Learn how to strengthen your
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union with others.
Proceed With Love
As we proceed through Lent and life, we might do well to take cues from some church leaders of the past, like Pope Francis, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, and Jesus. The way of proceeding through synodality is like the Ignatian Way of Proceeding. They are both based in prayer that listens to the Holy Spirit and acts according to the Spirit’s promptings. This inspires us to also listen more intently to others, reverence their sentiments, presume their good intent, help reframe their words that might be off-putting or offtrack, seek nuggets of wisdom that can be presented as building blocks for the common good, and find positive methods to move forward together. This way of proceeding honors Christ’s way.
More than once, Pope Francis pointed out that among the sins of the church is its procedures, or ways of proceeding, that are self-referential and arrogant. They result in policies that get indoctrinated as divine and produce ways of proceeding that reference them as deity. This is very different from the message of Jesus and different from the message of the Second Vatican Council that called Catholics to go to the source, to turn to Jesus rather than to ecclesial policies or procedures to guide us in faith. Read the Full Post.
Father Don and his sister, Barbie, drop a podcast about podcasts, particularly this podcast, Upon This Rock, as we pause operations to assess its impact and how the church can reach people in our twenty-first-century virtual society. They reminisce about messages from the hundred-plus conversations and how we can encourage people to talk with one another about matters of faith and faith that matters to us, our families and friends, our community, and our world.
Direct Link. Listen on Apple and Spotify. Download the MP3 file.
Listen to all the Upon This Rock episodes. #uponthisrockpodcast
Saint Thomas More (STM) Parish has a sister community relationship with San Andrés Itzapa, a rural parish in south-central Guatemala. STM Parishioners Phil Smith and Marla Byrne have visited frequently in recent decades, often leading groups on work retreats and pilgrimages of faith that support foreign friends. The STM group has escorted thousands of Kansas Citians, including over a thousand teenagers, to Central America to encounter brothers and sisters who struggle in ways that open their eyes and hearts.
Direct Link. Listen on Apple and Spotify. Download the MP3 file.
Listen to all the Upon This Rock episodes. #uponthisrockpodcast
"In the end, these things are only required: that you act justly, that you love tenderly, and that you walk humbly with the Lord."
— The Prophet Micah
"We are like travelers who have forgotten
the name of our destination. We must return from where we came to discover where
we are going."
— G. K. Chesterton
"I truly appreciate the use of musical references and other writings which you often use. I have been blessed to have attended small dinners and discussions where you have often used these same references to engage attendees. It always has left me with soul searching and a path to answering some very deep questions. Thank you for providing some more stepping stones."
- Helen V.
“Thank you, Father Don! Your good words help so many, and I love forwarding your encouraging message.”
- Peggy B
"Thank you for helping us see the connections rather than the differences in many faith traditions."
- Mary Jo C.
The Farnan Spirituality Center provides spiritual direction,
spiritual counseling, and spiritual guidance to everyone.
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