This blog has moved.

We've moved!

2011-08-17T08:42:00.000-07:00

Please visit our NEW and improved blog: http://pilgrimcenter.wordpress.com
See you there!

- Pilgrim Center of Hope staff

The Spirit is moving, and so are we!

2011-08-03T14:38:00.001-07:00

Dear friends,

We are in the process of moving our blog to another location, under a new name! To stay in touch, please visit our website or Facebook page for the latest information. Say a prayer for us as we discern this new venture in our digital ministry.

In Christ,

Angela Santana

Ministry Coordinator,

The Pilgrim Center of Hope

How does the Resurrection give hope?

2011-04-27T14:11:00.000-07:00

Easter homily by Deacon Tom Fox

John went in the empty tomb, he saw, and he believed! He saw the burial cloths that had been wrapped around Jesus lying on the ground and he believed, even though he “…did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead.” Perhaps in this moment John recalled the experience he shared with Peter and James on Mt. Tabor when they saw Jesus in his glory along with Moses and Elijah. “As they were coming down from the mountain, [Jesus] charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone, except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what rising from the dead meant.”

Now Jesus had risen from the dead and they still did not understand, but they believed.

Faith is believing in something we don't understand; believing in something we can't prove. At the same time our faith is certain, “It is more certain than all human knowledge because it is founded on the very word of God who cannot lie.” CCC 156.

Faith is a gift from God, but it demands a response from us. That response is to believe in divine revelation and to live what we believe. Faith is a gift, but believing is a choice; it is an act of our free will.

What we celebrate today, the resurrection of Jesus Christ, is the recalling of a moment in history that changed the human experience for ever. This moment was in the mind of God from all time; prophesied by the prophets, and witnessed to by the apostles who encountered Christ on several occasions after he had risen from the dead.

Because of the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ we now have hope in eternal life and we need not be weighed down by the difficulties of this present life as if this is all there is. As St. Paul tells us in the second reading, “Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.” Of course there are things on earth we must think about, but we should first think of what is above and in our prayer ask God to help us with the rest.

We cannot live a life of faith unless every day,

throughout the day we think of what is above by way of prayer, reflection and contemplation. This is why we pray the creed together every Sunday; to remind us of what is real and what is of first importance in our human existence. You may be rich or poor, healthy or sick, happy or sad, but all of this is temporary and can either be a means or an obstacle to the life that God has planned for us. No matter how bad we have it on our worst day, there will always be someone who has had it worse and never-the-less will be filled with joy because of their faith.

A few years ago I read a book by a Vietnamese archbishop entitled, TESTIMONY OF HOPE. He spent thirteen years in Communists prisons and in the beginning he was very bitter because of the injustice he experienced. After awhile he realized that his bitterness was only making him more miserable. He decided to let go of his bitterness and make the most of the situation he was in. He began to collect pieces of paper and write down all the Scriptures and prayers he could remember. They became a treasure to him. He would also collect bread crumbs and juice from grapes and at night would secretly say Mass with other prisoners. Even those who were not Christian would be present because they could see the hope that these gatherings brought to those who believed.

The choice that the archbishop made was in a way like a resurrection story. He was dead in his bitterness, but his act of faith brought new life not only to him, but also to those around him.
In his distress he went to Jesus, and Jesus helped him to focus on the present moment and the treasure he possessed in his faith; and he lightened his burden.

Something we all possess is the present moment and the opportunity to

choose what we will do with it. To, “Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.”

In a few moments we will renew our baptismal vows together. We are reminded that through our baptism we received the theological gifts of faith, hope and charity and the Fullness of the Holy Spirit, which is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the possession of the gifts of the Holy Spirit- wisdom, understanding, knowledge, counsel, fortitude, piety and fear of the Lord. It is God's plan for us that we discover and use these gifts for our own spiritual maturity and the good of His Body, the Church. We have within us the God given ability to choose that which is above and to reject sin; to live with hope and peace even in the most difficult situations, but it is a choice we each must make for our selves- to live by faith. No one can make this choice for us.

In a few moments, Jesus Christ who rose from the dead 2000 years ago will be present on this altar. Jesus loves us so much that he gives us himself, body, blood, soul and divinity under the appearance of bread and wine, through the prayers and actions of ordained Catholic priests in thousands of churches throughout the world every day. Even if we would hear the voice of Jesus or see him in a vision, it isn’t possible to be more intimate with him than when we receive him in Holy Communion. However, not everyone who receives Holy Communion receives the same benefit. As it states in the Vatican II documents, “Like the passion of Christ itself, this sacrifice (the sacrifice of the Mass), though offered for all, ‘has no effect except in those united to the passion of Christ by faith and charity…to these it brings a greater or less benefit in proportion to their devotion.’” In other words, even though we are truly receiving the body and blood of Jesus his presence only has effect in us according to our preparation and disposition. As a matter of fact, if we receive the Lord with serious sin on our soul we commit an even greater sin. This is why it is so important that we go to confession frequently; to receive the full benefit of the graces he is offering us. There is no good reason why we should not be prepared and properly disposed for this holy encounter with Christ.

God has a great plan for humanity, but we can only reach our potential for happiness by being in a faithful relationship with Him. Our purpose for being on this earth is to know, love and serve God so we can be happy in this life and for all eternity. We come to know God by believing in the truths He has revealed to us through the Scriptures and the Church and by then being faithful to what we believe. In our Church He has given us every thing we need to live a life close to Him, but we have to make the choice.

Christ is Risen!

2011-04-23T16:58:00.000-07:00

by Deacon Tom Fox

What we celebrate on Easter is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is the recalling of a moment in history that changed the human experience for ever. This moment was in the mind of God from all time; prophesied by the prophets, and witnessed to by the apostles who encountered Christ on several occasions after he had risen from the dead.

Because of the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ we now have hope in eternal life and we need not be weighed down by the difficulties of this present life as if this is all there is.

As St. Paul tells us in Colossians 3:2 "Think of what is above, not of what is on earth."

May our Risen Lord bless you with His abundant joy and may you be renewed in your love for Him and His Church!

Rejoice in hope! He is Risen!

Novena to St. Joseph

2011-03-11T09:15:00.000-08:00

by Angela Santana, Ministry Coordinator

A man of action. A just man. Served his God. Protected and provided for his family. God entrusted His only Son to him.

Can you imagine the amount of pressure St. Joseph might have felt? The confusion and wonder - "Why did the Lord God choose me to protect, raise, and provide for His Son?" Yet he acted out of obedience and, as tradition tells us, died in the arms of Mary and Jesus. These are just a few reasons why St. Joseph is the patron saint of our Catholic Men's Conference. Every man should look to him as a role model. Even as a woman, I have a devotion to St. Joseph, and have entrusted my future husband and children to his prayerful care.

We invite you to join us in praying the St. Joseph Novena, a nine-day devotion anticipating the feast of the Lord's foster-father: March 19.

Novena Prayer

Saint Joseph, you are the faithful protector and intercessor of all who love and venerate you. You know that I have confidence in you and that, after Jesus and Mary, I come to you as an example for holiness, for you are especially close with God. Therefore, I humbly commend myself, with all who are dear to me and all that belong to me, to your intercession. I beg of you, by your love for Jesus and Mary, not to abandon me during life and to assist me at the hour of my death.

Glorious Saint Joseph, spouse of the Immaculate Virgin, pray for me to have a pure, humble, charitable mind, and perfect resignation to the Lord's Will. Be my guide, my father, and my model through life that I may to die as you did in the arms of Jesus and Mary.

Loving Saint Joseph, faithful follower of Jesus Christ, I raise my heart to you to implore your powerful intercession in obtaining from the Divine Heart of Jesus all the graces necessary for my spiritual and temporal welfare, particularly the grace of a happy death, and the special grace I now implore:

(Mention your personal intentions)

Guardian of the Word Incarnate, I feel confident that your prayers on my behalf will be graciously heard before the throne of God.

Amen.

Catholic Lent 101

2011-03-09T10:45:00.001-08:00

Have questions about Lent?

The San Antonio Express-News called on us to offer an explanation and we answered!

Our Ministry Coordinator, Angela Santana, gives you an overview of the upcoming liturgical season.

http://voices.mysanantonio.com/pilgrimcenter/2011/03/catholic-lent-101.html

Rome - Home for all Catholics!

2011-02-27T15:46:00.000-08:00

Visiting Rome is a powerful experience. From the four major Basilicas to the ancient Catacombs to the historical sacred art; it is all astounding!

On June 29th; the Church celebrates the Feast of Saints Peter & Paul. A day marked in Pope Benedict XVI's calendar. It is a day when he will offer Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, welcoming newly appointed Archbishops and their guests as he gives each Archbishop "the Pallium".

Symbolic of the office of an Archbishop, the Pallium is a vestment proper to the Pope, who confers it on archbishops as a sign of their union with and obedience to him. The pallium itself is a band of woolen cloth worn around the neck, with short pendants of the same material hanging down in the front and back, and decorated with six black crosses. It is woven of wool from two lambs that are presented to the pope each year at the Basilica of St. Agnes in Rome on the Saint’s feast day (January 21).

To provide local Catholics the opportunity to share in this significant event in the life of the local Church, Tom and I have organized a unique pilgrimage to Rome including visits to the major Basilicas of Rome, the Catacombs, the Vatican Museum, and two nights in Assisi.

For Tom and I - it will be the first time to attend Mass with Pope Benedict XVI (along with hundreds of other pilgrims!). It will very special for us, and the 30+ pilgrims from San Antonio that will join us, to witness our Shepherd receive the Pallium from the Holy Father!

http://www.youtube.com/user/CatholicismLive#p/u/7/mqEHNxl2uPo

You will be able to join us on a Spiritual Pilgrimage...later we will post additional details.

Jesus Misses You.

2011-01-28T16:58:00.000-08:00

by Angela Santana, Ministry Coordinator

Yesterday morning, I drove Dan to the airport. After spending so much time worrying about where to turn and which lane to take, I suddenly found myself watching him remove his bags from the trunk. I realized how much I would miss him, even for the few days he’d be gone. “I’ll call you as soon as I get there,” he said, and after one last hug, he was gone.

Longing. You’ve experienced that feeling, haven’t you? Longing to hear your loved one’s voice, longing to see their face, to feel their presence. We know that every person who loves another, is familiar with that longing.

And yet, as often as we say, “Jesus loves you,” how often do we realize that “Jesus longs for you”?

Mother Teresa, who had an intimate relationship with Jesus, wrote these words in a letter:

“Jesus longs for you. He misses you when you don't come close. He thirsts for you. He loves you always, when you don't feel worthy or not accepted by others; even by yourself sometimes. He is the one who always accepts you. Only believe, you are precious to him. Bring all you are suffering to his feet; only open your heart to be loved by him as you are. He will do the rest.”

The thought that Jesus longs for me became so much more feasible once I had visited the Holy Land. Before that, I had sort of idealized Jesus in my mind. He had been much more divine than human to me. But after my pilgrimage, I couldn’t imagine anyone who had lived by the Sea of Galilee who wouldn’t have missed the sight of that beautiful sunset. After having jumped from rock to rock on the seashore, having “watered” the Garden of Gethsemane with my own sweat on a hot afternoon, having laughed and eaten with the descendants of the first disciples, and having crawled on my hands and knees to enter His empty stone tomb, I had such a connection with the person of Jesus Christ.

So now I know: When I enter a chapel with the Blessed Sacrament—the consecrated bread that has become the humble host of the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus—I smile as I look at the Tabernacle. I know He loves me! I know He will miss me when I leave. As much as you could theologize or philosophize about it, I know that the Truth is essentially simple: God is the greatest lover of all. Jesus, who is both God and man, not only loves with perfect love, but loves as a human being.

When you’re far from Him, He longs for you.

A Call from Jerusalem

2011-01-24T04:01:00.000-08:00

What comes to mind when you think about Jerusalem? I immediately think about Jesus, the Apostles and what occured in Jerusalem -the Passion of Christ, His Resurrection and the birth of the Church. And so the name - Mother Church!

From the Mother Church in Jerusalem a call for unity to churches worldwide is echoed.

The Christian communities have begun a week of prayer on January 22nd and will continue through the 30th. Each evening; Christians will gather in various churches; Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Ethiopian, Syriac Orthodox and others to pray. The theme of the prayer week is "They devoted themselves to the Apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread".

I remember when Tom and I participated several years ago. Standing next to Greek Orthodox, Coptics, Protestant and fellow Roman Catholics as we prayed for unity and for peace among all in the Holy Land and throughout the universal church gave me hope! It prompted us to see each other first as a child of God.

Why should we be united in prayer with the Mother Church? The answer is well given from the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem: "The succession of the church comes through continuity with the first Christian community of Jerusalem. The Church of Jerusalem in apostolic times is linked with the heavenly Church of Jerusalem, which in turn becomes the icon of all Christian churches. The present Church of Jerusalem lives in continuity with the apostolic Church of Jerusalem particularly in its costly witness to the truth. Its witness to the gospel and its struggles against inequality and injustice reminds us that prayer for Christian unity is inseparable from prayer for peace and justice."

They also ask that we remember them in their dire situation and pray for justice that will bring true peace in the Holy Land.

We have heard people tell us - "There will never be peace in the Holy Land!" Our response must be that of faith and hope! If we don't respond, then we too, will fall into a lax attitude toward our brothers and sisters in Christ that will contribute to their diminishing numbers!

We invite you to join us in praying the following prayer given to us from Jerusalem:

Prayer
Almighty and Merciful God, with great power you gathered together the first Christians in the city of Jerusalem, through the gift of the Holy Spirit, defying the earthly power of the Roman empire. Grant that, like this first church in Jerusalem, we may come together to be bold in preaching and living the good news of reconciliation and peace, wherever there is inequality and injustice. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, who liberates us from the bondage of sin and death. Amen.

2010

2010-12-30T21:32:00.000-08:00

Pope Benedict XVI's words from his Christmas Eve Homily invites us to reflect on how we can begin the New Year; "Again and again he begins afresh with us. But he is still waiting for us to join him in love. He loves us, so that we too may become people who love, so that there may be peace on earth."

The Christmas Season, for us, is a time to stop and really think about the words peace and love, especially as we kneel before the Nativity. It is a reminder that we, too, are children, regardless of our age. Children of God to run to our Heavenly Father and cry out: "Father..thank you! Father, I love you! Father, I need you!" And to run to Mother Mary and cry out: "Blessed mother, thank you for your yes! Holy Mother, pray for me!"

As we enter the new calendar year on the Octave Day of Christmas & the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God - the last two hours of 2010 will be spent in Eucharistic Adoration at the Pilgrim Center of Hope Gethsemani Chapel. At midnight, Deacon Tom will impart Benediction. It will be a time spent at the "manager", adoring Christ, praising God for His gift in His Son, imploring His grace and mercy and consecrating ourselves and families to Him.

Blessed Charles de Foucauld on Eucharistic Adoration: "Wherever the sacred Host is, there is the living God. There is your Savior as truly as when he lived and spoke in Judea, and Galilee, and truly as he is now in paradise."

May you and your loved ones have begin "afresh with God"...may the Holy Family bestow their blessing upon you as we continue our pilgrimage in life.

Sharing some of our favorite quotes of the year (so many to choose!)

Pope Benedict XVI on the Holy Shroud (May 2010)

"One could say that the Shroud is the icon of this mystery, the icon of Holy Saturday."

"This face, these hands and these feet, this side, this whole body speaks, it is itself a word that we can hear in silence. ... How does the Shroud speak? It speaks with blood, and blood is life! The Shroud is an icon written in blood; the blood of a man who has been scourged, crowned with thorns, crucified and wounded in his right side."

"The Virgin Mary is she who more than any other contemplated God in the human face of Jesus, she saw him as a newborn when, wrapped in swaddling clothes, he was placed in a manger; she saw him when, just after his death, they took him down from the cross, wrapped him in linen and placed him in the sepulcher."

Synod of Bishops of the Middle East (October 2010)

"The Middle East is a region where Christians are a minority, in some countries a very small one and without any political or social influence, where the condition of permanent war or tensions erodes any hope for the future and pushes people towards emigration. But it is also the region where Christianity was born, where it has its ancient roots and traditions and extraordinary cultural and spiritual richness. Therefore, the problems of the Church in the Middle East involved all of us."

Pope Benedict XVI's URBI ET ORBI MESSAGE, Christmas 2010
"May the light of Christmas shine forth anew in the Land where Jesus was born, and inspire Israelis and Palestinians to strive for a just and peaceful coexistence. May the comforting message of the coming of Emmanuel ease the pain and bring consolation amid their trials to the beloved Christian communities in Iraq and throughout the Middle East; may it bring them comfort and hope for the future and bring the leaders of nations to show them effective solidarity."

Another Friend in Heaven!

2010-12-27T14:42:00.000-08:00

Mary Jane Fox

Tom and I met Sister Salvatorina Camilleri in 1986 while staying at the Mt. of Beatitudes Pilgrim Hotel overlooking the Sea of Galilee. A "Franciscan Sister of the Immaculate Heart of Mary" founded in the 1800's by Mother Maria Caterina di Trioni, Sister Salvatorini loved her vocation and service in the Holy Land as sacristan of the Mt of Beatitudes Chapel.

She became like a spiritual mother for Tom and I -when we would visit her, she would spend time with us, pray for us and give us little religious items as 'gifts' to share. When you see this 'little nun'...she was short, but had a strong voice and when you looked into her eyes...you can see joy, she was always smiling! She would often tell us "Go to Jesus! Keep loving Jesus!"

It was a big shock when Sister Bianca, Sr. Salvatorini's blood sister living in New Jersey, phoned us on Christmas Eve with the news. We were, in fact, on our way to Christmas Eve Mass with family. Tears filled my eyes during the Christmas liturgy as I thought about the death of Sister and of other friends we met in the Holy Land who have died. Reflecting on the celebration of Christ's birth and His gifts of joy and peace; I thanked God for the birth of Christ. We have a Savior who came to us in poverty, died for us and gave us the gift of eternal life! We know Sister Salvatorina has received this gift. I could hear her words in my heart: "Go to Jesus! Keep loving Jesus!" She is in a place where she can help us with her prayers!

About Sister Salvatorina:
‘She was a saint’

Friends we have met in the Holy Land who have entered eternal rest.

Sister Bernarda Farrugia

Father Jim Heinsch, O.F.M.

Father Giorgio Colombini, O.F.M.

Karim Abu-Ata

Sister Salvatorina Camilleri

Yes! We, too, can have a holy family.

2010-12-27T08:10:00.000-08:00

Homily for the Feast of the Holy Family by Deacon Tom Fox, Pilgrim Center of Hope Co-Founder

We began the last week of Advent with this verse from, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel:” “O come, O Wisdom from on high, who orders all things mightily; to us the path of knowledge show, and teach us in her ways to go.”

The universe and all of creation was created by God with a certain order that maintains harmony and peace. As God gave mankind dominion over his creation, he expected us to maintain the order he established.

In the first reading we see one aspect of maintaining that order – we are to honor our Father and our Mother. This is such an important part of God’s plan that the promise is given – “Who ever honors his father . . . when he prays is heard.” Being obedient to our parents helps us to learn be obedient to God.

In the second reading, Paul gives us additional insights of what we must do to keep order. He says, “Let the peace of Christ control your hearts.” In Christ we will find the strength we need to maintain order in our relationships as husbands and wives, parents and children. There is a right way to fulfill our role, whatever it is. And, of course, the reality is, even if we try to faithfully do our part, it doesn’t mean that others will be faithful. I’m sure that there are many parents here who take their relationships with God seriously, and even though they have made every effort to guide their children in the right way, some have rebelled. Peer pressure is very difficult to overcome. And maybe there are some children here who have felt called to a religious vocation and have not received support from their parents.

