Archive for the ‘catholic’ Category

Men’s Retreat St Benedict’s Abbey Sat Aug 27th Still River Ma 8:30 AM -3:30 $55 ($45 early bird) “Where are the Hidden Heroes of Today?”

Posted: August 13, 2022 by datechguy in catholic, catholic devotions, special events
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Where are the Hidden Heroes of Today?

If you are a man looking for inspiration in these dark times have I got a treat for you.

WQPH 89.3 FM is hosting a Catholic Men’s Retreat on Saturday Aug 27th at St. Benedict’s Abbey 252 Still River Road Still River Massachusetts.

The primary speakers are Dan Duddy and Tom Caffey hosts of WQPH’s 13th Apostle every Saturday at 11:30 AM EST. They have been doing men’s events all over the east coast. This will be their first for WQPH in Massachusetts. The theme: “Where are the Hidden Heroes of Today?”

The retreat runs from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM and includes the following on the schedule

  • The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass at 9 am
  • Morning Coffee a light breakfast
  • Group Prayers
  • Free time during which confession will be available
  • Luncheon
  • A Talk from Dan Duddy and Tom Caffrey on our theme: Where are the hidden heroes of today?
  • Group discussion Q & A
  • Closing prayers

There will also be books and sacramentals available at the event

The Cost is $55 but only $45 for early bird registration by August 23rd which includes both luncheon and light breakfast

You can sign up in three ways:

  1. Go to WQPHradio.org and hit the Donate Button. In the notes for the donation specify that said donation is for your spot on the retreat (If you wish to sponsor additional people feel free to do so but please include their names in the notes).
  2. Call 617-459-8735 and we will take your information
  3. email us at wqph893@comcast.net with your request.. We will contact you back to confirm the number of tickers and payment

Don’t miss a chance to be part of this excellent life changing event

We Interrupt My planned Post Today to Second Stacy McCain’s call for people to give Lisa Grass a hand with her Cancer Treatments

Posted: August 6, 2022 by datechguy in catholic, catholic devotions
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Yesterday I woke to the rather unpleasant news that old friend and Catholic blogger Lisa Grass has been diagnosed with Cancer.

Lisa is a convert to Catholicism and the primary driver of her conversion was the Eucharist.

I just sat there when he kneeled but stood up when he stood up. I didn’t yet know there was really a good reason to kneel. I don’t remember the homily at all. It wasn’t good or bad to me. I just don’t remember it. Finally came the consecration. “Take this, all of you, and eat of it, for this is my Body,
which will be given up for you.” Um….WOW. Then the second part: “Take this, all of you, and drink from it, for this is the chalice of my Blood, the Blood of the new and eternal covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me.” BINGO!! This was it! This is how! This is what it means in the Bible where Jesus says you have to do this! This is how!!! Wow! I had to contain my excitement. After all, this was a Catholic Mass and I couldn’t stand up and say “Hey, everybody, etc.!”

I was literally trembling in the presence of God. I didn’t know what to do. I mean, God is here! Everyone started filing up to Communion and, to me, it was like they were filing up to the gates of heaven. What came next may seem trivial but it meant a lot to me. There was a man in the pew behind me and he had a little girl with him. She said, “Daddy, she didn’t go to Communion.” He replied, “That’s okay.” She said again, louder, “But Daddy, she didn’t go to Communion.” He said, “It’s okay. She doesn’t have to go if she doesn’t want to.” It then hit me. I can do this! I can become Catholic and go receive our Lord in Communion! It’s up to me! I can do it “if I want to!”

Lisa decided that she wanted to and pursued her faith with a strength and purpose that is be worth emulating and like the good Catholic she is her faith as Stacy McCain notes in his fundraising plea for her, comes complete with works:

When I was covering the Louisiana primary, and got busted in the notorious speed trap town of Livonia — they towed my rental car! — it was Lisa who drove all the way down from Kentucky to Louisiana to bring me back home.

That’s quite a drive to take on for a person that you have pretty much only exchange emails with, even if gas prices were not at Biden levels.

