Our Lady of the Desert Church, Tucson AZ
Fr Paul Coury, Redemptorist Associates, and friends celebrated St Alphonsus Liguori’s 322nd Birthday September 27th making hundreds of sandwiches for Tucson’s Casa Maria Catholic Worker Community soup kitchen. It clearly wasn’t all work.
*Bishop, Doctor of the Church, and the founder of the Redemptorist Congregation: St Alphonsus was born Alphonsus Marie Antony John Cosmos Damien Michael Gaspard de Liguori on September 27, 1696, at Marianella, near Naples, Italy.
Fr Paul doesn’t buy Qoheleth’s argument in today’s first reading. In fact, he believes, we do remember and learn from those who have come before us. Today, with the feast of St Vincent DePaul and the 322nd birthday of St Alphonsus Liguori, we have perfect examples of that. The organizations St Vincent and St Alphonsus founded to serve the poor in France and Italy remember them in the most meaningful way possible. They have extended their founders’ service to the poor to nearly every country on earth.
There is no remembrance of the men of old; nor of those to come will there be any remembrance among those who come after them.
ECCL 1:2-11
Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening … [He] said, “John I beheaded. Who then is this about whom I hear such things?” And he kept trying to see him.
LK 9:7-9
O Lord my strength and my Redeemer, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight. I offer praise to You for the grace You have bestowed on Your humble missionary, Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos. May I have the same joyful vigor that Father Seelos possessed during his earthly life to love You deeply and live faithfully Your gospel. Amen
Born in Füssen, Germany, January 11, 1819, Francis entered the diocesan seminary of St. Jerome at Dillingen, Germany, in 1842. Soon after meeting the missionaries of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists) in Dilligen, he entered the congregation to minister to the German speaking immigrants in the United States. Arriving in New York in 1843 he was ordained a priest in Baltimore, Maryland in 1844. He began his pastoral ministry in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as assistant pastor of his confrere Saint John Neumann, serving also as Master of Novices and dedicating himself to preaching. Francis became a full-time itinerant missionary preacher, preaching in both English and German in a number of different states. He contracted yellow fever while ministering to the sick in New Orleans, Louisiana during an outbreak of the disease, dying October 4, 1867.
Listen below as Fr Paul discusses the life of Blessed Francis Xavior Seelos whose memorial feast we celebrate October 5th.
In addition to showing a short video (which may be viewed at: Seelos) Fr Paul provided a refection on Blessed Seelos’ cheerfulness (which may be viewed at: Cheerfulness).
Discerning our mission:
Listen below as Lee Morison gives helpful guidance in discerning what we are called to do.
Lee also provided a summary which may be found at: Mission Guidance
An “Examin” is just a general examination of our conscience. A “Particular Examin” is picking one of our faults with the idea of identifying and cultivating its corresponding virtue (e.g. our telling the truth when we might typically tell a lie). Fr Paul explains that St Ignatius developed the practice of a “particular examin” three times a day – morning, after lunch, and after dinner – as a path to a better life. Today Fr Paul offers us the opportunity to make a morning “particular examin” – one where we might choose love over hate in its many forms as he slowly reads today’s gospel from Luke.
Knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up.
1 COR 8:1B-7, 11-13
“Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst.”
LK 6:27-38 (Message Bible)
Quoting from the Guidelines for Redemptorist Associates draft, Fr Paul Coury began the September 6th meeting describing Redemptorist Associates as “those lay people, secular clergy or members of other religious communities who have been invited into a circle of Redemptorist Associates connected with some Redemptorist missionary centre, group or project. Redemptorist Associates live out their commitments in independent lifestyles, answering the call to proclaim the Good News of plentiful redemption within the context of their daily lives. Having participated in a process of initial formation, they are enrolled as Redemptorist Associates. Circles of Redemptorist Associates meet regularly for the purposes of fostering a stronger spiritual growth and a more explicit commitment to the evangelization of the poor, exploring Redemptorist charism and spirituality. They may share in some aspect of the Redemptorist Mission.”
Dr Lee Morrison followed with an inspiring account of the life of St Gerard Majella whose feast we celebrate October 16. Many miracles have been attributed to St Gerard’s intercession. But it is his devotion to the Eucharist, desire to serve others – especially the poor, unwavering obedience to God’s will and infectious cheerfulness that make Gerard so appealing to the universal church.
“It is true that at times we find ourselves confused and weak. But there is no confusion in God; there is no weakness with God’s power. Because it is certain that in the battles God himself helps us with his divine arm. For this reason, we can be joyful and extend ourselves further to accpeting the divine will. And we bless his works for all eternity.”
Among the handouts Lee provided were a short biography of St. Gerard (which may be found here: Biography) and a St Gerard Novena Prayer (whch may be found here: Prayer).