| 1. Saint Francis makes it very clear that he is this gentleman’s father, even referring to him as his “real son.” How do priests and bishops become our fathers in an even more real way than biological fathers?
2. Reflect on the fact that earthly family is ultimately created by two unrelated strangers getting married and having children. Are the spouses less family than the children who share blood? What, then, is the essence of family?
3. Connected to that, how are Christians “more” family than blood relatives?
4. How could it benefit the Church (and the world) for us to live more attuned to this family reality of our Christian faith?
5. Discuss this line from the letter: “No indeed, my very dear son, although you may change the place where you live, the work you do and the people you talk to, you will never, as I hope, change your heart, nor your heart change its love, nor your love its object, since you could never choose a worthier love for your heart nor a worthier object for your love than the One who is to make you happy for ever.” |
Q1 How do priests and bishops become our fathers in an even more real way than biological fathers?
Sep 12, 7:33 PM
Simone (Guest): Hi Sister! Hi Betty! and Hi to two viewers
Sep 12, 7:33 PM
VisitationSiste: hi Simone How was vacation
Sep 12, 7:33 PM
Betty (Guest): They are getting call by Jesus.for sister susan
Sep 12, 7:34 PM
VisitationSiste: HI DAWN
Sep 12, 7:34 PM
Simone (Guest): oh my sister- this vacation was something.. Luggage never arrived in two weeks.. what a great way to dive into simplicity and humility
Sep 12, 7:34 PM
Dawn (Guest): hello everyone, hi Sr Susan
Sep 12, 7:34 PM
Betty (Guest): Hi everyone
Sep 12, 7:34 PM
VisitationSiste: goodness!
Sep 12, 7:34 PM
Simone (Guest): Had a chance to get to the Visitation monastery in Vienna – and talked to Sr. Gratia there!
Sep 12, 7:34 PM
Simone (Guest): Hi Dawn!
Sep 12, 7:35 PM
VisitationSiste: tell me more
Sep 12, 7:35 PM
Simone (Guest): about the monastery?
Sep 12, 7:35 PM
VisitationSiste: yes
Sep 12, 7:35 PM
Simone (Guest): the cloister church there is AMAZING! It is like sitting in the midst of Salesian teaching – I would love to send you pictures. but how?
Sep 12, 7:36 PM
VisitationSiste: e mail
Sep 12, 7:36 PM
Simone (Guest): OK.. will do
Sep 12, 7:36 PM
Betty (Guest): Monastery is a very strict place is living a prayer and medietation place is a life of prayer
7:36 PM
Betty (Guest): Monastery is a very strict place is living a prayer and medietation place is a life of prayer.
Sep 12, 7:36 PM
Simone (Guest): I talked to Sr. Gratia in the “meeting room – with an “open grill”-
7 PM
Simone (Guest): they have there something like “companions of the Visitation order” – and these women get the cross to wear. I was a little bit jealous to be honest
Sep 12, 7:37 PM
Simone (Guest): anwyways.. will send you pictures
Sep 12, 7:37 PM
Dawn (Guest): would be wonderful to hear about your visit there Simone
PM
Simone (Guest): Not so much to say though – but I am contemplating to go over for a 8 days of silent retreat in their monastery. They open their monastery for that. But so does your monastery, right Sr. Susan?
Sep 12, 7:38 PM
VisitationSiste: yes
6 online
VisitationSiste
Betty
Dawn
Simone
LuAnn
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38 PM
Simone (Guest): Not so much to say though – but I am contemplating to go over for a 8 days of silent retreat in their monastery. They open their monastery for that. But so does your monastery, right Sr. Susan?
Sep 12, 7:38 PM
VisitationSiste: yes
Sep 12, 7:38 PM
Simone (Guest): when Covid ends… expect a knock from me on your door one day Sister
Sep 12, 7:39 PM
VisitationSiste: ok welcome at that time for sure
Sep 12, 7:39 PM
Simone (Guest): Ok. thanks for letting me share a bit.. but I would love to hear all your answers for the questions today too
6 online
VisitationSiste
Betty
Dawn
LuAnn
Simone
1 viewer
39 PM
Betty (Guest): They living in the spiritual life with Jesus in the monastery not all the people can enter the monastery become a nun or priest they have to get this calling by Jesus it is not you choose him it is he choose you to become one of them. 2 PM
Simone (Guest): Well, we share the same spiritual DNA with our priests – not necessarily with our biological father though
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VisitationSiste
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Betty (Guest): Like Jesus choose 12 disciples to preach gaspel and making miracle to healing the sick is not come from them it is come from God 43 PM
Simone (Guest): The priests and bishops provide my spiritual food. Like my father did when I was young
Sep 12, 7:44 PM
VisitationSiste: They father our souls which is more eternal at least now than our bodies altho we will resurrect some day
Sep 12, 7:44 PM
Simone (Guest): they provide “spiritual shelter” –
2, 7:44 PM
LuAnn (Guest): If we are looking at father as the relationship of the elder to the younger, the mentor, protector and advisor, all of these can be filled by a priest in our growing in God 44 PM
Simone (Guest): well said Sr. Susan and LuAnn. :45 PM
Betty (Guest): Like Jesus choosing St. Paul to become his disciple to become the teaching of the church. 5 PM
Simone (Guest): in your experience – what do you think – do all priests take the spiritual fatherhood on? Is it necessary?
