Detroit Assumption Grotto - Anyone out there?

[Lux_et_veritas]

Toni:

Sorry used the wrong choice of words. I forget how seriously people take that word some times.

I think it would be great and would love to suggest it. I will send it but I can just about tell you in dealing with many good priests out there. They are literally swamped with requests for confession, Mass, retreats, etc… I know even with the Legionaries of Christ their schedules are jammed. Its odd that the better the priest the busier the priest. Why does that not give some the hint that there are many out in the world crying for good and holy priests

But be warned as many times as I have asked I have been told that you have to first help the ones standing in line at the door before you can run after the ones that aren’t. There is just to much work and not enough good and holy priests to do it all. If you want to help send an email to my sister at oaorders@rc.net ask to be a part of the adopt a priest program. Prayer is the only thing that will change this situation.

Hey, that’s a nice idea - adopt a priest. I’m on board!

That’s a valid point about the best of the best being tied up the most. Duh!

I keep thinking about the cyber-flock. There is something out here, such vast potential to tap and bring home to the one True church. Imagine all of the dark forces out here in cyber-world trying to steal away our kids. There has to be a balance where evil is met with goodness and truth. People are searching and seeking and the more resources there are to find truth, the more likely they will encounter it in passing. We need a modern day Missionaries of “Cyber-Space” whose order is dedicated to cyber-evangelization. The primary purpose of the cyber-Fathers would be to serve the cyber-flock.

Lemme tell you, it’s a good feeling when we can help pull someone out of that hopelessness and get them into confession. I’ve been involved in many such threads since coming here and it is most rewarding. I keep telling these people that they need to run, not walk to confession and tell the priest they’ve lost hope. The worst thing to have happen is to reject God’s love and mercy through hopelessness and despair. Every time I’ve seen this lost hope, it seems to be related to addictions that they can’t get out of. But, they don’t seem to realize that they are avoiding their best chance of hope, that is to tell the priest it has risen to the level of addiction.

I’ve actually got an idea I’ve been working on - A Simple Guide to Breaking Sinful Habits, so to speak. In it are tools - mental models that can be used, along with other helpful exercises. I’m still concepting it out, but I’m hoping at some point to find a group of teenagers and young adults to do some brainstorming to fill in some blanks, and a priest to see if the concept has merit and work as consultant. I’ve got to find me one that works alot with teens and young adults as these seem to be most prone to early addictions, yet the most vulnerable in not being able to stop. They have not developed some of the skills yet to deal with the force of sinful habits and addictions, and the guide would give them some simple tools to use. Sidetracked a bit here, but that was sparked after repeating myself in so many threads with the same stuff - “Know, Obey, then Understand”, “Ladder of Temptation” model, identifying attitudes that contribute or are resultants, etc. It’d be a fun project, anyway.

 

[netmilsmom]

Toni:

I would love to.
In their order they have a card that is sent out with the name of a priest or bishop. You pray for that priest for an entire year. That simple.

Although when I asked her who prays for the nuns and the consecrated she said no one, you should start that.
I am working on the cards. I posted the idea on the board but only heard from a couple of people.

Sometimes people just become so frustrated with the situations in the Church that it becomes much easier to write about the negative.
I being guilty of this have decided to redirect my negative energy.

Toni, that is a great idea! Please include me!
Are you a homeschooler? Have you tried the Yahoo board to post your ideas? You know what a huge homeschool community we have at Cyril’s.
This might be a great program to start.

 

[grotto]

Hello again Lux - I tried to respond yesterday and after a complete story about how I came to refer to my location as Purgatory Cove on Lake Wobegone, I went to submit my reply and POOF! it went - hopefully up to Our Blessed Mother because I implore her help always! So, to just tell you a little - we live 180 miles north - that makes for a long day “down and back”. I am looking forward to Our Lady’s Feast of the Assumption - to go down overnight and spend some quality time! You have described the holy atmosphere at Assumption Grotto 100% correct. Father Perrone and all the holy priests and people have been keeping our Faith alive and well! The church and grounds have absorbed the prayers of everyone so that the stone and marble have the scent of roses. The altar rail draws one in comfort and a sense of “just me and my Lord”. No Holy Communion “in the hand” here! So one can clearly see that the intimacy and reverance blossoms and no person feels “cold” or “no community” if they quiet their soul enough to hear Our Lord and the Blessed Mother visit with them. The worldy talk between people doesn’t belong - nor the type of songs that are distracting and misleading about our Faith. An example is one that goes something like - “we come to take the bread and the wine and turn our faces to the sun” or some other such nonsense! The pews and kneelers are smooth and fit like a glove. When I enter and see them occupied here and there at times other than Holy Mass, I know I am among Faith family members and that they are busy talking with God. I can feel myself being welcomed and quickly greet Our Lord in the tabernacle - waiting “just for me”. Oh, how lucky you are! Sometimes I imagine returning to live on “Spring Garden” that deadends on the back of the Grotto cemetery and being able to walk over, pray my rosary at the Grotto like I did years ago. Well, its a sweet dream but life has moved me away and I will just have to return from time- to time. smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/23/23_146_36.gif

