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Ashes

Brian Fallon's picture
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Submitted by Brian Fallon on February 21, 2012 - 4:15pm

Inviting Sponsors to Confirmation Retreats (a new trend)

Paul Masek's picture

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There is a new trend developing in the retreat ministry of the REAP Team, and some church leaders are pretty enthusiastic about it.

More and more, whenever possible, parishes are inviting sponsors to attend Confirmation retreats with their students - and if the sponsor cannot attend, a “sponsor substitute” like a parent or older sibling is asked to attend in their stead.

There are several reasons why many of us think this is a great idea: Read more »

Submitted by Paul Masek on February 1, 2012 - 10:25am

Until Abortion Ends

Greg Robeson's picture

 

I find Lent to be a powerful liturgical season because of the emphasis on sacrifice. If I give up chocolate, I can relate better to a child in poverty who has never tasted chocolate. Sacrifice connects us to the suffering of others. It is easy to forget about the way babies suffer in the womb at the hands of an abortionist, or the way women and their families suffer as a result of the death of her child. We forget because this harm is hidden. Abortion is marketed in a crafty way, targeting the youth in particular, but the abortion industry goes to great lengths to hide the suffering they cause. Abortion often gets treated like an issue for debate or an argument with two sides, and the suffering fades from our view. We must remember. Our pro-life advocacy is a function of our willingness to suffer with dying babies. Read more »

Submitted by Greg Robeson on January 28, 2012 - 3:01pm

Pro-life? Pro-Grey's Anatomy!

Rachel Allen's picture

 

It’s March for Life weekend. Hundreds of thousands pilgrims are flooding into Washington, D.C. right now, traveling by bus, plane, car – whatever it takes, however long it takes, for the 39th annual march protesting Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court case that legalized abortion in the United States. While it’s hard to get a concrete number, last year’s March had an estimated 400,000 participants. And some reports believe that half those marchers are under the age of 30. Our own Office of Youth Ministry’s The Way, The Truth, and The Life pilgrimage is taking around 500 people. Read more »

Submitted by Rachel Allen on January 20, 2012 - 5:56pm

Resolutions

Brian Fallon's picture

10! 9! 8! 7! 6! .....

Another year is winding down and another year is about to begin! It doesn’t seem like too long ago that we all gathered together with friends and family and watched that shimmering crystal ball in Times Square lower onto a fresh set of 365 days for us to live, hope, and dream. But now as 2011 is worn out and tired, and 2012 is fresh and ready to begin, we have an opportunity to reflect, be thankful, celebrate, and prepare.

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Submitted by Brian Fallon on December 31, 2011 - 4:27pm

I'm Sorry Albert . . .

Gretchen Pacheco's picture

I’m Sorry, Albert…

Thanks to Joy FM and Deidre Pujols for taking the time to share her family’s point of view on her husband signing with the Anaheim Angels.  She did not owe that to our community, nor did we deserve it – especially considering how many people have been spewing hatefulness lately… Read more »

Submitted by Gretchen Pacheco on December 12, 2011 - 2:20pm

Top REAP Retreat Tweet Retweets of 2011

Paul Masek's picture

Try to say the title of this blog three times fast.  If you can, email me an audio file of your tongue-twisting excellence, and I will send you a sticker!  (To enjoy my tongue-twisting prowess, by the way, you just gotta see this). But I have digressed quite enough already, even for me.

I am a big fan of social media – not only because it can be so fun, but also because of the impact it can make for God.  My favorite social media quote of all time is from our current Pope, who has told the church (that’s you & me, folks!) to evangelize the “digital continent.” If you don’t believe me, you can check it out yourself, here. Read more »

Submitted by Paul Masek on December 12, 2011 - 2:05pm

Bowling!

Brian Fallon's picture

I love to bowl! I like getting a group of friends together and walking into some dingy bowling alley that smells like moldy potatoes, putting on some stranger's shoes, and getting ridiculed by some '90s animated bowling pin. I know those descriptions don't make it seem like I enjoy bowling, but I love every minute of it.

Did I mention I'm lousy at bowling? Yeah, it's not my strong suit. In the rare moments when I knock down all the pins I run around like I just won the lottery. But the rest of the time I'm just trying my best to stay on the lane, not to cross the red line or to see my ball end up in one of the gutters. More often than not there are more than a few pins remaining after I've finished my turn, so I've learned not to expect to be hoisting any bowling trophies over my head anytime soon. Read more »

Submitted by Brian Fallon on December 3, 2011 - 3:10pm

What in the Word?!

Rachel Allen's picture

 

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We are just about ten days away from the implementation of the revised Roman Missal – but you already knew that, didn’t you? I’m sure that you, along with the rest of the English-speaking Church, have been eagerly learning everything you can about what words are changing, and why, right?

Oh…just me, then? Read more »

Submitted by Rachel Allen on November 16, 2011 - 3:16pm

Not Just Another Long Car Ride

Paul Masek's picture

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It happened last month.  Four of us on our ministry team settled into my vehicle for a long car ride to a destination over three hours away.  And we were all surprised – and blessed – by what ended up happening.  I’m sharing it with you in the hope that you might have a comparable experience some day. Read more »

Submitted by Paul Masek on October 28, 2011 - 2:24pm