The Love of Christ Urges Us On!

For the Pope's message for World Mission Sunday, go to:
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/messages/missions/documents/hf_ben-xvi_mes_20100206_world-mission-day-2010_en.html

Feast of Blessed Timothy Giaccardo

Friday, October 22: On Friday, we celebrated the feast of Blessed Timothy Giaccardo, the first blessed of the Pauline Family. Blessed Timothy was the "right-hand man" of the Blessed James Alberione, the founder of the Pauline Family. We celebrated his feast with an Hour of Adoration together in our chapel. Later, we enjoyed a special meal and dessert. Blessed Timothy's feast also marks the beginning of the novena to Jesus Divine Master. We are remembering all of our blog readers and their intentions in our novena.

In the School of the Master

My name is Sr. Emily, and since I'm new to the community of Philadelphia, I wanted to introduce myself. I am a first-year novice on apostolic experience. This means that I am in the second stage of formation to become a Daughter of St. Paul (postulancy is the first stage -- to find out more about our postulants, visit their blog at http://fsppostulants.blogspot.com/). Most of the time of novitiate is spent at our motherhouse in Boston, where I and Sr. Sylwia (our other novice) help the publishing house, study, and attend class. For this five-month period of apostolic experience, I have come to our community of Philadelphia to experience the Pauline mission here.

I am originally from Buffalo, NY, and I am the oldest of twelve children. I met the Daughters of St. Paul first at a youth conference, and later at the St. Paul Summer Program, a program for high school women held at our convent in Boston. I was immediately attracted to the joy that the Sisters found in their mission, in community with each other, and especially in prayer with the Lord. Later, as I came to learn more about their spirituality and mission, it was like coming home. It felt more and more like Jesus was calling me to love Him as a Daughter of St. Paul, so in August of 2007 I entered the postulancy. I moved to Boston to enter the novitiate in February of this year.

Being in Philadelphia is a great learning experience. I am thrilled to be involved in so many apostolic projects and initiatives -- watch our blog for pictures and information! But most of all, I am excited to see the ways that Jesus will use me to communicate His love to everyone I meet. Remember, He wants to use you, too!

A few fun facts...

My favorite Scripture quotation: "My grace is enough for you" (2 Cor 12:9)

My favorite season: Autumn!
My favorite ice cream: Strawberry

Sr. Emily and Sr. Sylwia at Sr. Neville Christine's first profession of vows in Boston.

Giving a talk on prayer to a religious education class at a local parish in Philadelphia
Cooking for the community :)

Pauline Apostle in Daily Life!

Sr. Patricia Mary, our local superior and manager, preparing for our annual Christmas Concert and taking care of many other things in between. In her own words, "Fun!"

Our Very Own Author

Tender Mercies, A Book of Prayers for Healing and Coping by Sr. Mary Peter



Sr. Mary Peter shares about why she wrote this book:

Several years ago I began some formal studies in pastoral psychology. In my undergraduate days, the only psychology I had was philosophical psychology. I did not find it very practical. After working closely with some individuals who were volunteers, I discovered that I needed some further background to understand their behavior and my reactions to it. With the hope of helping both myself and the lay people with whom I worked, I enrolled in Boston College’s Institute for Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry. The IREPM as it was called provided many courses that dealt with psychological problems and pastoral concerns. Classes on grief and loss and troubled personalities coupled with weekend seminars offered remedies for caregivers, counselors and those who might be afflicted with mental difficulties.

As any student knows, there is hardly a class without some “paper” due. Ours were no exception. At one point rather than give a heady scientific response to clinical problems, I decided to compose some prayers for the “troubled personality.” Troubled personalities can be people suffering from mild stress to clinical depression. That is a really vast spectrum of people!

The first prayers were a Way of the Cross and a set of meditations on the 20 mysteries of the Rosary. A few “reality check” prayers were part of the initial paper. Of course, I was not advocating a boycott of psychologists or psychiatrists, or of the medications which can relieve stress. Rather, I was directing people to the source of all peace and comfort, the God who created the human heart.

When I presented the original manuscript to our Pauline Books & Media publishing house editors, they saw a need for its contents. The editors asked me to enhance the contents by adding more prayers for specific needs, such as eating disorders, cutting, etc. In the meantime I had knee surgery which gave me the time to research and equip myself to write prayers that would make sense to persons who suffer from the various disorders.

The object of Tender Mercies is to connect you the reader with God, the source of all joy, our ultimate good. Even though real love is anything but “mushy”, it is also tender and constant. May you who read and pray with Tender Mercies be consoled and strengthened in your daily quest to draw closer to God, and to allow God to draw closer to you. Tender Mercies is also available in French.

May this book be a source of blessing to all who read it.

Sister Mary Peter, fsp

God has created me to do Him some definite service

God has created me to do Him some definite service. He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have my mission. I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next. I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons.

He has not created me for naught. I shall do good; I shall do His work.

 I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth in my own place,

while not intending it if I do but keep His commandments.

