RETREAT GUIDE

A one-page leaflet that can easily be reproduced and distributed. Download the PDF here.

WHAT IS A RETREAT?

A retreat is an out-of-the-ordinary break we all need, like an annual medical check-up. We stop all activity to be alone with God, so we can calmly look at the single most important thing in our life: our personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Since he wants to be our close friend, we will be spending time in conversation with him, asking for his light and help to convert our life—to begin again to live our Christian life to the full and so attain the greatest possible happiness that it brings.  

Listen to Jesus’ advice to busy Martha: “You are anxious and troubled about many things. But only one thing is necessary”—loving Jesus: being with him and listening to him. He is the only Master—not mammon!—that we serve.  

 

WHAT IS THE BEST APPROACH TO A RETREAT?

 

Do it as if it were your first retreat, your last retreat, and your only retreat. This means resolve to make it your best retreat. The Catechism teaches: “We live as we pray.” If you want to live the best life, then offer the best prayer during the retreat. 

 

It is always good to begin with the end in mind: the ultimate aim of a retreat is the same singular aim of all formation and Christian life: to be one with Jesus through love.

 

WHAT HAPPENS DURING A RETREAT?

 

Since a retreat is basically a time of prayer and examination of conscience, the activities guide you to engage in a heart-to-heart talk with God our loving Father and with Jesus Christ, God made man—like us! For this, retreats are held in silence that allows us to easily relate with Jesus: to listen to him and speak with him. All the activities help you encounter God: both the organized common activities and the free time you spend alone with him in silence.

 

WHAT ARE THE COMMON ACTIVITIES?

 

Meditation. Meditation is guided prayer. It is a traditional and widespread Catholic practice during which a priest reflects prayerfully on a Christian mystery to help you converse with Jesus Christ and examine your own life in his light.

 

Try to fix your eyes on Jesus who is alive and present in the Eucharist. Open your heart to him and show yourself as you are.

 

Spiritual Reading and Talk.  This is led by a layman and covers different topics relevant to your life as an ordinary Christian: work, loving the world, family, social action, etc.  

 

Holy Mass and Communion. This Holy Sacrifice is the most important activity because it is the greatest prayer and the greatest source of graces we need. Why? Because the Mass makes present the one center of history that brings salvation: Jesus’ fiercely agonizing sacrifice on the cross. Respond to this infinite love of God—and to his words of love in the readings and prayers—with utmost attention and devotion.

Around ten minutes are allotted for Holy Communion: the most precious time with Jesus, our only Savior. If you are not ready, go to Confession as soon as possible, so you will live in grace (divine life) and so benefit much more from the retreat.  

Visit to the Blessed Sacrament. Given that Jesus visits us during Holy Communion, we in turn make a visit to our dear Friend. We pray the basic vocal prayers (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be) and a Spiritual Communion, a desire to receive Jesus again.

Way of the Cross. Since the center of Jesus’ life is his redeeming suffering, it is ours too: we recall his love and passion often. St. Josemaria advised: Enter the event and feel each one of the pains Jesus felt due to our sins.

Holy Rosary and Angelus. St. Josemaria teaches: “To Jesus we always go, and to him we always return, through Mary.” Our mother Mary is “the shortcut to Jesus.”

During these prayers, we stay close to Mary like her little children to get to know Jesus best. Contemplate how God behaves as Love, and his Mother, too: joyfully accepting God’s will; detachment from things; offering our family; fidelity to one’s calling; zeal to evangelize; effort to pray; humble service; total self-giving; persevering to the end; victorious obedience; and great joy.

 

Examination of Conscience. A series of questions are read to help you look at key aspects of your life. It is a time to be brave and honest with God, and also with yourself. The truth shall set you free, Jesus assures us. He also urges: Repent, and you will make the whole of heaven—and yourself—very happy. Trust in God's limitless Mercy, be sorry and decide to begin anew.

 

WHAT DO I DO DURING THE BREAKS?

 

Confession. Since a retreat is all about a new conversion and spiritual healing, receive God's mercy and grace in the Sacrament of Mercy. Prepare for it thoroughly, using Confession guides.

 

Prayerful reading of spiritual books. Choose well the readings that can help you know God more and inspire you to talk with Jesus. Don’t just read for information, learn to love God with all your heart, and serve others with deeds.

