CATHOLIC FAITH AT HOME RESOURCES

For Our STELLA MARIS

Family of Parishes

including:

St. Thomas More, St. Bernadette,

St. Mary's, St. Peter's

August 6

WORLD YOUTH DAY

Lisbon, Portugal, August 1–6, 2023.

World Youth Day (WYD) gathers

millions of young adults

with the pope,

lasts a week

and happens every two to four years,

in a different country each year.

It celebrates youth, demonstrates the universality of the Church,

and is a moment of evangelization for the Church.

2023 Motto: "Mary arose and went with haste." Luke 1:39

Chosen by Pope Francis

This biblical phrase opens the account of the Visitation

- Mary’s visit to her cousin Elizabeth -

It follows the Annunciation, the angel’s announcement to Mary that she would be the mother of the Son of God

- and the theme of the previous WYD in Panama...

Click below to read the Pope's message to young people:

POPE'S MESSAGE TO YOUNG PEOPLE

Click below to see the program for the week and this weekend:

WORLD YOUTH DAY PROGRAM

Click below to find all the videos from World Youth Day Lisbon, 2023:

WORLD YOUTH DAY VIDEOS

THE TRANSFIGURATION

AUGUST 6

WHAT MEANING CAN WE LEARN

FROM THE TRANSFIGURATION?

In both St. Matthew and St. Mark's Gospels,

the Transfiguration account immediately follows

Jesus’ prediction of His Passion and

His stating the arduous demands of discipleship

(Mt 16:21-28; Mk 8:31-38).

We may assume that the Transfiguration

both clearly revealed Jesus’ divinity for a moment

and allowed His glory to shine forth for the encouragement

of the key apostles who were present: Peter, James and John.

There is much symbolism!

Jesus took his inner circle of apostles

— Peter, James, and John —

up a mountain — a place of revelation in the Bible.

It was clear something important was about to happen!

These three then saw Jesus as part of another important trio,

completed with Moses and Elijah,

important symbols in Israelite tradition.

As if that weren’t spectacular enough...

the Voice of God itself made an appearance,

uttering two thundering phrases:

“This is my Son” and “Listen to him.”

Click below to find 10 things you can learn about the Transfiguration:

TEN THINGS TO LEARN ABOUT THE TRANSFIGURATION

WANT TO KNOW MORE

ABOUT SAINTS?

...but

Short on time?

Seeking to deepen your devotion to the saints?

Listen to the Saint of the Day Podcast in a few moments

but have food for thought throughout the day!

In less time than it takes to brew a cup of coffee,

you’ll discover captivating tales of holy men and women

who have shaped history and won eternity.

Reflect on their inspiring witnesses

and allow their profound examples to resonate in your heart.

Click below to watch on You Tube:

SAINT OF THE DAY

Formed in Christ:

The Word of Truth

As Pope St. John Paul II made clear in his

apostolic exhortation Catechesi Tradendae,

“The definitive aim of catechesis is to put people

not only in touch but in communion,

in intimacy, with Jesus Christ.”

The Formed in Christ series seeks to fulfill this call,

fostering intimacy with Christ through its dynamic content and call to faith.

Readers find a systematic and faithful study of

Divine Revelation and Sacred Scripture.

The beauty of the Church’s teaching on Divine Revelation

is highlighted

through extensive readings from magisterial documents and Scriptural basis.

Click below to see this study:

FORMED IN CHRIST

National Conference on

Eucharistic Miracles

Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Center,

Cincinnati, OH

AUGUST 11-13

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An in depth opportunity

to grow deeper in our faith in God

through what He has revealed to us in the Holy Eucharist.

With documented examples going back

over 1,000 years, to examples as recent as the last two years.

Astonishing Miracles!

Click on the link below to register:

HOST OF MIRACLES CONFERENCE

See the speakers in the chart below:

DETAILS BELOW...

SPECIAL PRAYERS

Sunday August 6th

The Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord

closes the last day of

World Youth Day (WYD)

Lisbon 2023

Official Prayer

Our Lady of the Visitation,

you who arose and went with haste into the

hill country to meet Elizabeth,

lead us also to encounter all those who await us

to deliver them the living Gospel:

Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord!

