https://www.respectlife.org/9-days-signup
We are Very Excited to announce that the 4th Annual Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Men's Conference will be held on Saturday, March 15th at our parish hall in Miami, AZ. This year's guest speaker is internationally renowned, Fr. Donald Calloway. Fr. Donald has a very moving conversion story, and is the author of 15 books, including Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father. He is a very passionate conference speaker on topics such as Divine Mercy, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and St. Joseph. presentations to men seeking to improve their relationship with Jesus Christ and His church. He is also a professional surfer. To learn more about him please visit fathercalloway.com.
Seating is Limited. For your convenience we now offer online registration for the men's conference. You can register here: Buy Ticket or scan the QR code on the flyer (below).
This is BIG NEWS for the Catholic men in our part of the state, and it will certainly be an amazing men's conference we do not want any man to miss! Please share the attached pdf flyer with your parish office, men's groups, friends, family and anyone else you know. Our goal is to have 100+ men at the conference, and by all our efforts as a band of brothers, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, we are going to do it!
On behalf of the Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Parish Men's Conference Committee, we sincerely thank you for your support, deep faith, and dedication to spreading the Good News of the Gospel. Please let us know if you have any questions.
Rachel’s Corner-Try “ANZAC Biscuits[4]”
Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
(Luke 1:38)
· Today is my aunt’s birthday Denise Gail (her name means “To be devoted …to the joy of the father); please pray for her intentions.
· do a personal eucharistic stations of the cross.
· Religion in the Home for Preschool: January
· Carnival Time begins in Catholic Countries.
· Spirit Hour: St. Honorat Wines
· Bucket List trip: Buenos Aires
· How to celebrate Jan 16th
o Hey, you’ve got a bunch of offbeat holidays lined up! Let’s dive in and make the most of them. Start your day by munching on some delicious Fig Newtons to honor National Fig Newton Day. Next, add some fire to your life with International Hot and Spicy Food Day – challenge yourself to whip up a spicy dish for lunch.
o For National Quinoa Day, cook up a healthy quinoa salad for a light and nutritious snack. Wind down with a calming cup of rooibos tea to celebrate International Rooibos Day. Take a moment to appreciate the teens around you for National Good Teen Day. Engage in peaceful discussions about different beliefs on National Religious Freedom Day.
o Get moving on Women’s Healthy Weight Day by going for a walk or doing some yoga. Unleash your creativity on National Appreciate A Dragon Day by drawing or reading about these mythical creatures. Relax and pamper yourself on National Without a Scalpel Day – a bubble bath or a face mask can do wonders. And finally, for National Nothing Day, simply take a breather and do absolutely nothing. Enjoy the odd mix of celebrations – have a blast!
· Plan winter fun:
o Soak in hot springs
o Hit the snow slopes
o Ride a snowmobile
o Go for a dog sled ride
o Ride a hot air balloon
Best Place to visit in January: Argentina
Things to do in Argentina as a family
Argentina, with its vast open expanses, agreeable climate, incredible adventure offerings and super friendly locals makes it the perfect place for a family vacation to suit all ages. We’ve done our research and scoped out the perfect family-friendly experiences and places to visit in Argentina to keep everyone entertained. This seven-night vacation is the right mix of adventure, culture and relaxation and is the perfect introduction to exploring South America.
You’ll start your tour of Argentina off in Buenos Aires, one of our favorite cities anywhere, where our team of expert guides will let you in on the best-hidden gems. Then we’ll take you south to Bariloche, one of Argentina’s most beautiful regions hidden in the middle of the Patagonian mountains. Here, you’ll kayak, hike and bike your way around this stunning wilderness with expert guides in tow as you bring the geography of Argentina to life. You’ll get a true sense of wilderness in this unique, luxury family adventure.
Thursday Feast
Thursday is the day of the week that our Lord gave himself up for consumption. Thursday commemorates the last supper. Some theologians believe after Sunday Thursday is the holiest day of the week. We should then try to make this day special by making a visit to the blessed sacrament chapel, Mass or even stopping by the grave of a loved one. Why not plan to count the blessing of the week and thank our Lord. Plan a special meal. Be at Peace.
