Recording (download at Internet Archive):
This week, Fr. Steve gives an overview of Pope Francis’ new apostolic exhortation, Gaudete et Exsultate (Rejoice and be Glad).
Fr. Steve Dos Santos is the vocations director for the Missionaries of the Precious Blood. He has been a priest for 12 years, grew up the youngest of nine children in California, and says he was brought to Dayton out of obedience.
Talk titles tentative.
April 12
Jacob Stange
I’m No Saint: Christianity is More Than a Club
April 19
Ryan Mahle
The Dearest Freshness Deep Down Things: The Church’s Sacramental Worldview
April 26
Fr. Steve Dos Santos, C.PP.S.
Rejoice and Be Glad!
May 3
Tim O’Laughlin
Practical Masculinity
May 10
Emily Macke
The Feminine Genius: What is a Catholic Woman?
May 17
Luke Carey
So I Told God I Hated Him
Recording (download at Internet Archive):
Chris is a fifth-year seminarian in Cincinnati.
Recording (download at Internet Archive):
Kathleen is a consecrated layperson at Regnum Christi in Cincinnati.
Recording (download at Internet Archive):
Trevor Gundlach is a native of Wisconsin who loves to hike, bike, drink beer, and explore God’s creation. He holds degrees in Theology and Philosophy from Marquette University and a M.A. in Theological Studies from the University of Dayton. Trevor acted as the founder and director of Totus Tuus in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and recently worked in Campus Ministry at the University of Dayton, where he taught a class titled “A Theology of Alcohol: Learning How to Celebrate.” He is currently editing a book on the subject and is on track to have it completed in 2018. Trevor lives in Dayton with his wife, Kayla, and works as a Project Manager for Kettering Health Network. He is a lighthearted and thought-provoking speaker who loves to ask ethical questions about daily life. Cheers!
We’ve always celebrated but never thought about why.
It’s right in front of us, but we misunderstand it.
What do we celebrate?
Why do we celebrate?
Who celebrates?
Replace “what” with “who.” Who do we celebrate? It’s easy for our celebration to become self centered without another face to put on it
Why do humans need to celebrate?
Why do Christians celebrate?
Who celebrates?
If celebration is an art, who is the artist of celebration?
Those around you who give of themselves.
The saint asks these questions:
Putting into practice:
Recording (download at Internet Archive):
Fr. Greg has been a priest for 25 years and is currently pastor at Holy Angels and St. Anthony parishes in Dayton, Ohio. This week, he talked to us about waiting.
Life is a series of waitings―one following another. All waiting is ultimately about waiting for God, for the full encounter with Him that comes after death. However, to some degree the waiting is over: God entered into our time, with Jesus leading us from one day to the next.
How do we live each day in the present, while looking toward the future? How do we experience God’s presence, especially in light of all the distractions and noise in today’s society? Fr. Greg proposed five things:
Recording (download at Internet Archive):
Jacob Stange originally hails from rural Indiana where he was homeschooled with his 10 siblings. He now lives in Dayton where his wife leads the home & school for their three children, and supports Jacob’s hobbies. Jacob has dabbled in everything from board games to blacksmithing, calligraphy to carpentry, automotive to martial arts. But he found his real love when he lost his job and discovered that the most exciting adventure is a life lived in the Spirit —no matter what you do.
Today, he is a software developer and teacher, spending most of his spare time with his family, working on programs for his parish, and baking.
Where is God? God is here. Make it personal.
When can we talk to him? Now.
Baltimore Catechism: Why are we here? To know love and serve God so that we may meet Him.
HOW?
CCC 2684 Spiritualities come in many forms
Spiritual life – journey in discovery of God and ourselves
John 16:8: Holy Spirit will convict us in sin
Doesn’t remind us of our sins (devil does that); brings the love of god into our life and sins
Holy Spirit is our guide on this journey
Dr Jacque Philippe — In the School of the Holy Spirit
Continuous conversion by gestures of reconciliation
PILLARS OF SPIRITUAL LIFE: Fasting, prayer, almsgiving (mercy)
(express conversion in relation to self, God, world)
Foundation (inner) and fruit (exterior)
Almsgiving a kind of mercy
From a sermon by St. Peter Chrysologous (5th c.):
There are three things, my brethren, by which faith stands firm, devotion remains constant, and virtue endures. They are prayer, fasting and mercy. Prayer knocks at the door, fasting obtains, mercy receives. Prayer, mercy and fasting: these three are one, and they give life to each other.
Fasting is the soul of prayer, mercy is the lifeblood of fasting. Let no one try to separate them; they cannot be separated. If you have only one of them or not all together, you have nothing.
How do you break into the loop?
Living, ongoing relationship – requires consistency
We get to know people thru frequent, continuous, intentional encounters.
CCC 2565 In the new covenant, prayer is living relationship of children with father
God knows what’s best for us better than you or me
When you have talked with God, you won’t be able to keep it yourself. It will propel you to bring God to others.
Where is God? Here.
When can we talk to him? Now. Let’s do it.
Say one prayer. Then another one. Then another. Don’t delay. Don’t put off praying because you don’t think you can do it right.
Do it, even if you’re doing it wrong.
Prayer requires practice.
“We have to be willing to do the ridiculous so God can do the impossible.” – Mother Angelica
You don’t know how fruitful your prayer can be until you’ve fasted with it
St. Peter Chrysologous – Fasting gives life to our prayer
CCC 1430 Interior conversion urges expression in visible signs, gestures, and works of penance
Builds a hole in our lives, need to fill it (with prayer!)
If you think it’s not being filled, it’s being filled by sommehting you don’t want
Consistency – fast on Fridays
Fridays we remember death, Sundays we remember resurrection
Daily penance finds its nourishment in the Eucharist
Follows the model of redemptive suffering
John Paul II – apostolic letter – Christian meaning of human suffering
Christ: suffered voluntarily, suffer innocently, suffered out of unconditional love
Suffering more than anything else preps the soul for redemption
Isaiah 58 – fruits of suffering – guidance from God, renewal, healing, freedom, justice, …
Principle: When I am weak, I am strong in the spirit.
Luke 4 – Jesus fasts for 40 days, then Holy spirit brings Jesus grace to start doing ministry
Acts 13 – While Church of Antioch is fasting, Paul and Barnabas receive call to ministry
St Ignatius – Life of St Anthony of the Desert– when the enjoinments of the body are weak the soul is strong
Let the Holy Spirit suggest a fast to you
Don’t do extreme asceticism on your own, get a spiritual director
“He who has himself for a spiritual director, he has a fool.” – attr to Teresa of Avila
St Peter Chrysologous―Fasting bears no fruit if not watered by mercy
Matthew 25―where we see Jesus
Spiritual gifts (~32 of them)
3 legged stool: humility is the foundation of prayer
Closing prayer: from Evangelii Gaudium section 3
September 21
Jacob Stange
Practical Holiness: When I am Weak, I am Strong
September 28
Fr. Greg Konerman
Active Waiting
October 5
Trevor Gundlach
Learning How to Celebrate
October 12
Nealy Mechley
Grace and Graciousness
October 19
Kathleen Murphy
Discernment: Acquiring the Heart of God
October 26
Chris Komoroski
The Power of Silence in a Noisy World
October 27
Fall series after-party
Holy Cross Church, Leo St., Dayton
