secular Institute for the laity under religious vows

New friends
To my New Friends:

A few of you already wrote to me on my e-mail and seem a bit afraid. Do not be afraid. I post my e-mail so that if you wish to get hold of me you can. I trust you all! You are my new friends! I like you all very much. Between my pastoral counseling and spiritual direction I do daily, going to mass,having my VISIT to the Blessed Sacrament daily, feeding the cat and doberman, visiting mom and dad daily, I try to post daily to speak to you so that we can hear from one another and encourage one another.

You know life is very very short! And we have only one life to life and we better well damn well live it with and for God because it is the best way to live. I had a professor of classical literature in my bachelor's degree in college and he said that the last day of class to us 30 years ago and I never forgot it! How are you living your live today? Just at this minute? Not boo Hooing! How are you giving somone a compliment who needs it? Are you looking at the sky and telling God, "Thank You for...."

If you see an old lady in the street, give her a dollar and make her day and say "God loves You!" It's not crazy. I do it! Do it!

I was going through Dunkin Donut last week and The car behind me was full of three adults. I gave the lady an extra $20.00 and said pay for the people in back for me." She did! Turns out when I got out of Dunkin Donuts, police lights were turned on. And a man got out of his car. He said" Lady thank! We are undercover police! We appreciate your kindness today."

So you just never know who you are helping!

Nancyann

I always like what you have to say Chai tea. Nancyann

phoenix
How can I say Hello to Phoenix?

Nancyann

Re: phoenix


Mebbe easier to let her find you - I left some breadcrumbs for her to follow.

Oh, and thanks a bunch for the very kind words - flattery will get you nowhere, but cash or jelly donuts work on me every time

Also, to be fair, I prolly should advise you that while I'm workingly familiar with the concepts and issues involved, I'm not any sort of religionist - if you seek them out, you likely will be less than thrilled by my many commentaries pertinent to the subject. I approach the matter from a sorta Sun Tzu perspective: "Know thy enemy" Hope you understand my personal philosophy has no bearing on the respect and regard I might have for any individual espousing or endorsing any other philosophy, political, theological, or whatever - its ideas, assertions, allegations, positions, propositions, and arguments I go after, not the presenters of same. I may not agree with where you or anyone else may be coming from, but I don't let that affect anything else :wink:

yer cool Timber

Thanks, husker, I think yer purty cool too - mosta the time

Hi Nancyann- I have been hearing such nice things about you! Welcome to A2K

I'm listening in too. What a refreshing change of pace in the Spirituality & Religion forum!

im breaking my rule
and bookmarking this thread.
but i will remain quiet.

The Gospel According to Peanuts.

Some years ago (OK, a lot of years ago) I got a call from Tom, a college
friend who had joined the Paulists and was in Boston assigned to the
Paulist Center for the summer. Tom had read "The Gospel According to
Peanuts" (a book that compared the comic's themes to the Gospel
message), and seen the musical "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown".
Tom told me of his plan to present excerpts from the musical as the
Liturgy of the Word during Sunday Masses at the Center. I asked if I
could help.

"Yeah, I'd like you to play Linus"

"Would that involve singing?"

"Sure."

"Umm, Tom, this is George, remember? I can't carry a tune in a bucket."

Undeterred, Tom was convinced I could do it. Another Paulist working
there, who would be doing the music and playing Snoopy, was convinced
he could teach anyone to sing. He no longer believes that. I delivered
Linus's song in a kind of Rex-Harrisonish speak-sing.

Tom played Charlie, his Paulist confrere played Snoopy, two gals who
were active at the center played Lucy and Patti. That's us in the picture.
I'm the guy with the blanket (and hair -- wow, that was a long time ago!)



An unusual liturgy, to say the least!

Paulist Center
George

That was a nice posting! I remember playing my guitar on the altar at the Paulist Center at all the weekend masses all though high school and through my bachelor's degree until (HUM) when I graduated from Salem State College in 1974 and then went on for my Master's out of state. But I kind of hung out at the Paulist Center liturgies and my faith grew there as a young girl! I played my guitar and then later got a banjo and they ley me play my banjo for the fast songs! We had such a good time!

The masses folks out there were very experimental then, slides, movies, etc. But we had all kinds of guest lecturers, social speakers from Harvard, MIT, farm workers, missionaries from third world countries. A group of us fron the Paulist Center on Thankgivings and Christmas each year went to Pine Street Inn and Haley House (homeless shelters) and played our Instruments for the guests and ate with them. We would sit and listen with the the people.

When I went back to Boston for a visit, I went to the Paulist Center for mass as lo and behold, very little of the way things were done years ago at mass, are done now. They introduce new comers at the beginning of mass. They welcome everyone!
Musicians are playing their instuments at mass. Homilies are very well planned and full of social concerns. One comes away feeling that one must get involved with the world but their own little steps in life cause it will make a difference!

The place is full, always was full of people. Very little room to wiggle in one's seat! People standing in the back and just waiting for you to get up to go to the bathroom.

It was so nice to go back as see it again!

I was there in the throws of the Viet Nam war going on so I was with a group of people singing songs to bring the war to a close when I was in high school. We did that at the Paulist Center also!

Just chatting with you all!

Nancyann

Welcome
A special welcome to all the new posters. I specially welcome yu and thank you and I want to specially thank you readers. As of today There were 1257 readers in the site. I am happy for that!

I want us to grow in encourangment and share out stories with one another.

I am Glad Phoenix was found! Thank you! Welcome to you also!

