In the "New Covenant" made by our Creator God with humanity (Jeremiah 31:31-34) every person can know God from within - because the Holy Spirit is revealing our Creator to all who are willing to know the Lord and trust in Him. We can still help each other along the way; so may you be pleased to find here a variety of helps to the life of faith in God through Jesus Christ. G.S.
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Actually,
"Family Life Chaplain" is in fact a "modern" term or title
for the parish priest sent by Jesus to each parish through the
supervisory authority of the local bishop or archbishop (in the case of an
archdiocese). As Jesus received all those who came to Him with any ailment,
complaint, need, or request while He walked this Earth in the Holy Land of
Palestine / Israel; so now Jesus continues to receive all those who seek Him
today all over this Earth through the pastoral presence and kindly services of
the local parish priest. Priests don't necessarily have a charism of healer; so
we continue to employ health services and all the other social services
professionally offered in our day.
The priest continues to be a simple human being like
all of us, a sinner; he isn't perfect yet. This means that we need to love him
as we are called to love one another in our family and close personal circles;
as well as our enemies and all those we don't necessarily like or enjoy....
Those we don't like give us an opportunity to practice perfect, unselfish love;
since we don't expect anything good from such people. At such times God blesses
us through the love we give rather than receive.
Now that the dangers of sexual predation and abuse,
as well as abuse of power, have entered into the public domain and
consciousness; it is obvious that at all times we must all remain vigilant to
note and identify inappropriate behaviour on the part of anyone, including our
priests. This is not because they are more likely to offend, because social
studies indicate they aren’t. No, the reason to assure our vigilance is because
our trust of clergy may reduce our inclination to be vigilant. So we must all
keep our eyes and ears open and our judgement clear and fully operational. That
being said, it would be a great loss not to call upon our parish priests for
the services the Lord Jesus offers us in them.
When the priest offers the Holy Mass, the Holy
Eucharist, it is Jesus Himself who is there, offering Himself anew to his
Father for us. The Holy Spirit gathers all our prayers, adoration,
supplications, praise, contrition, and thanksgiving – the whole offering of our
self and our life since the last time – and places our offering on the altar
with the bread and wine. Through the priest, Jesus offers us, our offering,
along with himself, to the Father. Then, at Holy Communion, the Father answers
our prayers by accepting our offering and in response, He gives us the best
that He has to give; which is his only-begotten Son, Jesus, in Holy Communion.
Jesus gives us a "transfusion" of the divine life and love He has
with the Father and the Holy Spirit in the Most Holy Trinity. With each Holy
Communion we become more and more able to live, love, forgive, and serve as
children of God, living images of Jesus in our world today; in this way He
shines his divine light for the world.
It is the same with all of the sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation,
Reconciliation (Penance or Confession), the Anointing of the Sick, and
Marriage. We see and hear the parish priest, but always it is Jesus who through
the sacrament of Holy Orders receives us, listens to us, speaks to us, prays
with us, offers us words of instruction and encouragement, extends his hands
over us in blessing, anoints us with holy oil, offers us forgiveness and
absolution of our sins, challenges us to make better efforts to approach God,
get to know Him and his ways, and give Him a return of love for all of the love
He constantly pours into us in the Holy Spirit.... No matter how "disappointing"
we may find the "wrapping" – the human limits of the priest – we can
be assured that it is Jesus who is there, serving and blessing us. Jesus
promised He would be with us all days until the end of time, and He is faithful.
Jesus, in union with his Eternal Father and the Holy Spirit, ALWAYS keeps his
promises.
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We began to employ the title Family Life
Chaplain in 2013.
First, as intended in September 2013 by Auxiliary Bishop Tom
Dowd, the FLC had the effect of a “ploughshare” to break open new ground as a
form of “spiritual direction” for couples and families to accompany them. This
new service also served as a support to parish faith communities and their
parish priests, who are sent by the Lord Jesus and appointed by the Archbishop
as the immediate, "front line pastors of couples and families" – the
regular or "ordinary" Family Life Chaplains.
Second, the Family
Life Chaplain served for 7 years as a “lightning rod” for couples and families
searching for support in their faith and vocation to marriage and family life:
to give them an opportunity to better understand their faith and to enter more
deeply into their relationship with God and with other human beings. Faith is
God's gift to all who accept it to give them "new eyes, ears, minds, and
hearts" to live their life no longer as isolated individuals crushed by
heavy burdens, feeling abandoned, unwanted, or unloved. They can live life as
children of the one true God and Creator of all who is a triune community of
divine persons who truly love them. The Most Holy Trinity offers them all the
supernatural gifts they need to endure the troubles of life and to safely
navigate through all the obstacles and dangers of life under the lordship of
Jesus Christ. When we believe in Jesus as Son of God and our Saviour and Lord,
He pours into us the Holy Spirit, Lord and Giver of Life, with his supernatural
gifts enabling us to follow Jesus in this life as his disciples.
