnes;, it's just an overall feeling that something happened. One minute is fine and then the next........ What happened? God dropped your hand? I can't explain it. It's a feeling of immense difference in your being.

Anyway, Catherine explains it by calling it a loss of consolation. She had such wonderful intimate personal experiences. Then they stopped. Nothing.

But she persisted in praying. Of course her prayer probably was "Why?" And God answers all prayers. God responded by explaining to her that she needed to know that her love should be for God, not the graces He gifted her with. God needed to purify her love. He wanted to be loved for Himself, not His gifts. He is always present through grace. She was to focus on the Giver, not the gifts.

She did. She taught the Truth. The Truth to Catherine was Magisterium. She never despaired. The church was corrupt, governments were corrupt, the whole world was going to hell in a hand basket, and how did she respond? She concentrated on God. She prayed and drew closer to Him. She loved the Church, and God used her to help the church. Contrast her response to her world, to Martin Luther's response. What's your response? How many people see the scandals in the Church and leave?

St. Catherine of Siena is a saint for our times. Fr. McDermott has a web site devoted to her. Catherine said that what is needed is a conversion of heart. Even if you're Pope and think your pious, your heart needs to be notched up. She calls this conversion "The Bridge." It's a bridge that leads you up to God. At first one enters because they're afraid of God's damnation. Spiritual growth teaches you to love. Then you're comfortable with the love relationship you have between the Father and yourself. But it's kind of mercenary, because you're getting something out of it. You're in it for what you can get. Think about it. Why do you go to church?

The final step up and over the bridge is your love for God, purified. That's what you aim for. That's the end of the journey. That's your goal.

See you there.
'

Prayer for People Who are Searching

A prayer for people who are searching...

God, I am not sure if you really exist.
Accept me with all my doubts and fears
And show yourself to me in such a way
that I can somehow move forward.

Show yourself to me as love,
Show yourself to me as forgiveness
Show yourself to me as new life,
As the promise of a new beginning.

If there is anything I have done or not done
Which prevents me from seeing you,
May I have the strength to turn away from it,
And find a wholenesss I have not known before.

Jesus, although I do not know who you really are,
I invite you to be the one who fills my inner emptiness,
Who lightens my darkness,
The one I can entrust myself to without reserve
As I go forward on this journey of exploration.

May I allow myself to be surprised by you, God of surprises,
Surprised by a new reality of freedom, joy and peace.
Help me in my weakness and doubt as I open my heart to you.
Let me know your love for me.

H/T Catholic Enquiry Office via H/T www.bigccatholics.com/

Wear Red

The idea is suggested all over blogs and Catholic News via the internet. I'm giving credit to Rocco Palmo. Wear red this Sunday. It's Pentecost and so it's fitting. Didn't you wear a Red Sox shirt for opening day of the Red Sox? Don't you wear red, white, and blue for July 4th? What about Christmasy clothes for Christmas? Well?

Think of red as being celebratory. It's a symbol of the Holy Spirit.

Father will wear red.

Interfaith Dialogue

My Chapter is hosting an Interfaith Dialogue, next week. I'm reading the Letter to Presidents of Bishops' Conferences on the Spirituality of Dialogue, to prepare. It was written by Cardinal Francis Arinze in 1999. So it's ten years old. I still think it's apropos.

The Cardinal tells us that meetings with others of different faiths is demanded by our own faith. We should be engaged in interreligious dialogue. The Trinity is an example of this. The relationship between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is one of love and communion and is the "eminent model for human relations and the foundation of dialogue."

The Cardinal's words remind me of Sunday's Gospel: John 17:20-26. We should all be One in Christ. We are a community of believers. The main theme of that Gospel is that those who follow Jesus should be one, one with him and the Father and one with each other.

May God be with us.

Poem by Dana Gioia

Dana Gioia is this year's recipient of the Laetare Medal from Notre Dame.

Unsaid

So much of what we live goes on inside–
The diaries of grief, the tongue-tied aches
Of unacknowledged love are no less real
For having passed unsaid. What we conceal
Is always more than what we dare confide.
Think of the letters that we write our dead.

from Interrogations at Noon
© 2001 Dana Gioia

Conversion

Fr. Jeffrey Steel's blob, de cura animarum, quotes G.K. Chesterton talking about his conversion: "The Church is a house with a hundred gates; and no two men enter at exactly the same angle." Fr. Steel's own conversion is interesting, in itself, especially as a married Roman Catholic priest. Well, poke around on his blog and you'll find how and why.