Ordering our life to God is a daily struggle which calls us to perseverance in prayer and the sacramental life. Our Lord offers us all the grace we need to take one day at a time, and to trust that in the end everything will be okay if we persevere. It doesn’t mean things will not be difficult; it does mean we will always have hope.

We see in the Gospel that the Holy Family was not spared the difficulties of life. Even though they were the holiest, most important family in the history of the world they were still vulnerable to the evil intentions of others. Their protection was their immediate obedience to God. They also faithfully followed the religious practices of their time as we know by their visits to the Temple. That is how they maintained their connection with the Heavenly Father and fulfilled His plan. The same is true for us. We also need our Heavenly Father’s protection which we receive when we are faithful to what He has revealed to us. We will still experience difficulties, but we will always have hope. If we stay close to Him, He will help us to have holy families.

It is not news that in this country, the most powerful country in the world, the institution of family is at a point of crisis. Almost every family has experienced some degree of trauma – whether physical, economical, psychological, or spiritual. Almost every family has a relative that is divorced. A recent statistic states that only one third of children in this country will live with both biological parents until they reach the age eighteen. The greatest need of our time is the renewal of the family; and the only way it can be renewed is with the help of God’s grace; by being faithful to what God has revealed to us through the Scriptures and the Church, even if others are not.

Our families are God’s plan for the future of the world. The family is intended to be the domestic Church where husband, wife and children are joined together in prayer and grow together in faith. The family is where vocation should first be discovered.

Even if our family life has not been what it could have, it is not too late to begin anew. Whether you are married, divorced or single, it is not too late to ask “Wisdom, to teach us in her ways to go.” The way people have persevered through the ages is by attending mass every weekend (during the week, if possible) praying daily (privately and with people we love), reading Scriptures, frequenting the Sacrament of Reconciliation and forgiving each other for hurts experienced, by spending time before the Blessed Sacrament, by reading the lives of the saints and by continuing to be formed in the faith, and by being generous with our time, talent and treasure.

The domestic church, like every church, is made up of the people that occupy it. However, there are things we can do to help us be more aware of the presence of God, and to help us enter into prayer. Every home should have a crucifix and religious art to show that the Faith is important to those who live there. There can be a special room or part of a room where you have an altar or shelf on which you place candles, a bible, holy pictures and favorite prayers that help you enter into prayer. There can be a designated time when the family prays together; especially the Rosary, or at least part of the Rosary. It is very meaningful for parents to bless their children before bed and before leaving the house by tracing the cross on their foreheads as you say, “…may God bless you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
God has a great plan for each of us if we allow Him to guide us by way of the Scriptures, the Church, the lives of the saints and His wisdom. It has to begin first of all as a desire in our hearts and continues when we share this desire with others, especially those we love.

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, pray for us. Help us to be holy!

The Real Meaning of Christmas

2010-12-21T14:56:00.000-08:00

by Angela Santana, Ministry Coordinator

I remember standing on the Mount of Beatitudes before breakfast one morning, drinking in the beauty of the Sea of Galilee. It was still my first week in the Holy Land, and I was confused. I whispered a prayer:

“Father, why did you bring me here? I have so much faith in You. Why didn’t you bring someone else—a person who needs to know You more urgently than I do?”

The mountain’s flowers were spread out in bright pinks, purples, yellows, and reds. Galilee’s beauty was overwhelming. “I feel so spoiled,” I continued. “I don’t know why You chose to bring me to this beautiful place.”

The air was so still and silent. As my eyes followed the seashore, I heard a quiet response in my heart: “I brought you here to show you how much I love you.”

That wasn’t quite a satisfactory answer at the time. I smiled, but my eyes squinted into the waters of the sea, searching for a better answer. A few minutes later, I walked away. Today, however, I am beginning to believe in God’s response.

As my friends and family will tell you, I’m very hard on myself. I’ve worn myself out all my life, earning high grades, winning awards, gaining leadership positions, trying to be a good daughter, a nice sister, a kind niece, a polite granddaughter, the perfect girlfriend, the hardworking employee, volunteering at church, serving the community, starting ministries, doing favors.
Whenever I fail to meet my high standards, I become anxious and frustrated. I question the extent of God’s love for me. Intellectually, it always made sense that God loved me. I knew for certain that He loved everyone else. But in my heart, I was never really, really sure about God’s love for me.

Has there ever been a time in your life when someone wanted to assure you of their love for you? Did that person invite you to come and be with them? I think that’s what God did for me in the Holy Land. He invited me to the place where He became like me. Once I said yes, He provided the means, the money, the pilgrimage, and the availability. Amazing. That is the God of the Universe.

But the key is this: God invited me to the place where He became like me. In Nazareth, God became like us. He was conceived in the womb of a woman. He was born in Bethlehem. Believe me, I’ve heard this just as many times as you have. Before I saw them with my own eyes, these places were honestly just names in very important stories. Now? I want you to know that they are REAL places. I walked in their roads. I spoke to the inhabitants. I smelled the open-air marketplaces, shops, and bakeries. They are places with dirt and trees and sky. And as real as those places are, so is Jesus. Jesus is a real person. Stop—think about it! He walked through real roads, spoke to real people, smelt the real marketplaces. He got dirt on his real feet, and picked fruit from real trees, and the sky really reflected in His eyes.

Jesus is a real human being. And He really does love you.

To me, this is what Christmas means. Christmas is not a nice wintertime holiday when we take time off of work, eat food, and see our families. Christmas is not a gift exchange. Christmas is not Santa Claus or elves or the North Pole. Christmas is not about a nice little baby who was born to a beautiful mother in a mysterious, foreign-looking city.

You want to know the real meaning of Christmas? Then erase every Christmas card you’ve ever seen from your memory. Instead, go outside and look at the sky. Look down at the ground and run your finger through the dirt. Christmas means realizing that Jesus did the same things. It means knowing that Jesus is a real, human person. And He is also really God. He loves you. His heart is beating for you.

Christmas is not about a myth, or a story, or a dreamlike fantasy. Christmas is about a reality. God became a real human person because His love is that strong. He wanted you to know His love. He wanted you to know it with the same certainty that you know what it’s like to eat an apple or scrape your knee. He is real. Now, how does that change your life?

By What Authority Are You Doing These Things?

2010-12-13T13:51:00.000-08:00

By Deacon Tom Fox
This question is presented to Jesus (Matthew 21;23-27); it is a testimony that those who ask it are hard of heart. Those who were docile recognized that it was by the power of God that Jesus spoke and healed.

This is the same authority that has established the Church and has given us the Sacraments to encounter Jesus. This is the same authority that says "your sins are forgiven" in Confession. It is the authority of God, in Christ that makes us whole if we are faithful to what He has revealed to us through the Scriptures and the Church.

Rosary Sisters in Palestine

2010-12-08T04:04:00.000-08:00

After being in the Holy Land forty times; each time is a fresh experience, as if it was our first time! We learn something new each time whether it be a historical fact, an Archeological discovery, a new friend or learning about the people of the Holy Land. Recently, a friend of ours, Father Alex, a Franciscan priest who lived in Jerusalem gave us a book as an Advent gift. The book is about Mother Marie-Alphonsine, the foundress of the Holy Rosary Sisters - the largest Catholic Women's religious Order in the Holy Land and the only native Palestinian one. She was just beatified a year ago in November in Nazareth by the Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal. She is buried in a building, owned by the Rosary Sisters in Jerusalem; the building is also used as a guesthouse for pilgrims. In fact, it is located next to the U.S. Consulate.
Although we knew about the Rosary Sisters, we hadn't really known the story of their foundress, Mother Marie-Alphonsine.

For us - Father Alex's gift to offer us the opportunity to learn about this role model for the local Palestinian Christian community - Mother Marie-Alphonsine during this Season of Advent. Advent is a time inviting us all to prepare for the celebration of the birth of Christ and to "prepare" the way of the Lord's second coming!

How are you preparing for the celebration of Christmas? Have you considered taking up a "reading project" in these days of preparation? Why not read about a role-model that has inspired others. There are many! The Catholic Church lists thousands; some simple and some extraordinary.

Mother Marie-Alphonsine in speaking about the Love of Jesus: "In this love, one finds happiness, peace, and holy joy, patience, strength and perseverance."

It is your concern: Catholics in the Middle East

2010-11-18T09:03:00.000-08:00

With the recent martyrdom of Iraqi Catholics during Mass, the state of the Church in the Middle East has received more attention in the press during the past few weeks. Before our pilgrimage to the Holy Land, I had something of a curiosity about and concern for the Christians in the Middle East who are in danger for practicing their faith.

But it wasn't until I lived in the Holy Land for two weeks that I felt solidarity with them. I realized that the difficulties facing Catholics in any part of the world are my concern. St. Paul reminds us:

Indeed, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are all the more necessary, and those parts of the body that we consider less honorable we surround with greater honor, and our less presentable parts are treated with greater propriety, whereas our more presentable parts do not need this. But God has so constructed the body as to give greater honor to a part that is without it, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the parts may have the same concern for one another. If (one) part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy. Now you are Christ's body, and individually parts of it. (1 Cor. 12:22-27)

This is a basic tenant of our faith! Are you living it?

During our pilgrimage, we were privileged to have a private audience with His Excellency William Shomali, auxiliary bishop of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Of course, we wanted you to join us in the audience, so please enjoy the video below. Bishop Shomali is an excellent host, and presented us with a summary of his experience during the Middle East Synod of Bishops and of the Synod fathers' final Message to the People of God (that means you).

We Are One Body

2010-11-09T06:51:00.000-08:00

On the last day of our pilgrimage, we spent the day in solidarity with some of the local Christians in the Holy Land – specifically in Jordan. Pilgrimages are not just a matter of seeing the holy places accompanied by prayer. Pilgrimages are unique opportunities to build up the Body of Christ (see 1 Corinthians 12). Part of what that means is to meet, pray with, and learn about the lives of local Christians.

Today, we celebrated Mass at a Jordanian church, St. Jean Baptist – in the spirit of John Baptiste de la Salle. (Click here for today's photos.) Our spiritual director concelebrated the Mass with the parish priest, who also stayed to speak with us about the Holy Father’s recent Synod on the Church in the Middle East and about the situation of Jordanian Christians. “Abuna” (Arabic for “Father”) gladly told us that Jordan is a model for peaceful cohabitation and cooperation in the Middle East between Muslims and Christians. Although Christians are only 3% of the population here, 9 out of 80 positions in the lower house of Parliament are reserved for Christians. All Christians are free to practice their religion.

After eating a local dish called shawarma, we headed off to the home village of our parish contact, Bassima, who had graciously arranged for us to witness the Jordanian voting process. Today is voting day, a holiday in Jordan, and we squeezed between cars and people who crowded the streets around the voting site. Inside, Bassima went through the voting process, demonstrating that it is free, open and public for Jordanians to exercise their right to vote. We also met a local candidate for Parliament, who happened to be a woman, a Christian, and the youngest running: Mona Makhamreh. After she spoke with us, we presented her with a gift on behalf of the Pilgrim Center of Hope and ENDOW, “Letter to Women” by John Paul II.

The day was a once-in-a-lifetime experience; we ate, worshipped, sang, and laughed with our Jordanian brothers and sisters, and we learned about their life here. Not only that, but we feel what they feel. We come to know their joy and their struggle. This is the meaning of solidarity.

Before this pilgrimage, when I prayed for people around the world, for Christians who are persecuted for their faith, for peace, for the bishops around the world, I prayed with sincerity. But now, as I go back home and prepare to pray those same prayers again, I know that I will see the faces of those for whom I am praying. I will see their smiles and the wrinkles on their faces. I will see the little children running through the narrow streets of Jerusalem. I will see the limp of the beggar in Bethlehem. I will feel the guns of Israeli soldiers grip my heart. I will hear the thick accent of Bishop Shomali.

Thanks be to God for this experience. I have experienced what it means to be a member of the Body of Christ.

Papa Mio!

2010-11-08T12:20:00.000-08:00

Have you ever seen something so magnificent that you suddenly felt like singing? Or so humbling and beautiful that you felt like a child again? That happened to many of us today as we experienced one of the seven wonders of the world: Petra. (Click to see today’s photos.)

Built in the first-century B.C., Petra is a mammoth city carved out of sandstone. Homes, shops, temples, royal palaces, an amphitheater, extravagant tombs, an impressive water system, and more were all carved into the rock by the mysterious Nabataean civilization. The natural rock formations themselves were impressive, inspiring spontaneous hymn-singing and remarks like, “Wow, the power of God…” On the tough, uphill walk back to the bus, Petra motivated me to jump from rock to rock with a smile from ear to ear - like a little child in a playground that my Father had built.

On the way to Petra, we were graced with the chance to hear our spiritual director, Fr. Valentine, tell his “vocation story” – the story about how and why he became a priest.

This all reminded me of how glorious and good it is that we have a Heavenly Father. He gives us so much. He invites us to love Him. He personally calls us to respond and witness to His love. He gives us His Spirit and the life of His only Son. How much more could we want?
It’s a good question to ask ourselves every now and then: Do I realize how blessed I am? How often do I want more when I already have more than enough? How often do I take for granted my Father’s gifts to me?

Let’s not let today pass by without giving God praise.

All Things New

2010-11-07T11:17:00.000-08:00

“You cannot go home the same after experiencing all that we have experienced,” said Sylvia during today’s lunch. “It’s impossible.”

A pilgrimage is not a tour. It’s not visiting as an entrée and prayer as a side dish. It’s an encounter with the Lord Jesus, the Living and True God. I’m learning the truth of this statement with every day that goes by.

Today, we visited Mount Nebo, where Moses saw the Promised Land (click here for video), and visited the city of Madaba, wherein lies St. George Orthodox Church, built around a sixth-century mosaic map of the Holy Land (click here for video). (Click to see today's photos.) We all feel the pilgrimage winding down and coming to a close. We’ve been enjoying each other’s company and wondering how we’ll be able to “digest” all that we’ve seen, touched, tasted, smelled, and heard during these past two weeks. (Pilgrimages are really quite exhausting.)

As we stood on top of Mt. Nebo, I thought more about Moses. His story really is extraordinary. After experiencing this pilgrimage, Moses has become more of a human being to me and less of a Charlton Heston. He wasn’t perfect, but God chose him. God revealed Himself to Moses in a tremendous way. After experiencing the burning bush and hearing the name of God, Moses would never be the same.

The same is true for us as pilgrims. We have touched the very stones where Jesus sat and walked and taught and healed, and we’ve been touched by the “living stones” – the native people of the Holy Land. The places of the Bible have become places of our own, and the people of the Bible have become real.

How do you view the Bible and the words within it? (Is it a history book, a book of fairy tales, something not really relevant to your life, a book of holy words and teachings, a personal guidebook?) How often do you read it? Have you studied and learned about the Scriptures? Encountering God’s Word in a new way has been one of the fruits of this pilgrimage for me, personally. I hope that, by our sharing this pilgrimage with you, you have been challenged and inspired to deepen your own faith in a way that is best for you.

Baptism in the Jordan River

2010-11-06T13:32:00.000-07:00

The Jordan River is not a spectacular scene worthy of a movie set. It doesn’t have extraordinarily blue water nor is it surrounded by fantastic rock formations, flora or fauna. It’s really just a river. (Click for today’s photos.)

And yet, God chose it for His own baptism, and for the initiation of the Sacrament of Baptism. It was at the River Jordan that the Holy Trinity was first revealed to the world (see Luke 3:21-22).

Everyone is loved by God. That’s without question. So what’s the big deal with baptism? Isn’t it some sort of sign that the person is a “child of God”? Isn’t everyone a child of God? What happened to me when I was baptized? Why be baptized in the first place?

Walking through the wilderness today, after having visited the site of John the Baptist’s birth, I tried to imagine John in the flesh. I’ve always heard him described as the ‘wild man’ prophet, Jesus’ cousin (see Luke 1). So this wild man was "crying out" a message of repentence and baptism for the forgiveness of sins - what a remarkable individual. Only the Spirit of God could compel someone to live such a radically simple lifestyle, totally dependent upon God.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church answers the questions above. Baptism is "the seal of eternal life" (CCC #1274) and "constitutes the sacramental bond of unity existing among all who through it are reborn" (CCC #1271). Beyond that, baptism is where God graces us with the theological virtues, gifts of the Holy Spirit, and empowers us to live a moral life (CCC #1266). This is why we are baptized, with Jesus setting the example for us. He gives us a glimpse of the life that we can have, both here and in Heaven, through baptism. By this public sign and sacrament, persons become united to God and the faithful in a new and powerful way.

Of course, the sacraments are mysteries. If anyone knew this best, it must have been St. John the Baptist. He relentlessly sought God in his life and for others' lives. He unashamedly proclaimed the coming of the Messiah. Still, he knew that Jesus - his own cousin - was beyond his understanding:

...One mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals. He will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire. (Luke 3:16)

Today we renewed our baptismal vows at the site where Jesus was baptized. How often do you think about the significance of your baptism? Do you realize that it has changed you forever? Are you lead by the Holy Spirit like St. John the Baptist? In what ways? What habits do you have which do not proclaim the coming of Jesus?

Ask the Holy Spirit to renew the gifts that God gave you at your baptism. While you're at it, ask St. John to pray for your fervor and commitment to Christ.

Listening and Praying

2010-11-05T11:35:00.000-07:00

Do the Mount of Olives or the Garden of Gethsemani sound like some distant places from the Bible? They did to me, until today.

We spent the entire day on the Mount of Olives, which is one of the tall, fairly steep mountains surrounding the Old City (the heart of Jerusalem, as I see it). We started out near the top, at Pater Noster, the place where Jesus taught his disciples how to pray (see Lk. 11: 1-4) and reflected on the Lord’s Prayer (read this reflection here).

Our next top was Dominus Flevit, the church commemorating the place where Jesus wept over the city of Jerusalem (click here for video). Standing there, we looked over the city and practiced Lectio Divina over the Scripture which describes Jesus’ lament for Jerusalem:

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how many times I yearned to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her young under her wings, but you were unwilling! Behold, your house will be abandoned, desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’” (Mt. 23:37-39; see parallel Lk. 19: 41-44)

The word that speaks to me here is yearned. Jesus desired so much for the people to be close to his heart. He desired to shelter them, protect them, care for them, lead them, and love them. But they did not let him, and so he wept, knowing the destruction that would come to them.

How often we reject Jesus’ love: when we refuse to soften our stony hearts (see Ez. 36:26), broaden our minds, break our bad habits, humble our hearts, and repent of our sins. Inside Dominus Flevit, a Franciscan brother posed a question to us for consideration: What can I do so that Jesus will not weep? I must carry my cross. This means to grapple with the very things mentioned above: bad habits, frequent temptations, and vices. If we carry these crosses, we will lose our life, as Jesus did.

And yet, we will live (see Mt. 16:25).

After this profound meditation, we spent several hours of silent prayer in the Garden of Gethsemani. This was the place where Jesus famously spent his last hours as a free man, his Agony (see Lk. 22: 39-46). We ate a simple lunch that the Lord himself would have eaten: water, pita bread, cheese, olives, and an apple.

This may have been one of the highlights of the pilgrimage for all of us; it certainly was special for me. God works all the time, but it’s easier for us to hear Him when we get back to basics. Simplicity and silence are friends that open us up to God’s graces. Through my Gethsemani experience, I've come to understand and appreciate why Jesus often withdrew by himself to pray. He knew that our human condition is prone to distraction.

If the Son of God needed to get away from the rest of the world to hear the voice of His Father, how much more do I need to make that time.