 

[Lux_et_veritas]

grotto:

You have described the holy atmosphere at Assumption Grotto 100% correct. Father Perrone and all the holy priests and people have been keeping our Faith alive and well! The church and grounds have absorbed the prayers of everyone so that the stone and marble have the scent of roses. The altar rail draws one in comfort and a sense of “just me and my Lord”…

Now that I’ve latched on to this concept of “God-centeredness” (and maybe there is another name for it, but for lack of another term), it is becoming even more profoundly visible to me.

You mention the lack of talking. This was something I was going to raise as well. I notice that there is no contact between people in the church itself - nothing, except an occasional child or baby not old enough to know any better yet. Similarly, there are no conversations with the priest within the church and everyone, priests, laity, sisters, etc. - all walk with an aire of respect and reverence and once again, it projects. Walking is slow and meditative.

No one can possibly understand how foreign this atmosphere feels to one who “drops in” - nobody. In trying to follow, “when in Rome do as the Romans” am I finding these many nuances that wouldn’t otherwise be visible. The untrained or unknowing eye, would label the atmosphere as dark and cold, and it is far from that. I know, I felt it until God schooled me through the examples at Assumption Grotto - the priests, the religious, the laity.

All I can think of is the many times I was late, left early, talked during mass (a whisper in a loved one’s ear about which restaurant we were going to), very sloppy posture - sitting and standing, time spent making faces at babies (and almost glad they were there to pass the hour) and, Oh my…I had asked to Lord to teach me about reverence, and he did it by showing me what it looked like and then enabled me to see how I never had it. The center of my mass was everything BUT Him! It was the work project, the upcoming football game at 1:00, the people next to me, the baby in front of me and wow - so plainly visible, not only in myself but in those environments in which I was. The distraction on the faces and the focus that was almost there for some, and not at all for others. The focus was on things and people.

Now that I “get it”, it calls out to me, the magnet that it is, pulling hard. My ship was taking on water and I found safe harbor at the Grotto. Something tells me the Lord has only placed me in the mere beginnings of this great school. Virtue is becoming easy, not the chore I thought it would be. The day that starts so solemn and so centered on God, projects throughout the day and to those around me.

The Lord has also made it clear to me that my long lost desire, to learn Latin, was something I should never have set aside. I started to learn when I was 16, all on my own, and stopped because I was suppose to suppress it and it wouldn’t be used. I fell into comformity, as with so many other things, and abandoned that call to preserve this beautiful language. Not any more! Henle is on the way and my nose is into the self-teaching tools on the web with an emphasis on the Latin Mass. Alas! Freedom from comformity in just one small way.

For post-Vatican II people to be so drawn to this language, and me, at such a young age not having heard a spoken word that it can only mean one thing - the Holy Spirit wants it kept alive. So, I no longer ask why, I just do it!

Ad majorem dei gloriam!

 

[Lux_et_veritas]

OMG - I just had a strange thought. Several weeks ago while attending an “American Rite” parish, they had First Holy Communion going on. All of the children involved were invited up to stand around the altar during the Eucharistic segment of the Mass. I remember my thoughts at the time - “Oh, how cute” as I focused on how adorable the kids were up there and how Jesus must be smiling down on them.

There it is! People-centered Mass. I was adoring the children, not adoring Jesus. This is the nature of it and this is what needs to change. We love the kids, but God must be at the center and nothing else.

 

[netmilsmom]

Lux_et_veritas:

OMG - I just had a strange thought. Several weeks ago while attending an “American Rite” parish, they had First Holy Communion going on. All of the children involved were invited up to stand around the altar during the Eucharistic segment of the Mass. I remember my thoughts at the time - “Oh, how cute” as I focused on how adorable the kids were up there and how Jesus must be smiling down on them.

