Social networking, better known as Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace, occupies the time of many of us throughout the day. The largest companies in the world utilize various social networks to reach consumers where they live, mainly on the Internet via PDAs, computers, and cell phones. So it seems natural that the Catholic Church would utilize these websites as well and they have. I was reading an interesting story about the Church in France. They have created a Facebook page that is being used to recruit men to the priestly vocation. The campaign is being pitched using the slogan "Why Not Me?" I think this is very smart. It is where the young people have gathered to communicate, like it or not and it allows someone who is discerning their vocation to do it asynchronously. I will be anxious to see how successful this campaign becomes and urge all of you to pray along with me that many men will respond to God's call to become priests. I also noticed another interesting story about France that involves reconciliation. The story is called "Praying People into the Confessional." It describes how St. John Vianney was able to attract thousands of sinners to Ars so that he would hear their confession. St. John Vianney in his early life was judged by some in the hierarchy to be rather limited in potential. As it turned out, he become one of God's most fervent warriors and continues to be honored with the naming of parishes and schools all around the world. Today is the feast day for St. Catherine of Siena. Did you know that she was the youngest of twenty-five children? Did you know that she joined the Dominican Third Order at the age of eighteen? Did you know that she was able to mediate a conflict between the papacy and the city of Florence? Her life is truly remarkable and she is one of my favorite saints.
Finding St Anthony Among the Lost Items
Saint Anthony of Padua, though often associated with finding lost articles, was primarily known in his lifetime as a powerful and eloquent preacher. Originally a Canon Regular of St. Augustine, he was inspired to join the newly formed Franciscan order after witnessing the martyrdom of the first Franciscan missionaries in Morocco. His conversion to the mendicant life under St. Francis of Assisi transformed him, deepening his commitment to poverty, humility, and evangelical preaching. Gifted with profound theological knowledge and a captivating speaking style, he traveled across Italy and France, drawing immense crowds with his clear and passionate sermons, converting many and combating heresy with his unwavering faith and intellectual rigor. Beyond his public ministry, St. Anthony was a mystic who enjoyed profound spiritual experiences, most notably a vision of the Infant Jesus. This intimate connection with the Christ Child is a hallmark of his iconography, often depicting him c...
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