He is Alive

2010-11-04T08:14:00.000-07:00

It was dark.

We carried a wooden cross from Herod’s Gate through the narrow streets of Jerusalem in pairs. Old food scraps and trash were scattered on the stones. A putrid smell occasionally wafted up to our sniffling noses. The walkway was uneven, with plenty of places to trip and fall. We were not being driven from behind with whips and shouts, but were followed by the eyes of soldiers stationed on corners, guns tucked under their uniformed arms.

The dark grew into morning, and we reached the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. (Click for pictures.) Our group of 40 crowded into the Tomb of Christ, which has two chambers: an outer chamber, where family members would mourn the dead (about a 10 foot diameter) and an inner chamber, with only enough room for about 7 people standing close together. In the inner chamber lies the stone slab on which the body of Jesus was placed after his death. Over it, an altar has been erected. In front of that altar, Fr. Valentine, Deacon Pedro and Deacon Valentine stood. Behind them, three to four people. Since we had only 30 minutes for the Mass of the Resurrection, we took turns rotating a few minutes in the inner chamber with the priest and deacons.

What an awesome experience: to receive the Body and Blood of Jesus in His tomb. Because I'm the blogger and we wanted to share this with you, I was given a few seconds alone in the inner chamber, and it was enough to create an indelible mark on my mind and heart. I wept after crawling into the inner chamber, realizing where I was.

In a way, our experience was ironic. Jesus’ body is no longer in the Tomb – He has ascended into Heaven. Yet, He has remained with us always (see Matt. 28:20) in the Eucharist. We experienced both the death and the resurrection of the Lord during that Mass, such that I'm sure Mass can never be the same for me again.

Life, death and life after death is all a beautiful mystery. How often do we take it for granted? The life, death and resurrection of Christ is hope for each of us. How often do we take it for granted?

Think about this: It is holier to visit Jesus in the Eucharist than to travel thousands of miles to see his Tomb in Jerusalem. His tomb is empty. He is alive. Have you visited Him? (Click for pictures from the rest of the day.)

Living as a Pilgrim

2010-11-03T10:06:00.000-07:00

Have you ever woken up and prayed that somehow the day would turn out well? Today was one of those days for me.

The night before, I had started to feel upset and lonely. It felt like everyone in the pilgrim group was traveling with a friend, spouse, or family member except me. I was tired of missing my significant other. I was tired of being hassled by street peddlers on every street. I was tired of having little time to digest the pilgrimage alone. My arthritic symptoms were coming back. This morning, despite my best attempt to avoid it, I cried at breakfast. So, on top of all my frustration and sadness, I was embarrassed.

I bet you can relate.

But this is a pilgrimage. In fact, every day of our lives is a pilgrimage. We are all on a journey. As we learned today during a private audience with His Excellency William Shomali, auxiliary to the Latin Patriarch here, every pilgrimage should focus on conversion, prayer, and solidarity with the whole Church.

Pilgrims are called to live in an extraordinarily different way than rest of the world. As pilgrims, you and I are called to recognize each situation as a grace that God has allowed. We rejoice in the good things and we have faith that the seemingly bad things are happening for some good. So this morning I prayed, Lord, thank you for everything I’m feeling. Thank you for the tears, the loneliness, and the embarrassment. Thank you for, in this way, allowing me to share in just a small taste of the suffering that You endured for the salvation of all people.

By no mistake (I’m certain), today we began our visits to the places associated with Christ’s Passion. The places where he was condemned, the dungeon where he spent the night as a criminal, the place where he was scourged, and some of our group spent the early morning hours at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which contains Calvary and the Tomb of Christ. (Click for pictures from today.)

God did allow me to deal with tears and unpleasant feelings today. But through prayer, they helped me to enter more into the history and reality of the holy places that we visited today. And whether or not you have personally visited any such holy site, I encourage you to adopt a pilgrim mindset. Strive for prayer, conversion, and solidarity. Recognize the grace in the joys and the sufferings, however small or large.

As Francis Cardinal Arinze once said, we should all go on pilgrimage to the chapel. There lives the God who is our Source and Goal.

Christmas in Bethlehem

2010-11-02T11:29:00.000-07:00

Today may be All Souls Day where you live, but in the Holy Land it was Christmas. For our pilgrim group, that is.

We spent the day in Bethlehem, second in line at the Church of the Nativity (behind a group of mostly young Russian widows whose husbands were killed in a mining accident - pray for them as they continue their Holy Land pilgrimage). Some groups wait up to three hours in line just to spend a few minutes at the grotto where Jesus was born and where he was laid in the manger. The birthplace itself is inside a small cave. Pilgrims kneel down and kiss the spot where God in His Fullness first touched the earth. (Click here for today's photos.)

We were able to celebrate Christmas Mass in the active parish nextdoor to the Nativity, St. Katherine. For some reason, I was chosen to process in before Father and our deacons, holding a life-sized figure of the Christ child. Before the final blessing, I held the figuring in front of the altar so that our group was able to venerate (kiss, touch, etc.) it as a sweet sign of love for the Christ Child.

It's interesting how all pilgrims - even you who are reading this and spiritually journeying with us - are chosen by God to experience certain special pilgrimage moments. For me, holding the Christ Child figure was one of these. My name being Angela Marie (essentially "Angel of Mary"), it was like God had 'chosen' this role for me. As I stood there in front of the altar and saw my fellow pilgrims show their affection for the Baby Jesus, I was reminded that I am called to do this every day; to offer the "Good News" (as the angels put it) that this Messiah is "for all people."

The day was so full, and I only have four minutes left on my Internet card here in our Jerusalem hotel. But let this be a reminder for you: does your life reflect your baptismal call to offer the Messiah to all peoples?

Merry Christmas, friends. Goodnight from Jerusalem.

Transitioning

2010-11-01T11:50:00.000-07:00

Today will be a shorter entry for many reasons, but the main reason is that we are currently at a transition of our pilgrimage. We drove for two hours from the top of the Sea of Galilee to the top of the Dead Sea. (Click here to see pictures from today.)

As we did, it struck me that Jesus' life was spent in such a fertile, lush land (the Galilee) while he had to travel through desert and up a mountaintop to Jerusalem in order to suffer and die. The contrast is stark and unavoidable.

We went through our first Israeli checkpoint tonight, as well - in Bethlehem. Two young soldiers with large guns walked through the bus checking our passports, then wished us a good night. (If only you could see this wall that the state of Israel has built around the "little town" of Bethlehem.)

How fitting - we began the day with the Mass of the Beatitudes, hearing Christ teach, "Blessed are the peacemakers," and we concluded the day by traveling through this symbol of conflict and control. We are entering into a new phase of the life of Jesus and the local Church: a time of suffering.

Learn more about the Wall from a friend of the Pilgrim Center of Hope, a local of Jerusalem, Rula Shubeita, who visited us in San Antonio not long ago. You may be surprised by what you hear.

Joy in His Presence

2010-10-31T12:01:00.000-07:00

I’ve heard many people say that you know the true people of God by their joy. Today was a particularly joyful day for our pilgrim group, and I know it came from the extraordinary encounters we had with God’s presence.

In the morning, we traveled up to the top of Mt. Tabor, the place where Jesus was transfigured (see Matthew 17; see photos). The church, taken care of by the Franciscan friars, was stunningly beautiful. After an introduction to the site and surrounding area, we had an hour to experience God in silent prayer, meditation or Confession.

Immediately, I was drawn to the left of the main altar (see photo), where the Blessed Sacrament is kept. There, pilgrims from around the world were prostrate at the feet of the Lord, much like Peter, James and John fell prostrate at the sound of the Father’s voice (Mt. 17:6). So I sat down amid them and opened my Bible to Matthew 17.

In an experience that I can only describe as Spirit-led, I became extremely engaged with this relatively short Scripture passage. Previously, the story had not meant much to me. It had seemed like a story that just told us how these three disciples knew Jesus’ glory.

Yet, as I sat there at the feet of Jesus on the top of this blessed mountain, God guided my eyes to read each verse over and over again. With each reading, I began to understand – the eyes of my mind were enlightened.

I saw Jesus bringing his three close friends aside, trekking the terrain with them, and making the steep climb to the top of this mountain – which stands higher above the rest. I marveled at Jesus’ glory revealed to the three in his transfiguration. I laughed at Peter’s eagerness to begin erecting tents for their visitors. I understood the disciples’ fear upon hearing the voice of the Father booming from Heaven. I found comfort in the fact that, when they lifted their eyes after being afraid, they only saw Jesus.

By the time I was finished, I was so convinced of God’s presence and majesty in that place that I knelt with my face to the ground. My mind contained no words or images. All I could do was worship the Son of God.

After an hour of prayer, I joined the pilgrim group as we celebrated Mass at the main altar. Later, our joy overflowed into the Arab town of Cana, where the married couples among us renewed their wedding vows in the active Catholic parish. (Click here to see the video.) In Cana, Jesus sanctified marriage by performing his first miracle during a wedding feast (see John 2; see photos). We had the opportunity to meet a local parishioner, whose cousin was getting married in the evening. She happily told us that to this day, weddings in Cana are a community affair; everyone is invited to celebrate for several days. Perhaps even more than 1000 people celebrate each local wedding. (Our entire pilgrim group was invited to attend this evening’s wedding! While our schedule didn’t allow it, we were touched by her testimony to the local custom.)

Mary Jane has told us that we are “on a honeymoon with Jesus” in Galilee. The landscape is lush and fertile, with fruit ripening on trees everywhere. As we finish this ‘honeymoon’ and transition to the rocky, desert Judean area, we give abundant thanks for these days of prayer in Galilee. May God use the graces and joys of these past few days to strengthen us, so that we may support the crosses that we carry into Jerusalem.

Experiencing the Scriptures

2010-10-30T12:01:00.000-07:00

One of the toughest tasks for us while reading Scripture is to picture ourselves in a Gospel setting; when Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount, how could thousands of people have heard Him preach? What did the sun look like and the air feel like? What do the waves of the Sea of Galilee sound like? Well, that all became a little easier for us pilgrims.

Today, we left our beds on the Mount of Beatitudes and took a boat across the Sea of Galilee. (Click here for Fr. Valentine's reflection.)

And when Jesus said, “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life,” I always wondered: what did that place look like? Today, we celebrated Mass there, over the House of St. Peter in Capernaum (see John 6; see photos). I feel like I am living the Gospels.

During Mass, our prayers were accompanied by many sniffles and the sound of hands brushing away tears. The Holy Spirit is working so powerfully among us here, teaching us each a separate, necessary, and beautiful lesson at every holy site. As a Catholic, to consume the Holy Eucharist at the very place where Jesus preached the Bread of Life Discourse was second only to Heaven. I feel blessed beyond words can describe.

We also visited the place where five thousand men who were fed by Jesus have witnessed to their descendents where it was that He multiplied the loaves and fishes (see Matthew 14). Then, we visited the church built over the Mensa Christi – the rock where Jesus is said to have cooked breakfast for His friends after his resurrection (see John 21). There, Jesus asked Peter three times, “Do you love me?”

This all made today a time during which we were all fed by the Lord Jesus. In His Body and Blood, by His Word, during a healing service at the shores of the Sea of Galilee, and in our souls by experiencing the places where He comforts us (“Do not be afraid”) and challenges us (“Do you also want to leave?” “Do you love me?”).

The final journey of the day for many of us was a mile-and-a-half walk along the Sea of Galilee in silence.

Take this blog and these photographs in your mind and spirit. As we offer your intentions at each holy place, we pray that you will be transformed by Jesus. Christ heals and then challenges us, so that we may grow into more whole and entire versions of ourselves.

Let us say, "Yes, Lord."

2010-10-29T13:30:00.000-07:00

Many tears were shed in our pilgrim group today.

Most of our day today was spent in Nazareth, particularly in the Basilica of the Annunciation, where the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary (see Luke 1). The basilica is built over the very cave which was Mary’s house, the place where Christians have maintained for two millennia that the Word became flesh in the womb of this courageous and faithful young woman.

We were able to kneel in this (click for pictures) place, where a tiny Tabernacle reminded us that Jesus dwelt as a little unborn baby in his mother’s womb. Some of us were praying for mothers trying to conceive, others for tiny children who needed love. The parents and grandparents among us prayed fervently for children and grandchildren.

Before we even entered the basilica, I already had tears welling in my eyes. How precious a place this was – to be in the town where Jesus grew up – and where He became like me, a human being. As we walked into the basilica, the Holy Spirit had moved me to open my Bible to Luke 1. We approached the center, where steps lead down to the grotto house of Mary. It is a simple, small cave, but I was moved beyond words. Tears ran down my face as I smiled in awe of the simplicity. At three o-clock in the afternoon, we had the privilege of celebrating Mass at the altar area built in front of the grotto, and Father put into words what had truly moved me.

At this simple cave, God sent a messenger angel, Gabriel – whose name means God’s strength – to Mary. God’s strength, Fr. Valentin said, is especially with the meek and humble. At this place, God came to a meek person of simple livelihood, a woman, a young woman, a woman who had not even been married – and dwelt within her as a helpless human baby. How many times have I thought that I was just a nobody? How many times have I thought that my thoughts and actions won’t make much of a difference? Yet in this tiny village where perhaps 10 to 15 families lived, Almighty God came in His Fullness.

We were blessed with a few minutes of silence, without any other pilgrim groups in the basilica. As we all stood before the grotto with our eyes fixed on that simple cave, I asked God to forgive me for ever doubting Him. How great is our God.
Dear Mary, Mother of Jesus, pray that I may also have enough trust in God to say, as you did, “Let it be done to me according to your word.”

(Click here to see our pilgrims share their reactions to the Basilica of the Annunciation: target="_blank">1 . 2 . 3.)
(Click here to see photos from today)

Checking In from the Holy Land

2010-10-28T11:44:00.000-07:00

I have no idea how long we travelled to get here. Mary Jane said it was something like 30 hours. All I know is, we’re all extremely tired, sore, aching, weak – but happy. We made it to the Holy Land.
Some personally memorable moments:

- I was stopped by Israeli security on the way in from our flight. Apparently, I look like a potential peace worker, so I had to be questioned. Father Valentin looks like an Arab, so he was stopped, too. We both agreed: that guy was scary.

- Our tour guide is a Palestinian Catholic. As we drove from Tel-Aviv to Haifa, we passed through Joffa. As I took in the landscape – Cyprus trees surrounding clusters of homes with that trademark ‘biblical’ architecture – I heard him describe a few events that had taken place in Joffa (referred to as Joppa in Scripture): Jonah’s boat ride to escape God, Simon Peter’s vision of the animals in Acts…

Tears welled in my eyes as I realized that I was finally here. In this ground, Abraham is buried. In these caves, Elijah and his followers heard God whisper. On this dirt, my Savior shed blood out of love for me. In these towns, the apostles spread the Gospel. I’ve only been in the Holy Land for a few hours, and already my faith is so much more real to me. It’s more than a collection of stories now, more than the theories that I have built my life upon – although they certainly meant more to me than these simple analogies convey. But being here makes it real.

I sympathize with St. Thomas even more now. I’m seeing and touching, and it’s leading me to new belief.

Experience the Holy Land - from wherever you are

2010-10-21T09:09:00.000-07:00

by Angela Santana, Ministry Coordinator

That chair you're sitting in? For a few moments, forget that it's there.

Imagine that it's the bank of a river. Take a few moments and breathe in the clean air. Smell the grass around you. Hear the water running gently. Feel the sun on your skin. See the gorgeous, blue sky. Now, imagine that you're sitting on the bank of the Jordan River - the very waters that Jesus Christ felt on his skin and hair as he was baptized by John.

That's where I'm going - and I'm taking you with me.

From Wednesday, October 27 through Wednesday, November 10, I am inviting you to experience Israel, Palestine and Jordan from wherever you are. You won't have to step foot in an airplane or pay a penny. All you need is Internet access and the desire to "come and see."

I work for a non-profit Catholic evangelization ministry in San Antonio called The Pilgrim Center of Hope. Through our Ministry of Pilgrimages, we take small groups (no more than 40 persons) to the Holy Land so that they can experience it. These pilgrimages are not "religious tours" but true, spiritual journeys. We maintain a prayerful attitude, keeping our senses and our souls open to meeting God in the place where he revealed himself fully through the person of Jesus Christ. For the upcoming two-week pilgrimage, we invite you to join us.

We will be posting blogs like these, with stories and spiritual reflections, as well as photos and videos that will chronicle our journey and bring you along with us. On our website, we offer you a daily Spiritual Pilgrimage guide that gives you a short description of each day's activities and a daily prayer. We especially encourage you to share your personal prayer intentions with us either by commenting on this blog or via email. Then, as we walk in the footsteps of Jesus and his disciples, we will carry your petitions with us and offer them at each of the holy sites we visit.

This is a unique opportunity to seek God, to see the Scriptures come alive, and to meet the inhabitants of the Holy Land in a personal way. Come - join us; the first day is fast-approaching.

This post will be featured on the San Antonio Express-News blog. Visit MySanAntonio.com

Catholic Women's Conference - A Spiritual Success!

2010-10-07T04:15:00.001-07:00

The 9th annual Catholic Women's Conference was held on October 1-2 at Antonian College Preparatory High School Auditorium. Close to 500 attendees experienced a grace-filled and powerful event. As a local Catholic writer for "Today's Catholic" wrote; the Conference is a relaxed atmosphere to reconnect with God! It was a place where women gathered with other women in prayer and "just be"....be open to the Holy Spirit, to the speakers' presentations, to learn and to be healed.

The Speakers were dynamic!

Margarett A Schlientz, Ph.D. has presented at over a thousand conferences on the integration of psychology and spirituality - she spoke on the healing power of prayer and of the Eucharist.

Sister Michela Brugnoli, AVT (Apostles of the Interior Life) spoke on the importance of prayer in the daily life of a woman. She said: "praying is for the soul what breathing is for the body. If we lack prayer we can't fulfill ourselves completely."

Donna Marie Cooper-O'Boyle was blessed with a friendship with Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta; she shared her personal reflections and give insight on how to continue Mother Teresa's lessons of love.

Rula Shubeita, born in the Old City of Jerusalem, who works as a guide with Christian pilgrims from all over the world shared her experience as a Christian Palestinian Woman living in the Holy Land.

Sister Prudence Allen, RSM, a professor in the Department of Philosophy at the St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver spoke about the complementarity of man and woman. She said: "A big challenge in our faith is understanding the true dignity and identity of men and women; how we are similar and how we are difference - how we compliment one another."

The Steering Committee of 12 women praise God for the Conference and continue to pray for the women who attended. The Lord continues to "till the soil in souls". May we rejoice in hope!

For CD's of the speakers' presentations; contact us at 210-521-3377 or email us at trust@catholic.org.

For photos and videos; go to our website at http://www.pilgrimcenterofhope.org/. Click on media icon.

The 10th Catholic Women's Conference will be scheduled in the Fall of 2010...date and location will be announced soon.

The rich man and Lazarus

2010-09-27T09:56:00.000-07:00

Homily for the twenty-sixth Sunday (C) in Ordinary Time
by Deacon Tom Fox, Pilgrim Center of Hope Co-Founder
Read the accompanying Scripture here.

In today’s Gospel the rich man lives only for himself. It is not mentioned that he is evil in any other way. He lives in luxury and dines sumptuously each day. He is so absorbed in satisfying himself that he doesn’t even notice Lazarus starving at his door. His self indulgence will have eternal consequences.

