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Congregation of the
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Publisher: Very Reverend Norman B. Pelletier,
SSS: (440) 442-6311
Editor: Mrs. Jill Mayock (440) 442-6311
The Catholic Community has just finished one of its most inspiring liturgical seasons. Advent and Christmas together easily fire up what has become common parlance in theological circles today and that is the "Catholic imagination." Few would question the power of symbols as we move liturgically from the Advent candles, through to the feasts of All Saints, All Souls, the Immaculate Conception and Our Lady of Guadalupe, on to the simple yet sometimes spectacular crib scenes on Christmas Day. We are visually feasted. The sights and sounds of the Catholic liturgy proclaim a faith deeply-rooted in the earth, in human nature, and in the reality of the spiritual in everyday life. It is nothing less than the Incarnation that we celebrate. Our participation in this reality is where our faith touches the road.
Shortly, we will begin the Lenten liturgical season in preparation for the Easter Triduum. Once again we are surrounded by symbols and sounds of a faith that is discovered and nourished in community. It is, after all, the community that creates the conditions for us to be who we are, the Body of Christ. At Christmas, we recall the birth of the Son of God in the flesh. The body of the child becomes the source of our salvation. At Easter, this same body will be offered for the redemption of all of mankind. The Catholic imagination follows the Way of the Cross, and through His passion, death, and resurrection, the Body of Christ is born anew. That is why we Catholics see God everywhere, because we have been formed to see all of creation as that wonderful gift wherein God reveals Himself.The notion of God=s presence is at the heart of the Catholic imagination. God is discoverable in humankind, in people, in events, in creation, in the flesh. God is especially present to us in the community of believers and in the liturgical assemblies where we explicitly proclaim God's presence and celebrate God=s generosity and love. And at the center of all of this is the Eucharist, our Immanuel, and our food for the journey. From the manger to the empty tomb, the liturgy of the Church leads us in songs of adoration and thanksgiving: For the Word was made flesh and dwells among us. It is the liturgy that shapes our Catholic imagination, thus, it behooves us to make every effort to participate fully and frequently.
After a twelve hour flight, I arrived in Tel Aviv on Sunday evening Sept. 6th. After a half hour ride on a sherut (shared taxi), I arrived at Tantur, just south of Jerusalem, just in time for dinner. Some of our 13 participants in the Continuing Education Program had arrived and the remainder would be arriving in the next few days. Our group proved to be a very active body of people. After breakfast the next morning, we were off to Bethlehem, about a half hour south from Tantur, for a walking trip. Our walk took us past Israeli and Palestinian check points, something that people from the West are not used to. (Thinking back to the history of the Holy Land and the time of Jesus, occupation was a familiar word, that is, Roman occupation.) These things did not stop our group from visiting places that some (pilgrims and tourists) might question.
Tantur is an Ecumenical Institute that came about in the early 1960s as a result of the Second Vatican Council, a dream of Pope Paul VI's. The land was purchased by the Vatican and Tantur opened in 1971. Today, the operation of Tantur is in the hands of the University of Notre Dame. Tantur continues the search for Christian unity and inter-church harmony, and is a center for peace and justice. The program explores the relationships between Christianity and other world faiths, especially Judaism and Islamic. Many groups of Jews, Christians, and Muslims come together on a regular basis to work for peace and justice at this neutral place.
Tantur has three programs available: The Scholars Program, lasting from two months to a year is for junior and senior scholars involved in independent research or working with others on a major theme in biblical, historical, liturgical and theological studies. The Continuing Education Program, for parish clergy, teachers, and other church workers offers spiritual renewal and is accomplished by biblical studies and spiritualities in context; guided field trips in biblical geography and archeology; the eastern churches; Jewish and Islamic spiritualities; the social, political and religious situation in the Holy Land; and practices of ecumenical and interreligious relations. The third program is for those theological students following a graduate degree in theology and religious studies.