Sep 12, 7:45 PM
LuAnn (Guest): In today’s world, the lines of fatherhood are very much more blurred than in the past and allow for others to fill that role even without a biological connection.
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p 12, 7:46 PM
Simone (Guest): I agree LuAnn – I think we have lost the beauty and honour for fatherhood somehow
Sep 12, 7:46 PM
Simone (Guest): in a wordy way
Sep 12, 7:46 PM
Simone (Guest): worldly
Sep 12, 7:47 PM
VisitationSiste: Most priests want to be helpful but not all can direct souls as well as others
Sep 12, 7:47 PM
LuAnn (Guest): I agree there is a loss there PM
Simone (Guest): Sister – but it does not even have to be Spiritual Direction. which is in one way or another – a form of a spiritual gift too – but the willingness to be a Father. That is a big load on the shoulder.
Sep 12, 7:48 PM
LuAnn (Guest): Whether priest or familial, not all fathers fill the role equally, but that is not to say they are not giving their best
Sep 12, 7:48 PM
Dawn (Guest): many priests and Bishops have become attached to the world and are not sherparing their flocks
Sep 12, 7:48 PM
VisitationSiste: q2 2. Reflect on the fact that earthly family is ultimately created by two unrelated strangers getting married and having children. Are the spouses less family than the children who share blood? What, then, is the essence of family?
Sep 12, 7:48 PM
Simone (Guest): probably harder for younger priests too
Sep 12, 7:48 PM
Ruth (Guest): Hello everyone. Sorry I’m late. Just got in. Long story. Will scroll back and see if I cannot pick up the thread.
Sep 12, 7:48 PM
VisitationSiste: hi RUTH
Sep 12, 7:48 PM
Simone (Guest): Hi Ruth! good to see you here!
Sep 12, 7:49 PM
Dawn (Guest): hi Ruth
7 online
VisitationSiste
9 PM
Betty (Guest): God choose you to become spiritual leader is not a easy to be but with Jesus help it will be easy but in you spiritual life without his help you can’t do anything to become spiritual person
Sep 12, 7:49 PM
Simone (Guest): it’s covenant relationship between spouses
7 onli
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Simone (Guest): most intimate form of relationship 9 PM
Betty (Guest): God choose you to become spiritual leader is not a easy to be but with Jesus help it will be easy but in you spiritual life without his help you can’t do anything to become spiritual person
Sep 12, 7:49 PM
Simone (Guest): it’s covenant relationship between spouses
Sep 12, 7:49 PM
Simone (Guest): most intimate form of relationship
Sep 12, 7:50 PM
LuAnn (Guest): There are different ways to enter a family, but once in, it should be for life and therefore devastating to have that bond broken
Sep 12, 7:50 PM
Dawn (Guest): this is good Betty
Sep 12, 7:50 PM
Betty (Guest): Thanks dawn
Sep 12, 7:51 PM
Dawn (Guest): is true what you said
Sep 12, 7:51 PM
VisitationSiste: I think marriage is also a mystical reality that binds people as much as blood relationship
2 PM
Dawn (Guest): a supernatural bond forms 4 PM
VisitationSiste: perhaps family is a call to souls that God has chosen to be together
Sep 12, 7:54 PM
Dawn (Guest): but not in all marriages
:54 PM
Simone (Guest): God has not even the same “species” with us – and we become part of His family through sacramental covenants :54 PM
Simone (Guest): God has not even the same “species” with us – and we become part of His family through sacramental covenants
Sep 12, 7:54 PM
LuAnn (Guest): Yes, the choice of commitment, blessed as a sacrament, the birth of children, (again a blessing) and the choice of adoption.
Sep 12, 7:54 PM
VisitationSiste: HI CAROL
Sep 12, 7:54 PM
Simone (Guest): Sister Susan.. I think I take your last line – and put it in the wedding card for my niece
Sep 12, 7:55 PM
Dawn (Guest): hi Carol
Sep 12, 7:55 PM
Carol (Guest): Hi Everyone!
