Fiesta de María Madre de Dios

María, la mujer del ‘solo por hoy’

(P. Luis J. Tamayo)

Tenemos que aprender de la sabiduría de la Iglesia. Fijaos, hoy es día 1 de enero, y hoy es la fiesta de María, Madre de Dios. El comienzo del año 2011 empieza de la mano de María. ¿Qué nos quiere decir esta fiesta? Esta fiesta nos habla de la necesidad de cogernos de la mano de María para caminar hacia Jesús durante todo el año. El primer día del año se subraya la importancia de la Madre para la vida cristiana. Poco avanzaremos sino nos agarramos fuertemente a la Virgen.

Hoy es año nuevo. Normalmente el comienzo de un año se hace con nuevos compromisos, nuevos propósitos. Unos dirán: este año iré al gimnasio para bajar un poco de peso, este año sacaré más tiempo con los niños, este año le dedicaré más tiempo al Señor, etc. Mi propósito de este año es aprender a tocar la guitarra. A ver si para Diciembre os toco una canción…

Se suele decir: “Año nuevo vida nueva”. Pues más allá de aprender a tocar la guitarra, o dejar de fumar, el deseo profunde de todo hombre es renovarse por dentro: por eso lo de “vida nueva”.

Es importantísimo tener nuevos propósitos, nuevos sueños, nuevas metas, nuevas ilusiones. Esto es lo que dinamiza la vida, esto es lo que da sabor a la vida, es lo que nos mantiene jóvenes de espíritu. Esto habla de que uno está creciendo.

Pero cuidado! No dejemos que nuestras vidas se llenen de buenos propósitos, que luego no cumplamos. ¿Cuántas veces intuimos algo que debería hacer y al final no lo hago. El jueves pasado, el último del año, tuvimos en la parroquia un rato de oración delante del Santísimo . Por la tarde hablando con una persona le invité a participar de ese rato de oración. Me dice… ahora no puedo, estoy liado. A ver si el año que viene me organizo mejor y le dedico más tiempo al Señor.

Por eso la sabiduría popular es muy inteligente. Todos hemos escuchado: No dejes para mañana lo que puedas hacer hoy. Pues si uno va dejando para mañana las cosas, éstas, al final no salen.

¿Qué aprendemos de la fiesta de hoy? María es la mujer del momento presente. Ella nos enseña a vivir cada momento con intensidad. Ella un día en oración supo decir si al Señor sin dejarlo para mañana. Ella supo acoger los planes de Dios momento a momento sin dejar las cosas para mañana. Ella supo disfrutar del momento presente sin preocuparse por el mañana, pues sabía que Dios proveería para mañana lo necesario para vivir ese día. (Mt 6,25-34). Si es que cada día tiene muchas preocupaciones con la que luchar… para que voy a añadir las de mañana, o para que cargar con las del mes pasado. A veces nos pasa que uno tiene que hablar con una persona mañana y se queda tan ofuscado pensando en lo de mañana que se olvida de disfrutar lo bello del presente. O si te has enfadado ayer con alguien, no tenemos fuerza para dejarlo atrás y vivir centrado en el hoy… nos quedamos enganchados en el enfado de ayer.

Hay una oración de Madre Teresa de Calcuta que dice:

“VOY A PASAR POR LA VIDA UNA SOLA VEZ. POR ESO, CUALQUIER COSA BUENA QUE YO PUEDA HACER, O ALGUNA AMABILIDAD QUE PUEDA HACER A UN SER HUMANO, DEBO HACERLO AHORA, PORQUE NO PASARÉ DE NUEVO POR AQUÍ”

El Evangelio de hoy dice que “los pastores fueron corriendo a Belén y encontraron a María y a José, y al niño acostado en el pesebre. (…) María conservaba todas estas cosas, meditándolas en su corazón.” María miraba y disfrutaba de lo que estaba pasando a su alrededor. No se preocupaba por el futuro de ese niño, sino que confiaba que todo estaba en manos de Dios.