For most of the program, the mornings are used for classes and the afternoons are free for private study, reading, and small group field trips, although full day field trips are available. Sundays are free for Liturgies in local churches. There are many outside lectures, concerts, and movies covering a wide range of topics that are held in the Jerusalem/Bethlehem area that helps to augment what is taught in the Tantur program. On September 11th I attended a prayer service with two members from the Tantur community, hosted by the Interreligious Council in Israel.
I was also able to be a part of the Jewish feasts that fell during the last months of the yearCRosh Hashana, Yom Kippur and Succot. Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) is a day that makes it easy to understand what it means to be Jewish. On this day, there is nothing moving on the roads except for people walking to the synagogue. All people in Jewish areas are expected to respect this day. In fact, we had to change our class on that day because our teacher was coming from the Old City of Jerusalem, a trip that requires a car.
Rosh Hashana and Succot are feasts of a more festive nature. The first day
of Succot, our group (participants in the Continuing Education and Scholars
Programs) went to the synagogue of our teacher of Jewish studies, and afterwards
to the home of a family where we took part in the meal, a very prayerful and
rich experience. There were ten host families, some who have lived in Israel
all their lives and others coming from other countries. In the family that I
was with, the husband came from the U.S. and the wife from Iraq . Their daughter
was a senior in high school and would be entering the army in another year.
During the meal, we had time to discuss the political situation in their country,
the Palestinian issue, the economy, and the labor strikes.
During my stay, the Muslim community also celebrated the month of Ramadan from
the last week of October to the third week of November, and at the close of
the month of Ramadan, the feast of Eid Al Fitr takes place, lasting three days.
Muslims pay visits to family and friends, and children are given gifts and money.
Special feasts were not the only times that we would mix with the local people.
Our trips to Bethleham and the surrounding area put us in contact with the local
Arab Christians. From time to time, we would be invited in for coffee as we
would be passing a home. The locals got to know the people from Tantur since
we [kind of stood out and] were the ones always walking. As one Palestinian
taxi driver said, You never take the taxi, you always walk.
One evening, I was invited to the home of a Palestinian Christian for dinner. I asked one of our group to come with me, Alan Roberts, a priest from New Zealand. In the Arab culture, dinner is a bit more involved that what we are used to. After introductions, you are served juice, fruit, and nuts and you talk; then you are served tea, and you talk some more. We talk about any subject and, because of the political situation, end up talking about the occupation and the check points and the papers needed simply to be able to work. Then, dinner comes. Five hours later we were home, but not until we had a tour of the WALL on the way.
Now that I have had time to step back and look over the Tantur program, I know that my time in Israel was well worth the effort. Time does not permit me to review all of my days, class work, or field trips. Some classes and related field trips really stand out in my memoryCclasses on Judaism: The Jewish Bible and Talmud; Jewish Calendar; Women in Judaism; Land in Jewish Thought; First and Second Temple; the Holocaust and Jewish Identity; and the related trips to those sites of the City of David; the digs of the second Temple; and the trip covering Jewish Identity as reflected in various locations - the western wall, the new city of Jerusalem, and Mea Sharim(the stronghold of Jewish Orthodoxy).
Also standing out are classes on Islam: A Religion and a Way of Life; Pre-Islamic Middle East; and The Prophet Muhammad. Included topics covered are: Islamic beliefs, rituals, history, family, gender relations, status of women, Islam=s encounter with the West, and the trip to Haram al-Sharif (the Dome of the Rock, or the Noble Sanctuary).
Three trips that stand out on their own are: the Negev desert, (Mamshit, Beersheva,
Arad) which fit in with the early history of the Jewish people. The Judean Desert,
(Massada, Dead Sea, Ein Gedi and Qumran) helped us to better understand a part
of the latter Jewish history.
Last but not least was our five day trip to Galilee. Five days was too short
a time to be able to see and experience the history of the area. I had more
time than the regular pilgrim gets, but to be able to dwell on many of the places
where Jesus lived and moved, but to give time for study, one would need much
more time. I have to say that the trip was wonderful. I can understand why Jesus
spent so much time in GalileeCthe land is green, rich in crops and fruit trees,
and the sea was at a very high level, as it would have been at the time Jesus
lived there.
