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World at Prayer blog
Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
Many of our health care workers and public servants feel crushed by the demands upon them to care for so many people at risk during the pandemic. Hospitals fear collapse from another round of pandemic surging. Exhaustion and depression are stalking many people due to isolation and mixed messages about ways to cope with health and safety. Today, December 20, is the darkest day of the year with the fewest hours of daylight.
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Return to the Church | Seasonal Reflections | Strengthening family unity
I regret not having known my grandparents. Three had passed on before I was born and my mother’s mother died when I was 2 months old. My father was a quiet man and he didn’t talk much of his parents, but I knew they were what we called typical "Boston Irish Catholics" and good working class people. When my mother spoke of her mother, Alice, it was in praise of her holiness and faith.
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Brief and contemporary inspiration focused on hope and family prayer will be delivered to your inbox! Articles include live video, written word, and links to resources that will lead you and your family deeper into faith.
From where do we get our sense of self-worth? I don’t think it is related to my social media presence. I believe it’s something deeper.
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The prophet Isaiah described God’s commitment to Israel and its people. God assures people that He continues to be among them. With the Israelites, there was a moment when they felt abandoned - but we know how, with great tenderness, God took them back. With His ever enduring love, God took pity on them.
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Return to the Church | Seasonal Reflections | Why pray?
God's justice, compassion, and healing power can do amazing things, big and small, if you let Him in, if you invite Him into your life. This week, I had two writing deadlines due the same day. The first was today’s homily, and the second was a family Christmas letter. As I prayed and reflected on the tasks at hand, I had an inspiration for how to approach a Christmas letter in these unusual times.
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Today we celebrate Saint John of the Cross. He was born in Spain in 1542 and was ordained a Carmelite priest in 1567. After some years in the Carmelite order, he was persuaded by Saint Teresa of Avila in 1567 to initiate a reform. Saint John experienced and witnessed an increase in opposition, misunderstanding, persecution, and imprisonment of their reform efforts.
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