World Youth Day Trip Update: Assisi Day 2

Bill Harkins - August 11, 12:08 a.m.

We are wrapping up our Assisi leg. Yesterday we walked up the mountain Francis took his followers to pray.  2 miles up a very steep incline, tough but worth it.  We attended Mass up there.  We moved on for a whirlwind tour of major St Francis sites.  Seeing the uncorrupted body of St. Clare was amazing.  We are heading to Rome this morning!  God Bless, Bill

Dan Johnson - Peace - August 11, 4:47 p.m.

Peace is illusive. What does it feel like? Where is it? How can I get it?

We woke up this morning and walked up a mountain in silence. When we stepped outside we were surprised to find that it was cool, very cool, brisk even. Then we walked. It was a long walk and as I prayed, I prayed for these teens and all those at McGill. I thought about walking up this mountain. Michael, Connor, Shannon, Maegan, Callie, Elizabeth, Clare, Savannah, Gaillard, Lindsey and our adopted member Jenna were all so excited to do this. Even as they became more and more tired they were happy. Even as we climbed and the road twisted up and the sun was warming they hiked at a quick pace- excited! They were excited to experience something new. They anticipated the beauty, the joy, and the peace. All of this began the thought- We are headed to heaven.

The hike was difficult for sure. We walked to a hermitage where Francis and his brothers would go to get away from the hustle and bustle of Assisi. (hard to think of Assisi as busy I know...but for them it was!) Each one as they arrived at the hermitage were breathing heavy as Maegan said, "I can't believe I did that...and I kept up with the runners!" Then off to mass, partaking in the heavenly feast on a mountain where Francis would celebrate with his brothers! Cool!

Now, heaven is what is hoped for. The beauty, joy, and peace of Heaven! The journey, much like ours, will be difficult. But the promise is glorious, the hope for heaven, being united with the communion of saints praising God for eternity! The anticipation and the excitement combined with faith and the grace of God will get us there! Today in a small way was a journey to heaven. Through the challenges the hike presented we persevered in prayer in joyous anticipation of the experience of Holy Communion. Often times looking ahead they would see someone pushing fowrad and would be encouraged to do e same. Apply this to our lives and we have the beginning of the formula. Then what? Well today's Gospel (which I did not realize yesterday) and the subsequent homily was on the paradox. The journey is hard to be sure, and so to live we must die!

As we closed the day having hiked, seen the Portiuncula, prayed in front of incorrupt St. Clare and the tomb of St. Francis, and finished with adoration of the Blessed Sacrament we talked about about this recurring theme- the Paradox. We think perhaps the Holy Spirit is saying something! Perhaps peace is in our hearts waiting to be awakened by God's love. Ever present we must surrender ourselves, die to ourselves and open our hearts to him- there is freedom, there is his love, there is peace!

World Youth Day Trip Update: Assisi

Bill Harkins: Wednesday, Aug 10, 1:25 AM

We arrived in Rome, then Assisi last night, attended Mass, toured the town until around 11pm, then back to hotel. Starting off with Mass this morning, then walking tour all over St Francis' hometown.  We are tied in to the main group, 142 pilgrims. God Bless, Bill.

Sent from my iPod

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Dan Johnson: Tuesday August 9, 3:13 p.m.
We have made it to Assisi! In addition to that all our luggage made it here too! Praise God, for He is good! Everyone is tired, bur this Pilgrimage has been very blessed so far. We have definitely come together as a group. This is an added blessing before we meet up with the larger Franciscan group.

We are learning to count our blessings. Honestly most of our disappointments have become great blessings. Our teens have made a great new friend in Jenna, we were able now to grab luggage for several other people at the airport which otherwise would have been a great hassle to get to the group in Ae been wearing a shirt (same shirt 3 days) that says Paradox on it. One of the teens asked, "what does that mean?" The shirt is implying the great Christian paradox that we must die to live! We must sacrifice as pilgrims on a journey. The paradox, that God can bring great good out of suffering and hardship. This is the paradox that through our minor difficulties, with eyes opened by Christ, we have Assisi. We will deliver one who was lost as well as luggage.  Thus the paradox! I have seen His great love for us and all His children. Here we find the Good News!

