Request for advice - How to bring God into a busy, stressful and hectic worklife?

[mommy25]

maggiec:

Dawn, how wonderful to find another family member on this forum. I became a novice on 29 Jan. We have a wonderful Pauline family and I am anxious for all to learn about it. I had posted the information on this thread (post 26). No response but we can always pray that the Lord will show the way. As Fr Tom says, gently with love.
God bless
maggiec

Hello Maggie!

Yes, it is great to find another Pauline! Will you be at Triduum this September? I’ll be making my first vows this year. I am so excited!

Sorry it’s taken me so long to respond - we are celebrating two of my boys’ birthdays this weekend and have been extra busy. I’d love to keep in touch, and maybe we can meet this fall in Ohio.

 

[maggiec]

deekod1967:

Sorry Maggie - I should have responded to your kind post long before now.

I would be very much obliged to hear more about both you and Dawn’s experiences in the Holy Family Institute. I feel drawn to something which is geared towards the famlily unit rather than just individuals - who knows, I may well join both the Miracle Rosary Mission and the Holy Family Institute!

 

[maggiec]

maggiec:
The Holy Family Institute is a Consecrated Secular life in the Pauline family which was founded by Blessed James Alberione in 1960. St Paul, the apostle to the gentiles is our patron saint.The main work is spreading the gospel of Jesus Master, Way, Truth and Life through the means of social communications (like we are doing here). Because you are consecrated you can’t belong to a third order and the Institute.
Fr Tom Fogarty is like a spiritual director for the delegates. He sends us 2 mailings a month. On the 1st he sends a booklet and a cassette with the teachings we are to study. On the 15th he sends another booklet. We are to respond by the 15 th of each month with questions or whatever we feel we need to discuss with him. They ask for a small donation each month (about $20.00) to help support the institute. After a period of 6-9 months of postulancy, if you desire to continue, you become a novice. This can take place at your home parish or at the Institute meeting which takes place in September each year. Rome requires a 2 year novitate before you can make your 1st profession. Your profession is renewed at the end of the year for two years and after that you are permanently professed.
The wonderful thing about the institute is that you continue to grow closer to God through the Pauline prayers and life according to the statutes of the institute.
Living your family life is the main duty of Institute members and your spouse doesn’t have to belong for you to join and grow. The institute understands that not all are called. It is for married and widowed and stresses that your most important work is with your family.
I have found myself growing closer to the Master through the daily prayers we are asked to join other members in saying during the day.
I had been looking for years for something when I received an email about the Institute “out of the blue”. I feel I have been truly blessed in becoming a member. I am anxious for Sept. so I can meet the other members.
If you check out the web site and what is offered I don’t think you will be disappointed.
God bless,
Maggie

 

[mommy25]

maggiec:

The Holy Family Institute is a Consecrated Secular life in the Pauline family which was founded by Blessed James Alberione in 1960. St Paul, the apostle to the gentiles is our patron saint.The main work is spreading the gospel of Jesus Master, Way, Truth and Life through the means of social communications (like we are doing here). Because you are consecrated you can’t belong to a third order and the Institute.
Fr Tom Fogarty is like a spiritual director for the delegates. He sends us 2 mailings a month. On the 1st he sends a booklet and a cassette with the teachings we are to study. On the 15th he sends another booklet. We are to respond by the 15 th of each month with questions or whatever we feel we need to discuss with him. They ask for a small donation each month (about $20.00) to help support the institute. After a period of 6-9 months of postulancy, if you desire to continue, you become a novice. This can take place at your home parish or at the Institute meeting which takes place in September each year. Rome requires a 2 year novitate before you can make your 1st profession. Your profession is renewed at the end of the year for two years and after that you are permanently professed.
The wonderful thing about the institute is that you continue to grow closer to God through the Pauline prayers and life according to the statutes of the institute.
Living your family life is the main duty of Institute members and your spouse doesn’t have to belong for you to join and grow. The institute understands that not all are called. It is for married and widowed and stresses that your most important work is with your family.
I have found myself growing closer to the Master through the daily prayers we are asked to join other members in saying during the day.
I had been looking for years for something when I received an email about the Institute “out of the blue”. I feel I have been truly blessed in becoming a member. I am anxious for Sept. so I can meet the other members.
If you check out the web site and what is offered I don’t think you will be disappointed.
God bless,
Maggie

Great explanation, Maggie!

I’d like to add that although the work of the Pauline Family is to spread the good news via the mass media, the majority of us do not work directly in the media. Many of us are home-
schoolers, many are active in their parish communities in a variety of ways, but we all live regular family lives offering ourselves for a blessing on media well used and for God’s mercy on individuals and families damaged by the media.

On a personal note, I can honestly say that I’ve experienced more spiritual growth in the last 2 1/2 years of involvement with HFI than in many years combined before it. I’d felt for a long time that there was something I was meant to do, and I checked out many groups from Opus Dei to Secular Franciscans over the years. I never felt called to join any of them until I found the Institute. Anyway, it has been a tremendous blessing to me and I hope that many others will find the same in their own lives!

Glad to hear you’ll be at Triduum, Maggie!

For anyone else interested in attending, (it’s open to all) it will be September 22-24 in Canfield, Ohio. You can contact Fr. Tom for more information, or I’d be happy to share more info as well.

 

[deekod1967]

Many thanks to Maggie and Dawn for your very informative posts, I am very interested in a consecrated life as a Holy Family Institute member. I have emailed for an introductory pack, but I live in the UK - would this be a problem for me do you think?

Thanks again!

 

[deekod1967]

aaronjmagnan:

Try Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales

Hi - thank you for your post Aaron, I will put this book on my reading list!

