CATHOLIC FAITH AT HOME RESOURCES

For Our STELLA MARIS

Family of Parishes

including:

St. Thomas More, St. Bernadette,

St. Mary's, St. Peter's


July 30


FEAST DAY OF

ST. JOHN VIANNEY


AUGUST 4


Born into a poor French farm family ,

Saint John Vianney struggled with learning limitations, especially Latin, that made it difficult for him to become a priest, but he succeeded.


And what the Lord didn't give John in educational skills

He made up for in other areas!


Sent to the parish of Ars-sur-Formans where parishioners were not very interested

in Catholicism or spiritual life, Saint John determined that if his parishioners would not come to church he would go to them.

He visited the sick and the poor until his congregation came to love him

and attend mass too!


This saint was known for many miracles while he was alive.

He had the power of hidden knowledge, prophecy and spiritual guidance.


When he retired from serving his parish for 40 years,

nearly 20,000 pilgrims visited Ars-sur-Formans each year.


The patron saint of all priests, St. John's life proves that we are all gifted

and can do great things in God's name!


A common saying of his:

"Private prayer is like straw scattered here and there:

If you set it on fire, it makes a lot of little flames.

But gather these straws into a bundle and light them,

and you get a mighty fire, rising like a column into the sky;

public prayer is like that."


Click below to find five prayers for priests:


FIVE PRAYERS FOR PRIESTS


WELCOME our

STELLA MARIS FAMILY's


DIRECTOR OF EVANGELIZATION

*** BRAD BURSA ***



And join him AUG. 2

in the Parish Dining room

at St. Thomas More Church

 

HAVE YOU HEARD

ABOUT THE MOVIE,

"SOUND OF FREEDOM"???



With over a million tickets sold before its July 4 release,

(that's over $10 million in pre-sales)

Sound of Freedom was a surprise Independence Day hit.



Based on the true story of Tim Ballard

(played by Jim Caviezel),

a former Homeland Security agent.

When he rescued a boy from being sex trafficked then learned

that his sister was still a captive,

he set out to save hundreds of other children from captivity.


In our world RIGHT NOW, there are millions trapped

in slavery and sex trafficking.

The most horrific and devastating example

is the sale of the weakest and most

vulnerable in society, our children.


Click here to find it at a theater near you.


A streaming release date has not been announced,

however, following Angel Studios' His Only Son theater and digital release timeframes, it might premiere on VOD platforms like iTunes, Prime Video and Angel.com in either late October or early November of 2023.


Click below to hear Fr. Mike Schmitz share his honest review of this movie ,

offering an encouraging word for how each of us can confront this terrible reality:


FR. SCHMITZ REVIEWS THE MOVIE, SOUND OF FREEDOM


Click below to watch the official trailer:



SOUND OF FREEDOM TRAILER


Click below to read the Bishops' Prayer to End Trafficking:


PRAYER TO END TRAFFICKING

DO YOU PRAY

THE ANGELUS??

 

At a conference with Fr. Ripperger,

this seasoned exorcist,

advised that

the first spiritual exercise

he and the Doloran Fathers

give to anyone seeking their assistance

because of suffering from

spiritual affliction

is the discipline of praying

The Angelus

at three specified times daily.


He explained that satan and his minions vehemently despise Our Lady and

are far less able to influence a soul

who willingly subjects themselves to a discipline of regular prayer.


Fr. Ripperger said the combination of

a thorough confession and

the practice of praying the Angelus

resolved most cases of those complaining of troubling, diabolical issues.


Click below to read more about this ancient and powerful prayer:

THE ANGELUS PRAYER


HOW TO BUILD A PRAYER LIFE


So much evil in the Church today

is a direct result of a failure to pray.


Fortunately, the Church provides

so many ways to connect with God!


The most important and powerful

are the Sacraments,

but just being willing to sit with the Lord

is also a crucial part of our spiritual lives.



Click below to hear Chris Stefanick teach

some of the different ways to pray,

why they’re all important and

how to build a prayer life. 


WHY YOU NEED TO PRAY

EUCHARISTIC MIRACLE CONFERENCE

AT OUR LADY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT CENTER


DETAILS BELOW...