Nosotros gastamos muchas energías en pensar en el pasado y soñar con el futuro. A veces en positivo, añoramos que bueno fue el pasado o fantaseamos con un mejor futuro. Otras veces en negativo, pasando tiempo arrepentidos de algo que hice en el pasado o anidando miedos frente a lo que pueda pasar en el futuro.

Necesitamos pararnos y pensar en el presente. Meditar y conservar en el corazón las cosas que vivo en el hoy. Ayer ya pasó, mañana todavía no existe. Solo tengo el presente, la realidad está en el presente. Este momento presente es donde tengo que estar, es lo que tengo que aprovechar, es lo que tengo y por lo tanto es lo mejor que me puede pasar.

Pedir a María que nos ayude a vivir el momento presente. Vivir sólo por hoy. Acabo con el decálogo de la serenidad de Juan XXIII. (Sería ideal que lo colgaras en la puerta de la nevera de casa y lo rezaras cada día)

1. Sólo por hoy trataré de vivir exclusivamente el día, sin querer resolver el problema de mi vida todo de una vez.

2. Sólo por hoy tendré el máximo cuidado de mi aspecto: cortés en mis maneras, no criticaré a nadie y no pretenderé mejorar o disciplinar a nadie, sino a mi mismo.

3. Sólo por hoy seré feliz en la certeza de que he sido creado para la felicidad, no sólo en el otro mundo, sino en éste también.

4. Sólo por hoy me adaptaré a las circunstancias, sin pretender que las circunstancias se adapten todas a mis deseos.

5. Sólo por hoy dedicaré diez minutos de mi tiempo a una buena lectura; recordando que, como el alimento es necesario para la vida del cuerpo, así la buena lectura es necesaria para la vida del alma.

6. Sólo por hoy haré una buena acción y no lo diré a nadie.

7. Sólo por hoy haré por lo menos una cosa que no deseo hacer; y si me sintiera ofendido en mis sentimientos, procuraré que nadie se entere.

8. Sólo por hoy me haré un programa detallado. Quizá no lo cumpliré cabalmente, pero lo redactaré. Y me guardaré de dos calamidades : la prisa y la indecisión.

9. Sólo por hoy creeré firmemente – aunque las circunstancias demuestren lo contrario – que la buena providencia de Dios se ocupa de mí como si nadie existiera en el mundo.

10. Sólo por hoy no tendré temores. De manera particular no tendré miedo de gozar de lo que es bello y de creer en la bondad.

Puedo hacer bien durante doce horas lo que me descorazonaría si pensase tener que hacerlo durante toda mi vida.

Do you know Pope Benedict XVI? (click here)

A bored young catholic

Anonymous asked this question:

Hi ye all!

I think the RC church would full up and people would pay entrance if the clergy gets modernized in their reunions.

Don’t you think the mass is pretty boring? Always the same!!! No variations!!!! And the parents oblige you to attend.

Why don’t they play rock? Young people we would like it! Some strobe lights! I have heard some churches have chicks dancing. That would be nice!

You can add some more thoughts how to modernize mass.

Please help the young people!

See ya!

A bored Catholic

Answer:

Man oh Man you got a problem. Let me tell you something:

Some 30 years ago in midst of the rip and roar of the liturgical adaptations after the Vatican Council I was responsible for the youth area of my parish. My God, we did some things:

We changed the music and thank God we took the tunes of Negro Spirituals. They had rhythm and the words were easy to spaniolize. We armed at the back of the Church a giant Screen and escorted the prayers and the Bible readings with wonderful images, photos and collages. We had background music and meditations for young people. We taught yoga, Zen and other oriental stuff. Boy we were modern. I remember after one of those silent meditations a guy told me: Please, couldn’t you put some cushions in the corner of the church." You can imagine what for…

The Lord bestowed on me one privilege that is very rare here in Latin American. I have worked almost 30 years with the same parish in different ministries. So I have observed various generations. I am blessing now the marriages of the children of the marriages I blessed 30 years ago. If I resist some additional year the wear and the tear of this life I will bless the marriage of the grandchildren. I have watched the generations and the development of their faith. Here in Peru they say: "More knows the devil for being old than for being the devil". I have seen it.

