Through the year

New Blog

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 09:47:58 -0400

I’m moving my blog over to

http://vhoagland.wordpress.com/

Theodore Foley Day

Thu, 9 Oct 2008 08:27:26 -0400

Yesterday, at our monastery in Jamaica, New York, we had “Theodore Foley Day,” honoring Fr. Theodore Foley, a member of our province and superior general of our congregation, who died in 1974 and whose cause for beatification was introduced a few months ago in Rome.

The day began with a short video of Theodore’s life ( you can see it at http://vimeo.com/1913198) followed by talks by Frs. Columkille Regan, Silvan Rouse, Cassian Yuhaus, Dominic Papa and myself. About 40 attended, mostly Passionists from the Jamaica community. Our provincial, Fr. Joseph Jones, celebrated the Mass and preached a homily.

The whole event was video-taped and will be available for the internet and other uses soon.

Fr. Dominic, the Vice-Postulator for his cause, described the process for beatification and said it was moving along more quickly than expected.

Fr. Columkille remembered Theodore as a teacher in our province and later as superior general during the difficult transitional general chapters of our community.

Fr. Cassian gave a summary of the cult of saints in the church, from the early martyrs till the saints of today.

Fr. Silvan spoke of Theodore as a prayerful, spiritual guide, not only for people of our community but others as well.

I spoke about his heroic virtues and how timely they are for the church and the world today.

I was thinking of Theodore today while reading a letter of St. Ignatius of Antioch, the 3rd century martyr bishop, praising his fellow bishop of Philadelphia for “his stability and calm, in which he imitates the gentleness of the living God.”

That description could well apply to Theodore.

More on Theodore Foley at:

www.theodorefoley.org
www.crossplace.com

Bless Them All

Mon, 6 Oct 2008 08:38:56 -0400

Election signs everywhere these days. Choose me; reject them.

More important, Paul writes to Timothy, is to choose everyone and reject no one:
“First of all, I urge petitions, prayers, intercessions and thanksgiving be offered for all.”

St Ambrose expands on Paul’s words:
“ You are told to pray especially for all people, that is, for the whole body, for all its members, the family of your mother the Church;. If you pray only for yourself, you pray for yourself alone. If each one prays for himself, he receives less from God’s goodness than the one who prays on behalf of others. But as it is, because each prays for all, all are in fact praying for each one.”

In these partisan times, when the dimensions of love shrink, I like that line “the badge of membership in this body is love for each other.” Limiting love means limiting the goodness God wishes to bring to us.

St. Therese of Liseux

Wed, 1 Oct 2008 09:48:07 -0400

We’re all trying to figure it out–life, that is. Why are we here? What are we supposed to be doing? Are we doing anything worthwhile now?

Others before us, like St. Therese whose feast we celebrate today, asked the same questions. Big questions.

From her childhood, Therese had big hopes. At the same time, she knew her own inadequacy. She wanted to do everything, be everything, but she couldn’t. She had limits. Her entrance into Carmel at 15 was part of her search for everything.

There she found the key she needed:

“Charity gave me the key to my vocation. I understood that the Church being a body composed of different members, the most essential, the most noble of all the organs would not be wanting to her; I understood that the Church has a heart and that this heart is burning with love; that it is love alone which makes the members work, that if love were to die away apostles would no longer preach the Gospel, martyrs would refuse to shed their blood. I understood that love comprises all vocations, that love is everything, that it embraces all times and all places because it is eternal!
My vocation is love.”

Her message traveled through the world after her death at 24. The love she promoted was not what romantic love songs sing about; her love conquered sickness, doubt and drudging routine.

Entering Carmel, Therese took as her patron the Child Jesus. She wanted to keep the grace of child fresh within her. She also kept before her a picture of the Holy Face of Jesus. She would look to him for wisdom and love.

Far from becoming smaller, her world became larger. From a cloister, her spirit reached to the ends of the earth.

Therese is still a popular saint, just google her name and see. Her spirituality still rings true.

Jesus,
the reproach of all
in your bitter Passion,
a Man of Sorrows.

I honor your holy face
shining with beauty and gentleness.
In your disfigured face
I see your infinite love,
And I long to love you and make you loved.
May I see your Glorious Face in Heaven!
Amen.

Prayer of St.Thérèse

Isabel’s Story

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 15:49:07 -0400

Every once in awhile you have to go to where it’s really happening. Here’s Isabel, whose mother works for the Passionists.

The Bible

Hi, it’s me Isabel. Mommy brought me my first Bible. It’s pretty cool, my new Bible.

Isabel said: What’s a Bible?
Mommy: It has stories and pictures and it will help you understand God.

Isabel: Can we read a story?

I picked the story of Cain and Abel. The story said that Cain and Abel were brothers and one was good and he listened to God and one didn’t listen to God at all.

Isabel: Mommy I have a question? Why was Cain so mad at his brother?
Mommy: I really don’t know.

Isabel: Mommy, why did he kill his brother?
Mommy: Because he was angry and sometimes when people are angry they don’t see clearly.
Isabel: You mean it gets foggy.
Mommy- Yes

Isabel: Did God punish Cane for being mean?
Mommy: No, God doesn’t punish us, he loves us and wants to take care of us, but if we don’t follow what God wants, then God is very sad and if God is sad then your life won’t be happy.

Isabel: Ohhhh! I think I get it. If God is happy then I will be happy cause I love God.
Mommy: Well something like that ,but you also have to work hard and think of others and help people when you can.

Isabel starts dancing around the room singing God loves meeeee. Then she suddenly stopped and looked at mommy.

Isabel: Mommy I have a question.
Mommy: What’s the question?
Isabel:Why didn’t Cain’s mommy give him a time out.
Mommy: I really don’t know that one, but I’ll ask the Priest at the church.
Isabel: Good, because if he got a time out, he won’t be in so much trouble. Right mommy?
Mommy: Well, I guess when you put it that way, yes.

On that note Isabel danced her way to the living room because she wanted to think it over...and watched cartoons.

The End