Announcement - Invitation

The Way of the Cross … through downtown Wichita begins 9:30am Good Friday April 6th at St. Joseph parish church 149 S. Millwood and will proceed across Douglas to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Lord's Diner parking lot) ending by 11:30am … All are welcome to accompany us.

Background

A significant tradition of Communion & Liberation is The Way of the Cross … a public witness that incorporates much of what is done Friday evenings in the Lenten Stations of the Cross. A key difference is that The Way of the Cross is a public witness done in the streets of the community. "I wanted to introduce all of you to what is the most solemn gesture of Communion and Liberation in cities across the world, that is, The Way of the Cross. Since its earliest days CL has taken particular care to mark Good Friday by organizing a beautiful, public Via Crucis in the cities where people of the Movement live. We do the Way of the Cross on the streets of major cities to say that the truth of Christ's death and resurrection is not a private matter of conscience; rather, it is the definitive event of history. The public gesture is a missionary gesture and we invite friends and families to join us in marking the day. The Way of the Cross proceeds in silence with several stations along the route where readings (mostly from Peguy and Fr. Giussani) and songs are used to help us to meditate on the meaning of Our Lord's crucifixion and death." (http://slatts.blogspot.com/2006/04/coomunion-liberation-way-of-cross.html)

The Way of the Cross (Via Crucis or Via Dolorosa) is the act of devotion commemorating Christ’s Passion. For centuries this tradition has accompanied Christians during Lent and particularly on Good Friday. 35 years ago Fr. Luigi Giussani, a teacher and educator, the founder of Communion and Liberation, a Movement in the Catholic Church, started proposing this gesture of the Christian faith to his college students, gathering them by the thousands in Caravaggio, a Sanctuary near Milan, Italy. Together with the traditional readings from the Gospel, Giussani introduced short passages from some of the greatest contemporary Catholic writers, like Claudel and Peguy. The Choir accompanied the procession singing at every station to constantly reawaken the awareness of the faithful with the beauty and sorrow that only choral music can express. An ancient tradition was brought to new life.

Pasted from <http://www.wocbrooklynbridge.com/history.htm>

http://www.wayofthecrosschicago.org/main.htm … 'meaning and tradition' excellent discussion

This past weekend of October 28 – 30, 18 of our Newman Center students attended the annual Crossroads retreat in Augusta.  Crossroads is a retreat for college students put on by college students.  The retreat was organized and put on by 14 students from the Newman Center and included Mass, Liturgy of the Hours, spiritual talks, Adoration and confession.  We would like to say thank you to those who prayed for the students while they were on retreat.  The retreat only cost $20 for active Newman Center students thanks to the support of everyone who donated to offset the cost.

Dear St. Paul Parish/Newman Center Parishioners and Students,

“In him was life, and the life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (Jn 1:4-5)  Advent is almost upon us and so we prepare to enter a new Church year once again.  This is a great time to make some kind of resolution in regards to our spiritual life, as St. Paul says “put off the old man....and be renewed in the spirit of your minds.”  (Eph. 4:22-23)

The word Advent comes to us from the Latin word venire, which means to come.  Advent is a time when the Church focuses on the two comings of Christ.  First, we prepare our hearts to celebrate the historical birth of our Lord 2000 years ago in Bethlehem, the City of David and so contemplate the mystery of the Incarnation, God-made-man.  And the second coming we prepare for is Our Lord’s final coming in glory at the end of the world.

There are several good possibilities to spiritually prepare for the event of Christmas.  First, place an advent wreath in a central spot in the home.  The candles on the Advent wreath call to mind that the Light of God has penetrated the darkness of our world and the Light has overcome darkness.  Secondly, the lighting of one candle each Sunday of Advent and seeing the candles melt away reminds us of the passing of time and that all creation is passing away.

And there are two liturgical colors for the season of Advent.  The first and primary one is purple.  The purple candles remind us that like Lent (though not so severe), Advent is a season of penance and preparation.  Secondly, the color of Rose is used on the Third Sunday of Advent (called Gaudete Sunday, Latin for “you all rejoice!”) to symbolize the reality of the closeness of the Christmas celebration but the fact that we are not there yet.

It would be great to gather around the Advent Wreath at home to say a prayer.

To follow is a blessing for the Advent Wreath to be said when you set it up and then there is a prayer for each Sunday: Advent I, Advent II, Advent III, and Advent IV followed by the recitation of one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory be...

Prayer to be said when you set up your Advent Wreath

Blessing for the Advent Wreath

O God, by whose word all things are sanctified, pour forth thy blessing upon this wreath and grant that we who use it may prepare our hearts for the Coming of Christ, and may receive from thee abundant graces.  Through Christ Our Lord. +Amen. Our Father,  Hail Mary, and  Glory be...

Prayer for the First Week

Stir up thy power, O Lord, and come, that by thy protection we may be rescued from the dangers that beset us through our sins; and be a Redeemer to deliver us; Who livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end.  +Amen.

Our Father,  Hail Mary, and  Glory be...

Prayer for the Second Week

Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to prepare the paths of thine Only-begotten Son:  that we may worthily serve thee with hearts purified by His coming:  Who livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. +Amen. Our Father,  Hail Mary, and

Glory be...

