Deacon Frank, Deacon Barry and I just finished our annual deacons retreat at the Franciscan Monastery in Kennebunkport Maine. The retreat center was full of deacons, deacons wives along with Bishop Hennessey, our retreat director Fr. Bill Sheehan O.M.I. and Fr. John Hanley O.M.I. What a wonderful weekend it was, spending time in prayer this advent season. One thing Bishop Hennessey spoke about in his homily on Sunday was that this time of the year, there is great joy preparing for Christmas, and Christmas is a time of joy. However, there are people out there who can't be joyful. They might have lost a loved one through death, divorce or even lost their job. How can they be joyful? The do not have to be. For some this Christmas will be a time of sadness and greiving. It is important that we remember them in our prayers.
Join me as I will be facilitating the upcoming Bible study on Tuesday nights starting October 4th from 7:00p.m. to 8:30p.m. We will be studying HEBREWS for 8 weeks. You can register on our collaborative website until September 25th. Come and bring a friend.
GREECE Pilgrimage. We had a wonderful pilgrimage In the way of St. Paul in Greece. It was great having Fr. Fernando with us. He had an awesome time. It definitely brought the ACTS of the Apostles to life, expecially when we were in Thessaloniki, Berea, Corinth, Ephesus, Patmos and Athens. The highlights for me were visiting the House of the Virgin Mary in Ephesus and the cave where St. John the Apostle wrote the book of Revelation. WOW. Reading the ACTS of the Apostles will never be the same. We remembered all of you from our Collaborative in our prayers and daily Masses.
Deacon John's Recommended Reading
The Life of Christ by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen.
The Story of a Soul. The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux
The Imitation of Christ by Thomas A. Kempis
Join Deacon John as he celebrated his 25th Anniversary of Ordination as deacon to ALL THE SHRINES OF ITALY. September 17-30, 2023. Click on the image to your right to learn more!
I willingly boast of my weakness, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I am content with weakness, with mistreatment, with distress, with persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ; for when I am powerless, it is then that I am strong.