I reached out to Lisa to ask if she needed anything she replied that for now all she needed was prayers. Lisa understands that the truth of the phrase from Flannery O’Conner who said:

People think faith is a warm blanket when in fact, it’s the cross.

and the instructions of Christ

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.”

Matthew 16:24

This is the Cross that Jesus has given her and like the cross of Christ it’s given to her but it can help save others. When we pray for Lisa, as she asked we do a spiritual work of mercy for her and bring ourselves closer to God. It is an act of faith, but what about works?

Stacy McCain is not a Catholic but when it comes to works to repay a debt of gratitude he’s on it:

 Lisa’s diagnosis sounds very serious and her chemo treatments will cost $10,000-$20,000 per month, some of which should be covered by insurance, but still this is an ordeal for her. Lisa helped me in my hour of need, so everything y’all could do for her would be greatly appreciated.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO LISA GRAAS

I highly endorse all aid that you can spare for Lisa, both via faith and via works.

Report from Louisiana: Book your reservation for Fête-Dieu du Teche Now

Posted: July 25, 2022 by Pat Austin in catholic
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By:  Pat Austin

SHREVEPORT – August is upon us and for those in south Louisiana, specifically in Cajun country, that means it is time for the Fête-Dieu du Teche which celebrates the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and also commemorates the arrival of the Acadians in south Louisiana.

On August 15, for the past eight years, Catholics have gathered along Bayou Teche from Leonville (Pop. 2,127) to St. Martiville (Pop. 5,844) to participate in the 38-mile journey down the bayou in a Eucharist procession by boat. The day begins in Leonville with Mass celebrated in French at St. Leo the Great Catholic Church.

Then everyone loads into their boats; the Eucharist is fixed on a altar in the lead boat, under a canopy. Everyone follows by boat down the bayou to Arnaudville (Pop. 1,614) where everyone disembarks. First communicants dressed in white scatter rose petals from baskets and the Eucharist follows, to an altar on the bank at St. Francis Regis Catholic Church. Participants kneel, pray the Rosary and Benediction, and then are back on the boats to the next stop.

By the end of the day, they reach St. Martinville where they process through town to the church, St. Martin de Tours for benediction. Confession is available at each stop.

It is a sight to behold. I’m not Catholic; we are Episcopalians, and my husband likes to say we are “Catholic-lite.” But, we love attending the Fête-Dieu du Teche because face it, what’s not to love about entire communities engaged in prayer?

Last year, as everyone was getting back into their boats at Arnaudville, Steve and I walked over to the bridge so we could see the procession as they passed under us on the way to the next town. Smiling nuns with habits flying behind them waved up at us; the incense perfumed the air and then behind the laity came the families who followed along. All in all it is easy over a hundred boats.

As more people around the world learn about this event, it grows each year. This will be year eight. We already have our lodging reserved and will be there once again to witness the event. I love how this event brings families and communities together; I love how tied to their very Cajun culture this is, too. The journey to St. Martinville commemorates the journey their Acadian ancestors made in fleeing religious persecution all those years ago.

It is a glorious thing to see and I’d encourage anyone to see it if you have the chance. Joseph Pronechen wrote in some detail about the event here and the Facebook page is here. And there is a cool video here. I wrote about it last year on this blog which you can see here.

Interviews and Audio from last week’s WQPH One Day Retreat at St. Benedict’s Abbey in Still River MA

Posted: July 16, 2022 by datechguy in catholic, catholic devotions, Church doctrine, special events
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Last Saturday I attended the one day retreat at Still River sponsored by WQPH. As you might guess I shot quite a few videos

An introduction

The sermon from the event

Shared Prayers from the event

A quick talk concerning Our Lady of Americas

A great speech from Deacon Bob Connor, Part 1

And Part 2

Two Audio only files, an interview with Maureen Capistran

And her opening remarks before the Q & A

and a closing interview with Fr. Augustine

It was quite a day and I hope you can join us on the next one.

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