Ocala Lay Dominicans

Happy Feast Day !! Jordon Saxony

Bl. Jordan of Saxony - Nashville Dominicans The Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia Congregation trace their origins as a religious community to their foundation in 1860. Sometimes referred to as the “Nashville Dominicans”, the sisters have as their specific end the Christian education of youth and other educational or charitable work undert...

WE WALK BY FAITH AND NOT BY SIGHT

‘Twas at the funeral of Linda St. Pierre that the words of Holy Scripture: “We walk by faith and not by sight,” crawled off the page into my mind. The words, “walking by faith and not by sight” were there for all the world to see and hear since the first century. Now, they have taken flesh in me, who am living in this the final age. Our Lord tells us that every child has a Guardian Angel who appears before God on behalf of that child. The Lord says, “Woe to anyone who would scandalize a child such as this, it would be better if he or she were never born.” Have you ever seen an angel? I presume you haven’t, yet you believe that an Angel of the Lord has been assigned to you. See what I mean? You haven’t seen yet you still believe; you are walking by faith and not by sight.

Jesus Our Lord spoke definitely of Hell; it’s there, it’s eternal, it was prepared for the Devil and his angels. Have you seen Hell? Yet you believe it’s there, whatever “there” means. You haven’t seen yet you believe; see what I mean, you walk by faith and not by sight.

Scripture also says that:” Eye has not seen nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the hearts of men what God has prepared for those who love him. Again, I presume that you have neither seen Heaven or heard its Angels in awe crying out Holy, Holy, Holy is The Lord God Almighty, He was, He is, He is to come, and yet you believe; see what I mean, you walk by faith and not by sight.

At another funeral, another veil was lifted on the words of Scripture and the teaching of the Church. Scripture talks about the Glory of God and I think it was the second century Bishop Irenaeus of Lyon France who said, “The Glory of God is man, fully human, fully alive; so what does that mean? Me, you, fully human is the Glory of God? What does that mean? Lazarus is dead, he is dead and in the tomb. In the humanity of Jesus, God wept because Lazarus is dead. God proposes to raise him from the dead, but Martha, the dead man’s sister, protests that there will be a stench. Lazarus is four days dead. God says to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the Glory of God?” There it is again, that “Glory of God” saying. Jesus said, “Take away the stone from the entrance to the tomb”, weeping God cried in a loud voice, “Lazarus come out!” and the dead man came out, bound hand and foot. “Untie him and let him go free.”

Martha was told that she would see the Glory of God, but Martha saw her once dead brother raised from the dead. The Glory of God is man risen from the dead, not just risen from the dead as Lazarus was, but risen from the dead as Christ was risen, and you and he walking the streets of paradise together. Meantime, we walk by faith and not by sight.

https://youtu.be/c04_GeQZFFw?feature=shared

How very precious. Still my favorite car, and song was perfect too….. I can remember in 1983 I think it was, riding in my 1978 yellow bug, with a black convertible, that I bought from my Aunt, and this very song blearing from the cassette player….

Your right MJ, did bring tears of joy from this memory. Thanks for letting me know about it.

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Fr Cristóbal, General Promoter of the Lay Fraternities of St Dominic, 2nd Group in FL. To visit, the St Margret if Costello Chapter, Jacksonville FL
It was such a pleasure and blessing, for Paul and I to travel with Fr. Everyone had a wonderful time sharing about themselves and hearing some wonderful ideas Fr Cristóbal has for the years coming.

Wonderful trip to Miami. To finish off his visit to USA, FL, Meet with The General Promoter of the lay Fraternities of St Dominic, Fr. Cristóbal Torres. He spent time with the area of interest group in Miami and the Ave Maria Group came over as well.

Happy Feast Day !

"𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗶𝗺 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵."

The wisdom which is called a gift of the Holy Ghost, differs from that which is an acquired intellectual virtue, for the latter is attained by human effort, whereas the former is "descending from above" (James 3:15). On like manner it differs from faith, since faith assents to the Divine truth in itself, whereas it belongs to the gift of wisdom to judge according to the Divine truth.

