A Note: For regular followers of our archdiocesan blog, you may be wondering why I have re-appeared on “Msgr. Pope’s blog page!” The blog is the effort of a team of people but due to a major reorganization of staff at the Pastoral Center and the appointment of Fr. Hurd to a new position, we have been somewhat distracted. Msgr. Pope has carried the blog for us and we are enormously grateful for that. Thank you Msgr. Pope.
Today, we are introducing a new format, I will be writing regularly, but also inviting colleagues to write on timely topics from the perspective of their ministry or on a particular theme. I hope you enjoy the format and a variety of voices.
Lent Check
Has Lent begun well for you? Is Lent already feeling long? I for one, appreciate the length because it does give us a chance to change course if we feel what we hoped to make work by way of spiritual disciplines is not really working at all. What will make Lent “successful” is not the perfect execution of a plan but a change of mind and heart. I offer these words from Blessed Mother Theresa as the test of the fruitfulness of Lent.
The Fruit of Prayer.
The fruit of silence is prayer
the fruit of prayer is faith
the fruit of faith is love
the fruit of love is service
the fruit of service is peace.
Dear Monsignore Pope, today I got the message that someone called “Susan Timoney” is taking over your blog at blog.adw.org.
It said she “will be writing regulary” and will be featuring “a variety of voices”
This is not acceptable. We, your readers, and I in particular, am not intrested in the words of “Susan Timoney” or her “variety of voices”.
We want your voice. And furthermore I want a proper explanation as to why she has taken over your blog in the first place.
What has happened? I will not accept some beraucratic nonsense about “reorganisation” that has led to “distraction.”
What has happened, – and why has this happened? Please reply to my mail:
Yours
GABRIEL
I will still be writing too
Ah, there you are. Thank Heavens, are you ok?
Why is this happening Monsignore?
Over the time you have written, you have gained our trust, our love, our respect and our friendship.
Thanks Gabriel. I am still here and will remain so, also glad that others continue to contribute to the blog as well.
Gabriel, you are probably not the only one with questions. On the front page, you see list of the primary writers and can click on that to go directly to the blogs that you want to read.
Hello Susan! Great to see another post from you 🙂 I follow the blog regularly but do not comment as much anymore. I would say that Lent has begun fairly well for me, how has it been for you?
Katherine, thanks so much. I have been listening carefully at Mass to the new prayers in the Roman Missal and some of the images they use are quite beautiful. Hoping to carve out more time for silence
Welcome back Susan. I’ve missed how you, and others, have broadened the perspective of this ‘blog and must admit was wondering, and worrying, if our good Monsignor was drifting away from his responsibility to himself and to others to delegate.
I still see him as the key and pivotal person here and rise from my concern with gratitude for the work involved, for him, in keeping the fires of faith well stoked until yourself and the others completed the re-organizational needs.
This article which touched on the length (accepting the process of growth?) of Lent, among other things, set something stirring and I set to compose it into words. I floundered so, pausing to pray and ask for help, I felt moved to open my e mail and found a fresh item from Cardinal Wuerl’s newsletter on “Unloading the Baggage of Sin During Lent” and freely carried on to;
Toward darkness the Light did boldly walk
Teaching still with Holy talk
Caring about the least most of all
Doing the will of His Father’s call
Now centuries later we forty days
Will share a little His courageous ways
Of bringing Himself as sacrifice
He is more than enough and will suffice.
Thanks for the kind words and for this perfect addition to Cardinal Wuerl’s piece.