The Bulletin of the Catholic Community at the Family Foundation School
Pauca Verba (a few words)
Number 1 – November 29, 2009
“The rosary is, I am convinced, the surest and easiest school of contemplative prayer. The rosary decapitates pride, the single greatest obstacle to union with God. The repetition of the Aves (Hail Mary), like a stream of pure water, cleanses the heart.” Father Mark
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Feel depressed, miserable, lonely, like you want to ‘throw in the towel”? Learn the words to this marvelous hymn, “Blessed Assurance.” written in Frances J. Crosby in 1873. The scripture text which serves as the basis of the hymn is Hebrews 10:22
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.”
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.
Refrain:
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.
Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels, descending, bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
Perfect submission, all is at rest,
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.
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Listen again to the lesson for the First Sunday of Advent: Paul to the Thessalonians 3: 12 – 4: 2
Brothers and sisters: May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we have for you, so as to strengthen your hearts, to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones. Amen. Finally, brothers and sisters, we earnestly ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that, as you received from us how you should conduct yourselves to please God – and as you are conducting yourselves – you do so even more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
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Want to really change the way you get ready for Christmas? Would you like to come up and out of loneliness and enter into a new depth and sense of community in this school? Then for the three Saturdays of Advent, come to the Rorate Mass at 6:15 A.M. each week. We meet behind the kitchen to receive a lighted candle in the darkness walking up the hill in silence protecting the little flame – sign of faith in Christ the Light of the World – given to each of us on the day of our Baptism!
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After Christmas and the New Year, we begin our Thursday night classes for those who want to receive their First Holy Communion and those who wish to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. In order to participate in this class and receive the sacrament(s) in May 2010, you need to have Thursday evenings free.
Confirmation does just that – it confirms – or seals that I belong to Christ. “Yes, it’s true, I met Christ in the waters of baptism, and as I grow, I prepare to assume an adult place in the work of the Church – Christ’s Body.”
A traditional understanding of the Sacrament of Confirmation states that I become a milites Christi – soldier of Christ. At the ready for Christ!
Sacraments (there are seven – the biblical number of wholeness) make invisible realities an experience through the things we touch and taste, see, hear and smell. Seized by Christ! What might that look like?
Adventure into Silence