On the Tiber's shore

Status
Not open for further replies.
I am sincerely pleased for you. I’ve never been to a Ordinariate Mass, but, as you might expect, a Continuum Mass, at an Anglo-Catholic parish, based on the 1928 book, supplemented from the Missal, bears the family resemblance. Maybe some day you can find a way to attend an Ordinariate parish regularly.

Thanks for letting us know.
 
Last edited:
Thank you so much, @(name removed by moderator) 😊

I’ve not been sharing much lately, mostly because I’m not sure of what I can share, and what would be unwise to share at this stage.

But knowing that somewhere in this world, people are praying for me is a huge help.
 
MiserereMei said:
I could walk more, I suppose. I work retail, so I assumed I’ve been getting enough exercise. I suppose walking outside, rather than in a store might be helpful.
Click to expand...
Friend, don’t underestimate the value of exercise. Walking is a great way to clear the head and get some fresh air. Praying for you and your wife.
 
You and your wife are in my prayers.
MiserereMei said:
I’ve been thinking of asking Father if I can come in on Friday afternoons and privately do the Way of the Cross.
Click to expand...
Have you considered talking to Father as well about what you are going through ? I know my own SD’s sympathetic ear and wise words, and his unfailing affirmation of God’s love for me, helped a bit when I went through a particularly dark phase.
 
I teared up right there 😳

I think I can share this without saying too much: I met with the Bishop, and I am not going to forget that meeting anytime soon – in a very good way.
 
MiserereMei said:
There’s a terrible smell that hits me whenever I enter my building or leave my unit.
Click to expand...
As a nurse all too familiar with this problem, here are a couple ways to help. Breathe through your mouth, this will greatly reduce how much you smell. Also, rub a small amount of Vick’s just under each nostril. You won’t smell anything but Vick’s.
 
OddBird said:
Have you considered talking to Father as well about what you are going through ?
Click to expand...
I have. He isn’t available until next week (the bishop is having all the priests in the diocese do some continuing education). My psychological state will either be the same or worse by then.
Glennon_P said:
Friend, don’t underestimate the value of exercise. Walking is a great way to clear the head and get some fresh air
Click to expand...
You’re right. I just have he bad habit of being a shut-in.

Thank you both.
As an aside, just before this break I got the “Evlogitaria for the Dead” stuck in my head, and started to quietly chant it under my breath. It brought me some measure of comfort, and gave me the idea that I ought to learn how to chant properly. I’ve had priests say in the past that, from my speaking voice, they think I’d have a good chanting voice. It might also give some sense of purpose. Especially with everything else going on.
Donald_S said:
here are a couple ways to help.
Click to expand...
Thank you. I’ve been holding my breath whenever I’m in the hall for the past few days. I think we still have some Vicks from when I got sick last year.
 
@MiserereMei

I totally feel for you.

Have you considered contemplating our Foster Father, Saint Joseph?

I’ve recently developed a devotion to good Saint Joseph to help me with my troubles with my family, my role as husband and father and just looking at him as the Quiet, Just Man Of Obedient Faith.

He suffered and suffered quietly as the Head of the Holy Family; taking care of our Blessed Mother and the Child Jesus. Just hang in there, brother. As my fiancé loves to say: This too shall pass.

@(name removed by moderator): Thank you for what you said about Satan and our war with him. He truly does all that he can to bring us down to his level and dragging us to hell with him. What you said is inspiring me to keep up the good fight of faith as I struggle with my family’s interference with bringing my youngest son into the Faith.
 
Michael16 said:
Have you considered contemplating our Foster Father, Saint Joseph?

I’ve recently developed a devotion to good Saint Joseph to help me with my troubles with my family, my role as husband and father and just looking at him as the Quiet, Just Man Of Obedient Faith.

He suffered and suffered quietly as the Head of the Holy Family; taking care of our Blessed Mother and the Child Jesus. Just hang in there, brother. As my fiancé loves to say: This too shall pass.
Click to expand...
Thank you.

