The Synod has started....

God grant me patience ,

It's true as Padre Pio said,

'Pray,

trust,

and don't worry.'

 

Thanks Julia

 

I fully expect the worst of times to come. But it isn't now. We are in the beginning stages of the formal schism in the Church, but it isn't here. The time now is to trust in Jesus. He has given us this time to prepare. If we can't make it through the beginning winds of the storm that are blowing now, how will we ever make it when the full weight of the storm is upon us? We are being prepared. Pray and don't worry is good advise. Jesus is in control.

 

HOW dare you call me Julia! why, you! I love Julia...

 

Padraig, little bro, I think you meant this for Infant Jesus of Prague.

 

Hes call'n me a girly man...its ok! just because my feet are plaster...sniffles!

Just lol at myself... feet of clay/ plaster paws?

 

Synod, 1/3 v 2/3, Schism,............. it looks to me like it's God's Plan unfolding as He directs... so I'll just pray & hope that whatever tiny role I might play in my little part of the USA it will reflect His direction and will............ and I'll continue to Focus on Jesus!

GOD SAVE ALL HERE!!

 

Honestly, what did everyone think would happen? I'm sure that many of you already knew about heretical bishops like Daneels and Forte in Europe. We knew Cupich already here in the states as he was in Spokane before Chicago.

Many of us have been appalled for years and have been grateful when we have a good bishop or priest in our diocese or parish, or maybe just relieved. The number of gay priests or gay friendly priests is shocking and seems to be to be the abomination of desolation in the temple spoken of in Revelation. Thank God that most are good priests but the number of bad or indifferent ones is quite high and that is not mention the laity. I taught catechisis for many years and the ones that most challenged the truths of the faith were my fellow Catholics.

Still, the early Church Fathers taught that the Church would go through an apostasy. The Pope has not taught heresy and Jesus has not left us. The Church may get smaller as Pope Benedict taught. We don't have long to go before much of the world changes if all of the prophecies that we all know about occur. So, the question is what are you doing?

 

I spent the weekend at a retreat where over 300 people- families, teens, young twenties, about 10 priests and 5 seminarians came to hear the Word of God, study the Word, have opportunity to confess and of course to celebrate the Eucharist. I saw at the conclusion 5 young men stand up to declare their intentions to enter the Seminary. I saw some 15 young woman make same pledge to religious life. I saw families pledge to evangelize wherever the bishop might send them. In short, while I see a lot if decay in many parishes, there is still life in the Church. I firmly believe that the three pillars of the Word of a God, the Eucharist, and the Community will help the Church to continue it's mission to be a light to the nations and the salt of the earth.

 

That is excellent Mike! We need more of that

By the way, what is your avatar?

 

44 Days, until the year of Mercy begins...

 

Thanks Robert. I changed my avatar to the Arabic symbol for N. As Christians first in Iraq and then in many other parts of the ME were being massacred, the murderers would mock Christians with this symbol which stands for Nazarenes. I use it to show my solidarity with my persecuted Christian brothers and sisters. We should continue to pray for them.

http://www.nationalreview.com/artic...enocide-symbolized-one-letter-christine-sisto

 

I would not call that a schism at all. I have heard very little ill will from anyone there in media reports over anything. Now if the vote went 2/3 to 1/3 the other way, there would have been uproar and a schism. Also no one had to leave early to take care of other matters... .This was just another synod and it is now unlikely that a synod will be in the center of anything to tear apart the church in the next few years.

So what does this do to prophecies that rely on a synod at the center of them?

 

Hard to say right now what discenters will do. They were given a very public platform and got shot down...just my take.

Spoiled kids always throw a tantrum

 

I am so glad I have not been bitten by the prophecy bug badly. It is just an itch I do not need to scratch. I think all the prophecy had us focused on something big to come out of the syonod, a big event in September or October, blood moons did not seem to produce the predicted outcome, jade helm fizzled into nothing, etc. I am not naive and know big things are on the horizon...but I guess God is not looking at the same horizon we are. Of course, something could happen tomorrow and the world will crumble. But until then...let us use this time wisely. I for one, NEED more time to prepare and pray, pray, pray and continue to stamp out anything in my life that is between me and God. I thank God I have adoration available to me, and may I never take this for granted. I need every minute I spend with my Lord to get me ready. Let us pray for those in churches where wolves are running the show. They need our prayers to overcome the leaders that they have. Lord have mercy! I also would like to see them removed, but will trust that Pope Francis is being led by the Holy Spirt and will act accordingly.

