Discovering hope and joy in the Catholic faith. August 2015 St. Clement Mary Hofbauer Conventual Franciscan Friars Polish your Catholic compass Our Catholic faith is like a compass Catechism of the . It that can point us to a clear path to is a summary of what Catholics St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe Heaven. If we aren’t careful to keep throughout the world believe in Ordained a priest at a our compass in working order, common. The Church also offers us young age, however, we can get thousands of as models. Maximilian Kolbe pulled off course Pack for the trip. Jesus knew we was determined and lose our way. would need extra strength so he to combat Keep a sharp gave us the Sacraments. They religious lookout. God are encounters with God indifference in made us in his and provide his native Poland (now image and likeness sanctifying grace. Ukraine) and published a and we will be Fortify your traveler’s successful magazine to preach happiest when we spirit with the the Gospel. When the Nazis avoid temptation and Eucharist and the invaded in 1939, they noticed do what is good and Sacrament of Fr. Kolbe and he was loving in his eyes. The Reconciliation as eventually imprisoned at Beatitudes and the Ten often as possible. Auschwitz. One day, ten men Commandments are Journey toward were chosen to die as roadmaps we can follow. God’s voice. While punishment for a prisoner Follow the well-worn path. We God speaks to us in many escape. Fr. Kolbe offered don’t have to forge our own path. We ways, his voice is most clearly himself instead of a family have the Catholic Church to guide us. discerned in Scripture. A daily dose of man. The man saved, Francis For example, an excellent source of the Word of God is a sure way to stay Gajowniczek, was present at Fr. answers to puzzling questions is the on the path to Heaven. Kolbe’s . Hospital for sinners It can be disappointing when fellow Christians don’t seem to Why do Catholics gesture act Christ-like. Yes, the Church is made up of imperfect people before the Gospel reading? who may let us down occasionally. Still, the Catholic Church was founded by Jesus, safeguards the Sacraments and God created us to ourselves to God. We pray, helps us grow in holiness. And know him, to love him, “Lord, be on my mind, be Jesus never and to serve him. In on my lips, be in my heart.” disappoints. , when we make the We ask God to be in us as “If we really want to three Signs of the Cross we hear the Gospel, so that love we must learn on our foreheads, lips, and we can truly “love and how to forgive.” hearts before the Gospel serve the Lord” by our Blessed Teresa reading, we are dedicating lives. of Calcutta

© Copyright 2015 Success Publishing & Media, LLC August 2015 Page 2 Still waiting for God to say “yes?”

Even the most faithful Christians can get a better idea. The best approach is to make your discouraged in prayer. It can be disheartening request, trust him to do the right thing, when you have your heart set on something, and then look for his answer. Try not pray hard for it, but the hoped for result to get set on any one answer. doesn’t happen. It is important to remember Perhaps God wants you to wait to that God hears you and he always answers increase your appreciation or because prayer. He loves you more than you can imagine he doesn’t think you are ready yet. and wants the best for you. In fact, he knows what Perhaps he has something better in mind. you need better than you do. Whatever the answer – and there is always Answers to prayer usually fall into one of three an answer – remember that it comes from responses: 1) Yes, 2) Not right now, and 3) I have his incredible and personal love.

Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 If Jesus paid for our sins, Clean hearts vs. clean hands why is Confession necessary? The religious leaders sent investigators wrong to think being clean on the to check up on Jesus and didn’t like what outside made them acceptable to Jesus’s sacrifice paid the price for our they saw. Not only were Jesus and God. God cares more about the state sins “once for all” (Hebrews 10:10), and his followers ignoring some of our hearts than our made it possible for us to go to Heaven. traditional rituals, Jesus scolded hands. It did not make us sinless. We retain the the leaders for being hypocrites Hypocrisy is when we inclination to sin. when they did observe them. pretend to be some- Fortunately for us, God’s They were outwardly obedient thing we aren’t and mercy is greater than so they could look holy instead have no intention of our sins. of taking steps to actually be becoming. Jesus called On Easter evening, holy. the Pharisees hypocrites Jesus gave to his For example, devout Jews because they went Apostles the power to performed a cleansing ritual before each through the motions of worshipping forgive (or not forgive) sins in his meal. The Pharisees liked to believe this God so they could appear holy in the name. “He breathed on them and said to ceremony kept them from being consid- eyes of the Jews. We become hypo- them, ‘Receive the holy Spirit. Whose sins ered unclean. They were critical because crites when we follow religious you forgive are forgiven them, and whose Jesus’ followers didn’t perform this practices carefully but allow our sins you retain are retained’” (John ceremony. Jesus told them that they were hearts to remain distant from God. 20:22-23). “Christ has willed that…his whole Church should be the sign and instrument of the forgiveness and promote devotion to the Sacred Heart reconciliation that he acquired for us at of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of the price of his blood” (CCC 1455). Mary, he founded the Congregation of In Confession, we receive God’s Jesus and Mary (Eudists). loving mercy, his forgiveness, and the August 12 – St. Jane Frances de August 22 – The Queenship of the grace to make a fresh start. Although Chantal (1641). Born wealthy in Blessed Virgin Mary. In 1954, Pope we experience Confession with the Dijon, France, Jane married the Baron Pius XII established this feast to priest, he is acting in the person of de Chantal and had four children. celebrate the Coronation Christ. Rather than deny the redeeming Widowed after only seven years, she of Mary as Queen of power of his sacrifice, the sacrament of founded the Order of the Visitation Heaven and Earth. Confession continues its effects. with St. , for those Mary’s queenship unable to enter a convent. Altogether, is rooted in she founded sixty convents. scripture and To provide practical ideas that promote August 19 – St. John Eudes (1680). tradition. As the faithful Catholic living. Success Publishing & Media, LLC Born on a farm in Normandy France, mother of the Publishers of Growing in Faith™ and Partners in Faith™ John was priest and parish missionary King, Mary can (540)662-7844 (540)662-7847 fax intercede for http://www.growinginfaith.com in the Diocese of Seez. Concerned with (Unless noted Bible quotes and references are from the spiritual state of the clergy, he us in the Revised Standard Version and the New American Bible) reformed and started seminaries. To Heaven. © Copyright 2015 Success Publishing & Media, LLC