Dear Friends,
After college, several of us were fortunate to tour through Europe. We saw the major cities and countries. I remember being in Munich, the beautiful old town square, the cleanliness of everything, the precision timing of the trains and public transportation, the Olympic Village (it was the year for the Olympics in Munich), the German food, and of course a visit to the Hofbräuhaus. We ate dinner first and then visited the beer hall for a stein of beer and to listen to German music. While we visited there in June, I think now that we are in the middle of October this memory has resurrected for me. It was a great visit!
The work on the confessionals is taking shape much more rapidly now than at the start of this project. I don’t think they will be available until after next weekend, but they look very nice indeed. Feel free to take a look after Mass. Thank you for your patience. It will be good to be able to use them again for the awesome Sacrament of Mercy and Healing ~ Penance.
Our students preparing for Confirmation participated in a retreat over last weekend. They had the choice of coming on Saturday or Sunday. We recruited additional priests who were able to help us hear confessions on both days. What a wonderful and blessed event for these young disciples as they prepare for full incorporation into the Mystical Body of Christ.
The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are so essential in our spiritual journey. We all memorized what they are as we prepared to receive the fulness of the Holy Spirit ~ wisdom, knowledge, counsel, understanding, fortitude, piety, and fear of the Lord. It would be a wonderful exercise in faith for each of us this week to look these gifts up in the Catechism of the Catholic Church or the Catholic Encyclopedia and to refresh our understanding of just how important they are and how the Holy Spirit gives us grace upon grace in our spiritual journey. Confirmation is scheduled for November 5 and Archbishop Prez will be here. Keep all these folks and their families in your good prayers.
Our Gospel this weekend from Luke tells us that Jesus told His disciples “…a parable about the necessity to pray always without becoming weary.” Our human nature can easily become wearied. We need to fight against it because God is ready and willing to pour out grace upon grace upon us. Persistence and perseverance are essential in our spiritual journey. And that should not surprise us, they are necessary in any human pursuit as well. So let us acknowledge and affirm that “our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” Do not rely on the things of this earth, nor on the powers of this life. Rather rely and depend on the God who made you in His image and likeness, who suffered and died for you, and who sanctifies you by His grace, mercy, healing, and power.
God bless you, God love you,
Monsignor McCulken