There it is! People-centered Mass. I was adoring the children, not adoring Jesus. This is the nature of it and this is what needs to change. We love the kids, but God must be at the center and nothing else.

That actually was a big wake up call at my last parish. I couldn’t believe the children were behind the Altar for the consecration!

 

[Detroit_Sue]

netmil(name removed by moderator):

That actually was a big wake up call at my last parish. I couldn’t believe the children were behind the Altar for the consecration!

Wasn’t your old parish the one that wanted to have kids make their FHC in 2nd grade & Confession in 4th?

 

[Lux_et_veritas]

I’m 42 years old and have seen activities like this (kids around the altar) most of my life (being raised in the Catholic Church of the 70’s).

It’s so simple its easy to miss

God-centered = environment that provides absolutely zero distractions or near-zero distractions during prayer or mass, thus enabling the ability of people to give themselves entirely to God for that period of time.

People-centered = environment which distracts from focusing fully on God, enabling people’s mind to wander from Him, to others in the church, or even to people and things outside of the church.

I have to agree with “grotto’s” point about about the communion rail. I had done this a few times before at Old St. Mary’s downtown. But, the experience at Grotto is a “rush” and I don’t know why. I’m still trying to figure it out, but it is somehwere between reverence and respect that the sacrament commands at this church. I do know that it is easy to block out everything and everyone when you are at the rail, as opposed to when you are standing in line and easily distracted by many different things along the way. There is a preparation time while waiting, so to speak.

I recall how I had actually received Holy Communion after not having been to confession in nearly two years (and shamefully, was not in the state of grace - and yes, confessed the sacrilege recently). I must say that if I had to approach a rail and kneel there for a time, then wait for a priest to give me Holy Communion on my tongue well…I know I would have thought twice (and I’m not trying to absolve myself of responsibility by blaming it on the environment, but simply observing how easy a behavior is in one environment over the other. There is something that demands respect for the Eucharist in the method it is delivered at the Grotto. I emphasize again, demands it!) Granted, the Grotto eliminates excuses for such behavior anyway, with abundant opportunities for confession, as already mentioned. I think I came to this conclusion about not being able to disrespect the sacrament again after having lost my patience with a member of my family and lashing out the night before I went to mass. I sat down and looked over and saw the light on a confessional. I looked over at the rail, then back at the light, then back at the rail, and the next thing I knew, I was in the box. Why carry the baggage to the rail when you don’t need to.

Take that from someone who first thought, “Oh-no! It’s the 50’s in here”.

I’m gonna write an article for a journal someday about my change of heart and why. I’m still trying to figure it all out.

Hmmmmm… I have to make a new thread and ask people about the kinds of things that make their minds gravitate to others during mass or to other things outside of mass. I want to dig into the God-centered Mass vs. the People-Centered Mass.

I never understood the objection to hand holding durin g the Our Father, let alone shaking hands at the “sign of peace.” Now, I “get it”. Focus is on God and God alone, as I’m concluding it should be.

 

[Toni]

netmil(name removed by moderator):

Toni, that is a great idea! Please include me!
Are you a homeschooler? Have you tried the Yahoo board to post your ideas? You know what a huge homeschool community we have at Cyril’s.
This might be a great program to start.

I home schooled years ago now my children are grown. If you could post it on your board and you could email me with names addresses etc. I could send a name. If we all continue to pray for the Church. Grace flows everywhere. I have found that my negative energy did nothing to help build the church, it only buried it a little farther and chases people out the door.

 

[Toni]

Lux_et_veritas:

Hey, that’s a nice idea - adopt a priest. I’m on board!

That’s a valid point about the best of the best being tied up the most. Duh!

I keep thinking about the cyber-flock. There is something out here, such vast potential to tap and bring home to the one True church. Imagine all of the dark forces out here in cyber-world trying to steal away our kids. There has to be a balance where evil is met with goodness and truth. People are searching and seeking and the more resources there are to find truth, the more likely they will encounter it in passing. We need a modern day Missionaries of “Cyber-Space” whose order is dedicated to cyber-evangelization. The primary purpose of the cyber-Fathers would be to serve the cyber-flock.

Lemme tell you, it’s a good feeling when we can help pull someone out of that hopelessness and get them into confession. I’ve been involved in many such threads since coming here and it is most rewarding. I keep telling these people that they need to run, not walk to confession and tell the priest they’ve lost hope. The worst thing to have happen is to reject God’s love and mercy through hopelessness and despair. Every time I’ve seen this lost hope, it seems to be related to addictions that they can’t get out of. But, they don’t seem to realize that they are avoiding their best chance of hope, that is to tell the priest it has risen to the level of addiction.

