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Archive for the ‘charity’ Category

The monasteries of old made society humane and happy

Monday, July 18th, 2011

Fr. Anthony Brankin16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 17, 2011
Fr. Anthony Brankin
Gospel: Matt. 13:24-43 The righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.

Homily summary: Five hundred years ago, before the Protestant Reformation in England, the Catholic Church owned one-fifth of the land. Monasteries served the people, with the world’s original hospitals, hotels and motels. They met each person, not just as a guest, but as if he were Jesus. They believed they should treat that person as if he was Jesus. That’s how the monks and nuns took care of the guests, and the homeless.

St. Jane de ChantalWalk on the spiritual path along with St. Francis de Sales and St. Jane de Chantal into the Love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Are you a lay person interested in plunging more fully into a way of daily devotion? Or considering a vocation to the monastic Visitandine tradition? Go to Visitation Spirit website.

You could not walk sixty miles without coming upon a monastery. One-fifth of the people in England were monks or nuns. It was a wonderful society, until the Reformation, led by King Henry VIII, closed the monasteries and sent the monks and nuns into the streets. The kings gave the property of the monasteries to their friends. Cities of England swelled with homeless monks and nuns. Continue Reading…

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Getting to know the other side

Monday, May 16th, 2011

Read Fr. Jason's bioMonday, May 16, 2011
Fr. Jason Welle
First Reading: Acts 11:1-18 God has granted salvation to the Gentiles, too.

Homily summary: Some years ago when the Israelies and Palestinians’ peace efforts failed, the youth of the two groups decided that if the adults couldn’t make progress, maybe they could. So they set up summer camps in which children of both groups mingled. They learned that their adversaries were people, too.

Blessed Virgin Mary of MercyThe Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy was founded to redeem Christians whose faith is in danger. Is God calling you to become a Mercedarian friar? Visit Fr. Joseph Eddy’s Facebook page, or the website of the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy.

The easiest way to be prejudiced is when we don’t have contact with others. St. Peter learned that the laws of cleanliness — eating with the unclean — was changed with Christianity. These ritual laws set up boundaries between the Jews and the Gentiles.

Jesus said, “There are some of my sheep that are not of my fold.” Peter makes a radical move to eat and drink with the Gentiles. In the Eucharist, we have the resources to get past prejudice. We can model the Church here and follow the Shepherd together.

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A shocking act of kindness

Monday, March 7th, 2011

Mon., March 7, 2011
Fr. Jason Welle, O.F.M.
Gospel: Mark: 12: 1-12 Parable of the vineyard owner

Summary: In a scene from the musical “Les Miserables,” a bishop takes in a man from the street and gives him shelter for the night. In the morning, the man is gone, but so are some of the bishop’s possessions. When a policeman catches the man and brings him back to the bishop, the bishop explains, “I gave him these things, and I want to give him more.”

Shocked by the bishop’s generosity, the criminal changes his ways and spends his life doing good for others.

Blessed Virgin Mary of MercyThe many allurements and problems of our modern world hold many Christians captive from knowing and practicing their faith. Help those whose faith is in danger. Become a Mercedarian friar. Visit Fr. Joseph Eddy’s Facebook page, or the website of the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy.

In today’s reading, Tobit buries a man who was murdered at the risk of his own life. Both Tobit, and the bishop in the play, perform not a random act of kindness, but a “shocking” act of kindness. And what a shocking act of kindness that Christ carried out for us, by dying on the cross for us.

As Lent begins this week, on Ash Wednesday, and we begin to ask ourselves what we will give up and do to change our lives, let us ask God for a shocking act of kindness so that we may see his generosity and change our lives.

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We are obliged in faith to help those less fortunate

Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011

Fr. Anthony BrankinWed., Mar. 2, 2011
Fr. Anthony Brankin
Gospel: Mark 10:32-45 The greatest among you must be your servant

Sumary: In today’s Gospel, Jesus predicts his passion and death, and yet his disciples can only think of self-aggrandizement, of how much authority they will have in Christ’s kingdom. Politicians today take high offices and gain access to positions of great power and wealth. They lord it over others. But Jesus said that “you are not to be like them.”

Politicians think in human terms — more money, more power. Jesus said that we must be servants. We are to be good, charitable. Our Lord said that we have an obligation in faith to serve those poorer than us, those not as educated, not as brilliant. We are to be kind to those who have less. Jesus wants us to be servants to one another.

Go to Sister Anna's Facebook page.The twin apostolates of prayer and the education of young women are pursued by the Visitation Sisters of Georgetown. Are you searching for God’s calling? Consider a life with the Sisters of the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary, Washington, DC.

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