Dinner Menu
JANUARY 16 Thursday
Religious freedom day
Jeremiah,
Chapter 42, Verse 11-16
11 Do not FEAR the king of Babylon, as you do now. Do not fear him—oracle of the LORD—for I am
with you to save you, to rescue you from his power. 12 I
will take pity on you, so that he will have pity on you and let you return to
your land. 13 But if you keep
saying, “We will not stay in this land,” thus disobeying the voice of the LORD,
your God, 14 and
saying, “No, we will go to the land of Egypt, where we will not see war, nor
hear the trumpet alarm, nor hunger for bread. There we will live!” 15 then
listen to the word of the LORD, remnant of Judah: Thus says the LORD of hosts,
the God of Israel: If you are set on going to Egypt and settling down there
once you arrive, 16 the
sword you fear shall overtake you in
the land of Egypt; the hunger you dread shall pursue you to Egypt and there you
shall die.
Faith
is always a great multiplier in overcoming odds, take the story of Glen
Cunningham who beat the odds to go on to compete at the Olympics.
Glenn Verniss Cunningham (August 4, 1909 – March 10, 1988)
was an American distance runner and athlete considered by many the greatest
American miler of all time. Cunningham was nicknamed the "Kansas
Flyer", the "Elkhart Express" and the "Iron Horse of Kansas".
Cunningham's legs were very badly
burned in an explosion caused when someone accidentally put gasoline instead of
kerosene in the can at his schoolhouse when he was eight and his brother Floyd
was thirteen. Floyd died in the fire. When the doctors recommended amputating
Glenn's legs, he was so distressed his parents would not allow it. The doctors
predicted he might never walk normally again. He had lost all the flesh on his
knees and shins and all the toes on his left foot. Also, his transverse arch
was practically destroyed. However, his great determination, coupled with hours
upon hours of a new type of therapy, enabled him to gradually regain the
ability to walk and to proceed to run. It was in the early summer of 1919 when
he first tried to walk again, roughly two years after the accident. He had a
positive attitude as well as a strong religious faith. His favorite Bible verse
was Isaiah 40:31: "But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their
strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be
weary, they shall walk and not faint."
He competed in both the 1932 Summer
Olympics as well as the 1936 Summer Olympics. While on the ship traveling from
the U.S. to Germany, he was voted "Most Popular Athlete" by his
fellow Olympians.
In 1934, he set the world record for the mile run at 4:06.8, which stood for three years.[1]
Religious Freedom Day[2]
Religions and religious organizations
have been responsible for a great deal of good being done in the world, from
the founding of worldwide charity organizations to simply inspiring people to
be kinder and humbler daily, as well as more sympathetic to the plight of his
fellow man. Unfortunately, an often-observed characteristic of many religions
is that their faithful often try to convert others to their faith, and when
those others refuse, the consequences can be grave. From the Roman persecutions
of Christians in the ancient times, to the infamous Spanish Inquisition, to the
witch hunts of Puritan America, to the Islamic Jihads (or secular progressives for that matter) still occurring today, it
is easy to see how dangerous religions can be if not checked, and how
overzealous believers in a certain god or no god at all can be in attempting to
force everyone else to believe as they do. This is why it is enormously important
to make sure religious freedom is granted and protected to all, and this is why
the Founding Fathers of the United States of America saw this as such.
On January 16, 1786, soon after the
United States of America came into existence as a sovereign nation, the
Virginia General Assembly adopted Thomas Jefferson’s landmark Virginia
Statute for Religious Freedom. This statute then became the basis for what we
know today as the First Amendment, which guarantees religious freedom to all
people residing in the U.S.A. Every year since then, a statement is released on
this same day by the president of the United States officially proclaiming
Religious Freedom Day.
How to Celebrate Religious Freedom Day
A good way to celebrate Religious
Freedom Day is to do some research about what life used to be like before
religious freedom was protected, and every person had the right to believe in
what he or she chose.
·
“The Name of the Rose” is both an excellent book
and an excellent movie, which quite accurately depicts what life was like
during the Inquisition, and how far the inquisitors were willing to go to find
and punish people they suspected of sorcery.
