Monday Message, September 18, 2023

Patrick Donovan

KNOW

Today is National Cheeseburger Day. I thought you should know that.

We had a great meeting with Bishop Caggiano on Saturday morning. The draft of the transcript of the bishop’s address is here.

For those unable to attend, the Agenda is here. Items we discussed included:

A Meeting Prayer (opening prayer) – feel free to use and share
Calendar of Events 23-24 – please review and plan accordingly
Family Bible Challenge 2023 – please distribute with any Bibles you give out
Catechetical Leader Checklist – please use this draft in the coming months to help you plan

In addition, you may have heard that all pastors received a memo about free Bibles last week. If you would like to request Bibles for your parish (youth or adults), please email Carmela to arrange a time for pick up.

Fr. Jorge Obregôn, L.C. is hosting a healing retreat September 29-October 1 and asked us to pass along the invitation. You can find out more information here.

Ministry Day is on September 30th and as Bishop Caggiano indicated on Saturday, all catechists and those in formation would really benefit from attending! Please register here.

Our first Zoom call is tomorrow. Actually, it’s our 62nd, but the first of the season. All those in faith formation leadership at their parishes are welcome to join us for a half-hour check-in at 11 am. You can find the details here.

The Family Bible Challenge launches season 16 next Sunday. Please spread the word.

REFLECT

Some say great minds think alike. I like to think it’s Our Lady watching over us.

Let me explain. About once a month, I write the prayers for The Face of Prayer. If you do not receive these prayer from the bishop every afternoon, I encourage you to grab your phone and text the word pray to the number 55778. But I digress…

Anyway, the prayers get written, the Bishop edits or changes them, and then they get scheduled.

On Saturday, during his presentation, the bishop spoke about building a firm foundation, fighting the Evil One, and more.

At about three o’clock that afternoon, the prayer I had written more than a week before appeared on my phone.

Let us build our faith on a firm foundation so we are able to resist the Evil One. Hail Mary….

I was watching my fighting Irish, but I had to pause the game to call the Bishop. How could we have timed that any better?

Perhaps it’s great minds. Perhaps it’s Our Lady. Perhaps it’s providence.

And perhaps it’s all of those.

Thousands pray with us every day.

Will you?

LAUGH