I’ve actually got an idea I’ve been working on - A Simple Guide to Breaking Sinful Habits, so to speak. In it are tools - mental models that can be used, along with other helpful exercises. I’m still concepting it out, but I’m hoping at some point to find a group of teenagers and young adults to do some brainstorming to fill in some blanks, and a priest to see if the concept has merit and work as consultant. I’ve got to find me one that works alot with teens and young adults as these seem to be most prone to early addictions, yet the most vulnerable in not being able to stop. They have not developed some of the skills yet to deal with the force of sinful habits and addictions, and the guide would give them some simple tools to use. Sidetracked a bit here, but that was sparked after repeating myself in so many threads with the same stuff - “Know, Obey, then Understand”, “Ladder of Temptation” model, identifying attitudes that contribute or are resultants, etc. It’d be a fun project, anyway.

Great idea! Can’t wait to read the Simple Guide to breaking sinful habits. Is it something I could use in religion class with say 4th 5th or 6th graders or are you targeting the 16, 17, 18 year old group. There is a group that is beginning out here in MI that targets that age group they may be able to help with ideas. Let me know either way, I would love to read it.

 

[Lux_et_veritas]

Toni:

Great idea! Can’t wait to read the Simple Guide to breaking sinful habits. Is it something I could use in religion class with say 4th 5th or 6th graders or are you targeting the 16, 17, 18 year old group. There is a group that is beginning out here in MI that targets that age group they may be able to help with ideas. Let me know either way, I would love to read it.

Well, I will tell you this much, if you really look at who is troubled with addictions, that should describe the age group. It might be interesting to do two groups - one with the 11-14 year olds, then another with the 15-18 year olds. Trust me, there are kids with addictive habits based on the threads I see in here (one started at 11 with an impurity issue that rose to a heavy addiction within a few years).

I’m still thinking that it would probably be best to sit down with a priest whom the kids gravitate for confession. I can throw the conept on the table and see if it has any merit to continue working on. If so, maybe a little roughing out of the “plan” that would be executed with the teens to help fill in some blanks.

One of the concepts I want to build on is the notion that temptation is like a ladder. Sometimes you find yourself on the ladder of temptation through no fault of your own. Other times, you end up on the ladder of temptation because you engaged in some other activity that was either sinful, or less than virtuous. The next step is recognizing that you are on the ladder, regardless of how you got there. Then, you need to recognize that one moment - that very first moment you had - to say “no” and step down. Convince yourself that you will need to tell the priest about this moment in confession (part of the being honest with yourself rule). That alone is a deterrent because it is easy to dwell in the “I can’t help myself” doctrine.

I really want the guide to get into attitudes, or what I will call “doctrines”. I would start the group session by calling out some very common doctrines people follow that leads them into sin, or causes them to snowball into even more sin. Here are some examples:

• The “Everyone Else is Doing it” Doctrine
• The " Why not sin more I already have to go to confession" Doctrine
• The “All those good things I do make up for the bad things I do” Doctrine.

You see where it is headed and I know if you put a bunch of teens in a room, they will come up with a huge list (and lots of laughs doing it too). My concept involves getting people to look at the attitudes that enable the behaviors. Then, they absolutely MUST confess the attitudes that led to the behaviors.

There is much more, but as I said, I really need to rough it out and find a priest willing to sit with me on it and see where it may need some work before it can get into the workshop stage.

I’m even thinking it could be used for a workshop for schools and teen groups. In other words, to come up with material that will allow new groups of teens to discover through brainstorming similar things.

Of course, you don’t tell them that they need to confess that “moment” they could have said “No” until they are done building the Ladder of Temptation. Something wants to be on those rungs and the rungs want to be a set number. In other words, falling into temptation is a process. Whether many people follow a similar process or the process varies by individual, I don’t know. It remains to be discovered yet. This is where I could use the help of a priest or priests to just kind of kick the concept around a bit.

From there, I can see booklets at the back of churches (for addicts without computers), and the entire guide uploaded onto websites - whomever wants them.

I’m tempted to approach the Grotto with the concept, but I’m still trying to osbserve to which priest the kids are gravitating. I think I know, but I just need to watch a little longer. I’ve got something going on in my life right now that may prompt me to move quicker than I had originally planned.

