The Old Testament story of Moses and the Ten Commandments How have the Sacred Scriptures impacted your life?
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Our Lady of Guadalupe Our Lady of Lourdes Our Lady of Fatima Much attention is given to the devotional life of the Church at the shrine. This can be seen in all of the Marian sculptures, the Rosary, and the Stations of the Cross. One whole area of the shrine is simply focused on the saints. Devotions are an important part of our spiritual journey, and the saints have paved the way in helping us better understand these devotions.
There is a great deal of misinformation about Catholic doctrine in regard to Mary. Let's be clear. Catholics do not worship Mary. Worship belongs to God alone. We honor Mary for her role in salvation history as the mother of the Savior. The prayer, "Hail Mary," is a scriptural prayer. See Luke's Gospel for details about the "Annunciation" and the "Visitation". Read the words from St. Luke which are contained in the "Hail Mary". It is important to have a proper understanding of the theological context of these Scripture passages in relation to the devotional life of the Church resulting from that understanding. Today's feast, The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is often ridiculed by non-Catholics as having no basis in Scripture. I would like to refer you to a couple of articles to enhance your knowledge and understanding about this feast. udayton.edu/imri/mary/a/assumption-of-mary-scriptural-support.php www.catholic.com/magazine/online-edition/the-assumption-of-mary REFLECTION QUESTION: How does your devotional life impact your liturgical prayer? CHI Mercy Staff Abby Jares (left) and Lisa Gronstal (center) gave me an informative tour of the hospital.
It was a wonderful privilege to visit CHI Mercy (Council Bluffs) this afternoon for a tour. I always appreciate looking for ways Catholic institutions can team up together to promote the preaching, teaching, and healing ministry of Christ. Our conversations led to some very distinct possibilities in how St. Albert Catholic Schools can work cooperatively with the hospital to establish a mutual partnership in serving the community. Each time I see new opportunities to expand and deepen our mission here at the school I grow more excited. The potential of what we can achieve is truly amazing. I will do my best to lead the school in a way that empowers us to capitalize on these many opportunities. Thank you Abby and Lisa for an uplifting afternoon. Moving to a new locale requires getting to know new people, new processes, and new institutions. Last night provided the opportunity to meet more folks as I briefly attended the Saintes Softball Banquet. I felt like I was crashing a party since I did not hardly know anyone, but I wanted the team members and the coaches to know they had my full support in their endeavors.
As my calendar gets more and more placed into the daily schedule, I am still trying to make it a priority to be present at as many events as possible. It is important that people know I care about what they are doing here at St. Albert. Many people work diligently behind the scenes to make activities happen. Scheduling, practicing, concessions, umpires, scorekeepers, facilities maintenance, Iowa High School Athletic Association paperwork, equipment purchases, and so much more are all part of the equation. There are people involved who make these things happen. I have a deep sense of gratitude for each of you that contribute to our success in any way. As someone who was responsible for running a community ballpark for two summers back when I was in high school, I know the amount of work it takes just to keep the facilities looking good. Mowing the lawn, dragging the diamond, raking around the pitcher's mound and home plate, putting the bases out, chalking the lines, making purchases for the concession stand, restocking supplies, cleaning the restrooms, picking up trash, and anything else that came up which needed attention all seemed to be part of my job description. For the many hours given toward these tasks here at St. Albert, either by paid staff or volunteers, thank you! As we gathered together in the high school cafeteria yesterday evening, I was happy to see such a spirit of joy permeate the room. It was a privilege for me to speak to the group briefly and offer a prayer of blessing for the food. The young women had all gathered at one table, and it was evident that quite a bond had developed among them. Likewise, the parents were obviously well connected too. St. Albert really is one large extended family. Although I was unable to stay for the meal or the awards portion of the evening, I am glad I had the opportunity to be present for a little while. However, as I drove away I realized that I am slipping. I forgot to take any photos while I was there. Thus, stock photos from earlier in the year will have to suffice. Congratulations to the members of the Saintes Softball Team for the improvements and accomplishments you were able to see over the course of the season. I look forward to what next season will bring. Are you familiar with the Miraculous Medal? Learn more.
www.amm.org/AboutAMM/Miraculous%20Medal%20Story.aspx Do you wear a brown scapular? Do you pray the rosary daily? Learn more.
www.sistersofcarmel.com/brown-scapular-information.php What does a "holy family" look like in modern society? How would you describe it?
Based upon your description in answering those preliminary questions, how closely does the description of your family match that of a "holy family"? Let us pray for the "Domestic Church." May we grow in wisdom, grace, and holiness! The heart shape flower bed at the base of the sculpture sets the stage for this somber reminder of a nation that has failed to protect the lives of our children. My thanks to all who are involved in the healing ministry through Project Rachel.
If your life has been impacted by abortion, please consider reaching out for help. Rachel's Vineyard is a great starting place. Learn more here: www.rachelsvineyard.org/ The picturesque setting of the "Outdoor Cathedral" at Trinity Heights welcomes the visitor into a prayerful journey. Sacred Heart of Jesus--have mercy on us!
It has been my intent to get in a short road trip or two before the start of the school. I had scheduled yesterday to be a trip to West Bend, Iowa to see The Grotto of the Redemption. However, when the volunteer work day at school was quickly scheduled for yesterday, I knew I had to adjust plans. I wanted to be part of the clean-up process at school to beautify our campus. My family was okay with the alteration to our schedule. (I left the work day before everything was complete, but quite frankly, my productive manual labor was pretty much over anyway. I can tell that I do not have the stamina that I once had in my younger years.) At the suggestion of one of my co-workers, we put Trinity Heights on the agenda and decided to leave The Grotto of the Redemption for another day. Sioux City, Iowa is a couple of hours closer than West Bend so leaving later in the day became less of an issue. Once we arrived at Trinity Heights I knew it would not be a short visit. I entered as a tourist, but I left the shrine knowing that I had just been on a spiritual pilgrimage. It is a beautiful place that I would highly recommend to anyone. I have over thirty photos that I will be sharing in the days ahead to give you a glimpse into this beautiful shrine. The past five weeks have been intense. Learning as much as I can about the school and all of the inner workings has been my priority. I cannot make good decisions unless I know the institution thoroughly. I still have much to learn, but we are making some serious progress forward. I am deeply grateful for all of the leadership team, faculty members, support staff, all of the various board members, students, parents, volunteers, and all supporters. It is going to be a fantastic school year. I lifted all of you up in prayer during my time at Trinity Heights. The Entrance to Trinity Heights This beautiful sculpture draws your attention almost immediately after stepping out of the car in the parking lot. The magnitude is not easily reflected in a photo, but if you look at the mature trees in the background and compare the size of the sculpture against them you get an idea.
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