Monday, August 29, 2011

13 Ways of a Shepherd


1.  Do the best you can at your job each day.  Do not put things off.
2.  Be competent.  Strive to learn what you do not know.
3.  Bring a zealous drive to your work
4.  Be conscientious and take due care of the brothers.
5.  Learn from mistakes and apologize when necessary.
6.  Effect change by being able to identify, study and confront problems.
7.  Do not deny problems.
8.  Be Catholic without compromise.
9.  Beware elitism and cliques. 
10.  Do not be afraid of offending someone.  Refer to #5.
11.  Be polite: return phone calls, emails, letters.
12.  Actively work toward identifying and accomplishing your goals.
13.  Forward ho!  Once your gait is set, do not look back.  That is, do not rehash decisions unnecessarily 
       especially when they involve others!

blessings,
AK

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Repentance Reloaded


The powers of hell continue to rail against the Church.  She is attacked from outside but increasingly from within.  The Churches greatest treacheries are often carried out from her own members. Increasingly, we see dissent within our own Church with Peter (the Pope and the institutional Church).  The false notion is that we can continue to be ‘good Catholics’ without believing everything the Church teaches officially in faith and morals.  Nowhere is this rejection of Church teaching more obvious than in the abandonment of the sacrament of reconciliation.  Seeing no sin and having little from their pastors by way of holy example and encouragement, they drift.  The Church hemorrhages for lack of humility and grace.  Jesus’ first words of his ministry were an echo of John the Baptist, “Repent, and believe the Good News.”  As people responded to this call, Jesus healed and moved in a great way among them.  However, today there has been a rejection of the sacrament of reconciliation.  This is the most damaging scourge of the Church.  It lies at the root of disunity and is the cause of some of the rut we find ourselves in.  If only someone would find a way to speak Truth to unbelieving, cold hearts!  I am afraid the Gospel has never been preached!  “Repent, and believe the Good News.”  NOTE: the word ‘repent’ comes first.  Repent! and believe the good news - the fact is that repentance precedes believing!  In other words, ‘repent’ so that you can believe the Good News!  ‘Repent’ or else you shall be deaf and blind to the News which is Goodness itself because it is Jesus himself!”