Camino de Fe

My CPE Team SMCA Call Group This summer I was given the opportunity to participate in the CPE program at Seton. When I first arrived for orientation I had mixed thoughts and expectations. Previous participants informed me that it was going to be difficult and from others that it would be the best experience during formation. So, I entered the experience having heard from both sides. What would my experience be? How would I experience CPE and how would it help me? These were the questions that I pondered as I sat through a weeklong orientation and as the information flooded our minds, I thought to myself, “Oh my goodness! This is going to be intense.” I left the week of orientation feeling overwhelmed, nervous and anxious about what was to come. My initial anxiety came from the idea that I was not “in control of the situation”, meaning that I would not be able to plan who I would encounter and when I would encounter them. The other part of my anxiety was the idea that the...

Sacred Art Art, for centuries, has been a method of communicating different information on the history and truths of people.  The prehistoric human used art to communicate or record their great historical stories and achievements.  One example of this is the images found in the Lascaux Cave in Southwestern France.  Many centuries later the Egyptians used hieroglyphics to communicate tales of their royalty, society and of their gods.  Today, Catholics and numerous other Christians, use images to communicate the truths of faith as well as stories of the virtuous elders that went before us.  But the question arises, after hearing so many people speak against images, is using sacred images unacceptable?  The first commandment does state that we should not have any graven images, doesn’t it?  So why do we allow these images?  Is God displeased with our use of images? “You shall not make for yourself any graven image” First it is important ...

Confused, Lost and Broken My life now is twisted and blurred and feels uncertain  Today I might smile but in me is filth  I might greet you but despise you within  I used to be clear and true But life has made me confused  Confusion leads me to be lost I no longer know my way or  if this path I walk is really what I ought.  Now it's like walking a dark forest without a light,  Even the moon has left my sight all darkness and no light, I am lost  Lost and afraid leads me to be broken  Since I am lost and without a light I am not aware of all the snares that lay before me as I stumble along  My feet get entangled in the horrid weeds that litter the ground  As I step they drag me down  Their thorns sharp as razors penetrate my flesh and expose my blood  and out of pain I fall to the ground, shattering my will  It is over, I am no longer found

Recently I have been reading and hearing all of these comments about how the Roman Catholic Church will fall soon because of all the scandal it has gone through in very recent times. Last night I heard a report from a, what I have come to recognize, conspiracy news network, that the Pope, the Queen of England and the Prime Minister of Canada, have all been summoned to appear in an International court for the crimes committed by their people.  The ITCCS, which claims that they are a common law court, has put it upon themselves to run trial on the Pope, the Queen of England and the Prime Minister of Canada for "crimes of genocide".  However, I have yet to find anything that even assures them of having any kind of political or juridical power outside of their organization.  As a matter of fact, the themselves are breaking the laws like their founder Kevin D. Annett says, " with enough resolve, and numbers, and by not playing by their rules."  So, not ...

        A woman whose husband died six months before Christmas, sat down to write out a Christmas card to a close friend. This is what she said: “Some say to me, ‘This first Christmas without your husband will be hard for you.’ It will be, of course. But without Christmas, my life would be impossible.”       At the time of her husband’s death, that woman thought that God had turned out the light. But then came the Christmas Message to remind her that God had reached out and turned on the light for all time and for all people.       Today we celebrate the birth of the messenger from heaven.  In the gospel today we read that “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be.”  Christ was always present with God.  He was there at the very foundation of the world.  Jesu...

Brothers and sisters, We are close to Christmas.  In just a few days we will be entering into the Christmas season.  The word of God is seeking to open our hearts to the mystery which we celebrate each year. Today in our Catholic faith we celebrate the 4th week of advent.  It is during the 4th week of Advent that we finally arrive at the greatest celebration of all history, the celebration of the Birth of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.  Through the birth of such a great redeemer the light of the world was turned on and remains on. It is during this week that our focus is turned to the historical Jesus.  It is of great importance to us as Christians to understand that the coming of Jesus was foretold. In the first reading from the prophet Micah, we are reminded of the promise that God made to all humanity; the promise of a shepherd that was coming from humble beginnings.  During the time that Micah wrote this passage, the world was a complete me...