It would be my pleasure for such a wonderful, dedicated parish to get the “Made By” stamp. That’s my desire - no names, just credit to a deserving parish.

 

[netmilsmom]

Detroit Sue:

Wasn’t your old parish the one that wanted to have kids make their FHC in 2nd grade & Confession in 4th?

Same one!

 

[Giannawannabe]

Toni:

Great idea! Can’t wait to read the Simple Guide to breaking sinful habits. Is it something I could use in religion class with say 4th 5th or 6th graders or are you targeting the 16, 17, 18 year old group. There is a group that is beginning out here in MI that targets that age group they may be able to help with ideas. Let me know either way, I would love to read it.

Toni,

What group are you talking about here? Is it S. S. Cyril and Methodius? What’s it called? I’m VERY interested here!!!

 

[Lux_et_veritas]

Oh, and i forgot about these things… on the Simple Guide to Breaking Sinful Habits"

One of the brainstorming activities is to come up with at least one sin in each of the seven sinful categories that can be an addiction. Impurity is high on the list, especially self-abuse (and one only needs to read through the moral theology forum here to get a feel for just how much pain some of these kids are experiencing in not being able to stop, yet wanting to. They need tools to help them). How many kids are there in a given parish, and if we go by statistics, a fair amount are dealing with the issue at an addictive level.

Why limit ourselves to impurity? I know other things are addicting, so I want them to build the list since I’m drawing some blanks myself.

The last activity is to brainstorm “Confession Habits”. Not all people stuck in a cycle of habit or addiction will go back to the same priest and they won’t realize it is their best chance of success. Think about the notion of having to confess that “moment to say ‘no’, but said ‘yes’” and having to do it to the same confessor time and again. I feel strongly that to break the cycle, it is most effective to find a single confessor to remove that security that you can just shop for a new priest next Saturday and not bother to tell him it is an addiction.

Can you see a bunch of teens coming up with a list of evasive behaviors that one stuck in addiction might do? If they have an addiction, chances are they have practiced it. If they have never had an addiction, teens have a pretty good knack for sensing what one would do in that situation.

In the end, this group of teens not only develops the book, but they have learned the kinds of things that they can be doing to get out of the cycle.

And, for the bold, brave and absolutely desparate - come out from behind the screen. It is a great opportunity to teach teens about the virtue of humility and the grace that comes with practicing it. I don’t suspect many would follow this recommendation, but you never know.

 

[Lux_et_veritas]

Oooooo - just had a discovery moment about the Ladder of Temptatin that would need to be included in the ***“Simple Guide to Breaking Sinful Habits”. ***

I’m writing alot here, but writing is how I think and ponder so that is why so much comes out. I was just responding to a question about temptation in another post and had an “a-ha” moment. The question was whether or not we sin by walking up the Ladder of Temptation. In responding here is what I learned:

Another key point that must be in the guide is an honest self-assessment as to where one fell into sin from the Ladder of Temptation. Did one fall from the top? If so, how many times did the Lord put a signal in your heart that you needed to get down? What were you doing at the time that you went up that next rung? At which rung did you fall?

That last question is very important and it goes to something Fr. Perrone stated in his article on Pentecost, “The Fallacy of the Middle Ground” (I’ll put the link below). He mentioned half-hearted efforts and I recall reading his article many times and had to finally reconcile with the fact that I was falling from the Ladder of Temptation while only half-way up, meaning I was NOT putting in the level of effort that should have gone into not sinning.

You see the power of recognizing our own patterns of behavior, then confessing these behaviors, as well as the sin. In stating them - vocalizing them - it makes it difficult to “absolve ourselves” of responsibility. This is what accountability means - to account for or to explain oneself. When you get serious with yourself and tell yourself that you have to confess these things, it makes it so much easier to say “No” next time the temptation strikes. I know - it has been highly effective for me to just think I will have to acknowledge those things next time I go into confession.

We are, in fact, like children. When we grow up, we don’t recognize our own evasiveness to confronting sinful behavior.

I appreciate you guys reading my babble. It is how I learn. I think out loud to learn and in turn, learn more. It is good to hear what others think and say too because it just generates more and lets me know if I’m on to something.

