One of the many challenges (and blessings) for any parish and pastor is to encourage and inspire parishioners to give (in answer to their baptismal commitment) their time, talent and treasure to various activities and ministries that a parish has to offer. In some instances, people step forward on their own and find great reward in the ministry or activity they want to do. Others step forward when a need presents itself to them and others, whether it be a one-time need or an ongoing one (like our Helpin gHnads ministry). The there are instances where I, as pastor, need t discern God's will and ask someone to take on a particular leadership role that I believe they are capable of and qualified to do.
Our VIP for the month of October, Deb Troxel, was recently asked and agreed to be our parish point person forthe national Eucharistic revival that is going on right now in our diocese and throughout the United States. I knew before asking her that she has a love for Jesus and his "Real Presence"in the Holy Eucharist as she is an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion at Mass (she often attends daily Mass) and for the sick at CHI St Vincent Hospital. She participates in Eucharistic Adoration here and is a valuable substitute who often covers for absent Adorers more than a few times each week. She has shown herself to be a competent leader in the Walking with Purpose Bible Study, as well as, our Advent and Lenten studies as a facilitator. She is a trained and experienced spiritual directory/companion who ha used that gift and is available for parishioners who desire a deeper union with the Lord. Deb is a regular cantor at our Sunday Masses (especially the 8:00 a.m. Mass) and enjoys leading people in give thanks and praise to the Lord. She and her husband, Jack, moved to the Villate and to our parish in 2017 and she used her skills as a registered nurse at a CHI clinic until she retired in 2020. She is a regular participant in Linda Broome's exercise classes on Tuesday and Thursday and is testifying this weekend before two of our Masses about the benefits of participating in this or any exercise regimen in the hopes that more of you will give it a try. As with anyone who says "yes" to a call from the Lord ot serve, I was happy when she said she would be the point person for our participation in the national Eucharistic revival and, in a short time, she has exhibited her organizational skills, her communication skills to me and to others and initiative in recruiting parishioners to help her lead our parish in growing in our love and appreciation of the gift of the Holy Eucharist for our spiritual food and our adoration! (By the way, she has recently offered to run for a parish council position as a representative of the education commission). Thanks, Deb, for all you have done, are doing and your willlingness to do more!
Our VIP for the month of October, Deb Troxel, was recently asked and agreed to be our parish point person forthe national Eucharistic revival that is going on right now in our diocese and throughout the United States. I knew before asking her that she has a love for Jesus and his "Real Presence"in the Holy Eucharist as she is an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion at Mass (she often attends daily Mass) and for the sick at CHI St Vincent Hospital. She participates in Eucharistic Adoration here and is a valuable substitute who often covers for absent Adorers more than a few times each week. She has shown herself to be a competent leader in the Walking with Purpose Bible Study, as well as, our Advent and Lenten studies as a facilitator. She is a trained and experienced spiritual directory/companion who ha used that gift and is available for parishioners who desire a deeper union with the Lord. Deb is a regular cantor at our Sunday Masses (especially the 8:00 a.m. Mass) and enjoys leading people in give thanks and praise to the Lord. She and her husband, Jack, moved to the Villate and to our parish in 2017 and she used her skills as a registered nurse at a CHI clinic until she retired in 2020. She is a regular participant in Linda Broome's exercise classes on Tuesday and Thursday and is testifying this weekend before two of our Masses about the benefits of participating in this or any exercise regimen in the hopes that more of you will give it a try. As with anyone who says "yes" to a call from the Lord ot serve, I was happy when she said she would be the point person for our participation in the national Eucharistic revival and, in a short time, she has exhibited her organizational skills, her communication skills to me and to others and initiative in recruiting parishioners to help her lead our parish in growing in our love and appreciation of the gift of the Holy Eucharist for our spiritual food and our adoration! (By the way, she has recently offered to run for a parish council position as a representative of the education commission). Thanks, Deb, for all you have done, are doing and your willlingness to do more!