It does not work. Those who were foremost in these then newfangled things – boy you are resurrecting things we buried 20 years ago! – almost all had to be recovered. All the noise and the movies and the togetherness and touch and pray and sing along has not been able to give them the most important thing, FAITH. Forget it if you are looking for something that smells, tastes and feels like the presence of God by your idea of modernizing the church. It doesn’t work. You won’t find it the way you are trying to.

And it is not your fault, brother (or is it sister?), and at least not all your fault. When you overtrain one ability generally the other senses shrivel. Probably your "hearing for music" is in overdrive. And probably you are hear impaired and once married you will have to install amplification because you will not wake up when the baby cries. And when your wife or husband whispers sweet things into your ear you will have to say: "Come on, speak up!", and romance will vanish. Too much decibels in young years! So you can’t hear the spoken word. Your "hearing for words" is atrophied. How many times has your mother to repeat things to you? It is not your fault, at least not all your fault.

I am sorry. The solution goes through the "hearing for words." It’s in the Bible:

Romans:  "But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: ⁹ That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. ¹¹ As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." ¹² For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, ¹³ for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? ¹⁵ And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"

But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our message?" ¹⁷ Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. ¹⁸ But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did:  "Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world." Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says, "I will make you envious by those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding." And Isaiah boldly says, "I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me." But concerning Israel he says,  "All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people." 

I bet you haven’t believed in your heart and much less professed with your mouth. And don’t tell me you haven’t heard the message pronounced. You have, if your parents obliged you to participate in mass. The problem is you are not brain damaged but faith damaged because you were too busy being rebellious. And instead of growing up in your faith you grew down.

Is there a therapy for you? Yes and for two reasons: God loves you and your parents are praying for you.

Would you care to take a calculated risk? Nobody will take away your free will. That is the calculation about the risk I am offering you. The risk? Well, you could experience a "crush", magic, thrill, and obsession regarding Christ. That is the risk. It IS dangerous because you could finish up as a saint. Just kidding. I don’t want to scare you off. But I guarantee that you will not be bored ever again. You will fight it out with the Lord, you may feel resentment against Him, you will protest, you will cajole, you will reason with Him, you will perhaps be stubborn and mute before Him. But you will never ever be bored again. Isn’t that worth the risk? And any time you can jig out if it all. When it becomes too dangerous…

If you want to take that risk read the chapter 11 of Romans and come back with your discovery: Where did you recognize yourself? I will hurry you on then.

And be careful. Don’t take down the Bible in the full view of your parents. They might faint.

DON'T FORGET GOD ON VACATION

Work Also Shouldn't Distract Us From Him

Benedict XVI is proposing that the way to live an authentic life is by leaving moments for God, as much during work as during vacation.

The Pope suggested this today during the general audience in St. Peter's Square, during which he focused on the figure of Rabanus Maurus, an 8th century monk from Germany.

The Holy Father concluded his address by citing one of Rabanus' phrases: "He who neglects contemplation is deprived of the vision of the light of God; he who is carried away with worry and allows his thoughts to be crushed by the tumult of the things of the world is condemned to the absolute impossibility of penetrating the secrets of the invisible God."

The Pontiff contended that "Rabanus Maurus addressed these words to us today."

He explained: "While at work, with its frenetic rhythms, and during vacation, we have to reserve moments for God. [We have to] open our lives up to him, directing a thought to him, a reflection, a brief prayer. 

"And above all, we mustn't forget that Sunday is the day of Our Lord, the day of the liturgy, [the day] to perceive in the beauty of our churches, in the sacred music and in the Word of God, the same beauty of our God, allowing him to enter into our being."

