At the center of everything we do is the love of Christâand a desire to share it with all.
Dear Friend, At the end of the day, all of thisâevery email, podcast, article, postâis about one thing: connecting people to the deep, abiding love of Jesus Christ. We believe this love is not abstract. Itâs not just for âchurch people.â Itâs personal, real, and already at work in the lives of those who may not even realize it yet. Our mission at Franciscan Media is to help people recognize that love and respond to it. For me, this has always been the callâwhether I was consulting, teaching, mentoring, or now serving as a Digital Evangelization Specialist. My passion is helping people see that God has always been with them. Always! Not just in their high points, but in their grief, confusion, and doubt. I believe thatâs true because Iâve seen it in my own life and in the lives of those Iâve served. St. Francis said, âWhere there is love and wisdom, there is neither fear nor ignorance.â We want to be a voice of love and wisdom in a digital world too often marked by fear and noise. If this mission speaks to your heart, we invite you to walk with us. Thank you for walking this week with me. I so grateful to serve you. |
Ela Milewska Digital Evangelization Strategist |
Saint of the Day for May 23:
Gregory VII (c. 1025 â May 25, 1085) Listen to Saint Gregory VIIâs Story Here The 10th century and the first half of the 11th were dark days for the Church, partly because the papacy was the pawn of various Roman families. In 1049, things began to change when Pope Leo IX, a reformer, was elected. He brought a young monk named Hildebrand to Rome as his counselor and special representative on important missions. Hildebrand was to become Gregory VII. Three evils plagued the Church then: simonyâthe buying and selling of sacred offices and things; the unlawful marriage of the clergy; and lay investitureâkings and nobles controlling the appointment of Church officials. To all of these Hildebrand directed his reformerâs attention, first as counselor to the popes and later as pope himself. Gregoryâs papal letters stress the role of the bishop of Rome as the vicar of Christ and the visible center of unity in the Church. He is well known for his long dispute with Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV over who should control the selection of bishops and abbots. Gregory fiercely resisted any attack on the liberty of the Church. For this he suffered and finally died in exile. He said, âI have loved justice and hated iniquity; therefore, I die in exile.â Thirty years later the Church finally won its struggle against lay investiture. The liturgical feast of Saint Gregory VII is celebrated on May 25. Reflection The Gregorian Reform, a milestone in the history of Christâs Church, was named after this man who tried to extricate the papacy and the whole Church from undue control by civil rulers. Against an unhealthy Church nationalism in some areas, Gregory reasserted the unity of the whole Church based on Christ, and expressed in the bishop of Rome, the successor of Saint Peter.
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Deep and Abiding Love I know many of us feel disjointed right now, unsure of how we will ever feel whole as a nation again or engage in peaceful, fruitful dialogue. But Pope Francisâ letter is part of the wake-up call that we need. When we appeal to each otherâs dignity, we start building something beautiful: solidarity. And when we lean into solidarity, we might just find our primitive fear of those unlike us replaced by the feelings that welled up in St. Francis when he embraced the leper: deep and abiding love and compassion. May we meet each other in that same sacred space. âfrom St. Anthony Messengerâs âShared Dignity Leads to Solidarityâ
by Daniel Imwalle |
Let Go of the Hurt Reflect Making a quick cell phone search to check facts about a popular singerâthatâs all I was doing. My friend interpreted it as a chance to prove her wrong, calling me ârudeâ for using my phone while we were at dinner. Stung by her label, I put the phone down, diverting our conversation to a new topic, ashamed that I had upset her. Pray Forgiving God,
Help me shake off my confusion at this incident.
Allow me to see my actions from my friendâs perspective.
I had not meant to one-up her, but since she saw my actions that way, I try to feel her pain.
Help me let go of my irritation and continue to be an open listener to a longtime friend. Act Search your heart for a lingering resentment about a difficult encounter or conversation, recent or longstanding. Sit in a quiet space to remember details, then consciously let it go. Todayâs Pause+Pray was written by Elizabeth Bookser Barkley, PhD.
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