If I turn on certain "so called" news channels, sadly I know that, depending on which one it is, I will hear all positive or all negative things about certain politicians and elected officials. Rarely, if ever, do they say anything positive about anything good "their nemisis" has done. I think the same kind of positive or negative thoughts and feelings about certain public figures can be, and are expressed in certain publications and by people who are on social media. We clearly see this when it comes to Pope Francis, the Vicar of Christ on earth. I receive forwarded e-mails from a few parishioners of publications which seem to be looking for and finding fault with everything our pope says or does. Like with anyone, some or much of what he says is taken out of context and assumptions and conclusions are reached that, at the least, are unfair to our pope and some are simply not true. I could bring up a few instances, but I choose not to do so here. I would rather like to caution everyone about taking positions on certain subjects and then getting defensive or even attacking the pope for saying things that don't seem to agree with or goes against those positions. We are called to be formed daily and throughout our lives in "Gospel" ways of thinking and acting. I truly can say that Pope Francis, with his long priesthood and as a holy and scholarly man, has shown his humility and faithfulness to preaching and teaching the ways of God that are truly meant for all of us to take to heart. I believe all of us should start by accessing sources (like Vatican News) that truly portrays what our pope is saying an doing. We should read all the things that the pope says or writes on our own and not through the lens and sometimes distortions which claim that the pope is not being true to the Tradition and/or to the ways and teachings of Jesus Christ. If what he says or writes is too long and/or difficult to understand, then find priests, bishops, or laypeople who can help us appreciate what comes from the pope without prejudice against him. Not only with Catholics and the Pope, but in other areas, like politics, there has been a movement away from respect for authority and instead and immediate distrust and criticism toward or about that authority which I believe has many more bad. When, however, he speaks in his teaching role, especially when it come to major writings like encyclicals, we are called as Catholic to take what he says seriously and with confidence that God is working through the Vicar of Christ in many of the same ways he worked through Jesus Christ. Blessings will surely come to those of us who do!
In the field of sports, and in other "arenas" there is a fair amount of time spent by social media (and others) talking about the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) whether it be an individual or a team of people. Rarely (if ever) is a consensus reached that brings an end ot the discussion. I hope in the area of "Spirituality" all Christians who take their faith seriously would agree that Jesus Christ is the GOAT and we are blessed to have him instruct us every time we hear from Him in one of the Gospels. He does indeed teach us and show us how to connect with God and grow in our union with him, and rejoice in his love, mercy and peace. We are blessed when we also make the time and make the tim to grow in our union with God (and the fuits that come from it) by connecting in various ways to "spiritual directors" of the past and present. We are blessed when we read or hear them speak about this subject and when they help us find God more clearly in our lives as he is always present for us to encounter.
A spiritual director assists someone in discerning the presence and movement of God in their day-to-day life. A spiritual director must be a person of prayer who is continally seeking the Lord in their life through reading and reflection on the scripture, encounters with other spiritual directors (or at least the one who directs them) and by being a good listener to God and others. We are blessed to have in our parish two lay persons, Deb Troxel and Cherry Schwulst who are licensed spiritual directors who have been formed and instructed in formal settins in the ministry of spiritual direction. While Deb has been offering spiritul direction to out parishioners for a while, Cherry, while recently completing the requirements that are necessary to be a spiritual director, has, as part of her formation, already been engaging in spiritual direction for some people to hone her skills at listening and guiding a person more and more to the Lord. Since they are "professionals" in this important ministry, a fee is usually charged by them that is talked about and agreed upon at the start of the spiritual direction sessions (which I believe normally go on for about an hour). There is always the freedom to discontinue the sessions at any time with no questions asked as to why. There are options given as to where these sessions will take place, including private and quiet places here at Sacred Heart Parish facilities.
If you want to learn more about spiritual direction and/or seek to grow in your spiritual life by welcoming the assistance of one of these ladies, please call Deb at 515-314-6955 or Cherry at 309-831-7230 anytime.
It is such a blessing to have many capable people in so many areas of ministry and I date say this is potentially one of the most important for those who open their faith lives to it.
A spiritual director assists someone in discerning the presence and movement of God in their day-to-day life. A spiritual director must be a person of prayer who is continally seeking the Lord in their life through reading and reflection on the scripture, encounters with other spiritual directors (or at least the one who directs them) and by being a good listener to God and others. We are blessed to have in our parish two lay persons, Deb Troxel and Cherry Schwulst who are licensed spiritual directors who have been formed and instructed in formal settins in the ministry of spiritual direction. While Deb has been offering spiritul direction to out parishioners for a while, Cherry, while recently completing the requirements that are necessary to be a spiritual director, has, as part of her formation, already been engaging in spiritual direction for some people to hone her skills at listening and guiding a person more and more to the Lord. Since they are "professionals" in this important ministry, a fee is usually charged by them that is talked about and agreed upon at the start of the spiritual direction sessions (which I believe normally go on for about an hour). There is always the freedom to discontinue the sessions at any time with no questions asked as to why. There are options given as to where these sessions will take place, including private and quiet places here at Sacred Heart Parish facilities.
If you want to learn more about spiritual direction and/or seek to grow in your spiritual life by welcoming the assistance of one of these ladies, please call Deb at 515-314-6955 or Cherry at 309-831-7230 anytime.
It is such a blessing to have many capable people in so many areas of ministry and I date say this is potentially one of the most important for those who open their faith lives to it.