Category: Church Street

The Miracle of the Loaves
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The Miracle of the Loaves

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by on Aug 02, 2014 in Catechesis, Columnists, Featured, Learn & Live the Faith, Sunday Reflections
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Only one miracle of Jesus is recorded in all four gospels–the multiplication of the loaves and fishes. I once heard a homilist give what he said was the real meaning of the story: the people in the crowd took out food they were hiding under their cloaks and shared it. Jesus’ preaching inspired the melting […]

Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, The Joy of the Gospel
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Front Row With Francis: Living Out the Eucharist

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by on Aug 01, 2014 in Catechesis, Featured, Learn & Live the Faith, The Shepherd's Voice
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As faithful Catholics, how exactly are we living out the Eucharist, both during and outside of Mass? This is the basic question posed by Pope Francis during the second part of his Catechesis on the Eucharist . In the first teaching, the pope reminded us about our real communion with Jesus and his mystery during […]

Reflections for Sunday, August 3, 2014
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Reflections for Sunday, August 3, 2014

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by on Jul 30, 2014 in Catechesis, Sunday Reflections
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Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion (Isaiah 55:1-3; Psalm 145:8-9,15-18; Romans 8:35,37-39; Matthew 14:13-21) Using the Gifts God has Given You Give them some food yourselves. (Matthew 14:16) Tony Melendez was born without any arms. But he was also born with a gift for music, so he developed a unique way to share […]

Sts. Nazarius and Celsus, martyrs.
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Sts. Nazarius and Celsus, martyrs.

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by on Jul 28, 2014 in Saint of the Day - Ex Form
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T. NAZARIUS’s father was a heathen, and held a considerable post in the Roman army. His mother, Perpetua, was a zealous Christian, and was instructed by St. Peter, or his disciples, in the most perfect maxims of our holy faith. Nazarius embraced it with so much ardor that he copied in his life all the […]

Ferial Day
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Ferial Day

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by on Jul 27, 2014 in Saint of the Day
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Sts. Joachim and Anne, parents of Mary
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Sts. Joachim and Anne, parents of Mary

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by on Jul 26, 2014 in Saint of the Day
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Anne was to be the mother of the Virgin Mother of God, and hence nature did not dare to anticipate the flowering of grace. Thus nature remained sterile, until grace produced its fruit. For she who was to be born had to be a first born daughter, since she would be the mother of the […]

Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, The Joy of the Gospel
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Front Row With Francis: The Eucharist and Renewing Our Hearts

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by on Jul 25, 2014 in Catechesis, Featured, Learn & Live the Faith, The Shepherd's Voice
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I do believe, help my unbelief! (Mark 9:24) Trembling and filled with anticipation I repeated this to myself as I walked down the aisle to receive, for the first time, the Eucharist. Pope Francis speaks to those gathered to receive his catechesis about the Eucharist (February 5, 2014) that “From this Sacrament of love, in […]

Reflections for Sunday, July 27, 2014
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Reflections for Sunday, July 27, 2014

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by on Jul 23, 2014 in Catechesis, Featured, Sunday Reflections
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Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion (1 Kings 3:5,7-12; Psalm 119:57,72,76-77,127-130; Romans 8:28-30; Matthew 13:44-52) Knowing We are Treasured by God Out of joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. (Matthew 13:44) Have you ever noticed how much effort some people put into identifying themselves with certain […]

The Parable of the Wheat and Tares
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The Parable of the Wheat and Tares

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by on Jul 19, 2014 in Catechesis, Columnists, Featured, Learn & Live the Faith, Sunday Reflections
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At one time or another, we’ve all dreamed of a perfect world.  Imagine a company where everyone is productive, a government full of honest politicians, a church where all are saints. Dreaming about such things is natural; expecting such things is dangerous.  Unrealistic expectations lead to discouragement, despair, even cynicism. That would be bad enough.  […]

Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, The Joy of the Gospel
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Front Row With Francis: The Sacrament of Confirmation

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by on Jul 18, 2014 in Catechesis, Featured, Learn & Live the Faith, The Shepherd's Voice
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When I got assigned to write about Pope Francis’ general audience on Confirmation, I was filled with joy. I smiled thinking how beautiful God works in our lives. I go to different churches and talk about the importance of Confirmation to our young people and tell them my story, and how the Holy Spirit worked […]

Reflections for Sunday, July 20, 2014
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Reflections for Sunday, July 20, 2014

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by on Jul 16, 2014 in Catechesis, Featured, Sunday Reflections
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Yielding to the Work of the Holy Spirit in Our Lives The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness. (Romans 8:26) If you remember nothing else about St. Paul, remember this: he loved to talk about the Holy Spirit! For just one example, take a look at chapter eight of his Letter to the […]

The Sower and the Seed
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The Sower and the Seed

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by on Jul 12, 2014 in Catechesis, Columnists, Featured, Learn & Live the Faith, Sunday Reflections
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I’ve always loved gardening.  Seeds I’ve planted include carrot, cucumber, and of course, zucchini.  In each case, I’ve planted seeds in neat rows, expecting nearly all of them to sprout and yield fruit. But the farmer in Jesus’ parable (Mat 13:1-23) uses the broadcast method.  Lots of seed cast everywhere.  And predictably, many of these […]

Reflections for Sunday, July 13, 2014
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Reflections for Sunday, July 13, 2014

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by on Jul 09, 2014 in Catechesis, Featured, Sunday Reflections
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Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion (Isaiah 55:10-11; Psalm 65:10-14; Romans 8:18-23; Matthew 13:1-23) Allowing the Scriptures to Transform Us and Bear Fruit in Our Lives My word … shall not return to me void. (Isaiah 55:11) A farmer is very careful during planting season. He selects the best seeds, chooses the most […]

Does Life Feel Like a Chore?
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Does Life Feel Like a Chore?

