Retreat & Artists

Pauline Cooperator Retreat in Boston September 23-26^th

Over the weekend Sr Sharon Anne, Sr. Diane Leonard, Sr Mary Elizabeth, Sr Susan John and Sr Mary Lea joined sixteen Cooperators and young adults for a Pauline retreat themed – Paul’s Unshakable Hope. The name was Sr Mary Sophie’s inspiration and a few of the attendees said that was what attracted them to the event.  There were a few new people attending this year – a group of "artists" in the fields of television, music, singing, acting and film. After the retreat this group began planning a retreat for artists. Hopefully we will be able to schedule an artist retreat in 2011 and open it to people in the fields of entertainment and art.

The first morning a PowerPoint prayer “I am not ashamed of the gospel” and a prayer by Sr Bernarda to the Holy Spirit were used. Later in the morning the video of Fr. Tom Stegman (Part 2) on Paul was shown. An Oblate of Mary Immaculate, Fr. Mike Powell, was our retreat chaplain. Confession time was available before and after Mass. At 3:00 PM there was “Coffee with Fr. Jeffrey.” Since Fr. Jeffrey couldn’t make it a video of Fr. Jeffrey introducing Paul was viewed along with a piece of the DVD on the Gospel of John. The Hour of Adoration was a particularly contemplative time for all of us. During the day sisters took turns cooking, cleaning, listening, etc. The weekend concluded with a marvelous spaghetti dinner cooked by Felice Bocella and Sr Elizabeth Tebo. Sr Susan John provided some fantastic food for the weekend fresh from market day. Friends and Cooperators brought brownies, bean salads, and cakes. These acts of sharing, silence and resting in God brought about a desire to live Christ as Paul lived Christ.

Here are some of the evaluations of the retreat weekend.

Thank you. I am very blessed. Wonderful to be in the presence of the Lord in such rich ways, adoration, prayer, word spoken, community and individually…music.

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It was a very wonderful retreat. Renewed my body and soul. Wonderful experience in the Lord.

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I had a powerful experience. I wanted to touch, see, taste, and hear Christ and I did. A big thank you to the sisters and the Pauline Cooperators!

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First THANK YOU, It was a wonderful weekend!!!  Just an enormous blessing!!

Retreat Weekend: Paul's Unshakable Hope

This weekend, September 24, 25 aand 26th is the annual retreat sponsored by the Pauline laity (Cooperators). Please keep in prayer all those who are attending and we will join in prayer for your intentions as well. An online retreat is in the making for those who want to follow at home. Sr Margaret

Apostolic Visitation at the Daughters of St Paul

Our Novitiate, Provincial, Publishing House community of Boston has been chosen as one of the Apostolic Visitation sites. Two sisters are here with us who have been asked and have volunteered their time to journey with us during this grace filled event. Our opening prayers for this time were a reflection of Mary's visit to Elizabeth. The icon in this post shows Mary and Elizabeth embracing in faith as they realize the promises made to Israel are coming to fulfillment. Both Mary and Elizabeth also embrace in love and hope as they journey together with John the Baptist and Jesus through life, death and resurrection. During the Apostolic Visitation we respond to God's invitation to be with us in a a renewed way though our life together and in our apostolic mission on the new frontiers of evangelization.
Sr Margaret

Rules of Engagement On The Internet

Rules of Engagement For Catholics On The Internet
by Eric Sammons

I have been involved with Internet discussions and apologetics for a very long time, at least in Internet terms. I remember debating a man from the Netherlands via email about Catholic theology in 1992, before I was even officially received into the Catholic Church. Considering "Internet years" are somewhat like dog years, I figure that's 119 years of online debates and discussions (and it even feels like more sometimes). Over that time I have developed some rules of engagement for Internet apostolate that might be helpful for others:
http://www.voicesforlife.net/2010/09/rules-of-engagement-for-catholics-on.html

Formation in Catholic Social Doctrine

FORMATION COURSE

Since 2000 the Foundation, in collaboration with the Interdisciplinary Centre of the Pontifical Lateran University, has offered a two year course of formation in the social doctrine of the Catholic Church (Catholic Social Teaching)