For the Fr. Perrone fans, this was a classic. I hope it has you looking inward as much as it did me. I still believe that the Lord rewards those priests who are willing to tell us what we don’t want to hear by drawing most people to them, not repelling. Too many priests concern themselves with people leaving the pews, collections going down, or even losing tax exempt status. If they do right and speak of Truth, the Lord will keep that bread and fish flowing as if there is no bottom to the basket. Eventually, collections will rise and more people will come.

assumptiongrotto.com/pastor%20files/05-15-05.htm

 

[grotto]

smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/17/17_1_33.gif Confession in the box behind the screen, on your knees, is much better than face-to-face. Having experienced both I can remember the distraction and a sense of personality interferring or putting a strain on myself. I really think teaching children that Confession is the action on our part that says - “I really mean I am sorry Lord, please forgive me and I will try never to do these things again”. The awareness of cleansing our soul straight to God in an intimate way is better achieved without the discomforting distraction of vanity. The secrecy of the confessing is more upheld in this manner and the recipient is more comforted upon receiving absolution to continue on their way! Simply becoming familiar with entering the Confessional, examining the screen/window, kneeler or chair for those who are unable to kneel and explaining the reasoning for this, is more reassuring. As for adults going to Confession “behind the screen”, since they are much less innocent than children, I’d say they would be more inclined to confess their sins - at lease they would discover that “by golly - I guess that was a sin”.

 

[Lux_et_veritas]

smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/17/17_1_33.gif Confession in the box behind the screen, on your knees, is much better than face-to-face. Having experienced both I can remember the distraction and a sense of personality interferring or putting a strain on myself. I really think teaching children that Confession is the action on our part that says - “I really mean I am sorry Lord, please forgive me and I will try never to do these things again”. The awareness of cleansing our soul straight to God in an intimate way is better achieved without the discomforting distraction of vanity. The secrecy of the confessing is more upheld in this manner and the recipient is more comforted upon receiving absolution to continue on their way! Simply becoming familiar with entering the Confessional, examining the screen/window, kneeler or chair for those who are unable to kneel and explaining the reasoning for this, is more reassuring. As for adults going to Confession “behind the screen”, since they are much less innocent than children, I’d say they would be more inclined to confess their sins - at lease they would discover that “by golly - I guess that was a sin”.

No doubt and I won’t disagree that for many this is the right way to go. I felt this way and i remember a time, when they first came out with the “Rite of Reconciliation” and had no screen. It was forced at one church I was at and this was wrong. It scared many away.

It’s really a personal decision. Never in my life did I ever feel the need to come out from behind the screen - until just recently. While God asks all of us to do different things, I felt strongly that in the particular pickle I had gotten myself into, he was asking me to do just that - to go in and look Father right into his eyes and empty the closet - completely! It took me 2-3 days to reconcile with what I felt He was telling me to do. I mean, I kept breaking out into a sweat, crying and asking God not to do this to me, and even wanted to puke I was so upset.

I told Him I would do as I felt He was asking and shortly later, a calm came over me, followed by tremendous strength. In my heart I felt him saying to me that there is no anonymity before Him, nor will you have anonymity before He who represents Me. Look into my eyes by looking into those of the Father before you and tell me what ails you so badly. He then helped me to make a connection - a deep connection to the great lesson in humility that it was, yet he gave me the grace to deal with it throughout the process.

I see the wisdom in what he asked of me for my particular case because it was highly, highly effective in getting me to correct my course - one that I tried for 15 years to correct, unsuccessfully before that moment. I don’t know that I could go back behind a screen again because I want to maintain one main confessor who knows of the quest in my heart and can see the progress and pitfalls in such a way as to give me the best possible guidance.

For me personally, confession has now gone past the point of simply confessing sins and wanting to sin no more. It now becomes a tool to lead a more holy life than I could without it.

I’m looking at the Secular Carmelites there at the Grotto so this has even more meaning for me as I go forward. I believe that as a Carmelite there is a benefit to choosing the least comfortable path so all I can do is to continue to do as I feel the Lord asks me, and not ask too many questions. Thus far, he has been very generous in what he has given me when I do this.

As for mentioning it to the kids - face to face - I believe it should be planted only as a seed, without putting pressure in any way on them. They should know that it is just one more tool in the toolbox they can use, if they feel it will help them.

 

[Toni]

Giannawannabe:

Toni,

What group are you talking about here? Is it S. S. Cyril and Methodius? What’s it called? I’m VERY interested here!!!

No it is a teen group that is being started by the Legionaries. I forgot what it is called but could get you more info on it or a contact. One of the moms is at St. Cyril & Methodius.