Sep 12, 7:55 PM
Simone (Guest): Hi Carol!
, 7:55 PM
Betty (Guest): Some people choose by God but Satan Lucifer try to get our heart to disobey God and turn away from his ten laws but God is love he use his love to rescue us away from satan Lucifer and get closed to his love.
:58 PM
Carol (Guest): We have a special bond in Christ because we share His body in the Eucharist 59 PM
Simone (Guest): we share the same Father and the same blood.. what could be more family?
Sep 12, 8:00 PM
Dawn (Guest): yes!
Sep 12, 8:00 PM
LuAnn (Guest): I like it
Sep 12, 8:00 PM
01 PM
Ruth (Guest): We acknowledge the same Father, care for one another, share — some blood relatives make their lives into the opposite of “family” — use one another instead of acting in love, as a Christian family does when it is indeed Christian. 8:03 PM
VisitationSiste: CHRISTIANS are more family again in the sense of soul PM
Elena (Guest): If we’re all children of God, that makes us brothers and sisters. We’re children of God through baptism.
Sep 12, 8:07 PM
Simone (Guest): yes
9 PM
Elena (Guest): Although sometimes these days it seems Christians/Catholics don’t treat each other that way. Particularly online, it seems. Lots of division. Division everywhere in the world and in the U.S. but when it invades the Church, it makes me incredibly sad. PM
Elena (Guest): We can disagree and even argue — and certainly Church Fathers and Mothers have! — but the degree of nastiness and siloed thinking has become hurtful to our Church and to individuals. 10 PM
Dawn (Guest): agree Elena.
Sep 12, 8:10 PM
Simone (Guest): I agree too
Sep 12, 8:10 PM
Ruth (Guest): I agree and feel the same way.
Sep 12, 8:10 PM
Carol (Guest): Yes, it’s even worse when we divide ourselves within the Church
Sep 12, 8:10 PM
Dawn (Guest): we are in the midst of diabolic disorientation
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VisitationSiste
PM ELIZABETH DALY
Elena (Guest): And to a great degree, there is a “group think” that seems to hold sway in the world right now, and if you don’t belly up to that bar, you are shut down. There is no room to discourse and understand. No family can exist like that for very long. It is diabolic, I agree, Dawn! :12 PM
Carol (Guest): Yes, the world makes people disappear now 8:12 PM
Elena (Guest): Literally and figuratively. How could it benefit the Church (and the world) for us to live more attuned to this family reality of our Christian faith? PM
Carol (Guest): It is very hard for Americans because we have been raised to act as individuals 2, 8:14 PM
Elena (Guest): “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Sep 12, 8:14 PM
Simone (Guest): good point Carol. Individualism is very dangerous to unity
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Elena (Guest): Witnessing agape love, growing in virtue, tending to the weakest and most neglected and abused – this speaks to the world more loudly than anything.
Sep 12, 8:15 PM
Simone (Guest): I am preparing for a ‘restorative practice” workshop right now for a church council who has completely fallen in conflict and somewhat even entrenchment. I think most people do not know how to “practically” love. That’s where Salesian spirituality becomes so useful I find
Sep 12, 8:15 PM
Ruth (Guest): Amen to that Elena.
M
Elena (Guest): We can be individuals and still die to self. There is in our current world a danger of annihilating the individual such as happens in Communist societies — just as bad.
7 PM
Elena (Guest): But to be “out for #1/self” is of course to swell with pride and all the other cardinal sins/vices.
Sep 12, 8:17 PM
Simone (Guest): love has become – not action – not linked with humility and gentleness anymore -it is all about “kind fake words” – I find.. that’s enough. .If it sounds loving – it is OK. but that is not a love that feeds the soul and nurtures relationships I find
Sep 12, 8:17 PM
Ruth (Guest): It is. But how do we undo these extremes?
Sep 12, 8:18 PM
Carol (Guest): We have accepted cheap sentimentality instead of the down in the trenches love
Sep 12, 8:18 PM
Elena (Guest): Yes, Simone~ love is a “feeling” according to the world. Whereas we know love is a choice (often made with great difficulty).
Sep 12, 8:18 PM
Simone (Guest): it’s a choice to become less –
Sep 12, 8:18 PM
Elena (Guest): Yeah… Ruth… if we had the answers… I wish I did! Both extremes are from the enemy. Prayer, witness of life, the Sacraments.
:20 PM
VisitationSiste: tHE SACRED HEART IS THE DEEPEST LOVE POSSIBLE- HOW DO WE BRING OTHERS TO Jesus’ heart :21 PM
Ruth (Guest): God calls each of us to become more like him in our here and now in the world.
