Crises In Our Church

Must-Watch Videos: Crises in our Church

Fr. John Lankeit, rector of Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral in Phoenix, delivered this powerful homily on Aug. 26.   (25 minutes)

Fr. Joseph Illo's 8/19/18 homily about clerical abuse  (16 minutes)

Where Is Jesus in the Midst of the Church's Sex-Abuse Crises?

The National Catholic Register, in the material which was 'pushed' to electronic subscribers today (8/16/18) published an interview with Father Thomas Berg, author of Hurting in the Church. Father Berg spoke about the challenges Catholics face amid the Church's scandals.  This is one part of his interview where he talks about what we can do.

"You discuss in the book how uprooting a betrayal of trust can be and how we really need to be grounded in Christ’s love. What are some concrete ways that Catholics can really root themselves in Christ’s love and find that grounding in a time when they might feel destabilized in the Church?

First, very practical immediate answer: Eucharistic adoration. No doubt about it.

That was essentially my homily when we were talking two weeks ago about the McCarrick thing from the pulpit. It means, as always in crisis, we need to be earnestly and deeply seeking the Lord by frequenting Eucharistic adoration and intensifying one’s life of prayer.

In my own story, I had to go on retreat. I had to just go take some time to just be by myself to get that down to the solid foundation of “What did I stand on?” What was the foundation that everything that I believed stood on?

What one can come to in those experiences is that experience of Jesus — the experience that our risen and glorious Lord still stands present in the midst of our lives. He is there.

When we are hurting, we need to do whatever it takes: adoration, retreat, increased prayer, asceticism, solid spiritual reading — all of the things that we can avail ourselves of God’s grace to re-experience ourselves as rooted and grounded in his love.

God has a very big safety net for us, and it is that reality of being truly rooted and grounded in him and in his love that encompasses us.

It is just that when we are hurting, when we are scandalized, when we are angry, when we are experiencing all of this emotional turbulence, it is just — it takes time and prayer, and I think a lot of coming to silence and coming to quiet to get through that and to realize that Our Lord is still there. Our Lord is still holding his hands out to us. Our Lord is still there to embrace us and pick us up and guide us and help us to move forward."

To see the entire interview please go to:

http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/where-is-jesus-in-the-midst-of-the-churchs-sex-abuse-crisis

You Have Adoration Questions?

Adoration Committee members will be in the back of church after all Masses the weekend of Sept 15 and 16 to answer questions about Adoration or the AdorationPro software.

We encourage you to stop; get your questions answered; and if so moved to sign up for your personal hour with God.

AdorationPro will be 'live' so we can answer questions and show you how it works.  We will also be able to demo the 'find a sub' module which is a valuable tool when you are in need of finding someone to cover your chapel hour when scheduling prevents you from being there.

There is no greater privilege for anyone then being able to personally talk with and speak into the ear of God

Why Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament?

If we can adore the Eucharistic presence of Christ when reposed in a tabernacle, why do we then need to expose the Blessed Sacrament on an alter?  It is not essential for exposition to take place to have Eucharistic Adoration, yet people report experiencing a greater sense of intimacy with Jesus and attentiveness of mind and heart to prayer when they are able to actually "see" our Eucharistic Lord.  But the best reason for having exposition of the Blessed Sacrament is simply that God wills it.  During His Eucharistic discourse, Jesus made this unmistakably clear: "Indeed, this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks upon the Son, and believes in Him, shall have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day"   Jn 6:40

Learn how you can participate in Eucharistic Adoration at IHM by visiting:

Become a Weekly Adorer

Adoration Needs You

Get Involved By Becoming an Adorer

Every hour of our Adoration schedule is open to having additional assigned adorers.  However, there are some hours in specific need of new or additional adorers.  The Church asks that two people be present when the Eucharist is exposed for Adoration.  Our current committed schedule has 44% of our total ‘open’ hours covered by only one committed adorer.  There is a lot of opportunity to help out.  If you are not currently committed to Adoration we ask you to pray to the Holy Spirit and ask the question if Adoration is right for you.  If you would like to commit to an hour you can sign-up by going directly to the AdorationPro software and registering for an hour with God.  If you have questions, please contact Tom Kartes at 616-325-9305 or via eMail at t.kartes@comcast.com.

Making Visits to the Blessed Sacrament

“The ways of visiting the Blessed Sacrament must be as various as the souls of men.  Some love to go there to listen; some to speak; some to confess to Him as if He were their priest; some to examine their consciences as before a judge; some to do homage as to their king; some to study Him as their Doctor and Prophet; some to find shelter as with their Creator.  Some rejoice in His divinity, other in His sacred humanity, others in the mysteries of the season.  Some visit Him on different days by His different titles, as God, Father, Brother, Shepherd, Head of the Church, and the like.  Some visit to adore, some to intercede, some to petition, some to return thanks, some to get consolation; but all visit Him to love."

Frederick William Faber, The Blessed Sacrament

(used again 072323)