DeKalb GA News

Weekly Campus Ministry Inspiration

Campus Ministry Events:

Mass Thursday, January 19 at 3:10 p.m. in the Chapel

Adoration in the Chapel on Friday, January 20 from 8:40 a.m. - 2:45 p.m

Every Friday the Mothers' Club organizes guardians for Adoration during the school day.  Since our Friday start times vary, I usually start adoration before the first guardian gets there.  I have five minutes or so to myself with Jesus until classes start to come in during first period.  I have come to look forward to those five minutes, which is surprising.  I am one of the most impatient people on the planet.  If a YouTube video takes more than five seconds to load, I’m not watching it.  You can imagine what I was like when I was commuting the first three months I worked here when I was in traffic 2 ½ to 3 hours a day. I had to go to confession every week for what I said and did in traffic.  But I wish those five minutes on Fridays would last so much longer than they do.  Sometimes I simply sit in silence, other times I pray, most of the time I am journaling.  I write down my worries, concerns, joys, or questions.  I have horrible handwriting so I don't have to worry about anyone being able to read what I wrote.  Seriously, a pharmacist told me that doctors’ handwriting is neater than mine. Even if I can’t read what I wrote, just being in the presence of Jesus through the consecrated host is, well, I don’t have words for it.  

I invite faculty, staff, students, and parents to come to Adoration in our chapel at St. Pius X.  We have adoration from the start of school (either 8:00 a.m. or 8:40 a.m. for late start days) until 2:45 p.m.  You do not have to be Catholic to attend adoration and if you have questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.  I hope this has inspired someone to discover the power of five minutes with Jesus.  

Josh Wilson - Revolutionary (Official Lyric Video) - YouTube

Saints:  

January 16 - St. Berard and Companions

St. Berard and his companions were men sent, with the blessing of St. Francis, to preach in Morocco.  Once in Morocco they were arrested by the sultan, beaten, and bribed to renounce their faith. They refused and were beheaded.   Their relics, which were brought back to Portugal, inspired a young man to join the Franciscans.  His name was Anthony of Padua who later was named a saint.

January 17 - St. Anthony of Egypt

St. Anthony of Egypt gave up his large inheritance to live in solitude and spend his time in prayer.  Anthony was not the first ascetic or hermit, but he may properly be called the "Father of Monasticism" in Christianity, as he organized his disciples into a community and later, was the inspiration for similar communities throughout Egypt and elsewhere.  He died at 105.

• Patron of butchers, gravediggers, and skin diseases

January 18 - St. Charles of Sezze

St. Charles of Sezze became a Franciscan and truly desired to serve.  He was a cook, porter, sacristan, and gardener and was known to be accident prone.  While using oil to fry some onions he started a huge fire.  He was very focused on God’s will and doing his work in the world.  

• Patron of Sexxe Diocese of Latina-Terracina-Sezze-Priverno

January 19 - St. Fabian

St. Fabian was just a regular man who came to Rome when they were preparing to elect a new pope. When a dove settled on his head, the congregation took it as a sign and unanimously elected him pope.  He was pope for 14 years and was martyred during Decius’ persecution of Christians in 250 AD.

January 20 - St. Sebastian

St. Sebastian’s legend has had a big impact on art and iconography.  The legend goes that he entered the Roman army to help martyrs.   His plan was discovered and he was sentenced to be shot to death with arrows.  Miraculously, he survived.  After his recovery he approached the emperor and denounced him for his cruelty to Christians.  He was beaten to death with clubs.   

• Patron of athletes

 

Mottos/Sayings:

You aspire to great things?  Begin with little ones.  St Augustine

It is not enough to love, people have to feel that they are loved.  St John Paul II

You ask me whether I am in good spirits.  How could I not be so?  As long as Faith gives me strength I will always be joyful!  Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati

 

Fun Catholic Facts

Dumbbells came about thanks to the Catholic faith.  Church bells were an important part of life during the Middle Ages.  It required a lot of skill to ring them and newbies couldn’t really practice without ringing the bells all the time.  So weights suspended from ropes were used to train new bell ringers.  While they were training with the heavy weights they built up their physique so much that people started using these weights to better their physical shape.  

Real ‘Pope’ theme items that have been sold:

Pope Rug: a man in Denver was selling pieces of a rug Saint John Paul II stood on.

Pope-on-a-Rope Soap (company motto was "Wash away your sins")

Pope Watch

Let Us Spray Lawn Sprinkler: water squirts out of the Pope's outstretched arm

Pope Fan

Original source can be found here.