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by on Jul 05, 2014 in Catechesis, Columnists, Featured, Learn & Live the Faith, Sunday Reflections
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I once knew a woman who called herself “a recovering Catholic.” It seems that as a child, she was taught a religion that was all about guilt. Impossible demands were placed on her requiring strenuous efforts that were doomed to frustration. Turn the other cheek. Don’t even THINK about romantic flings. Love your enemies. Attempting […]

St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria
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St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria

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by on Jul 05, 2014 in Saint of the Day
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Saint Anthony Mary Zaccaria (Italian: Antonio Maria Zaccaria) (1502 – 5 July 1539) is an Italian saint. Anthony was born in the city of Cremona, Italy in 1502 to noble parents. When he was two his father died and he was brought up as an only child by his mother. At an early age, he […]

Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, The Joy of the Gospel
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Front Row With Francis: On Baptism

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by on Jul 04, 2014 in Catechesis, Featured, Learn & Live the Faith, The Shepherd's Voice
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The routine and ritual of the Sunday mornings of my childhood are forever etched into my memory. My siblings and I looked forward to Saturday night sleepovers at my Italian-immigrant Grandmother’s house and on Sunday morning we awoken to the smell of frying meatballs and simmering sauce. Hand in hand, we walked with my Grandmother […]

St. Thomas, Apostle
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St. Thomas, Apostle

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by on Jul 03, 2014 in Saint of the Day
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St. Thomas was one of the fishermen on Lake Galilee whom Our Lord called to be His apostles. By nature slow to believe, too apt to see difficulties, and inclined to look at the dark side of things, he had withal a most sympathetic, loving, and courageous heart. Once when Jesus spoke of the mansions […]

Reflections for Sunday, July 6, 2014
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Reflections for Sunday, July 6, 2014

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by on Jul 02, 2014 in Catechesis, Featured, Learn & Live the Faith, Sunday Reflections
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Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion(Zechariah 9:9-10; Psalm 145:1-2,8-11,13-14; Romans 8:9,11-13; Matthew 11:25-30) Following Jesus with Greater Zeal and Excitement You have revealed them to the childlike. (Matthew 11:25) Life is an adventure for little children. If you give them a present, they might play with the wrapping paper or the box it […]

The Lord Through a Looking Glass
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The Lord Through a Looking Glass

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by on Jun 29, 2014 in Featured, Live in Christ, Sunday Reflections
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I remember the day I discovered the joy of playing with a prism and the power generated by a magnifying glass. I was sitting on the windowsill of our fifth grade classroom and chatting with friends. We were looking at Mrs. Grace’s plants and goofing around with the magnifying glasses and prisms. I was fascinated […]

The Feast of Sts. Peter & Paul
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The Feast of Sts. Peter & Paul

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by on Jun 28, 2014 in Catechesis, Columnists, Featured, Learn & Live the Faith, Sunday Reflections
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“Self” Magazine is certainly a sign of the times. This is an age when it is socially acceptable to admit that life is all about me. But selfishness is nothing new. Ever since Eve bit into the apple, human beings have made the choice to dethrone God and put in His place the unholy trinity […]

Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, The Joy of the Gospel
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Front Row With Francis: Belonging to the Church

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by on Jun 27, 2014 in Catechesis, Featured, Learn & Live the Faith, The Shepherd's Voice
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Remember that scene from the movie QUO VADIS (okay, you don’t; the movie was released, after all, in 1951!) where two early Christians meet on the road? They don’t know each other and, in a time of persecution, they have to be circumspect around strangers. So, the first one draws an arc in the sand […]

Reflections for Sunday, June 29, 2014
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Reflections for Sunday, June 29, 2014

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by on Jun 25, 2014 in Catechesis, Featured, Sunday Reflections
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Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion (Acts 12:1-11; Psalm 34:2-9; Timothy 4:6-8,17-18; Matthew 16:13-19) Proclaiming the Word of God The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat and will bring me safe to his heavenly kingdom. (2 Timothy 4:18) Wait a minute! This passage sounds a lot like today’s psalm: “The angel […]

The Eucharist: The Body of Christ?
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The Eucharist: The Body of Christ?

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by on Jun 21, 2014 in Catechesis, Columnists, Featured, Learn & Live the Faith, Sunday Reflections
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The Catholic Church teaches the doctrine of transubstantiation, namely, that in the Eucharist, the communion wafer and the altar wine are transformed and really become the body and blood of Jesus Christ. Have you ever met anyone who has found this Catholic doctrine to be a bit hard to take? If so, you shouldn’t be […]

Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, The Joy of the Gospel
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Front Row With Francis: The Nature of the Church

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by on Jun 20, 2014 in Catechesis, Featured, Learn & Live the Faith, The Shepherd's Voice
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After concluding his talks on the gifts of the Spirit, Pope Francis now takes up the subject of the Church, its identity and mission. He began by warmly welcoming everyone as his brothers and sisters. This was a fitting greeting since his address emphasized God’s desire to form a family of people through Fatherly love. […]