SPECIAL PRAYERS

Prayer for Priests

by Saint John Vianney


God please give your Church today many

more priests after your own heart.


May they be worthy representatives of

Christ the Good Shepherd.


May they wholeheartedly devote themselves

to prayer and penance;


Being examples of humility and poverty;


Shining models of holiness;


Tireless and powerful preachers of the Word of God;


Zealous dispensers of your grace in the sacraments.


May their loving devotion to your

Son Jesus in the Eucharist

and to Mary his Mother

be the twin fountains of

fruitfulness for their ministry.


Amen.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

And for inspiration through

our Family of Parishes' Patron...


Click below to read the:

AVE MARIS STELLA Prayer


Click below to hear:

AVE MARIS STELLA in Gregorian Chant


Click below to hear:

AVE MARIS STELLA sung in English

NATIONAL EUCHARISTIC REVIVAL

NEW WEEKLY INFO


CHECK OUT THE SPEAKERS


Congress attendees will be equipped

and inspired through powerful

plenary sessions and edifying breakouts

across five unique tracks.

These powerful, unitive experiences

will be led by some of the Church’s

most trusted voices and on-fire experts.


Click the link below to see who they are:


MEET THE SPEAKERS FOR THE

EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS


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How to Feel the Joy of Jesus’ Presence...

Even in Difficult Times


Bishop Mario Dorsonville of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux

shares a powerful story of how a sick woman

encountered the joy of Jesus’ Presence in the Holy Eucharist.


This same joy fuels his own mission and calling as a priest:

“How Jesus embraces me in [the] most

difficult times of my life—you can feel it.”


Click below to watch his story:


BISHOP DORSONVILLE'S STORY

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


We Are Not Alone: The Promise of the Eucharist


Members of the National Eucharistic Revival and

Congress Teams spent a fruitful week in Italy

encountering Jesus in many holy places—

in word, in sacrament, and in the communion of saints.


Zachary Keith shares his own experience

of this powerful pilgrimage,

which both deepened his identity as a

missionary disciple and heartened his

enthusiasm for the Revival through the

enthusiastic support of Pope Francis

Click below to read his story:


ZACHARY'S STORY


++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

In the Streets


Another major moment in the Revival:

National Eucharistic Pilgrimage

one of the largest Eucharistic pilgrimages in history!


We will process with our Eucharistic Lord on 4 routes,

departing from our nation's north, south, east, and west edges.


These branches will meet in Indianapolis in July 2024

for the National Eucharistic Congress.


To see the four routes, and intercessor for each, click below:


NATIONAL EUCHARISTIC PILGRIMAGE ROUTES


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The Eucharist and the Sacred Heart:

A Prayer after Communion

By St. John Henry Newman


Most Sacred, most loving Heart of Jesus,

You are concealed in the Holy Eucharist,

And you beat for us still.

Now, as then, you say: “With desire I have desired.”

I worship you with all my best love and awe,

With fervent affection,

With my most subdued, most resolved will.

For a while you take up your abode within me.

O make my heart beat with your Heart!

Purify it of all that is earthly,

All that is proud and sensual,

All that is hard and cruel,

Of all perversity,

Of all disorder,

Of all deadness.

So fill it with you,

That neither the events of the day,

Nor the circumstances of the time,

May have the power to ruffle it;

But that in your love and your fear,

It may have peace.


Registration for the Congress


With all the grace Our Lord wants to pour over the U. S.

through this Congress,

the devil wants to disrupt it in big and little ways.


Please pray - even just a quick prayer -

for everyone involved, especially:


• The technology that will process registrations

Congress volunteers

• Event organizers and administrative staff

• All those considering attending

• All who God is calling to the Congress, especially sacrifice to be there

• The pilgrims as they prepare for the National Eucharistic Procession


Thank you for being a Prayer Partner of the Revival.

Your intercession makes a real difference!!!

WILL YOU BE THERE, TOO?


You can join us!

in July, 2024

for the 10th National Eucharistic Congress.


Directly experience the fruits of your intercession and

see its impact around the country.

Click the link below to REGISTER:

REGISTRATION FOR 10TH

NATIONAL EUCHARISTIC CONFERENCE

QUIZ! FOR THE WEEK


WHAT IS A HUMERAL VEIL?  