Hence the gift of wisdom presupposes faith, because "a man judges well what he knows" (Summa Theologiae, II-II, 45, 1 ad 2)

Fr Christóbal Torres, O. P. , General Promotor of the Lay Fraternities of St Dominic. Visit. St Margret Costello Chapter, Jacksonville Fl. Jan 2024

THE WIND

One time the wind picked me up. I was going somewhere in our little town of Cahir, County Tipperary. Perhaps I was going to a Legion of Mary meeting; I belonged to the Junior Praesidium. I was walking along the sidewalk when all of a sudden, the wind caught me from behind and caused me to run right across the road and it crashed me into a railing some distance away without me being hurt. Even as I write this, I wonder at it. Nothing like it has happened since. Today when I think about the wind picking me up, it fills me with a longing for the Holy Spirit to pick me up without reserve. Breathe on me breath of God, my soul with grace refine, until this earthly part of me glows with your fire Divine.

On the day that Elijah the prophet was taken up, his disciple Elisha said to him, “Let me inherit a double share of your spirit.” “Your request is a difficult one”, Elijah said. “If you see me while I am being taken up, it shall be as you ask; if not, it will not be so.” Now as they walked on, talking as they went, a chariot of fire appeared and horses of fire coming between the two of them, and Elijah went up to Heaven in the whirlwind. Elisha saw Elijah being taken up and the spirit of Elijah came to rest on him.

It dawns on me as I write this that I already have what I am looking for: The Holy Spirit of God. Who is it in me that forgives sin, that changes bread into the Body of Christ, and wine into His blood? Well goodness gracious, me Patrick O’Doherty son of John and Catherine full of the Holy Spirit of Christ.

‘Twas June 13, 1970 that my mother the Church, one Holy Catholic and Apostolic, breathed on me, and laid hands on me and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit, if you forgive men’s sins they are forgiven them, if you hold them bound, they are held bound.” There was no sound of a rushing wind that day, there were no tongues of fire, no cracking of rocks, but the Holy Spirit came that day. I was prostrate on the floor that day. There were fifteen others most of whom are still alive, though that I know of three who have fallen asleep. My shoe lace was open and that preoccupied me for a time and I wondered would my mother, God rest her soul, have to leave the Ordination Ceremony; she being sick that day. But the Holy Spirit came that day and picked me up.

It’s been 52 years since that great and terrible day when I was ordained a priest forever in the Order of Melchizedek. Melchizedek was King of Salem and Priest of God Most High. He brought bread and wine – remind you of anyone? See also Genesis 14:17-24 and the New Testament Letter to the Hebrews 7:1-14.

Holy Name of Baby Jesus

Beautifully said

A River of Many Waters: Brotherhood of Preachers We had come, like streams of a river, from the same source in our native land, had separated from each other in pursuit of learning, and were now united again as if by plan, for God so arranged it. (From a funeral oration by Saint Gregory Nazianzus on St. Basil the Great) Such is the image St. Grego...

https://youtube.com/-pelissier8543?feature=shared
On my utube there are more video of Fr Cristóbal Torres, O.P. , the General Promotor of the Dominican Laity ,
And the Angelicum information, as well as the Healing service. At Blessed Trinity Catholic Church, Ocala FL.
English, and Spanish

Donna Farrell-Pelissier - YouTube Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

Fr Cristóbal O.P bilingual Eucharist healing service with Fr Jean-Gabriel, O.P., Fr Clement, O. P. , Fr Benedict, O. P.

Fr Cristóbares, O. P. Blessed Trinity Bilingual Eucharist Healing service

Angelicum, talk Blessed Trinity

Fr Benedict Crowell, O.p. At Blessed Blessed Trinity Ocala Fl. Parish mission for Angelicum.

Blessed Trinity Catholic Church Ocala Fl. Mission Jan 2024. Fr Cristóbal Torres, OP

Fr Cristóbal Torres, OP. , Angelicum Healing Mission, Blessed Trinity Church. In spanish

DRESSING DOWN FOR CHURCH
It says in Scripture, “worship the Lord in holy attire.” (Psalm 96:9) We should ‘dress up’ for church. But why, for what reason? Some people say because the Church is the house of God and we should dress up out of reverence for God. Me, I don’t see it that way. We should dress up out of reverence for ourselves as children of God and out of reverence for one another.