Be Your Best Self
Christmas and Chanukah are about the same time this year and they are such special times to so, so many people! People wish to buy gifts for their friends and loved ones. My brother who lives in Iraq seems to have the spirit for me. Each year, He comes home around Christmastime and he is the Christmas present to us. He doesn't send much on presents, he just gives us his presence. He has such a great personality and makes us laugh, he cooks for us for a day before with his girlfriend! If he buies a gift, it usually is a gift that makes one laugh and then we all laugh at the table. We are forever creating memories when he is around. His presence stimulates excitement.

Even when he lived nearby, it was like that, he found out what you liked during the year and then either made you laugh about it at the table or got some small token of it to remind you of it at Christmas. Mine was always about my dog, my doberman.

I want you to think about something today and for a few days, let us all be or try to be our best selves for Christmas or for our special holiday this year! This special time of the year. We all have it in us to be great. Get some extra sleep, eat your favorite breakfast, look at the sky and think of the God who make you for a special purpose and no one else for that purpose! Take a nap if you can! Cuddle up with your pet! Make a pup od coffee or tea with your favorite book, underline in the book and dogear the pages, write in the margins your favorite thoughts!

Begin to be your best self by being good to your self! Learn to forgive the past! We all have things to forgive and about which we are not happy. God forgives us. We must let go of the past and let go! Be our best selves by being good to our selves today and for the next few days. I and going to remind ou the day after tomorrow if you were good to yourself yet!

God loves you very much just the way you are, where you as you are! And yes He believes it it is not my belief at all! How do I know it! It is written everywhere...........!

Bobsmythhawk
Dear Phoenix:

I see from your profile that you love birds. Bobsmythhawk on a2k catches hawks and bands them and lets them go. He loves the work. Talk to him about birds. He has a gazillion pictures of them with him. His favorite one is on his picture I think.

Nancyann

Still here. Nancy, have you ventured out to read some of the other threads in the S&R forum? I would be interested in your opinions.

Christmas gift
So to finish the story of my brother Tom in Iraq, he reminds me of Christmas and giving. We could give someone a letter for Christmas and wrap it up, tell them what you feel about them. What a nice gift.

My mother has every card every one of has ever given to her since we could write in a box. It is in her will that when she dies, we get them back. She always justs wants a card from us!

Have you ever read THE LITTLE PRINCE? In the book it speaks about spending time with your "rose." Your rose could be anything in life. But the little prince says, "It is the time that I wasted on my rose, that is so important to me...It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye." Antoine De Sant-Exupery

What a beautiful little author and a beautiful story! Prepare well for the greatest gift of all, yourselves! To be honest, when you write, it is a gift to me and I thank you! Write a note or just a card for Christmas and wrap it up! A nice memory! Spend time with someone who needs you! Call someone on the phone! E-mail some and surprise them! What a memory!

God Bless!

Nancyann

S&R Forum
I just spent about a half hour reading the titles of the S & R forum and reading some of the comments. You are right I should comment more but I work 6 days a week and spend about and hour with you all and 2 hour in church each day so hour in a day are limited! But I wish I could write to everyone in the whole forum. I would love that!

Though I am Catholic all of my life I have helped all faiths and all cultures in my work. That is why I so love the Pauline Family, we have all sorts of ministries to all religions and all people come into our stores and buy the music, books, publications....I just love to reach out to everyone!

I love to read about people's religions on the S&R forum! What interests you Neo?

Nancyann

You may have noticed I spend a lot of time in the S&R forum. Participation has sharpened my rhetorical skills more than I would have imagined.

My wife of 30 years and I have four children and nine grandchildren to keep us busy.

I'm a semi retired salesman, pitchman, actually; I enjoy working crowds at state fairs and other public gatherings. Now I teach others who might be so inclined.

And, I find a few hours each week to devote to my lifelong hobby of weight training.

Neo
Wow! What a large Family gathering you are going to have at your house! Yes, I have found that when people find a faith a follow it their lives are fuller and happier. I find that in counseling during the week also! God seems to fill people's hearts and minds with Himself! Life seems to take on greater meaning when one has someone or something to love! For me it is God!

It is so good to see that you have been married so long! All those kids must keep you mighty busy! On the weekends, the little ones must be all over you! Wait till the big day for them!

Thanks for writing!

Nancyann

A Sacred Moment
"Our need for comfort was great as we hurried to our church, the church of Scotland on Christmas eve. It was our first Christmas without our mother, who had died suddenly in March of that year, and our hearts were filled to the breaking point that night. To our great dismay, the service had already started and the doors had been closed by the time we had arrived. We stood outside the church in stunned, numbed silence. Afraid to enter,we timidly retreated and began our walk home.

In the distance, we could see the lights from the Catholic church. After some debate, the four of us decided that we should go in and have a look. I was 19 years old, and was with my older sister and brother, and my younger brother too!

We entered through a side door into a packed vestibule. I remember holding my little brother by the hand as I squeezed pasted people so we could see further into the church. We had no idea what was happening, but we were inside, and even though we could not see the altar, we were happy to be there.

Eventually a bell rang out and people began to kneel. Somehow I was certain that something holy was happening. The pain in my heart lessened, and I knelt on the floor. I knew He was there. My God was there. He saw me, He knew me, and He soothed my sorrow. That sacred moment continues to be precious in my heart to this day!

Sometime later, when the consecration was explained to me, I was overwhelmed to learn that God had chosen that special moment to reveal Himself to me. It was during that most holy and sacred moment of the Mass when the priest said," This is my body which is given up for you."

Three years later I left the Church of Scotland to enter the Catholic Church. What love our God has for us, for me! He chose to die for me. I am His personal choice and I must respond to my personal call to love Him today as He wishes me to love Him.

I thank Our Lord for calling me to do His will in such simple ways each day. Merry Christmas!"

Catherine Sweeney, Kinross, Scotland

Be good to yourselves! Prepare well to be our best selves!

God Bless!