The rich man had an abundance of something Lazarus needed, food. Lazarus longed just for the scraps that fell from his table. Was Lazarus being unjust by sitting at the door of the rich man? I recently heard a conversation on the radio in which the host and his guests were talking about how troublesome beggars are. There should be a law against them. Why can’t they just find a job?

It would be nice if we did not have to be bothered with such things, but life is more complicated than that. The point of this Gospel is that, we cannot just live for ourselves. We must be aware of the needs of others, and this is not only about food and shelter and clothing. We all have something that someone else needs and we will never develop spiritually until we share from what we have been given.

First of all we must give God His due, not because He needs it, but because it is necessary for our own happiness. We are created to be in a charitable relationship with God and each other. There will always be disorder in our lives until we love the Lord Our God with all our mind, heart soul and strength. When we are connected to God by faith and in prayer He will guide us to make right choices.

No matter whether we are rich or poor we all have 24 hours each day and sometimes the best gift we can share is our time. First of all we must spend time in prayer each day to be connected to God and His guidance. After God, comes the people who are most important to you; your spouse, your children, parents, family members. We are obliged to share quality time with the people who depend on us. Lack of quality time destroys relationships.

Our faith community also needs for us to share from our time, talent and treasure. In baptism we all have been given gifts by God which can only be discovered by being formed in our faith and participating in our faith community. These gifts are not for our own use only, but are meant to build up the Body of Christ, which is His Church. If we fail to contribute to our faith community in a significant way we are stifling our spiritual growth.

One of the greatest gifts we have been given is the gift of faith because it makes it possible for us to have an intimate, personal relationship with God. This gift is only of benefit to us if we develop it, live it and share it. As our faith transforms us we are expected to be an instrument of transformation for society. St. John Chrysostom once said:” There is no one colder than a Christian who is uninterested in the salvation of others.” When we stand before God, none of us will have an excuse for not sharing from what we have received.

It is natural for us to want to live just for ourselves like the rich man in the Gospel, even if we aren’t rich. However, God entered into the world in the person of Jesus Christ to radically change the possibilities of life on earth. That’s why we all must be converted to a new way of thinking and living by accepting the truths of the Gospel and turning away from sin. This conversion is possible if the first thing each morning we give ourselves to Christ and ask him for the grace to make the changes we know we must make. Conversion is a daily process that is necessary for us to grow in virtue and become spiritually mature. If we have a desire in our heart to change he will help us.

We naturally resist conversion, but it is necessary for our salvation and for true happiness and peace right now. The Lord has a great plan for us and He has given us His Church to help us live that plan. There is great joy in drawing close to God and believing, living and sharing the truths He has revealed. After all, it is our purpose for being on this earth.

Faith is a gift from God, but believing is a choice.

The Catholic Mass

2010-09-21T15:54:00.000-07:00

This is a powerful, short video. The quotes throughout the video are words that will lead you to RUN to Mass! Send this to your family and friends!

The Need for Humility

2010-08-28T12:45:00.000-07:00

Homily for the twenty-second Sunday (C) in Ordinary Time
by Deacon Tom Fox, Pilgrim Center of Hope Co-Founder
Read the accompanying Scripture here.

The theme of the readings this Sunday is humility, which is an essential virtue because it helps us to order our lives to God. We have been created to live our lives in an intimate, personal relationship with God and yet, more likely than not, we give little consideration to what God’s plans might be for us. Our temptation is to live for ourselves and when we live for ourselves we often have little concern for God and others.

The first reading gives us an insight into the wisdom of God. “Humble yourself more, the greater you are, and you will find favor with God.” The greater we are the more indebted to God we are because He is the giver of all good things and when we humble ourselves we are acknowledging that reality.

To be humble is to know the truth about ourselves. In prayer we recognize the gifts God has given us and we develop those gifts with His help for our own good and the good of the Church. We cannot separate our purpose for being on this earth from God’s plan for the coming of His Kingdom. We are children of God and He expects great things from us because it is He who will accomplish them in us.

Humility is not an easy virtue to develop because our natural inclination is to be proud. We want to be recognized for the good things we do, which isn’t so bad in itself if we are aware that God is the source of our accomplishment and we give Him glory. The problem is when we want the glory for ourselves and even become offended if we do not receive it. This can lead to jealousy, envy, resentment and even hatred.

In the Gospel Jesus shows us how we can make progress in developing the virtue of humility. He advises us that if we would go to a banquet not to seek the place of honor but to go to a lower place. In other words we should not seek recognition as if it is due us. This does not mean that if in the course of your career you have accomplished something that deserves a just reward that you let it pass without notice. It does mean that we should not place ourselves above others and clamor for recognition.

Jesus continues his advice by suggesting that when we entertain people we do not only invite those who we know will reciprocate, but also invite those who do not have the means to repay us. In other words what is our motive for the things we do? As we deepen our relationship with God we should discover that with greater frequency we are making decisions that reflect a genuine desire to please God and to grow in sanctity. This is the “narrow road” of which Jesus speaks. We can only travel it with the help of his grace.

For those who desire to travel this road I will read a portion of the “Litany of Humility.”
From the desire of being honored… deliver me O’ Jesus
From the desire of being preferred to others… deliver me O’ Jesus
From the desire of being approved …deliver me O’ Jesus
From the fear of being humiliated… deliver me O’ Jesus
From the fear of being forgotten… deliver me O’ Jesus
That others may be loved more than I, Jesus grant me the grace to desire it
That others may be praised and I unnoticed, Jesus grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may become holier than I, provided I become as holy as I should, Jesus grant me the grace to desire it

“It is said that humility is truth. The path that will make us more like Jesus is the path to humility.” - Mother Teresa

All truth begins with Jesus, the Word of God, and he will help us.

WHO IS the Man on the Shroud?

2010-08-23T05:09:00.000-07:00

by Mary Jane Fox

Tom and I led two groups of pilgrims to see the Holy Shroud during its 50 day public exhibition display in the Archdiocese of Turin, Italy early this Spring. For us and many of the pilgrims, it was one of the most remarkable, spiritual and mysterious experiences ever!

Imagine standing before the burial cloth of Jesus Christ and thinking about His Passion and His love for us that He endured the physical and mental tortures before His Crucifixion. In fact, the cloth still shows His blood from His wounds.

One of the fruits of that pilgrimage is the vision to have a Holy Shroud Center in San Antonio called "Who is the Man on the Shroud?". The exhibition contains replicas of the Shroud, displays, images, and other elements that tell the story of the Shroud, of Christ's Passion. It will be one of three in the world; the others are located in Jerusalem, Rome and Sacramento, California.

You are welcome to join us in this effort in telling the story of Christ's passion in a unique, remarkable, powerful and unforgettable way that will impact many souls. Contact Pete Remmert, one of the pilgrims, at ShroudCentersa@gmail.com.

A Teen Age Saint in the Making!

2010-08-11T14:22:00.000-07:00

"Catholicism Live!" series on Catholic Television of San Antonio and Guadalupe Radio, 89.7fm is featuring a young woman who died just 20 years ago. She is Chiara Luce from Italy. She will be beatified in Rome on September 25th, 2010. As a member of the FOCOLARE lay movement, she consecrated her life to Jesus and Mary when only 16 and died when she was 18 of bone cancer.

Ask her intercession for the young people in your life. She will intercede for you! Amazing - to learn about the spiritual maturity of young Chiara. Chiara Luce pray for us, for our youth!

Celebrating Life with a Deacon!

2010-08-10T08:34:00.000-07:00

Deacon Tom Fox celebrates 22 years of his Diaconate Ordination! He was ordained into the Permanent Diaconate for the Archdiocese of San Antonio, receiving the Sacrament of Holy Orders by Archbishop Patrick Flores in August 1988.

Did you know that not many can receive all seven Sacraments in the Roman Catholic Church? Tom has received all seven. 31 years ago, Tom and I received the Sacrament of Matrimony.

Life is good...with God...with each other...and attempting to "run the race" as St. Paul so boldly calls Christians to live - in our vocation of marriage, Holy Orders and mission of evangelization! (1 Corinthians 9:24).

Photo was taken near ancient Philippi, where Paul baptized Lydia. Bishop Patrick Zurek offered Mass for our Pilgrim group near the river where she was baptized.

Remember Pope Paul VI?

2010-08-04T15:06:00.000-07:00

As we are preparing for our show, "Catholicism Live!" this evening entitled "Disciples of the Digital Media" we could not help but recall the great work of Pope Paul VI: "Evangelization in the Modern World" addressed to all Catholics everywhere.

A few of our favorite quotes from "Evangelization in the Modern World" (An Apostolic Exhortation) 1975

"There is no true evangelization if the name, the teaching, the life, the promises, the kingdom and the mystery o f Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God are not proclaimed." (#22)

"Evangelizing is in fact the grace and vocation proper to the Church, her deepest identity. She exist in order to evangelize, that is to say in order to preach and teach....." (#14)

"...claiming to love Christ but without the Church, to listen to Christ but not the Church, to belong to Christ but outside the Church. The absurdity of this dichotomy is clearly evident in this phrase of the Gospel: 'Anyone who rejects you rejects me.' (#16)

Pope Paul VI, pray for us, for the evangelization efforts of the Church!

By the way, Mary Jane received his Papal Blessing in Rome in the 1960's...however, we won't tell you how old she was then!

"My Little Loaves"

2010-08-02T08:31:00.000-07:00

Imagine sitting in a grassy area by the Sea of Galilee in ancient Palestine and seeing a man named JESUS heal the sick around you? It must be an amazing sight to see! In the book of Matthew found in the New Testament; chapter 14, verses 13-21; there is a real story of crowds gathering around Jesus, in hopes to have their family or friends healed. The day passes quickly and the disciples of Jesus are concerned that it is late and no food is available for the crowds. Jesus tells them: "..give them some food yourselves. But they said to him, Five loaves and two fish are all we have here." What is Jesus' response? Bring them here to me. He takes the five loaves and two fish, blesses them, breaks the loaves and gave them to the disciples who in turn gave them to the crowds." Thousands ate that day!

Who can you relate to in this story? For myself...I can relate to the disciples, in my own mind I am wondering- I only have five loaves and two fish...how in the world can I feed all these people? How can my loaves help? Ahh...but Jesus' response is the same today...bring them here to me!

Yes, we can bring the resources and gifts we already have (our "little loaves" ) to Jesus. If we humbly approach the compassionate heart of Jesus trusting in His Providence, He will provide for us out of His love and mercy.

"Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." 2 Corinthians 9:7

DT Homily - What is prayer? Why should we pray?

2010-07-29T09:31:00.000-07:00

Homily for the 17th ( c) Sunday in Ordinary Time
by Deacon Tom Fox, Pilgrim Center of Hope Co-Founder
Read the accompanying Gospel here.

What is prayer and why should we pray? We see in this Gospel that even Jesus, the Son of God, spent time in prayer. When his disciples ask him to teach them to pray, Jesus teaches them what we call the Lord’s Prayer. Here in the gospel of Luke we have an abbreviation of the prayer we are familiar with from the gospel of Matthew, the prayer we pray together at every Mass and many other times throughout the day. Are we really aware of the importance of what we are saying and of the far reaching affects of this prayer?

Jesus tells us to say:

“Father, hallowed be thy name,”
Prayer is first of all a relationship with Our Father in heaven who loves us and is interested in our good and is near to us. We are not praying to an unknown god who is far away from us. When we say hallowed be thy name, we are acknowledging that God is holy, almighty; the creator of all things and we are his lowly creatures. We should praise God every day throughout the day for His benevolence. He is our Father now and for all eternity and He wants a personal, intimate relationship with each of us.

“…your kingdom come.”
In the prayer we are familiar with from Matthew, we add, “Thy will be done.”
The Kingdom of God is at hand when we do the will of God. God has a great plan for humanity and He has revealed that plan through the Scriptures and through the Church. The only possibility of us reaching our potential for happiness in this life is to discover the specific plan He has for each of us as we develop the gifts He has given us. He expects us to live a supernatural life aided by the grace He makes available to us through the sacraments. Our temptation is to disregard God’s plan and live for ourselves. It is for this reason He has given us the Two Greatest Commandments, “We must love the Lord Our God with all our mind, with all our strength and all our soul.” There can be nothing in our lives more important than our relationship with God because He is the source of all love and all that is good. We will never reach our potential for loving ourselves or others until we love God above all else. Who is the most important person in your? You will never be able to love them with all your heart until you give your heart to God. Again, this is not a suggestion; it is a commandment that affects the life of our soul.

“Give us each day our daily bread…”
Whether we are aware of it or not, we are dependant upon God even for our next breath. It is God who keeps everything in existence. So we also depend upon God for everything we need. Everything we have is a gift from Him and He expects us to be good stewards of what we have received. When we are concerned about what we need we should first of all turn to God. In the Gospel of Matthew Jesus tells us: “Do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat? Or what are we to drink, or what are we to wear? All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But first seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.”
Of course God provides our daily bread par excellence in the Bread of Life; Jesus Christ himself, body , blood soul and divinity in the Holy Eucharist. What more do we need than God Himself? He is the source and summit of our lives.

“…and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive anyone in debt to us,”
Forgiveness is essential for our spiritual, mental and physical well being. There is nothing that might happen to us that we are allowed not to forgive. Unforgiveness, bitterness, resentment, hatred, etc are all obstacles to the love of God and enslave us to a life of misery; all this can even affect our physical health. If there is something we cannot forgive, we can ask God for the grace to desire to forgive because it is his will we do so. He will liberate us from our enslavement. The sacrament of reconciliation can be of great help in this regard.

“…and do not subject us to the final test.”
Our whole life is a process of purification. The closer we are to God through our worship, prayer and sacramental life, the more aware we will be of his nearness in the challenges and difficulties that come our way. It is our prayer that our faithful life with Christ will day by day strengthen us against any temptation to doubt God’s loving care and providence for us.

This prayer is of fundamental importance for our life on earth and should influence all the decisions we make.

Jesus follows this prayer with a parable about prayer. The parable points to the necessity of persistence in prayer. “I tell you, if he does not get up to give the visitor the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him what ever he needs because of his persistence.”
We also must be persistent. We all know the story of how St. Monica prayed for her son Augustine for sixteen years for his conversion. Her perseverance was not only instrumental in her son becoming a great saint, it was also instrumental in Monica becoming a saint.
If we persevere in prayer we can be confident it will be answered. It may be answered in the way we hoped it would be, or we may discover that God has a different plan, more consistent with the coming of His kingdom.

This Gospel closes with a promise; “… how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?” If we ask, seek, knock and persevere the Lord will send us the Holy Spirit to help us know His will; it’s a promise.

If prayer is so important, how much should we pray? More than we are praying now!

The Empty Tomb

2010-07-22T12:36:00.000-07:00

Today the Church celebrates the Feast day of St. Mary Magdalene, a woman who encountered Jesus, followed him and stood at the foot of the Cross when He was crucified.

In the Gospel of John, we read how she went and found the tomb empty and wept, thinking that the body of Christ was taken. But no...Jesus appears to her and calls her by name. She runs to tell the disciples..."I have seen the Lord!".

We have seen the empty tomb in Jerusalem. It is located within the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. Today, it looks very different from the time Mary Magdalene saw it; but it is The Tomb! Constantine the Great built the Basilica in the 4th century and preserved it. Today, the tomb is within a small edifice similar to a tiny chapel. One has to bend down to enter. Upon entering, there is space for 4-5 persons...you can kneel facing the marble slab covering the place where the body of Jesus laid before His Resurrection. Lit candles give some light and a silver icon of the Resurrected Christ hangs above. When we knelt and prayed; we both thanked God for this opportunity - this gift - the gift of His Death and Resurrection! And then all those we love and care for, all ou friends and people we know and carry in our hearts came to mind...we placed them and our intentions on that marble slab...in the Tomb! Lord - thy will be done!

The 5th Gospel?

2010-06-28T01:33:00.000-07:00

by Deacon Tom & Mary Jane Fox

The Holy Land has been known to be the 5th Gospel - it is a living experience of the Bible! It's always difficult to articulate it all. It's not JUST about visiting Holy sites which are remarkable in themselves; it's also about meeting the "living stones" (local people), the culture, the history, and fun! The pilgrimage also builds up the body of Christ as we also receive grace and sometimes miracles of healing.

The group met with the Latin Patriarch of the Holy Land, and also visited a Palestinian Women's Solidarity Project sponsored by Catholic Relief Services (CRS). Purpose is to create funds by selling hand-made Palestinian embriodered items to support several families in Bethlehem area. One of the pilgrims, Susie, is a Catholic Women's Conference Steering Committee member; she suggested this CRS Project become a joint effort with the Catholic Women's Conference (www.cwcsanantonio.com).

Our guide, Rula, is one of the very few Christian guides in the Holy Land; she will be a speaker at this year's Catholic Women's Conference. She is looking forward to visiting Texas for the first time and wants to have a traditional "Western" experience! Anyone have a horse she can ride?

Till later....

What a Heart!

2010-06-11T14:58:00.001-07:00

Mary Jane Fox

Today on the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, I was remembering when my grandmother gave me a prayer card of the Sacred Heart of Jesus when I was in Junior High School. On one side of the card shows the image of Jesus and His Sacred Heart exposed and the other is a beautiful prayer that since then I have been praying everyday! The prayer praises God, adores Him, implores His forgiveness and asks for the grace to do His will and for a holy death. What more can one ask?

Sure...we can ask for our "list of intentions"....which I also offer the Lord after I pray that prayer! But for myself, it's a great way to begin the day.

Jesus loves us so much that he exposes His heart so that we will approach Him and receive His mercy.

Responding to Jesus' Call

2010-05-27T11:13:00.000-07:00

by Angela Santana, Ministry Coordinator

I just love today's readings (http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/052710.shtml). They're so rich. But this one line struck me in particular:
"Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you."

In my darkest moments, sometimes I cannot hear the voice of Jesus. Or perhaps I hear, but I do not rise up to seek Him.

Thank you, Jesus, for calling to me. Were I truly your lamb, I would come to you, the Good Shepherd, without hesitation. But since I am not fearless, and since I have not yet attained childlike trust in you, I pray for the courage to stand. Help me be strengthened by those around me who come to me with encouragement; may I not to dismiss them. Help me to see those who support me as a blessing; may I not take them for granted. And above all, Lord, give me the humility to take the hand of a friend who wants to pick me up and lead me to You.

Amen.

"Lord, What About Him?"

2010-05-22T09:02:00.000-07:00

by Deacon Tom Fox

The Lord has just told Peter to follow Him and Peter wants to know about John. (John 21:20-25). The Lord has called each of us to great intimacy and discipleship, but we can be distracted by many things; especially how He works in the life of someone else. We are tempted to measure the value of our discipleship by the way it is perceived by others.

The Lord expects us to keep focused on him and to faithfully use the gifts He has given us to the best of our ability and with the help of His grace we will reach our end, which is holiness.

Isn't this a freedom?

"Getting Close to Jesus"

2010-05-12T18:48:00.000-07:00

Deacon Tom and Mary Jane Fox

"Even if we would hear the voice of Jesus, or see Him in a vision; it is not possible to be more intimate with Jesus than when we receive Him in the Eucharist."

This month's Day of Prayer and Healing at the Pilgrim Center of Hope was about encountering the Risen Lord and Adoring Him in the Eucharist. The above quote is from Tom; he spoke about the gift of the Holy Eucharist (Holy Communion) which is the body, blood, soul and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Eucharist summarizes the salvation plan of God, His mercy and immense love. Jesus said: "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger..." (John 6:32)

Go to Jesus in the Eucharist! Attend Mass during the week when possible, spend time in the presence of the Eucharist. Spend that time in silent prayer - "looking at Him and opening yourself to Him." For us, spending time with Jesus in the Eucharist has made an incredible difference in our lives! We have encountered a deep peace, a joy and healing that we believe is of our Lord Jesus.