Anyway, conversion is my topic. In Chapter today, we had a professor from Boston College scheduled to come give a Talk. But that didn't happen. So just to take up time, Sister Ruth went around the circle and asked us how our Spiritual Journeys were going. You know, "How's your prayer life?"

Some of their stories are miracles. One of my cloistered brothers was a gang leader. He actually had the power to order people killed. Now if that's not a miracle conversion what is?

Many came through the Cursillo gate. The Holy Spirit can slip in any gate. Another of my brothers spoke about working in the infirmary and seeing the witness of others. How faith helped people! How could that be wrong?

Another said he never felt like he belonged anywhere until he heard and experienced God's love. Tricia spoke of love, too. Of course, she's a cradle Catholic but was drawn to God personally through the Holy Spirit, during the Charismatic movement.

I was hoping we would run out of time before my turn came, but no such luck. I didn't know what to say. I don't have a conversion story. In fact, I still struggle with faith. I have problems with trusting in prayer. They seem like empty platitudes. But I persevere because that would be my advice to others. Some days are better than others. Maybe I should pray for the gate to be closed. Too many weird thoughts enter.

"Lord, close the gate on my faith. I keep wandering in and out. What if one time the gate closes and I'm left outside?"

Time for a visit to my Spiritual Director, Father Aquinas.

Surprise!

Yes! It was a surprise. Here's the expectant parents walking into the restaurant where the baby shower was held.

It was a Jack and Jill Shower. That means that both men and women were invited. It was like a wedding reception, except that the presents were for the baby. And the presents were everything you could wish for. They have everything they need, now: crib, car seat, high chair, pack n' play, toys, diapers, clothes. So many clothes the baby will have to be changed every hour, in order to wear them all.

We had fun, too. We play pass the pacifier. That consisted of passing a pacifier around the table via a straw in one's mouth. Then there was a drinking contest. Each grandfather picked two drinking buddies. The drinking buddies sucked water out of a baby bottle. Mark Schmidt won that one because he really sucks. ;-)

There was another one called Grandmas' choice. I chose two nieces. The other grandma chose a couple. The participants were blind folded. Then one had to feed the other. What a mess!

The last contest was the funniest. The expectant father and a friend sat in chairs. A balloon was placed under their shirts. They're simulating being pregnant. Then they stood up. A baby doll was placed between their thighs. Now they had to waddle across the room. The expectant dad won, only because he hip checked his opponent, who went careening into the tables.

And that's a Jack and Jill Shower.

Note to Self

Help me. I'm dragging. I've been up since 5:30 AM and I still have to bake for a surprise ____________. God help me.

Besides working my regular job. Then going to T.O.P.S. where I "was glad I was there," I then went to work at the Friends of Franklin Library Book Sale.

Once I got home, my cell rang and I had to turn around, drag my a## back over to Rosemary's house to pick up the doll she's making for tomorrow's surprise ________. God, I need a lot of help.

So it's almost 10:00 PM. I have to bake for tomorrow's surprise ___________ (actually it's in the oven). I'm too tired for Evening Prayer (but not to blog.)

Hubby made a few snarky remarks about me buying more books. (And he only saw a couple of bags of them. The rest are in my trunk.)

Tomorrow is another big day. I have a Regional Lay Dominican meeting in Boston and then at night is the surprise _______________.

I'll bog with pix tomorrow--if I'm not passed out.

Note to Self:
*** Don't volunteer to help out at anymore Book sales.
*** Don't volunteer to bake anything but boiled water.
*** Don't skip your prayers. You need all the help you can get.
*** Don't buy anymore books. (like that's going to happen).

A Glorious Day!

Today's Ascension Thursday! But that's not why I'm drunk with happiness. I'm delirious with joy. Know why?

Guess.

C'mon. Whatever you think, you're wrong.

I'm am ecstatic because I'm cured. Praise be to God. I never have to have another endoscopy, or colonoscopy. Well, maybe I will, but they'll be part of normal routine physicals, not because I have Cronkhite Canada Syndrome. That's a purgatorial illness.

I had an endoscopy today and my gastroenterologist said "Good-bye, and don't let the door knob hit you where the good Lord split you."

It's been a little over three years and I've been finally given a clean bill of health. Phew! Think of it. From wasting away, and planning my funeral, to TODAY!