We, too, will go in haste, without distraction or delay,

but with readiness and joy.

We will go with peace because those

who bring Christ bring peace,

and well-being comes from being

generous and loving in our deeds.

Our Lady of the Visitation,

through your inspiration, this World Youth Day

will be a shared celebration of Christ,

whom we bring to others, just as you did.

Please make this a time of testimony and sharing,

of fraternity and thanksgiving,

with each of us looking for opportunities

to give to those who are waiting to receive.

With you, we will continue on this path of encounter

so that our world will join us, too, in fraternity, justice, and peace.

Help us,

Our Lady of the Visitation,

to bring Christ to everyone,

in obedience to the Father and

in the love of the Holy Spirit!

Amen

NATIONAL EUCHARISTIC REVIVAL

NEW WEEKLY INFO

CHECK OUT THE SPEAKERS

Congress attendees will be equipped and inspired

through powerful plenary sessions and edifying breakouts

across five unique tracks.

These powerful, unitive experiences

will be led by some of

the Church’s most trusted voices and on-fire experts.

Click the link below to see who they are:

MEET THE SPEAKERS FOR THE

EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS

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By His Wounds You Have Been Healed

Life-Giving Wounds is an apostolate rooted in the Eucharist

that helps adult children of divorced or separated parents

find hope and healing.

Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in the

Archdiocese of St. Louis started the first chapter of

Life-Giving Wounds this year for seminarians.

Colleen Schena shares the story about how this powerful work

—born from the pain of family brokenness—

is bringing new life to so many people, including our future priests!

Click below to read:

LIFE GIVING WOUNDS

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The Eucharist: Our Prophetic Call to Love

On Saturday, July 22, Cardinal Wilton Gregory

of the Archdiocese of Washington

delivered a powerful keynote address

at the African National Eucharistic Congress

held at The Catholic University of America.

He helps reveal, through his stirring words,

how the Eucharist is indeed the key to the unity

Jesus prayed for on the eve of his Death.

He also offers a heartfelt invitation

to join him in Indianapolis

for the National Eucharistic Congress next summer.

Click below to read his keynote address:

KEYNOTE ADDRESS

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In the Streets

Another major moment in the Revival:

National Eucharistic Pilgrimage

one of the largest Eucharistic pilgrimages in history!

We will process with our Eucharistic Lord on 4 routes,

departing from our nation's north, south, east, and west edges.

These branches will meet in Indianapolis in July 2024

for the National Eucharistic Congress.

To see the four routes, and intercessor for each, click below:

NATIONAL EUCHARISTIC PILGRIMAGE ROUTES

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The Eucharist and the Sacred Heart:

A Prayer after Communion

By St. John Henry Newman

Most Sacred, most loving Heart of Jesus,

You are concealed in the Holy Eucharist,

And you beat for us still.

Now, as then, you say: “With desire I have desired.”

I worship you with all my best love and awe,

With fervent affection,

With my most subdued, most resolved will.

For a while you take up your abode within me.

O make my heart beat with your Heart!

Purify it of all that is earthly,

All that is proud and sensual,

All that is hard and cruel,

Of all perversity,

Of all disorder,

Of all deadness.

So fill it with you,

That neither the events of the day,

Nor the circumstances of the time,

May have the power to ruffle it;

But that in your love and your fear,

It may have peace.

Registration for the Congress

With all the grace Our Lord wants to pour over the U. S.

through this Congress,

the devil wants to disrupt it in big and little ways.

Please pray - even just a quick prayer -

for everyone involved, especially:

• The technology that will process registrations

• Congress volunteers

• Event organizers and administrative staff

• All those considering attending

• All who God is calling to the Congress, especially sacrifice to be there

• The pilgrims as they prepare for the National Eucharistic Procession

Thank you for being a Prayer Partner of the Revival.

Your intercession makes a real difference!!!

WILL YOU BE THERE, TOO?

