Continue Gift Giving!

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas.  Remember, the Christmas Season lasts longer than the post Christmas sales at the department stores trying to make another quick buck!  This week I wanted to share one letter that encourages giving the gift of faith through effective means of religious education for young people.  Then I want to share a very encouraging and prayerful letter that someone sent to me. The prayer this person offered me is definitely a cherished gift for me to receive!

(Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, Emmitsburg MD.  Mother and new born Child – God With Us)

Hello Fr. Leo,

I hope you’re doing well!  I read the article about you in Guideposts Magazine about 1 year ago, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I am a master’s student in theology at a Catholic University in Chicago, and my goal is to teach religion in a Catholic high school.  In addition to broadening my knowledge of theology so as to teach it well, I am also preparing myself to present the faith to teenagers in an engaging and effective way.  I remember that your article detailed some of your own questions and struggles with connecting to young people, and I thought that you might be a good person to ask about this.

I read the bio on your website–you must be very busy!  However, if you have a spare moment sometime, I would love to hear any advice you have about teaching the faith to young people.  What do you think are the most important things to keep in mind as a religious educator?

Thanks a lot and God bless–in a very vivid way, your ministry shows the warm and human side of the Catholic Church that many people might otherwise never see, and might assume doesn’t exist.  Yet another way to be a fisher of men!

Sincerely,

Joe

(The Photo Shoot from the Guidepost Magazine)

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Dear Joe:

Yes, I’m very busy, but am so glad that you’ll be joining the ranks of helping to evangelize young people.  We need tons of help, so thanks for being part of our movement!

You ask a great question. There is a bunch of different ways to answer your question, but I thought to give you 5 words that can help characterize good and effective ways to teach and evangelize young people.

(1)  Food! Of course, I’m talking about food for the Body, Mind and Spirit!  Develop a budget or organize local cooks to donate time to make sure every event has some “food” component.  They love eating.  And, if you can “plate” and “present” the faith in a beautiful way, the young people eat it up.

(2)  Dynamism. Don’t be boring!  I think that’s enough of a description.

(3)  Authentic in Authority. Don’t “push” your agenda, but rather authentically and sincerely share with young people how the Faith has helped you.  In so doing, they will not be forced to believe what you believe, but they will sincerely see the true authority in you, namely an authentic Christian life!

(4)  Family:  Often times, youth ministry can separate young people from their families. Although there will be topics that will be specifically geared to young people, I suggest that some of your events include the family’s participation.  We need more “family based” catechesis, events, and sharing opportunities.

(5)  Catholic:  That means, you know, “universal.” Therefore, be sure to keep an open mind and heart to other ways that people can experience Christ – through technology, art, trips and pilgrimages, etc., etc.,  Be like St. Paul who used EVERYTHING to teach people about Jesus!

I could go on and on, but I want to congratulate you for your desire to give the best gift to young people in this Christmas season:  the gift of faith!

(Summer 2011 – Steubenville on the Bayou.  These young people helped spread the good news by bringing their friends to this awesome youth conference – attended by thousands of excited young people!)

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Dear Fr. Leo,

Thank you so much father for your wonderful recipes for Thanksgiving leftovers.

(My bacon wrapped pork tenderloin stuffed with sauteed Kale and Apple, served at Thanksgiving 2011)

The good Lord has bestowed on you such incredible gifts of intellectual, artistic, physical, charismatic, and culinary talents that one ought to feel worried for you since: “  and to every one to whom much was given, much shall be required from him ” - Luke 12:48

I happened to see you a few times on EWTN ” Savoring our Faith” and I absolutely love watching you cooking with the good and sweet chef Aldo on youtube.  But what impressed me the most and profoundly touch my heart is your deep and tremendous love for the Lord which shone forth very clearly throughout . . .

I have a great love for all our Catholic priests – - men of brave and noble, generous and loving hearts – -  and enormous respect for the priesthood which is the most sublime and beautiful vocation on this side of heaven, as St. John Vianney had said,

” The priest is not a priest for himself; he does not give himself absolution; he does not administer the Sacraments to himself. He is not for himself, he is for you. After God, the priest is everything. Leave a parish twenty years without priests; they will worship beasts. Go to confession to the Blessed Virgin, or to an angel; will they absolve you? No. Will they give you the Body and Blood of Our Lord? No. The Holy Virgin cannot make her Divine Son descend into the Host. You might have two hundred angels there, but they could not absolve you. A priest, however simple he may be, can do it; he can say to you, “Go in peace; I pardon you. “ Oh, how great is a priest! The priest will not understand the greatness of his office till he is in Heaven. If he understood it on earth, he would die, not of fear, but of love. The other benefits of God would be of no avail to us without the priest. What would be the use of a house full of gold, if you had nobody to open you the door! The priest has the key of the heavenly treasures; it is he who opens the door; he is the steward of the good God, the distributor of His wealth. Without the priest, the Death and Passion of Our Lord would be of no avail. The priesthood is the love of the Heart of Jesus. When you see the priest, think of Our Lord Jesus Christ.”

(Seminarians installed as Lectors and Acolytes, Mount St. Mary’s University and Seminary Fall 2011)

We can never thank God enough for our priests, so on behalf of all your friends and fans close and far may I thank you, father, with all my heart, for being a faithful, courageous, and dedicated priest, for giving your life (among other things, you could easily become a world-famous iron chef, an influential and magnetic lawyer and politician, a renowned journalist, a popular taekwondo master, or a most sought-after break dancer and choreographer . . .) to serve God and the Church.  Certainly you have chosen the best vocation of all which has ” the surpassing dignity, the unspeakable blessedness, and  the tremendous responsibility” in the words of St. John Vianney.

Undoubtedly, you will need prayers as much as any of our parish priest does or more given your celebrity status and the inevitable dangers that surround you – a man consecrated to God.

I will pray regularly for you, Fr. Leo, along these lines:

“Dear Lord, please have mercy on your beloved priest, Fr. Leo.  Comfort him in his loneliness and sorrows, strengthen him in his weakness.  Keep him humble and meek, pure and wise.  Please, Lord, take entire possession of his heart and make him love You as You desire to be loved by him and deserved to be loved by him.  Give him the most precious grace of perseverance until the end.  Guide, guard, and protect him all the days of his life . . .”

Love in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary,

Your most insignificant friend (but very sincere) in Christ,

“H D”

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(At Grace Before Meals, we like to have fun!  And encouraging words definitely encourage us.  As long as the members of our movement are fed with God’s love, we’re happy – especially when there’s food involved!)

Dear “H D”,

Awe, shucks!  What you say is so kind that it really inspires me (and hopefully others) to keep going.  Our Grace Before Meals Teams relies on this prayerful support.  We know that God will continue to bless it though the goodness, generosity and faithful people as yourself!

In this season of celebrating God’s self giving, I thank you for giving us the best gift of all – your faithful prayers!

Sincerely,

Fr. Leo

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May you all have a blessed New Years!  Trust in my prayers for you as we celebrate the great Feast of Mary, Mother of God on January 1st.

If you have questions, comments or just want to share your recipes, please do so. We will always respect your privacy and maintain your anonymity.  But, your words encourage us to keep doing what we’re doing:  bringing people together through food – just like Jesus did.  Post your comments below!

Ask Fr. Leo for
fatherly advice.

Posted in From the Feedbag, Grace Before Meals, Holiday, Prayers | 2 Comments