Prayer for the Third Week

We beseech thee to listen to our prayers, O Lord, and by the grace of thy coming enlighten our darkened minds:  Thou who livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. +Amen. Our Father,  Hail Mary, and Glory be...

Prayer for the Fourth Week

Pour forth thy power, O Lord, and come:  Assist us by that mighty power, so that by thy grace and merciful kindness we may swiftly receive the salvation that our sins impede:  Who livest and reignest with thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever on God, world without end.  +Amen.

Our Father,  Hail Mary, and Glory be...

Why I named my dog Grigio.  Here is the story of St. John Bosco and the dog he called Grigio: From fisheaters.com/animals11

Was it an angel or was it a dog? The life of Don Bosco furnishes us with a remarkable and interesting story of what appears to many an angelic intervention in saving the life of this servant of God from the fierce attacks of the Waldensian heretics, who made several attempts to assassinate him.  These heretics were furious at the good done by Don Bosco and sought by violent means to rid themselves of his influence. Some of their adherents were men of the lowest and most vicious type, and these they hired to carry out their nefarious designs. When returning home one night through a bad and dangerous part of the town, he saw a magnificent dog of huge size following him. At first he was frightened but quickly came to see that the dog was friendly. The animal walked by his side and accompanied him to the door of his house and then went away. This happened five, six or eight times. He called the dog Grigio.

What did it mean? He was soon to learn.

Hastening home by himself, some time after the first appearance of the dog, two shots were fired at him by an assassin from behind a tree. Both shots missed their mark, but his assailant then rushed at and grappled with him. At that moment, Grigio appeared and sank his teeth into the flesh of the would-be murderer, who fled away shrieking with pain.

On a second occasion, two men lay in wait for him and threw a sack over his head. This time it seemed all was over with him, but Grigio unexpectedly came to his rescue and jumped at one of the ruffians, seizing him by the throat. The other fled in terror. Don Bosco had then to liberate the first from the fangs of Grigio, who still held him by the throat.

A third time, no less than twelve hired assassins, armed with clubs, lay in ambush, into which Don Bosco walked unawares. Again, escape seemed impossible, but once more Grigio bounded into the midst of the group, and his fierce look and savage growl proved enough. The men made off as quickly as they could.

Sometimes the dog entered Don Bosco's house, but always with some reason, either to accompany him on a night journey or to prevent his leaving the house. No amount of animal instinct could explain these unexpected appearances of the dog. On one of these occasions, when Don Bosco tried to go out, the great dog lay across the door and growled in such a menacing way that St. John was forced to remain at home. And it was well that he did so, for shortly afterwards a gentleman arrived to warn him not to leave the house on any consideration, as the heretics lay in wait to kill him. As long as the persecution lasted, Grigio never failed to be at his post and when the danger passed he was seen no more. Whence he came or whither he went no one knew.

Ten years later, Don Bosco had to go to the farmhouse of some friends and had been advised that the road was dangerous.  "If only I had Grigio," he said. At once the great dog appeared by his side, as if he had heard the words, giving signs of the greatest joy. Both man and dog arrived safely at the farmhouse and went into the dining room, where the family invited Don Bosco to take part in the evening meal.

The dog lay down. No one thought any more of him. When the repast was finished the master of the house proposed to feed the dog. But he was gone! Doors and windows had been closed; how did he go?

In 1883, that was more than thirty years after the dog's first appearance, he appeared once more in a different locality to guide Don Bosco, who had lost his way.

How [are we to] explain those wonderful appearances of the dog, at the most opportune moments and in different localities? Surely we may believe that this was angelic intervention. [Especially is this so because the great dog was never known to eat.]

One week from today the whole Church will celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  This feast acknowledges that Mary was taken up into heaven body and soul.  Notice the word assumption.  Forty days after Easter we celebrate the Solemnity of the Ascension, where our Lord ascends by his own power as God into the heavens.  Mary, however, is assumed.  While she is not divine, she certainly is marked out with special favors as the Mother of God (one of the earliest titles of Mary in the early Church, Theotokos, Greek for God-bearer).  And so her assumption is the work of God.  The Assumption of Mary was celebrated long before it was solemnly defined by the Church in 1950 by Pope Pius XII.  It had been a part of the Sacred Tradition of the Church from her earliest days that God did not allow any decay to touch the body of the Mother of God, but that she was taken up into heaven body and soul.  The only thing that really happened in 1950 was that Pope Pius XII defined something that had been the ancient belief of the Church.  Mary is often called the first disciple.  In fact, the large chapel at the Spiritual Life Center in Wichita is called the Chapel of Mary, the First Disciple.  Mary’s willingness to accept the Divine plan, her willingness to say yes is something that we should always look to for strength in our own lives of discerning God’s plan for us.  Her last recorded words in Sacred Scripture are found in the second chapter of St. John’s Gospel at the occasion of the Wedding Feast of Cana: “Do whatever he tells you.”  Mary, Queen of the Universe, Pray for us!

In Christ’s Love,

Fr. John N. Hay