Centering Prayer is a method of silent prayer that prepares us to receive the gift of contemplative prayer, prayer in which we experience God’s presence within us. It is a simple but rich way to grow in intimacy and love of God.
Centering Prayer is not meant to replace other kinds of prayer. Rather, it adds depth of meaning to all prayer and facilitates the movement from more active modes of prayer – verbal, mental, or affective prayer – into a receptive prayer of resting in God.
Following the teaching of Fr. Thomas Keating, O.C.S.O, a Trappist monk who introduced centering/contemplative prayer into the Catholic world, Sacred Heart will offer a 4-week session on learning and practicing centering prayer together. Class dates and times are listed below. We hope you will join us!
The friars here at Sacred Heart are members of The Holy Name of Jesus Province. Our Provincial Minister, Fr. Kevin Mullen OFM, has written a wonderful open letter in the light of this past 10 days of violence across the globe and so close to home here in the United States. Please take a moment to read, reflect, and pray about Fr. Kevin’s message.
Dear Brothers,
Sad to say that each day seems to be filled with more and more stories which indicate the spread of violence increasing on global, national, and local levels. This blanket of violence seems to be like a plague that knows no boundaries. In just the past week or so, we are repulsed to learn about the senseless loss of life in Istanbul, Dhaka, Baghdad, Orlando, Falcon Heights (Minnesota), Baton Rouge, and Dallas. People have been targeted and killed because of their religion, ethnicity, race, sexuality, and profession. The perpetrators of these killings seem to be filled with ignorance, fear, and hatred. They tragically disregard the intrinsic value of life and commit crimes against God and humanity.
We, Franciscan friars, must recognize that the current context of our world has a profound impact upon the way we choose to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the 21st century. Now more than ever, we must choose peace and we must witness to the value of non-violence. We must see ourselves first and foremost as instruments of peace, healing, and reconciliation. We are called to be bridge-builders. We enter into the midst of the ignorance, fear, and hatred, and we offer a different response – not an “eye-for-an eye” or a “get even” type of response, but rather an alternate approach that walks in the midst of suffering, injustice, pain and death and calls out in a non-violent voice for understanding, dialogue, healing, justice, mercy and peaceful resolutions.
As friars, our attitudes, words, and actions express our deeply held convictions. Each friar must resolve to intensify his relationship with God through individual and communal prayer, especially though the celebration of the Eucharist. As members of local fraternities-in-mission we must live at peace with one another in order to give credible witness to the people we serve. In our work and in our ministries, we must always promote peace, harmony, and the cause of justice. Our words should be expressed in ways that help to build-up and bring people together as opposed to the words – expressed all too frequently in these times – that tear down and cause disruption and divisions.
Fifty-three years ago within our country when basic human and civil rights were being denied to African-Americans, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. writing from his prison cell in Birmingham, Alabama, reminded people of some fundamental truths. Dr. King wrote, “I am cognizant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states. I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. Never again can we afford to live with the narrow, provincial ‘outside agitator’ idea. Anyone who lives inside the United States can never be considered an outsider anywhere within its bounds.”
His words challenged and united people then, and they can hopefully do the same for us now. We must remember we are all sisters and brothers.
In Communion With the Divine Beauty: A Presentation on the Spirituality of Sacred Icons
Our special Summer Series is back! Join Fr. Michael for a four-week presentation on “The Spirituality of Sacred Icons.”
Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Each one prays to God according to his own light.” Some pray with words and litanies, others with movement and hymns, and others with sacred images or icons. For centuries, icons have been a significant part of worship in Eastern Orthodox Churches. They are known as “windows” into the spiritual world, allowing us to glimpse that world and be in communion with the beauty of the Divine. More recently, however, people from other faith traditions have become enthralled by the beauty and mystery of icons. Today, icons can be found in churches of various denominations, houses, museums, and even hospitals.
Class topics and descriptions can be found below. We hope you can join us each week!
Understanding the Basics of Iconography – July 12th at 7:00 pm
– San Damiano Center
This session will provide a brief history and background of these sacred images, including the materials and processes used to create them. Fr. Michael will also help us interpret their visual and spiritual language.
Icons of Christ – July 19th at 7:00 pm
– San Damiano Center
This session will highlight the different icons of Christ, including the history and background of some of these sacred works. Fr. Michael will also discuss the visual and spiritual language of these different icons and present a pastoral reflection.
Icons of Mary, The Mother of God – July 26th at 7:00 pm
– San Damiano Center
This session will feature the different icons of Mary, including their history and background. Fr. Michael will also discuss the visual and spiritual language of these different icons and present a pastoral reflection.