There is a saying in Israel: Jerusalem prays, Tel Aviv plays and Haifa works, so on my break, I wanted to see if that was true. I went to visit Dan Schrouder, OFM, in Jaffa which is next to Tel Aviv. (Some of our SSS members remember him.) Tel Aviv does indeed play. It is like a small New York City. I did not get to Haifa, so I have no first-hand info on that, but people there say it is so. It is there at their large seaport that most of the goods come into Israel come into Haifa. The Franciscan community in Jaffa (St. Anthony's Parish) was most welcoming to me. There are three in the communityCtwo from the U.S. and one from Italy. There is a second church, St. Peter's, which is one of the Holy Places that Pilgrims frequentCthat community has five Franciscans. The average size of most Franciscan communities in the Holy Land is five.
This report may read like a sales pitch, and maybe parts of it are. I know
that the political situation deters people from going to Israel, but for the
most part, Israel is safe and the sabbatical programs, (those that are still
open) are safe. It is sad that the media slants peoples= minds into a negative
understanding of the events in the area. Being in Israel and seeing first-hand
the reality of the situation has given me the full picture. According to their
own newspapers, there are more people killed in auto accidents than in terrorist
attacks. The real question and issue at hand is the just settlement of the problem
between Israel and Palestine. The issue of the land and the rights of both people
require a just resolution. It comes down to the land and Religion. The Wall,
to anyone who has seen it and its path, looks very much like a "land grab"
on the part of Israel, and not a security measure, as Israel states. There are
those in Israel and Palestine who are working for peace and justice and many
who are praying for the same. We need to involve the whole world in the efforts
for peace and justice in the Holy Land.
I hope that I have given the readers of this Newsletter a small insight into
the Tantur Program and some of the issues involved in the political situation
in the Holy Land. This experience has effected me deeply and I would go back
to the Holy Land at any time.
There are two days in every week that we should not worry about,
two days that should be kept free from fear and apprehension.
One is YESTERDAY, with its mistake and cares, its fruits and blunders, its aches
and pains.
Yesterday has passed, forever beyond our control.
We cannot undo a single word we've said - yesterday is gone.
The other day we shouldn't worry about is TOMORROW,
with its impossible adversaries, its burden, its hopeful promise and poor performance.
Tomorrow is beyond control.
Tomorrow's sun will rise either in splendor or behind a mask of clouds - but
it will rise.
And until it does, we have no stake in tomorrow, for it is yet unborn.
This leaves only on day - TODAY.
Any person can fight the battles of just one day.
It is only when we add the burdens of yesterday and tomorrow that we break down.
It is not the experience of today that drives people mad,
it is the remorse of bitterness for something which happened yesterday,
and dread of what tomorrow may bring.
LET US THEREFORE, LIVE ONE DAY AT A TIME!
Author Unknown
Each year from January 18th to January 25th throughout the world, Christians pray for the unity of the church and all Christians. This worldwide movement of prayer began in 1908 through the inspiration of Fr. Paul Watson, an Anglican, who later became a Roman Catholic and the founder of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. Also influential in the development of the Week of Prayer was Abbé Paul Couturier of Lyons, France, who established the Centre St. Irénée for the promotion of Christian unity. Other influences are the Second Vatican Council and the World Council of Churches.
The theme for this year's Week of Prayer is: My peace I give you - not as the world gives. Let not your hearts be troubled (John 14:23-31). The English version of the international theme developed by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (Rome) and the World Council of Churches (Geneva) is the work of the Graymoor Ecumenical and Interrelgious Institute and other ecumenists in the English-speaking world.
During this Week of Prayer many ecumenical gatherings and events are scheduled at all levels. In Manhattan, the East Side Deanery of the Archdiocese will hold an ecumenical service on Sunday, January 18, 2004 at St. Monica Catholic Church (413 East 79th St. B East of First Ave). We encourage your participation.