·
The young adult novel titled, “The Witch of
Blackbird Pond” can also help one understand what it was like to be the least
bit different from the rest of the villagers in 17th century New England, and
just how dangerous it was to avoid church.
·
1951’s Quo Vadis, on the other hand,
demonstrates how badly Christian were persecuted during the reign of the
Emperor Nero in Ancient Rome.
·
“The Diary of a Young Girl”, written by Jewish
teenager Anne Frank during the height of the Nazi persecution of Europe’s
Jewish population is both interesting a heartbreaking when one thinks about all
the other innocent children like Anne who died horrible deaths for simply being
of the wrong religion.
·
The works of Salman Rushdie could also prove to
be a very insightful read, as the author himself received years of death
threats after the release of his acclaimed novel “The Satanic Verses”, which
was critical of Islam was published.
· Now. What if you refuse abortion tainted vaccines?
It could also be an interesting idea
to have several of your friends of different faiths get together for coffee and
discuss how positively religious freedom and the freedom to not practice any
religion at all impact all your lives and help make them better. Religious
freedom is a wonderful thing, that should be fully appreciated and celebrated.
Life First[3] 9 Days for Life
9 Days for Life is a "digital
pilgrimage" of prayer and action focused on cherishing the gift of every
person's life. A multi-faceted novena highlighting a different intention each
day provides reflections, bonus information, and suggested actions. Join
to receive the novena through the 9 Days for Life app, daily emails, or daily
texts. See below for information on how else you can get involved! #9DaysforLife #OurPrayersMatter
Day
One:
INTENTION
May the tragic practice of
abortion end.
PRAYERS
Our Father, 3 Hail Marys,
Glory Be
REFLECTION
At every stage and in every
circumstance, we are held in existence by God’s love. The presence of an
illness, disability, or other challenging situation never diminishes the value
of a human life. God does not call us to perfection of appearance or abilities,
but to perfection in love. Christ invites us to embrace our own lives and the
lives of others as true gifts.
Abortion tragically rejects
the truth that every life is a good and perfect gift, deserving protection.
This violent practice ends the life of a human being at its very beginning and
horribly wounds all those involved. But Christ came that we “might have life
and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10), taking on human flesh for the sake
of our redemption. May our culture experience the power of God’s transforming
love, that all eyes may be opened to the incredible beauty of every human life.
(Choose one.)
ACTS OF REPARATION
Take a break from television
and movies today. Consider spending some of that time praying with today’s
reflection.
Pray the short prayer “Every
Life is Worth Living,” reflecting on the gift of human life.
Heavenly Father, thank you for
the precious gift of life. Help us to cherish and protect this gift, even in
the midst of fear, pain, and suffering. Give us love for all people, especially
the most vulnerable, and help us bear witness to the truth that every life is
worth living. Grant us the humility to accept help when we are in need, and
teach us to be merciful to all. Through our words and actions, may others
encounter the outstretched hands of Your mercy. We ask this through Christ, our
Lord. Amen.
Offer some other sacrifice,
prayer, or act of penance that you feel called to do for today’s intention.
ONE STEP FURTHER Abortion
is frequently a topic in the news, political debates, and everyday
conversations with family or friends. Because abortion can be a controversial
and emotional issue in any arena, many of us may feel intimidated when the
topic arises, not knowing what to say. "Another Look at Abortion"
provides a basic overview and summarizes key points. This article will help you
be better prepared to witness to the sanctity of human life. Catechism of the
Catholic Church
A Comprehensive List of Food Companies and Products That Use
Senomyx (Used Aborted Babies)
Updated: Nov 5, 2023
A large number of major food and drink brands across The United
States and the world have partnered with San Diego-based company
"Senomyx" which has created a flavor enhancer using the cell lines of
an electively aborted human being. I compiled a comprehensive list of the food
brands using senomyx, for those who also seek to no longer support or consume
these brands.
I will go out of my way to not support companies who go out of
their way to support the slaughter of innocent human children. You'll notice
that there is almost always a more local, more organic option right beside the
brand-name products, and these alternative options always seem to be many times
healthier as well. They tend to lack ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup,
red and blue dyes, along with lacking the use of senomyx as a flavor enhancer.
