Our St. Vincent de Paul Society joined with others across the Northshore for the annual “Walk for the Poor”. Our council raised over $2K to help with those in need. May the Lord continue to bless our St. Vincent de Paul Society, and all of those who we are able to help, and from whom we learn so much about Jesus Christ.
Chronicles
Our Oak Tree
I realize there are many very pressing issues in the world, let alone in the Church, let alone in our Parish.
However, our beautiful oak tree in front of St. Joseph Hall appears to be dying. We’re thinking it might be a water pipe issue, and are taking steps to resolve it, as well as calling in an arborist.
Also taken in the fog, here is another shot of our Church in the fog one morning…
It’s an issue. Not the most major, yet one worthy of correction.
A Room with a View
The convocation has been enjoyable and informative. I find myself wishing there were more free time … but that’s just me. We’ve covered the canons concerning the Sacrament of Confession, from the very beginning to the present. What struck me most is that in the earliest times people only confessed extremely major, generally public things, and did some major public penances – such as standing outside of the Church for three years before being allowed to enter, or fasting for life, or some other such major penance.
Today, people confess just about everything, and penances tend to be milder. (Much milder.)
Long days, with good and prayerful men. St. Matthew, whose feast we celebrate today, pray for us.
On La Familia de Jesus, and Using the “Gallery” Feature
I noticed the other day that WordPress now has a “Gallery” feature. How long it’s had this, I do not know… I’ve posted galleries before from plugins, but not from WordPress itself.
It’s these types of things which make me such a compelling blogger.
At any rate, here are a few pix from my recent visit to Peru, visiting La Familia de Jesus, supporting a vocation from our Parish. Wonderful country, beautiful people, and a great experience overall.
I promise to write more about this experience.
Mental note: when using the Gallery feature, it may be best to use the caption feature as well.
Peru, 2016
Anyone who knows me, knows that I tend to spend vacation time visiting and praying in foreign missions. Either that or hiking, which brings up entirely different issues that we won’t go into right now.
This year was no different. One of our Parishioners is discerning a vocation to religious life in the Family of Jesus the Healer.
My life is forever transformed by spending time with them in prayer, and in experiencing their devotion to the Church, to the imitation of Christ, devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and to the entire wealth of spiritual knowledge and practice of the Faith. They’re a young order, but honest, open, and seeking what is most True.
The mountains of Peru they are not. I was able to spend a week, in retreat, in a Dominican Priory in Cuzco, which led to a whole new series of adventures, and took a day to travel to Puno to see Lake Titicaca. The entrance fee to Bolivia, right next door to Puno which is where I was, for US citizens is $135, unless you just walk across without telling anyone. I avoided the shakedown and the shenanigans, and decided to save all of that for a separate trip.
(I did see Lake Titicaca, and actually stepped foot into it… too cold to swim. Fascinating place, and while there my mind stopped translating signs and billboards, and just undestood them for what they said, in Spanish.)
Puerto Maldonado, where they live, is a part of the jungles of Peru, bordering Brazil and Bolivia. There, illegal gold ming is becoming a thing… Human trafficking is becoming a thing, to satisfy the earthly hungers of those involved in the gold mining. Issues, man. They have issues in Puerto Maldonado, beautifully hidden behind the growing facade of selva tourism.
Brother Maximillian of the Immaculate, is a vocation from our Parish, discerning life with this community. He’s in good hands, and they have a gem in the rough, being refined as such things are, and as such persons are.
Travel is not my strong point, when it comes to rest… I hope to post more about is in the next several weeks. But, we all know how that goes! See you soon enough.