Opus Bono Sacerdotii

Fr. Z shares about a ministry to retired priests who have fallen through the cracks and are not being supported in their old age. Opus Bono Sacerdotii help for priests who have nowhere else to turn is filling a need that I did not know about until Fr. Z shared about them. Please visit their web site. I feel heartbroken that good priests, men who have been spiritual fathers and faithfully served Christ and His Church are forgotten in such a way!  Apparently not every diocese has done what they ought to have done to prepare a place for these … Continue reading

Gratitude to God for Good Priests

I experienced a marvelously refreshing silent spiritual retreat last week. This quiet time to be focused on God and not on the everyday stuff came just in time to help me find my center for Advent. Besides giving us deep messages from Scripture and Church teaching to ponder, daily Mass served faithfully and reverently, this priest spent several hours in the confessional so that if in our examinations of conscience we found anything requiring confession, that was available to us.  This priest was so dedicated he was in the confessional so long that every participant in the retreat could have … Continue reading

Issues of Faith: Sacraments

Catholics believe in seven sacraments, some of which cannot be undone once they are done: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Reconciliation, Marriage, Holy Orders, and Anointing of the Sick.  Baptism, Confirmation, Marriage and Holy Orders are one time and permanent. Once Baptized, a person is permanently marked by God and will never lose that mark, even if they repudiate everything Christian and live a debauched life, never repent and end up in Hell by their own choice–the mark will remain.  The same is true of Confirmation, Marriage and Holy Orders. Marriage and Holy Orders are entries into a state of life.  This … Continue reading