Third, the Family
Life Chaplain acted as “spiritual advisor” with movements that support couples
and families and as needed offered them accompaniment, encouragement, and
spiritual advice.
Fourth, the Family
Life Chaplain served as a member of the Diocesan Center for Marriage, Life, and Family: to collaborate and help to develop within the
Diocese its concerted multilingual and multicultural mission to couples,
families, and society at large. The DCMLF is networking with other
pastoral agents labouring courageously and generously within The Office for English Pastoral Services, Mission Jeunesse, Social Action, Faith Education, and Pastoral Home Care.
Fifth, the Family
Life Chaplain served as “spiritual advisor” and member of Montreal's first
English language "Team of Our Lady", a
worldwide Catholic movement that forms teams of 4 to 6 married couples with
their children and one priest. Jesus intends for the complementarity between
these two life vocations of Marriage / Matrimony and Holy Orders / Priesthood
to provide an ongoing opportunity for mutual help and encouragement in living
out their respective vocations. Married couples and priests are both called to
holiness as missionary disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ and enthusiastic
witnesses to everyone they meet of God’s divine love and mercy in the world.
So, today, you who are engaged or married
couples and parents have much to gain by developing your connection with God
into a more personal relationship. The Holy Trinity – Father, Son (Jesus), and
the Holy Spirit – are always “at work” within us. They ask that we “pay
attention” and “be open” to their love, “light”, and “guidance” and allow them
to "make themselves at home" within us and in our married couples and
families. We have everything to gain and nothing to lose by trusting in God!
Don't hesitate to approach your local parish priest to get to know him and
allow him to get to know you and your family. If until now you have not been
offering God worship and adoration on Sunday, the Lord's Day, now would be a good
time to begin. You can find your local parish by going to the Diocese of
Montreal's website here. Use this search tool to find your local parish.
You may find you live near two or more R.C. parishes, English and French, as
well as ethnic churches.
Introduce yourself and your family to your parish priest. Remember, your parish priest is truly your Family Life Chaplain, and in him you will find Jesus present, waiting, and eager to welcome you; however imperfect the priest may be humanly speaking. Who among us is perfect, anyway, right? Make an act of faith and trust in Jesus, and open yourself to the services Jesus offers you through his priests. God bless you and your family!
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"Our Lady of Ville Marie, Our Lady
of Guadalupe, Our Lady of Lourdes, Our Lady of Fatima, Our Mother of Perpetual
Help, please pray for our married couples, for our families, for our children,
parents, and siblings, and lead us into the peaceful, loving, and joyful life
you lived with Joseph and Jesus in Nazareth. Amen."
Pope Leo XIII & the Prayer to Saint
Michael the Archangel
Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in the day of battle. Be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God cast into hell Satan and all evil spirits who prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.
Our Lady of Guadalupe - Her Apparitions
Fatima - all about the apparitions in 1917 and later
Fatima - Angel’s Prayer “O Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore Thee profoundly. I offer Thee the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifferences by which He is offended. By the infinite merits of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary I beg the conversion of poor sinners.”
“Most Holy Trinity, I adore Thee! My God, my God, I love Thee in the Most Blessed Sacrament.”
In our lives and relationship with God, Our Lady of Fatima teaches us about the importance of silence + + + and also about penance & Penance
Fatima - Pardon Prayer “My God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love Thee! I beg pardon for all those that do not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love Thee.”
Our Lady of Fatima's plan for peace - Faith, Prayer, Penance, Devotion, and Consecration of Russia, the World, and us.... Our Lady of Fatima’s Plan for Peace requires devotion on our part – See how Saint Pope John Paul II responded to Mary with his collegial consecration of 1984
Fatima - Decade Prayer (at end of each decade of the Rosary) “O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those most in need of Thy mercy. Amen.”
Blog: https://fathergilles.blogspot.com/ Blogue : https://lafractiondupain.blogspot.com/
RETURN TO CATHOLIC CHRISTIAN TOOLS PAGE
In the "New Covenant" made by our Creator God with humanity (Jeremiah 31:31-34) every person can know God from within - because the Holy Spirit is revealing our Creator to all who are willing to know the Lord and trust in Him. We can still help each other along the way; so may you be pleased to find here a variety of helps to the life of faith in God through Jesus Christ. G.S.
© 2006-2021 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal QC
© 2006-2021 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC
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