"Only in this way," the Pontiff concluded, "is our life made great; it is truly made a life."

Happy Anniversary!!

Today i want to thank the Lord for my 3th year of priesthood, but specially i thank Our Lady for helping me to persevere every day, giving me the strong desire to become a holy priest. 

Thank you all also for supporting me with your prayers which i need most.  And thank you for supporting this Blog from which we all are weekly nourished.

God Bless!

One day at a time

Living life one day at a time

Some people believe in fate, that certain things are meant to be, or were meant to be. In its extreme form this has led to the belief in pre-destination. Nothing is pre-ordained from the human perspective, that humans in their own minds haven't conjured up, and then created self fulfilling prophecies. The slogan says, "Be careful what you wish for, you might just get it." Another slogan says, "You made your bed, now lie in it." and people sometimes cynically, bitterly, and self righteously say, "I told you so!" or "What did you expect?"

Human behavior does have consequences both positive and negative, and "what goes around comes around", and yet humans create their own predicaments, and they often create "accidents waiting to happen" as well was "blessings which were bound to occur."

The person who is leading the spiritual life strives to live with responsibility, response - ability, and awareness. The spiritual person understands that thoughts, feelings, and behavior have consequences for oneself as well as for others and the world, and knowing this, strives to live with impeccability meaning that the person living the spiritual life does so with as few strings attached as possible, completing each act to fulfill any obligation, and freeing oneself then to live each day fully and completely.

The person living the spiritual life is free, aware, and creative and in these qualities there is great joy living life large, one day at a time, and worrying about tomorrow when tomorrow becomes today.

Never give up!

CLICK ON THE ABOVE TITLE TO SEE SOMETHING UNBELIEVABLE!!!!

TWELVE STEPS... to mess up the New Year 2009

1- Look for something negative and hold on to it.
2- Make a few mountains out of some molehills.
3- Avoid positive, happy people.
4- Talk with negative people about how unfair and unjust the world is.
5- Hurry up to get in a rush -- with something unimportant, if possible.
6- Never read anything funny and don't listen to jokes. 

Above all: Don't laugh -- nothing is funny.
7- Consider how nice everything could be, if only life wasn't so mean.
8- Call someone, who had hurt in the past and try to revenge.
9- Sort out something that upsets yourself, and then look for people 

who are willing to help you with this concern.
10- Seek a reason for self-pity -- a quite sure reason.
11- If you feel miserable don't talk about it, keep it under your hat.
12- Pin the blame for your problems on someone else, no matter who.

The importance of witness to the faith

College students from around Rome gathered to hear Pope Benedict speak about St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans on Thursday afternoon. During the address, the Pontiff emphasized the need for Christians to give credible witness to their faith with their lives.

Every year the vicar of Rome holds a Mass for university students in Rome as they prepare for Christmas. This year, Cardinal Agostino Vallini celebrated Mass in the Vatican basilica for the academics in training.

After Mass was finished, Pope Benedict addressed the students on the teaching of St. Paul focusing on his Letter to the Romans.

Pointing out that the Church is celebrating the Pauline Year, the Holy Father said that "the two thousandth anniversary of the birth of the Apostle to the Gentiles is helping the entire Church to rediscover its proper and fundamental missionary vocation and, at the same time, to make full use of the inexhaustible theological and spiritual treasure of the Pauline letters."

"I am convinced that for you, from a personal as well as the communal and apostolic point of view of the university, studying the person and message of St. Paul is a very enriching opportunity. This is why I will soon be presenting his Letter to the Romans to you," the Pope explained.

The Letter to the Romans, the Holy Father said, "is without a doubt one of the most important cultural texts of all time. It is and continues to be principally a living message for the living Church."

Given that the letter contains Paul’s teaching on the relationship between faith and works, the Pope told the students that he hopes the letter will "be substantial nourishment for your faith, leading you to believe more and better and also to reflect upon yourselves so that you might come to a 'mature' faith and, at the same time live this faith, putting it into practice according to the truth of Christ's commandment."

