Father’s Column 10/2

Posted on October 3, 2016 View all news

Laudetur Jesus Christus! Gelobt sei Jesus Christus! Sia lodato Gesù Cristo! Praised be Jesus Christ!

October 9 is the Feast Day of Bl. John Henry Newman. More commonly known as Cardinal Newman, he was a famous convert to the faith in the eighteenth century. He was from England and became an Anglican Priest. Newman, however, was steeped in history and eventually came into the Church.

He desired to become a Priest, and set out to find a religious congregation which fit his personality. He was highly intelligent; and many believed he would become a Jesuit. However, he set his eyes on St. Philip Neri and became the Father of the Oratory in the English speaking world. He founded an Oratory in Birmingham, then later assisted in the foundation of a house in London. Today there is also an Oratory in his beloved Oxford, where he lived out most of his days as an Anglican Priest and professor at the University.

Cardinal Newman later went on to become a Cardinal, as well as a prolific writer on matters of the faith. University centers for Catholics around the Country are under the patronage of Cardinal Newman. Next Sunday there will be a second collection for the education fund for the seminarians of the Community-in-Formation. We are responsible for the education and formation of our seminarians, so your assistance will go a long way to help us educate our future Priests. Every Priest ordained for the Community guarantees Old St. Mary’s further stability with Priests well into the future. Please be generous.

Next Sunday is also the famous Italian Dinner at Sacred Heart Church in Camp Washington. I encourage everyone to head over and support this fundraiser. Also, pick up a good dinner in the process. I hope to see everyone there!

To conclude, please find one of Bl. John Henry Newman’s more famous quotes about each of us having a place in God’s plan. Please meditate on this through this week, as we lead up to Cardinal Newman Feast Day. Have a blessed week ahead!

Signature

“God has created me to do Him some definite service. He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have my mission I may never know it in this life but I shall be told it in the next. I am a link in a chain a bond of connection between persons. He has not created me for naught. I shall do good – I shall do His work I shall be an angel of peace a preacher of truth in my own place while not intending it if I do but keep His commandments. Therefore I will trust Him whatever I am, I can never be thrown away If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him in perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him If I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him. He does nothing in vain. He knows what He is about. He may take away my friends. He may throw me among strangers. He may make me feel desolate make my spirits sink hide my future from me – still He knows what He is about.” – Bl. John Henry Newman