God is good. All the time!!!! I also thank Fr. M. Jean Joseph Lataste, OP, for his intercession, Fr. Aquinas Keane, ocso, for his spiritual direction, for my friends, and my cloistered brothers, for all their prayers and support. Mostly, I thank my husband Dick who refused to allow me to waste away. He fed, cleaned, bathed, carried and cried with me. I thank God every day for the gift of this man. Deo Gratias.

Lord, Make Me Your Instrument

OK. I'm not the sharpest tool on the tool belt. I'm not the brightest light on the circuit. I'm not the ....

I'm talking about being careful for what you pray for.

Yikes.

What if Judas had prayed, "Lord, make me your instrument?"

'

Plug

My cyber-friend, Father Philip, has the second book out on Treasures, Holy & Mystical. This is a prayer book:
7 Novenas
7 Litanies
Rosary focused on the beatitudes

All are based on Catholic Tradition, yet speak to us, today. You can find it on Liguori Press.

How I Spent My Spring Vacation

It's raining today. Pouring, depressing rain is predicted for the entire weekend. Time to go home.

How I spent my Spring Vacation:
Visiting museums,
Hiking
Spa
Horseback riding
Praying on Mt. Greylock
Climbing a tree

Alice's Restaurant

Remember the song Alice's Restaurant by Arlo Guthrie? "You can get anything you want, at Alice's Restaurant." Not quite. That's because Alice's Restaurant is now the Guthrie Center. It's still very active with "comins and goins", but not the usual restaurant crowd.

We arrived just after the weekly Wed. community free lunch. Just our luck! But it's a nice thing to do for the locals. Everyone is respected here. It doesn't matter your race, religion, politics, nationality, or whatever. You're welcome. Whoever said that there's no such thing as a free lunch?

Besides the free lunch there's an emphasis on fund raising for Huntington's Disease. Arlo's father, Woody Guthrie died from Huntinton's. They hold an annual event called "The Walk-A-Thon To Cure Huntington's Disease." There's also the "Thanksgiving Dinner That Can't Be Beat," for families, friends, doctors, and scientists who live and work with Huntington's Disease.

There are spring, summer, and fall "Revivals," where Arlo and guest performers sing and play, to replenish the building and its foundation. Every Thursday is a Hootenanny. There's also room for meeting space for things like Interfaith yoga, meditation and prayer and support programs for families and friends living with HIV/AIDS and other life threatening illness.

So you can get what's important at Alice's Restaurant. At the least you will experience hope, that there can be a better world.

National Day of Prayer

Hubby and I attended the National Day of Prayer in Pittsfield, MA. It was nice to pray with others for our country. It was a real "rush" to pray with strangers, yet be united in prayer. It was very patriotic and an exercise in Freedom to Worship and Freedom of Speech.

God bless America!

And to think that political partisans argue over this. A Day of Prayer!

Wikipedia gives a history of the Day of prayer dating back to the Continental Congress. Nowadays those that are anti-Obama say he cancelled the Day of Prayer. Many things Obama may be, but he is not politically stupid. Snopes will give you the story, which is not only did the Pres not cancel the Day of Prayer, but he is the defendant in a lawsuit challenging the government's proclamation of a Day of Prayer. Appeals are still ongoing.

Today's service was meaningful. I don't know who the priest was that represented the Catholics, but he was perfect: not too long, clear, concise, articulate, and prayerful. In fact, he concluded with the prayer in the Chaplet of Divine Mercy:

Holy God,
Holy Mighty One,
Holy Immortal One,
have mercy on us
and on the whole world.
Amen.

Father Spag's Last Hurrah

I've been in my muse state, today. Lots of reminiscing. Thinking of lost friends, lost hopes, and even lost places. Heck! I'm upset when my favorite restaurant goes out of business! No wonder people protest vehemently when their churches close. Damn. All dreams end, don't they?



Father Spag’s Last Hurrah

Once there was a pensive priest
Looking out a store front window,
Seeing passers-by walk, run,
Stumble,
Search
And sigh.

He opened the door and planted
new flowers in the window box,
and dropped down a welcome mat.

The curious wandered in.
Late train passengers killed time.
Debaters circled the table.
Children watched videos.
Students sat and discussed.
Downtown workers lunched.
Bible study referenced books.
Protestant Ministers shared thoughts.
The occasional drunk dropped by.
Spiritual direction was given;
Pamphlets taken;
Confessions heard;
Absolution affirmed.

God bless them all.

Williamstown

Hubby was in heaven today. We hiked the Stone Bench Trail around the Clark Museum in Williamstown, MA in the morning. Then we went to WCMA.