"Only in this way can the faith that one professes become 'credible' for others as well, who are conquered by the eloquent testimony of our deeds," Pope Benedict said.

Get to know our faces!

Get to know fr. James McTavish...

We love to let you know who is the people working behind this Blog to inspire and nourish your faith.

Have a look on an article about Fr. James.

Click on the above title or visit the below website:  http://www.iwcp.co.uk/News/Surgeon_heads_to_new_future.aspx

BELLA... you need to watch this movie!!!

Thanks to God we have people willing to spread good news!!!

Watch this video in Youtube about the movie and about Eduardo Verastegui

http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=wkE6Kd5Mwis&feature=related 

(or click the title above)

Story of a Vocation

Today on the 1st of November we are enjoying a Feast in our community, not only remembering all the Saints but also celebrating the priestly ordination of our dear brother James McTavish.

James, was born in Scotland on the 4th of November 1968, in a family with 3 sons: Andrew, his twin brother, and their younger brother, Daniel. Their parents Jim and Christina educated them in the faith, giving testimony themselves of a living God. James participated as an altar boy from a young age. 

He always has been a person who has been searching, leading him to leave his country and look for what God had prepared for him. “I still haven’t found what I was looking for” were key words which made him search with more insistence for God at the age of 29 years old. Being a Doctor he went to Australia to specialize. There he met the Sisters in Sydney. He had a strong experience of a living God who had consecrated James from the womb of his mother to be a prophet of the nations. 

The option to be a missionary came during his work as a surgeon in the hospital. A young man of 26 years old had attempted suicide on various occasions by cutting his wrists. After his operation James went to visit him in his room and seeing the young man looking sad asked him “Why are you sad? We have fixed your hand.” The young man started to cry and said “You fixed my hand but who is going to fix my life?” This question made James think “I can heal his external wounds but the wounds in his heart I cannot heal”. Through prayer James began to understand his calling, listening to Jesus the Good Doctor saying “I am the Life” (Jn 14,6) and realizing that the Word of God is sharp enough to enter deeply into the mystery of man and heal him in his very depths. 

James has always had a strong love for the Lord, a love which led him to consecrate his life totally, as a missionary in the Verbum Dei Missionary Fraternity, professing perpetual vows on the 28th October 2006. Two months later, on the 9th December, he was ordained Deacon in Rome through the imposition of the hands of Cardinal Antonio Cañizares, Primate of Spain. Then followed two years of preparation during which James finished a License in Moral Theology which helped to deepen his desire for the priestly ministry.

Some days before his ordination James felt very calm – a fruit he said of the many people praying for him which reflected the reality of a community united in prayer and interceding for him. The day prior to the ordination we held a moment of prayer in the community of the Sisters in Fulham, London, where many Italians from our community in Nepi (Italy) were also present having made the journey to London for the special day. James shared to us how God had given him the community like a familiar womb where he had been able to grow as a person and mature his faith and consecration to God. “I received my vocation through the hands of Mother Mary” were the words which came from his heart, moved by the moment. 

James, with an indefatigable spirit arrived to the day of his ordination, despite the mild flu which accompanied him. The place of the celebration was in the Parish of St Thomas of Canterbury in Fulham, London. The ceremony was presided by the Right Reverend Alan Hopes, Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster, a man truly friendly and humble. With heartfelt words he welcomed James in the priestly ministry “My dear Son, by the grace of God I welcome you as a member of the priestly ministry, a ministry transmitted through the Apostles” and with a strong invitation to live the mysteries of Christ- “Know what you are doing and imitate the mystery which you celebrate.” Various members of the community concelebrated amongst whom were Greg Morgan, Vice-Superior of the male missionary branch, who presented James; Antonio Velasco, President of the Fraternity, the Parish priest Paul McGinn and various priestly friends.