 

[mommy25]

No, being in the UK should not be a problem. We have members all over the place! As a matter of fact,there is a new group starting up in the Philipines just now! The farther we spread, the more we reach! So glad to hear that you’ll be checking into it!

 

[maggiec]

deekod1967:

Many thanks to Maggie and Dawn for your very informative posts, I am very interested in a consecrated life as a Holy Family Institute member. I have emailed for an introductory pack, but I live in the UK - would this be a problem for me do you think?

Thanks again!

No problem at all, all are welcome.
Please keep in touch.
God bless,
maggie

 

[maggiec]

mommy25:

Great explanation, Maggie!

I’d like to add that although the work of the Pauline Family is to spread the good news via the mass media, the majority of us do not work directly in the media. Many of us are home-
schoolers, many are active in their parish communities in a variety of ways, but we all live regular family lives offering ourselves for a blessing on media well used and for God’s mercy on individuals and families damaged by the media.

On a personal note, I can honestly say that I’ve experienced more spiritual growth in the last 2 1/2 years of involvement with HFI than in many years combined before it. I’d felt for a long time that there was something I was meant to do, and I checked out many groups from Opus Dei to Secular Franciscans over the years. I never felt called to join any of them until I found the Institute. Anyway, it has been a tremendous blessing to me and I hope that many others will find the same in their own lives!

Glad to hear you’ll be at Triduum, Maggie!

For anyone else interested in attending, (it’s open to all) it will be September 22-24 in Canfield, Ohio. You can contact Fr. Tom for more information, or I’d be happy to share more info as well.

I’m looking forward to meeting you, Dawn. I’ve already scheduled part of my vacation for that weekend.
God bless,
maggiec

 

[AquinasXVI]

Deekod:

At least once a month there is a scheduled Recollection done by Opus Dei. Find out when it is and see if you can squeeze it in…you don’t have to be a member to attend…also find out about the weekend retreats as well.

As for daily—Aspirations and Mortifications are the most accessible way to keep the Presence of God consistent…there are ordinary things like: phone ring, door opens, email recieved that you can use as signals to do an aspiration. St. Josemaria said that look at the paper and see the people behind it.

God bless.

in XT.

 

[deekod1967]

Just a note to say I’ve received my introductory pack from Fr. Tom and the HFI looks very promising for me.

Thank you Dawn and Maggie for your help.

 

[maggiec]

deekod1967:

Just a note to say I’ve received my introductory pack from Fr. Tom and the HFI looks very promising for me.

Thank you Dawn and Maggie for your help.

Derek,
I pray for your continued growth in the Institute, and now if I could ask that you pray for my son Michael, 35. We just found out he has a malignant growth on his spine and is being sent to MD Anderson for treatment. It doesn’t look good for him, but I know whatever happens will be, in the final analysis, for the greater glory of God.
God bless,
Maggie C

 

[deekod1967]

I’m really sorry to hear about your son Maggie, both you and Micheal will be in my prayers to Our Lord and Master.

Once again thanks for your intro to the HFI.

 

[puzzleannie]

deekod1967:

Hi
Before I do anything I need to convince those nearest and dearest to me that Opus dei is not some sort of mad cult that will turn me into a “religious nut” - DD

or you can tell them to mind their own beeswax, or simply follow whatever daily spiritual exercises you feeled called upon without informing anyone else or discussing it. you are within your rights in demanding a quiet time and place for yourself for a period of time each day. many busy parents find nightime is best for them, or early morning before everyone wakes up. If you do not demonstrate to your family the necessity of personal (as well as family) prayer time you are failing in your duty to them.

I can tell you from personal experience, and the experience of other oblates, if you do not give that daily hour (or 15 minutes or whatever period seems best for you) to God you will never have enough hours in the day. If you do give that hour to God you will always have enough time, energy and resources for all your other demands.

somebody has already mentioned the Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence, I highly recommend it as a spirituality primer for everyone, especially busy people.

Time Management for Catholics by Dave Durand, Sofia Inst. Press is a must-have tool for busy people.

 

[deekod1967]

Thanks Annie ,

I hear your point re: asserting that prayer time is a necessity but my wife and I do not have any problems like that. I feel strongly that any vocation to a secular institute, third order or prelature should only be taken in conjunction with a person’s spouse and family - to do otherwise could be disastrous for a marriage, and I have gone to great lengths to find the HFI (thanks again to Dawn and Maggie there) that would seem to suit my wife and I together, I am so thankful to have found the HFI!

I have applied several time management techniques for work / home use but found that after using them strictly in the office all day once I’m home i actuallly relish living life in a less structured manner, but I will look up the time management for Catholic’s book you referred to.

I know exactly what you mean re: having a solid piece of time each day with God, that for me is an examen and Rosary before bed the HFI daily prayers when I get up, I hope to increase this as my life in the HFI progresses Godwilling.

Many thanks again for your post.

 

[maggiec]

deekod1967:

I’m really sorry to hear about your son Maggie, both you and Micheal will be in my prayers to Our Lord and Master.

Once again thanks for your intro to the HFI.

Derek,

Thank you for your prayers for myself and my son, they are greatly appreciated.
In regards to the institute, you have found a place to grow in your faith while growing with your family. The family is the center of the Holy Family Institute. I think the more you learn about it the more blessed you will feel. Even if you stay in it by yourself you will find your family benefits from your deepening spirituality. My husband is not as far along in this journey as I am, but it has only strengthened our love and respect for each other.
God bless you in your journey. If I can help let me know. You can always pm me.
Maggie C