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The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
Today was the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. This is a very important day for Catholics as it represents one of our core beliefs, the real presence of Christ in the body and blood at Communion. Today at Mass I happened to be both a greeter and an extraordinary minister of the Eucharist. Since our patron saint is St. John the Baptist and his feast day is tomorrow, we also had fellowship after Mass. This consisted of beverages, donuts, and cookies. A nice time to meet and talk with those you know and any new faces that you might not know. I wish more people took advantage of it, but unfortunately, many left right after Mass. Perhaps they had other pressing things to attend to. I am not trying to judge; it is just that I feel it was a missed opportunity. I was born and raised a Catholic, but I drifted away over the years and it was not till 5-6 years ago that I earnestly “came home.” It really did feel like home. It is one of the tales where you go off and search every where else only to find that what…
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Book Review: The Reluctant Disciple: Daring to Believe
Title: The Reluctant Disciple: Daring to Believe Author: David Wells, the Director of adult faith formation in the Diocese of Plymouth. Married with three kids. Guest-lectures at three universities.[1] Published: Toronto, Ontario: Novalis, 2015. Pages-181. At my church, for the last couple of years, I have attended a book/Bible study facilitated by our parish priest in between the 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. Mass. We have read and discussed several books from C.S. Lewis and many that were strictly Bible study. We just finished with The Reluctant Disciple. I will be honest, when it was first mentioned I had my doubts. I guess I can tend to be cynical. I was all for Augustine’s Confessions, but Father was probably correct in steering us away from that. Now that we have finished the book, I can truly say it was a good fit for our group. Wells presents thirty chapters that are each titled with a catchy phrase such as, “What the turkey taught us,” Stupid Me,” and “Are you keeping busy?” The chapters start with a few lines of scripture, then, an anecdotal story from Well’s personal life, followed by a part he calls “Making connections, which is really just seeking…
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Retreat Review: The ONE% Challenge Retreat
Retreat Review: The ONE% Challenge Retreat (First of Three) Facilitator: Peter Andrastek, Senior Parish Consultant of Evangelical Catholic Inc. Peter leads the parish mission of the Evangelical Catholic. He holds a Master of Theological Studies in Pastoral Theology from Ave Maria University. He has worked in adult formation in the Church since 2003. His experience includes preaching retreats, teaching theology and adult catechesis courses, and giving presentations and trainings for numerous parishes, dioceses, movements, and institutions in the Church. He currently advises over 30 EC Parish and Diocesan Alliances and Associates nationwide. He lives in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin with his wife and seven children.[1] Where: St. John the Baptist Church, Dry Ridge Road, Cincinnati, Ohio When: 7-9 p.m., Sunday, March 11, 2018 Other Details: The first of three evening retreats on life, prayer, and faith. Designed to kick-start a greater movement of the Holy Spirit in your life and community. The evening started with an introduction by Amanda Weickert, our Pastoral Associate for Faith Formation. She mentioned that this would be a deepening of our relationship with God. She introduced Peter as a husband and father of seven children. Peter stood up and addressed the group. He looked to be…
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Lecture Review: Evolution and the Catholic Faith
Lecture Review: Evolution and the Catholic Faith (Fifth Annual Conway Lecture) Lecturer: Stephen M. Barr, a University of Delaware physics professor, author, Bartol Research Institute member and president of the Society of Catholic Studies. Barr is a frequent lecturer on the topic of science and religion, and is the author of Modern Physics and Ancient Faith (2003) and The Believing Scientist: Essays on Science and Religion (2016). He was awarded the Benemerenti Medal by Pope Benedict XVI in 2007 for exemplary service to the Church. Where: University of Cincinnati McMicken Hall, room 127 When: 7-8:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 7, 2018 Other Details: Fifth Annual Conway Lecture presented by Catholic Studies of University of Cincinnati. Free and open to the public. The Conway lecture is named in honor of Ruth J. and Robert A. Conway, who donated $2 million to establish the chair in Catholic studies at UC. M.C. was Jeff Zalar. Housed within the Department of History in the College of Arts and Sciences, the Program in Catholic Studies explores the history, spirituality, literary and artistic traditions, and contemporary significance of Roman Catholicism. Through interdisciplinary teaching, student mentorship, and public lectures, it fosters greater understanding of Catholic beliefs, culture, and…
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Book Review: Liturgy 101: Sacraments and Sacramentals
Title: Liturgy 101: Sacraments and Sacramentals Author: Daniel G. Van Slyke Published: Liguori Publications; Liguori, Missouri; 2010; Paperback 143-pages. The title explains this book quite well, it is an entry level look at liturgy in relation to the sacraments and sacramentals. With that being said, it is not a dry, point by point, presentation of the facts, instead, Van Slyke presents the information in a language and style that is modern and easily understood. His true desire is for the reader to learn and develop a love and understanding of the special gift the sacraments entail. Basic terminology, such as, liturgy, sacrament, rite, Rite, rights, ordinary and extraordinary, that we hear so often, and yet perhaps do not fully understand their meaning, he explains with a look into ancient languages, history, cultural influences, and biblical references. A vital part of the didactic process is provided at the end of each chapter: a number of thought provoking questions, a list of abbreviations and sources used, and a few suggestions of additional reading. Modern complaints about the sacraments are presented and defended. The importance of the seven sacraments as a gift from God and that they are the “Pillars of the Church”…