After the ceremony we had a great fiesta where the community, with the family of James, offered some lovely food and various musical numbers and a video of the story of the life of our new priest James. 

We give thanks to God for the life and vocation of our dear brother James, which has been a gift for our community and for the whole Church. And he asks that we continue to pray for him that he can always maintain his love for Jesus.

Something to think about...

Some very good and very bad things

The most destructive habit………........................Worry
The greatest Joy..................................................Giving
The greatest loss.............................Loss of self-respect
The most satisfying work.......................Helping others
The ugliest personality trait.........................Selfishness
The most endangered species..........Dedicated leaders
Our greatest natural resource....................Our youth
The greatest 'shot in the arm'.............Encouragement
The greatest problem to overcome….....................Fear
The most effective sleeping pill............Peace of mind
The most crippling failure disease...............Excuses
The most powerful force in life..........................Love
The most dangerous pariah.....................A gossiper
The world's most incredible computer.......The brain
The worst thing to be without....................Hope
The deadliest weapon.........................The tongue
The two most power-filled words..............'I Can'
The greatest asset.......................................Faith
The most worthless emotion..................Self-pity
The most beautiful attire.......................SMILE!
The most prized possession....................Integrity
The most powerful channel of communication.......Prayer
The most contagious spirit..................Enthusiasm
The most important thing in life..................GOD THE ALMIGHTY.

Check this out...

BALANCE SHEET OF LIFE

Our Birth is our Opening Balance!
Our Death is our Closing Balance!
Our Prejudiced Views are our Liabilities.
Our Creative Ideas are our Assets.
Heart is our Current Asset.
Soul is our Fixed Asset.
Brain is our Fixed Deposit.
Thinking is our Current Account.
Achievements are our Capital.
Character & Morals, our Stock-in-Trade.
Friends are our General Reserves.
Values & Behaviour are our Goodwill.
Love is our Dividend.
Children are our Bonus Issues..
Education is Brands / Patents.
Knowledge is our Investment.
Experience is our Premium Account.
The Aim is to Tally the Balance Sheet Accurately.
The Goal is to get the Best Presented Accounts Award.

Story of a vocation

(old picture) 

James & Luis, great duet!

Congratulations Fr. James McTavish!

After his priestly ordination, we invite you to watch a video about the story of his vocation, the beautiful God´s Love Story with his life.  The calling to become a missionary and later to serve him as a priest.  It is a story of being loved, but also a story of answering back to His great love.

We hope it will inspire you!!

At the end of the video includes few pictures from the ordination.

(please click on the above title to watch the youtube video)

All Saints Day!!! What a wonderful day!!!

Priestly ordination of Rev. James McTavish

Today, when we celebrate All Saints Day, we have a great good news to share with you all. Rev. Deacon James McTavish is going to be ordained in few hours. We, the Vitamines Faith Blog where he shares every sunday his reflections on the Sunday´s Gospel, want to be united to him in this special day.

Dear James,

We want to pray for you, to be united to you in this special day. We ask the Holy Spirit to bless you in this special event for you and for the Universal Church, praying that all Saints might portect you and guide you to become another saint.

May you always continue inspiring us!

God bless you!

WORLD YOUTH DAY '11 TO BRING HOPE TO SPAIN

VATICAN CITY, JULY 23, 2008 (Zenit.org).-

Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi commented on the next World Youth Day, to be hosted by Madrid in three years. Benedict XVI announced the venue for the event when he closed World Youth Day '08 in Sydney last Sunday.

Father Lombardi acknowledged on Vatican Radio that "[Europe] is a continent where the confrontation between faith and the problems of modern society, of secularization is always alive."

He added: "The Pope often speaks of the risk that Europe might lose its fundamental values, linked to Christian tradition and to the faith's contribution to the continent's development.
"This will certainly be one of the topics and objectives of the next Youth Day, but without controversies and without the will to oppose the world that surrounds us."

Father Lombardi recalled the Pope's most recent trip to Spain: for the 2006 World Meeting of Families in Valencia.

