January 2008         

May the Lord give you His peace!

Well, a new year has arrived once again. There are almost 3,000 people on this Vocations eLetter list. If you remember, please say a prayer for each other. Pray for graces of discernment to know God's will for your life. That will be a lot of prayers! I continue to pray for you all five times a day. The friars and sisters pray especially for you on Wednesdays.

This month I write about two essential qualities needed in discerning your vocation: surrender and trust. The Lord has a plan for every person on the planet. He wants to reveal this plan. Yet, he never crosses our free-will, he always invites. I want to encourage you in the struggle to surrender into his hands. Let go and let God (forgive the cliché). Saying yes to your vocation can feel like a leap of faith into uncertainty. If we are to overcome our fears, especially the fear of commitment (ouch - I went there), we need to trust more and surrender to the Lord. Not trusting is an hindrance to fulfilling your vocation.

 
Abandonment to Divine Providence by Father Jean-Pierre de Caussade [free online version] [order it from amazon] is a must read for those who are struggling to surrender. Trusting is tough for many modern people. There could be many reasons for this issue. We like to be in control. Jesus says to us, "Come and follow me." If we are following, we are not leading!
Fr. Groeschel has handed out hundreds of copies of this spiritual classic over the years. Have a read and let's pray for each other.

I will be away on the following dates during January (Fr. Gabriel should be available):
  • 3-7 FOCUS Conference in Fort Worth, TX. Visiting our friary in Fort Worth.
  • 18-19 Hermitage time of prayer at our hermitages in Monticello, NY.
  • 20-22 March For Life in Washington D.C.
                 We friars will congregate on the corner of Constitution Ave. and 1st Street.
                 The March makes a right hand turn at this intersection.
                 21st 7 p.m. - Vigil Mass at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception [info].
                 22nd 8 a.m. - Awesome Youth Rally and Mass at the Verizon Center [info].
  • 24-30 Youth 2000 Retreat in El Paso, TX. Visiting our friary in Albuquerque, NM.

Check it out ...

CAPUCHIN SAINTS (ETC.) IN JANUARY:
3rd
6th
12th
16th
18th
- St. Charles of Sezze (great lay brother saint) - MP3
24th
- St. Francis de Sales (3rd order, Doctor) - MP3
25th
29th
- Bl. Roger of Todi (knew Saint Francis)
29th
- Brother Juniper (companion of St. Francis) - MP3
 
+ Pope Benedict to visit Washington D.C. and New York in April, 2008 [info].
+ Pope Benedict: Christ shared the hardships of the poor [more].
+ Vatican Decree: Plenary indulgence on the 150th anniversary of Lourdes this February [info].
 
+ January 2008 edition of The Grayfriar News: When Irish Eyes are Smiling
+ CFR Articles: A Circle of Faith Grows in Unexpected Ways (Dec. 23, 2007, New York Times).
                          Soul's Serenity in the South Bronx (March 2, 1992, New York Times).
+ Vocation retreat at St. Fidelis Friary, London, for men in Europe: Feb. 15-17, 2008.
   Contact Br. John Paul, CFR [info].
+ Roman Catholic Vocations Blog: CFR related posts [here].
+ Finally! Full version of Bagage, a popular documentary on the CFR's [here].

Wisdom quote: "God has placed me on earth to do a certain amount of things. Right now I am so far behind that I will never die!" Let us pray for the grace to know and do God's will in our life.

May the Lord bless you,

Fr. Luke Mary Fletcher, CFR 
Saint Joseph Friary
523 W. 142nd Street
New York, NY 10031
(212)281-4355
(212)234-8871 fax                                                         Archive eLetters