Adult Faith Formation, June 16th -- American Catholic Literature, Session 5 -- Spiritual Writers of the USA

 In our fifth and final session of this course, we look to the spiritual writings of Catholic authors of the USA.

Most particularly, we consider the writings of the early missionaries, and then those of Dorothy Day and Fulton Sheen.

Adult Faith Formation - American Catholic Literature - Recommended Reading Lists

 Catholic Literature of the USA

The Catholic Influence on American Literature

Some Recommended Book Lists

Don’t read good books, or else you won’t have time for the great books!   (Fr Raymond Nyquist)

Sunday Sermon, June 14th -- Celebrating the Feasts of Faith (External Solemnity of the Sacred Heart)

 We celebrate this Sunday, the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus as an external solemnity. This feast celebrates the reality of Christ's humanity, by which the infinite, transcendent divine love is made manifest and visible through our Lord's human love.

We consider that our faith must receive concrete, visible expression -- and a major part of this is celebrating the feast days of the Church.  If we believe in the mystery of the Sacred Heart (and in the other great mysteries of our Faith), these feast days will be very important to us and we will celebrate them with great joy - not only in the church building but also in our homes.

This sermon is a strong encouragement to celebrate the feasts of faith in our home and family life!

Listen online [here]!

Adult Faith Formation, June 9th -- American Catholic Literature, Session 4 - Devout American Catholic Authors

 In this fourth session of the Catholic influence on American Literature, we consider the contributions of devoutly Catholic American authors. Looking at a number of the more well known figures like Flannery O'Connor and Walker Percy, we then consider others like Walter Miller jr, John Kennedy Toole, and Andre Dubus.

Sunday Sermon, June 7th - Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi; The Law of Prayer, The Law of Belief (Transferred Feast of Corpus Christi)

 Lex orandi legem statuit credendi - the law of prayer establishes the law of belief. While the Church established the rubrics and norms of liturgical prayer and worship based on the beliefs and doctrines she holds; for the individual Catholic, the practice of prayer and the rites of liturgical worship come before belief in the doctrines. We believe because we practice our worship in a particular way which emphasizes those doctrines.

On the Feast of Corpus Christi, we consider how the rites and rituals of the Mass (and of the Eucharistic Procession) teach us what we believe about the Eucharist.

Listen online [here]!

Adult Faith Formation, June 2nd - American Catholic Literature, Session 3 - Popular Lapsed-Catholic Authors

 In this third session, we consider the Catholic influence on two of the great American authors: F Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway. Fitzgerald strayed far from the Catholic faith of his youth, while Hemingway converted as an adult and remained a "bad" Catholic throughout his life. The Catholic foundation of these two authors is far too overlooked.

We also comment on Cormac McCarthy, another lapsed Catholic.

Sunday Sermon, Perichoresis and the Mutual Indwelling of the Three Persons (Trinity Sunday)

 Perichoresis means "dancing in circle" and refers to the mutual indwelling of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. We consider an analogy for understanding the Trinity (God knows himself, and the Father begets the Son; God loved himself, and the Father and Son breathe the Holy Spirit).

We conclude with a beautiful reflection from St Maximus the Confessor (see below).

Listen online [here]!

Adult Faith Formation, May 26 -- American Catholic Literature, Session 2 - Catholic Themes in Non-Catholic American Authors

 In this session, we look to certain non-Catholic authors who have many Catholic characters and themes. Most especially, we consider Henry James and Willa Cather. 

Also, some lists of American authors and books are offered.

Sunday Sermon, The Holy Spirit and the Catholic Church (Pentecost Sunday)

 We consider some of the Trinitarian theology related especially to the Person of the Holy Spirit. Then, reflecting on the Veni Sancte Spiritus sequence of Pentecost, we consider how the Church in many ways is the work of the Holy Spirit in the world. If the Church is the Body of Christ, the Holy Spirit is the Soul of the Church.

Listen online [here]!

Adult Faith Formation, May 20th -- American Catholic Literature, Session 1 -- Introduction and the Importance of Literature

 In this series, we discuss literature and especially the Catholic influence on American Literature - especially in honor of the 250th Anniversary of the Nation.

Our first class discusses the importance of literature and also gives various recommendations of great book lists -- Catholic authors, American authors, and a list of the great books that should be read.

Sunday Sermon, May 17 -- The Mass, The Great Commission, and the Ite Missa Est (Transferred Ascension)

 On the transferred feast of the Ascension, we look to the Great Commission and consider how the various resurrection appearances are mystically presented in the Mass. Furthermore, we consider in detail the words of the commission- "Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you."

Finally, the Ite of the Mass is seen as a continuation of this Great Commission.

Listen online [here]!

Sunday Sermon, May 10 - Lunatic, Liar, or Lord

 Following the classic argumentation of CS Lewis, we put forward the Trilemma -- Jesus cannot be accepted only as a moral teacher; he claimed to be God and preached himself as the Kingdom of God, Savior and Salvation.

Jesus, in his claims, must either be a lunatic or a horrible liar and devil - or, if he is true, he is the Lord and God of the universe. We consider this as we prepare for our Lord's Ascension.

Listen online [here]!