More information with direct info: Click Here
Catechism of the Catholic Church
Day 218
PART TWO: THE CELEBRATION OF THE CHRISTIAN
MYSTERY
SECTION TWO-THE SEVEN
SACRAMENTS OF THE CHURCH
CHAPTER THREE-THE SACRAMENTS AT THE SERVICE OF
COMMUNION
ARTICLE 6-THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY ORDERS
IN BRIEF
1590 St.
Paul said to his disciple Timothy: "I remind you to rekindle the gift of
God that is within you through the laying on of my hands" (2Tim 1:6), and
"If any one aspires to the office of bishop, he desires a noble
task." (1 Tim 3:1) To Titus he said: "This is why I left you in
Crete, that you amend what was defective, and appoint presbyters in every town,
as I directed you" (Titus 1:5).
1591 The
whole Church is a priestly people. Through Baptism all the faithful share in
the priesthood of Christ. This participation is called the "common
priesthood of the faithful." Based on this common priesthood and ordered
to its service, there exists another participation in the mission of Christ:
the ministry conferred by the sacrament of Holy Orders, where the task is to
serve in the name and in the person of Christ the Head in the midst of the
community.
1592 The
ministerial priesthood differs in essence from the common priesthood of the
faithful because it confers a sacred power for the service of the faithful. the
ordained ministers exercise their service for the People of God by teaching
(munus docendi), divine worship (munus liturgicum) and pastoral governance
(munus regendi).
1593
Since the beginning, the ordained ministry has been conferred and exercised in
three degrees: that of bishops, that of presbyters, and that of deacons. the
ministries conferred by ordination are irreplaceable for the organic structure
of the Church: without the bishop, presbyters, and deacons, one cannot speak of
the Church (cf St. Ignatius of Antioch, Ad Trall. 3,1).
1594 The
bishop receives the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders, which integrates
him into the episcopal college and makes him the visible head of the particular
Church entrusted to him. As successors of the apostles and members of the
college, the bishops share in the apostolic responsibility and mission of the
whole Church under the authority of the Pope, successor of St. Peter.
1595
Priests are united with the bishops in sacerdotal dignity and at the same time
depend on them in the exercise of their pastoral functions; they are called to
be the bishops' prudent co-workers. They form around their bishop the
presbyterium which bears responsibility with him for the particular Church.
They receive from the bishop the charge of a parish community or a determinate
ecclesial office.
1596
Deacons are ministers ordained for tasks of service of the Church; they do not
receive the ministerial priesthood, but ordination confers on them important
functions in the ministry of the word, divine worship, pastoral governance, and
the service of charity, tasks which they must carry out under the pastoral
authority of their bishop.
1597 The
sacrament of Holy Orders is conferred by the laying on of hands followed by a
solemn prayer of consecration asking God to grant the ordinand the graces of
the Holy Spirit required for his ministry. Ordination imprints an indelible
sacramental character.
1598 The
Church confers the sacrament of Holy Orders only on baptized men (viri), whose
suitability for the exercise of the ministry has been duly recognized. Church
authority alone has the responsibility and right to call someone to receive the
sacrament of Holy Orders.
1599 In
the Latin Church the sacrament of Holy Orders for the presbyterate is normally
conferred only on candidates who are ready to embrace celibacy freely and who
publicly manifest their intention of staying celibate for the love of God's
kingdom and the service of men.
1600 It
is bishops who confer the sacrament of Holy Orders in the three degrees.
Daily Devotions
· Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them in fasting: Today's Fast: Individuals with Mental Illness
·
The
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity-Day 1
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
[2]https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/religious-freedom-day/
[3]http://www.usccb.org/about/pro-life-activities/january-roe-events/nine-days-of-prayer-penance-and-pilgrimage.cfm
[4] Sheraton, Mimi. 1,000 Foods
To Eat Before You Die: A Food Lover's Life List (p. 892). Workman Publishing
Company. Kindle Edition.
Comments
Post a Comment