Sep 12, 8:21 PM
Carol (Guest): By letting Him transform us so that people will want what we have
Sep 12, 8:21 PM
Dawn (Guest): we can bring others only to the extent we are ourselves and then only as we live andthey see
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Elena (Guest): Amen, Sister! How… I think it’s living in a way that attracts others, when they notice a peace or patience or other virtue in difficult circumstances. People will want to know what that special quality is, or how that peace can enter their hearts.
Sep 12, 8:22 PM
Elena (Guest): Carol said it better lol
:23 PM
Carol (Guest): I don’t know about better, just shorter 2, 8:23 PM
Elena (Guest): Succinctly, anyway. I like it. :24 PM
Ruth (Guest): Agreed. 24 PM
Simone (Guest): could it also happen through our suffering? 5 PM
Elena (Guest): Yes… I think when others see how we endure suffering with peace and patience, that is a sign that something else is present (someone else!). PM
Elena (Guest): “we” as if I’m the picture of perfect suffering!!! I’m not!! I whine a lot. 5 PM
Ruth (Guest): I think there is a way that we can unite our suffering to HIS and, even if no one sees it, it can have a positive effect on others.
Sep 12, 8:25 PM
Dawn (Guest): lol
25 PM
Elena (Guest): Ruth — yes! That spiritual reality beyond the witness. Of course. Well said!
Sep 12, 8:25 PM
Simone (Guest): Ruth, that’s what I was wondering.
6 PM
Ruth (Guest): Not sure of your meaning, Simone.
Sep 12, 8:26 PM
Elena (Guest): I waste a lot of suffering… I want to be better with this reality of uniting my suffering to Christ’s.
Sep 12, 8:26 PM
Simone (Guest): oh Elena.. I hear you sister.. I am so NOT good in suffering either. but I am better than 10 years ago .. where I did not even consider to suffer for a momen
7 PM
Carol (Guest): It can be hard if we keep trying to figure out why
Sep 12, 8:27 PM
Elena (Guest): Yes, this is true for me as well. And you know, in our world today, everything is geared to avoid suffering of any kind, to the point where we will do horrible things to not have to suffer.
Sep 12, 8:27 PM
Simone (Guest): I read a short biography from a Saint last week.. and honestly, I think she had every possible disease you can imagine. I caught myself whining upwards saying ” Please Lord, not a life like that. please not”..
Sep 12, 8:28 PM
Ruth (Guest): I believe that there is somehow an “economy of suffering” It has to do with our all being connected.
Sep 12, 8:28 PM
Simone (Guest): I am not avoiding EVERY suffering – but a life consumed with pain .. GOSH.. I need so much grace for that
Sep 12, 8:28 PM
Elena (Guest): Ruth – agree.
Sep 12, 8:29 PM
Elena (Guest): We are connected through the Passion, death and Resurrection of Christ.
:29 PM
Dawn (Guest): whining upwards, thank you!
Sep 12, 8:29 PM
Simone (Guest): Ruth.. I would like to read on “economy of suffering”.Can you recommend a good read on that?
Sep 12, 8:29 PM
Elena (Guest): Through His Sacred Heart!
PM
Ruth (Guest): Sometimes I think it is LITTLE sufferings that are harder to endure than the BIG ones.
Sep 12, 8:31 PM
Simone (Guest): Ruth.. you are spilling over with wisdom tonight. You are probably right. When we are drenched with suffering – it might be easier to surrender to it – than when we are “sprinkled” with suffering
Sep 12, 8:31 PM
Carol (Guest): I must go early tonight–my friend is here. Gave a blessed week!
Sep 12, 8:31 PM
Simone (Guest): Bye Carol. Was great to see you here tonight again
Sep 12, 8:31 PM
Dawn (Guest): goodnight Carol!
Sep 12, 8:31 PM
Elena (Guest): Good night, Carol!
Sep 12, 8:32 PM
Dawn (Guest): the time has gone fast tonight
Sep 12, 8:32 PM
Dawn (Guest): Goodnight to all and thank you. God bless
Sep 12, 8:32 PM
Elena (Guest): drenched with suffering, rather than being sprinkled with it. Like Jesus was.
Sep 12, 8:32 PM
VisitationSiste: Yes blessings for each of you!
Sep 12, 8:32 PM
Simone (Guest): oh my.. I just realized – we are actually done already.
Sep 12, 8:32 PM
Elena (Guest): Good night, Dawn!
You are welcome to attend 8AM Mass on Monday January 24 and celebrate the Feast of St Francis de Sales, and gain a plenary indulgence.
In fact if you attend Mass Sunday Jan 23 at 9AM, you will be participating in the memory of another Salesian Saint, St Jane de Chantal, whose 450th birthday is Sunday.
