A ceremony celebrating the Receptions, and the First and the Life Professions for the Lay Dominican community will be on Sunday, Aug. 8, during the 11 a.m. Mass at Blessed Sacrament Church, 2116 Hollister Ave., Madison.
Tag: lay
Confraternity of Most Holy Rosary begins at Blessed Sacrament Parish
MADISON — The Lay Dominicans of Blessed Sacrament Parish in Madison are beginning the Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary.
The first meeting will be held on Monday, Aug. 22 (Feast of the Queenship of Mary), in Blessed Sacrament Church, 2121 Rowley Ave., from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. The group will continue to meet at this time on the fourth Monday of every month. You do not need to be a member to come and pray with the group.
This is an apostolate of the Dominican Laity at Blessed Sacrament. Meetings will consist of a 15-minute talk about the Mysteries of the Rosary, followed by the recitation of the Rosary.
Moving from ‘just war’ to ‘just peace’ strategy
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For the first 300 years of Christianity, followers of the nonviolent Jesus — imitating his example — practiced total nonviolence.
But after Christianity was legalized and later made the official religion of the Roman Empire, Christians began fighting for the empire. And sadly, Christians have been fighting for empires ever since.
The “just war” theory was developed to offer criteria — like protecting civilians from attack — that had to be met before war could be theoretically morally justified and continued. Most unfortunately, this led to the Catholic Church’s abandonment of total Christ-like nonviolence.
Pentecost reminds us to use gifts of Holy Spirit received at Confirmation
I was confirmed in seventh grade. In religion class, I learned that in the Sacrament of Confirmation we receive the Holy Spirit who strengthens us to be Christian witnesses. I worried whether I could witness to Christ by dying for him as a martyr. I took Confirmation seriously.
The Church received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. To prepare to receive the Spirit, for nine days key followers of Jesus gathered in the Upper Room in Jerusalem. These included the apostles, together with Mary, some other women, and disciples. They were united in intense prayer.
In Acts 2:2-4, it says, “Suddenly there came from the sky, a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Tongues as of fire appeared to them, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.”
Awareness week invites us to pray for vocations
We celebrate National Vocation Awareness Week this year January 9 through 15. Appropriately, the week begins with the feast of the Baptism of Jesus.
During this week we are encouraged to deepen our friendship with God as we reflect upon our own vocation. We are also reminded to foster and pray for vocations to all states of life. Because of the present need, the Church especially encourages us to pray for and support vocations to priesthood and religious life.