Our Catholic faith is rooted in the timeless truths of Scripture and the celebrated history, traditions and teachings of the Church, over two millennia of devotion to the call of the Gospel: to build the kingdom through evangelism and conversion and to “live as Catholic disciples of Jesus Christ.” That profoundly instructive phrase is borrowed from a recently released book entitled Forming Intentional Disciples, a timely study written by the co-founder of the Catherine of Siena Institute Sherry Weddell, and one that connects our ancient invitation to those living apart from Christ and the Church in a postmodern age. Subtitled “The Path to Knowing and Following Jesus,” the challenging and inspiring volume not only directs readers to pursue healthy personal spirituality but also directs us, through substantive evangelization, to invite others to join in the joy of following Jesus. A bestseller from Our Sunday Visitor, Forming Intentional Disciples is available through the OSV catalog, from Amazon and other booksellers, and is published in both paperback and e-book editions. Visit OSV for additional details: click here.

From St. Thomas More,
A Prayer Composed
While Imprisoned

Give me Thy grace, good Lord,
to set the world at naught;
to set my mind fast upon Thee,
and not to hang upon the blast
of men’s mouths.

 To lean upon the comfort of God,
busily to labor to love Thee;
gladly to bear my purgatory here,
to be joyful in tribulations;
to walk the narrow way
that leadeth to life, and
to bear the cross with Christ.


St. Thomas More
(1478 - 1535)

CATHOLIC LEADERS ON STEWARDSHIP

In celebrating the Feast of Corpus Christi, Pope Francis communicated the following: “Jesus gives Himself to us in the Eucharist, shares our same journey—indeed, He becomes food, real food that sustains our life even at times when the going is rough, when obstacles slow down our steps. The Lord in the Eucharist makes us follow His path, that of service, of sharing, of giving—and what little we have, what little we are, if shared, becomes wealth, because the power of God, which is that of love, descends into our poverty to transform it.

Let us ask ourselves, adoring the Christ truly present in the Eucharist: Do I let myself be transformed by Him? Do I let the Lord who gives Himself to me, guide me to come out more and more from my little fence to get out and be not afraid to give, to share, to love Him and others?

Discipleship, communion and sharing. Let us pray that participation in the Eucharist moves us always to follow the Lord every day, to be instruments of communion, to share with Him and with our neighbor who we are. Then our lives will be truly fruitful. Amen. (From Pope Francis’ Homily for Mass Celebrating the Feast of Corpus Christi, Thursday May 30, 2013.)

LINKS THAT WE RECOMMEND

Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge
http://www.diobr.org

The US Conference of Catholic Bishops
http://nccbuscc.org

The Vatican Website
http://www.vatican.va

More Local, Regional and National Links...

STEWARDSHIP: A DIOCESAN LEGACY

Seventy years ago this year, a young mission church was established in what was then the eastern edge of the city of Baton Rouge. Shortly after the close of World War II, Our Lady of Mercy Church became an independent parish, the congregation moved to a location on Marquette, and within a decade of the initial mission service, her parishioners added an elementary school to the many ministries that would define the parish as a hub for Catholic

life in the very center of the capital city. Today the congregation welcomes thousands to worship and serve from an expanded physical plant that features one of the finest sanctuary facilities in the diocese. At the intersection of Marquette and Government Streets, parishioners are invited to invest their spiritual gifts in service, extending care far beyond the corner. Dozens of ministry opportunities are available through the parish church and school.

In addition, staff and laity invite members and guests to engage on the Web. Whether to make an online donation, download a recent bulletin, sign up for educational classes, volunteer to serve in an ongoing ministry or mission, or simply check the parish’s calendar of events, we invite you to log on as well. For additional information regarding Our Lady of Mercy Church, please visit their helpful website: www.olomchurch.com

Photo courtesy quickhelpproductions.com

STEWARDSHIP IN SCRIPTURE

Sandwiched between the Old Testament books of the patriarchs and the histories of the Old Testament kings is a short tale, a love story of only four chapters. Hidden within it is a great lesson of generosity and compassion, recorded during a time when the poor were allowed to scavenge leftover grain dropped by workers during harvest.

“The field a young widow named Ruth entered to glean, after the harvesters, happened to be the section belonging to Boaz. He asked the young man overseeing the harvesters, ‘Whose young woman is this?’ ” The man answered him and Boaz learned all about her and told her so: “ ‘I have had a complete account of what you have done for your mother-in-law after your husband’s death; you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom previously you did not know.’ ”

Boaz permitted her to eat with the workers then made certain she could gather more than enough to feed herself and her poor mother-in-law. “As she rose to glean, Boaz instructed his young people: ‘Let her glean among the sheaves themselves without scolding her, and even drop some handfuls and leave them for her to glean; do not rebuke her.’ ” With great respect and admiration for her example, this generous man made certain she left with plenty, providing for her as he did his own staff.

True for those who share from the bounty the Lord has provided us all, Boaz found he could not exceed God’s own generosity. Ruth, the young hard-working widow, became his wife, and she bore him a son. That son was the father of Jesse, the father of David the king, all of them ancestors of Christ Jesus himself.

(From Ruth, chapter 2, New American Bible, Revised Edition)