I will close with experiences similer to Miker's post. I adore weekly at a church that is also a seminary. The door to their dorms is on the side of the alter. I love seeing the seminarians come in and sit, pray, study, write in their journals, cry, and discern. They are so young, and I am so humbled by them. I am especially inspired by the seminarian who I see nearly every week. He kneels without the kneeler, is always writing in his journal, and never leaves without kneeling in front of the statue of Mary gazing up at her. He told me he asks her every day to bring him to her son. Last week at 10:30pm one of them was kneeling saying his rosary wearing his collar (which he just started wearing). I must say it does inspire me and give me hope!! This is what I have to keep my focus on.

 

I made it - a five hour drive through stunning scenery to Mac's wonderful family his lovely, charming and hospitable wife (who fed me bacon and eggs for breakfast at 7.30 am) and his beautiful first communicant. We had a Solemn High Mass for Christ the King, first communion, investment of the first communicants into the Brown Scapular, adoration, procession of about 350 people through the town singing hymns all the way that included the national anthem and Faith of Our Fathers, behind the Blessed Eucharist that was carried under a canopy and behind about 30 flag bearers and Catholic confraternities and sodalities many in sacred attire, to two magnificent altars of repose erected just outside the church and in the park where we partook in a public consecration of the Nation to the Sacred Heart including prayers for the Jews and the Muslims, and back to the church followed by a bring a plate meal plus a fancy dress party for which I could not stay but I believe Mac's daughter dressed as Joan of Arc. Mac tied her to the stake and she won first prize.

 

Glad you made it Joe. I told Maria if she didnt win I would light the wood at her feet.

 

I have tried to write my thoughts down for hours - you did it for me, thank you! It may be a bit silly but, I feel a bit of relief now that all the events you mentioned, which seemed solidified in a way by prophecy, have passed. The time made me realize how much I need/want to do, yet almost felt paralyzed, unable to even organize my "to do" list. Being a natural worrier, I continued to think of all the things I should have done and didn't - reguarding everything from how I could have/should have raised my children to be stronger Catholics, to recalling venial sins from my teens which I worried I may not have confessed! Paranoia, to be sure. Ironically, I now realize that I became stronger while feeling as though I was falling apart. Our dear Lord and Holy Mother held me up and put me on a straighter path which I do intend to follow.

I do wonder how others are feeling about the "storm" at this point? It is such a huge occurrence to contemplate, so huge that I have a hard time wrapping my mind around it. I'm fully aware of the awful state our world is in, I fully realize that we are on the verge of exploding, I'm at a loss of finding a way to embrace the pending storm. Most members of the group seem to be at peace, how did you get there? Part of the time I keep repeating St. Padre Pio's words to myself, (which being a worrier, serve me best), to reading and contemplating the same prophesy's over and over.

There are very few others in my life who are even aware; our Priest hasn't remotely mentioned anything in a homily and it seems that most people are going on their merry way, unaware of what's on the horizon. I keep wondering if I am missing something? My faith is strong and has gotten me through severe difficulties, assuring me that is not what I'm lacking. I'm most open to other's thoughts...And PS, I think we are rather close geographically.

God Bless...

 

Hi Elly- what a heartfelt post! Thanks for sharing it and I think even those who seem to be at peace or ease are guaranteed that when times get even worse. I think we can only continue to pray asking God to not just conform our will to His, but to unite my will to his-.make it the same. This to me only comes from grace. And I think part of this is to always have The Cross in your mind- He bore your sins, my sins, the entire worlds sins for all time becayse of Love. So, I really hope and pray that even before the full effects if the Storn hit- in the everyday occurrences of life- wife/husband nagging, kids disobedience, the boss or job that treats you unfairly, or that poster on MOG that drives you nuts , we are inclined to love them and se Jesus loving them too. Maybe this is our "job" now - almost an exercise to be prepared to do this when the full effects of the Storm hit. Truly it will take "amazing grace" to save a wretch like me. But, just as Jesus rose after his passion and death, we have the same promise. Let's be hopeful and let's pray for each other here and in our own communities. Peace