Photo: Filip Chudoba in Flickr

Personal prayer. The retreat is a privileged time to learn to “pray always” as Jesus commanded. Prayer is raising our hearts to God. Use your own words to talk with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. And use the three “major” ways of prayer: vocal prayer, meditation (reflecting on the mysteries of Christ), and contemplation (a loving gaze at Jesus and his infinite love for you; a mutual look that transforms us deeply). The best place for prayer is being near Jesus in the Eucharist.

 

Spiritual direction with the priest and layperson. We all need guidance, so we open up about our key struggles and identify two or three resolutions to forge ahead in following Christ.  

By Parents for Education Foundation (PAREF) and Dr. Raul Nidoy, author of Jesus-Centered: Guide to the Happiest Life, a guide to prayer centered on Christ, highly recommended by scholars such as Dr. Scott Hahn Fr. Mariano Fazio, Dr. Bernie Villegas, Dr. Jesus Estanislao, Hal Urban, Dr. Andrew Mullins, Fr. John Portavella, etc.

Dr. Thomas Lickona: “I know of no richer resource for growing in prayer at any age than Jesus-Centered.” Scott Hahn: "This book is life-changing and world-changing...Start praying this book today." Available online here at the Jesus-Centered Life website. URL: https://tinyurl.com/2deypauw

Nothing to fear: new law on personal prelatures includes the laity as the old law does

Is there a possibility that lay members of Opus Dei might no longer be included within the prelature? 

In my opinion, there is nothing to fear that this will happen due to the new legislation, since the old canon which mentions the inclusion of the laity in the prelature is kept in the new one as is. 

The new canon only adds a reminder that the place where a member lives determines his or her Ordinary (or bishop), but the essence of the old stipulation—even its wording—is totally intact within the new law. The new canon says, as the old canon does: "the laity can dedicate themselves to the apostolic works of the personal prelature; but the manner of this organic cooperation and the main duties and rights connected with it, shall be determined appropriately in the statutes." 

And so the key to the type of lay inclusion is the statutes. This is why the prelate is asking for prayers for the work of revising them while at the same time serenely obeying the legal changes and asking Opus Dei people to unite with this obedience. 

The serene, unqualified acceptance by the government of Opus Dei is a sign that the figure of the personal prelature continues to fit the reality of Opus Dei. 

For many decades, Opus Dei peacefully and happily embraced the legal canons establishing personal prelatures, considering it as its "definitive configuration", since this ensured that the laity were equally members as the clerics. As I have shown, the new canons continue to stipulate lay inclusion in terms of "organic cooperation" as the old canon did, suiting itself thus to Opus Dei's nature. This means, like before, the lay members continue to be essential to the entire organism of the prelature, and are not mere external helpers. The clergy and laity are interdependent components of the organic whole: no clergy without laity, and no laity without a clergy. 

In previous post, I clarified that the key word "similar" is defined in the dictionary as "resembling without being identical", and therefore implies that Opus Dei is really different from clerical associations:

1. The resemblance of personal prelatures to "clerical associations of pontifical right with capacity to incardinate priests" lies only in the latter part: pontifical right with capacity to incardinate priests. 

2. The difference, aside from the canon on lay inclusion, is that a personal prelature is, by its very name, a hierarchical reality, established by church authority, while associations are established by its members. 

Lastly, there should be no fear that personal prelatures are under the Dicastery for the Clergy, because the head of Opus Dei must be a cleric (not a bishop), since its founder, St. Josemaria, became a cleric (not a bishop) in order to dispose himself to receive the Opus Dei charism as its founder and become its head. And if we are to add the insight of Joseph Ratzinger: priestly hierarchy in its original sense essentially means being a sacred principle, a channel by which the lay people can receive God's graces. Because Opus Dei is a work of God and not of men, then this connection with the clergy, the channels of grace, to bolster Christian life in the middle of the world further emphasizes this divine aspect of its charism. 

I think the word "similar" has upset so many people, but it is crucial to understand (a) its true meaning—the word implies difference, even radical difference!—and (b) the specific points for comparison that similarity implies, so as to comprehend the intent of the Vatican, and keep the serenity that the Prelate of Opus Dei keeps. 