Why Pray for Unity?
The Second Vatican Council emphasized that the movement for Christian unity
is the work of the Holy Spirit and at its heart is spiritual ecumenism. The
unity of the church is God's work more
than our own. Jesus himself prayed for the unity of his followers, so that
the world may believe -
(Jn 17:21) and, while his prayer will be answered, it requires a change of mind,
heart, and attitude on the part of his followers. Indeed, the history of Christianity
is one of continuing divisions. While God gives unity through his saving grace,
Christians are not always ready or willing to receive it. Hence the need for
prayer, not to change God's mind, but ours.
Abbé Couturier was especially convinced of the need for prayer. He encouraged people to pray for the kind of unity which Jesus Christ desired for his Church as he wants it and when he wants it. Couturier realized the many obstacles preventing Christians from accepting one another in love, forgiveness and unity. He knew that some of the obstacles to unity were virtually insurmountable, given the depth of suffering, and the breadth of separation among Christians over the centuries.
In recent years, the Groupe des Dombes (and more recently the Princeton Report of 2002) have emphasized the need for conversion for Christian unity to be achieved. Such conversion can only result from prayer. Hence, the importance of this concerted effort to pray for unity represented by the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
The Catholic Commitment to Unity Pope John Paul II has often repeated that the Catholic Church is irrevocably committed to Christian unity. He did so again in his encyclical on ecumenism Ut Unum Sint (That All May Be One) (1995). This means that the church will never stop praying and working for unity. Neither should we.
The Second Vatican Council established the principles on which the search for Christian unity will be pursued in the Catholic Church. The Directory for the Application of Principles and Norms on Ecumenism (1993) elaborates and specifies the way in which these principles are to be implemented. The Pontifical Council for Christian Unity organizes and promotes unity on a worldwide scale in the Catholic Church. Each diocese promotes Christian unity as well, usually through its Office for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs.
Dialogues are established at various levels to promote better understanding and cooperation among Christians, and these dialogues have succeeded in bringing mutual understanding and respect among Christians. At St. Jean Baptiste Church, prayer and efforts will continue during this week and throughout the coming year to promote better understanding, respect, and unity among Christians.
This past year the Vocation Office has undergone a major transformation. The office is functioningin a different way than it had in the past (with one director) since we have shifted models of operation to the entire Vocation Council being responsible for coordinating the work of this office. Fr. Scott Haig was transferred to Corpus Christi church in Houston this past August and he continues his work in vocations with the assistance of six other Blessed Sacrament religious who have also committed themselves to this vital ministry along with their many additional responsibilities. The Vocation Council presently consists of Br. Michael Perez, Frs. Frederico Ablog, William Fickel, Scott Haig, John Thomas Lane, Robert Rousseau, and Joseph Thai Minh Tran.
The Vocation Office remains in Cleveland and works directly with Fr. Tom Wiese and the Communications Office. Joann Lentine continues her work in the office answering phone calls, emails and correspondence, as well as preparing ads, promotional materials, and vocation awareness activities. When a follow-up is needed, Joann directs potential candidates to a vocation minister who then continues contact with the candidate through interviews, community visits, telephone, and email correspondence. This change is meant to expand vocation awareness throughout the Province, not only with candidates, but also in the SSS communities.
Many vocation awareness events are being planned for 2004. Br. Michael O'Leary and Joann recently participated in a Vocational Fair at a local parish where parishioners were invited to talk with various religious orders in the Cleveland Diocese following the weekend Masses. Frs. Scott and Bill spent the last week of January with the students at St. Paschal Baylon, where the students were able to witness the special gift of their vocation and encouraged to always follow Jesus. They provided tours of the Rectory for students in grades 1-4, classroom visits, vocation talks and Mass instruction for students in grades 5-8. A special thanks to Deacon Joe, Fr. Tom Smithson, and FR. Roger Bourgeois for their assistance throughout the week. Come and See retreats will be held throughout the year at SSS communities in Cleveland, Albuquerque, New York, Florida, and Houston where young men between the ages of 18 and 40 are invited to experience a weekend with the Blessed Sacrament religious.
