Reflection Starter from St. John Chrysostom

"Faithfulness in little things is a big thing." - Saint John Chrysostom, whose memory the Church celebrates today (13 September)

"Be Thou My Vision"

As we continue to live this week, I offer this version of Noel Richards presenting "Be Thou My Vision":

International Air Ambulance Week

The week of 8-16 September is being observed as International Air Ambulance Week, an observance designed to focus on supporting flying medical services around the world.

Background information:

Facebook: International Air Ambulance Week 2018

Lifestar (Connecticut)

Lifeflight of Maine

Boston MedFlight (Massachusetts)

UMass Memorial LifeFlight (Massachusetts)

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Advanced Response Team (DHART) (New Hampshire)

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of good consecrated men and women religious.

Jim Graves on Religious Communities and Their Vocations

"The renewal of religious life is a topic of regular conversation in Catholic circles. I spoke with four men in religious life, two priests and two brothers, about their vocations and communities. Three of the four I spoke to serve in leadership roles. The communities vary in size, are located in different regions of the country and are committed to a different work. However, all are faithful to the teaching authority of the Church, wear religious clothing, live together and share a common prayer life."

In a recent commentary, writer Jim Graves shared his interviews with Fr. Benedict (prior of Monastery of Christ in the Desert, Abiquiu, New Mexico), Fr. Peter Verhalen (abbot of the Cistercian Abbey of Our Lady of Dallas, Irving, Texas), Brother Ken Apuzzo (general superior of the Brotherhood of Hope and campus minister at the University of Minnesota), and Brother Ezekiel Brennan (of the Benedictine Monastery of the Holy Cross, Chicago, Illinois).

To access Mr. Graves' complete post, please visit:

National Catholic Register: Blogs: Jim Graves: 4 Religious Reflect on Their Communities and Vocations (1 SEP 18)

Reflection Starter from Andre Maurois

"Conversation would be vastly improved by the constant use of four simple words: I do not know." - Andre Maurois

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of the work of the Spirit in our lives.

Msgr. Pope on Paradoxes of Evangelization

"There are certain paradoxes and mysteries that underlie the growth of the Kingdom. While we should strive to implement 'best practices' (e.g., good liturgy, dynamic preaching, Eucharistic adoration, a welcoming parish atmosphere), even when many of these things are in place, growth may still not occur; in fact, sometimes number may decline. Conversely, in some parishes where the liturgy is perfunctory, preaching is weak, and devotions are hurried, there may be significant growth. I know parishes that should be growing but are not; I also know ones that are growing almost in spite of themselves.

There are mysterious aspects to the growth or decline of the Church. Jesus said, This is how it is with the Kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land and would sleep and rise night and day and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how (Mark 4:26-29).

Thus, the Lord teaches that much of the growth in the Kingdom of God is mysterious; it works 'we know not how.'"

In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on the role of paradox and mystery in the process of effective evangelization. 

To access Msgr. Pope's complete post, please visit:

Community in Mission: Paradoxes of Evangelization (6 SEP 18)

Reflection Starter from Pope Francis

"Faith helps us grasp the meaning of life: God is with us and loves us infinitely." - Pope Francis

The Company of Fifers and Drummers Junior Fife and Drum Camp

Myrna and I were blessed to be able to attend the 2018 Deep River Ancient Muster (DRAM) in Deep River, Connecticut. This muster is considered to be the oldest and largest gathering of fife and drum participants and enthusiasts in the world and has been referred to as "The Granddaddy of All Musters." The Muster is always held on the 3rd Saturday in July.

The muster starts off with a parade (including the various participating fife and drum corps). This is followed by a presentation by each of the participating units at Devitt's Field (the end point of the parade).

The second of the post-parade presentations was by the Company of Fifers and Drummers Junior Fife and Drum Camp. To view their presentation, please watch:

Media report:

American Profile: Fife & Drum Corps (2 JUL 13)

Background information:

The Company of Fifers & Drummers Junior Fife & Drum Camp

Town of Deep River

Wikipedia: Deep River, Connecticut

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of our families.

Family is the "Yes" of God

In a letter that Pope Francis wrote in preparation for the IX World Meeting of Families, which is being held in Dublin, Ireland, this month, he posed two rhetorical questions, writing, "One might ask: does the Gospel continue to be a joy for the world? And also: does the family continue to be good news for today’s world?"

Providing an immediate and enthusiastic response to these questions, Pope Francis then wrote, "I am sure the answer is yes!"

He went on to explain that this "yes" is rooted in God's plan for humanity and for all of creation, writing, "It is God's 'yes' to the union between man and woman, in openness and service to life in all its phases, it is God's 'yes' and His commitment to humanity that is often wounded, mistreated and dominated by a lack of love. The family, therefore, is the 'yes' of God as Love."

What a beautiful image of the family as being representative of God's love for the world. It is within families that God intends for us to learn the ways of compassion towards others. Growing up in a loving family teaches young people how to be considerate of the needs of those around them. Loving families teach us how to laugh together, how to gather in community, the need for forgiveness and for seeking reconciliation, and how to pick each other up when we fall.

In his letter, Francis writes, "How much better family life would be if every day we lived according to the words, 'please,' 'thank you' and 'I'm sorry.'" This way of compassion that Francis talks about will not come about within families automatically. It is something that must be cultivated, and we should come to understand our faith as Catholics as a powerful resource in building up family life.

When we practice our faith together, it strengthens bonds and prepares us to weather difficult trials. Most importantly, our faith can teach us how to forgive, which is an essential element in building up strong families. The faith not only provides the model for right action in our lives, but it gives guidance for how to react to failure.

Christ said, "Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven" (Luke 6:37). This is not to say that we abandon our concept of right and wrong, but sometimes we need to lead with mercy in order to affect a change of heart in others. Sometimes it is enough to know that others know where we stand and then to simply show them our merciful side.

Mercy is the most powerful element of our faith and it can keep families together even during periods when someone loses their way. What a profound tool for cultivating compassion for one another within the family - and what a profound witness this is to the world!

Christ said, "By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another." In giving witness to Christ's love, the family truly is good news for today's world.

The surest way to affect positive change in today's society is by cultivating faithful families full of love for one another. In this way, the family embodies the joy of the Gospel, and becomes, as Francis says, "the 'yes' of God as Love."

This essay is a recent "Light One Candle" column by Father Ed Dougherty, M.M., The Christophers' Board of Directors ; it is one of a series of weekly columns that deal with a variety of topics and current events.

Background information:

The Christophers