We live at the Pilgrim Center of Hope. The building itself used to be a convent and there is a chapel where the Eucharist is kept in the Tabernacle. We are able to spend time with Jesus in an extraordinary way. You are welcome to visit the Chapel, or visit your local Catholic Church.

If you are not Catholic and would like to learn more about Jesus in the Eucharist; contact us! We would be happy to answer any questions (or direct you to the proper resource for the answers!).

Spiritual Motherhood

2010-05-08T16:18:00.000-07:00

by Mary Jane Fox

I often tell people that I am the person I am today because of the mercy and love of God, my parents and my husband. My parents have been married 56 years; they are a faithful and loving witness of two persons in love with each other. The fruit of their love bore three children; I being the oldest and the only daughter. It was their love and commitment for each other that gave me a desire to marry and have a family.

My husband, Tom and I have been married 30 years. We have been unable to have children and adoption did not work out for us either. While it has been a sword in my heart; I have needed to depend on the Lord's mercy and the love of my husband. We have often been told we have many "spiritual children" through the years of our ministry. Yesterday, I was reminded of this when I received a phone call from a friend, Barbara, wishing me a "Happy Mother's Day from a spiritual child." Her message touched my heart deeply. I was so happy to have received Barbara's phone call.

There are so many married women unable to have physical children. Next time you meet a married woman who has not been able to conceive - thank her for spiritual motherhood and encourage her to "give life through her gift of herself as woman and by praying for others".

Happy Mother's Day to my "sisters in Christ who choose to live a spiritual motherhood"!

LAST DAY!

2010-05-04T08:38:00.001-07:00

by Deacon Tom and Mary Jane Fox

Spending 21 days in Italy was grand! We have had two remarkable pilgrimages; 44 pilgrims in the first group and 35 in the second group. It has been powerful learning about the traditions of our Catholic Faith, walking in the footsteps of hundreds of Saints, walking through history and experiencing many blessings and an abundance of grace.

The Holy Shroud of Jesus Christ was the primary purpose of these two journeys of faith. - seeing the image on the shroud makes you want to cry out to God for His mercy and in thanksgiving for what His son did for us.

It was awesome to see thousands of people gathered in Rome for the Papal Audience, in Turin for the Holy Shroud, and in Padua to venerate the Tomb of St. Anthony! Praying along side people from Italy, France, Poland, Germany, Sri Lanka, Mexico, and other countries give testimony that the faith is not dead! On the contrary, the Holy Spirit is moving in many hearts and minds!

We have learned so much from these two pilgrimages and believe they have been instrumental in building up the body of Christ!

Would you like to hear about the 'miracles', the experiences, the gifts from these two pilgrimages? Come over to the Pilgrim Center of Hope for tea, coffee, or a drink!

St. Mark the Evangelist Tomb

2010-05-02T12:51:00.001-07:00

by Mary Jane Fox

It's real! When we read the Gospel of Mark, as Christians, we believe it is the inspired Word of God. When you SEE the Tomb of St. Mark who wrote the Gospel of Mark in the New Testament with 16 chapters - you realize how time is eternal! He is real! His tomb is in the Basilica of St. Mark in Venice, Italy. Today, the pilgrim group joined several Venetians and other visitors in a glorious Sunday morning Mass!

The Mass in Italian and Latin reminded us of the universality of the Catholic Church, that we are members in this large Church - the body of Christ! As we exchanged the sign of peace during Mass with those around us...some simply smiled, others spoke in their native language while some, like myself, tried to repeat the words in Italian!

The Basilica is grand! Built in the 11th century; it has marvelous mosaics depicting the life of Christ on the ceiling, the walls along with the scenes from the Bible. And yet the Worship service - the Mass -felt as if we were home! Indeed, we are home in every Catholic Church throughout the world!

We welcome you to join this incredible universal Church!

Followers of Saint Francis

2010-05-01T12:50:00.000-07:00

Just spent two days in a small, walled city that dates over 1,000 years! It is Assisi, Italy - known for one of its residents, a young man who was once called "King of the Party or Parties" -his name is Francis. He changed the history of his village - choosing a radical life as a follower of Jesus Christ, after encountering the Resurrected Jesus Christ! His joy and desire to live a simple life attracted hundreds of men and women to follow in his footsteps that led to a life of immense joy and hope!

We met his followers - Franciscan Friars, men who were attracted to live a life of immense joy and by spending time with people by telling them of God's love and mercy. One young Franciscan Friar, approached our small pilgrim group to welcome us and asked if we wanted to hear about the Franciscan way of life! Of course! Assisi is the heart of Franciscanism! This young 30 year old was Friar Daniel,who was from Rome, but living in Assisi. Friar Daniel, in less than 10 minutes, invited us to think about our priorities in life. Do our careers, or other choices we make in life consume us to a point that we loose our peace? our faith and hope in God? Do we love God? The Friar assured us that the Heavenly Father who created us loves us and know us.

Simple message - do we actually hear it with the ears of our hearts?

The Little White Dot in the Window

2010-04-30T10:46:00.000-07:00

by Joshua Allen, Seminarian
Guide to Our Pilgrim Group in Rome

Every Sunday, thousands of people gather in St. Peter's Square. Their faces are filled with anticipation, excitement, and joy. More often than not, a vibrant band is playing music and drums are thumping to various beats. Banners are waving, flags are unfurled. Dispersed throughout the square are numerous wildly attired groups practicing chants. Laypeople, priests, religious, random tourists, souvenir hawkers, roving journalists-all of them are making their preparations, glancing furtively up into the air, hoping to see a flash of white pass in the miniscule blackness that has opened its windows to the world. The anticipation builds; one can sense that the crowd is about to erupt. Suddenly, there is movement in the window; a curtain is rustled, and all at once the deafening roar of a delighted people can be heard throughout Rome, for our Holy Father has just appeared to lead the faithful in prayer.

I know it sounds a bit absurd, but the moment you first spot that flash of white in the window, it's as if all of your worries disappear. Even the most skeptical and reluctant among those assembled find themselves thunderously clapping and shouting, tears in their eyes. He is surprisingly far away; his body barely filling a quarter of the enormous frame. He is nothing more than a white dot in the window, but he is our Holy Father, the Successor of St. Peter, the Vicar of Christ, and the leader of the Universal Church. And he is right there!

The first time I saw the Pope was in 2000 at a Wednesday Audience. I was in Rome as a tourist, before I had "reverted" to actually live my Catholic faith. Despite my practical agnosticism, I desperately wanted to see the Pope. So we went very early, and we fought for wonderful seats: the first row in the square. We were completely surrounded by Polish nuns who evidently were in fits of ecstasy just thinking of seeing Pope John Paul II. I could appreciate the importance of this opportunity for these 200 women; what I did not anticipate was the magnitude of their reaction. As the Pope turned a corner in the square and drove up the center aisle, I was literally crushed against the railing by screaming religious. As the Popemobile grew closer, I lost my footing and slipped to the ground. Moments later, I was being trampled by elated nuns! As the Popemobile passed, they began singing, and one of the shorter ones decided to use my head as a footstool. Fortunately for them, but unfortunately for my head, the Pope stopped to listen to what must have been for him an absolutely heartwarming Polish tune. I admit, even from my decidedly more terrestrial position, the song sounded nice. The Pope moved on, and I recovered from the cobblestones while the giggling gaggle of nuns rejoiced, oblivious to my just-ended plight.

I should have been upset. But you know what? I got to see the Pope's foot up close, and I was so excited that my vengeful thoughts vaporized. Plus, I did get an excellent picture of half of my face and my arm desperately flailing under the stampede with the Pope waving. I was in a picture with the Pope! Sort of.

Why is it that we go nuts when we meet the Holy Father? Millions of people each year come to see the Pope. People all over the world who have had the incredible opportunity to touch him or kiss his ring proudly display the pictures in their homes and offices. Why is this? What is his draw?

I have asked myself this question endlessly, and the only response I have is supernatural. We don't go gaga for Cardinals or Monsignors; it's just the Pope that gets this treatment. The simple fact is, he is the representative of Christ on Earth-his Vicar, and head of the Church. With such a position comes a grace to which we are attracted. The Holy Father stands as the representative of a two-millennium tradition. He stands as St. Peter, the keeper of the keys even today. The Pope is tangible evidence of the ongoing intervention of God in the world. On the front façade of the Basilica of St. Peter, there is a sculpture of Jesus giving the keys of the kingdom of heaven to Peter. Just under that relief, on the main door to the Basilica, there is another of Peter handing the keys to one of his successors. The Pope is one of the visible signs-perhaps the most recognizable in the world-that our Lord will never abandon the Church: "You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it" (Mt 16:18). The power entrusted to Peter by Jesus Christ has been faithfully transmitted through the Catholic Church for 2000 years. Just as our faith has been preserved and passed on to us by our parents and their parents, the authority of Peter has been preserved and transmitted through the succession of Popes. For as long as this world endures, the Catholic Church will be led by the successor of St. Peter, who leads us nowhere if not to heaven. When the little white dot appears in the window, no matter how many times I have seen him, my eyes moisten, because I am looking at the man chosen by Christ to lead me to heaven, the man who shepherds my soul and who wants me to know and to love Jesus Christ, the man who suffers human failings like the rest of us but wears the white glory of having been chosen by Christ.

Our Holy Father goes this week to the Holy Land. Please remember to pray for him, for his mission, for his holiness, and for his health. I sincerely hope that you get to see that little white dot in the window someday. Long live the Pope, and God bless the Church!

ROMA!

2010-04-27T09:02:00.000-07:00

Amazing how one city can offer so much and attract so many different people from all over the world! From ancient Roman history to the Vicar of Christ ' the Pope! People come as tourists, pilgrims, history and art students and just for the romanticism this city offers!
Our pilgrim group is enjoying the 4 Patriarchal Basilicas - by visiting them, praying and walking through the history of the Church!
Water fountains in middle of plazas, Italians' warm hospitality, sidewalk cafe's serving pasta, cappuchino, wine...people greeting each other in the streets "caio!" and gelato stands along the streets - it all makes this city not only a city of marvelous sights and sounds, but of a great joy!
the pilgrim group will attend the General Audience with Pope Benedict XVI and then visit the Vatican's museum. Ending the day with Mass at the Pontifical North American College!
The delicious pizzas and variety of pastas have been a part of our daily menu! Don't mind at all since we are walking so much each day!
Ahh....Roma! Caio for now!

Meeting St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi

2010-04-24T09:14:00.000-07:00

Numerous gardens have statues of Saint Francis; either holding a dove or by a water fountain. Meeting the man who was once called "king of the party" in Assisi by his friends who also came from wealthy families...a young man who disrobed in front of his father, and the public in the center of Assisi to renounce everything in the world in order to follow Christ...this man is the REAL St. Francis! Ah yes, he wrote about and to the Creation of the world - calling the Sun, Brother Sun and the moon, Sister Moon and preaching to the birds, the animals. Walking througbh the cobblestone streets of Assisi is like walking in the footsteps of this unique young man who lived in the 12th century.

The pilgrim group was introduced to this man, Francis by an American who lives in Assisi as a third order member of the Franciscan Religious community. His Ministry to introduce Francis to pilgrims, to visitors by giving them a tour of the Basilica of St. Francis where the Saint's body is entombed, frescoes dating to thee 12th century and his relics. Francis came alive for us! It was now someone we wanted to learn more about...Francis - a man of peace, a man loved by all peoples. His friend, St. Clare's body is found incorrupt today. Only Catholics get excited about incorrupt 'bodies' of holy men and women!

Clare and Francis....help us to appreciate the moon, the sun, the birds...life!

Venice - the city of St. Mark

2010-04-17T12:45:00.000-07:00

By Deacon Tom and Mary Jane Fox and Pilgrims - Daniel & Rita Calderon and
Ed & Gloria Tovar

Venice has been in stories, art, movies and expressed by so many as the city on water! We like to say it is the city of Saint Mark the Evangelist; whose remains are entombed in the Basilica of St. Mark. We had Mass today in a Chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The Tovars, parishioners of St. Mark Parish in San Antonio were elated that this chapel was located next to the Tomb of St. Mark. Byzantine mosaics lined most of the walls and ceiling. The photo is of the Tomb of St. Mark!

Pilgrims are saying - "we have been blessed with spectacular weather, perfect road conditions and feeling God's presence in all that we have experienced!" "The Holy Spirit has led us in every mile of this journey!"

Tomorrow - Assisi!

How would you like to find yourself kneeling in front of St.Anthony's Tomb?

2010-04-16T12:53:00.000-07:00

by Deacon Tom and Mary Jane Fox

Did you know that the famous St. Anthony of Padua was one of the most famous Saints in the Catholic Church? Today, our pilgrim group spent time in the Basilica of St. Anthony in Padua, Italy...We saw his tunic and yes, only Catholics get excited about these kind of things - his incorrupt tongue and vocal cords! They are kept in a reliquary in a nearby chapel with relics from Franciscan Friars.
Cobblestone streets, gelato stands, ancient buildings, plazas with pigeons and street vendors reminiscent of Fiesta in San Antonio! What a day...as my friends sit next to me eating a gelato - what flavor? Try Lemon and strawberry!
The photo is of Fr. Joseph Mary and Deacon Tom Fox blessing religious articles purchased by the pilgrims.

Tomorrow - Venice!

Seeing the Holy Shroud of Christ

2010-04-15T08:56:00.000-07:00

by Deacon Tom and Mary Jane Fox

Our pilgrim group's first few hours on pilgrimage began in the city of the Holy Shroud - Turin, Italy! Upon arrival on April 14 - we followed the Holy Shroud one mile trail to the Cathedral of the Turin where the Holy Shroud is on display. Tired from the 30 hour journey from Texas to Turin, we anticipated this moment after waiting months and for some, years for this moment!
Upon arrival, we were allowed some time in front of the Holy Shroud; it was as if time stood still! There was silence and a peace viewing this authentic relic of the cloth that covered our Lord's crucified body. Oh how Jesus suffered...seeing the wounds, the blood stains, the marks from the scourging!
Today, April 15 - we awoke early to walk to the Cathedral arriving at 6:45am for a 7am scheduled Mass at the foot of the Holy Shroud. The Mass was in Italian with 10 priests; Fr. Joseph Mary Marshall was among them. One pilgrim from our group experienced a physical healing during Mass!
After Mass, we spent 45 minutes in silent prayer before the Shroud. Imagine, receiving the Body and Blood Christ in Mass; and spending time in communion with Him in front of the cloth that covered His crucified body! Afterwards, we spent time in the Eucharistic Adoration Chapel...then returned to our hotel for breakfast. Later we visited the Holy Shroud Museum. A most unique and extraordinary day; with free time to enjoy this beautiful, historical city of Turin! Tomorrow - the city of St. Anthony - PADUA, ITALY!

Follow our Theology of the Body TV/radio/online series

2010-04-13T13:27:00.001-07:00

The Pilgrim Center of Hope's TV/radio show, "Catholicism Live!" has begun a new series on the Theology of the Body, which tells us more about the meaning of our bodies, emotions, souls, and overall humanity. Learn more about this series by visiting our website, http://www.pilgrimcenterofhope.org

Watch "Catholicism Live!" every Wednesday night, 8-9 PM Central Standard Time on Catholic Television of San Antonio Time Warner Cable Channel 15 or listen to the live radio broadcast on radio or online, Guadalupe Radio Network KJMA 89.7 FM simulcast online at http://www.grnonline.com (Click on the South Texas feed)

Follow along with each weekly episode by visiting the blog or our website before the show airs.

THIS VALLEY OF TEARS

In Episode 3 of our series, Dr. Delaney and Alan Becker explore creation and the Fall and what this means for our personal experience of goodness and of sin. Our hosts look at how the Fall affects our relationship with God and with others, and what the challenges are for having a fully Christian life of joy.

EPISODE QUESTIONS:
Why would God create a world in which there is pain, suffering and death?
Why am I drawn to things that are not good for me?
What is the difference between pleasure and joy?
Do men and women experience temptations in the same way?

SAINT OF THE WEEK:
Bernadette Soubirous, virgin and visionary of Our Lady of Lourdes. Learn more about St. Bernadette here.

PEARL OF THE WEEK:
Anastasia Northrop’s “The Freedom of the Gift: A Study Guide for JPII’s Theology of the Body.” Look for this study guide in your local Catholic bookstore, or you may purchase it online here.

Whom do you think Jesus would first appear to?

2010-04-10T10:57:00.000-07:00

by Deacon Tom & Mary Jane Fox

Mark in his gospel (16:9-13) writes: "But later, as the eleven were at table, he appeared to them and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart because they had not believed those who saw him after he had been raised."

WHY did the eleven not beleive when told that the Lord had risen? Was it because of their guilt, that theyhad abandoned him?

Guilt can rob us of our faith and prevent us from experiencing the love and mercy of God. That is why forgiveness is essential. In the Sacrament of Confession, Jesus forgives us and gives us the grace to forgive ourselves and others.

We thank the Lord for this gift of Confession/Penance - not only do we encounter the Lord Jesus in this Sacrament through His promise...we have received much peace!

Has it been a long time for you? Don't wait any longer! Afraid? Do not be afraid! Tell the priest it's a been long time and he will help you along.

(Photo is from Sea of Galilee)

Alleluia! Christ Jesus is Risen!

2010-04-04T09:36:00.001-07:00

from Deacon Tom and Mary Jane Fox

Blessed Easter!

Thousands of people today have heard these words proclaimed from the Gospel of John: "Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed."

May you experience the peace and joy of Jesus, who died and suffered for us and rose from the dead.

The Church celebrates the Easter Season for 50 days; what a glorious Liturgical Season to "see and believe" and to celebrate the Resurrection and new life in Christ! Let us live this Easter Season in hope and in prayer for those who have not yet encountered the Risen Lord!

This photo is of the Tomb of our Lord. The Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem is built over the Tomb & Calvary. Notice the marble step as you enter - it is so worn by the millions of pilgrims who have entered and venerated the Tomb of our Lord! Our pilgrim groups have Mass in the Tomb when we lead pilgrimages to the Holy Land. Join us on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land October 27th, 2010. Come and See! Come and venerate the Tomb of our Lord, and see where He lived, taught, healed and where the Church began!

"Spring Cleaning for the Soul" by Sarah Stravitsch, Conference Coordinator

2010-03-29T21:01:00.000-07:00

Many people take time in the spring to clean the house. When I was younger, my mom would have all of us clean the house for an entire weekend to make it "spic and span". I hated it. Afterwards, though, it was nice to have a very clean house. The sun seemed to shine a little brighter through the windows. The house was more spacious, and the air seemed crisper.The same can be true for our souls. It isn't too late to do a little "spring cleaning" for our souls if we have fallen lax in our Lenten disciplines.

Take time this Holy Week to draw close to the Lord. You could read from the Bible each day about the passion and death of Jesus. Pray a rosary or part of a rosary each day. Save the desserts and treats for Easter. Attend daily Mass or at least the Holy Thursday and Good Friday services. By contemplating the mystery of this Holy Week and uniting with Jesus in his passion and death, you will enter into the mystery of His resurrection. As the light of Christ fills your soul, Easter Sunday will seem a little brighter.

"You Will Always Have the Poor...." by Deacon Tom Fox

2010-03-29T07:22:00.001-07:00

In John 12:1-11, Jesus says - "You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me."

There will always be opportunitities to be charitable and help others in time of need, but our priority is our relationship with the Lord Jesus. He is the source of charity and all that is good. The closer we are to Him the greater will be our charity.