 

Scroll down to find the answer!


HUMOR HIGHLIGHT


GETTING INTO

TROUBLE




Kevin was not an ideal child. He managed to get into mischief frequently, along with his younger brother, Ken, who always trailed behind him. At her wits' end, his long-suffering mother took him to see their parish priest. The father decided to focus Kevin's mind on higher levels.


"Kevin," he asked with great seriousness, "Where is God?"


Kevin gave no reply.


"Kevin, where is God?"


Again there was silence.


For a third time the priest asked the question, but this time Kevin bolted from the office and ran all the way home. He burst into his brother's room.


"Ken," he panted breathlessly, "Father can't find God and he thinks we had something to do with it!"

 

GOSPEL READING REFLECTION

For JULY 30, 2023


SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Gospel:  Mt 13:44-52


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Growing in Prudence



  • The kingdom of God, or the salvation Christ has won for us, or Christ himself, is of unsurpassed value.


  • The most prudent thing anyone can do who gets a glimpse of it is to put it first in one’s life, like the person who finds the treasure buried in the field or the jeweler who finds a pearl of great price.


  • At the same time there is an urgency in doing so, because we will all be judged at the end of our lives and either be approved or condemned.


  • Prudence, or practical wisdom, or sound decision-making is one of the most important virtues anyone can acquire. It is the ability to know what to do in any situation and to act on that knowledge.


  • Solomon had enough prudence to ask God for more of it.


  • To obey and to love God’s will is great prudence.


  • To realize that God will judge me for the good and evil I do in this life is the beginning of prudence if it will move me to repent of the evil and to do good.



SCOTT HAHN'S

MASS READINGS REFLECTION


Click the link below to hear Scott Hahn reflect on

the SEVENTEENTH Sunday in Ordinary Time:


TREASURES OF THE KINGDOM


17TH SUNDAY REFLECTIONS WITH DR. HAHN




ANSWER TO QUIZ


The humeral veil is a long,

rectangular vestment used

to cover a sacred vessel

or the hands of the priest at specific times.


It is usually white and embroidered in the center

with a symbol of Christ.


The name derives from the way it is worn,

across the shoulders and back, called the humera in Latin.


Benediction is when most of us see this special vestment.

The priest vests himself with the humeral veil,

covering his hands in its folds before

lifting the monstrance for the blessing.


The veil is meant to "hide" the priest

so that we focus only on the monstrance.


This reminds us that

it is not the priest

who blesses us with the Eucharist,

but Jesus Christ Himself,

in the Eucharist.


This same symbolism is practiced in Eucharistic processions.


See an example of a humeral veil below:

ST. THOMAS MORE WEBSITE LINKS


Click the link below to find more:


Faith Formation Activities & Events for every Month & Season


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Click on the link below for past newsletters:

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BOOK

RECOMMENDATION

 

We need to be armed for battle!



At all times, and especially during these crazy times in this vale of tears,

we need to lay our foundation in Christ Jesus.

Spiritual reading helps us build and strengthen that foundation.

Order though your favorite book dealer.

This week's recommendation is:

 

THE DIARY OF A COUNTRY PRIEST

By Georges Bernanos


In this classic Catholic novel, Bernanos movingly recounts

a young French country priest's life as he

grows to understand his provincial parish, while learning spiritual humility himself. 


An idealistic young Catholic priest in an isolated French village,

he keeps a diary describing the

parish's unheroic suffering and petty internal conflicts.


This may sound like a thin plot for a novel, but 

Diary of a Country Priest, by George Bernanos, remains

one of the 20th century's most vivid evocations of saintly life.


First published in 1937, it describes a faithful man's experience of failure.

He records feelings of inferiority and sadness that he cannot express to his parishioners.


And as he approaches death, from cancer,

the priest's saintliness remains unclear to him, but becomes undeniable to the reader.


"How easy it is to hate oneself! True grace is to forget.

Yet if pride could die in us, the supreme grace

would be to love oneself in all simplicity

--as one would love any one of those

who themselves have suffered and loved in Christ."

We pray you will be excited to embark on purposeful

spiritual reading as a way to build a more prayer-filled,

Christ centered life.