Williams College Museum of Art has a broad range of exhibits. Besides sculpture and paintings, it has some colonial documents. I couldn't pull Dick away from them. They had King George's reply to the Declaration of Independence. It's was written in old English, but you can still read it. The Articles of Federation are there, also. As is the draft version of the Bill of Rights. I was finished with my viewing of the entire museum and he was still reading the documents!

My favorite exhibit was the Remington Sculptures. The detail and action are amazing.

Caveat Lector

I've been contemplating on how to verify the "Truth," lately. And coincidently, I ran into another reminder this morning when the Rev. Rob Pollock, from Vancouver, Canada, called my attention to a posting I made on April 15th, "Jewish View of the Catholic Church,". That post consisted of an article Sam Miller had written where he quoted misinformation from the magazine Sojourners that had also quoted misinformation attributed to PA prof Philip Jenkins, who said he never said it.

What am I talking about? Specifically, this quote:

"10% of the Protestant ministers have been found guilty of pedophilia."

When you think about it, 10% is an awful lot! This definitely should have been verified. It shouldn't have slipped by me. Mea Culpa!


So with the help of the ...ah...internet, I've developed some personal criteria to help me evaluate information I read on the "net." I read a lot. And most of it is on a computer. And most of that is "anonymous," unlike academic research, publications, books, etc., that have already been evaluated by scholars et al. But when reading instant news reports, or opinion sites (Huffington Post, Drudge, etc.)there are no filters. And because anyone can have a site or blog, postings of differing quality, written by authors from a wide range of authority, (or not) are available equally. Excellent resources reside along those more dubious.

Caveat Lector!

Hence, the Five True Criteria from The One True Faith:
Authorship: Do I know the author? If not, research his authenticity. Is this article/posting/ opinion, reasonable and realistic?
Spin: Is the information presented balanced and thoughtful? This may involve researching who the author works for, his agenda and other postings and the comments that may have been solicited from the post.
References: Check out all the references given. These may not be true, or may have been retracted.
If it's too good to be true, don't use it: if it can't be verified, no matter how much you want it, don't use it.
Would it be a good use of my time: ok, this is my personal caveat. Would this information be worth a meditation? Would my reflection on this information be a good use of my time?

If I had done # 3, I would have come across the questions and corrections this article solicited. Caveat Lector is on my bulletin board.

BTW, h/t to the John Hopkin's University's Evaluating Internet Information, where I got the idea of having criteria.

Lord, increase my perseverance to adhere to my principles and your commandments. I also humbly ask your grace to discern good from evil. Grant also that my writings be hopeful and never hurtful to anyone because I dedicate my cyberministry to you. I ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen

iPod Bible Study

Alan McCane, from the Wave Bible Study Team asked me to plug a new Bible study app--Wave Study Bible®--for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

The idea is to make Bible Study convenient to busy people. Imagine. You could do Bible Study while on a treadmill.

This is touted as a different Bible Study. Built for the average person and not the Biblical scholar, the Wave Study Bible makes it simple to integrate the Word into your daily life. They have various translations available also.

Poke around on their site and see if this study interests you.

Morning Exercise

When I opened the drapes this morning I noticed two young ladies running up the stairs, across the way. They ran up, but they walked down. Then they turned around and ran up again, and again, and again... I was curious so I started counting how many times they ran up.

I counted seventeen. And they were doing this before I even thought of counting.

Wowza! I'm impressed. And when they ran up, they often took two stairs at a time!

People are so health conscious nowadays. Everybody, it seems, belongs to a health club, is watching their diet, on a diet plan, and out walking or running. With all this attention to bodily health, it makes me wonder how much effort is put into their soul.

Wouldn't it be wicked awesome if people paid as much attention to their spiritual health, as they did to their physical health?

May Intentions

Have you ever prayed a Rosary in a group? Then maybe you heard at the end, "An Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be, for the Intentions of the Holy Father"? This is because the Pope announces his special prayer intentions every month.

The Holy Father offers two intentions every month: a general and a particular. For May, BXVI's general intention is "That the shameful and monstrous commerce in human beings, which sadly involves millions of women and children, may be ended."

The Holy Father's particular intention is "That ordained ministers, religious women and men, and lay people involved in apostolic work may understand how to infuse missionary enthusiasm into the communities entrusted to their care."

"Exploitation of people and enthusiasm," remember that. Lord hear our prayer.