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FEAST OF JOHN NEUMANN, BISHOP
God’s way, not my way
At St. Alphonsus Church in downtown Baltimore you can visit the parish where Saint John Neumann served before he became a bishop. You can even step into his austere bedroom where a bed, tiny desk, kneeler, and picture of the Madonna make up his belongings. Simplicity was his obsession; becoming the bishop of Philadelphia certainly didn’t fit into that plan. Yet he embraced his office and took on the task of serving the burgeoning immigrant church by learning 10 languages and doing what was best for the people he served and loved. When God’s will speaks to you, try the gentle path of surrender.
TODAY’S READINGS: 1 John 3:22-4:6; Matthew 4:12-17, 23-25
“We receive from God whatever we ask, because we obey his commandments and do what pleases him.”
to your soul-searching questions
Is my vocation from God or just my imagination?
How do I know if a call to religious life is from God or just my imagination?
I have to begin by quoting Joan of Arc in George Bernard Shaw's wonderful play about her trial. When Joan's interrogators doubt that the voices she hears are from God and suggest that they spring from her imagination, Joan replies as if her accusers are hopelessly ignorant: "I know. That is how God speaks to me." We tend to belittle the imagination as the realm of children. We forget that Jesus had a high opinion of children, favored their company, and thought we should be more like th ...
Order priest or diocesan priest?
How do I know whether I'm suited for being an order priest or a diocesan priest?
I’m happy to count among my friends Franciscans, Jesuits, Oblates, Paulists, Marists, and even the rare Camaldolese monk. I also know and love a small army of diocesan priests. I’ve often wondered why each one entered the ministry and, in particular, wound up in the “lifestyle” he currently enjoys. Because I’m curious and also pretty bold, I always ask. Their candid replies have helped me appreciate the process of discernment, the power of the Spirit, and ...