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Gaillard from Mobile: Monday August 8, 11:47 a.m.
“Miami is a swell place. But I don't think the people sleep well here. Or they just really don't like us. But it's okay because we smile anyway! Because we are going to EUROPE!!! So it's gonna take a lot to upset us. Not to mention we get to eat free meals here in Miami complementary of the Fantabulous American Airlines. This morning, after a deliciously free breakfast at our free hotel, we took advantage of our free time ( haha, free.. ) and went to a local - very beautiful- church for mass, Little Flower Church. It was a good way to relieve the stress and anxiety from the day before. We arrived at the airport with plenty of time to spare and things have run pretty smoothly today. Praise God! So despite being a day behind schedule, I'd say it's not been so bad! ~ Gaillard

We Need To Wake The Giant

BY MATTHEW KELLY

The past several years have been a tough time to be Catholic in America.  In many ways this has been a time of tragedy for the Church.

The abuse of our children is a tragedy.  The scandal of the cover-up is a tragedy.  The fact that the entire priesthood has been tarnished by a small group of troubled priests is a tragedy.  The absence of bold and authentic leadership is a tragedy.

Morale is low and the number of Catholics leaving the Church is higher than ever before. The effects of all these tragedies are far reaching.  They have left society at large with a very low opinion of Catholicism and caused many Catholics to be ashamed of the Church.

I have spent hundreds of hours reflecting on where we are in our journey as a Church, and one thing has become startlingly clear is that we have forgotten our story.

Catholicism is more than a handful of priests who don't know what it means to be a priest. Every single day the Catholic Church feeds, houses, and clothes more people, takes care of more sick people, visits more prisoners, and educates more people than any other institution on the face of the earth could ever hope to.

There are 67 million Catholics in America.  That is a sleeping giant!  My team and I at Dynamic Catholic would like to wake that sleeping giant! But how do we wake this behemoth?   There are many great organization and individuals working today to help revitalize and reinvigorating the Church.  Get involved.   Make a difference.  My team at Dynamic Catholic are working on some very specific plans to help wake that sleeping giant!

But we need your help.

Please join the leadership of the Men of St. Joseph who have become members of the Dynamic Catholic Ambassador's Club and help us forge a bigger future for the Catholic Church in America. Today,  I would ask to click the link below to learn more how you can make a difference in the Church by supporting the Ambassador’s Club.

Click here to make a difference

About Matthew Kelly Matthew Kelly is founder and president of the Dynamic Catholic Institute. He is a best-selling Catholic author and world renowned speaker. His message, inspired by Vatican II's universal call to holiness, presents the genius of Catholicism in a way that is disarmingly simple, yet deeply profound.

World Youth Day Trip: Day 1

The first day got off to a rocky start for the kids from McGill-Toolen Catholic High School on their pilgrimage to World Youth Day. Airline troubles resulted in getting off the a late start. Below are posts from Dan Johnson and deacon candidate Bill Harkins:


Heavenly Father,
As men, as husbands, and as fathers we entrust to you the youth of the world.  Without fear or hesitation and in union with the celebration of World Youth Day we give you our own children that you may work in their lives calling them closer to you. We offer, in particular, our prayers for all those traveling with Franciscan University on this pilgrimage of faith.  Keep them safe and draw them in to the fire of your love that they may be "rooted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the faith."

St. Joseph, Terror of Demons... Pray for us.

Bill Harkins - Monday, August 8, 2011 - 12:07 pm:

We just attended Mass, celebrated by Fr Dan Goode, in Miami, at Little Flower Church.  We are at the Miami airport, waiting for a 5 pm flight to Madrid enroute to Rome and then Assisi.  The kids are excited, we can't wait to get on with the pilgrimage.  Today is the feast of St Dominic, founder of the Order Preachers, we ask him to intercede for us as we travel today.  He evangelized in the same parts of Europe we are heading to.  God Bless. St Joseph, Terror of demons, pray for us.  Bill

Dan Johnson - Sunday, August 7, 2011 - 8:37 pm

Well that fear of airports- well warranted to say the least! Recounting today's events.