Family Catechesis: What can families do to teach the Catholic faith to their children

First, follow the directives given by Pope John Paul II in Catechesi Tradendae, the most fundamental papal document on catechesis. I have added some headings to facilitate reading of the text:

1. SPECIAL CHARACTER. The family's catechetical activity has a special character, which is in a sense irreplaceable. This special character has been rightly stressed by the Church, particularly by the Second Vatican Council.

2. THROUGH PERSONAL WITNESS. Education in the faith by parents, which should begin from the children's tenderest age, is already being given when the members of a family help each other to grow in faith through the witness of their Christian lives, a witness that is often without words but which perseveres throughout a day-to-day life lived in accordance with the Gospel.

3. EXPLANATION OF FAMILY EVENTS. This catechesis is more incisive when, in the course of family events (such as the reception of the sacraments, the celebration of great liturgical feasts, the birth of a child, a bereavement) care is taken to explain in the home the Christian or religious content of these events.

4. REPEAT THE METHODICAL TEACHING GIVEN IN CHURCH AND SCHOOL. But that is not enough: Christian parents must strive to follow and repeat, within the setting of family life, the more methodical teaching received elsewhere. The fact that these truths about the main questions of faith and Christian living are thus repeated within a family setting impregnated with love and respect will often make it possible to influence the children in a decisive way for life. The parents themselves profit from the effort that this demands of them, for in a catechetical dialogue of this sort each individual both receives and gives.

5. KEY IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY CATECHESIS. Family catechesis therefore precedes, accompanies and enriches all other forms of catechesis. Furthermore, in places where anti- religious legislation endeavors even to prevent education in the faith, and in places where widespread unbelief or invasive secularism makes real religious growth practically impossible, "the church of the home" remains the one place where children and young people can receive an authentic catechesis.

6. HELPING PARENTS IN FAMILY CATECHESIS IS PRICELESS. Thus there cannot be too great an effort on the part of Christian parents to prepare for this ministry of being their own children's catechists and to carry it out with tireless zeal. Encouragement must also be given to the individuals or institutions that, through person-to-person contacts, through meetings, and through all kinds of pedagogical means, help parents to perform their task: The service they are doing to catechesis is beyond price.

To help parents to perform no. 5, to repeat and discuss the methodical teaching in the Church, here are sites where parents can find materials that discuss the Scriptural readings of the day.

Readings of the Day

• EWTN Daily Mass Readings
• USCCB Today’s Readings

Reflections and Homilies on the Readings

• iPraywiththeGospel
• My Catholic Life's Catholic Daily Reflections
• Evangeli.net
• Scott Hahn's Sunday Bible Reflection  
• Word on Fire – Homilies of Bishop Robert Barron 

 

The rationale behind these resources are explained in these two articles: Resources for Praying the Scripture of the Day and Meditating on the Bible.

Parents can also use the Vatican's listing of Catechism points that are relevant to the Sunday liturgical readings: Sunday Liturgical Readings and Catechism Doctrine.

Since personal witness is important, according to the Popes, a key to Family Catechesis is Family Prayer, which is explained and taught in

Opus Dei is similar to, and thus different from, clerical associations of pontifical right

A recent article did an excellent service of clarifying the decree of Pope Francis in which he made personal prelatures, such as Opus Dei, "similar to public clerical associations of pontifical right with the right to incardinate clergy".  

Written by a professor at the University of Navarre, the article points out:

• To assimilate [to make similar] in law is not to identify, but to search for a primum analogatum, a primary concept that serves as a reference for whoever interprets and applies the law. 
• A biological child and an adoptive child can and should be assimilated, for legal purposes, but they are not identifiable. Assimilation is a legislative technique that avoids unnecessary repetition, facilitates interpretation, and allows for the orderly development of nascent institutions.
• To say that the prelatures can be assimilated to certain clerical associations shows, in the end, that they are not constitutively clerical associations, but rather something else. 

Some people have criticized this article and continue to complain about the assimilation.

Here are my thoughts about this issue.

Similarity implies difference, because it is not identification. Google the word "similar" and you will get this definition from Oxford Languages: "resembling without being identical." Similar means some things are the same, and some things are different. 

The similarity in the decree is at the level of legal frameworks (the externals, the “shirt”) which does not determine the nature of the things inside. To use the analogy of the article, a biological child can have a "shirt" similar to his adoptive sibling's. They have totally different genetic codes, but they are treated in a similar way at the level of the law, from the point of view of the legislator or organizer. And here, remember “similar” implies difference. 