Read the article

Go to first year program Go to second year program

Send an email with the application request

Faith on the Frontline

What a great idea! She took the initiative when she realized that there are 300,000 Catholic troops and only 280 Catholic chaplains. Perhaps we can offer her some content, too? Sr Anne Joan

http://www.ncregister.com/register_exclusives/frontline-faith/

Putting her media smarts and contacts to work, the Lakeway, Texas, mother of six put together a package of Catholic programming for MP3 players that soldiers could carry with them. She launched an organization, Frontline Faith, to raise funds and produced the first run of 1,000 MP3 players to go into the hands of Catholics in hospitals and those awaiting deployment.

Supporting her is the Archdiocese for the Military Services, which serves Catholic servicemen and women, their families and Catholic chaplains. Its archbishop, Timothy Broglio, is on the MP3 twice, celebrating Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., and, later in the program, preaching at the same place.

Aloha, Sr. Laura Brown, fsp!

Sr. Laura Brown, fsp, with Sr. Lily, Sr. Ann Mei, Sr. Linh,
and some of the Pauline Cooperators in Honolulu, Hawai'i.
Taken on Tuesday, Sept. 7

The community of believers who are friends with the Pauline Sisters thank God for yet another gift God had given us. Sr. Laura Brown, fsp, was with the Honolulu Pauline community for about two years, and now has joined her Sisters in Boston.

This would be a blessing to her mother who recently lost her husband. Though we will miss Sr. Laura we know she will be happy to share many moments with her mother, especially at a time when she needs comforting from her daughter whom she raised to become a light for others. Now, that daughter will be a light for her!

Mahalo nui loa, Sr. Laura, for spearheading the Pauline Cooperators group in Honolulu -- when you were once with us. We will cherish you! Your service continues to be an inspiration to us!

Building Ecclesial Communion is the Key to Mission according to Pope Benedict XVI

Hi Pauline Family Members & Friends! In the run-up to 2010 World Mission Sunday this coming month of October, learn from His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI how the entire People of God could take advantage of the opportunity to renew the commitment to proclaim the Gospel and to give pastoral activities greater missionary perspective. May God bless you abundantly when you share your talents in every aspect of your life and in your parish community. Check out the message on the Vatican website for this and more.

Catch the Newman Roundtable on Sept. 12 EDT (EWTN): See USCCB TV program notes

Greetings! 'Just came across the USCCB TV Program Note on the upcoming program recorded in Littlemore, Oxford, regarding Cardinal John Henry Newman--his life, legacy & spirituality and more. His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI will beatify Cardinal Newman on 19 Sept. 2010 in the UK. See full article on www.usccb.org. Please mark your calendars.

Apostle: Promotor of the Gospel

Here are more thoughts from "The Publishing House" by Blessed Alberione. As I work on gleaning text for the new book coming out in  2011 I rejoice in the gift of the Pauline spirituality that is entrusted to us. The painting on this post is St. Tarcisius, martyr of the Eucharist. Alberione offers this saint as a model and protector of the media apostle who brings the gospel to everyone. Sr Margaret

"For the apostle the principal methods of promotion are the ones taught by Jesus Christ and the Church, as well as those required by necessity.

"Jesus Christ taught us not to wait for people, but to seek them out. Like the Teacher, the apostle must promote God’s word in the cities, in the towns, and even in the most remote homes. He must cross mountains, sail the oceans, seek out everyone because all are called to know the way of salvation. His concern must be the individual person, the individual family, and the individual parish. He must establish book centers, train zeal¬ous people, frequent all the associations, convince the foreman, the head teacher, people in authority...

Naturally, all this involves difficulties, sacrifices and dangers, which require, over and beyond the spirit of the apostolate, the prudence of the serpent, the simplicity of the dove, and the fidelity of the martyr.

But the apostle must learn to forget himself in order to give himself to people and to God.

Saint Tarcisius the martyr can be held up as a model and protector. "

--Chapter XXX; The Publishing Apostolate, Blessed James Alberione