This past August, the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament welcomed two postulants, Anthony Marshall from Cleveland, Ohio, and John Christman from Menasha, Wisconsin. They are presently living, studying, and working in Albuquerque under the guidance of their Postulant Director, Fr. Thai. There are a few young men who are currently in discernment with the vocation ministers and the Congregation - please keep them in your prayers. The responsibility of vocation work falls on everyone, including you! Please continue to pray for vocations and also encourage the youth of today to pray for guidance and an open heart to follow Jesus.
The year got underway as, a work in progress. It seems life is marked
by change, and change is a daily occurrence here at the CEE. On January 7 we
were all surprised to learn that one of our Life In The Eucharist team members
died unexpectedly during the night. Mary Brasseaux was a person who shared her
life and presence in a variety of ways here at Corpus Christi. From the inception
of the LITE teams she was always available with her musical skills to help all
the Houston teams. Mary's death reminds us of how fragile life is and how in
death we too are changed into that which is Eternal. We will miss her very much
and ask you to remember Mary and her Mother in your prayers.As a work in progress
the Houston teams are kept busy doing an assortment of Eucharistic Parish Outreach.
The three volume Manna resource enables the LITE team members to create tailored
made programs for parishes. Such was the program offered at St. Albert of Trapani
where for four evenings parishioners enjoyed the topics: Eucharist and Our Lady,
Saying Yes to God and Others; Eucharist and the Poor, United In the Spirit with
Those Who are Poor and Weak; Eucharist and Friendship, I Shall No Longer Call
you Servants, I call you Friends; Eucharist and the Holy Spirit, The Love of
God in Action. The Manna Series offers excellent ongoing development in Eucharistic
spirituality and is available from the Center.
Team members have moved to new locations, but bonds are not broken. Rather,
team members traveled to the new home of Luis and Peggy Marroquin in Lampasas,
Texas, to offer the LITE seminar to the people of St. Mary=s parish. The LITE
seminar was also offered to the parishioners of St. Pius parish in Passadina,
Texas.
As we deal with changes and new beginnings, we also recognize the bond that
is being forged with our LITE team members and the SSS. There are some new initiatives
underway with our SSS parishes. Father J.T. Lane, SSS has invited a traveling
team of Father Bill Fickel, SSS, Noreen Wright and Nancy MacRoberts to come
to St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Albuquerque, New Mexico to rekindle the spirit
of LITE there. The team in Albuquerque has been inactive for a while but the
Center hopes to bring the LITE team back to life with this visit, support and
encouragement. The weekend has been designed as a Eucharistic day of prayer,
To Rekindle the Gift of God that is Within You. based on two chapters
of Manna. The day of prayer will conclude with an invitation for all who are
interested in this ministry of Eucharistic Evangelization to form a new LITE
team at St. Charles to offer the LITE seminar in the near future.
Father Edward Stapleton, SSS has been instrumental in planning a LITE I seminar
to be given in March at the Blessed Sacrament parish, St. Vincent de Paul Church
in Holiday, Florida. The goal is to form a new LITE team there. Father Bill
will follow the seminar with a parish mission, Eucharisma, the gift of Eucharist.
Team training is underway for LITES II, the Old Testament Background to Eucharist
and will be given on the five Tuesdays at Most Holy Trinity Church in Angleton,
Texas in March. The Center is currently training the Houston LITES II team to
give this program.
Christmas was beautiful in Cleveland! CNN reported that the one city in the country that had a truly "White Christmas" was Cleveland-they described the scene as a "photographer's paradise". But Christmas was beautiful both inside and out.
St. Paschal made the season truly one of love and giving through a flurry of activities - the parish Christmas party was shared by 300 families who enjoyed both the parish choir and the school choir, and cheered Santa as he arrived. Many parish ministries worked to make the season one of joy and love for those less fortunate through their visitation at the Ronald McDonald House, women's shelters, and the homeless. They provided clothing and gifts, mere symbols of the love of Christ that was shared through their kindness and generosity.