Take note of the actual words of the Motu Proprio: “similar to public clerical associations of pontifical law with the ability to incardinate clerics”. The latter part is not always emphasized in commentaries but the legal similarity points to this aspect. (St. Josemaria said that clerics are necessary for Opus Dei because of "the sacramental wall", the laity cannot give grace to themselves.) 

The differences are:

1) The canon on the organic cooperation of the laity: “the laity can dedicate themselves to the apostolic works of the personal prelature” with “organic cooperation.” This canon is not there for public clerical associations.

What does organic cooperation mean? This means the cooperation of the laity is not of an external or auxiliary nature, but they carry out the mission as members of the body or organism of the prelature. The Statutes of each prelature define the precise manner of this cooperation. 

Both the priests and the laity form an organic whole, each one  being an essential component and giving an essential contribution to the mission of the prelature. The priest and laity presuppose each other and complement each other. They are united by the same vocation under one governance.  

2) The name and nature of the two things that are made similar: prelature vs association. A prelature is established—"erected" in ecclesiastical terms—by the Holy See.  It comes from the top, while "association" comes from the ground. 

A prelature has a hierarchical nature, while an association does not have this nature. 

Legal frameworks and classifications will evolve, but among the many possibilities, the Pope has chosen a specific legal understanding for the Work today. I think the key is to put ourselves in the shoes of the organizer who is in charge of many organizations in the Church, and also know that they have in fact collaborated with expert Opus Dei canonists, and some like this one in the article, fully support its rationale. 

The Prelate of Opus Dei has in fact asked all the people of Opus Dei "that we all remain closely united" in his "sincere filial obedience" to the "provisions of the Holy Father." "Since the Work belongs to both God and the Church, the Holy Spirit is guiding us at all times."  

This reaction is in accord with St. Josemaria's faith in the Church, a faith we recite in the Creed whenever we go to Mass on Sundays and pray the Rosary: I believe in the Catholic Church. Faith, he teaches, is a serious word that we cannot say lightly. Faith means "absolute trust in God and total surrender of our lives to God" which we apply here to the mystery of the Church of God. 

Related articles: 

St. Josemaria on never doubting the Church: filial trust and joy over news in the Church

Motu proprio "Ad charisma tuendum": Some reflections

 

St. Josemaria on never doubting the Church: filial trust and joy over news from the Church

 

Pope Francis recently made changes to church law on personal prelatures that affect Opus Dei, provoking all sorts of reactions on the web. 

Opus Dei itself reacted by saying that it will study the changes "in a spirit of communion with the Holy Father." 

This reaction is in accord with the teachings of St. Josemaria, its founder. In one of his letters, recently published by Scepter, St. Josemaria writes: 

"You know how the Ordinaries of the dioceses in which we work, generally understand us and love us; and - whatever juridical form the Work may eventually have - the Church, which is our Mother, will respect the way of being of her children, because she knows that, with it, we only intend to serve her and to please God.

This is the reason why we do not admit, about the Church, neither a doubt nor a suspicion: nor do we tolerate it, in others, without protest. We do not look for the vulnerable sides of the Church - because of the action of men in Her - to criticize her, as some who do not seem to have faith or love are wont to do. I cannot conceive that one can love one's mother and speak of her with detachment.

And we will never be sufficiently satisfied with our work, no matter how many services, with the grace of God, we render to the Church and to the Pope, because love will demand more of us every day, and our labors will always seem modest, because the time at our disposal is short: tempus breve est (1 Cor 7:29). 

Together with selfless love, we must have great confidence: I am sure that confidence will grow in your souls, with God's help, in spite of the misunderstandings that the Lord will allow, which, I insist, will never be misunderstandings of the Church.

In this spirit of filial trust, we will always receive with joy and happiness any news that comes to us from the Bride of Jesus Christ, even when it may be painful or may seem so in the eyes of people outside the Work, since we know that nothing bad can come to us from the Church: diligentibus Deum omnia cooperantur in bonum (Rom 8:28); for those who love God, all things work together for good. 

