Catholic Caucus: Joys and Inspiration

3 April A.D. 2002 | father_elijah

[father_elijah]

I have received the joyful news that two of our Freeper family entered the Church at Vigil this last weekend. ventana and roachie received the sacraments, and this is an occasion for great rejoicing by all of the faithful.

I thought it would be good for us to congratulate those who have just entered the Church by posting a welcome, a favorite Catholic quote, a favorite Catholic link, a favorite Scripture, or even a favorite holy card image. Please join me in welcoming ventana and roachie. If there are any others, please let us know so we may all rejoice.

[american colleen]

Add "Fury" to your list!

[father_elijah]

Dear ejo, Your story moves me very deeply. Thank you for telling us of how God brought you back to the Church.

Welcome home. Yes indeed, welcome home, dear ejo.

[patent]

Congratulations to all who found faith this year, what a difference He makes!

patent

(Bumping. Let me know if you want on or off the list. Click my screen name for a description.)

[Brian Kopp DPM]

Hmmm, I forgot to bump my own list, but this is well worth it!

Sorry for any redundancy with patent's list, or if you've already have present and accounted for. And, as usual, if you would like on or off my little bump list, let me know.

--Proud2bRC

[Romulus]

To paraphrase Flannery O'Connor: Now that we eat the same actual food, you will know that your being where you are increases the rest of us, and the other way round.

[katnip]

Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ in breadth,
Christ in length,
Christ in height,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today through a mighty strength,
the invocation of the Trinity,
through belief in the Threeness,
through confession of the Oneness of the Creator of creation.
Salvation is of the Lord.
Salvation is of the Lord. Salvation is of Christ.
May Thy Salvation, O Lord, be ever with us. Amen.

From St. Patricks Breastplate

A Hundred Thousand Welcomes to you both.

[Judith Anne]

"Who shall grant me to rest in Thee? By whose gift wilt Thou come into my life, and fill it so compellingly that I shall turn no more to my sins, but embrace Thee, my only Good? What art Thou to me? What, rather am I to Thee, that Thou shouldst demand my love, and if I do not love Thee, threaten such great woe? Surely, not to love Thee is already a great woe..."

--St. Augustine of Hippo

I can't express why these particular words from St. Augustine to Christ are so moving to me, I only know that they were...I wouldn't be surprised if they bored anyone else, nor would I be offended...hope you like them....You are so blessed...this is a wonderfully spiritually acute time for you...I pray you walk always in His Light and Love.

[katnip]

I thought it was beautiful. Thanks for posting it. I've never read it before.

[Judith Anne]

I'm glad you thought so...You're very welcome. ;-D

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

Hi Father:)

ventana and roachie, I have all these great quotes stored away, then when the time comes to use them I can't find them! If at some point in the future you find yourself in difficult times, perhaps these Scripture quotes may be of help to you. They are a couple of my favorites.

My son, when you come to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for trials. Be sincere of heart and steadfast, undisturbed in times of adversity. Cling to him, forsake him not; thus will your future be great. Accept whatever befalls you, in crushing misfortune be patient; For in fire gold is tested, and worthy men in the crucible of humiliation. Trust God and he will help you; make straight your ways and hope in him. (Sirach 2:1-6)

And another...

Wisdom instructs her children and admonishes those who seek her. He who loves her loves life; those who seek her out win her favor. He who holds her fast inherits glory; wherever he dwells the Lord bestows blessings. Those who serve her serve the Holy One; those who love her the Lord loves. He who obeys her judges nations; he who hearkens to her dwells in her inmost chambers. If one trusts her, he will possess her; his descendants too will inherit her. She walks with him as a stranger, and at first she puts him to the test; Fear and dread she brings upon him and tries him with her discipline; With her precepts she puts him to the proof, until his heart is fully with her. Then she comes back to bring him happiness and reveal her secrets to him. (Sirach 4:11-18)

The path is not always easy, but the benefits are many (and eternal!) Congratulations!

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

The name on this link immediately caught my eye. I had never heard of this man until last week. I was feeling a little down and flipping through the channels. I think I landed on EWTN, I don't know, but "he" was speaking. It was incredible! I felt jolted and riveted, he is a VERY powerful speaker! I was so impressed and felt spiritually nourished in a strange way after listening to him. I will definitely check this link out in more detail.

[fatima]

Geni and Paulette,away for 20 years each

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

Greetings in Christ. Warm and sincerest congratulations!
May His many blessings continue to bring faith, love, and
joy in your lives.
God Bless

[fatima]

ventana and roachie,Stay close to Our Lady and pray the rosary every day,She will lead you close to Her Son,congarts brats of God for He does spoil us

[saradippity]

Welcome home from another member of the family.I'm going to give you some practical advice given to me years ago by a nun in 4th or 5th grade. Sister said it was all the PALE GAS we carried with us that was gonna snuff out life.She said before we went to confession we had to check out how much we had with us because it caused most of our sins.To this day I use it as part of my examination of conscience and find after all these years I have just about rid myself of the PALE part but still have plenty of GAS.

P for pride

A for avarice

L for lust

E for envy

G for gluttony

A for anger,and

S for sloth.

I'm so glad you found us,its a wonderful place to be as we journey Home to our Father,who waits for us.

[.45MAN]

Thanks for all the sites.....

[johniegrad]

Thanks for the heads up. My wife did the same thing last year.

[Nubbin]

Welcome home! from one who entered the Church 9 years ago.

Too late have I loved you,
O Beauty so ancient, O Beauty so new,
too late have I loved you!
You were within me but I was outside myself,
and there I sought you!
In my weakness
I ran after the beauty
of the things you have made.
You were with me,
and I was not with you.
The things you have made kept me from you -
the things which would have no being
unless they existed in you!

You have called,
you have cried out,
and you have pierced my deafness.
You have radiated forth,
you have shined out brightly,You have sent fort your fragrance,
and I haved breathed it in,
and I long for you.
I have tasted you,
and I hunger and thirst for you.
You have touched me,
and I ardently desire your peace.

St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430)
Bishop, Writer, Doctor

Wherever the Catholic sun doth shine
There's always laughter and good red wine;
At least I've always found it so
Benedicamus Domino.

Hillaire Belloc

I highly recommend 'Triumph; The Power and Glory of the Catholic Church', by H.W. Crocker III.

[pegleg]

Welcome Home!

“The difficulty of explaining "why I am a Catholic" is that there are ten thousand reasons all amounting to one reason: that Catholicism is true. “ G. K. Chesterton, Twelve Modern Apostles and Their Creeds (1926)

[AKA Elena]

I'll leave you with some Catholic words to live by instilled in me by my folks: Offer it up!

"Cloned" in our upbringing again, Askel5 ... from a scraped knee, to the throes of childbirth, to the mental pain of human betrayal, those words rang through my mind and I did try to "offer it up".

These are some of the too little used and often forgotten words of this selfish world.

Offer it up simply rounds out the wholeness of life and glorifies Him in their union with HIM ... even though we might want to take them back with each new wave of mental or physical "pain". They cannot make us refrain from asking "why me, Lord?" -- but they are memorable in retrospect to the event.

The Morning Offering and the Rosary are vital and living prayers for daily coping.

God Bless those who were received this last weekend fully into His Fold and His Flock ... please send your purest prayers on my behalf and on behalf of those who take charge over all of us ... as a shining offering of His Grace which fills you to those of us whose grace might be less "FRESH".