Let's look at the places where Paul traveled.
He went to Lystra then Derbe, He returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch. Then they traveled through Pisidia and reached Pamphylia. After proclaiming the word at Perga they went down to Attalia. From there they sailed to Antioch.
Ten cities. Ten. And there wasn’t any E-Z-Pass either!
There are three insights that can be drawn from Paul’s journeys. (1) The journey to spiritual progress is a long trip with many stops. (2) The journey to spiritual progress is hard. “It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God. (3) If you don’t know this and if you aren’t ready to accept this, you’re in the wrong church.
Gretchen Filz is a Lay Dominican with a passion for fostering an increase in Catholic faith and devotion through content writing and journalism. She works as a digital content writer, creator, and marketer for The Catholic Company, blogging at GetFed.com, editor of the MorningOffering.com daily devotional email, and author at GoodCatholic.com. She holds an M.A. in Christian Apologetics and converted to the Catholic Church in 2011. She is also active in R.C.I.A., pro-life work, and various faith-based web projects.
I was reading her review of the spiritual classic entitled The Soul of the Apostolate. The book was written in 1946 by Trappist abbot Jean-Baptiste Chautard (1858-1935). Chautard was born in the French Alps on March 12, 1858. His father was a nominal Catholic who ran a little bookstore, but his mother made sure that their children were educated in the Catholic faith. Jean Baptiste eventually went on to study economics at the University of Marseilles where he had an experience which would change his life forever.
Filz writes, “While walking across the campus one day Jean Baptiste came upon a priest praying his breviary (Incidentally, this is the official “Prayer of the Catholic Church. It is also known as The Divine Office or The Liturgy of the Hours). This priest was unaware of the impression he was making on the economics student. “His bearing, full of respect and religion, was a revelation to me,” said Dom Chautard, “and produced in me an urgent need to pray from then on, and to pray in the way this priest was praying. The Church appeared, concretized, so to speak, in this worthy minister, in communion with his God.”
This incident led Jean Baptiste to change his life and become a man of prayer. Such is the impact of a man who truly practices the interior life. Only then can the person say with Saint Paul, “I live, now not I, but Christ liveth in me.”
How does this apply to us today? Let’s look at that next week!
Fr. Charles
MLK Interfaith Prayer Service Bus will be leaving St Athanasius at 2:00 pm, Sunday 1/15/2023. $13 for adults and $10 for children under 13.
Call Ted at 215-548-2700 to add your name to the list.
This Saturday, January 14th at 10:00 AM. Meet in the Church.
As this Christmas season has come to an end, we cannot thank you enough to all who made our Church so beautiful for the Christmas Season. Now it is time to take it all down.
We need ALL hands big and small to help take the decorations down and put them away.
St. Malachy’s Catholic Church
1429 N. 11th St Phila. Pa 19122
Presents
“The Source”
Holy Hour with Music
Come, Receive
The Lord’s Mercy & Healing
Confessions Available
6:30 pm
On the following Dates
Jan. 29th, Feb. 18th, March 18th,
April 15th & May 20th
Social to follow.
Opportunities to
Reflect, Renew& Restore
Cranaleith Spiritual Center
13475 Proctor Rd,
Phila. Pa 19116
Gaelic for “sanctuary of trees,” Cranaleith offers serene and rejuvenating space to those who wish to reflect on what matters deeply in their lives, renew their spirit for life and work, or restore themselves from life’s traumas. Individuals and groups are invited to participate in retreats and other programs offered in a spirit-rekindling environment of well-being, respect, and harmony. Cranaleith is a sponsored ministry of the Sisters of Mercy. For program, information log on to
www.cranaleith.org
"This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." Matthew 3:17
The Baptism of the Lord On 1/9/2023, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord. "When the Solemnity of the Epiphany is transferred to Sunday, if this Sunday occurs on January 7 or 8, the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord is celebrated on the following Monday (Third Roman Missal). This feast brings to an end the season of Christmas. The Church recalls Our Lord's second manifestation or epiphany which occurred on the occasion of His baptism in the Jordan. Jesus descended into the River to sanctify its waters and to give them the power to beget sons of God. The event takes on the importance of a second creation in which the entire Trinity intervenes.
—Excerpted from Msgr. Rudolph G. Bandas
St. Hilary was born to pagan parents of Poitiers, France, in 315. After training in the classics and philosophy, Hilary married. He and his wife had one daughter, Afra. All who knew Hilary said he was a friendly, charitable, gentleman. Hilary’s studies led him to read Scripture. He became convinced that there was only one God, whose Son became man and died and rose to save all people. This led him to be baptized along with his wife and daughter.
The people of Poitiers chose Hilary to be their bishop in 353. He spoke out against Arianism, a heresy that denied the divinity of Christ. When Emperor Constantius II wanted him to sign a paper condemning Saint Athanasius, the great defender of the faith, he refused. The emperor was furious and exiled Hilary to Phrygia. In exile, he preached, wrote, and suffered, and even asked to debate the Arian bishops. Fearing Hilary’s arguments, Arian’s followers begged the emperor to send Hilary home. The emperor, believing Hilary was also undermining his authority, recalled him. Hilary’s writings show that he could be fierce in defending the faith, but in dealing with the bishops who had given in to the Arian heresy, he was charitable. He showed them their errors and helped them to defend their faith. Though the emperor called Hilary a “disturber of the peace,” Saints Jerome and Augustine praised him as “teacher of the churches.”
REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!
REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!
Congress XIII (2023)
Announcing the Congress Theme — “Write the Vision:
A Prophetic Call to Thrive”
July 20-23, 2023
The Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center
201 Waterfront Street, National Harbor, MD 20745 https://nbccongress.org
Attention! Attention! Men of St. Raymond Save the Date March 4, 2023
15th Annual Man UpPhilly
Men’s Conference
March 4, 2023
Join other Brothers in Christ for
this special experience and stand
united as true Men of God.
Cardinal O’Hara, High School
St John Vianney Hall Theater.
1701 S. Sproul Road, Springfield, PA 19064
Speakers
His Eminence, Timothy Cardinal Dolan
Archbishop of New York
Deacon James Mahoney
St. Athanasius Parish
Assoc. Director Miraculous Medal Shrine
Jim Wahlberg
Producer, Writer, Film Director
and Catholic Revert
Music By Mark Forrest, (Irish Tenor)
Archbishop Nelson Perez,
Mass Celebrant
To register for this event contact
Arleen Daniels at 215-549-3760
January 20th, 2023
6:30 AM-6:30 PM
Event: March for Life Bus Trip
Preparations are underway for the 50th Annual March for Life--the first ever in a Pounderwayst-Roe world! This will be a year of celebration for all involved in the Pro-Life Movement.
Cost: $30.00 for transportation; Tickets must be purchased in advance. Mail payment to Holy Martyrs Pro-Life March, 120 Allison Road, Oreland, PA. 19075
Location: Holy Martyrs Catholic Church parking lot, Oreland
More information: Any questions call Chris Napiecek at 215.913.6410
This event seeks to raise awareness among elected officials that every life matters, especially that of the unborn child. We gather that day because it was January 22, 1972, that the US Supreme Court rendered its decision in Roe v. Wade which made it legal to kill a child throughout the 9 months of pregnancy. God have mercy on our nation!
Let's bring people back to the pews.
We ask parishioners to sign up to answer a question about their faith and why they worship at St. Raymond. After the interview, we would like to post it on Social Media and play it before Mass.
Can you help?
Does it sound like something you can do?
Call the office and let us know.