Saturday, February 27 - Padre Pio Miracle Man (Part 3)

Brothers in Christ,

This week it’s time to reflect about how our Lenten promises are being upheld, and where we need to make adjustments to achieve a closer, stronger relationship with Jesus this Lent.  In this session we see St. Pio continue to deepen his relationship with Christ.  Even when persecuted by leaders of the Church he loves as Christ loved and harbors no ill will.  Through all his trials Padre Pio maintains a steadfast love and continues the journey set forth for him by God.  This week we see examples of shame, humility, and love.

Humility and purity are the wings which carry us to God and make us almost divine.  You must always humble yourself lovingly before God and before men, because God speaks only to those who are truly humble and He enriches them with His gifts. St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina

Saturday, February 20 - Padre Pio Miracle Man (Part 2)

Brothers, this week we continue with the movie “Padre Pio, Miracle Man” and Padre Pio’s early years as a Priest. This Holy and devoted child of God exemplifies a person of humility as well as one who considers himself proud and conceited.  In this session Pio continues to experience torments and he receives the Stigmata of which he finally accepts and draws on for strength.  Many parallels are shown between the life of Padre Pio and Jesus himself.  As we continue this Lenten Journey let us realize the importance of Padre Pio’s life to the world and how our life obstacles are small in comparison. Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love; For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying that we are born again to eternal life. Prayer of St. Francis

Saturday, February 13 - Padre Pio Miracle Man (Part 1)

Brothers In Christ,

It’s that time of year again when we traverse together a Lenten Journey.  This Lent we will explore the life of St Padre Pio of Peitrelcina by viewing the DVD movie “Padre Pio, Miracle Man.”  Each week we will view a portion of the movie and then break in groups to discuss that segment. 

 

After performing a little research of Padre Pio’s life, his miracles, torments, and prayer life, the logical conclusion is he is a Saint’s Saint.  While we’ve all talked about virtue’s and expressed our longing for the grace to uphold them, we’ll discover how that grace is accepted by Padre Pio and the benefits to all because of it.  Prayer has been a central theme this year and we are blessed to have the opportunity to discover a man who lived prayer.

The following links provide a glimpse of a day in the life of Padre Pio as well as a Novena to the Sacred Heart he prayed daily.  More about St. Padre Pio is available on this EWTN site and I encourage you to read in depth about St. Padre Pio so as to gain a better understanding of the movie and it's timeline.

https://www.ewtn.com/padrepio/franciscan/daily.htm

https://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/heart/sh_novena.htm

https://www.ewtn.com/padrepio/man/biography.htm

Let Us Pray:

God our Father, You helped St. Pio to reflect the image of Christ through a life of charity and self-sacrifice. May we follow your Son by walking in the footsteps of St. Pio of Pietrelcina and by imitating his selfless love. Amen

Saturday, February 6 - Peter: Cornerstone of Catholicism Session 2b - Capernaum: Village of Coming Consolation

As we continue this week with the series PETER and the second session “Capernum: The Village of Consolation,” Dr. Gray continues his discussion of why Jesus made Galilee the home base of his ministry.  Dr. Gray will explain in more detail why the Church matches Isaiah 43 with the gospel of the healing of the paralytic. How we can trust Jesus’ promise of forgiveness and receive more fully the graces of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  And what the back ground of Isaiah 40:1-2 tells us about the Holy Spirit as the Paraclete. Therefore, days are coming—oracle of the LORD—when it will no longer be said, “As the LORD lives, who brought the Israelites out of Egypt”;  but rather, “As the LORD lives, who brought the Israelites out of the land of the north and out of all the countries to which he had banished them.” I will bring them back to the land I gave their ancestors. Jeremiah 16:14-15 Group 1 owns the privilege of making and serving breakfast this week.