By Pat Haggerty

I have a confession to make.  I have to be honest about something.  There is a certain saying that I avoid---or at least gulp before saying it.  I get a lump in my throat and a pause in my thinking.  It is this one:  “let go and let God.”  Sometimes, when I am in our Parish Gift Shop, I even circumvent the area where I know there are little knick knacks bearing this slogan.

By Pat Haggerty

On October 15^th, the church celebrated the feast of St. Teresa of Avila.  This feast day gave me much pause for thought.  Having some connection with Carmel in my early years, I always feel a love for Teresa of Avila.  She was born in Spain in 1515 and spent much of her life writing about doctrine and the mystical life.  She is considered a Doctor of the Church.

Thinking of Teresa made me also think about the monastic life.  What connections, if any, have you had with a monastic?  What can we learn from Teresa and from modern monastics?

By Pat Haggerty

As a child growing up in a fairly devout Catholic family, I remember the picture of the guardian angel that hung in the nursery of our two-story tenement.  The angel was lovely with a soft face, expansive and delicate wings, and an expression of kindness and concern on her face.  She was standing over two little children, a boy and a girl, as they walked across a little bridge that appeared to emerge out of nowhere.  No doubt you’ve seen a similar picture, or you have fond memories of your own guardian angel picture.

By Pat Haggerty

This week I did something I don’t often do.  I looked ahead to Sunday’s readings.  I know this is a good practice, and one I should adhere to more often.  It is a way to be somewhat proactive with our Mass participation.  We can reflect on what is to come and be prepared to get new insights on the readings when we attend the Sunday liturgy.  In our daily lives, we spend much time in preparation of things:  preparing a meal, preparing a shopping list, preparing for a class, preparing the house for upcoming visitors.  The list could go on and on.  So, why not prepare for Mass?