He said that the Holy Father's message at that event was "entirely positive, centered on the beauty of being Christian, a positive message also for today's family."
"At a time when the family is going through great difficulties, to be Christian is a positive message," Father Lombardi affirmed. "I believe this should also be the spirit of the next Youth Day in Spain: a message of hope, a message that shows how faith offers a beautiful and great contribution for the future of our societies and of the world, as truly happened in Australia."

Father Lombardi mentioned the disappointment expressed by some people that, because of organizational and security problems, it has not been possible to organize a World Youth Day in Africa.

"So we return to Europe," he said, "though the intention is to involve the African continent in every possible way."

discerning the call

If you are a teen who is discerning the call to the priesthood or religious life, try some of the following before talking to a vocations director.
Spend some time in daily prayer.
Become involved in a ministry at your parish.
Read a good spiritual book.
Study the Bible everyday.
Recite the Liturgy of the Hours.
Spend an hour a week in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
Make a list of reasons why you feel God is calling you.

Take an hour and prayerfully write answers to these questions:
Imagine yourself five or ten years from now. Do you want to continue in life as you are now? Imagine yourself as a vowed religious or as a priest ten years from now.
Fantasize by going through an entire day in your future as a religious brother, sister, or priest. Visualize yourself doing what they does. How does your gut react to this exercise?
What is the most satisfying part of your week? What does that say about you?
Shadow a priest, sister or brother for a day. Accompany them through the various aspects of their ministry.
For one week, live as if you decided to enter a seminary or formation program. Notice how you felt. The following week live as if you decided to drop the religious life or priesthood vocation question and dismiss it. What feelings stir up in you?
Imagine Jesus looking you in the eye, calling you by your first name, and saying, "What is it you really want?" Spend time with the question. Tell Jesus all that you hope for in life. Then spend time listening to His response to your dreams. (What is the desire of your heart?)
What was the last major decision you made about your life? How did you come to that decision? Was it a good one? What can you learn from that experience about your vocation discernment?
Make a list of all the reasons it wouldn't be a good idea for you to become a religious sister, brother, or priest. Then make a list of all the reasons why it would be good! Which one weighs more? Bring the list before God in prayer and listen.
What advice would you give someone in your shoes regarding a vocation as a priest or as a religious?
Reflect on religious sisters and/or brothers/sisters who have been mentors for you. Which qualities would you like to imitate if you were called?

Sexualized teens or the chastity choice

(Click on the title to get into the article)

Interesting article about how today´s society is so focus on sex issues, from media, comercials, to internet or easy access through mobiles.

¿Any answer? True Love Revolution is a new, non-sectarian student-run organization at Harvard College dedicated to the promotion of premarital sexual abstinence.

Camino de Santiago (click here)

Fr. Luis Tamayo & Daniel McTavish

An amazing experience!  What started as a simple walk it turned out to be a fantastic experience.  Faith, friendship, prayer, nature, and above all our Lord Jesus Christ!

Daniel McTavish came all the way to Spain to visit me and thinking what to do... we ended up walking the Camino de Santiago (St. James).  We walked 4 days, an average of 20-25 km per day.  WOW!!! Amazing!

We met very interesting people, two belgians in their 70´s walking all the way from Belgium, a 26y.o. young lady coming all the way from Ginebra, Switzerland, two japanese, etc. Every end of stage we will join the Mass.  I will concelebrate with the local priest.  I will always see this couple joining the Mass.  Once i understood from within "go and say hallo"... so at the end of the mass before i even approached to them... They came to me... So this way i met Olga y Rafael, wonderful people!

We walked only from St. Jean Pied de Port (France) to Pamplona, 4 days.  But enough to awaken the hunger for more.  Silence, nature, lovely people, light, wind, sun, air, green, trees, etc... everything speaks of God´s love, His presence sorrounding us.  I charged batteries!

Have a look: www.caminodesantiago.com