A particularly moving memory is of two parish families that had particular difficulties that were visited by Santa and his helper on Christmas Eve. Their visit and their gifts (donated by other parishioners) will not be forgotten by those families, and Santa and his helper will not soon forget the look of appreciation and gratitude on the faces of the family members.
The Church, as always, was a sight to behold, beautiful because of the hard work and dedication of the Arts and Environment Committee, and filled with the joyous sound of the parish choir.
St. Paschal is looking forward to the many activities associated with Catholic Schools Week - including visits of the school children with Frs. Scott Haig, Bill Fickel, Tom Smithson and Deacon Joe. On Saturday, February 21, the parish continues its 50th anniversary celebration by holding a potluck dinner, complete with music and dancing. These festivities will begin with a Polka Mass at 4:30 p.m.
Happy New Year! How are you doing on your New Year resolutions? Let us pray that our spirit of hopefulness, the anticipation of a fruitful year, and our prayers for peace continue well into 2004.
Super Bowl and Souper Bowl - Houston style! While all thoughts are shifting from Christmas to the football playoffs, many Houstonians are already anticipating the arrival of the Super Bowl and its myriad of activities on Sunday, February 1. Because these events will be held within the boundaries of Corpus Christi Parish, our thoughts swing from how to welcome visitors to the church for Mass, to how to negotiate the additional volume of traffic!
Like many other parishes throughout the United States, our Religious Education
classes and school students, along with the Knights of Columbus, St. Vincent
de Paul Society, and Social Justice committee, will help to collect food and
cash donations on Souper Bowl Sunday. We plan to provide food and cash resources
for the Houston Food Bank and our neighborhood food pantry, Braes Interfaith
Ministries.
Typical Texas (and Corpus Christi) hospitality will be offered with the usual
coffee, donuts, soda, and nachos after Mass to welcome our Super Bowl visitors
and introduce them to our parish.
On another note, we are pleased to welcome our new school principal, Ms. Claire
Mueller. After months of preparation, and interviews by the Principal Search
Committee, Ms. Mueller was hired to begin her ministry in Catholic education
on January 5, the beginning of the school's second semester. She brings 18 years
of teaching and administrative experience from both private and public education.
Eagerly embracing her new role and first job as a principal, it is not unusual
to find Ms. Mueller greeting our students at the door each morning, chatting
with students and parents during basketball games, observing in classrooms,
meeting with teachers, or reading a story to the Kindergarten class. Claire's
leadership will build upon the wonderful legacy left by previous principals
and pastors, honoring the rich traditions of Corpus Christi, while advancing
the very important mission of serving the needs of our children and their thirst
for knowledge. This past summer, the Strategic Planning Task Force, as well
as faculty members, wrote a new mission statement for the school. It is this
mission that we strive to uphold:
Corpus Christi Catholic School is a diverse community committed to living our
faith,
and to challenging the whole child through academic excellence, physical development,
and
social-emotional growth in a respectful and supportive environment.
This year's Catholic Schools Week theme, A Faith-Filled Future, reflects the
important role we believe Corpus Christi School plays in the future of our students,
our Catholic community, and our world.
Christmas Eve was Fantastic! Here at the Church of St. Andrew, the days before this Holy Day were filled with much preparation. The decorations in the Church were tastefully completed on time. The altar was adorned with white and red poinsettias to add the finishing touch. The Midnight Mass was very well attended by parishioners, families in the area, and others from all over the world. The Gospel of Luke spoke of the events around the birth of the Christ. His story of the birth of Jesus spoke of the spectacular way in which God breaks into our human history. It is a tale highlighted by the mysterious. Angels speaking, the wise men following the star from the East, and heavenly hosts proclaiming, adding to the sense of the extra-ordinary which surrounded the birth. Everything appeared to fall right into place.
