Feast day of St. Jeanne de Chantal

St. Jeanne de Chantal
Cofounder of the Order of the Visitation
(1572–1641)

Jeanne de Chantal was born into a wealthy family in Dijon, France. She married a baron at the age of twenty and bore seven children (three of whom died in infancy). In 1600 her life took a tragic turn when her husband was killed in an accident. In the following years, as she struggled with her children’s upbringing, her heart increasingly turned to religious life. She vowed that she would never again marry.

In 1604 she heard a sermon by the holy bishop of Geneva, Francis de Sales. This was a turning point in her life, the beginning of a deep spiritual friendship and partnership that would advance them both along their paths to sanctity. Francis taught that the spiritual life was for everyone, not just for monks and nuns. Jeanne immediately responded to his message and asked him to become her spiritual director. After several years they founded the Order of the Visitation of Mary, a congregation dedicated to prayer and works of charity. Jeanne proved a gifted superior, combining superb administrative skills with a profound instinct for the spiritual life. “No matter what happens,” she wrote, “be gentle with yourself.” In her lifetime the order grew to include eighty communities in several countries. She died in 1641 at the age of sixty-nine.

“Sometimes put yourself very simply before God, certain of His presence everywhere, and without any effort, whisper very softly to His sacred heart whatever your own heart prompts you to say.”  —St. Jeanne de Chantal

Relationship lessons learned

Some wisdom from our TOT presenters Len and Carleen Velez from their TOT talk at Good Shepherd, July 23:

• You have to become relationship-ready yourself before entering into a relationship. While you're looking for a relationship, be sure you're working on your "own stuff."
• You have to keep changing and keep working through things.
• You have to keep finding ways to grow as a couple (time alone w/o kids, retreats, date nights, counseling, etc.)
• Love is a daily decision.
• Order of priorities has to be: (1) Faith; (2) Relationship with your spouse; (3) Children
• God has a calling for each of us.  God wants us to be in relationship: marriage, religious life, single, but most of all relationship with God.
• God has created that special person for you; as challenging as it is, God's timing is perfect.

Vocation: Three Key Questions

Videos from Fr. Michael Himes on vocation discernment:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/3-key-questions-part-1-what/id319379995?i=56241519

http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/3-key-questions-part-2-what/id319379995?i=56241520

http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/3-key-questions-part-3-who/id319379995?i=56241521

Also at http://bcintersections.podbean.com.

Theology-on-Tap 2011 is here!

Our latest newsletter has all the info you need on Theology-on-Tap 2011! Check it out here:

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Theology-on-Tap-is-here-.html?soid=1102102916177&aid=iKO8zyTgtwU

Theology-on-Tap is a speaker and fellowship series that reaches out to young adults who want to explore the role of faith in their daily lives. In this casual atmosphere, you'll hear straight talk and honest answers to your deepest questions about faith, love, work, and other real life experiences. And TOT is a great opportunity to meet other young adults and make new friends. The series is open to all young adults, ages 18 to 39, regardless of religious affiliation.

June 12: Feast of Pentecost

June 5: Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord

Each week during Lent and Easter, a young adult from the Archdiocese offers a reflection on the upcoming Sunday's Gospel.

Gospel: Mt 28:16-20

The Great Commission

As Disciples of Christ it is our duty to spread the good news of Christ’s love. We are all Disciples of Christ and just as the eleven disciples worshiped and some doubted Christ when they saw Him, some of us go through the same doubts. It is in us as humans to continue to question the presence of Christ in us; it is then that we need to remind ourselves that Christ has reassured that that He is with us always, “to the very end of the age.”  We are the light of this world and our light needs to be shining for those that are without the light of Christ in their lives.  In what ways are you shining your Light unto others? How do you keep the flame of Christ’s love and His promises lit in your heart?  In times of trial and doubt, what do you do to remind yourself that Jesus is with you always? In what ways, as a young adult, are you spreading the good news and making “disciples of all nations”? 

"Jesus' departure and ascension into heaven was both an end and a beginning for his disciples. While it was the end of Jesus' physical presence with his beloved disciples, it marked the beginning of Jesus' presence with them in a new way. Jesus promised that he would be with them always to the end of time. He assured them of his power -- a power which overcame sin and death."  © 2002 Don Schwager

Noelia Ballesteros
St. Helen, South Gate

Vatican Issues Major Report on Science of Climate Change

A sobering report on the impacts for humankind as a result of the global retreat of mountain glaciers as a result of human activity leading to climate change has been issued by a working group of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, one of the oldest scientific institutes in the world.

In their declaration, the working group calls, “on all people and nations to recognize the serious and potentially irreversible impacts of global warming caused by the anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants, and by changes in forests, wetlands, grasslands, and other land uses.”  They echoed Pope Benedict XVI’s 2010 World Day of Peace Message saying, “…if we want justice and peace, we must protect the habitat that sustains us.”

The report focuses on the impact of anthropogenic climate change on mountain glaciers and warns that, “Failure to mitigate climate change will violate our duty to the vulnerable of the Earth, including those dependent on the water supply of mountain glaciers, and those facing rising sea level and stronger storm surges. Our duty includes the duty to help vulnerable communities adapt to changes that cannot be mitigated. All nations must ensure that their actions are strong enough and prompt enough to address the increasing impacts and growing risk of climate change and to avoid catastrophic irreversible consequences.”  (Emphasis added.)

The working group recommends three measures to reduce the threat of climate change and its impacts:

1. “Reduce worldwide carbon dioxide emissions without delay, using all means possible to meet ambitious international global warming targets and ensure the long-term stability of the climate system. 

2. “Reduce the concentrations of warming air pollutants (dark soot, methane, lower atmosphere ozone, and hydrofluorocarbons) by as much as 50%, to slow down climate change during this century while preventing millions of premature deaths from respiratory disease and millions of tons of crop damages every year.

3. “Prepare to adapt to the climatic changes, both chronic and abrupt, that society will be unable to mitigate. 

You can read the entire report which has been posted on the Catholic Climate Covenant website.