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cutting?
missing mass eqaul to murder?
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You Asked Fr. J

Q: Hey Fr. J, I know that cutting yourself is wrong but how is it that different from self mutilation as penance which (and I could be wrong here) is acceptable by the Church?

A: The idea that the horror that this cutting could in any way be seen in the same light as some ancient (not modern) practices of penance is not something that we should ever try to look for connections between.
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From the Father
Greetings to you all as we welcome the Feast of Christ the King!

This Solemnity marks the last Sunday of Ordinary Time, and indeed, the last Sunday of our Liturgical year. The Sunday after it we will celebrate the First Sunday of Advent as we begin anew, the great cycle of the Church that begins with the preparation of His birth and ends with the celebration of His universal Kingship, the Feast of Christ the King (yep, its kind of a “circle of life” thing). It is a time to truly take stock of our journey of faith. How have we been during the course of this year in making more real the truth of Christ as our King in our daily lives, and what glories will lie ahead as our journey of faith continues into the new year.

As one year comes to an end a new one begins there is always that feeling of expectation, mixed with a kind of "where has this year gone sort of feeling?" I know that must be the case for all of you, this year, like every year was filled with all of its ups and downs, trials and changes which must seem to have gone by in the blink of an eye. And yet here we are coming to the same Lord (albeit in different Churches around the world), receiving the same Eucharist that is our King, Christ. And because of these truths, we should be filled with a sense of knowing that no matter what comes, whether it be a tragedy or a glory Christ will be with us.

And so I say, “What a beautiful day!”

This Feast shares in our Baptism as we entered into the life of Christ our King and continues to let us become more and more a bold statement to the world: Jesus is Lord and King of our lives. We dream His dreams. We share His hopes. We believe that nothing, not even death, can steal the dream of His eternal Kingdom from us.

The Solemnity of Christ the King is not just the conclusion of the Church year. It is a summary of our lives as Christians. Let us be thankful that we have a King who wants us never to dream small, but to raise our minds, hearts and lives to a goal without end: Eternal happiness in His Kingdom.

You are all in my prayers.

Peace,


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From the FatherArchive
   Christ the King!
   Saints and Souls
   The feast of St. Francis
   New Directions
   God is our Pilot
   18th Sunday
   Summer is a coming
   Easter Faith
   Its Easter!
   Lent Again
   Walking by Faith
   Summer Thoughts
   When the Fire has come.
   JP II: 3 years later
   Happy Easter
   Lent
   Choices
   Baptism of the Lord
   Be a Holy Family this year.
   Merry Christmas!!!
   Advent Traditions
   A Saintly Advent Thought
   A November to Remember
   A Saint for the Summer
   Faith Alive
   ALLELUIA
   Holy Week
   Lent
   Baptism
   Merry Christmas
   Taking sides
   Assumption
   What's Important?
   Be a healer
   Calendar VIII
   Stress!!!!
   Calendar VII
   Calendar VI
   Calendar V
   Calendar IV
   Catholic Calendar III
   Catholic Calendar II
   Catholic Calendar
   Lifestyle Preaching
   What comes after Pentecost?
   Live the Invitaion
   My Hero: JPII
   So Stupid
   Welcome

When asked how he became a priest, Fr. J started at the beginning: I was born in 1965 and grew up in Largo, a town on the sun-drenched west coast of Florida. Being raised by a single parent was no doubt tough, Fr. J still feels that he has been... Read More
November 20-22: St. Francis Youth Retreat Manitowoc, Wisconsin
December 6: Corpus Christi Catholic Church Sturgeon Bay, WI
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