Begin this Holy Week, asking the Lord to fill your heart with His love.

God Is Still At Work Today

2010-03-23T14:43:00.000-07:00

By Sarah Stravitsch
Pilgrim Center of Hope Conference Coordinator

God is still very present and at work in our lives today. I know this with my faith, but like many people persevering gets hard. Sometimes I wonder if God is hearing my unanswered prayers. I remind myself that St. Monica prayed for years and years for the conversion of her son, the great St. Augustine of Hippo. Or that St. Paul was a great sinner. He stood by approvingly while the first Christians were martyred. He had such a huge conversion experience that he was knocked off his horse. Or St. Francis of Assisi who gave up everything to live the gospel call in a most radical way. God worked in a very real and powerful way with each of them.

But that was long ago. What about today? Where is God now?

Have you heard about Jon Pedley? He is a British tycoon who is selling everything, including his 1.5 million dollar house to move to Uganda and live in a mud hut. Using the money, he will start a charity to benefit the poor in Uganda. Some may ask, “What would cause someone to do such a thing?” Only a deep love and calling from Jesus.

But Jon Pedley wasn’t always very devout. He described most of his life as “totally and utterly self-centered.” He even abandoned family to pursue his own self-interests. A near-death experience didn’t help to get him back on track either. “In fact, I came back worse because I thought I was indestructible. Nothing could beat me, not even death,” he said.

When I read the story about his conversion in the news, I thought, “Praise God! That still happens today.” So like St. Monica, I resume my unanswered prayers with faith that God hears me and that He will eventually answer them in His own wise way.

Joseph, Foster Father of Jesus

2010-03-19T08:57:00.000-07:00

by Deacon Tom Fox

In the Gospel of Luke, we read these words of the child Jesus to his parents as he was found teaching in the Temple in Jerusalem. "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's House? But they did not understand what he said to them."

Even as Mary called Joseph Jesus' father, so would have Jesus called Joseph his father. But now that He has come of age, he speaks of God as His Father and His wisdom surprises the religious teachers. Even though Mary and Joseph know Jesus is the Messiah, they don't understand when for the first time He reminds them of His origin. They have been accustomed to Jesus being their son. But now He reminds them of His Heavenly mission.

We can become accustomed to Jesus being our friend, our brother, our food, but do we accept Jesus' call to take up our cross and follow Him ? How do we respond when He reminds us He is our Lord?

Jesus, Lord and Master, help my unbelief!
St. Joseph, pray for me to respond to the Lord's call to follow Him.

Are we with Jesus?

2010-03-11T06:28:00.000-08:00

By Deacon Tom Fox

In Luke, Jesus says - "Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters."

Through the grace of the Sacraments, Christ has made it possible to be totally one with Him, to be transformed by Him. To not cooperate with the grace we have been given is to be an obstacle to the presence of the Kingdom of God. If the Kingdom of God is not apparent, it is because Christians have not "gathered", but "scattered".

Jesus, give me the desire of a deep conversion so that I may gather with you.

My Purpose on Earth?

2010-03-10T08:12:00.000-08:00

In the Gospel of Matthew (5:17-19) , Jesus says "Whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven."

Our purpose for being on this earth is to know, love and serve God. In addition to our prayer and worship, it is essential that we obey and teach the commandments for the spread of the Kingdom of God. If we are faithful to what God has revealed to us through the scriptures and the Church, we will reach our potential for happiness in this life and be called great in the Kingdom of heaven.

O Lord, thank you for the Commandments, a foundation to live and and share our faith!

Childlike Trust in Jesus

2010-03-09T10:05:00.001-08:00

by Sarah Stravitsch, Catholic Women's Conference Coordinator

“Mommy, fix it.”

These are the words I hear everyday, all day long. My 2 year-old son thinks I can fix anything and everything. He is lucky that between my husband and me, we can fix most things he needs. (Except for last summer, when he broke a lamp in someone else’s house. That was something I wish we could have fixed.) Last week he found my husband’s glasses and had them twisted before I could stop him. He looked at me not knowing he had done anything wrong and simply said, “Broken. Mommy, fix it.”

Today as I was untangling some string, he repeated over and over, “Fix it, Mommy.” It doesn’t occur to him that perhaps there are some things we can’t do. He is completely trusting and unquestioning.

It was in this moment that everything was so clear. This is the childlike trust Jesus wants us to have in Him. “Jesus I’m in need. I trust you. Please fix it.”

"So I will allure her..." A Lenten Reflection

2010-03-03T10:21:00.000-08:00

A Lenten Reflection “So I will allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak to her heart.” (Hosea 2:16)
by Sarah Stravitsch, Catholic Women's Conference Coordinator

Through the prophet Hosea, God speaks these words about Israel. How personal are the words—God wants to lead--allure--Israel so He can speak intimately to her heart. Israel had forgotten the God who led them out of Egypt and forgot the covenant with Him. They had become unfaithful and turned to idolatry and oppressed the poor. In the book of Hosea, God is described as a jealous, yet ever faithful, lover who seeks to take back His bride. In order to do this, God would have to strip Israel of the rich ornaments assumingly bestowed by her false lovers and thus bring her back to Himself. In doing so, He allures her to the desert where she has nothing. There she remembers His goodness and turns back to Him. The Israelites didn’t stay faithful to the covenants made through Moses and David, but Jesus came to restore the relationship. Through the everlasting Covenant sealed with His blood on the cross, these words from Hosea were fulfilled: “I will espouse you to me forever: I will espouse you in right and in justice, in love and in mercy; I will espouse you in fidelity and you shall know the Lord” (Hosea 2:21).

God isn’t just speaking to Israel in the Old Testament; these words are true for each one of us today as well. Sometimes it seems like God has stripped everything away in our lives and led us into the desert. Why a desert? A desert is desolate and hot, and if you have nothing with you then you must rely on someone else to survive. So it is that when we have turned away from God and become seduced by the world, we need to allow ourselves to be allured to a desert. There He can speak to our hearts.

Lent is a yearly reminder of the desert--of how desperate we are for God. It is a time of conversion: to examine how we have been unfaithful to God and turned away from Him, to repent, and then most importantly to turn around and follow God. It is a time to rely solely on Him. This Lent, how can you turn back to God and rely on Him? What is holding you back from giving Him everything?

For another reflection, read Hosea 11:1-7. In what ways has God provided for you and you didn’t recognize that it was Him or you didn’t thank Him?

Directing Man's Gaze Toward the Mystery of Christ

2010-03-02T14:21:00.000-08:00

In the Mission of the Redeemer, Chapter 1….John Paul II wrote: “The Church’s fundamental function in every age, particularly ours, is to direct man’s gaze, to point the awareness and experiences of the whole of humanity toward the mystery of Christ.”
To direct man’s gaze toward the mystery of Christ – what does this mean?

To help direct man's gaze toward the mystery of Christ, a Christian needs to be a true witness of the fullness of the Truth.

Pope Paul VI in his Apostolic Letter titled "Evangelization in the Modern World" wrote: (#76) "It is often said nowadays that the present century thirsts for authencity. ... The world calls for and expects from us simplicity of life, the spirit of prayer, charity towards all, especially towards the lowly and the poor, obedience and humility, detachment and self sacrifice. Without his mark of holiness, our word will have difficulty in touching the heart of modern man. It risks being vain and sterile."

Living as an authentic witness of Christ is helping "direct man's gaze toward the mystery of Christ!" Invoke the Holy Spirit to guide you!

These two statements from Paul VI and John Paul II are good sources of meditation and perhaps even an examination of conscience during this Lenten Season.

Confessing My Sins to A Priest?

2010-02-25T08:38:00.000-08:00

Confession has been an important part of the life of the Church from the very early days. It is for this reason that Jesus said, “Whose sins you forgiven are forgiven them…” Jn 20:23, thus establishing the sacrament. Remember, the sacrament of reconciliation is an encounter with Christ.

It is Jesus Christ, in the person of the priest, who listens to your sins and forgives you. When the priest says, ”I absolve you in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.." it is Jesus who is absolving you. And you can be assured your sins are forgiven!

Certainly Jesus already knows our sins, but when we in humility confess them we reveal our contrite heart which is necessary to receive forgiveness. There is nothing you can tell the priest that he has not already heard. In addition to having our sins forgiven, we receive grace to help us overcome temptation. That’s why it is important to go to confession at least once a month. The more often we go, the more aware we are of the things we have done that offend God and others.

When we read the lives of the saints we see who important the sacrament of confession was to them. John Paul II used to go to confession every week, not because he was a great sinner, but because he longed for the encounter with Christ and needed the grace he would receive from this Sacrament of healing.

Do not be afraid, Jesus is waiting for you to confess your sins to him in this Sacrament so that he can pour out his grace and mercy upon you!

Examination of Conscience with the Holy Trinity

2010-02-24T17:02:00.001-08:00

Fr. Jan Klak is a diocesan priest and pastor of St. Anthony Mary Claret Church in the Archdiocese of San Antonio. Occasionally I will attend a Mass at that parish; and look forward to hearing Father Klak's homily.

One Sunday, he gave us an Examination of Conscience with the Holy Trinity:
- At the end of the day, thank our Heavenly Father for the day, the gift of life, the activities, lessons learned in the day, family, and so on.
- Then go to Jesus, Son of God and implore His mercy for your sins, your faults.
- Lastly, implore the Holy Spirit to descend upon you and grant you a good night's rest. Give Him everything; your concerns, your worries, and ask Him to guide you the next day to follow Christ.

Well, I wasnt' taking notes during the homily, but Father's homilies are always so good; his gift of preaching helps you remember main points as I did with this one homily I heard. Try it!

O Holy Spirit - guide us always to do God's holy will!

Chair of St. Peter, Apostle and Pope

2010-02-22T12:44:00.000-08:00

The Catholic Church celebrates today a special day - "the Chair of St. Peter". The Gospel of today's Mass is taken from Matthew 16:13-19. After Jesus asks His disciples "Who do you say that I am?" Peter responds with these words - "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God!" And Jesus said to Peter in reply - "Blessed are you, Simon Son of Johah, for flesh and blood has not revaled this to you, but my heavenly Father."

Simon Peter is blessed because he believed what was revealed to him by God, even though it was contrary to huma logic. It was the same faith that allowed him to believe that Jesus would give him His flesh and blood as food and drink.

A prayer we can offer to Jesus:

Jesus, give me this enduring faith, that I will always believe in you when I am tempted to doubt your presence.

Lent reminds us of Jerusalem

2010-02-21T16:11:00.000-08:00

So how can anyone who has traveled to the Holy Land almost 40 times get something "new" each time? Yes, since 1984, we have traveled to the Holy Land leading pilgrim groups. Well, first of all we need to realize we are thinking about THE Land our Lord sanctified with His life! And so for us, we receive something "new" each time; because we love that Land and the people who for centuries have been living in the Land of the Bible.

We remember walking through the holy sites related to the Lord's Passion in Jerusalem and thinking about how much He suffered...and for each one of us! And what is more amazing is realizing that Jesus did this in obedience to the Father's plan for salvation.

When we walked the the Via Dolorosa carrying a large wooden cross with our pilgrim group, we thought about the immense love Christ had for us. The prayers we recited also reminded us of our sinfulness. This experience was so intense and emotional, but so consoling at the same time! We ended the Via Crucis in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher which is built over the Tomb of Christ and over Calvary. Yes, it's a large Church! And our pilgrim group had a private Mass in the Tomb...it was the Mass of the Resurrection! The Church allows the Mass of the Resurrection (Easter Mass) to be celebrated daily in the Tomb...because it was there where it all began!

So Lent reminds us of Jerusalem, of the Passion of our Lord, His sufferings, and His immense Love that lead to our Salvation.

So you can't be in Jerusalem during Lent? Consider walking the Via Dolorosa on a Friday during Lent or anyday. Churches have the Stations of the Cross along their walls, or visit the Pilgrim Center of Hope Outdoor Stations of the Cross. Carry a small cross in your hand as you pray.

Jesus, thank you for laying down your life for us...help us to live our lives in and with you!

Lose my life?

2010-02-18T07:59:00.000-08:00

"For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it."

Jesus' words in Luke 9:22-25

When we live for ourselves only, we are dead, empty of grace, empty of the presence of God. But when we are willing to set aside our own interests for the sake of Christ, then He is living in us and we are truly alive!

Jesus give me the grace to think of you each moment so that I may I live in you.

Phrases our Lord likes to hear from each one of us:

"Jesus, I love you!" "Jesus, help me, guide me." "Jesus, I trust in you."

Catholic Professional Women

2010-02-09T10:47:00.000-08:00

Did you know that out of the 70 million jobs created in the United States, 43 million went to women?* Nonetheless, women earn less money than men, have fewer assets, and are far more likely to live in poverty. While this fact may startle us; it is a reason for hope! John Paul II in his Letter To Women wrote:

Thank you women who work! You are present and active in every area of life – social, economic, cultural, artistic and political. In this way you make an indispensable contribution to the growth of a culture which unites reason and feeling, … to the establishment of economic and political structures ever more worthy of humanity.

Although the world may give us statistics that are startling, we receive wise insight from the Vicar of Christ on the dignity and vocation of woman.

Women are present and active in so many areas of life – from the home, to parish community, to social organizations, elderly family care, the work place and other areas. Since it is the very nature of women to be compassionate, have concern for the other, nourish and multi-task; she also needs to realize the love of God and the importance of knowing her vocation and dignity as a woman.

An outreach has been born to specifically reach the professional woman called "Catholic Professional Women's Luncheons." The luncheons are scheduled throughout the year to offer spiritual nourishment to the professional woman today. Through a speaker/lunch format, women will discover the importance of their vocation as woman, and will be encouraged to sanctify and transform culture through the gift of their femininity.

The first Catholic Professional Women’s Luncheon is scheduled on Thursday, March 25 at the San Francisco Steak House Restaurant on Sahara Drive and San Pedro Avenue in San Antonio, TX, from 11:30am to 1:00pm; followed by an optional social time from 1:00pm to 1:30pm. The cost is $45.00. Organized and sponsored by the Pilgrim Center of Hope Steering Committee, we invite you to go to this website www.pilgrimcenterofhope.org for details and to register. Seating is limited, please register early.

The Catholic Professional Woman’s Luncheon is under the spiritual patronage of Our Lady of Good Counsel and St. Edith Stein. Stein said:

Women must become broad, tranquil, emptied of self, warm and transparent. Only hearts that are emptied and silent can be penetrated by grace, with its power to form women into the loving persons they are intended to be. Before they can be ready to assist others, women first need to be securely anchored in their own depths.

*(Department of Labor, 1999 – www.socialissues.wiseto.com)

Being Christians in Our Families

2010-02-01T12:38:00.000-08:00

by Angela Santana, Ministry Coordinator

"Go home to your family and announce to them all that the Lord in his pity has done for you." Mk. 5:19

Jesus is telling us so many things today in the gospel reading (Mk. 5:1-20): he is friend and savior to the outcast, to the ones seemingly overcome by evil. We often focus on these themes when we read about how Jesus cast the demons into swine, freeing the possessed man. How mighty is our God!

But how often do we think about what Jesus says—not to the demons—to the man himself?

Rather than saying, "Come, follow me," as he had done with the apostles, Jesus sends the freed man forth—to his family. The freed man has a special vocation from God to share the Lord’s mercy and love with the members of his family.

Certainly, this would not happen only through words; the man had been possessed! When he returned home, his family would immediately notice a difference, without him saying a word to them. Then, when they saw that he had been freed from evil, that he was a new person, they would surely ask him, "How has this happened to you?"

In response to the curiosity and openness of their hearts and minds, the freed man could "announce to them all that the Lord in his pity has done" for him.

Let’s look at our own lives and see: How are we sharing God’s love with our families?

Have we allowed God to truly free us?
Are we coming home as a person transformed by the Lord?
Do our actions cause our neighbors to wonder about the source of our hope and joy?
Are we allowing God’s power to work through us, so that the hearts of those around us might be opened to His message of love?
Do we stop to think about all that God has done for us?
Have we opened ourselves to experience God so profoundly that we are glad to share His message with others, including our families?

We at the Pilgrim Center of Hope challenge you today, and each day of this week, to examine your life through this powerful gospel story. May God bless you and free you in His Mercy.

Lectio Divina - Prayerfully Reading the Scriptures

2010-01-28T15:40:00.000-08:00

Lectio divina (Latin for “divine reading”) is a simple method of praying with Scripture. It was already known by the Church Fathers in the early days of the Church. Lectio divina was recommended by Saint Cyprian (a third-century bishop and martyr). It has been part of the prayer of Christians throughout the history of the Church. Monasteries kept the practice alive. Saint Benedict (480–547 A.D.) taught his monks to pray in this way 1500 years ago, and it is still a wonderful way to pray today.

Getting ready for Lectio Divina

FIND THE RIGHT TIME AND PLACE. Set aside a few minutes (aim for ten to fifteen minutes a day if you can manage it) in a quiet, comfortable place where you can be relatively free of distractions. Have your Bible available.
PRAY FOR HELP. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you. You are about to have a conversation with God Himself; invite Him to take the lead in the conversation!

PICK A SCRIPTURE PASSAGE. Choose a Scripture passage as the subject of your prayer time. It should not be too long, perhaps a short Psalm (or a section of a longer one), a story from one of the Gospels, etc. We STRONGLY RECOMMEND using the Mass Readings of the Day. You can find them listed at http://www.usccb.org/nab/ . There are other ways to choose:

You might choose a book of the Bible that appeals to you, and read and pray with a little bit of it each day. The Psalms are great; they were Jesus’ prayer book, so they should be good enough for us! Or you might choose one of the Gospels or one of Paul’s letters.

QUIET YOUR MIND FOR A FEW MINUTES. Now you’re really ready to get started!
“If we delight in the law of God or the Word and mediate on it day and night, we will be blessed and prosper.” (Psalm 1:1-3)

The four stages of Lectio Divina
Lectio divina has four stages, or parts, each with its Latin name:

• Lectio (reading)
• Meditatio (meditation)
• Oratio (prayer)
• Contemplatio (contemplation)

1) Lectio (reading)
Read the passage.
Reread it again s-l-o-w-l-y, line by line, pausing from time to time. Notice any words or phrases that appeal to you or attract your attention.
You’re not reading just to get the gist of the story; every word or phrase can have meaning.

2) Meditatio (meditation)
Mull over the passage you have just read. Remember, this is God speaking to you. The words or phrases that caught your attention may contain God’s special message for you. (He speaks to each one of us in a unique and individual way. No two people will get the exact same thing out of the passage. And if you were to read it again a year from now, you might hear something different.)

Spend extra time thinking about the meaning of the words that “jumped out” at you. Ask yourself,
• What is God saying to my heart?
• How can I relate this passage to my daily life?
• What is God asking of me at this moment?

3) Oratio (prayer)
Now it’s your turn to speak. Respond to God’s word in silent prayer. What do you want to say back to God? The passage you just read may inspire you to …
• Thank God.
• Praise Him.
• Tell Him you are sorry about something.
• Give yourself to Him in complete trust.
• Ask Him for something you need. Has the passage brought to mind any personal needs you might have? Or the needs of others?
• Make a resolution. Has the passage prompted you to take some action in your life? To overcome a bad or sinful habit? To reach out to someone in need?

If you would like, you can go back to the Scripture passage and repeat the meditatio and oratio stages with another phrase or two. It’s up to you. Let the Holy Spirit lead you.

4) Contemplatio (contemplation)
When you are finished reading, listening, and talking to God, it’s time to just rest in His loving presence for a few minutes.
No words are needed. Be at peace and rest in silence before the Lord.
Just love Him, and let Him love you. (Kind of like a couple falling in love — sometimes it’s enough just to be in the same room together.)

