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No-cost Catholic schools – we can do it (full text)

Wednesday, February 8th, 2012

Go to Fr. Brankin's bio4th Sunday in Ordinary Time, 2012
Fr. Anthony Brankin
Gospel: Mark 1:21-28 “He taught them with authority.”

Free Audio MP3

You may or may not have known it—but this is the beginning of Catholic Schools week. And you may be saying to yourselves—Well so what? My children are grown, my grandchildren live out of state—why would I—sitting here in Saint Odilo Church in Berwyn ever worry about Catholic Schools week anymore? But think again. Every one of us has a stake in the success of Catholic schools—and this school in particular because we are not only talking about the future parishioners of Saint Odilo—but the future of our society.

Go to the Georgetown Visitation.

The Bean Queen of Georgetown Rules

The bean, or Epiphany Queen, of the Georgetown Visitation can request special things. Whichever sister finds the bean or medal in her piece of cake after supper is Queen-for-a-Year and is treated in a special way. Go to our Live + Jesus blog and read about what Sr. Mary Philomena got to wear that day.

Are you called to a life of the “little virtues” of gentleness, humility, and cheerful optimism? Consider the Sisters of the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary, Washington, DC.

Listen to these statistics: and refer to them for the rest of this sermon—But in Cicero and Berwyn – there are 43 thousand persons under the age of 18,—and ninety-five percent of these kids are Catholic. Now reflect upon the fact that there are only four Catholic schools in these two towns that combined with catechism classes are reaching no more than 2000 children. Think of it—there are therefore almost 42,000 Catholic children in our area who are not getting instructed in the faith. That has to make anyone who takes their Catholicism seriously shudder. I know I do. Continue Reading…

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No-cost Catholic schools – we can do it

Sunday, January 29th, 2012

Go to Fr. Brankin's bio4th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Jan. 29, 2012
Fr. Anthony Brankin
Gospel: Mark 1:21-28 “He taught them with authority.”

Free Audio MP3

Sermon summary: In the two cities surrounding this parish, we are educating only 2,000 children of grammar-school age with the faith through our CCD and grammar school programs. But that leaves 42,000 school-age children in the area not being educated in the Catholic faith.

Click for Visitation Spirit website

Speak Softly and Carry a Benevolent “Stick”

The great doctor of the Church, St. Francis de Sales, advises us to “live gently with a valiant spirit.” Do you have a burning desire to grow holy, in union with God? Gentleness and strength of spirit are part of the Salesian spirituality, practiced by both religious and laity alike.

Learn more on Visitation Spirit. Read “Salesian Spirituality is Strong and Growing.”

If we lose our faith, we lose our families. If we lose our families we lose our souls. The life of our country, our society, depends on the strength of families. The Catholic school system is the alternative by which we escape the slavery and brainwashing, which is part and parcel of the public – or government – school system. Continue Reading…

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St. John Chrysostom, and why we study the faith

Friday, September 16th, 2011

Go to Fr. Brankin's bioFeast of St. John Chrysostom, Sept. 13, 2011
Fr. Anthony Brankin
Gospel: Luke 7:11-17 “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son”

Summary: (Children’s Mass) St. John Chrysostom kept studying, kept learning, and kept praying. Religion is the most important subject you have in school. It’s going to tell you what life means. How to get from this life to the next.

You won’t get this in the local public schools. Your faith, which you will learn here, will help you live with mom and dad, your brothers and sisters, and grandparents. Then at the end of life, it will help you get to heaven.

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Education seeks the beautiful, good and true

Sunday, August 21st, 2011

Read bio Fr. Joseph Eddy21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Aug. 21, 2011
Fr. Joseph Eddy, O. de M.
Gospel: Matt. 16:13-20 “Who do men say that the Son of Man Is?”

Full homily text: Well, here we are at mid-August already. The “dog days” of summer when we try to get in those last mini-vacations or family gatherings before the end of the month. Because we all know the end of August means “back to school.” If we forget we will be reminded each time we turn on the TV and see commercials for “back to school sales.” For many of us at least 16-18 years of our life are spent in school. As Americans we value education.

Blessed Virgin Mary of MercyIs God calling you to become a Mercedarian friar? Take our “7 Quick Questions” survey and find out. Fr. Joseph Eddy is the vocation director of the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy, founded to redeem Christians whose faith is in danger.

Visit Fr. Joseph’s Facebook page, or the website of the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy.

But why do we value education? Is it because we want to be just like everyone else? Or is it because we want to be able to get a job in the future? Unfortunately, today many look at education only as a means of being successful or getting a job. Not that this isn’t important, but traditionally education has been seen from a more broad perspective. Continue Reading…

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Stop calling them public schools (homily text)

Tuesday, February 15th, 2011

Fr. Anthony BrankinFourth Sunday of Ordinary Time, Jan. 30, 2011
Fr. Anthony Brankin
Gospel: Matt 5:1-12. Beatitudes

MP3 Audio Homily summary

Complete homily text: Well, welcome to Catholic Schools week.

Welcome to all—because we all have a stake in that school over there. Certainly we know—that a certain portion of every dollar given on Sunday finds its way over to the school. So you have more than a right to a full accounting of how that money is spent.

And, as well, it is no secret that it is a sometimes daunting task to keep a parish school going. And maybe even more than daunting.

When you think about it, we as a parish school—with all the other parish schools—are actually trying to provide an alternative school system. Basically, we are in competition with the limitless funds of the state that looks upon its own school system as a bottomless pit into which they will throw as much of our tax dollars as possible. How in the name of all that is holy—can we ever hope to compete with that?

Go to the Sisters' Facebook page.Saint Francis de Sales’ “little virtues” of gentleness, kindness, humility, and cheerful optimism shape the monastic life of the Visitation Sisters. Consider a life of prayer and teaching. Sisters of the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary Washington, DC.

It would seem nearly impossible.

Continue Reading…

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