1) we left at 4:30am for Pensacola.
2) we miss the 7am due to the airlines mistakes.

3) 12:20 flight delayed first because it needed oil, then it began to storm in Pensacola.

4) finally we board the flight to hear the pilot say we have to deplane because of weather in Miami. Hour delay!

5) just after 3 we depart for Miami.

6) we arrive as our connection is boarding and cannot make the flight or any other for the night!

But wait it gets better... Seriously things are looking up!

7) anyone who looks at our teens smiles because though they are tired they are still laughing and having fun. Surrendering all sadness and even anger recognizing the blessing of being together.
8) Franciscan university calls and says there is an 18 year old girl traveling alone stranded in Miami without a hotel or plans for a flight and understandably nervous.

In the end: a young girl from Minnesota has been brought into our group and will travel with us to Assisi bringing her and her parents great relief! I imagine we are the answer to their prayers. Something we will reflect on bring such a blessing out of a long day. A blessing for her and us. We have enjoyed a nice meal at the hotel. Through adversity we have strengthened our character and community. We have been blessed with an opportunity to show great charity to all those we came in contact with, even in difficult situations.
Perhaps the devil was attacking us, but I think being "rooted and built up in Jesus Christ firm in the faith," we are without question blessed!

Now we pray tomorrow goes a bit smoother!

World Youth Day, a Rich Blessing To Our Catholic Family

Many pilgrims from the United States and other countries are on their way to Madrid (or already there).   World Youth Day (WYD) is a blessing to our entire faith and to all of our families, regardless if one actually attends the event or not.  Every three years another country hosts Catholic young people from all over the globe as they enjoy each other in faith and fellowship.  The event is highlighted when the pilgrims experience the blessings of having mass with our earthly Holy Father, the pope.  This year the event is taking place in Madrid, Spain.

Helping our children and families become stronger and deeper in their faith is a key element to the mission to the Men of St. Joseph.  In order for us to live up to the promise to "Put the family in the hands of the Father" we need to make sure our children are having the faith passed down to them in a rich and meaningful way.  

This is exactly what World Youth Day is all about. The WYD website describes the event as "a unique way to deepen your faith and grow closer to Christ, by means of prayer and the sacraments, together with thousands of other young people who share your interests and ambitions."   What father would not want that for their children of the Faith? This event enriches everyone in our faith, whether they attend the event or not, by helping to foster an new generation of dedicated Christians.   The ripple effect of this event goes way beyond borders of Spain.   It will eventually touch the lives of all Catholics in one way or another.

To give us all insight to the what is happening at World Youth Day 2012, we are going to being sharing blog posts and Twitter feeds from at least one group participating with in a WYD pilgrimage organized by Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio.  

Please be on the lookout for posts from the team from McGill-Toolen Catholic High School in Alabama.  We will be getting feeds from the youth director Dan Johnson, chaperone Bill Harkins, and hopefully some of the young pilgrims as well.  Maybe along the way we can share news from some of the other tens of thousands of Americans participating in the WYD celebration as well.

Please look for these posts and keep all of the WYD pilgrims in your prayers.

Grieving a Tragic Loss

BY DAVID O’BRIEN

When someone dies, especially when the death is sudden, tragic and unexpected as in the case of Father Ernie Hyndman, there are always lots of questions. How could this happen? Was there something I could’ve done to prevent this? What went wrong? Why didn’t God intervene? How could God allow this?

In times of tragedy, it is important to recognize the nature of grief, how it operates, what to expect and how to cope.

Grief strikes everyone and not just at times of death. People grieve the loss of health, becoming empty nesters, moving away from friends and family, failed relationships, the loss of a beloved pet, a job change, retirement, the loss of a sense of security after a trauma, just to name a few. If the loss is more signifi cant, the grief usually is too.

A friend of mine was raped and she grieved the loss of her independence. For over a year, and sometimes still, she feels very fearful in situations where she once felt totally in control.