Finish with a prayer of thanksgiving for the gifts and inspirations received during your prayer time. In JOURNALING – you can include your insights, prayer in writing.

Keeping Our Eyes on Jesus

2010-01-23T13:34:00.000-08:00

Hebrews 12:2 - "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while KEEPING OUR EYES ON JESUS, THE LEADER AND PERFECTER OF FAITH."

We believe that to fix our eyes on Jesus is to first know who is Jesus! Many know about Jesus, but do we really know Jesus? We are able to fix our eyes on Jesus when we realize that He first sees us! When we realize the gaze of our Lord upon us; we aer never the same!

Jesus knows our minds, our hearts, our thoughts, our inner most being. And when we think about that and accept that reality; it can be a conversion experience that can lead us into a deeper relationship with the Son of God!

KEEPING OUR EYES ON JESUS can also help us realize the presence of God in every moment of our lives.

What do you think are obstacles in keeping your eyes on Jesus?

Afternoon Tea with St. Edith Stein

2010-01-19T12:23:00.000-08:00

Did you wonder how the English take time in the afternoon for tea? In fact, there is a verse in the song "Do-Re-Me" from the movie, Sound of Music

that includes "...Te - A drink with jam and bread!...". Well, the entire song, makes one learn music and for me...yes, enjoy a cup of tea! Reminds me of the old English society where men and women would share news, stories, or simply welcome one another in friendship!

Recently, in speaking with a couple of women, we thought it would be a great opportunity to have a "spiritual afternoon tea".

So, Pilgrim Center of Hope would like to invite you for a cup of tea! For a time to enjoy a 'spiritual break' and be introduced to Saint Edith Stein! An introduction to a remarkable woman who lived in the 19th century and who died as a Carmelite Nun in a Concentration Camp in Germany.

So...come and enjoy a cup of tea, tea biscuits/pastries and a spiritually renewing break on Thursday, January 28th at 2Pm; ending at 3:15pm with Chaplet of Divine Mercy in the Center's Chapel.

R.S.V.P. to trust@catholic.org

You are a testament to God's grace.

2010-01-12T13:23:00.001-08:00

Have you ever asked yourself, "How in the world does God manage to do such an extensive amount of work through just two people - Deacon Tom & Mary Jane Fox?"

I'd say it's a testament to the amazing grace of God. You know, it was God's grace that brought Mary Jane and I to sit next to each other during a session of the Catholic New Media Celebration in summer 2009. That same grace prompted me, a somewhat quiet person, to introduce myself to her.

Today I'd like to introduce myself to you as the new Ministry Coordinator for the Pilgrim Center of Hope. My name is Angela Santana. I'm a native of San Antonio, which I believe has contributed to my love for God and His people.

Everyone has a story to tell - even you, reader! We at the Pilgrim Center of Hope wish to hear your story, because we believe that you and your life are a testament to God's amazing grace. We invite you to our Center every weekday and during our weekend public events. Check our event calendar here to learn more about wonderful opportunities to meet, pray, and share with us.

If you are not close to the Pilgrim Center, we still want to meet you! Connect with us by leaving us a comment here, becoming our friends on Facebook, following us on Twitter, or by emailing us via our website.

What is your story of God's grace? We look forward to seeing and hearing from you!

"Evangelization: Are you living proof?" by Angela Santana

2010-01-07T11:10:00.000-08:00

What is the goal of evangelization?

You can probably think of so many answers to this question. (To communicate God’s love, to spread the Good News, to bring Light to those in darkness, etc.) At the Pilgrim Center of Hope, we often answer this question with, “To guide individuals, families and neighborhoods toward finding a deeper relationship with Christ.” Indeed, today’s gospel reading invites us to realize the beautiful implications of this goal. Jesus unfolds a scroll from the book of Isaiah and reads:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.

From your own experience of encountering a deeper relationship with Christ, I know you certainly can relate to that liberation. As baptized Christians, we have been anointed by the Spirit of the Lord to do these things. Isn’t it astounding to think that God works such miracles through weak creatures like us?

Pope Paul VI in his encyclical, Evangelii Nuntiandi, put it this way: “The person who has been evangelized goes on to evangelize others. Here lies the test of truth, the touchstone of evangelization: it is unthinkable that a person should accept the Word and give himself to the kingdom without becoming a person who bears witness to it and proclaims it in his turn.” (24)

Through our lives, every word and every action, we are representatives of Jesus Christ.

Do we realize that we are indeed anointed? Let us prayerfully discern this imperative question for the remaining days of the Christmas season: How much am I allowing the Spirit of God to work through me so that the poor, the captives, the blind, and the oppressed may see His Light and be liberated?

Want to learn more about evangelization? Feel free to visit us at the Pilgrim Center of Hope, a Catholic evangelization ministry. Online: http://www.pilgrimcenterofhope.org

Start the New Year with Good Reading!

2009-12-28T16:20:00.000-08:00

Here are a few of our favorites. You can order them through your local Catholic Book Store or Catholic book websites such as the CatholicCompany.com and others.

1) Marian Thoughts by Pope Benedict XVI
Discover wonderful reflections on Mary, Mother of God. Going to Mary is like a school of Christianity, learning from her the alphabet of faith and hope. (catholicbookpublishing.com)

2) The Story of a Soul Therese of Lisieux - a spiritual classic from a young Catholic saint and Doctor of the Church. Therese of Lisieux lived only 24 years, however, her deep insight of the “simple way to God” has transformed many lives and brought thousands closer to Christ.

3 Imitation of Christ by Thomas Kempis.
For five hundred years, this gentle book, filled with the spirit of the love of God, has brought understanding and comfort to millions of readers in over fifty languages, and provided them with a source of heart-felt personal prayer. These meditations on the life and teachings of Jesus, written in times even more troubled and dangerous than our own, have become second only to the Bible as a guide and inspiration.
Book One -- Thoughts Helpful in the Life of the SoulBook Two -- The Interior LifeBook Three -- Internal ConsolationBook Four -- An Invitation to Holy Communion
Book One. Thoughts Helpful in the Life of the Soul (A few titles are listed below)
1. Imitating Christ and Despising All Vanities on Earth2. Having A Humble Opinion of Self3. The Doctrine of Truth4. Prudence in Action5. Reading the Holy Scripture

3) Mother Teresa – A Simple Path – Mother Teresa shares the thoughts and experiences that have led her to do her extraordinary charitable work. A Simple Path gives voice to the remarkable spirit who has dedicated her life to the poorest among us. (Ballantine Publishing)

4) Living the Catholic Faith by Archbishop Charles Chaput, O.F.M.Cap.
Less than 160 pages, this fantastic book is for everyone who wants to learn about being a Christian, being a Catholic! Some chapter titles are: “Becoming a Christian”, “Growing in Christ” and “Not a Burden, but a Joy”. (Servant Publications)

Mary Visits Elizabeth

2009-12-20T08:20:00.000-08:00

4th Sunday of Advent Gospel: Luke 1:39-45 (Mary Visits Elizabeth)
"Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulflilled."
Even though Mary did not understand the message of the angel, she believed and immediately responded in faith. The Lord has made us many promises that will change our lives if we belive and respond in faith. Obedience to the Word of God is essential for a life of faith, hope and charity.

"Recently I gave birth to a precious little girl..." by Sarah Stravitsch

2009-12-04T12:16:00.000-08:00

Recently I gave birth to a precious little girl. During the last few weeks of my pregnancy, I realized that I wasn’t prepared for my baby. I knew she would be coming soon, but I didn’t know when. It was my responsibility to get ready for her. So my husband and I packed our bags for the hospital, scrubbed the house from top to bottom, and cleaned out unnecessary clutter. We washed her clothes, prepared her basinet, and organized her new room.
During Advent, the Church prepares for Christ coming as a baby and also for His second and final coming. I didn’t know when my baby would come, but I knew she was coming. In the same way, we don’t know when Christ is coming again but Scripture tells us He will be back. Therefore it is our responsibility to get ready for Him. We need to clean house and get rid of the unnecessary clutter in our spiritual lives. We need to wash our souls by praying and receiving the Sacraments. We need to prepare our hearts for the moment the special Guest arrives. Just like Lent, our attitude during Advent should be one of constant conversion.
It is easy to think, “I will start tomorrow.” However, scripture also tells us not to delay. How sad it would be if Jesus came today and we are not prepared to meet Him. He is coming, so let us pray that we are ready to meet him. Let us heed the words of the Gospel for the second Sunday of Advent, “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths…and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” (Luke 3:4-6)

What was Mary thinking? by Sarah Stravitsch

2009-12-02T12:53:00.000-08:00

During this Advent season we wait for the coming of Jesus with the whole Church and in the company of Mary. I wonder what Mary was thinking about during her difficult journey to Bethlehem. Surely, she knew the time for her Son to be born was approaching. Did she worry she would get to Bethlehem in time? Did she beg God to wait just a little longer until they were in a place fitting for her to deliver His Son? Was it difficult to leave the home she had already prepared for Him? Whatever went through her mind, I don’t doubt that she trusted completely in God.
Recently, I was awaiting the birth of my own child. Just like Mary, I knew the time for my delivery was near. My daughter’s due date was very close to the Catholic Women’s Conference. As coordinator of the conference, I was a little worried when my doctor said she didn’t think I would be there. I begged God to wait just a little longer so that I could be at the conference. Then I asked Mary to help me trust in God’s will; whatever it may be.
I did attend the conference and even had some extra time to rest and to be with my son before my daughter arrived. Soon though, I found myself a little impatient feeling like I had waited so long already; how much longer must I wait? How patient God is with me! So often we want to plan and have God arrange things just as we want them, when in actuality God makes the plan and we should arrange our lives to be open to it. I had no control when my daughter was going to be born—I simply had to wait for His will and trust in Him.
My daughter’s name is Sophia, which we chose because it means wisdom. I received some wisdom during the last few weeks of my pregnancy. Even though God answered my prayer and I attended the conference, He reminded me that His ways are not our ways. His wisdom looks like foolishness to the world. Doesn't it seem foolish that He would permit His only Son to be born homeless and lying in an animal manger? However in God’s holy wisdom, it was His will that Jesus emptied Himself completely and abandoned Himself to Mary and Joseph. How much more should we empty ourselves before God and abandon our total selves to Him.
Perhaps this is what Mary was pondering on the road to Bethlehem. May she pray for us, as we journey through this Advent season. May we learn to abandon our entire selves to her Child and trust in Him completely.

Sarah

Stravitsch is the Conference Coordinator for the Pilgrim Center of Hope and Chairperson for the Catholic Women's Conference.

Heal us Mary!

2009-11-30T22:21:00.000-08:00

This evening I heard Father Ishmael speak about the love of the Mary, mother of Jesus has for each one of us. He invited us to "sit on Mary's lap and be her child; tell her everything, tell her your needs, your desires and give her your wounds, your hurts." Father continued to invite us to enter this Season of Advent with Mary, to consider our 'spiritual home' with Mary; to spend time with her. It was consoling to hear this message; as elementary as it may sound for some; for me, it reminded me that Mary is my Heavenly mother who also knows me and all the 'junk or wounds' I carry. And she loves me! This Season of Advent will be an opportunity to remind myself each day of her presence, her love for me and for those I love as I meditate on her journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem with Joseph. As I think about how she and Joseph, simple and humble, asked for a place for her Son to be born. And Mary was full of hope and peace - she was carrying the Savior of the world in her womb and trusted in her chaste spouse, Joseph.

Mary, Mother of Jesus, pray for us! Mary of Nazareth, pray for us! Mary, Mother of of us all, pray for us!

Reflection on the "OUR FATHER"

2009-11-22T17:11:00.000-08:00

This Reflection was given by Deacon Tom on the Mt of Olives in Jerusalem. We were gathered on the Holy Site where our Lord taught His Disciples to pray.

Matthew 5:9-13

We all say the Lord’s Prayer every day, several times a day. However, do we really think about what we are saying? It is possible for us to allow this beautiful prayer to become routine and miss the significance of it. After all, this is the only prayer that Our Lord taught to his disciples and he taught it so they would know how to pray.

We begin by saying, “Our Father, who art in heaven.” We are not only addressing Almighty God, Creator of heaven and earth, we are addressing God who wants us to call Him Father. He is not just a distant God in heaven; He wants to have a relationship with us. He wants to care for us as a father cares for his children and He wants us as children to approach Him often because we love Him.

We say, “…hallowed be thy name.” God is holy and His name is holy and we must speak it with reverence. We must give God praise and glory, acknowledging that all good things come from Him and that He holds all things in existence. To use God’s name in vain is a grave matter.

We say, “Thy kingdom come.” We are praying that the Kingdom of God be established on earth now. Jesus said, “Where ever two or more are gathered in my name, there I am in the midst of them.” Mt. 18:20
Where ever Jesus is, the Kingdom of God is present and so we can facilitate the coming of the Kingdom by making Jesus present through are prayers and our witness. Almighty God could make His Kingdom come upon the earth in an instant if He wanted. However, it is His desire that His Kingdom come upon the earth through those who believe in Him.

We also say, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” God’s will is done perfectly in heaven and we are praying that it be done perfectly on earth. Our purpose for being on this earth is to do the will of God. God has a personal plan for each of us; it is called a vocation. It may be to the religious life, married life or single life. He has made it possible for us to discover this plan by giving us the gifts of faith, hope and charity as well as the gifts of the Holy Spirit in baptism. When we live a life of faith, staying close to God we can reach our potential for happiness in this life and for all eternity as we discover His plan for us. Our Father’s will is done on earth when we each chose to be faithful to what He has revealed to us through the Scriptures and the Church.

“Give us this day our daily bread.” By bread we mean, all that we need. Truly, everything comes to us from God and He will give us what we need; maybe not all we want when we want it, but what we need. He wants us to turn to Him in every circumstance and to trust in His divine providence. No human has enough resources to escape the necessity to turn to God. He doesn’t want us to wait to turn to Him when we are in dire straits. He wants us to acknowledge that we need Him every day, all day and to be aware of His loving care. Certainly, He provides for us par excellence when we receive the “Living Bread,” Jesus Christ, body, blood soul and divinity.

“Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” In our prayer we place a condition on our own forgiveness; we ask God to forgive us in the same way we forgive others. This is to emphasize the importance of forgiveness. If we harbor any unforgiveness, bitterness, resentment or hatred in our hearts, then we ourselves become enslaved and separate ourselves from the love and mercy of God and lose hope.

“Lead us not into temptation.” God does not lead us into temptation, but He does allow us to be tempted to test our fidelity and give us opportunities to grow in virtue and spiritual maturity. We are asking God to give us the grace we need to avoid being overcome by the temptation.

“Deliver us from evil.” Every day we are involved in spiritual warfare. We have real enemies; Satan and those who have joined him. They have no power over us, but they know are weaknesses and how to seduce us. If we do not put on “The armor of God,” we leave ourselves vulnerable to their attacks. We have been given the sacraments as a source of the grace we need to overcome sin.

Amen.

EWTN's Marcus Grodi on "Rise And Walk, San Antonio" Monday

2009-11-18T11:15:00.000-08:00

EWTN TV and radio personality Marcus Grodi will be a guest on the radio show "Rise And Walk, San Antonio" on Monday, Nov. 23 at 12 p.m. on KJMA 89.7 FM. He’ll be on the show to share how he left being a Protestant minister to “come home” to the Catholic faith.

Marcus will be the guest speaker at The Pilgrim Center of Hope’s annual Prayer Breakfast on December 5 at the Omni Hotel. For more information or to purchase seats, you can visit http://www.pilgrimcenterofhope.org/prayerbreakfast

Marcus is the host of "The Journal Home" show on EWTN, as well as the EWTN radio program, "Deep in Scripture." He is the founder of The Journey Home Network, which is a ministry that helps non-Catholic ministers who are interested in the Catholic Church.

Why Can’t We All Just Get Along? A Catholic Approach to Christian Unity”

2009-11-16T19:29:00.000-08:00

The following outline was given to us by Father Bob Hogan. He was our guest on "Catholicism Live!", on November 11th on this topic.

Catechism of the Catholic Church# 821: Requirements to respond adequately to the call of Ecumenism:

1) Renewal of the Church

2) Conversion of heart

3) Prayer in common

4) Fraternal knowledge of each other

5) Ecumenical formation

6) Dialogue

7) Collaboration among Christians in various areas of human service.

Activities of ecumenism:
1) Eliminate words of judgments and actions – which are not true or fair about our separated brethren, making relations more difficult.

2) Dialogue between competent experts: #11 Second Vatican Council, Decree on Ecumenism. “Catholic beliefs need to be explained more profoundly and precisely in was and in terminology which our separated brethren too can really understand.”

3) Cooperating on projects for the common good

4) Common prayer – #8 Second Vatican Council, Decree on Ecumenism. “This change of heart and holoiness of live, along with public and private prayer for the unity of Christians, should be regarded as the soul of the whole ecumenical movement, and can rightly be called “spiritual ecumenism”.

Catechism of the Catholic Church #817-819 Affirming ways God is working in separated Christians.

Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi (Director of the Vatican Press Office) “Evangelization and unity are two of the Church’s all-time priorities, and communication is key for both of them.”

Pope John Paul II wrote an encyclical “On Commitment to Ecumenism” in 1995. Go to the vatican web page at www.vatican.va to check it out.

See Fr. Leo Patalinghug on CBS Sunday Morning Nov. 22

2009-11-13T11:25:00.000-08:00

"Grace Before Meals" priest Fr. Leo Patalinghug is scheduled to be featured on the Nov. 22 edition of CBS Sunday Morning. The show airs locally in San Antonio on KENS 5 Sundays from 8 to 9 a.m.

We’re excited that Fr. Leo will be one of our speakers at our Catholic Men’s Conference on March 20th, 2010 at St. Peter – St. Joseph Children’s Home Conference Center in San Antonio.

For conference information and registration, see the 2010 Catholic Men's Conference web page or call The Pilgrim Center of Hope (210) 521-3377.

Fr. Bob Hogan on Catholicism Live! - Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 8:00pm

2009-11-05T08:00:00.000-08:00

Catholicism Live with guest Fr. Bob Hogan, B.B.D.

When: Wednesday, Nov. 11, 8:00-9:00pm central time
Topic: Can’t We All Just Get Along? A Catholic approach to Christian unity in San Antonio and beyond

TV: Time Warner CTSA-15 in San Antonio
Radio: KJMA 89.7 FM
Online: http://TinyURL.Com/CathLive

Father Bob Hogan from the Brothers of The Beloved Disciple will be the special guest on Catholicism Live on Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 8:00pm central time on Time Warner CTSA-15 TV in San Antonio and KJMA 89.7 FM radio.

The subject of the show will be Can’t We All Just Get Along? A Catholic approach to Christian unity in San Antonio and beyond. Fr. Hogan is the official representative for ecumenical and interfaith affairs for the Archdiocese of San Antonio.

We’ll tackle questions such as:
How can we work with other Christians but still retain our Catholic identity?
What are some of the challenges of Christian dialog?
What does the Catholic Church teach about ecumenism?
What can we do to inspire Christian unity and cooperation here in San Antonio?

You can email your questions and comments about Catholic/Christian unity before and during the program to live@catholic.org

Catholicism Live is a ministry of the Pilgrim Center of Hope and airs every Wednesday night from 8:00-9:00pm on CTSA-15 and KJMA 89.7 FM in San Antonio, TX.

