Today I continue sharing insights from a conversation that I recently had with Everett Fritz, author of the recently released book, The Art of Forming Young Disciples: Why Youth Ministries Aren’t Working And What To Do About It. After our discussion about the realities present in ministry today, how the current models of youth ministry in the Church are not meeting the needs of youth, and the shift in mentality necessary in order to be open to doing things differently, my next question to Everett was “What’s the first step if you decide you want to try and change how […]
Christian living
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Today I continue sharing insights from a conversation that I recently had with Everett Fritz, author of the recently released book, The Art of Forming Young Disciples: Why Youth Ministries Aren’t Working And What To Do About It. Everett and I had spoken about the reality occurring in the Church regarding the loss of young adults, and why that was happening—primarily, because the pastoral needs of young people are not being met within the current structures and practices of the Church, especially in how the Good News is being shared in youth ministry and catechetical programs. Religious education-based ministries—like a […]
Recently, I had the privilege of speaking with Everett Fritz, author of the recently released book, The Art of Forming Young Disciples: Why Youth Ministries Aren’t Working And What To Do About It. As we began our conversation, I asked Everett what had prompted him to write his book. “I felt that it was important that someone speak the truth about why we are losing young people (from practicing the Catholic faith), and to offer suggestions about what needs to be done. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised that a Catholic publisher (Sophia Institute Press) was willing to publish it […]
For those of you who may be unaware, part of my own efforts to say yes and pursue holiness in my personal life is through my work with high school students and young adults. Part of what drives me is the reality that so many people are “turning away” from the very thing that will bring them purpose, peace and abundance in their lives, but the “siren call” of what the world offers–money, power and pleasure–lures many of us, but especially young people, on to the rocks of depression, despair and addiction. These lures are particularly overwhelming in our culture […]
In light of all the many events that have gone on nationally and personally, it’s hard to believe that only 4 days has passed since I last posted. For those who may be unaware, the reports out of Washington DC and Pennsylvania regarding the abuse of minors by Catholic clergy during the last 60 years has been a punch to the gut for sure. Not because I am surprised by the depravity of human beings, but rather because to be confronted by the reality of evil in the world is always discouraging–if we only focus upon the evil. One of […]
Today is the Memorial of St Maximilian Kolbe. He was a Franciscan priest who was martyred in 1941 in the Auschwitz concentration camp when he volunteered to take the place of a husband and father who had been chosen to die by the Nazi prison guards. St Maximilian had a deep and profound devotion to Mary, the Mother of God. St Maximilian’s title of endearment for Mary was Immaculata, and he founded the Militia Immaculata–which has the goal of sharing with the world how Mary’s intercession and support help us on our journey towards holiness. Here is an excerpt from […]
I have found that beginning and ending each day properly, or “right ordered”, is one of the keys to experiencing peace in my life. To be “right-ordered” means simply to put first things first. And that means my first, and my last, thoughts are of God. My first thought in the morning is encapsulated in my saying “Good morning” as I offer the well known Suscipe prayer written by St Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits: “Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will. Whatever I have or hold, you have […]
One of my favorite spiritual authors is Father Jacques Philippe, a member of the Community of the Beatitudes in France. The members of the Community are from all states of life–married and non-married laity, priests, religious, consecrated virgins–and are actively engaged in the service of the poor and proclamation of the Gospel while living a contemplative vocation based on Carmelite spirituality. I have been blessed to have been on a retreat with Fr Jacques as retreat master, and I can attest to the profound wisdom he shares clearly and simply about growing in your interior life of prayer and meditation. […]
Almost 20 years ago, there was a movie called, Pay It Forward. The movie chronicles how a 12 year old young man is given an assignment to think of a way to change the world and put it into action. The result was the launch of a goodwill movement known as “pay it forward” in which people did acts of charity for random people in anticipation of their someday receiving charitable acts from others themselves. The idea of “paying it forward” is a great way to look at the the process of working to grow in daily virtue. Because the […]
Here in Alabama, another school year has begun. (Yes, you read that properly) Anyway, the last two days I have seen a flurry of photos posted on social media by many friends who are parents of school age children. There are lots of smiles amongst the nice, crisp school uniforms or new outfits that capture the moment when all things are possible during the upcoming academic year. New beginnings are like that–lots of potential and possibilities, and great hope tends to surround those moments. But as parents, we also tend to worry a bit. Is our son or daughter going […]