Over a three-day period, representatives from 34 parishes, schools and religious organizations throughout the Diocese of Dallas had the opportunity to focus on the future of youth ministry in the Catholic Church thanks to a Summit offered by the Diocese of Dallas Office of Youth, Young Adult and Campus Ministries.
Faith
Jesus never abandons, coerces or blackmails anyone when they stray, rather, he patiently waits and is “our greatest and most faithful friend,” Pope Francis said.
One of the most laudable questions I receive is about how to discern God’s will. A decision is easy to make when the choice is between something right and something wrong. But a decision can be difficult when the choice is between two goods and I have to discover the specific will God has for me. I recently read a great book on this topic, and I want to share its theses. The book is “Discerning the Will of God: An Ignatian Guide to Christian Decision Making” by Father Timothy Gallagher.
Close to 200 bishops at the beginning of their ministries in dioceses and eparchies around the world met Pope Francis Sept. 19 at the end of a week of conferences.
Grace is defined as an unmerited favor we receive from God. It’s freely given through God’s benevolence, and God bestows His grace upon anyone He chooses. By our creation as God’s children, every human is potentially a recipient of God’s grace, especially those who draw closer to Him.
When I was reflecting on what to write for this column, I thought of the story of the Good Samaritan as narrated in the Gospel of Luke 10:25-37. But the term “missionary culture” kept popping into my head. I had no idea what a missionary culture would be in this context, and I haven’t heard or read about it before. But with further reflection and prayer I concluded that I could come to a new definition of the term “missionary culture” in light of the inspiration I was receiving. I wish to share with you the product of my reflection on what I understand “missionary culture” to mean in the context of the parable of the Good Samaritan.
Christians must never give in to fear when evangelizing, especially when reaching out to those in need in the digital space, Pope Francis said.
The Neuhoff Institute for Ministry & Evangelization at the University of Dallas is hosting a one-day retreat, “Between Ourselves in Light: The Spiritual Moment of Listening” on Aug. 6.
The Gospel story of the sisters Mary and Martha, one sitting at Jesus’ feet and the other making sure their guest was served, is a lesson to Christians that every good deed done for others should flow from listening to God’s word, Pope Francis said.
When the Lord appeared to two of his followers on their way to Emmaus, it was obvious that the men were cold, disappointed, and confused about all that had happened in recent times, especially the crucifixion of the man called Jesus. They were at a loss as to what they could do now that he was no more. And even though they had heard rumors of his rising, they couldn’t verify that they were true. This was a cold moment, a moment of decision. Should they continue to believe in the teachings of a man who had died, or begin a different way of life? It’s obvious that the discouragement of these two disciples at this point far outstripped their hope.