I haven’t intentionally contemplated St. Joseph much, to be honest. He has come up with increasing frequency in my conversations with my wife, however. I will have to keep your recommendation in mind.
 
Thank all of you for your prayers.

While the depression is still there, the defeatism has been managed for now. I can work with that.

Anyway, the purpose of my update is this: my wife and I had a rather odd, if fruitful, conversation yesterday.

We both had the day off, and we made a “date” of it after going to a last-minute appointment at the oncologist’s office (more tests were done, and she was referred to a physical therapy program). We got bubble tea and a $5 pizza, then went home and spent the rest of the afternoon playing Pokemon and watching videos.

The game we were playing afforded the opportunity for a conversation about culture, social structure, and typology (she made an initial comment reflecting on something in the game). In which, I reiterated to her what I had many times before, that the Church is the New Israel. However, this time, I also connected this to the reverence with which the Orthodox and Catholic Churches treat Mary, explaining that the pattern for the treatment of Mary isn’t taken from paganism, but from the ancient Israelite treatment of the king’s mother. After I explained things this way, she said that the Catholic understanding of Mary makes more sense now.
 
@MiserereMei

That is so awesome to hear! The Holy Spirit was at work, thanks be to God.
 
Been away from the forum for many days now, but having read through conversations during absence, I just wished to say - each of you faithful people remain in my prayers. As a faithful catholic, it is such a blessing to witness each of you seek out the truth with honesty and compassion. I learn so much and it is a great comfort and support in my own prayers for my spouse to return to the faith.

MM a special prayer to uphold you in time of depression. I liked your idea to take quiet time to reflect on the way of the cross in your local church. There is so much to learn to “rest in the Lord”.

At bible study a couple of weeks ago, a friend explained the utter helplessness of lying in bed just before surgery (stroke related) with absolutely no control over the procedure or the outcome. Being completely stripped and empty, it occured to me that - that is the type of trust we should place in God even in our healthy times. Thats how we are called to “rest in Him”. To give over complete control to Him trusting He will guide our every breath and action. Easy to say - hard to do 🙂 for some one like me.

I hope in difficult times each one encounters, you can find ways to “rest in Him”. This I will ask for each one of you in my prayers today.
 
So, Father made an announcement—through tears—today after Mass.

He said that the Bishop is having him retire at the end of the month.

An already retired priest who sometimes helps out on Saturday evenings said, “I’ve tried to convince him that he will love retirement, but he’s having none of it.”
 
My husband and I are at the end of a two weeks stay in Korea (with a few days in Japan in-between) with his family.

Today, as it was the last opportunity, I told him I was going to the Jeoldusan shrine and asked if he would like to come along. He said yes. He spent some time with me in the church’s crypt, in front of the martyrs’ relics (among whom there is a saint close to my heart, Saint Andrew Kim Taegon). On the way back he started a discussion on saints and canonisations, but for once he wasn’t aggressive and we didn’t end up fighting.

So I guess that’s progress ?
 
OddBird said:
On the way back he started a discussion on saints and canonisations, but for once he wasn’t aggressive and we didn’t end up fighting.
Click to expand...
@OddBird, I would say that is indeed progress!
My wife and I had a conversation that took a surprising turn before she went to work today. It started with me asking for her advice on how to handle a professor, the head of my program, who shot down three different thesis proposals, two of which I had been researching for 2-3 years because they “had a strong tendency towards Mary and Roman Catholicism” (Though, one of my Lutheran friends, when she heard about one of the proposals told me she wanted a copy). My wife said she’d try to think of ways I could still use my research but help create proposals he might be more likely to accept. Then, she apologized for pressuring me to leave Catholicism, and said again that she wants to support me as best she can, both academically and in religion.

A couple days before, she agreed to let me teach her how to pray the Rosary, since I said that it helps me with my emotional issues, and she’s been rather anxious lately due to health concerns. We managed to find the rose petal rosary I had given her near the beginning of our relationship. We haven’t had an opportunity yet for the tutorial.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top