Before ‘the Fall’, Adam and Eve were naked but felt no shame in front of one another or in front of God. Genesis says that “the Lord God walked with Adam in the cool of the evening” and the three of them were naked. Now what does it mean for God to be naked, I don’t know, but this Trinity of Adam, Eve and God felt no shame and were completely open to one another. Something changed and don’t talk to me about snakes. They say that there was someone else there – someone called Satan. They gave into him and ever since then we have a problem with our own nakedness. God doesn’t have a problem with it, but we do. The man and woman made loin cloths out of fig leaves and they hid from God among the trees of the Garden. So we should come to church “dressed up” not “down” out of respect for the weaknesses of one another. When God looks at woman naked or otherwise, He can say:

“How beautiful are your feet in their sandals,
O, prince’s daughter!
The curve of your thighs is like the curve of a necklace,
Work of a master hand.
Your navel is a bowl well rounded
With no lack of wine.
Your belly a heap of what
Surrounded with lilies.
Your two breasts are two fawns
Twins of a gazelle.
Your neck is an ivory tower.”

Now that’s God for you, but me, it would be easier, deferring to my wounded vision, if the two fawns would be fully clothed. “Cross your heart” living bra, etc. And ladies, I’m sure when you see us in our shorts and tee shirts, our knobby knees and hairy legs, you go into ecstasy:

“My beloved is fresh and ruddy,
To be know among ten thousand.
His head is golden, purest gold, his locks are palm fronds.
His eyes are doves at a pool of water.
His lips are lilies, distilling pure myrrh.
His belly a block of ivory, covered with sapphires.
His legs are alabaster columns, set in lockets of pure gold.”

Gentlemen, so that we might not be an occasion of sin to the ladies, let us too dress up for Church.

Fr. Jean-Gabriel Pophillat, O. P Angelicum Eucharistic Mission Blessed Trinity Catholic Church, Ocala Fl

Fr Jean-Gabriel Pophillat, O.P, the Angelicum mission

The Angelicum mission at Blessed Trinity Catholic Church Ocala FL Fr Jean-Gabriel Pophillat O. P.

Introduction of the Angelicum at mission at Blessed Trinity Church Fr Jean-Gabriel Pophillat, OP

St. Anthony, Abbot

Today, Holy Mother Church celebrates the Feast of St. Anthony, Abbot. Although Anthony was a hermit, he is heralded as the patriarch of monks.

One day while Anthony attended Mass he heard the Word from the Gospel of Matthew 19:21 “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." Anthony parted with all of his possessions and went off to live in the desert.

Many heard about this hermit, including Greek Philosophers, and came to visit him. He was a very prayerful man, fasted often, and his prayers resulted in many miracles and healings.

For the final 20 years of his life, Anthony moved on to a more secluded part of the Egyptian desert where he lived in a closed off room and fasted on bread and water brought to him by his friends. He continued to pray for and comfort others with his words. There were those who chose to remain with him and for this reason he is credited for the formation of the first monastic community. Moi, I don’t think it was St. Anthony’s intention to create a monastic community, but I also know that the Lord uses the humble and the lowly to do great things for the Kingdom of God.

In a video posted on Facebook not long ago, I spoke about the Grunewald painting in the Mary Chapel at Queen of Peace Catholic Church on State Rd. 200 in Ocala, Fl. The artist, Grunewald, painted this particular scene of the crucifixion for a Hospice. In this piece, the crucified Christ is afflicted with St. Anthony’s fire, named so after this hermit. In case you are wondering what St. Anthony’s fire is (also known as ergotism) is, it’s a disease caused by a fungus in wheat and rye that when eaten infects the skin, is accompanied by a burning sensation, and sometimes convulsions. St. Anthony prayed for many afflicted by this disease and they were healed. After his death, some of the Benedictine monks used St. Anthony’s relics to pray for those suffering from this affliction and so ergotism became known as St. Anthony’s Fire. Later, herpes and another disease, erysipelas, characterized by eruptions to the arms, legs, and face also were coined as “St. Anthony’s Fire.” It doesn’t surprise me that St. Anthony’s fire is a trinity of diseases. Think about that for a minute.

Just recently I noticed a stalk of wheat to the left of the cross in the Grunewald painting and a still small voice reminded me that “unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a grain of wheat. But if it dies, it produces much fruit.” (John 12:24). Christ was the first and holiest seed to fall into the ground, to quicken, to come back to life, and increase.

I pray that we all become grains of wheat that produce a bountiful harvest. St. Anthony pray for us.

www.dominicanhouseofprayer.com STARTING TOMORROW Wednesday Jan 17, 2024 || 7:30 PM EST

Look who is sitting up front t with Paul on our way to the Newman retreat cent with fr. Cristóbal

Trying Lord !