And I dare to assure you that this joy of ours, no matter what happens, will not fail to cause astonishment and surprise, and above all edification, in those who without reason, because there can be none, expect a different reaction from us". (Letter n. 8 of St. Josemaria, 53 y 54, 1943)

***

Relevant articles:

Motu proprio "Ad charisma tuendum": Some reflections

What has changed in personal prelatures

Opus Dei and the German Way: the meaning of filial obedience

Bp Barron on What Makes a Catholic University

 Some notes from Bp Barron's talk at the Notre Dame University on What Makes a Catholic University which you can find here on YouTube: 

A Catholic university is where Jesus Christ holds the central, integrating and organizing place among all the circles of influence and activities of the university.

·       Where the relationship of Christ, the Logos, with all the academic disciplines is celebrated and explored with enthusiasm

·       But this not theological imperialism – where theology pushes out the disciplines from their place

o   God makes luminous and beautiful and opens up the depth dimension of all the academic disciplines. Because God is noncompetitive transcendence. God is everywhere, sustaining all things, most intimately so.

·       Applied to disciplines:

·       Math

o   Origin of our idea of the eternal is found in mathematics (B Russel). When we grasp a mathematical concept (e.g. circle), we have stepped out of our world, because it is true everywhere, at any time, i.e. eternally.

o   Math introduces us to a properly invisible world. It touches the absolutely, pure intelligibility of God.

·       Science

o   All the sciences assume intelligible patterns that the mind can know

o   Einstein – the most incomprehensible thing of the universe is its comprehensibility. We can understand it only because it was created by an Intelligence, like a Mathematician.

·       History

o   Modern secularity thinks that the center of history is 17^th century enlightenment that has escaped from the obscurantism of medieval faith. There is also the Marxist and Hegelian interpretation.

o   Christianity believes the center of history is death and rising of Christ. Christ is the real king in history. This is the Christian interpretation of history

·       Literature

o   all literature points to a hunger or thirst for God, properly or improperly directed

o   Flannery O’Connor – story of man is wrestling with this.

·       Law

o   Modernity is shaped by lawyers; modern society tends to be litigious

o   But law in reality opens up to morality and morality opens up to religion

o   Aquinas – positive law rests on natural moral law

 

JPII – universities emerged ex corde ecclesiae, from the heart of the Church. Tragedy of our time has forgotten this. The more we recover this idea, the more the university is more authentically itself.

 

Q and A

What are concrete steps to enrich Catholic identity?  More integration of theology and disciplines. Theology professors discussing with academic disciplines.

·       How to balance being Catholic voice and being open to all perspectives? A Catholic is not open to atheism and communism. We argue against it. Openness is overrated. If you are open to all perspectives, your brain falls out. Your mind is meant to clamp down on something nourishing.

·       What is the Catholic approach to inclusivity of LGBTQ? I prefer the term justice and love rather than inclusivity, which is psychologizing and relative term. But we are supposed to be just and to love all the time. Diversity and inclusivity are not absolute values. Not all student applicants were admitted in your school, but you were still just.

·       What does the Church give? Everything. The mental health issues, anxiety, internet negativity shows the hunger for God. People are going to the wrong place to seek satisfaction.

·       What is the greatest challenge for young adults today? Finding your mission. Balthazar – you don’t know who you are until you’ve found your mission. Every Catholic school and every Catholic is supposed to evangelize.

·       Role of religious groups that organize universities or schools. It is your school, give it your heart and soul. Seize the day!

·       Academic freedom and Catholic identity. Church is not an external aggressor against academic freedom. This is a faulty modern understanding of freedom. John Paul II – there is harmony of freedom and truth. Modernity – freedom is self-creation; no one tells me what to do, I invent things. But I am only free to speak English because I have internalized the true rules of English.

·       How to discern your vocation? Use Galatians 5. What path makes you more peaceful? 

Top six basic and classic spiritual reading books you can read for free on the web

“Help yourself during this troubled period by reading holy books,” teaches Padre Pio. “This reading provides excellent food for the soul and leads to great progress.”

"Reading," says St. Josemaria, "has made many saints." He recommended that you take time for spiritual reading for about for 10 to 15 minutes each day.  

Those precious moments are one of your most excellent investments of time for the single most important thing in your life: your relationship with your Creator, Ultimate End and Greatest Lover.    

Here are the top basic and classic spiritual reading books you can read for free on the internet:

1. Walking with God by Kilian Healy.  A friend who is an expert in guiding young people says that this is one of the most basic spiritual reading books everyone should start with. It is written in everyday language. In fact, it starts by telling the story of a train ride and the author's conversation with a young man. Read it here. 