After my own broken wedding engagement, I struggled to build a new social life. I had to let go of the life we built together over nine years and create new friendships, new ways to fill my time and a new life as a single man.

The five stages of grief, as outlined by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross in her seminal book "On Death and Dying", include: Denial-"There’s been a mistake"; Anger- "Why? Who is to blame?"; Bargaining-"Take this away and I’ll do..."; Depression-"There’s no reason to go on"; and Acceptance-"I’m at peace and choose to live today."

While these stages are generally accepted, there are no set ways a person must go through them. How one grieves is unique and personal. Some people cry, others don’t. Some process a major loss quickly while some take years. But whatever the timetable, healing cannot be forced or hurried. Even after years, a fl ood of grief can overwhelm a person. Oftentimes this happens at events like family gatherings, a wedding, the birth of a baby, or the deaths of loved ones.

Guilt for things unsaid or deeds undone often accompanies grief. After a long illness, one might even feel guilty for experiencing relief or fears about what to do or feel now. All of these are normal and a part of the journey through grief.

The key to negotiating grief is to avoid shutting down or running from it. If angry, then be angry. Sad, cry your eyes out. Need to talk, call up a good friend, a counselor or a priest. Whatever helps, do it and do not be ashamed. Loss hurts and grieving is how God designed us to deal with that pain.

My sister who lost her husband to cancer at 29 years of age sunk herself into her work and raising the kids for the first 10 years after his death. Only recently has she chosen to engage the grieving process. As a family, we tried to support her without saying things like "You should be over this by now" or "Why don’t you get remarried?" She, like everyone else, must travel the path of grief as best she can.

Adopting destructive behaviors to cope with grief like isolating, medicating the pain, or excessive eating or drinking can create long term problems. Grief will pass if we face it but these behaviors can linger for years.

Two key strategies can help with grief.

First, do not grieve alone. Find support through people who will listen without judgment or agenda. Our Catholic community provides counseling, meaningful prayers, rituals and scriptures, grief groups and the comfort of the Lord’s abiding presence in the Eucharist. (www.acc-seattle.org/resources/grief.htm) There is no better place to grieve, cry, wail, and search for answers than in front of Christ in the Eucharist.

Secondly, take care of yourself by sleeping, exercising and eating enough but not too much. Give yourself permission to take the time to grieve and be emotional when necessary. And don’t allow anyone to tell you how or how long to grieve.

In the end, we believe that God is present and in control of everything including life, death, final judgment, and the plan for our lives after a terrible loss. Jesus faced loss in his life. His father Joseph died. So did his friend Lazarus. In the Garden of Gethsemane, he confronted his own impending doom. And like Him, we will rise again. With God’s help, we will come out on the other side of grief knowing something about life, ourselves and God that we didn’t know before. Seek the Lord and trust in Him. He can even be found in the pain of grief and loss.

About David O’Brien David O’Brien is the Associate Director of Religious Education for Lay Ministry for the Archdiocese of Mobile. His column, Everyday Faith, appears regularly in the archdiocesan newspaper, the Catholic Week. Email David at dobrien@mobilearchdiocese.org.

Preserving Our Faith

From Archbishop Timothy Dolan's blog:

The headline was so familiar: Yet another group was “challenging the Vatican” on something, this time, on upholding the timeless teaching of the Church that only men are called to the Sacrament of Holy Orders.

One can’t really find too much fault with the content of the article, namely that some small groups in North America, Austria, and Australia, the usual lineup, are protesting this particular teaching of the Church.What one does find frustrating is the tenor of the headline and the article that “the Vatican” has these bizarre, outmoded, oppressive “policies” that need to be “revised” so that such “guidelines of Rome” are brought more in line with enlightened thinking of today.

One would think that leaders in “the Vatican” occasionally meet to decide what “rules” they should issue or reinforce today, or what changes in procedure they should introduce to guarantee that the Church is more relevant.

While this seems to be the presumption of most people who attempt to report on the Church, it is, indeed, a presumption that is invalid.

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