Icons of Saints and Holy People – August 2nd at 7:00 pm
– San Damiano Center
This session will focus on the different icons of Saints and Holy People as painted by Fr. Michael himself, as well as Br. Robert Lentz, OFM, his teacher and mentor. He will also discuss the visual and spiritual language of these different icons and present a pastoral reflection.
Nancy Parente from the Alzheimer’s Association of the Florida Gulf Coast will present two classes on caregiver support and education, as well as provide references for services that are available here in the Tampa Bay area for both the patient and the caregiver. Class details are below. We hope you can join us.
When the English historian Christopher Dawson decided to become a Roman Catholic, his aristocratic mother was distraught, not because of Catholic teaching, but because now her son would, in her words, have to “worship with the help.” His background would no longer set him apart from others or above anyone. At church he would be just an equal among equals because the Eucharist would strip him of his higher social status. It was this very thing that first drew Dorothy Day to Christianity. During the Eucharist, she noticed the rich and the poor knelt side by side; all humbled before the great gift of Christ. Around the Eucharistic table what Mary prophesized in her Magnificat came to be, that, in Jesus, the mighty would be brought down and that lowly would be raised up. Continue reading Eucharist and Justice→
We invite you to watch a short video (created by our Pastoral Year Seminarians!) that shows seminary life and explains the financial funding sources.
Why are we doing a special collection for Seminarians – doesn’t the Annual Pastoral Appeal pay for that?
There is good news and bad news. The bad news is that the Annual Pastoral Appeal (APA) has never quite been enough to cover all the expenses of the 24 seminarians. The good news is that there was a generous donation that set up a Seminarian Burse Fund to supplement the shortfall in APA donations. The even better news is that we now have 30 seminarians in studies, which means the Burse Fund will be depleted in two years as the extra costs are covered. Continue reading 2016 Special Seminarian Collection→
…from Pam Ferron, Director of Parish Life & Communications
“WHERE IS MY WHITE TANK TOP?”
“Why would I know?”
“BECAUSE I LET YOU BORROW IT!”
Have you heard a similar “conversation” in your house? Probably, if you have two teenage girls (yes, I’m stereotyping, but growing up with two sisters and having two daughters, it is what I know. Maybe boys argue just as much over clothes, hmmm?). As a mother, what is our role? Stop the argument, try to get the siblings to have a rational conversation (good luck with that!), ignore it?
My mom always did a good job of being a peacemaker, and I’m fortunate that my mother is still living and continues to be a wonderful example for me. She was not just the peacemaker, but she was also the one who helped us with our homework, fed us, encouraged us when we struggled, forgave us when we misbehaved, loved us even when we weren’t that lovable. Hmmm, who does that sound like? Continue reading What To Do?→
Several weeks ago I wrote “Not yet…” an article that acknowledged Pope Francis’ new apostolic exhortation, the Joy of Love – and noted that I was glad people were asking me about it, but I needed time to read it, re-read it, and think about it. I can report that I have now read it, have re-read parts of it, and am still thinking about. What I can offer at this point is some thoughts from here and there – and offer them cautiously at that. Continue reading Still working on it…→
It is said that you can tell a lot about a person by their hands. The common wisdom is that a person’s self-image is revealed in the manner in which they shake hands. One of the oft-told stories in my family is when my then college-aged niece brought home a young man to meet the family and her grandmother. We were all greeted by the “dead-fish handshake,” a weak hello, and eyes cast to one side. The family advice was uniform: dump him. My niece thought we were all a bit judgmental. Perhaps, but let’s just say it was an occasion where experience met prudence. The handshake told us almost everything we needed to know. Several weeks later, our niece came to the same assessment. Continue reading Hands→
As a liturgical season, Lent is rather straightforward. It is kinda’ easy to write about. There is Ash Wednesday to dramatically mark its beginning, and we all know we are moving relentlessly towards Easter. We count the days even as we mark Lent’s beginning. The Ashes make a visible mark upon us, reminding us that we are dust and to dust we shall return – but that is not the end of the story. We are reminded to repent and believe in the Gospel – but that is not the end goal. We are encouraged to pray, fast, and give alms – but those practices are meant to make room in our lives for God that we too may rise to the newness of life at Eastertide. Continue reading Easter Ongoing…→
Centering Prayer is a method of silent prayer that prepares us to receive the gift of contemplative prayer, prayer in which we experience God’s presence within us. It is a simple but rich way to grow in intimacy and love of God.
Dear Brothers,
Our special Summer Series is back! Join Fr. Michael for a four-week presentation on “The Spirituality of Sacred Icons.”
Icons of Christ