2. This Tremendous Lover by Eugene Boylan. A spiritual classic. Some comments from reviewers: "I can't recommend this book enough to any Christian desiring to explore or deepen their faith." "One of the finest books ever written on the aspect of our Loving Redeemer. Can't read this without coming away with a deeper love of God." Download the book in PDF here. 

3. Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales. Written by a Doctor of the Church, this book has been called “the most popular Catholic self-help bok of all time.” Recently, in his Letter on St. Francis de Sales, Pope Francis quoted from it several times, pointing to its"valuable lesson." All of us, Pope Francis stressed, including those who "live in the midst of the secular city," is called to holiness. Read it here. 

4. The Way by St. Josemaria Escriva. A book for the modern layman, the Way has been called by the official Vatican newspaper as "more than a masterpiece." St. Josemaria "has written straight from the heart." The website escrivaworks.org states: "One of the main attractions of the book is its direct, conversational style," for it is "based on real, living experience" of guiding people. It is a book for meditation that you can use here. 

5. Soul of the Apostolate by Dom Chautard. A book highly recommended by St. Pius X, who made it his bedside book. He said that he "can offer no better guide" for people who want to have a fruitful apostolate. Read the PDF copy here. 

6. True Devotion to Mary by St. Louis de Montfort. Once you open this book, the first thing you will see is the list of Popes giving this book high acclaim. St. John Paul the Great said: “The reading of this book was a decisive turning point in my life...This ‘perfect devotion’ is indispensable to anyone who means to give himself without reserve to Christ and to the work of redemption...how often I had to reread it to understand it.” Read it here.

Photo from pxfuel

Philippines is becoming less Catholic percentagewise. Other Christian and religious affiliations have grown fast

According to the recently released government statistics, the Philippines is becoming less and less Catholic compared to the entire population. 

In 1990, Catholics were 82.9%, and by 2020 we were down to 78.8%. Surely the downward trend is continuing until we wake up.

Moslems have grown from 4.6% to 6.4%, mainly because of their large families, something that the Catholic Catechism and the Popes have been saying as something that God wants and science has seen as "key to the happiness": 

• “Sacred Scripture and the Church's traditional practice see in large families a sign of God's blessing and the parents' generosity” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 2373)
• A five-year study found that the parents of large families are "the most satisfied of all"--there is more joy going around, and the children have a greater sense of responsibility and receive more inputs. 

But the biggest growth goes to the Protestant, evangelical and other religious affiliations. 

While Protestants comprised only 5.4% in 1990, they now form 10.7% together with "Other religious affiliations" that do not fall under the category of Catholic, Moslem, Iglesia ni Cristo, Aglipay nor Iglesia Filipina Independiente. The 2020 Census does not call them Protestant unlike in 1990, but I suppose, knowing Filipinos, these other religious affiliations have something Christian and evangelical in them.

That is why I copy here the message I sent out last month, as a reaction to an article, 10 Reasons Why Catholics Don’t Evangelize: 

Only 3% of Catholics said that evangelizing is important compared to 85% of Evangelicals! In PH, Protestants are growing very fast! Priests, teachers, lay leaders, parents here in PH have to speak much more about the great importance and urgency for Catholics to evangelize: to bring the people around them to love Christ and truly live a holy, actively evangelizing life. Pope Francis stresses: "Every Christian is called to be a missionary and witness to Christ." Jesus' last words: "Make disciples of all nations." We cannot be complacent!  

The time to wake up is now.  

*** 

Religion	Percentage of population
	1990	2020
Roman Catholics	82.9	78.8
Islam	4.6	6.4
Iglesia ni Cristo	2.6	2.6
Aglipay/Iglesia Filipina Independiente	2.3	1.4 (.8+.6)
Protestants/Christian Groups/Other Religious Affiliations	5.4	10.7 Other religious affiliations (8.2), Seventh Day Adventist (.8),  Bible Baptist (.5), UCCP (.4), Jehovah's Witness (.4), Church of Christ (.4)

***

I encourage you to send this article out to Catholics so they love their religion and encourage other Catholics to continue living it and help non-Catholics understand how they can find the fullness of the faith in the real, living Jesus:  Ten Reasons the Catholic Church is the One True Church of Jesus 

As Pope Francis told us: “To give Jesus is to give the greatest gift of all.”