You can join us!

in July, 2024

for the 10th National Eucharistic Congress.

Directly experience the fruits of your intercession and

see its impact around the country.

Click the link below to REGISTER:

REGISTRATION FOR 10TH

NATIONAL EUCHARISTIC CONFERENCE

QUIZ! FOR THE WEEK

WHAT IS ANOINTING AND

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

Scroll down to find the answer!

HUMOR HIGHLIGHT

CHESS

When celebrating the 100th anniversary of our church, several former pastors and the bishop were in attendance.

At one point, our minister had the children gather at the altar

for a talk about the day's importance.

He began by asking them,

"Does anyone know what the bishop does?"

There was silence.

Finally, one little boy answered gravely,

"He's the one you can move diagonally."

GOSPEL READING REFLECTION

For August 6, 2023

THE TRANSFIGURATION OF OUR LORD

Gospel: MT 17:1-9

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CHRIST'S GLORIOUS APPEARANCE

Just prior to this mountaintop vision, Peter, inspired by the Holy Spirit, had confessed that Jesus is the Christ, that he is the Son of the living God. From this point on, Jesus’ thoughts and words turn to his passion, death, and resurrection (CCC 554, Mt 16:21).

Moses represents the Law and Elijah the prophets. Both Moses and Elijah had ascended mountains and spoke as men with God. Now they return to another mountaintop to speak to God made man.

Jesus, Moses and Elijah talk about what will be fulfilled in Jerusalem, which is Christ’s departure, literally his exodus (Lk 9:31).

Christ’s glorious appearance signals his glorious resurrection.

As St. Thomas points out, the Blessed Trinity appears on the mountain: “the Father in the voice; the Son in the man; the Spirit in the shining cloud” (CCC 555, STh III, 45, 4, ad 2.).

The words of the Father to the three apostles are enough for an entire plan of life for us. Because Christ is the beloved, well-pleasing Son of the Father, we can also give him our complete love. And because we love him, we listen to him, meaning we try to do what he wants us to do.

As the Collect for today’s mass says, the Transfiguration “confirmed the mysteries of faith by the witness of the Fathers,” that is, Moses and Elijah. It also “wonderfully prefigured our full adoption to sonship.”

SCOTT HAHN'S

MASS READINGS REFLECTION

Click the link below to hear Scott Hahn reflect on

the TRANSFIGURATION:

"MAJESTIC VOICE"

TRANSFIGURATION REFLECTION WITH DR. HAHN

ANSWER TO QUIZ

People often know that the term

“Christ” means “Anointed One,”

but what is anointing

and why would someone want to do it?

1. In Hebrew, mashakh means anoint, to spread a liquid over something.

For example, it refers to painting a house (Jer. 22:14) and spreading oil on wafers (Exod. 29:2) and leather shields (Isa. 21:5).

2. People were also anointed

As part of their personal care. Ruth’s mother-in-law, Naomi, tells her to anoint herself to make be presentable for Boaz (Ruth 3:3).
As a welcoming custom. Jesus tells his host—Simon the Pharisee—that Simon did not greet him with a kiss or anoint his head with oil, making him a bad host (Luke 7:45-46).
As an important part of Israelite culture. Not having the olives needed to make personal anointing oil was regarded as a curse (Deut. 28:40).

3. Anointing can seem strange to modern Westerner

Pouring oil on yourself would make a greasy mess.

However, ancient Israelites regarded it as a good and pleasant thing (Psa. 132:1-2).
Olive oil served as skin moisturizer, lip balm, and, when scented, as perfume and cologne. They would soothe your skin and smell good.

4. Sacred functions uses a special anointing oil.

It was a special formula of ingredients like liquid myrrh, sweet-smelling cinnamon, aromatic cane, cassia, and olive oil (Exod. 30:23-25).
Ordinary people were not allowed to make or use this formula.
Used at the sanctuary to anoint items used for the liturgical worship of God:
meeting tent, ark of the covenant, and sanctuary items like tables, lampstands, utensils, etc. (Exod. 30:26-29).