The Family Foundation School Catholic Community Bulletin
Pauca Verba (a few words)
As we have a look at this little weekly bulletin (which seeks to teach us many things about living the Catholic-Christian life) we gather for Mass in the morning, instead of the evening. This will be good for us, to worship God on Sunday morning. Of course, everyday belongs to God, doesn’t it? But Sunday is God’s day specially! Sunday is the day that puts aside busyness and enterprise for the praise of God, to thank God, to build Christian community, and to gather for the Eucharist where we recognize Jesus once again in the “breaking of the bread.” That’s why the host is broken!
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And then our Mass will overflow in a day of Adoration here. This is a tremendous invitation! For 7 hours or so, the chapel will be set aside as a place of active prayer – where the Blessed Sacrament will be left on the altar – Jesus calling us to be with him in silence and solitude. Jesus is present in the Sacrament to offer us his presence – his love. Jesus is present in the Sacrament to listen to us in our need, to receive our praises, to receive our thanks, to grant us his pardon.
Could I especially invite those who are feeling troubled, lonely, burdened. Could I especially invite those who are graduating or otherwise leaving in December – to come to the chapel each Sunday and to begin to cultivate a serious spiritual life with worship and silence and thanks at the heart of it all!
Many of us spend the week in a great hurry and without any interior thing going on. Come to the chapel and read the gospels! Come to the chapel and pray the rosary! Come to the chapel and simply sit in silence and ponder the presence of Christ-God on this property and in the lives of the people who come here for repair! Don’t miss this opportunity – it will not come our way again easily – especially after leaving here! Bring a friend!
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In community we all have responsibility for each other in love. Sometimes we help each other well – at other times we handle it badly. Saint John of Kanty wrote:
“Fight all error, but do it with good humor, patience, kindness, and love. Harshness will damage your own soul and spoil the best cause.”
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What a weekend we had here: The Wizard of Oz, with the talents of so many people shared. The presence of family and being with friends. Let’s be done with all the complaining that goes on around us. Let’s be done with harsh criticisms and so much negativity. Let’s be done with inappropriate talk and whisperings. Let’s be done with ingratitude and power-plays. Instead, let’s fill this place with awareness of others, gratitude for the multitude of blessings we enjoy. Let’s work to become real members of family – here and at home. Fundamental to this is being honest: speaking honestly, living honestly. Fundamental to real participation in a family is love, which is seeking the good of others. And there is no love without the cross. Love requires sacrifice!
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When we were little, animals were our heroes. Animals could be magical. Animals were in-the-know. Animals were precious to us and we loved and protected them. And then something happened and, for many of us, animals became the enemy and we started to abuse them, frighten them, neglect them, and even kill them. But we have a lot to learn from animals. These kittens seem to trust each other. They’re comfortable with each other. What about that? Do I trust people? Do I instill trust? Am I cynical (can’t please a cynic)? Suspicious? When I’m honest, living in the light, grateful, un-burdened with resentment: then I can be comfortable with people!
