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March 24, 2020
Pope Saint John Paul II
Evangelizing Without Fear
Presenters:
Josh Noem, Senior Editor, Grotto Network, University of Notre Dame
Stacey Noem, Director of Human & Spiritual Formation, Master of Divinity Program, University of Notre Dame
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What did Josh and Stacey Noem
share this week?
Pope Saint John Paul II's first words after being elected Pope were "BE NOT AFRAID!" Our Gospel for this week's Lenten Series presentation was the "Gospel at his funeral Mass", symbolizing the repentance that we seek in following in the footsteps of St. Peter, the first Pope. We all have a mission from God, a unique and special call to proclaim the message of Good News.
St. Peter was not the only one commissioned, but all baptized members of the Church share in being co-responsible in the mission of Christ on earth- to go and make disciples. As we go out into the world in the ways we are able throughout our lifetimes, God establishes a new age, becoming visible to us in our own state in life. This does not call us to sit back and ignore God's word, it rather illumines holiness before our eyes, making it easier to see and grasp the many ways God's glory is proclaimed with our lives. Pope Saint John Paul II clearly saw his identity as only rooted as a son of God, reminding us all of the experience we must live in the present as God's beloved children. This identity motivates opposition to everything contrary to the truth of the human person, namely violence, malice, greed, and selfishness. The nature of the human person is to completely seek and fulfill the desire to love and serve others, an example perfectly shown to us by Christ. Many things try to interrupt this journey we make with Christ. Illness and coronavirus bring isolation, fear, and anxiety; Christ once again offers something radical- consolation and redemption from incomplete worldly designs. This is where Pope Saint John Paul II reminds us of the unity of our relationship to God, present whenever we spend time in prayer, giving of our minds and bodies to the Lord's work and formation.
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Facts About
Pope St. John Paul II
- Orphaned by age 21; entered seminary in Poland during the Nazi regime
- Elected in 1978, he was the first non-Italian Pope in over 400 years
- Most traveled world leader in world history, visiting 129 countries
- Canonized about 500 saints during his papacy
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Watch
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| March 24, 2020-Lenten Speaker Series, Josh and Stacey Noem |
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TUESDAYS DURING LENT
Due to restrictions on gatherings at this time, the Lenten Series will not continue as an open event. The speaker and liturgy will be presented live on the parish website (StPius.net), recorded, and posted weekly as scheduled. Thank you for understanding.
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Our Saint Pius X Parish community is celebrating a "Year of Evangelization," but let's be honest: it can be hard to know what evangelization means. It can be even harder to share the love and truth of Jesus with others. However, as Catholics, we have role models to encourage us in this: the saints!
During this year's Lenten Speaker Series, we reflect on how the saints on the right side of the triumphal arch show us what it means to evangelize and how we can joyfully and boldly share the Good News of Christ's love with those who need it.
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NEXT WEEK: Tuesday, March 31
Saint Teresa of Calcutta
Evangelizing Through Mercy
Fr. Andrew Budzinski
Saint John the Baptist, Fort Wayne
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Saint Pius X Catholic Church |
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mauch@stpius.net | 574.272.8462 |
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