Our Encounter with Mary,Mother of God

2009-10-30T13:19:00.000-07:00

Mary Jane & Tom Fox

We are both cradle Catholics. Both Tom and my family were faithful and obedient to the Church. My father chose the U.S. Army as a career and so the family moved often and lived in various states and countries. While it was a good experience and educational; my brothers and I hadn’t the chance to attend Catholic Schools. However, my parents always made sure we were attending Catechism classes and involved in the Church. Tom was raised in a small town in Iowa and attended Catholic Schools through the 12th grade. We share this part of our life to give you a background on how both of our families were indeed committed to living the faith.

Mary Jane's Story
I am the firstborn of three. My parents married when my mother was 18 after a lengthy courtship with my father. I was born in their first year of marriage. Well almost….my mother became quite ill during the pregnancy and almost lost the baby – me. She and her mother have a devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of Our Lady of San Juan (Our Lady of St. John). In discovering that she may loose the baby; she and my grandmother made a “promise” a “promesa” (in Spanish) asking our Lady of San Juan’s intercession and consecrated the baby to her. Well, behold I was born! In my adult life, I became more attracted to Mary. One of my favorite prayers to Mary is called the Hail Mary.

Eventually, Tom and I were attracted to a religious community founded in France in 1975 called the Congregation of St. John consisting of priests, brothers and sisters. We became Oblates of St. John (similar to a Third Order ). I don’t think it is coincidental that I become a member of this community. After all, they are named after their Spiritual Father – St. John the Evangelist.

Tom’s Story
When my mother was pregnant with me, she had Uremic poisoning and received the Last Rites, however, I was born premature on Mother’s Day, May 13th, Feast of Our Lady of Fatima and then all was well with my mother. In my adult life I discovered the power of Mary’s intercession. My favorite prayer is the Memorare. By the way, Mary Jane and I discovered Mother Teresa’s ‘express novena’ – praying nine Memorare’s. At times we choose to pray this “express novena”, trusting in our Lady’s prayers, in the prayers of our Mother, the Mother of God.

Mary, our Mother in Heaven

2009-10-14T22:23:00.000-07:00

by Deacon Tom & Mary Jane Fox

"Catholicism Live!" program on Catholic Television and Guadalupe Radio Network was on a woman from the Holy Land, born in Jerusalem, lived in Nazareth. She was a part of God's plan of salvation and is known throughout the world, holding many titles. This woman is Mary, the Mother of God; mother of all humanity.

The following are quotes used on the program and some that we didn't have time to share. So here they are! They are beautiful, and can easily be taken to heart and can lead us to contemplate the gift from our Heavenly Father; Mary!

"A Mother of all mothers - is needed to heal the wound from our mother, or any wound. ... In order to heal it, Mary must be given to us as a Mother by Jesus, at the Cross."
Fr. Marie Dominique Philippe +

"The Rosary, though clearly Marian in character, is at heart a Christ-centered prayer."
John Paul II

"To pray the rosary is to hand over our burdens to the merciful hearts of Christ and his Mother. Through the Rosary, the faithful receive abundant grace, as through from the very hands of the Mother of the Redeemer." John Paul II

"The Rosary when it is prayed in an authentic way, not mechanical and superficial but profoundly brings, in fact, peace and recnciliation. It contains within itself the healing power of the Most Holy name of Jesus, invoked with faith and love at the center of each "Hail Mary".
Pope Benedict XVI

We invite you to watch a 9-part series on "Theotokos - Mary, Mother of God" on Catholic Television of San Antonio (CTSA), Channel 15 on Time Warner Cable beginning Wednesday, October 27th at 9pm. We were a part of this series with CTSA, as we lead a group of pilgrims to Lourdes, Fatima and Marian Shrines in Spain this Spring. This year, Lourdes celebrates its 150th year anniversary of Mary's apparitions to Bernadette. Go to www.ctsa.tv and watch a 3 minute video introduction to the series.

Soon, we will share with you how we encountered Mary! To Jesus through Mary!

People Often Ask WHAT IS FAITH?

2009-10-13T18:30:00.000-07:00

by Deacon Tom & Mary Jane Fox

First of all, it is a supernatural (theological) virtue that is a gift we receive from God when we are baptized, alone with the other theological virtues Hope and Charity. "The object of this faith is truth about God and the things that pertain to God. The object of faith is not something seen or sensed; nor, in itself, is this object grasped by the intellect." (Tour of the Summa)

Father Marie-Dominique Philippe, OP, in a paper he wrote on the Holy Eucharist said, "The temptation to consider that the word is greater than the Eucharist is a consequence of a certain intellectualism which is not sufficiently able to be overcome by faith. In a supernatural point of view, we love more to understand than to believe; whereas, we should love more to believe than to understand."

In other words, there are times when we must surrender our intelligence in order to believe. Remember, it is to Almighty God that we are surrendering our intelligence. We are surrendering our human gift of intelligence so that we can better receive His divine gift of Faith. We surrender our intelligence to the truths that God has revealed and we do not understand. As we profess in the Act of Faith, "I believe in these and all the truths which the Holy Catholic teaches because you have revealed them, who can neither deceive nor be deceived."

It is for this reason that we profess the Creed together as a faith community. It is important to be aware of the fundamental truths that bind us together as Christians.

"The internal act of faith is the unhesitant assent of the mind or intellect, under the direction of the will, to the truth that is proposed for belief upon sufficient authority. In the case of religious faith, the authority is God, who is truth itself." (Tour of the Summa)

Our external act of faith is not only the Creed we profess out loud, but also the way we live. St. James tells us, "Be assured, then that faith with out works is as dead as a body without breath." James 3:26

If our Faith does not influence our decisions it is dead. If our faith does not inspire us to pray everyday and to worship God it is dead.

For this reason we have chosen a slogan we often use, "Faith is a gift, believing is a choice!"

Seeking Eternal Life

2009-10-12T19:48:00.001-07:00

Gospel Reflection from Mark 10:17-30

by Deacon Tom & Mary Jane Fox

The rich young man knelt before Jesus, knowing Jesus had words of eternal life, but when Jesus told him to give his possessions to the poor he went away sad because he trusted in his wealth more than in the invitation of Jesus. Jesus is inviting all of us to follow him, but to follow him faithfully we cannot love a person, place or thing more than him. It is in loving God above all else that we can reach our potential to love ourselves and to love others. God has a great plan for us, but He must be the most important part of the plan. It is impossible for us to be truly happy in this life and for all eternity relying on our own resources.

The only way we can discover the generosity of God’s providence is by trusting in Him, even when it doesn’t reasonable. We found that spending time in prayer - in a Church, Chapel, a prayer room, your car - simply to take time out and think that Jesus is front of you listening to you can be a great start! Some of the greatest Saints known through the History of the Catholic Church started this way. Well...maybe not in the car...but they took that first step!

“All things are possible for God.” Mk 10:27

PODCAST: 9/3/09 Catholicism Live – The Shroud of Turin

2009-10-01T12:32:00.000-07:00

Pete Remmert joined us on Catholicism Live Wednesday night to discuss his experiences and expertise regarding the Shroud of Turin, which is believed by many to be the actual burial cloth of Jesus Christ.

Original audio source

If you'd like to see the Shroud of Turin for yourself, Catholicism Live hosts Deacon Tom & Mary Jane Fox are leading a special pilgrimage from San Antonio to see the Shroud April 25 - May 10, 2010. See the Shroud pilgrimage page on our website or call us at (210) 521-3377 for more details.

Conscience and Catholic Health Care

2009-09-23T22:40:00.000-07:00

From Deacon Tom and Mary Jane Fox

Dr. Bill Mueller and Dr. Jose Santos were guests on "Catholicism Live!" today. They are members of the Catholic Medical Association and are reviving the Catholic Physicians Guiild in San Antonio.
Below is a great outline provided by Dr. Mueller explaining the purpose of Catholic Medical Association and some points on why Catholics need to be concerned about the Health Care Reform:

What is the CAtholic Medical Association (CMA)?
o Catholic Medical Association – an organization formed to uphold the principles of the Catholic faith in the science and practice of medicine.
--Two ways to participate
--National membership in the Catholic Medical Association
--Local membership in the San Antonio physicians guild

Why?
o To Uphold the principles of the Catholic faith in the science and practice of medicine
o To assist the Church in the work of communicating Catholic medical ethics to the medical profession and society at large.
o To support Catholic hospitals in faithfully applying Catholic moral principles in health care delivery.
o To enable Catholic physicians to know one another better and to work together with deeper mutual support and understanding.

Who can be a member?
o Anyone with an interest in being a part of an organization that strives to practice the vocation of medicine in the image of Christ, the divine physician.
o Physicians, dentists, nurses, allied health professionals, clergy, religious, anyone interested in integrating Catholic principles into health care.

What is the history of the Catholic Medical Association?
o Local guilds began in 1912 as a way to educate physicians in Church doctrine related to the practice of medicine.
o National organization formed in 1932 formalized relationship between local guilds.
o By the mid-1960’s, CMA was the 6th largest medical association in the US with over 100 guilds and 10,000 physician members.
o In 1968, the organization fractured after disagreement over Humane Vitae and the use of contraception.
o In 1997, the organization was renamed, affirmed its support of the magisterial teachings of the Church, and definitive steps were taken to support physicians through local guilds.
o The organization’s goal is to form guilds in every state, diocese, and parish in North America to serve, form, and teach Catholic physicians.

Dr. Santos and Dr. Mueller are working to establish a San Antonio Physician’s Guild of the CMA. Goal: Monthly meetings to:
• Support, educate, and encourage those interested in promoting the authentic practice of Catholic medicine.
• Work with the Archdiocese to pursue authentic Catholic medical care in the San Antonio area.
o For example, working with Converging Roads program to provide local expertise and resources in diocesan effort to promote Catholic medical ethics.
o National Organization: Annual meeting in Springfield, Illinois in October.

CMA position on health care reform:
--The Catholic Medical Association supports meaningful health-care reform that is based on sound ethics and economics.
--The CMA is particularly concerned about two significant ethical issues related to the current debate over health care reform:
--Respect for the conscience rights of health-care providers
--The conscience rights of health-care providers are not adequately addressed in any current legislation.
-- Democrats on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pension (H.E.L.P.) Committee voted against an amendment that would have prohibited forcing health-care providers to perform or participate in abortion.
--This issue is very timely, since the department of Health and Human Services canceled a Conscience Protection Rule earlier this year and has not announced what will replace it.
--In a July 2 interview, President Obama promised a ‘robust conscience clause.’ The CMA believes it is time to deliver the text of that conscience clause and make conscience protection an integral part of any health-care reform legislation.
--Potential for a mandate to finance and provide abortion.
--White House officials and the Senate H.E.L.P. Committee have refused to exclude abortion from health-care legislation.
--The House Tri-Committee bill never mentions the word “abortion, but most analysts think that, without explicit exclusion, abortion will be mandated by the Secretary of HHS and/or by the courts.
--According to CMA president Dr. Louis Breschi, “Few people realize that, as things stand, abortion could be a required benefit in all health insurance plans, and it would be subsidized not only in health-care premiums, but also through taxation. This unjust mandate must be excluded.”

Other CMA statements about the national debate on health care reform:
o While health-care financing and delivery systems in the United States suffers from significant flaws impacting cost and access, which have accumulated over the years, the entire system is not broken. Reform legislation should address specific issues; not on replacing or overhauling the entire health-care system at one time.
o While attention is rightly paid to the socio-economic aspects of the crisis in health care and delivery, it is essential to acknowledge and respect the fundamental ethical principles at stake. Above all, it is necessary at this time to ensure that any national health-care reform legislation provides respect for human life (e.g., by not funding or mandating abortion as a “health-care benefit”) and respect for the conscience rights of health-care professionals (e.g., providing nothing less than the current protections in federal and state law—and preferably more).
o Health-care reform legislation must respect the integrity of the physician-patient relationship. This means that people should be free to choose physicians and health insurance coverage which accord with their values and needs. This also means that physicians must not be prevented—by the force of government regulations—from respecting their patients’ privacy or from offering the attention and treatments patients require based on the physician’s professional judgment.
o Ancillary (but significant) Issues. Any health care reform legislation must be carefully monitored to ensure that interest groups do not take the opportunity afforded by comprehensive legislation to insert provisions that harm the dignity of individuals or the family or that inappropriately serve the agenda of a particular group or ideology.

Go to the Catholic Medical Association website for more: www.cathmed.org

Catholic Women's Conference

2009-09-15T15:00:00.001-07:00

This last weekend was an extraordinary one; 550 women gathered for the Catholic Women's Conference that offered nationally known speakers, a Eucharistic Healing service, Spiritual direction, Reconciliation, music, and resources! It is refreshing to gather with women who love God, love the Catholic Church and yearn for a deeper relationship with Christ.

Each year, the Conference offers a Eucharistic Healing Service led by Deacon Tom Fox. I really believe Tom has an incredible gift in leading this liturgical service with the Blessed Sacrament. One woman wrote informing us that the her knee was healed and healed of all pain. This is one story of many I am sure. Seeds of hope were planted in those present as Deacon Tom led a prayer in healing the memory of woundedness, of painful relationships, illnesses, doubt, discouragement and there was a time of silence before the Eucharistic Lord. The scripture he read that evening was from the book of Luke 8:40-48; the story of the woman with a hemorrhage. It was in her desire to be healed that she reached out to touch the cloak of Jesus and she was healed. As Deacon Lara carried the Monstrance with the Blessed Sacrament throughout the Church, women looked to the Eucharistic Lord. There was a lot of peace and I do believe many inner healings!

Archbishop Gomez spoke on the topic of "Strong Women and Holy Mothers: Lessons from Scripture and the Saints". He invited us to read about the women in the Scriptures; and how they were instrumental in the salvific plan of God. Lives of modern day Saints were used as testimonies to encourage us to grow in holiness.

The speakers spoke on living a life of virtues, on the vocation and dignity of woman, on conquering discouragement and attaining peace.

The women attending the Conference commented on how much they enjoyed the Catholic Women's Conference. Go to www.facebook.com/pilgrimcenter for photos and videos from the event.

Soon, on www.cwc2009.org; the Conference's website; will also list photos, videos and CD order form for the Speakers' talks.

Now...getting ready for our presentation at the Catechetical Conference in the Diocese of Victoria on the Holy Land. The following is a short introduction on our presentation.
The Holy Land is the land sanctified by the Lord. For Christians, it is a place of pilgrimage, of experiencing the land of the Bible. Our concern even though millions of pilgrims and tourists travel to the Holy Land each year; few have an experience that puts them in touch with the local people to discover their story. In 1948; Christians made up approximately 20% of the population, today only 1.5% of Christians live in the Holy Land. Why is this an issue of peace and justice?

Mary Jane Fox

Greg & Julie Alexander to be guests on Catholicism Live

2009-09-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

Greg & Julie Alexander from The Alexander House will be our guests on the Wednesday, September 16 edition of Catholicism Live at 8:00pm. The Alexander House is a ministry whose mission is to strengthen marriage and lower the divorce rate.

The Alexander House's "Covenant of Love" marriage ministry was recently featured on Fox 29 in San Antonio:

View video

Greg and Julie also recently co-hosted a television series for EWTN with Fr. James Dean called Marriage Works in Christ: Broken and Blessed.

For more info on the Alexander House and the Covenant of Love:
TheAlexanderHouse.org
CovenantOfLove.org

Catholicism Live is hosted by Deacon Tom & Mary Jane Fox and airs every Wednesday at 8:00pm central time on Time Warner CTSA-15 and KJMA 89.7 FM in San Antonio, TX. You can also listen online at TinyURL.com/CathLive

"Catholicism Live!"

2009-08-24T22:39:00.000-07:00

Mary Jane Fox

Tom and I thank God for the gift He has given us in hosting the weekly series "Catholicism Live!" on Catholic Television of San Antonio (Channel 15 on Time Warner Cable) and simulcasted on Guadalupe Radio, 89.7FM from 8:00pm-9:00pm. It is exciting! Each week, a guest is featured covering topics from prayer, the Sacraments, to various topics of the faith. Future guests and topics are:
August 26 - Fr. Ted Pfeiffer, OMI -"A SHEPHERD TENDING HIS FLOCK" (He will also talk about this near death experiences serving as a missionary in Mexico surrounded by drug dealers).
September 2 - Gloria Zapiain (Office of Adult Faith Formation), Ramie Samour and Adriana Perez, ENDOW Facilitators - ENDOW (Educating on the Nature and Dignity of Women). They will talk about this well-needed ministry for all women interested in learning more about the writings of John Paul II on the vocation of woman.
September 9 - Fr. John Leies, SM, STD, and Arland Nichols, MDiv. - STEM CELL RESEARCH
September 16 -The Alexander's - MARRIAGE
September 23 - Jose Santos, MD and Bill Mueller, MD -CATHOLIC MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
September 30 - Pete Remmert - THE HOLY SHROUD

You can email us your questions and comments on these topics to live@catholic.org. OR call in during the program at 210-734-5371.

2009 Catholic Women's Conference

2009-08-16T13:34:00.000-07:00

The Catholic Women's Conference is the topic for this week's "Catholicism Live!" Wednesday, August 19th on Catholic Television series on CTSA/Time Warner Channel 15 and simulcasted on Guadalupe Radio, 89.7 FM.

"Why a Catholic Women's Conference?" By Mary Jane Fox

After reading an article in Canticle Magazine titled "The Vocation of Holy Womanhood" by Amy Love; I was convinced that every woman needed to learn about the beauty of their vocation as woman. The article was encouraging, inspirational, educational and exciting. In sharing my excitement with my husband, Tom, he suggested I organize a Woman's Conference. My immediate response was 'no, I am already too busy!'. However, the Holy Spirit had already planted a seed in my heart with a yearning to share with other women the beauty of our vocation as woman. And so it began - the first Catholic Women's Conference was held in 2001. Anbd it has continued each year. Thanks to a Steering Committee of 14 women; the Committee meets throughout the year planning this annual event reaching to all women.

There is a great need for a Catholic Woman's Conference:
--To renew families and society by enriching women's relationship with God, fostering appreciation for the personal dignity of women and inspiring women to use their feminine gifts for the good of all.
--To educate on the very nature and dignity of woman.
--The dignity, role and sometimes the rights of womanhood has been diminished in many ways.
--There is an increased number of single mothers, higher rate of divorce even among Catholics.
--An increasing fear among many due to economical stress, war, the confusion and turmoil among some youth.
--Lack of proper stewardship of time to spend for oneself (for prayer, for meditation, for spiritual growth, for physical exercise, for a healthy balance)!

Seems that I am presenting a bleak picture…but it is a cause for us to face reality to grow in faith and in hope.
The Good News is that God never changes and He is always present in all situations. God's Mercy is available…but how many know it is available if only they ask?
God's forgiveness is available…but how many know how to receive it?
God's presence is apparent…but how many have been introduced to an experience with God…with His peace…to Jesus?

The Catholic Women's Conference (CWC) is an opportunity to invite women to learn, to be healed, to be encouraged and to be given spiritual tools.

The CWC is like a "spiritual haven" or perhaps for some a "spiritual hospital"…a time to remove all the junk, heartaches from our lives (at least a beginning process) and to be touched by the Divine Healer, Jesus our Lord.

And for those who serve as volunteers, as "CWC partners" during the Conference, it can be a time of fraternal charity and service to the hundred of women who will come with open hearts, in search for a deeper faith and hope to live on!

If one woman is led to Christ and renewed in her faith and hope in the Truth, she then affects many - her family, friends, co-workers, the community!

I invite you to make an effort to attend the Catholic Women's Conference on September 11-12, 2009 at St. Matthew's Catholic Church, I can assure you will receive many blessings when you come with an open heart.

For details go to www.cwc2009.org or call us at 210-521-3377.