Therefore, I will trust Him, whatever I am, I can never be thrown away. If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him, in perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him. If I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him. He does nothing in vain. He knows what He is about. He may take away my friends. He may throw me among strangers. He may make me feel desolate, make my spirits sink, hide my future from me. Still, He knows what He is about.

-Blessed Cardinal Newman

Camden Diocese Charismatic Conference

Saturday, October 9--Sunday, October 10: "If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts!" This was the theme of the Camden Diocese Charistmatic Conference that Sr. Neville, Sr. Peter, and Sr. Emily attended in Wildwood, New Jersey. Hundreds of people participated from the dioceses of southern New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania. Sr. Neville and Sr. Emily went on Saturday and attended both the adult track and the teen track. We shared our Pauline mission with many people, and were inspired by the faith and joy of the participants. On Sunday, the three of us returned for the closing sessions and Mass. We had lunch on the boardwalk by the beach and enjoyed the beautiful ocean scenery. We even received some flowers for our chapel at the end of the conference. Come, Holy Spirit!

Sr. Peter and Sr. Neville with Fr. Bakey, one of the priests at the conference

Sr. Emily, attending to novice duties even outside the novitiate!

We don't know why, but the photographer cut off the "wood" in "Wildwood"!

Meet the Community!

(From left to right): Sr. Patricia Mary, Sr. Emily, Sr. Neville Christine, Sr. Mary Peter

Our community in Philadelphia is growing! Sr. Patricia Mary and Sr. Neville Christine welcomed Sr. Mary Peter and Sr. Emily. Sr. Patricia Mary is from Staten Island, NY. Sr. Neville Christine is originally from Cameroon and lived in Augusta, GA before she joined the Daughters of St. Paul. Sr. Mary Peter is from Youngstown, OH. Sr. Emily is from Buffalo, NY and she is a novice spending a time of apostolic experience in Philadelphia. You will be hearing from Sr. Mary Peter and Sr. Emily soon!

Workshop on the New Roman Missal & Liturgical Renewal

  

  



Saturday, October 16, 2010, 8:30 AM—4:30PM

Saint Helena Church

1489 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422-0809

ROMAN MISSAL FORMATION

IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA

This workshop is especially designed for priests, deacons, parish liturgical leaders and catechists to provide the tools to teach others about the Sacred Liturgy and the new words we will pray at Mass with the revised English Translation.

Plan now to attend and encourage those who collaborate with you in parish liturgical formation to attend as well.  See the Mystical Body-Mystical Voice website, www.mysticalbodymysticalvoice.com for additional information and resources.

This workshop—which inaugurates the archdiocesan period of immediate preparation for the use of the revised English translation of the Roman Missal—is sponsored by the Office for Worship of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and the Liturgical Institute at Mundelein, IL.

To register early, contact the Office for Worship

at 215-587-3537, or

http://archphila.org/evangelization/worship/worship.htm

Lectures by Local Author Fr. Brian Bransfield

Fr. Brian Bransfield is a priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. He currently serves at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops as Assistant General Secretary and Executive Director of the Secretariat of Evangelization and Catechesis. Fr. Bransfield will be delivering lectures and talks on his new book The Human Person According to John Paul II, published by Pauline Books and Media. Most of these lectures will be held in our local parishes here in Philadelphia. We will be present with a book display of Fr. Bransfield's new book as well as other inspiring titles.

Mark your calendars!

• Lecture on The Human Person according to Pope John Paul II on November 6th beginning at 9:00am at Corpus Christi Parish Landsdale PA
• Lecture for Permanent Deacons on December 4th 2010 at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Wynnewood, PA
• Lecture on The Beautiful Truths of Catholic Teaching & the Thought of Pope John Paul II on February 12th 2011 at St. Coleman Parish, Ardmore
• Lecture on The Human Person according to Pope John Paul II on February 26th 2011 from 10:00am-12:00pm at The Old Church of St Andrew, Newtown 135 South Sycamore St. Newtown, PA 18940
  
  Book Review by Sarah Reinhard

The most compelling reason I have for wanting to stand from my rooftop and trumpet to everyone I know that they should read this book is that it’s approachable AND that it makes the whole idea behind Theology of the Body (republished in an expanded form recently as Man and Woman He Created Them), John Paul II’s great masterpiece (which is also online), approachable...

This book is written by an expert. Above all, Bransfield knows what he’s talking about. There are not only a million footnotes (which are also worth reading, by the way — some great stuff buried there in the back of the book!), but there’s also that air of confidence that comes from really knowing your material. This book is the Real Deal, made even more delightful by the fact that it is so approachable and tangible as it covers such a difficult topic.
The Human Person According to John Paul II gets my highest recommendation. I’d lend you my copy, but it’s dog-eared and underlined and written in many of the margins and, really, I’m not willing to part with it. (I don’t say that about many books, mind you.) I think you’ll find this to be a book worth reading, rereading, and studying. You might even find that it will take you down the road of reading Theology of the Body itself. Happy reading!

Review by Sarah Reinhard http://snoringscholar.com/2010/09/the-beauty-of-the-human-person/