One thing that happened during the days prior to Christmas Eve I would like to share with you. It is not a spectacular thing but rather another example of how God manifests Himself to us. It may appear like a small event, but isn't that the way in which God breaks into our life. A few weeks before Christmas, a firefighter from the "9/11" Duane Street House came to the door of the rectory. We made a deal for Christmas - the toys, which we collected here at St. Andrew's and the cash and toys collected by the firehouse on Duane Street would select St. Vincent's Hospital Pediatric unit and The Foundling Home (orphanage) as the recipients of our gifts. Together we hoped to make this holiday for the children in the hospital and in the orphanage a bit brighter.
After calls and visits back and forth, we gathered all of our toys and those
collected in the firehouse and made our first visit to the orphanage. After
unloading two vans of toys and our Santa, Firefighter Murphy, one of the sisters
came down with six or seven residents. As usual, Santa asked the timeless question,
What do you want for Christmas? One of the smallest in the little group
simply said, "I want to come home with you Santa!" All of our hearts
strings were tugged and our eyes welled with tears. After some photos and other
greetings, we piled back into the vans. The last image I have is that of the
small group of children pressing their noses and faces against the glass door
tearfully waving good bye to all of us.
The second stop for Santa and his small band of elves was to St. Vincent's on
the West Side. After sorting out the bags, we finally got started. We arrived
on the floor and began to follow our host, Santa, on his merry trip. A small
boy named Mark occupied the first room we came to. His eyes were blank and vacant
until Santa announced his arrival. When he saw Santa, I could swear that his
eyes danced with wonder and hope. I saw real "Christmas eyes" this
year in the children we visited, in the generosity of our parishioners and in
the members of the Duane Street Firehouse.
In comparison to the events surrounding the birth of Jesus, our life is very
ordinary. It is in the ordinary, though, that God speaks to each and every one
of us. Please don't forget to say a prayer for me. (Jim Hayes, SSS)
ALL RELIGIOUS, especially those who are ill and suffering that God would bring healing and strength to them.
MR. LEONARD BOECKMAN, the father of BR. ALLEN BOECKMAN, S.S.S., who passed away on December 24, 2003. Mr. Boeckman was 87 years old.
IRENE BELLIVEAU, sister of FR. ROGER PREFONTAINE, S.S.S., who passed away on Sunday, January 18, 2004.
MRS. MARGARET HARDY, sister-in-law of BR. EDMUND HARDY, S.S.S., who passed away on Friday, January 30, In Yorkshire, England.
May the souls of all the faithful departed rest in the peace of God and may their families be comforted during this time of loss.
(including Paris, Chartres, Lyon, Taizé, Ars, Grenoble,La Mure d'Isère,
the Marian Shrines of LaSalette, Notre Dame de Fourvière, Notre Dame
du Laus, Notre Dame de l'Osier, and more)
Our pilgrimage will take us to the places important in St. Peter Julian Eymard's life and ministry B in a sense we will walk in his footsteps. Through the expert guidance and reflections of Fr. Norman Pelletier, (former Superior General of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament and present Provincial Superior of the Congregation in the U.S.A.) we will learn of Fr. Eymard's journey of faith and visit the places that inspired him most, including several Marian shrines where his vocation was nurtured and where he was inspired to found a Congregation dedicated to the total Eucharistic Mystery.September 27- October 9, 2004
$2,295.00/person
(round trip to Paris from Liberty International Airport in Newark, NJ; double
occupancy)
sponsored by
The Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament
and
The Center for Eucharistic Evangelizing
Houston, Texas
under the direction of
Fr. Norman B. Pelletier, SSS
(Author of the popular biography of St. Peter Julian Eymard, Tomorrow Will
Be Too Late)
For more information and an informative brochure on the pilgrimage IN
THE FOOTSTEPS OF ST. PETER JULIAN EYMARD call or write to:
The Center for Eucharistic Evangelizing
9900 Stella Link Road
Houston, Texas 77025
Tel: 713-661-3958 Fax: 713-662-2014
E-mail: cee@hal-pc.org
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